you’re antimarriage?”
“Not for other people, only for me. It requires deep feeling, a level of commitment from both parties or it’s doomed to failure. And failure is a bitter pill to swallow. I can tell you that from personal experience.” There was disappointment on his face that was clearly self-directed. “I’ve always regretted not getting my college degree.”
“You could have gone back,” she pointed out.
“I was committed to building the company, and that didn’t allow time for erasing regrets.”
“So you’re still beating yourself up over it even though you’re one of the most brilliant and successful businessmen in the country?”
“Even though,” he confirmed. “As a life lesson, it earned me at least a master’s degree, possibly a PhD. But it’s also a valuable warning. Never start something you’re not going to finish because it’s a regret waiting to happen.”
“Okay, then,” she said. “You need to reassure your mom that you’re not susceptible to female—”
“Assets?” His look was wickedly endearing.
“Exactly.”
“I can do that.” He grinned, then stood and walked around the desk, standing so close that she could feel the heat from his body. “I’ll call her now.”
Olivia held her breath until he’d closed his office door, then let it out as she dropped into her desk chair. She wasn’t sure how she’d expected him to answer her question—but what he’d said hadn’t been it. He came from such a supportive and close-knit family and she knew he loved them very much. He was capable of deep emotion. Just not the kind of deep emotion required for a relationship.
That’s when she realized what just happened. They said curiosity killed the cat but it had done the same thing to hope.
She wished she’d never asked.
* * *
“Don’t you think this thing with Olivia’s boyfriend is weird?”
Brady had gone to his sister’s house following a call to his mother to reassure her that he could handle Tiffani Guthrie if necessary. Now he was stretched out on Maggie’s couch, feet on the coffee table after dinner. His niece was asleep and his sister was a good friend of Olivia’s and might be able to give him some insight. But when his question went unanswered, he looked over and noted a funny look on her face.
“Well?” he prompted.
“If I were you, I’d be more concerned about Tiffani Guthrie.”
He held a half-empty bottle of beer and rested it on his abdomen. “Mom said something similar. What is it with you and her?”
“She—Tiffani, not Mom—is a barracuda. You’re a wealthy man now. It’s pretty obvious.” Maggie sat in the chair beside him with her feet propped on the matching ottoman.
She was wearing fleece cartoon-character pants, fuzzy slippers and a Green Bay Packers sweatshirt. On her it looked good, but that was about her fresh-faced prettiness. Although he could be prejudiced. Then what she’d said sank in.
“It’s not obvious to me why I should be concerned about an old girlfriend.”
“Come on, Brady.” She snorted scornfully. “You weren’t good enough for her before.”
“Thanks, sis. Way to build up my self-esteem.”
“But now you’ve got a bundle of money and I’m sure you’ll be worth her time. Plus—” She held up her index finger. “There’s the whole her-marriage-is-over thing, not to mention the life lessons of living in a single-wide in the boonies.”
“So you think she came back for me?”
“No. Your money would help to finance a lifestyle to which she’d like to become accustomed.” Her brown eyes darkened with fierce protectiveness. “Watch yourself.”
“Look, Mags, I appreciate that you’re trying to protect me. I’m flattered you think I’m such a catch—”
“I’m sorry. You thought that’s what I meant?” She grinned. “Actually, in my humble opinion, you’re a toad.”
“Lest there be any doubt, in our family there’s no danger of developing a swelled
“Not for other people, only for me. It requires deep feeling, a level of commitment from both parties or it’s doomed to failure. And failure is a bitter pill to swallow. I can tell you that from personal experience.” There was disappointment on his face that was clearly self-directed. “I’ve always regretted not getting my college degree.”
“You could have gone back,” she pointed out.
“I was committed to building the company, and that didn’t allow time for erasing regrets.”
“So you’re still beating yourself up over it even though you’re one of the most brilliant and successful businessmen in the country?”
“Even though,” he confirmed. “As a life lesson, it earned me at least a master’s degree, possibly a PhD. But it’s also a valuable warning. Never start something you’re not going to finish because it’s a regret waiting to happen.”
“Okay, then,” she said. “You need to reassure your mom that you’re not susceptible to female—”
“Assets?” His look was wickedly endearing.
“Exactly.”
“I can do that.” He grinned, then stood and walked around the desk, standing so close that she could feel the heat from his body. “I’ll call her now.”
Olivia held her breath until he’d closed his office door, then let it out as she dropped into her desk chair. She wasn’t sure how she’d expected him to answer her question—but what he’d said hadn’t been it. He came from such a supportive and close-knit family and she knew he loved them very much. He was capable of deep emotion. Just not the kind of deep emotion required for a relationship.
That’s when she realized what just happened. They said curiosity killed the cat but it had done the same thing to hope.
She wished she’d never asked.
* * *
“Don’t you think this thing with Olivia’s boyfriend is weird?”
Brady had gone to his sister’s house following a call to his mother to reassure her that he could handle Tiffani Guthrie if necessary. Now he was stretched out on Maggie’s couch, feet on the coffee table after dinner. His niece was asleep and his sister was a good friend of Olivia’s and might be able to give him some insight. But when his question went unanswered, he looked over and noted a funny look on her face.
“Well?” he prompted.
“If I were you, I’d be more concerned about Tiffani Guthrie.”
He held a half-empty bottle of beer and rested it on his abdomen. “Mom said something similar. What is it with you and her?”
“She—Tiffani, not Mom—is a barracuda. You’re a wealthy man now. It’s pretty obvious.” Maggie sat in the chair beside him with her feet propped on the matching ottoman.
She was wearing fleece cartoon-character pants, fuzzy slippers and a Green Bay Packers sweatshirt. On her it looked good, but that was about her fresh-faced prettiness. Although he could be prejudiced. Then what she’d said sank in.
“It’s not obvious to me why I should be concerned about an old girlfriend.”
“Come on, Brady.” She snorted scornfully. “You weren’t good enough for her before.”
“Thanks, sis. Way to build up my self-esteem.”
“But now you’ve got a bundle of money and I’m sure you’ll be worth her time. Plus—” She held up her index finger. “There’s the whole her-marriage-is-over thing, not to mention the life lessons of living in a single-wide in the boonies.”
“So you think she came back for me?”
“No. Your money would help to finance a lifestyle to which she’d like to become accustomed.” Her brown eyes darkened with fierce protectiveness. “Watch yourself.”
“Look, Mags, I appreciate that you’re trying to protect me. I’m flattered you think I’m such a catch—”
“I’m sorry. You thought that’s what I meant?” She grinned. “Actually, in my humble opinion, you’re a toad.”
“Lest there be any doubt, in our family there’s no danger of developing a swelled
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