you already have one?”
“Yes, but it’s very old and Grandmère wants to update.”
“Well, you’re in luck. I had a cancellation and can do the job tomorrow morning. Are you there now?”
“Yes.”
“How about if I run over and take a look. That way, I’ll know what I need.”
“Thanks. That would be great. Ring the bell at the front when you get here.”
Caterine disconnected and quickly punched in Elaine’s cell number. When she answered, Caterine got right to the point. “We’ve got trouble.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“I was just on the phone with Paul, and he told me he wants to introduce me to his buddy Remi and have the four of us go out to dinner.”
“Oh no.”
“ Oh no is right. You have to persuade him that’s a really bad idea.”
Elaine chuckled. “If he only knew you’ve already met his buddy Remi—and how well acquainted you two are.”
Caterine smiled. “Yeah, well, you need to nip this in the bud.”
“Why? Paul says he’s a nice guy, and you know he wouldn’t introduce you to someone who was a jerk. Besides, I thought you wanted to change your life and start having some fun. Remi sounds like the perfect one to help you do that.”
Caterine sighed. “I’m afraid if I pursue this with Remi, I’ll be setting myself up for another fall. He could have a string of broken hearts all over Louisiana. And I’m not ready to take the risk of being the next one.”
“How do you know he’s going to hurt you? You’re making assumptions about him without giving him a chance. Didn’t he try and protect you from Jonathan? And didn’t he come searching for you last night after you ran away?”
Caterine pinched the bridge of her nose, willing a threatening headache to go away. “I didn’t say he wasn’t interested in me. I said I don’t trust him.”
“You trusted him enough to have sex with him. Cat, I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t have let that happen unless you felt something for him. So why not take a chance and let him prove you wrong? You can’t spend the rest of your life afraid to let people close. Do you want to end up some alone, bitter, sourpuss old lady?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, aren’t you being a little dramatic?”
“No, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Cat, if you could survive all the crap your family handed you, I’m sure you can handle whatever happens between you and Remi. You need to give him a chance.”
“All right, I’ll think about it. But between my aunts, Grandmère and Ma Chérie, I can’t deal with Remi right now. So, for the time being, you need to get Paul’s mind on something besides matchmaking.”
“Okay, but I’m not going to let this go. I’ll see what I can do with Paul, but what should I tell him?”
“I don’t know. Tell him I’m too busy or something. Elaine, there’s the bell. I’ll bet it’s Paul. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Paul walked into Caterine’s office and sat in the chair across from her desk. “I’ve checked out your entry doors, and I have some ideas for a new system.”
“Great, what do you suggest?”
“First, you can eliminate changing the locks and worrying about keys by installing a coded key pad.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a pad that you program with a series of four numbers. It goes right on the door where the lock is now. It’s more convenient than messing with keys, and you can change the code whenever you want.”
“Could we put one on my office door?”
Paul went to examine the door. “I don’t see why not.”
“Great.”
“As I said, I can have it done tomorrow. If you want, I’ll also install cameras so you can see who’s at the front and back doors.”
“That would be perfect. Paul, I really appreciate you doing this.”
He grinned. “Tell me that when you get my bill. I’ll see you around nine tomorrow morning. Hey, you know what?” He turned in the doorway, a wide smile spreading across his craggy face. “The guy I
“Yes, but it’s very old and Grandmère wants to update.”
“Well, you’re in luck. I had a cancellation and can do the job tomorrow morning. Are you there now?”
“Yes.”
“How about if I run over and take a look. That way, I’ll know what I need.”
“Thanks. That would be great. Ring the bell at the front when you get here.”
Caterine disconnected and quickly punched in Elaine’s cell number. When she answered, Caterine got right to the point. “We’ve got trouble.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“I was just on the phone with Paul, and he told me he wants to introduce me to his buddy Remi and have the four of us go out to dinner.”
“Oh no.”
“ Oh no is right. You have to persuade him that’s a really bad idea.”
Elaine chuckled. “If he only knew you’ve already met his buddy Remi—and how well acquainted you two are.”
Caterine smiled. “Yeah, well, you need to nip this in the bud.”
“Why? Paul says he’s a nice guy, and you know he wouldn’t introduce you to someone who was a jerk. Besides, I thought you wanted to change your life and start having some fun. Remi sounds like the perfect one to help you do that.”
Caterine sighed. “I’m afraid if I pursue this with Remi, I’ll be setting myself up for another fall. He could have a string of broken hearts all over Louisiana. And I’m not ready to take the risk of being the next one.”
“How do you know he’s going to hurt you? You’re making assumptions about him without giving him a chance. Didn’t he try and protect you from Jonathan? And didn’t he come searching for you last night after you ran away?”
Caterine pinched the bridge of her nose, willing a threatening headache to go away. “I didn’t say he wasn’t interested in me. I said I don’t trust him.”
“You trusted him enough to have sex with him. Cat, I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t have let that happen unless you felt something for him. So why not take a chance and let him prove you wrong? You can’t spend the rest of your life afraid to let people close. Do you want to end up some alone, bitter, sourpuss old lady?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, aren’t you being a little dramatic?”
“No, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Cat, if you could survive all the crap your family handed you, I’m sure you can handle whatever happens between you and Remi. You need to give him a chance.”
“All right, I’ll think about it. But between my aunts, Grandmère and Ma Chérie, I can’t deal with Remi right now. So, for the time being, you need to get Paul’s mind on something besides matchmaking.”
“Okay, but I’m not going to let this go. I’ll see what I can do with Paul, but what should I tell him?”
“I don’t know. Tell him I’m too busy or something. Elaine, there’s the bell. I’ll bet it’s Paul. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Paul walked into Caterine’s office and sat in the chair across from her desk. “I’ve checked out your entry doors, and I have some ideas for a new system.”
“Great, what do you suggest?”
“First, you can eliminate changing the locks and worrying about keys by installing a coded key pad.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a pad that you program with a series of four numbers. It goes right on the door where the lock is now. It’s more convenient than messing with keys, and you can change the code whenever you want.”
“Could we put one on my office door?”
Paul went to examine the door. “I don’t see why not.”
“Great.”
“As I said, I can have it done tomorrow. If you want, I’ll also install cameras so you can see who’s at the front and back doors.”
“That would be perfect. Paul, I really appreciate you doing this.”
He grinned. “Tell me that when you get my bill. I’ll see you around nine tomorrow morning. Hey, you know what?” He turned in the doorway, a wide smile spreading across his craggy face. “The guy I
Similar Books
