Catia (Starkis Family #6) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books by Cheryl Douglas

  Coming Soon

  Catia

  Book Six in the Starkis Family Series

  Cheryl Douglas

  Copyright © by Cheryl Douglas

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, including photocopying, graphic, electronic, mechanical, taping, recording, sharing, or by any information retrieval system without the express written permission of the author and / or publisher. Exceptions include brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Persons, places and other entities represented in this book are deemed to be fictitious. They are not intended to represent actual places or entities currently or previously in existence or any person living or dead. This work is the product of the author’s imagination.

  Any and all inquiries to the author of this book should be directed to: [email protected]

  Catia © 2015 Cheryl Douglas

  Prologue

  Catia

  I was falling in love with Chase. As that realization hit me, my first impulse was to bolt, but with his arms wrapped snuggly around me, his hard body spooning mine, that wasn’t an option.

  “Can’t sleep?” he whispered, kissing my neck.

  After two rounds of the most unforgettable sex of my life, I should have been spent, not lying awake and plotting my escape. Since we were in a hotel room with only a bed and bath, getting space from him was out of the question. “Maybe we should talk, Chase.”

  After months of working together to build my father’s newest restaurant, I knew Chase appreciated one thing above all else: honesty.

  “I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” he said, rolling onto his back as though he was preparing for the worst.

  We hadn’t intended to sleep together. He was a guest, visiting the Hamptons to celebrate my sister’s engagement. We’d gone into town so I could show him around. We’d planned to have dinner and head back to my parents’ place for a nightcap. Instead, dinner was followed by a drink at a hotel bar and a series of passionate kisses that led us upstairs before we could question whether it was a good idea.

  “You know how I feel about you,” I said, trying to soften the blow. “I consider you a really good friend.”

  He shook his head, looking disgusted. “Don’t you dare think you can placate me with the friend speech.” The bitterness was obvious when he said, “What’s next, Cat? You gonna tell me it’s not me, it’s you?”

  I was the problem. I had to be. Any woman in her right mind would have been planning the next date, not trying to figure out how to let the man of her dreams down gently. “I don’t want you to hate me. And I sure as hell don’t want to wind up hating you. But I’m afraid that’s what’ll happen if we try to make this work.”

  Looking resigned, he said, “You don’t know that.”

  “You’re a part of my world now. You’re friends with Dustin, Kara, and Darius.” I knew I would get an earful from my brother and sister when they found out about my night with Chase. They’d warned me about hurting him, and now, no matter what happened, I would wind up looking like the villain. “Even when this project wraps up, we can’t avoid seeing each other again. There’ll be the wedding and—”

  “I want to know why you’re so convinced it couldn’t work.”

  “I’m not good at relationships.”

  I was an expert at dating, the quintessential good-time girl, but I sucked at relationships. It hadn’t always been that way. When I’d been young and naïve, I believed that guys wouldn’t care that my father was a billionaire. But I learned my lesson the hard way. Not that I thought Chase was an opportunist, but he was a man with a lot of baggage. Baggage that included two adorable little girls he hoped to get full custody of.

  “I don’t even think you’ve given it a chance.”

  I didn’t know if he was talking about us or my track record with relationships. Either way, it didn’t matter. The outcome would be the same. “You can’t deny this is the worst possible time for you to get involved with someone. All of your attention should be focused on getting custody of your daughters.”

  Since the divorce, Chase’s ex-wife had apparently made partying with her friends more of a priority than raising her girls, and Chase was determined to intervene and give them a stable home with at least one parent they could count on. I admired his dedication to his kids, but that was just another reminder we were worlds apart. I couldn’t even keep a house plant alive, much less a little person. Truth be told, I was probably a lot more like Chase’s ex-wife than I wanted to admit. The only difference was I hadn’t been irresponsible enough to bring children into the world.

  “I will get custody of them,” he said, sounding determined. “No doubt in my mind about that.”

  It was time to lay my cards on the table, as hard as that would be. “Chase, did it ever occur to you that maybe the same qualities that attracted you to your ex-wife attracted you to me too?”

  He shifted his head, glaring at me. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You said she was the life of the party back in high school. She reminded you how to have fun, and that’s why you fell in love with her, right?”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “You also said that you thought she’d grow up when you got married and had kids. You expected her to change, but she didn’t. She was still a party girl who loved to have a good time. That’s what ended your marriage, isn’t it?”

  “She cheated on me,” he said, clenching his teeth. “That’s what ended my marriage.”

  “Yeah, when she was drunk.” I’d never cheated on anyone, but I sure as hell had tied one on and flirted with strangers enough times to understand how it could happen when you put yourself into compromising situations often enough. “Chase, you know me. I love going out clubbing. I love going to parties. My sister is the sweet, shy homebody. I’m… well, the opposite of that.”

  “If you’re trying to deter me—”

  “I’m trying to be honest with you,” I said, resting my hand on his chest. “You deserve that. I would hate myself if I got involved with you only to disappoint you the way she did.” When he would have interjected, I placed a finger over his lips. “You married her thinking she would change. She didn’t. And honestly, I don’t think I can either.”

  He grabbed my wrist, pulling my hand away from his mouth. “So what are you telling me? That one man isn’t enough for you, that I’m not enough for you?”

  He was more than enough for me, which he’d just proven, but sex wasn’t enough to build a lasting relationship. “I’m telling you that I don’t want to see you make the same mistake twice. You may not see the similarities between me and your ex-wife, but they’re painfully obvious to me.”

  He closed his eyes, and I could tell he was in denial. “You can’t say that. You don’t even know her. She’s a selfish and manipulative bit—” He sighed. “I’ve seen you with your family and friends, Cat. I know how much you care.”

  I would have donated an organ t
o someone I loved, but that didn’t change the fact that I wasn’t ready for the kind of relationship he seemed to want. “Maybe if the timing had been different…”

  But I knew in my heart that wasn’t true. Even if I’d met Chase with another five years of life experience under my belt, I didn’t think I’d be the kind of woman he’d want as a stepmother for his girls.

  “So that’s it then? We’re supposed to just go on working together as though this night never happened?”

  I knew that wouldn’t be possible. Every time I looked at him, I’d remember. “No, I’m thinking I should talk to my father about getting transferred back to the home office.”

  “Even better,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You’re gonna run away.”

  Seeing and feeling his disgust hurt more than I could have imagined, but nothing could hurt more than one or both of us walking away from this relationship with a broken heart. Better to end it before we got in too deep. Liar! My conscience knew we were already in too deep. Either of us walking away from this unscathed would be impossible.

  “I’m going to walk away,” I said, trying desperately to make him see reason, “because it’s the right thing to do. What kind of person would I be if I entered into this, knowing there are children involved, if I didn’t think I could give you what you want and need?”

  Our friendship had been built on plenty of honest conversations about our lives over the past few months, and he’d made no secret of the fact he missed having a stable home. He’d enjoyed being married, and he lived for bedtime stories and cuddle dates on the couch with his girls. The kind of man any woman with marriage on her mind would have given a pint of blood for a chance with. But I didn’t have marriage on my mind and couldn’t imagine a time when I would.

  “So we’re at a crossroads?” he asked, sounding despondent.

  I had already crossed the road. Alone. “I know you don’t believe me, but I’m doing this because I care about you too much to be dishonest with you.”

  “Then why sleep with me?”

  I could have lied and told him it had been a mistake, but sleeping with Chase had been the highlight of the past year for me, which was saying a lot. All in all, it had been a pretty great year. “Because I’m attracted to you. You’re attracted to me. Sometimes two consenting adults have sex just for the sake of having sex.”

  “I didn’t sleep with you tonight because I needed to take the edge off,” he said, sounding angrier and more resentful. “I slept with you because I care about you, because I saw a future with you. Goddammit, I’m falling in love with you! I thought you felt the same way. If I’d known this was some one-night stand…”

  He sat up, throwing his legs over the edge of the mattress. “Forget it. I’m not gonna do this. If you don’t want me, if you wanna run away like a coward, be my guest.” He stood, glaring at me as I forced myself to meet his eyes. “But you’ll regret it one day. And when you do, it’ll be too late.”

  I watched him walk away, and I cringed when he slammed the bathroom door with enough force to rattle my teeth. As difficult as it was to admit, because I still believed I was doing the right thing, I suspected regret and I were about to become inescapable bedfellows.

  Chapter One

  Catia

  One Year Later

  My very pregnant sister gaped at me as I stood on her doorstep, waiting to be invited in. I’d wanted to surprise her, but given her state, I questioned whether I’d made the right decision. Maybe I should have given her a heads-up to let her know I was coming to town.

  “Oh my God!” Kara squealed, finally dragging me inside. “I can’t believe you’re here! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  “I wanted it to be a surprise.” There were a lot of surprises coming and not just for Kara. “Is Dustin home?”

  “No, he’s still at the office.” She wrinkled her nose. “I would be too, but he’s only letting me work half days now.” She rubbed her belly. “Says he doesn’t want to take any chances.”

  Since Kara getting pregnant at all had been a long shot, I couldn’t say I blamed her husband for being cautious. “That’s okay, right? It’ll give you more time to get ready for the baby.”

  She’d been decorating the nursery for months and traveling into the city every other week to stock up on baby essentials, including frilly pink dresses and furry coats to keep their little princess warm this winter.

  “There’s nothing left to do but wait,” Kara said, throwing her arms in the air. “And I have to admit the waiting is killing me. I want to meet her already.”

  I smiled, brushing Kara’s hair over her shoulder. She’d never looked more beautiful or radiant, and I knew her handsome husband had as much to do with that as the baby she was carrying. “I bet Dustin is just as anxious as you, isn’t he?”

  Kara laughed, linking her arm through mine as she led me into the sunken family room. “More so, if you can believe that.”

  “I can.” I sat next to Kara on the sofa. “You’re making all of his dreams come true, you know.” I’d known Kara’s husband all my life, and I couldn’t have picked a better man for my sister and best friend.

  “It goes both ways.” She glanced at their wedding photo on the mantel. “I’ve never been happier.”

  I gave her a quick hug to hide the tears in my eyes. I was so happy for her, for both of them, but sometimes their relationship only made the void in my life seem bigger.

  “Hey, can I get you anything to drink or eat?” Kara asked. “I made cookies today, the kind with the chocolate chunks, like Mom used to make.”

  “Maybe later.” My stomach was churning, and I knew it would until she told me I hadn’t made the biggest mistake of my life. “I did something crazy.”

  “What else is new?” Kara asked, laughing. “We expect that from you.”

  “No, this is really out there. Even for me.”

  “Go on,” Kara said, shifting slightly as she tightened the black swing sweater around her.

  “I bought a house in the city.”

  Kara’s jaw dropped. “Oh my God! Seriously?”

  Since I’d never talked to my sister about moving to New York, I’d expected her to be stunned. “Sold everything in Chicago, right down to my car.” Before she could ask why, I rushed on, “I figure since you and Darius are here and Mom and Dad will be spending even more time in the Hamptons once the baby is born, it just makes sense for me to be here too.”

  “I’m so happy right now,” Kara said, squeezing my shoulder. “But I can’t believe you didn’t let me go house hunting with you. That would have been so much fun.”

  “Honestly, I bought the first house I looked at.” It had been the only one in the running, in my opinion.

  “I can’t believe Mom and Dad didn’t tell me about this. Did you swear them to secrecy?”

  “They didn’t find out until yesterday.” I hadn’t wanted them to try to talk me out of it. I’d made up my mind, and no matter the outcome, I was determined to at least try to make this new arrangement work. “I’ve been working with the human resources manager in Chicago to find a suitable replacement for me for the past month. She finally found someone, and they’re starting on Monday. I figured I’d wait to tell the folks until it was a done deal.”

  “Smart,” Kara said, nodding. “You know how they worry, especially about you since you’re the only one still single. If you told them you were going to be living in New York City all alone, they’d probably throw a fit and try to talk you out of it.”

  “I won’t be alone exactly.” When I told her who my new neighbor would be, I had no doubt she would question my sanity.

  “You’re going to be living with someone?” Kara asked, frowning. “You couldn’t even stand living with me half the time. Why would you want a roommate?”

  “I won’t have a roommate, but I do know my neighbor quite well.”

  “Your neighbor? Who’s your…?” Kara’s brows drew together as the pieces obviously fell into p
lace for her. “Where did you say this place was?”

  “Forest Hills.”

  Kara’s mouth dropped open. “Shut. Up! Your new neighbor is Chase?”

  I hadn’t even told her the craziest part yet. “You know I fell in love with the area when I visited his house while we were working on the restaurant. I like that you’re basically in the city but it still feels like more of a town. Did you know the population is only—”

  “Hold on a minute,” Kara said, raising her hand as she shook her head. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve barely spoken to Chase since you left town, right?”

  We’d crossed paths at family events a few times, but the way he’d shut me down made it obvious he was still angry with me. I wouldn’t be able to mend fences from halfway across the country though. “Yeah, so?”

  “So why are you doing this?”

  It was a legitimate question but not one I’d expected from my sister. She’d been the one telling me I had to stick my neck out and take a risk with Chase. “Why not?”

  “You don’t just uproot your life for a man you’re not even involved with, Cat. That’s crazy, even for you.”

  I may have been a little wild, but I’d never been impulsive when it came to men. I knew Kara would understand after I’d explained. After the years she and Dustin had spent apart, she knew how hard it could be.

  “I’m going to be honest with you. It’s been a lot harder than I thought it would be, moving back to Chicago and trying to get back to my normal life. Without Chase…” I shrugged. “I don’t know, nothing made sense anymore. I really tried settling back into my routine, you know, work, clubbing, parties, dating, but it just felt wrong. Like I’d changed somehow and that wasn’t the life I was supposed to be living anymore.”

  I could tell Kara was surprised, but she just nodded. “I got the feeling you’d slowed down a lot. Used to be I’d call you on a Friday or Saturday night and you’d be getting ready to go out with the girls. Lately, you’ve been at home when I call.”