Cruz sat in his car another minute, unable to tear his gaze from the scene. Payton and Brad sitting on her couch, laughing together. Talking. Enjoying a celebratory glass of wine.

Obviously together.

It was like someone had dropped a load of bricks on him then sucker punched him just for the hell of it. He’d expected this, hadn’t he? So why was he so surprised?

Monday had been tough, arriving in Salt Lake alone and trying to get back to work. There’d been tons to do, people to talk to, and he’d been able to completely fill his day, barely having time to collapse into bed and repeat it all the next day. And the day after that. Until nearly a week had whizzed by and he’d barely had any time to think about what he left behind. The life he thought he was going to have.

Only tonight, he’d found himself aimlessly driving and before he knew it, he was outside her place, excited and terrified when he first saw her sitting alone on the couch through her open blinds. Something he’d been thinking he needed to warn her about, since she didn’t know the number of pervs out there.

Then Brad had joined her.

Cruz still didn’t know why he’d come here tonight, what he’d hoped for. He only knew that this past week he’d missed Payton with such savage intensity that he had needed to see her. See if maybe she still wanted to give this thing a shot. To tell her he’d been an idiot to let her get on that flight back home without him. For even letting her out the damn door.

Only, he hadn’t expected to see she had company.

Brad Eastman of all people.

Maybe this was good, him seeing her like this. Happy. Not pining away for him. It was the kick in the ass he needed to get his head back in the game.

Because he had to admit, these past few days, his head had been anywhere but at work. He was going to blow the whole thing and everything he’d given up would be for nothing.

It’s done then.

He didn’t have to worry that he let her down. He didn’t have to think about her at all.

He only hoped he could live with his feeling, this deep sense of loss, that he’d let the best thing he’d ever had get away from him.

Cruz arrived at his parent’s house the next night for the usual Sunday dinner, something that he’d missed last week in Mexico, when he couldn’t face anyone and had holed up in his hotel room until his flight the next day.

He’d imagined his family downstairs waiting in the restaurant, passing grins and knowing glances at what might have his attention upstairs enough to miss their Sunday dinner. It was better to let them think that than to come down and face them with the real truth.

That Payton had hopped on a jet with her ex-fiancé and mother, deciding to move on with her life. Without him.

But Payton would have been a distraction, one he couldn’t afford. Which was why he’d first instilled his rule of no serious relationships. They consumed too much time and worry. And time was in short supply.

It threw him for a minute when he walked in to his parent’s kitchen to see everyone gathered around the table, his parents, and Daisy and Benny. Dominic was still on his honeymoon for a few days or he and Kate would probably be there too. And it didn’t take a genius to figure out who they were talking about since the room went awkwardly silent when he entered.

He pretended not to notice and went to the stove, lifting a pot and smelling the savory goodness inside. “Smells great. Sorry I’m late. I was at the office running a few numbers. I think we can get the first crew started on that demolition by Wednesday,” he said to his dad.

Petter Sorensen sat with his usual stoicism at the head of the table, his arms folded in front of him. He nodded. “I am sure you have it all handled.”

The women all gave each other meaningful glances and he waited to see who would take the lead. His bets were on Benny, the youngest and most fearless.

“Heard anything from Payton?” Yep. Predictable.

“No, Benny. I haven’t. Nor would I expect to.” He poured a glass of water and watched them from over the rim as he drank.

“Seriously? You don’t think everyone noticed the way you two looked at each other, spent the whole night staring into each other’s eyes, and then quietly disappeared together?”

He pretended to mull her words over. “Payton is a beautiful woman. Can you blame me for wanting to enjoy her company? I would think you’d be congratulating me for getting up and dancing instead of brooding in a corner.”

This time Daisy intervened. And not on his behalf. “Yes, but coming from the guy who thinks even a hug is too much of a public display of affection—from your mother—your turn into a regular Don Juan was a little surprising.”

This was exactly the reason he’d been hiding from everyone for the past week. They never let up. He sighed heavily. “Payton had just broke up with her fiancé,” he said with emphasis, “a guy she’s known for years and was about to spend the rest of her life with. She wasn’t looking for anything serious, just a good time. Same with me.”

“That’s not what it looked like to me, dear brother,” Benny said again.

“Look guys. This deal, with Eastman Motors, it’s huge. And it’s going to take every minute of my time for the next year, at least, to get all the projects green-lighted and crew hired, not to mention speaking with Dominic about designing us a new headquarters for Sorensen Construction. I don’t have time for anything else right now.”

Benny started to interject again so he tried again, his voice louder. “Even if I were to have any interest in having a love life, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be with Payton Vaughn. Other than physical attraction, we don’t have anything in common. She’s planning charity functions for people with nothing to do but spend money saving dolphins or whales or whatever. Believe me, we’re not compatible.”

It killed him to say that. But as soon as he did, he knew it was true.

He wanted to tell them that even if he did want her in his life, it was too late. She was already back with Brad. But then he’d have to admit he’d been practically stalking her. So he let it go, waiting for the next argument.

Fortunately, his mother decided to—finally—come to his rescue as she laid her hand on Benny to stay further comments. “Leave him be.” But she did look at him a little longer with sadness in those dark, loving eyes. “He’ll have to realize some things for himself.”

Ouch.

“If we’re done with the third degree, maybe we can eat? I have tons to do back at the office. Where are the kids?” he asked Daisy.

“They’re with their dad,” she said, disbelief on her own face. “He’s had them since Friday and will be dropping them off later tonight. They were ecstatic. And it’s giving me time to start the packing,” Now she was barely restraining her excitement, her lips tugging into a grin.

“Packing? What’s going on?”

She clasped her hands together, almost as if in a prayer. “My lovely new sister-in-law is what’s going on. For weeks she and Dominic have been negotiating where they’re going to live, and it looks like they decided that, despite being farther away from Kate’s work, they’re going to live at Dominic’s.”

“Okay,” he said slowly, not sure what that had to do with Daisy unless… “Are you moving into her place, then?”

She was beaming as she nodded. “Seeing as how the market is still getting back on its feet, Kate wants to hold off selling for now and she thought maybe the kids and I would want to move in. Get our own space. I’m paying her rent, of course.”

He nodded. His sister had stubbornly refused all handouts since going through the divorce, much to everyone’s dismay, so it wasn’t a surprise that she’d insist on paying rent. Probably top dollar too.

“It’s such a beautiful house,” she gushed, her eyes shining. “And what with living right next door, Aunt Glenda has already assured me she’d love nothing more than to help me watch the kids after school. I can’t imagine it being more perfect. The girls will have to share a room, of course, but they’re fine with it. I think Paul might even be a little jealous,” she added, referencing her youngest and only son.