He’d said the words out loud and it had felt good. So there was step one.

“Have you told her that?”

“No.”

“Do you know how she feels about you?”

“No.”

Dad gave him that look again, the one that told him he was being a dumbass. “I guess it’s time the two of you sit down and talk about your relationship.”

Grant scrubbed his hand over his chin. “That’s the thing. She hasn’t exactly had an easy go of it over the years. Her dad skipped out on them and her mom died when she was young, leaving her the burden of raising Leo and Anya on her own. I think she might be reluctant to give up her independence.”

“I think love and independence are two different things, Grant. You just have to show her that loving you doesn’t mean she has to give anything up. And look at what she gains.”

“What’s that?”

His dad spread his arms wide. “Us.”

Grant laughed. “So true. That’s a big win in my opinion.”

His dad stood and brought Grant in for a hug. “Talk to the woman you love. You’ll figure things out.”

“I will, Dad. Thanks.”

He walked away, thinking about the conversation he’d just had.

Never in his life did he ever think he’d get love advice from his dad.

Of all people. Mom, maybe, but Dad? He shook his head.

But his father had been right. He and Katrina needed to talk.

But not here, and not right now. He had to get up to Dallas and start getting prepped for the game on Thursday night. It was time to put all his focus on that.

After his game, he and Katrina would have that talk.

THIRTY-ONE

KATRINA HAD EVERYTHING PACKED BY THE TIME GRANT returned to the house.

She also had her mind made up. She knew what she had to do.

Now she had to hope Grant understood.

He came in the room and started toward her, a very sweet smile on his face.

Oh, no. She knew what would happen. He’d put his hands on her, his mouth on her, and all her resolve would dissipate. She purposely put a suitcase in front of him to block him from touching her.

He stared down at the suitcase and looked over at her, then frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“The kids and I are leaving.”

“I know. We’re all leaving for Dallas. I figure you all could sightsee and maybe do some shopping for a couple of days. Then the game on Thursday night. After that, we’ll head back up to my place …”

She cut him off. “No. We’re going back to New York.”

She saw the confusion on his face. “What? New York? You mean today? That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. I thought maybe you and the kids would stay at my place. Like … permanently.”

“What?”

“St. Louis is a major airport. You shouldn’t have any problems catching flights wherever you want to go. There are great schools there, both public and private.”

She held up her hand. “Wait. Just stop there. What are you talking about?”

“You. Me. Leo and Anya. There’s plenty of room at the house. And I’ve already talked to a contractor about all the renovations. We can make this work, Kat. We can be a family.”

Her head was spinning. This wasn’t at all going like she planned. “Are you saying you want us to move in with you?”

“Okay. Yeah. I’m kind of handling this backward. It’s not like I’ve done this before.” He was smiling at her. He looked genuinely happy, as if he hadn’t just turned her world completely upside down. “I love you, Kat.”

The words should have elated her. After all, she loved him, too. But love changed things. It made everything messy and complicated. As if their lives weren’t messy and complicated already.

And why would she uproot the kids and move in with him? She’d established a life for them in New York. A life that worked well. She was successful there. She had a launching point for European travel.

So typical for a man to think she’d give up everything and follow him. Wasn’t that what her mother had done? She’d left Russia and followed her father to a new life in America. And then he’d made her life miserable, abandoned her …

Abandoned them.

Abandoned Katrina when she’d needed him most.

Because that was what men who loved you did to you. They made promises, and then they left.

She shook her head, the past mixed with the now.

No. She would not do this.

It was like she’d been living in a dream these past couple of months. A hazy fog where everything had been hot and sexy and uncomplicated. And in the middle of all the hot and sexy and uncomplicated had been Grant, who’d swept in with all his sweet words and his incredible body and made her feel like a princess in a fairyland.

But that wasn’t real life. She had other people besides herself to think about, which was nothing like a fantasy.

She’d worked so hard all these years, had sacrificed so much, so the kids could have their futures. So she could have her future. So she’d never have to rely on anyone. It had taken order and discipline and a precisely structured plan. All the order and discipline she’d carefully crafted would never work with him, living with him at his house.

Her heart sank.

She shook her head. “No.”

His smile evaporated. “No to which part?”

She lifted her gaze to his. “No to all of it. We can’t make this work.”