Swimming Naked Page 11

  “What if the kids are still up? Lina,” he called out when she began to walk toward the water.

  “No one can see us. Their bedroom is on the other side of the house.” She walked a few more steps before turning back to him. “You’re not going to make me swim alone, are you?” She smiled. “Come on. I want to swim naked with you.”

  Phil glanced back at the darkened house. “Fuck it,” he said before jumping to his feet and stripping off his clothes.

  Chapter Fourteen

  With the start of the school year and a flurry of new decorating requests, Lina felt like she barely had a free moment over the next couple of weeks, and although she wasn’t actively thinking about Liam, he was always there, lingering in the back of her mind and creating an underlying anxiety she couldn’t seem to shake. After spending an afternoon wandering through children’s furniture stores and picking out items for a client who wanted assistance with a nursery, decorating ideas for Liam’s room began to take shape in her mind.

  “What are you doing?” Logan asked after dinner one evening when he found her on a ladder in the upstairs guest room. “Do you need help?”

  “No, thanks. I just finished taking measurements.”

  “For what?”

  “New window treatments.” She came down from the ladder. “Did you finish your homework?”

  “What’s this?” He picked up a baby furniture catalog that was on the bed. “Why do you have this?” His eyes were narrowed in confusion.

  There was no easy way to tell him, so she just settled on the truth. “I’m converting the room into a nursery.”

  His eyes widened. “You’re pregnant?”

  “No.” Her hand came to her chest. “No, Logan.” The thought was so far from her reality it took her a moment to recover from it. “No.”

  He let the catalog fall from his hand. “You’re going to let him come here?” His lips were turned down.

  “Eventually. Not right away. We’ll talk about it as a family first.”

  “I don’t want him here,” he rushed out.

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Why? Because Dad’s already decided?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t you get a say? Don’t I get a say?”

  “It’s not a matter of what you want, honey. It’s a matter of what is right.”

  “Having him here isn’t right! I don’t want to know him.”

  “Logan.” Lina tried to touch his arm, but he backed out of her reach.

  “Dad is making you do this, isn’t he?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “He isn’t making me do anything. This was my idea.”

  “You’re lying!”

  “Hey!” Phil exclaimed, coming into the room. “What is going on?” His gaze swung from Lina to Logan.

  “I don’t want him here,” Logan said, avoiding Phil’s eyes as he headed for the door. “I don’t want him in our house!”

  “Who?” Phil asked.

  “Liam,” Lina answered, gripping her forehead. “I told him about the nursery.”

  Realization came to Phil’s face. “I’ll talk to him.”

  “No. Let me. I want him to know it was my idea. I think that’s important.”

  Logan was donning his headphones and preparing to start a video game when Lina found him in the upstairs den a few minutes later. “Can we talk?”

  “No,” he said, continuing to push buttons to begin his game.

  “Please.” She nodded toward his bedroom.

  He let out an audible sigh before yanking off his headphones. “Fine,” he grumbled before preceding her into his room.

  “I’m sorry for breaking it to you like that,” she said as soon as they were both sitting, Logan on his bed and Lina in his desk chair. “We should have discussed it as a family before I started doing anything in the room.”

  “Why would we need to discuss it? It doesn’t matter. I still wouldn’t want him here and you’d still bring him here anyway.”

  “This isn’t easy for any of us, but we can’t pretend he doesn’t exist.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because your father is his father.”

  “So? What does that have to do with me?”

  “We’re a family—and…” She trailed off. She wanted to say Liam was part of their family now, too, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t voice the words. “We need to learn to accept him. That’s the right thing to do.”

  “What’s wrong with the way he’s doing it now?” Logan asked. “Why does he have to bring him here?”

  “It’s not enough taking him out for a couple of hours a week. As he gets older, he’ll be spending more time with him.”

  “He can spend more time with him without bringing him here.”

  “This is your father’s home, too. And eventually he’s going to have him overnight. That’s why I’m setting up the room.”

  “I’m not going to be here if he’s here,” Logan said. “I’ll stay with Brian or Will.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “I will. I don’t want to ever see him. I hate him.”

  “Logan—no.” She felt an ache at the pain radiating from him. “He’s a baby.”

  “I don’t care. I hate him! I don’t want to talk anymore.”

  Lina racked her brain, trying to think of something to say to lessen his pain. Nothing came. She finally stood up and left his room. She pulled his door closed, leaning her forehead against it as she breathed in and out deeply, willing herself not to cry.

  “Everything okay?” Phil asked from behind her.

  “He just—he needs some time.” She turned to face him, tears glistening in her eyes.

  “What in the hell did he say to you?” He reached for the doorknob.

  “No—don’t.” She pressed her hands into his chest. “He didn’t say anything. He’s just upset.”

  “You’re crying.”

  “I’m upset that he’s upset.”

  The anger left him in an instant. “Should I talk to him?”

  “No.” She took his arm, propelling him away from Logan’s room. “He’s too upset right now. He’ll come around. He has a big heart.”

  Lina was still worried about Logan when she arrived at the office the following morning. He’d been quieter than normal on the drive to his bus stop. When she’d asked him if he was okay, he’d mumbled something about his history teacher giving him too much homework.

  “He’s upset,” Adele said when Lina shared her concerns. “He’s coming to terms with the fact that his father is a selfish prick.”

  “Seriously?” Lina tilted her head to the side. “That doesn’t help.”

  “Don’t be so sensitive. You know what I mean. Logan idolized him. If he wasn’t upset, I’d be more concerned. That would mean he didn’t think there was anything wrong with what Phil did.”

  “I just wish I could talk to Nick about it. He’d—”

  “No,” Adele interrupted, shaking her head. “Don’t even go there.”

  “I said I wish, not that I was going to.”

  “Don’t you think it’s ironic that Nick accused you of being too dependent on Phil when you were completely dependent on him for parenting advice?”

  “That’s not true,” Lina said irritably. “He was treating Katie.”

  “He was counseling you about all of them. I was with you during some of the calls. You even discussed Megan with him.”

  “He’s a professional,” Lina defended.

  “I don’t think you need a professional to tell you how often to reach out to your daughter when she goes away to college. That seems like something you could have figured out on your own.”

  “Fine.” Lina sighed, knowing she was right. “Why are we even talking about this?”

  “Because you mentioned Nick.”

  “I know why. Let’s just stop.”

  “I have to go anyway,” Adele said, gathering up some
files on her desk. “I have a new client.” She began to walk away. “Oh, wait.” She turned back to Lina. “When were you going to tell me about Dolmar Enterprises?”

  “Dolmar Enterprises?” Lina frowned.

  “Damien Rouse. I ran into Celeste last night. She said she passed his number to you and that he called you.”

  “William Rouse called me,” Lina corrected.

  “That’s his younger brother. He’s the VP.”

  “I have a lunch meeting with him tomorrow. What is Dolmar Enterprises?”

  “They’re one of the largest real-estate-development companies in Maryland. Damien Rouse started it. They have properties in northern Virginia as well.”

  “I don’t think he mentioned his company. He just said he was interested in talking to me about my work.” She’d been in the grocery store at the time of his call and had answered the unfamiliar number in case it had to do with one of her children. She could barely remember what he’d said.

  “Celeste said he’s interested in talking to you about being their creative lead.”

  “What?” Lina’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?” She tried to recall the conversation.

  “That was Celeste’s understanding.”

  “I’m not looking for a new job. I should call and cancel.”

  “It won’t hurt you to hear what he has to say. There’s no pressure on you. Just go.”

  Nerves churned in Lina’s stomach when she entered the upscale lobby of the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, DC. She was thankful she’d decided to wear a skirt suit. She could at least look like she belonged among the other bustling professionals. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been to her share of upscale hotels and restaurants, but it had always been as Phil’s wife.

  After giving her name to the maître d’, she was directed to a table on the far end of the restaurant along the windows. A man who looked to be in his late forties came to his feet as she approached. He was tall and classically handsome, with dark hair and equally dark eyes. His hair was cut close to his scalp. He looked Italian or Mediterranean, with a smooth olive complexion. His dark-blue suit was custom tailored. She detected a subtle scent of an expensive cologne when she returned his handshake. “Lina.” He smiled.

  “Hi.” Her mind went blank. She couldn’t recall his name.

  “I’m William Rouse,” he said, saving her. “Thanks for taking my meeting.”

  There was a warmth to him that put her at ease. “You’re welcome.”

  “My brother’s a big fan of your work,” William began without preamble after they had taken their seats.

  “That’s flattering,” Lina said. “I really haven’t done much.”

  “That would probably explain the lack of an online presence. Did you bring a résumé with you?”

  Heat came to her face. This was a job interview. She should have prepared a résumé. “No. I’m sorry. I—I don’t have one. I wasn’t really looking for a job. I…” She trailed off, not sure how much to reveal. “I misunderstood you on the phone. I assumed you were interested in hiring me as an interior decorator for your house. It wasn’t until yesterday that my sister told me about your company.”

  “That’s not off the table. It could probably use a face-lift. Did you bring your portfolio?”

  “No.” She cringed. “I’m sorry. I’m wasting your time.” She may have looked the part of a professional woman, but it was becoming painfully obvious she was in over her head. “I’m just a home stager who moonlights as an interior decorator.”

  “You’re not wasting my time,” he reassured her. “I’m here because my brother has seen two of the homes you’ve decorated and he thinks you’re talented.”

  “Two? I thought he just saw Celeste Strahl’s.”

  “And the Harrises’,” he said, referring to the home she’d recently done in Bethesda. “He has an eye for talent, and you apparently have it. I’ll have to trust him, since you don’t have a portfolio,” he teased, giving her a wink. “How do you get interior decorator clients without a portfolio?”

  “Word of mouth and I guess my phone. I have some pictures I’ve taken.”

  “That sounds like a portfolio to me. May I see?”

  She tapped on her display, bringing up some pictures of a recent job. “I did their kitchen, family room, and bathroom,” she said, handing him her phone.

  He took his time, slowly scanning the twenty or so pictures she’d taken. “Is he a model, or is this your bathroom?” He turned the phone to reveal a picture she’d taken of Phil, standing before the vanity, shaving in nothing but a towel.

  “Oh my God.” She snatched the phone, heat staining her cheeks. “That’s my husband.” She’d thought he’d looked particularly sexy and had taken the photo.

  “You’re blushing.”

  “I’m embarrassed,” she said, reaching for her water glass. “Could I get any more unprofessional?”

  He chuckled. “Probably.”

  Some of her embarrassment left when she realized he was teasing her. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I saw enough to know my brother’s right. You’re very talented.”

  “Thank you.”

  “And your husband has impressive lats.”

  Lina’s hand shook with excitement when she called Phil. “I think I’m about to get a new job,” she said.

  “Another one? That’s great, baby. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about doing that exclusively. It’s starting to consume so much of your time.”

  “No, I mean a real job, not a side job. I just had an interview with a place called Dolmar Enterprises. They—”

  “I know what they do,” Phil interrupted. “What are you talking about, an interview?”

  Lina briefly told him how the lunch meeting had come to be. “It’s like destiny or something.”

  “Lina—”

  “I’d be their creative lead,” she interrupted. “Can you imagine? They’d pay me to design the interiors of their model homes. The position would require me to stay up on the latest trends, which I do on my own already. He said eventually I could be a trendsetter. Nothing’s definite yet, but I could tell he liked me. He’s taking me to New York with him next week to attend the Interior Design Expo. If—”

  “Wait—wait,” Phil interrupted. “You can’t just go off to New York with some guy you don’t even know.”

  “It’s a job interview. Since I don’t have a long work history, he wants to get an idea of how my mind works.”

  “Who is this guy? Is he married?”

  “I have no idea if he’s married. This was a job interview. His name is William Rouse.”

  “Does he know you’re married?”

  If anyone else asked that, Lina would have assumed he was joking. “This was a job interview, Phil. Not a date. Are you listening to yourself?”

  “I don’t want you going away with him.”

  “I’m not going away with him. I’m attending a design expo.”

  “Whatever. I don’t want you going.”

  She could feel her face heating. “I’m going. If you don’t trust me, you can come with me.”

  “I have court next week, and you’re not the one I don’t trust. What is the point anyway? They’re out of Bethesda, aren’t they? That’s an hour commute in traffic each way. We still have two children in the house who depend on you.”

  “They’re fifteen and seventeen. I think they can handle me being out of the house a little more.” She didn’t want to argue with him about it, especially when she was feeling so good.

  “You can’t just make a unilateral decision without discussing it with me.”

  “I haven’t made a decision. There’s no decision to make yet.”

  “You said you were going to New York.”

  “That’s because I am,” Lina said. “You don’t ask my permission before you go on a business trip. You just tell me, so I’m telling you. I’m going to New York next Thursd
ay.”

  “I have to go into a meeting. We can talk about this tonight.”

  “Fine but I’m going.”

  The following Thursday Lina was sitting beside Adele on the train on her way to New York.

  “Yep, it’s definitely nice,” Adele said, handing Lina back her phone.

  “Wait. Did you flip through them? There’s more than one.”

  Adele held up her hands, refusing to take the phone. “It’s a nursery, Lina. It’s beautiful, really. I don’t need to see a dozen more pictures to know that.”

  “I just wanted to show you what it was going to look like.”

  “You need to put that away, literally and figuratively,” Adele said. “You’re on your way to New York City for the most important interview of your life and all you want to talk about is the nursery you’re designing for Phil’s son. You need to take off the wife-slash-mommy hat for a couple of days. You’re just Lina Hunter, the interior designer, until we get back Saturday.”

  “Why can’t I be both?” Lina asked. “I am both, you know.” She looked down at her phone, tapping through the colors and pictures she’d chosen for Liam’s nursery. The more she worked on it, the more she began to picture welcoming him into her home. It was centered around a Noah’s ark theme. She was going to have several pairs of animals painted on the walls. It was intentionally different from the sports themes she’d used in Logan’s rooms over the years. She didn’t want any comparisons.

  “You’re hopeless,” Adele said.

  Lina ignored her, continuing to flip through the photos on her phone. She stopped on the one she’d taken of Phil shaving. It was the picture William Rouse had seen. She knew she should probably delete it before someone else accidentally came upon it, but she didn’t want to. He looked too good. He was standing before the bathroom mirror, naked except for a towel tied loosely around his waist, beads of water visible on his chest and back. She’d taken the picture from behind him. His chin was covered with shaving gel and he was mid-stroke with the razor. He’d paused when she’d stepped into the bathroom, meeting her eyes in the mirror. She’d taken her phone out to capture the moment. He’d puckered his lips a second before she’d taken the picture. She ran her finger over the sexy image of him. Suddenly she wished she wasn’t staying in New York an extra night.