All That Sparkles: The Texan Quartet (22 page)

“You are going to paint the outside?”

“Yes. Hank’s arranging it for me.”

“I will pay for that as well.”

Imogen didn’t bother to argue. “Thank you, Papa.”

“Shall I take you to dinner?”

With a smile she looped her arm through his. “That would be grand.”

Her father wasn’t likely to change his ways very much, but it didn’t matter.

All that mattered was she had her father back.

*

Chris was at the end of his tether. He hadn’t left work until after ten o’clock on Monday night – too late to go and see Imogen – and today was shaping up to be a similar situation. He had to talk to her today, before too much time had passed.

“Chris, they won’t deliver dinner. You’d better go pick it up.” Samuel stuck his head in Chris’s office. “Then bring it to the boardroom.”

It was after seven at night, which meant all the administration people were long gone. Samuel’s statement pretty much summed up where Chris was in the pecking order. Right at the bottom of those at the top. “Samuel, I’ve got to go home.”

His boss turned back and frowned at him. “Why?”

Chris debated what to tell him and decided on the truth. “I’ve got to fix things with my girlfriend.”

Samuel’s jaw dropped. “We’ve got a half-billion dollar merger happening and you want to go home because you’ve had a fight with your girlfriend?”

He didn’t know why he’d hoped Samuel would understand. “I’ve been working eighty-hour weeks and I’ve missed too many big moments in her life.”

“Welcome to the big leagues, kid. We’ve all missed moments. Why do you think I’m on to my third wife?”

The very idea horrified Chris. So the workload didn’t get any lighter the higher he climbed. He didn’t want to spend the next twenty years of his life this miserable at work, and he most certainly didn’t want three wives. He wanted Imogen.

The uncertainty he’d been experiencing for the last few week suddenly cleared. He needed to be happy in his job, and happy in his personal life. This job would give him neither.

Chris stood up and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I have to do this now. I’ll be back early tomorrow.”

“You are paid to do the hours necessary to complete your job. This job is not finished.”

“I know, Samuel, but I’m not willing to lose the love of my life over a merger.” He smiled suddenly as he realized it was true. He did love Imogen, with all of his heart.

Samuel was quiet for a long moment. “Be in at six,” he said, and walked out of the door.

Chris gathered up his things and almost ran to the elevator.

He had to tell Imogen how he felt.

*

Pulling up in front of Piper’s apartment, nerves wheedled into his stomach. He took a deep breath and got out of the car, hurrying up the path to the door.

Piper answered his knock and crossed her arms when she saw who it was.

“Can I speak to Imogen?” he asked.

“No.”

“Please, Piper. I need to talk to her.”

“She’s not here.” There was nothing welcoming in her voice.

“Where is she?”

“Give me one good reason why I should tell you after the way you treated her.”

Frustration broke through the nerves, but he kept it down. He needed Piper on his side. “I’ve got to apologize. I’ve been an idiot.”

“Yes, you have been.” She glared at him and then sighed. “She’s moved into her house.”

He’d missed another big moment in her life. She’d said she was going to move in as soon as she could; he just hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

He needed to fix everything now.

“Thanks.” He turned and raced back to his car. He hoped she would be willing to listen to him.

*

There was a light shining in the front room of Imogen’s house when he pulled into the driveway.

This time he climbed slowly out of the car and walked up to the front door. He’d said some hurtful things to her and he couldn’t take them back. Perhaps he should have stopped and bought her flowers.

But that would probably seem insincere.

He knocked on the front door and it took forever to open.

Imogen stood there as beautiful as ever, but her eyes were ringed with dark circles. She looked tired and as if she’d lost some weight.

“Christian.” Her voice was music to his ears but her tone was pure exhaustion. God. Had he caused it?

“I’m sorry for not returning your call.” It was the first thing that came to his head. “Work was insane …” He shook his head at his own excuses. “It doesn’t matter. I’m going to find a better balance or a new job.”

“Why are you here?”

“To apologize. For saying things about your father, for thinking those things about you. I realize it was my own insecurities making me so defensive. I didn’t hear what you were saying.”

“I forgive you.” She put a hand on the doorknob.

Relief flooded through Christian’s body, only to evaporate at Imogen’s next words.

“If that’s all, I’m tired and want to go to sleep.”

She still stood in the doorway, guarding her threshold. There was no invitation in her body language whatsoever. Perhaps she misunderstood.

“Imi, I’m sorry for what I said, sorry for not understanding you needed your independence. You don’t need to move in with me.”

“No, I don’t.”

Chris was missing something vital here. There had to be something he could say to make her want him again. He reached out to touch her arm, but she moved it away.

Desperate now he stepped in, forcing her to either touch him or step back.

She stepped back.

“Imi, if I could take back those words, I would,” he said.

Her face showed her fatigue. “Which words?”

The question made him pause. What had he said? He didn’t really know. He remembered being offended at the comparison to her father, remembered saying awful things about him. But he’d already apologized for that.

It had all begun when he’d asked Imogen to move in with him. He’d been so scared of her rejection that he’d tried to make it sound like a casual thing, like he didn’t care whether she stayed.

But he did.

And she didn’t know it.

“Imogen, I love you. I wanted you to stay with me so much that when you said no, I reacted badly.”

Imogen’s eyes widened. “What did you say?”

“I wanted you to stay with me – ”

She shook her head. “Before that.”

The light bulb glowed so brightly in his head he was amazed he hadn’t seen it before. “I love you. You’re the light in my day.”

She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I love you.”

Her kiss was like the elixir of life, sweet, energizing and so completely right.

Chris hugged her closely to him, afraid to let her go.

She stepped back and ran a hand over his cheek. “I didn’t think you cared. Your offer to move in together was like one for a friend.”

“I was scared of your response.”

“I understand now.” Her eyes turned serious. “I’m still not going to move in with you,” she said, waiting for his reaction.

She needed time for herself; he understood that now. As long as he had her in his life, he would be fine.

They would work through any issues together; he would get his work life under control, she would find her independence and they would support each other.

T
here was no rush.

As long as he had a whole lifetime with her.

“Do you want to see my new bedroom?” Imogen asked with a wicked little grin.

He took her hand. “Would I ever.”

They laughed as they went upstairs.

It was a new beginning.

Imogen adjusted the flower arrangement on her outdoor table and smiled as her phone rang. She hurried inside to answer it.

“Imogen, it’s Elle. I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it to your housewarming. Toby’s not well.”

“I hope it’s not serious,” Imogen said, instantly concerned. Elle had called her to thank her again for the haircut and they’d kept in contact. Imogen had been looking forward to introducing Elle to her friends.

“It’s not. My next door neighbor’s daughter just had a head cold and she’s passed it on to Toby.”

“That’s a shame. Tell him I hope he feels better soon.”

Imogen hung up. She worried about Elle, who appeared to have no one to help her. She’d never mentioned any family or where Toby’s father was, but Imogen didn’t know her well enough to pry.

Christian walked into the kitchen carrying two bags of ice. “Where do you want these?”

“There’re two containers outside,” she told him, and held the door open. Her heart swelled with pride when she saw her back deck and neat garden. The garden wasn’t completely finished yet, but the tree house was there, as well as a swing. This was all hers.

But her house wouldn’t be nearly as complete as it was without so many people helping, so she was having a housewarming party as thanks. She’d spent the whole day cooking and hoped that everything tasted all right. She’d had Mrs. Povey on speed dial the whole day.

Her one worry about the evening was that her father would be seeing her mother’s family for the first time since Imogen was born. She had no idea how that would go.

She pushed the worry aside as Christian walked up to her and wrapped her in his arms.

“You’ve done an amazing job, Imi,” he said.

“It was a team effort.” And there was still work to be done. The kitchen and bathrooms were complete, but most of the other rooms still needed a coat of paint. She had prioritized her bedroom and the sewing room, and this week she’d set up her living room. The rest of the rooms were getting done after work or on the weekend, when she had the energy to pick up a paint brush. Though she was getting much better at it.

The outside had a fresh coat of paint and the plans for her new garage were waiting to be approved by the authorities.

Her doorbell rang and she squeezed Christian. “They’re here.” She hurried through the house and opened the front door.

“Happy housewarming!” Kate yelled, handing her a bouquet of bright flowers.

Imogen grinned. “Thanks, Kate.” She greeted Adrian, Libby and Piper and showed them in. Before she could close the door, George pulled up.

“Do you want to be the greeter, or the hostess?” Christian asked her.

She was keen to show off her house to those who hadn’t seen it. “Hostess.” Christian knew everyone who was coming, so he could show them through to the backyard.

“Wow, check out the kitchen.” Kate’s voice floated down the hallway.

Imogen hurried to show them through.

*

Imogen was coming down the stairs after showing George’s and Piper’s family through the house when the doorbell rang. She answered to find her father on the porch.

“Hi, Papa. Thanks for coming.” She hugged him and kissed his cheek.

“I see the painters have done the outside,” he said.

“Yes, and the cleaners you hired were fantastic at getting rid of the dust.” She glanced behind him and saw her grandmother and uncles. Nerves appeared instantly. She ushered her father inside and turned to her grandmother.

“Grandma, I’m pleased you could come.” She hugged her and then turned to where her father was standing. She wasn’t certain how to break the ice.

“Julie,” her father said. He hesitated. “It is good to see you again.”

Her grandmother nodded her head. “Likewise, Remy.”

Remy greeted Imogen’s uncles and aunt and they stood in the hallway, a little awkwardly.

“Would you like to see the house?” Imogen asked.

“I can’t wait to see what you’ve done,” her grandmother said.

Imogen led the way upstairs and Remy offered his arm to Julie. She took hold of it and smiled cautiously. Imogen let out the breath she’d been holding. They were both trying to bridge the gap. It would take some time before they were comfortable with each other – if they ever were – but Imogen was happy they could at least be civil.

When the last guest had arrived Imogen clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. It was a balmy spring night and they were all sitting outside.

“Thank you for coming tonight. I really appreciate all of your help and support with my house. There’s a little way to go, but it doesn’t feel so hard. I feel blessed having so many wonderful people in my life.”

“We’re blessed to have you,” Piper called out.

Imogen smiled at her. “I’ve prepared a four-course meal for you all to enjoy, which I hope goes to show some measure of my appreciation for your hard work.” She gestured to the appetizers she’d placed on the table. “I hope it’s edible.”

There was laughter as everyone began to eat.

*

Chris wandered over to his father who was at the back of the garden checking how the new plants were faring. “You’re supposed to be relaxing and enjoying the evening,” he said.

“This is my way of relaxing.” His father turned to him and smiled. “How’s work been?”

Chris hesitated. He’d been avoiding mentioning work to his father, worried about the reaction he was going to get. “I’m actually thinking about finding a new job.”

“Aren’t you happy there?”

“No.” He’d never told his father the truth. He hadn’t wanted to disappoint him. “The hours are getting a bit much.”

“I don’t know how you’ve put up with it this long,” Ethan said. “I would have packed it in long ago.”

Chris stared at his father. “You never give up.”

“Changing direction or realizing something isn’t what you thought it would be, isn’t giving up. Why do you think I went into garden design after leaving Chateau Fontaine? I knew I didn’t want to just maintain people’s gardens, I wanted to build them.”

“That’s not the same. I’ll have to take a pay cut and the new job may not be as prestigious.”

“What does that matter? Didn’t I teach you not to care about what other people thought?”

Chris’s gaze found Remy, who was talking with Peter. Remy had actually spoken to him earlier, asked him about his work and been civil. They were both making an effort for Imogen’s sake.

“I know what Remy did to you and Imogen all those years ago had an effect,” Ethan said. “But you can’t let it continue to rule the way you live your life.”

Chris turned back to his father, frustration stirring. “You sacrificed so much to put me through law school,” he said. “I owe it to you to be as successful as I can be.”

His father’s mouth dropped open. “You don’t owe me anything. I willingly spent that money on your education because I thought that was what you wanted.”

“It was. It still is.” Chris ran a hand through his hair. “But if I change jobs I won’t be as successful.” He needed to make his father understand.

“Success is different things to different people,” Ethan told him. “Do you think I’m successful?”

“Of course.”

“So do I. I’m not the most sought-after landscape architect in Houston but I love my job and I earn a good living. What is success to you?”

The words sunk into Chris’s consciousness. He’d always equated success to being number one. Had he got it wrong?

“I want you to be happy,” Ethan said.

Were happiness and success the same thing? What would make him happy at work?

The joy and satisfaction he got from the pro bono work sprang immediately to mind. He also wanted regular hours so he could be there for all the important moments in Imogen’s life. And he needed to earn enough to get by. His current work only provided one of those things.

Ethan clapped him on the shoulder. “You need to live your life for yourself, not for anyone else.”

The final issue that had been weighing Chris down lifted from his chest.

He hugged his father. “Thanks, Dad.”

*

Imogen closed the door behind the last guest and sighed. It had been the perfect night. She’d celebrated her new home surrounded by the people she loved. She was so incredibly lucky. Her job with Chantelle was better than she could have hoped and she was still working on her business plan in her spare time.

Christian walked over. “Shall we go upstairs?”

“In a second. I’m just enjoying the moment.”

“So you should. You deserve all of this and more.”

Imogen wrapped her arms around him. In the couple of weeks since their fight they had talked more, sorting out the issues that had been bothering them. Christian had spoken with his work about reducing his hours, but Samuel hadn’t been keen on the idea so Christian was looking for another job. Imogen was pleased, but she hadn’t pushed him either way. He had to be happy with whatever decision he made.

They spent as much time as they could together. Some days that meant she stayed at his apartment, other days he stayed with her, and there were still days when they didn’t see each other at all, but they always texted, emailed or called. She wasn’t ready to take the next step of moving in together just yet, she was content to see how things went.

She took his hand. “I love you.”

He grinned and kissed her quickly. “I will never tire of hearing that. I love you, Imi.”

She squeezed his hand, more content than she had ever been. “Let’s go to bed.”