**Cat POV"Cat, honey!" my mom gushed she shoved her phone in her pocket and jumped at me, hugging me around the neck. "I've been so worried about you.""You've been calling me non-stop all day. I've been working," I said, patting her back slightly. "I've been calling because I'm worried. I can't get Aaron or Barbs on the phone, either.""Why are you calling now?" I asked. "Is something wrong?""That's what I was going to ask you," she said. "You've been so distant.""No more than usual." I shrugged and stepped back. My mom looked rough. I noticed for the first time that she looked tired with big, purple bags under her eyes. Her hair wasn't shiny or brushed, and her clothes were crumpled. Ever since she started dating, she'd never let her appearance look that messy. "You know, I drove three hours to get here. I even went to the hotel where your development firm is. That's how worried I was," she said. "Mom, you didn't have to make the trip," I said. "I've go
**Cat POV"Mom, Mom!" I cried. I tried shaking her, but she still wouldn't respond. "What happened?" one of the construction workers asked, coming up to me. He knelt down, putting a hand on my back. He grabbed my mother's wrist. "She just passed out," I said, hyperventilating. The construction worker frowned slightly. "Is she okay? What's wrong?" I asked. "She's unconscious, but her pulse is strong. Is there somewhere we can take her to get her more comfortable?" he asked. "Um… yeah, the guest house at Mr. Carter's," I said, pointing back to the house. "I've got her," the construction worker said. He picked my mom up so easily, carrying her bridal style back to the guest house. He instructed the other construction workers to get back to work. I hurried after him. He must have been the foreman or something, overseeing the construction crew. "I'm sorry if this disrupts your workday," I said, not sure what else to say. "We'll get the job done," he ass
**Cat POVI clenched my fist around the dish towel as Luke walked into the living room. Jason had left the door open on his way out. What the h*ll was I supposed to say to him? Luke had slept with me even though he had a girlfriend. He'd cheated on Victoria with me, and I had stared her down with the knowledge that her boyfriend had been unfaithful. When Luke had said he was having relationship problems, I hadn't thought he still had a girlfriend when he seduced me. "Cat, how did you fare today with work?" he asked cheerily as he came into the living room. I twisted the dish towel in my hands, wringing it like I could squeeze all my anger out of it like water. "It was fine, Mr. Carter," I snipped. I started wiping down the counter with the towel, even though it was perfectly clean. I hadn't cooked in that kitchen at all since I'd arrived. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Luke standing in the kitchen doorway. He had his arms crossed, shoulder leaning against the f
**Cat POV"So, you ready for the big trip?" Jason asked as he handed me a blueprint of the house with my modifications and his notes. The foundation has been poured, and the structure was beginning to take shape. "How did you hear about that?" I asked, my cheeks warming as I kept my eyes on the blueprints. Jason and I had both been on site every day, monitoring the development construction. "When the architect I'm working with daily leaves the country for a while, I do get a memo," Jason teased, winking at me. "Besides, I'm coming along too." I bit my lower lip and kept scanning the blueprint. I'd memorized the blueprint already, but I didn't want to look into Jason's deep, soulful brown eyes. He was so friendly and goofy and always admitted when he was awkward. I liked that about him. "Well, I've never had the chance to go out of the country," I admitted with a shrug. I handed the blueprints back to Jason. "This looks good.""Come on, let's take a lunch break. We
Staring dumbly out the window, my mind reeled. I'd have to be crammed on a plane with two people I absolutely despised and at least one that I knew despised me. "Cat, are you sure you're okay with this?" Luke asked, standing close behind me. I whipped around and stared at him. "I'm fine!"Luke put his hands up. "Okay, I'll let the pilot know he can begin pre-flight."Jason's attention was now on me. He'd been silent since Luke announced his entire family would be joining us. He stood and sat down next to me. "What's going on? Cat, do you know Luke's family?" he asked. I shrugged. "Loosely," I muttered. "There's a story there," he commented. "One that we'll have to recount another time," I murmured sourly. I heard Mr. and Mrs. Carter before I saw them come into the plane. Mrs. Carter stopped talking and grabbed her husband's arm when she saw me. She sucked in a sharp breath, her lips getting tight. "That's right, you're Luke's newest architect," Mr. Car
**Cat POVAfter the most awkward, uncomfortable three hours I'd ever experienced, the plane touched down on the ground. I practically threw myself out the door to kiss the pavement when the door opened.No one tried to stop me. There were several limos waiting on the private airstrip. "Come on, Fiona, get your bags. The resort is waiting for us, and we have to finalize the wedding plans," Mrs. Carter said, heading to one of the limos. "Maybe we can get them to extend the patio area. I don't know if they'll be done in time, though." "They requested some changes be made to the venue," Luke said as he walked by me, noticing my confused look. Of course, they owned the place and could request to modify it at will. "Luke, I got your group separate cars," a woman called from the passenger seat of one of the limos. "Thanks, Johanna," he said, waving back. "Aren't you coming to the resort with us?" Mr. Carter asked. "Those of us here for work are going to stay at the pr
**Cat POVAs soon as I hit the water, I held my breath. I started kicking back to the surface. A muffled splash echoed overhead, and someone wrapped their arms around me, pulling me up. When my head broke the surface, I heaved, breathing hard and pushing away from the person that was still holding onto me. "Cat, Cat, are you okay?" Luke's voice asked worriedly. His arms tightened around me. "I'm fine, you can let go of me," I snarled, trying to wiggle away. My movement dragged us both underwater again, and I quickly held my breath. We surfaced once more, and Luke was still holding onto me. "You're going to drown us both," I argued, trying to wriggle away again. "Cat, stop struggling. I'll get us to the dock," he said. "What are you doing? Let me go!" I snapped, swatting at Luke's chest. Finally, he released me and drifted back. "Rescuing you," he said, creasing his brow. "I know how to swim," I argued. I kicked my legs, treading water, and used my
**Cat POVStripping off my wet clothes, I kicked them into a pile in the corner of the bathroom. It was a nice bathroom with white-tiled walls. There was a porcelain clawfoot tub and a stand-up shower with tiled walls and a nice glass door. The shower had a bench and everything. The bathroom also had a marble top vanity with an above-counter sink and a large round mirror. I caught my reflection as the shower water warmed up. My cheeks were still flushed. How stupid was I to stand there and watch Luke taking his shirt off after I'd just yelled at him for being a cheater?Shaking my head, I slipped into the steaming water. I might have been in the tropics, but even warm air against wet clothes and wet skin felt freezing. My skin felt a little tight from the drying salt, so I quickly washed myself off and then took my time to lather up and rinse my hair. Now I was wondering if I'd be able to have an adult conversation with Luke. He always had a way of turning t