Built to Last (2 page)

CHAPTER
TWO

Cade Harden closed his deep green eyes against the blinding light of morning. He groaned to himself as he tossed aside the covers of his king sized bed and scrubbed a hand through his dark head of hair. It was going to be another long day of meetings and paperwork. Did anyone in their right mind like paperwork or meetings? He didn’t think it was likely but it was part of the process of owning a company. Harden Construction had been his baby for nearly eight years now. Yet, he still preferred to get his hands dirty on site rather than don a suit and meet with the clients. He loved the idea of building something from nothing and had since he was a kid. His dad, before he retired to Arizona, had been a carpenter. Cade grew up with the smells of fresh cut wood and resin in his nostrils and loved it. He’d attended college for a degree in architecture and ended up with one in business as well.

A knock at the door brought him out of his thoughts as he poured himself a mug of coffee. He glanced at the clock thinking it was still too early for visitors as he opened the door.

“Don’t you ever answer your phone?” Steven Smith demanded, pushing his way into Cade’s kitchen.

“I forgot to put it on the charger last night Steve. What’s so important it couldn’t wait until I got to the office?”

“Kelly Brumeiser, that’s what.”

Cade frowned at his friend and partner. “Kelly is in Florida working on a deal with that Marble dealer.”

“Kelly was on Florida working on a deal. He just up and quit, Cade. Apparently, he found himself some wealthy pretty senorita and married her. He’s not coming back to Utah.”

Cade raised a skeptical brow at his friend’s theatrics. “You’re serious. My best marble guy just walked out. No notice. That doesn’t seem like Kelly.”

Steven shifted uncomfortably on his seat. “Not entirely, but I certainly didn’t think he was serious or I would have said something to you.”

“What...” Cade rubbed the back of his neck to ease the tension gathering there. It was too early in the morning for this.

“He might have said something in passing last week about getting another job offer.” Steven shrugged.

“And you didn’t think that was serious? He’s been on me for a couple months for a raise; it’s why I let him go to Florida.” Cade sighed. “Well, there is nothing we can do about Kelly, so what are we going to do about the Plaza job? We have three months left until deadline and we were just going to be squeaking in as it was. We have to find another marble guy. Do you know if Kelly at least got us the deal with the marble distributor? I need both the red and the gold to finish the lobby area.”

Steven smiled at his partner, “Yes, we received confirmation. We should have the marble by the end of the week.”

“Fat lot of good it’s going to do us without a stonemason to get it set into place. I’ll have to catch up to you at the office Steve. I have a few phone calls to make.”

Steven regained his feet and nodded. “We meet with the Sunset Groves people at ten.”

Cade threw back the last of his coffee and grabbed for a piece of now cold toast before heading back to his bedroom to finish dressing. He racked his brain for names of any stonemasons he might still know from his earlier years. He set down the toast on his desk and pulled open a drawer. He shifted the papers around until he found the little book he was looking for. He sat and looked through the pages flipping back and forth until he found a number and picked up his cell from the charger.

“Ryan? It’s Cade Harden. Good, good and yourself?” he listened, “Wow, well congratulations. Ryan, I was calling because I need a marble guy... No, I understand.” he sighed softly, “Do you have any buddies that are looking for work. It’s three months at least.” Cade scribbled a couple of names and phone numbers down. “No, no need to apologize, honeymoon and all. Thanks for the references. And again congratulations.”

Cade put his head in his hands and frowned. He didn’t know either of the two men Ryan had named, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. The longer the job took the less money he’d make. He tapped the first number into his phone.

***

Noelle stretched in her bed feeling lazy. She had a couple of hours until her sister would arrive and there really wasn’t much to do so she was enjoying a quiet Saturday morning. She really couldn’t remember the last time she had gotten to sleep in. It certainly felt like it had been years. Precious jumped up onto the bed and walked up the length of her body.

“Good morning pretty girl,” Noelle cooed at the cat. In response, the creamy longhaired Siamese rubbed her face against Noelle’s chin. “That tickles,” she laughed, nuzzling her cat back. “Shall we have some breakfast?” She moved Precious and pushed the covers down, setting her feet on the hardwood floor. “Brrr!” She shrugged on her heavy bathrobe and slippers. That was better. It was February in upstate Utah and definitely still winter. She maneuvered her way around boxes and bags into the kitchen. She filled the teakettle full of water and set it on the stove to heat then went to the refrigerator to pull out some eggs.

Precious mewed at her feet, reaching up to bat at the robe tie that dangled in front of her nose. “I’ve not forgotten you sweetheart. Just a minute.”

Noelle pulled a can of soft cat food from the cupboard along with a special dish. Once the food bowl touched the floor, Precious began to purr loudly in appreciation. Noelle smiled and stroked her back before setting about making her own breakfast.

She retrieved the newspaper from the front porch and sat down to read it with her tea and French toast. For the first time in a great while, she felt content. If only this could continue, but the real world would intrude soon enough. She needed a job and a new place to live. She had a little savings left but very little. She turned to the classified ads in the paper and started looking for work.

Noelle had worked many office jobs since she was a teen so clerical work would be a piece of cake. There were several different places looking and a couple of temp agencies in the city looking for people as well. She thought about the degree in English that she had been working on and sighed. School seemed a distant memory and she wasn’t even sure how many of the credits she had already taken would still apply. Certainly the programs had been updated a couple of times in the last six years.

She folded the paper up neatly with the classifieds still open and set the paper aside to finish her breakfast. She glanced at the clock and realized her sister could be arriving any time and she was still in her pajamas. She rinsed the dishes and headed in to shower and dress. She was just pulling an old t-shirt over her head when the doorbell rang.

“Come on in, it’s open,” she hollered as she ran a brush through her dark brown locks and pulled them up into a tail high on her head. “Mom had several boxes of pictures that never made it into albums, so I’m not really sure what to do with them,” she began as she walked out into the living room and stopped short.

“You did say to come in,” Cade grinned at her. She continued to look at him with confusion on her face. “You said that you had some furniture to donate for the church rec room, last time we spoke, remember?”

“Oh geez Cade, of course, I’m sorry. My head must be screwed around backwards. I had completely forgotten you said you’d come by. Any of the furniture you see is up from grabs.” Noelle felt flustered and started moving boxes out of the way. Not so much because of the state of the house but because being in his presence was so intoxicating that it made her uncomfortable. He had a way of making her feel like she was that same freshman girl with a crush all over again.

Cade watched the woman in front of him. He had known her since they were kids. Since she had moved back to Ogden to take care of her mother, Cade had only run into a handful of times including the night of his ten year high school reunion two years ago. He hadn’t ever been able to put that night out of his mind. She had been so different, confident, and beautiful. He’d tried to forget about her but it seemed impossible. He’d even asked her out a couple of times but she had turned him down citing that her mother needed her to be close and she didn’t have time. Cade often wondered if she was trying to let him down easy, though he couldn’t understand why. Well, no time like the present to find out, he supposed. This time he intended on asking her out until she gave in and said yes.

“I really just came by to see what you had, so I’d know how many of the guys to bring by tomorrow afternoon,” he said as he leaned against the door jam. He was enjoying the way the Pilates pants she was wearing hugged her hips and thighs as she bent to pick up another box. “I was also wondering if you’d be interested in having dinner with me tonight.”

Noelle’s heart slammed suddenly into her chest. She liked Cade. She always had. In fact, the schoolgirl crush she had on him in high school had never fully gone away. If anything, it had only turned more adult since she had seen him at the reunion. He was a good-looking jock type in high school having played football. He still had the physique. Strong rugged good looks and a well-toned gracefully athletic frame made him look like a model out of Cosmopolitan magazine. He’d asked her out before and she’d turned him down because she was embarrassed that he had such an effect on her. Sure, she was attracted to him but he made her feel like a gawky teenager. He was way out of her league, but here he was again leaning against her doorframe making the living room look small in comparison and asking her to dinner. She’d dreamt about the Cade for months after the reunion, so part of her brain screamed, ‘YES, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, YES!’ She didn’t have time for a relationship right now. She had to get her life in order and back on track.

“Well
, hello there stranger!” Del called through the screen door as she spotted Cade.

Noelle spun and looked guiltily at her sister. Somehow feeling like she was betraying Del, by even talking to Cade. She shook off the feeling, realizing it was ridiculous. Her sister was a happily married woman with kids.

“It’s good to see you as well Delphinia. You look more beautiful than ever. Motherhood suits you.” Cade smiled and gave her a gentle hug.

“I see your charm has not diminished over time,” Del teased. “What brings you to this side of town?”

“Cade came by to see what furniture of Mom’s the church might be able to use,” Noelle interjected.

“Oh, lovely. It will be nice to know some of her things will have some good use,” Del answered sounding uncomfortable.

There was an awkward pause in the conversation while Noelle did anything but look at Cade. She knew he was waiting for an answer.

Del picked up on the awkwardness and gave her sister a quizzical look. She turned back to Cade. “Has my sister offered you anything to drink?”

Cade looked from one sister to the other. Three years separated them in age. While Del had the figure of a mother with full flared hips and breasts, her sister was slim and almost boyish in her t-shirt and pants. They were both beautiful women in very different ways. Had he only just met them, he would not suspect that they were sisters at all. He looked to Noelle again, raising his eyebrows with expectancy. She ducked his gaze. “No, but I can’t stay. I have a new mason coming in this morning that I need to show around the site. Shall I pick you up around seven Noelle?” he asked pointedly.

Noelle wanted to groan. She’d seen Del’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise and Cade was making it impossible to turn him down. Not that she really wanted to but overall she just didn’t think it was a good time. “Sure, why not. I su
ppose a night out could be fun,” she heard herself saying as her heart tried to pound out of her chest.

“Alright,” he smiled taking her breath away. “I’ll be back then. It was good to see you Del.”

“You too Cade,” Del replied not taking her eyes from Noelle’s face. She waited until she heard Cade’s truck pull out of the driveway. “Okay spill!”

“What?” Noelle asked feeling frantic. She had a date with Cade Harden, and her heart wouldn’t settle down as she repeated that to herself a dozen times.

“Don’t what me Elle. You are dating Cade Harden? When did this happen?”

“I’m not dating him. He just asked me out. Does it bother you? Cause if it does I’ll call him and cancel.” Noelle dropped onto the couch with a sigh. “It’s weird right? Me going out with your old high school boyfriend?”

“Good Heavens, why would it bother me? We dated eons ago and I’m married remember?” Del laughed.

“Still...”

“Noelle, you are a grown woman with needs. Something, dear sister, you have ignored for far too long. Go out and have fun tonight. He is an intelligent, financially independent man and sexy as hell, go for it!” Dell gave her a playful shove. “Oh! Wait... What are you going to wear?”

“Wear? Geez.” This was getting to be overwhelming.

Del looked thoughtful, “How much stuff do we need to go through today? I have an idea.”

Noelle led the way into what had been their mother’s bedroom. All it held now was a couple of kitchen chairs, a half dozen boxes and a hope chest. Her sister seemed to physically relax once she entered the room. “I couldn’t handle seeing her bed empty in here. It was the first thing to go.”