Page 48 of Sunset Serenade
Rose deserved better.
All he had to do was find someone. Barney would be happy, the company would be in good hands, and he could leave with a clear conscience.
Plus, he wouldn’t be Rose’s boss anymore and maybe she wouldn’t find it so horrifying if he asked her out…
No.
That wasn’t the reason to do it. He needed to fix his mistake, to deal with the rat he’d let in. It was the right thing to do, and no one else needed to be dragged into it.
Craig started on this project immediately and worked tirelessly into the night, then got up early and got into the office before anyone else arrived. He didn’t let himself get distracted by anything – except for the one thing that was out of his control. The one place he couldn’t keep his mind from wandering to: Rose.
No matter how many times he told himself to stop thinking about her, he couldn’t do it. He’d be lost in thought, analyzing market caps, and find himself dreaming up excuses to see her, inventing reasons to be in the warm glow of her presence.
It was absurd. He had real problems, real people counting on him, and yet he had to fight himself from making trips to Starbucks just in case she might want something.
When the weekend arrived, he got a brief reprieve from his madness. It was finally time to show his parents their new house, and while he hoped it would be a joyous occasion, some worries still haunted him.
For instance, did his parents actually want to move to Orcas Island, or had it been a daydream? Would they like the house? The location? Would they be upset he hadn’t involved them?
Craig rushed the final renovations so the house would be ready in time for his parents’ wedding anniversary. He had even gone as far as hiring an interior designer and using Rose’s connections to get the furniture there quickly. Rose ended up being the only person he could talk to about the house, and she was aware of every intimate detail and downfall.
Thankfully, his parents were excited when he told them he’d booked them a place for a getaway. They had no clue what was really happening, showing up early Saturday morning with their bags and bubbling with excitement.
As soon as they pulled up to the house, they both gushed over how beautiful it was, how peaceful they found the view, and how concerned they were he couldn’t afford to rent it for an entire week.
“I know you’re doing well, honey, but you shouldn’t waste your money on us,” his mom said, clutching her bag to her chest.
His dad wasn’t as shy. “If the boy wants to treat us, he wants to treat us. He probably knows the owner.”
Craig smiled. “I do.”
“See?” his dad said. “I bet they gave you a great deal.”
“You wouldn’t believe it.” Craig reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys. He’d ordered a custom keychain with their last name engraved on it.
He handed the keys to his mom, hoping she’d catch the hint, but she didn’t notice. She was already bounding up to the door to open it.
Once inside, she threw the keys onto the counter and started touching everything. “Look at the color of these cabinets! They’re gorgeous! What is that? Cream? Oh, and the copper pulls! I love it.”
“That’s real wood,” his dad said, knocking on the door. “Nice and solid.”
“Oh!” his mom exclaimed. “Look at that view! Can we go out there?”
“Of course,” Craig said, opening the door to the wooden deck outside. He’d had glass railings installed so the sight of the trees and ocean were undisturbed.
His parents walked through the door and he followed them outside.
“Nowthisis incredible,” his mom said, shaking her head. “Just breathtaking. It feels like the whales could swim by at any moment!”
Craig couldn’t take it anymore. His mom was still clutching the keys in her hand, the keychain going completely unnoticed. He reached for the keys, holding them up. “Mom, did you see this?”
She took the keys back. “It’s an orca keychain! So cute.” She paused, squinting at theMitchellengraved on the whale’s tail. “Craig.No!”
He grinned. “Yes.”
“Is this your house? Honey, it’s stunning.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s not mine.”
