Page 73 of Twice as Tempting

“Oh,” he replied, sitting up straighter. “What is it that you want to know, Kell?”

“I was thinking that it had to have taken a lot of money to buy the shop, and I was wondering…”

“Where I got it from,” he finished.

“Yes,” she replied, relieved that he didn’t seem put out by her question.

“Well, I have my grandparents to thank for most of it. When my dad’s dad died around six years ago, he left Zack and me a generous amount of money, with the stipulation that we use it for something worthwhile. He didn’t want us to squander it.”

Kelly nodded, encouraging him to continue.

“Zack was engaged to Alicia at the time, so he used his money to put a down payment on their house in Ann Arbor. Since I was single and didn’t have any debts to pay off, I invested mine.”

“Ah, I see,” Kelly said.

Damian shifted his body to face her. “The thing is, most of my money is tied up in this business, so until I start to turn a profit, things will be a little…tight.”

“But I’m confident that the business will be successful. Aren’t you?” she asked, suddenly feeling nervous for him.

“That’s the goal, but there’s also some risk involved. When I started out on this venture, I didn’t have anyone else to take care of. It’s only been me for such a long time, and I wasn’t worried. I don’t need a lot of ‘stuff’ to be happy, Kell. Give me a roof over my head, a decent car to drive, and some food in my belly, and I’m content.”

Kelly took a moment to digest his answer while Damian studied her. “Just say it, Kell.”

“I guess I’m pretty content too, although I don’t plan on living in this apartment forever. I’d eventually like to own a home and have some money left over to do some extra things, like travel. Don’t you want those things too?”

Damian shoved his hands through his hair and looked at her with an unreadable expression. “Yeah, I do, but it’s going to take a while for me to get there. I’m not like Zack. I didn’t have my life all mapped out like he did, with the nice house in the ‘burbs, and the fancy car, and the money to fly off somewhere on a whim. I can’t give you what Zack and Emma have. At least, not right now.”

Kelly wasn’t sure if he was referring to their “stuff” or their lifestyle, but she didn’t like Damian’s implication. “What’s wrong with wanting the things that I mentioned?”

“Nothing, except that I can’t give them to you,” he repeated.

“I’m not asking you to give me anything, Damian. I’ve worked hard all of my adult life to support myself, and I will continue to do so. I’m not looking for someone to take care of me.” At least, not financially.

“How did we get on this shitty topic anyway?” he asked, still exasperated.

“I brought it up, but I can see that it was a mistake.”

Damian stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. “It’s not your fault. I think I’m just overtired. Why don’t we finish this conversation another time?”

Kelly stood up too and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to cause an argument.”

Damian just held her close and rubbed his hands up and down her back. Kelly thought about pulling him into the bedroom, but the air was still fraught with tension, and she was filled with uncertainty. Her fear was confirmed when Damian let go and said, “I should probably get going.”

On previous Friday nights, Damian would have stayed over, or at least stayed late, but it was only ten o’clock. “You’re not staying?” Kelly asked, but she saw the answer in his eyes. He had begun to shut down, and there was nothing she could do but wait it out.

“Like I said, I’m really tired, and we have to work tomorrow. Plus, we have the Halloween party tomorrow night.”

Excuses, all of them, but Kelly didn’t have the energy to argue anymore. “Ok. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

Damian was already at the door, lacing up his boots. When he stood up, she was right in front of him, and she willed him to put his arms around her, but he didn’t. He simply leaned over and kissed her forehead, and then he turned abruptly and rushed out the door.

That night, Kelly lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, searching for answers that wouldn’t come. Money was obviously a hot-button topic for Damian, but why? And why did he sound almost accusatory when she told him about her goals for the future? Then there was the reference to Zack and Emma, whose lifestyle was comfortable but not extravagant. Damian seemed to be hung up on the idea that he had to provide for Kelly even after she had tried to convince him otherwise. Maybe it was his sense of pride that had caused such a negative reaction.

Kelly racked her brain, trying to figure out if she had ever given him any indication that she wanted to be taken care of, but she came up blank. Finally, her eyes started to droop, and her body began to relax, but then another thought popped into her mind. Maybe this has nothing to do with me. Maybe it was her, the mysterious ex-fiancée, who made Damian feel inadequate. Does this woman still have a hold on him after all these years?

Somehow Kelly got to sleep, because, the next thing she knew, her alarm was going off. She reached over and shut it off, and then burrowed back under her covers. She wasn’t worried about falling back asleep, because her mind was busy replaying last night’s conversation with Damian, and then a knock sounded at her door.

Excited at the prospect that it was him, she shoved the blankets aside and rushed toward the door. Her hair was sticking out in every direction, and she still had sleep in her eyes, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to see him and be assured that everything was all right. She heard the rumble of his truck and spied the note sticking through her door crack at the same time. “Damn,” she muttered, frustrated that she had missed him.