Good with His Hands

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AS A REAL-ESTATE AGENT, Danica Yates couldn’t live without her cell phone. Clients and potential clients called at all hours to ask questions, make counteroffers and set up meeting times. But, so help her, if one more person texted another pitying variation of “How are you holding up?” Dani was going to run over the damn phone with her car.

For her smartphone’s sake, she hurried through the parking lot, away from looming vehicular phonicide and toward the relative safety of her office building. More well-meaning texts and calls were inevitable. She’d already fielded a few in the weeks since her broken engagement, but just as the people in her life were beginning to drop the subject, Tate had made his big social-media announcement last night, spurring more unwanted sympathy.

Grimly hoping that Tate Malcom’s hairline would recede and his man parts wither, she dropped her phone into the pocket of her lightweight trench coat. Spring in Atlanta was fickle. This particular Wednesday morning, it was only ten degrees above freezing, but by afternoon, she’d probably be coatless and running the air-conditioning in her car.

As she passed a row of blooming Bradford pear trees, the heels of her boots clicked decisively against the pavement. She loved the black leather boots and their defiant three-inch heels. After Tate’s self-deprecating jokes about her “towering” over him—she was five-ten to his five-nine—she’d mostly worn flats during their relationship.

Well, screw that. She hadn’t straightened her hair since their breakup, either, abandoning the sleeker look for dark brown corkscrew curls that fell halfway down her back, adding extra volume and height. Reaching for the front door, she took a moment to reassure herself that the woman reflected in the glass didn’t look jilted and pathetic. You are determined and successful and you will be far too busy today to spare that worm Tate another thought.

First, she was going to stop by the coffee place on the first floor for a much-needed chai latte. Then, with her mind sharpened by caffeine, she would resume negotiations on the Hanlon house and score her client as many concessions as possible. She would schedule more house showings for next week. She would not think about how she should have been in Maui next week. On her honeymoon. As Mrs. Danica Malcom.

When Tate had called her last month to worm out of the wedding that had been scheduled for this Saturday, she’d canceled the week of vacation allotted for her honeymoon. But she’d left this weekend free. In retrospect, perhaps that had been a mistake. What was she planning to do on Saturday? Mope? Stare at the useless bridal gown in the back of her closet? Definitely not. Sulking wasn’t her style.

So what if she was single? Dani kicked ass at her job. Focusing on that could help get her through the next few weeks, as well as boost her bank account. Some of the homes for sale in affluent Fulton county neighborhoods would bring very generous commissions.

As she entered the posh office building, the scent of coffee wafted down the corridor to meet her. She was still early enough that there wasn’t yet a line stretching into the hall. The small coffee shop was wildly popular with those who worked in the twelve-story building. There was also a food court on the atrium level, but only one of the vendors opened for breakfast and the hot beverage options were limited.

She was just passing the elevator banks when her phone chirped, signaling a text. Had the owners of the two-story colonial in Dunwoody made a decision on her clients’ offer? Without breaking stride, she pulled out the phone. The text was from Katie Whitman, Dani’s passive-aggressive cousin who’d been furious that Dani hadn’t asked her to be a bridesmaid.

I just heard!!! Like it wasn’t bad enough he dumped u 3 wks before the wedding, now he’s eloped? U poor thing. Ur better off w/out him. Total d-bag.

Dani growled involuntarily at the “poor thing.” The d-bag assessment was accurate enough, but—

A muffled curse in a deep male voice cut through her preoccupation, followed by a pointed “excuse me.”

Jerking her head up, Dani realized she’d nearly collided with a man exiting the coffee shop. And not just any man. She’d almost caused Hot Architect to dump his drink down the front of his expensive suit jacket. The dark-haired, broad-shouldered man—who was taller than her in spite of her heeled boots—worked for the design firm that took up the other half of the fifth floor, down the hall from the real-estate brokerage.

“I am so sorry.” Shuffling back a step, she jammed the offending phone into her pocket. “I—”

“No harm done.” His lips curved in an expression too fleeting to be deemed a true smile.

“But I feel—” Like a dumbass klutz. At one time, her father had been an Army Ranger instructor; Dani had been raised to be athletic and have quick reflexes. She’d helped get the Lady Vipers, her high-school basketball team, to the state championship. She was not clumsy. “I feel guilty,” she concluded, trying to recall his name.

She’d overheard people calling him Mr. Grayson, but she wasn’t sure about his first name. Ben? Bryan? The receptionist in Dani’s office just called him Hot Architect. Since Dani had been engaged, she’d gone out of her way not to notice him or learn more about him.

Well, you’re single now.

Very, very single. She was also close enough to appreciate his ice-blue eyes and the sexy contrast between his light gaze and thick hair even darker than hers, the last shade between brown and black. “Can I buy you a pastry to make up for it?” she offered impulsively.

He held up a small brown bag, indicating that he’d already fulfilled his pastry quota for the morning. “Maybe some other time.” He spared another not-quite smile, then continued on his way, giving her a wide berth as he rounded the corner toward the elevators. Apparently, he wasn’t drawn to women so busy snarling at their cell phones that they almost mowed down pedestrians. Go figure.

Then again, Dani was a goal-oriented person who welcomed challenges. Staring down the now-empty hall, she squared her shoulders. Coaxing a real smile from Mr. Grayson, one that actually reached those arresting eyes, had just made her to-do list.

* * *

BY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON, Dani had stopped second-guessing her decision not to work this weekend. Self, I’m sorry I ever doubted you. It would be for the good of all humanity if she avoided clients for a couple of days.

Normally, connecting buyers with a new house gave her warm fuzzy feelings. Growing up on assorted military bases, Dani used to wish for more stability, a true home. She liked to imagine her clients getting involved in their new communities, maybe raising families. But now, on the eve of her canceled wedding, she was finding it difficult not to gnash her teeth as she showed a redbrick three-bedroom to the Parkers, a pair of adorable newlyweds. They were currently debating whether to hang their wedding portrait in the foyer or over the mantel.

“The picture will look great anywhere,” said the besotted husband. “How could it not when the bride in it is so beautiful?”

Dani managed not to roll her eyes. Sure, his petite auburn-haired wife was beautiful. But was that any guarantee he’d stay faithful?

When Tate had told Dani the international software company he worked for needed him in their Helsinki home office for four months, they’d made plans to visit each other and talk often. She’d gone to Finland once, after he’d had a few weeks to get settled, and he’d come to Atlanta for her birthday. The four-month assignment turned into six, though, and the time difference made phone conversations inconvenient. Still, Dani had seen plenty of military families overcome separation. She’d believed she and Tate could make the relationship work.

She certainly hadn’t expected him to cheat on her. Dani had initiated sex more than he did. When he’d first gone overseas, she’d emailed him a provocative picture of herself. He’d asked her not to do it again. He’d claimed it reminded him of what he couldn’t have, but she’d thought she detected a note of censure in his tone.

Well, he was out of her life now. Maybe she’d have a photographer take a picture of her scantily clad and hang that over her mantel.

Returning to the task at hand, she led Mr. and Mrs. Cute Couple to the recently remodeled kitchen, elaborating on the house’s particulars. Two-car garage, plumbing on a septic system, great school district.

“Oh, we won’t have to worry about school for years,” the woman said dismissively. “We’re in no hurry to have kids.”

Her husband pulled her into his arms. “Agreed. I want you all to myself for a while.” Bending down, he whispered something in her ear that caused a happy blush to steal across her face. Then he kissed her.

Hellooo—standing right here. But antagonizing clients was unwise for someone who worked on commission, so Dani kept her thoughts to herself. Giving the Parkers a moment of privacy, she meandered to the bay window and studied the pine trees and dogwoods dotting the generously sized yard.

Behind her, Mrs. Parker giggled. “We’re going to check out that master bedroom one more time, just for a second. I want another look at...the closet space.”

Yeah.

“Feel free,” Dani said with a tight smile. The previous inhabitants had already moved out, so at least she didn’t have to worry about the frisky newlyweds hitting someone else’s mattress. She figured they just wanted to steal a heated kiss or two.

Meanwhile, she tried not to feel bitter or envious; her neglected libido had been making itself known lately. She wasn’t usually one for casual sex, but how was it fair that she—who’d been faithful to a fault—was going without while the cheating scumbag who’d replaced her with someone who “makes a man feel needed” was getting busy with his new bride? Excuse the hell out of me for being able to open a pickle jar without assistance.

When Tate originally called off the wedding, it had been difficult not to hope he met with some freak accident—like an anvil falling on his head. But she’d told herself to be adult about the situation. Wasn’t it better that he ended things before the wedding instead of deciding afterward that they’d made a mistake? So instead of wishing him dead, she’d merely hoped that the next house he bought had termites and mold in the walls.

What she hadn’t yet known was that getting dumped was only half the story. Earlier this week, he’d asked her to dinner. Since she had a box of his belongings to give back to him, she’d agreed. The diamond solitaire engagement ring was not among the returns. She’d hocked that to help cover nonrefundable wedding expenses she and her dad had incurred.

When Tate had broken up with her from the safe distance of Europe, he’d mentioned that “someone else” had helped him realize he didn’t fully love his fiancée. But Dani hadn’t expected that faceless someone to return to Georgia with him. As she’d learned during their strained dinner together, Tate and Ella had eloped last Saturday—exactly one week before he’d been scheduled to marry Dani.

“You deserved to hear it from me, in person, before we begin announcing it to family and friends.” He’d adopted an expression of such condescending concern that she’d been tempted to punch him in the face. “I know this must be very hard on you.”

“Not so much.” She’d risen from her chair, abandoning a perfectly yummy shrimp carbonara. “Ella is welcome to you.”

Truthfully, after six months of living on separate continents, Dani didn’t miss him as much as she would have expected. She was almost as ticked off about the months of one-sided celibacy as she was about his defection. She’d always found serenity through physical outlets. Right now, frustrated and wanting to reclaim some feminine pride, she could really use a long night of sweaty, athletic—

“Danica? I think we’re done inside the house.” The lanky man and his auburn-haired bride had returned. “If you’ll walk us through the yard and the garage, that should do it. Annette and I need some time alone to talk over everything we’ve seen today.”

“Of course. Right this way.” She opened the back door, leading them out onto a narrow deck. “The deck was added on, but the owners hired a professional to build it.”

She often warned clients to be careful of homes full of DIY projects; not all of them held up well over time. Sometimes, amateur wiring jobs went up in flames. Substandard roofing collapsed. Kind of like her love life.

* * *