Sisters by Choice (Blackberry Island #4)(67)

Heather felt her eyes burn. She wanted to protest the unfair assessment but wasn’t sure what she could say in her defense.

“You’re smart,” he continued. “You work hard. You seem motivated. But you can’t do the work. Not even close. What about college?”

“I don’t have the money.”

He waved a hand. “That’s the least of it. There are grants and scholarships. Have you even tried? Have you done any of the research?”

Embarrassed, she shook her head. “I thought I couldn’t go.”

“If you don’t get a plan together, you’ll be right. Research schools. If you like marketing, then find the top ten marketing schools in the country and start there. University of Michigan at Ann Arbor is right up there. So is the University of Pennsylvania. Look into financial aid. How much does it cost? What grants can you apply for?” His gaze turned pointed. “Ask me for a letter of recommendation.”

“You’d do that?”

“Only if you’ll do your share of the work. I go back to what I said before. I can’t decide why you’re stuck here. Is it because you can’t figure out how to leave your mother or are you one of those people who talks about how things could have been and always has an excuse for why they aren’t that way?”

He was describing Amber, she thought uncomfortably. He wondered if she was like her mother.

“I thought community college was my only option,” she told him. “I didn’t think I could make anything else work.”

“I challenge you to change your thinking. It’s your life, Heather. You’re young and healthy. If you’re going to make your move, this is the time. But no one can make you. You have to be willing to motivate yourself. You have to decide what’s important and then be willing to do the work.” One shoulder rose and lowered. “Or you can stay exactly where you are. Sophie likes you a lot. If you don’t work out in this department, I’m sure she can find you a job somewhere else. You can keep going on as you are now. Living with your mother, taking care of her and always wondering what would have happened if only you’d taken that first step.”

“I don’t want that,” she whispered.

“Then prove it.”

  Lily and Mrs. Bennet had made the decision to raise their kittens together. Mrs. Bennet had taken her kittens into the cat room, as Sophie thought of it, and now the two adult cats shared cuddle time, groomed and monitored all the kittens together. The older kittens—Clover, Daffodil, Petunia and Marigold—were starting to get around more. Sophie tried to spend an hour or so every evening handling the kittens. Once they were a little older, she would have Heather and Kristine’s boys over to socialize them.

Flush from her success hiring Maggie, Sophie told herself she should celebrate, only she couldn’t figure out what to do. Going out to dinner by herself wasn’t her idea of fun and when she’d called Kristine, her cousin had been distracted and said she was busy. Heather was fun, but so much younger, not to mention busy with her own friends and Amber, well, no.

Sophie stared at her phone. There was an obvious solution and she had no idea why she was resisting. She liked Dugan. She enjoyed his company, his conversation and the sex, of course. Not that they could do that anymore.

She supposed that was the problem. Not the sex, or lack thereof, but how everything was different now.

She scrolled through her contact list and pushed the button to call him. When he answered she said, “Why did you have to give a billion dollars away to charity?”

“It wasn’t a billion.”

“It was close. Doing that changes everything.”

“Would it have been better if I’d kept the money?”

“No.”

“That’s why I gave it away. It’s too much money for anyone. Me having it serves no purpose. I’m fine. The money is better off helping other people.”

Which was just so damned altruistic, she thought, equally impressed and annoyed.

“You’re back from Denver,” he said. “How did it go?”

“Maggie starts in two weeks.”

“Impressive.”

“Yes, I am.”

He laughed. “You miss me.”

His tone was low and sexy and made her toes curl. “Not in the least.”

“Liar. I’ll be right over.” He hung up before she could say anything.

For a second she just sat there, then she got up and tried to figure out what she should do. Shower? Change her clothes? Go get a bottle of wine?

The last idea was the only one that made sense so she did that, then collected two glasses. She’d barely put them on the coffee table when she heard a knock at her front door.

“I missed you, too,” Dugan said as he walked into her place and pulled her close.

“Who said I missed you?”

He smiled right before he kissed her.

The feel of his mouth on hers was exactly what she needed. Every part of her remembered how great it had been before and how spectacular it could be now. She should do something subtle like take off her shirt and then lead him to her bedroom. Only...

“I can’t,” she said, stepping back.

He looked more curious than upset. “Okay. Why?”

“I don’t know you.”