Poor Dad Made Jokes While Working, Not Knowing His Client Was A Billionaire Loving Him
An Unexpected Encounter
The sound of the doorbell jolted Hunter Kaplan from his frantic morning routine. It made him spill coffee on his worn work jeans.
He was ten minutes behind schedule. He had a hyperactive eight-year-old still eating breakfast.
“Someone’s at the door!” shouted Lily from the kitchen table. Her voice was muffled by a mouthful of cereal.
“Thanks for the breaking news, kiddo. I hadn’t noticed the bell that just made me spill coffee all over myself,” Hunter replied.
He grabbed a dish towel to dab at the growing stain. “Finish your breakfast while I get it.”
“And please, for the love of everything, try not to get milk on your school clothes again.”
Hunter rushed to the front door, running a hand through his unruly dark hair. At thirty-four, the stress of single parenthood had started to pepper his temples with gray.
His eyes still held the warmth and humor that had defined him long before life had thrown its curveballs. When he swung open the door, the woman standing on his porch looked out of place.
She was in his modest neighborhood, and Hunter almost laughed. She wore what had to be a designer suit in a shade of blue that screamed money.
Her dark hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail. It emphasized sharp cheekbones and intelligent eyes.
“Mr. Kaplan? Hunter Kaplan?” she asked. Her voice was as polished as her appearance.
“The one and only,” Hunter replied with an easy smile.
“Though if you’re selling something, I should warn you that my budget currently extends to mac and cheese and maybe one pizza night a month.”
Instead of the polite dismissal he expected, the woman’s lips curved into a genuine smile. “I’m Catherine Thorne. I called about the custom bookshelves for the Westside property.”
Recognition dawned. “Right, Miss Thorne. You’re early, and I’m—” Hunter glanced down at his coffee-stained jeans, clearly not ready.
The consultation wasn’t until ten. He checked his watch. “It’s 7:30.”
“Wow, I’m so sorry,” Catherine said, looking genuinely embarrassed. “I’m heading to the airport later today and wanted to catch you before I left.”
“My assistant should have called to confirm the change.”
Hunter’s mental calculator immediately started tallying the cost of being late to his first job. He weighed it against the potential of losing a lucrative new client.
“Dad?” Lily appeared beside him. Her backpack was already slung over her small shoulders.
Her dark curls, so like her mother’s, bounced with each movement. “Is this a client? Are you going to tell her one of your jokes?”
“Not now, Lily Pad,” Hunter said. He felt his ears grow warm.
Catherine crouched down to Lily’s eye level. “I would love to hear one of your dad’s jokes.”
Lily beamed. “Dad, tell her the one about the shelf.”
Hunter cleared his throat, suddenly feeling like he was on stage. “I… I’m not sure Miss Thorne wants to—”
“Please,” Catherine insisted. Something in her eyes looked genuinely interested.
“Well,” Hunter sighed. “I told my last client that I’m so good at building shelves, they call me the bookkeeper.”
He winced even as he said it. “It’s terrible, I know.”
To his surprise, Catherine laughed. It was not the polite titter he’d expected, but a genuine laugh.
The laugh transformed her face completely. “That’s wonderfully terrible,” she said, standing back up.
“And please, call me Kate.”
“Well, Kate, I have a slight logistical problem. I need to drop my daughter at school and then I have a job across town at 8:30.”
Kate looked thoughtful. “I have my driver with me. What if we drop Lily off together, then head to my property?”
“You can see the space and give me an estimate. You will still make your next appointment.”
Hunter hesitated. Getting into a stranger’s car with his daughter wasn’t his standard procedure.
Something about Kate’s direct gaze made him trust her. “Normally I wouldn’t,” Kate added.
“But if it helps, I can have my driver take you directly to your next job after we’re done.”
“I’d really appreciate your input on this project.”
Twenty minutes later, they had dropped Lily at school. She had proudly introduced Kate as dad’s important new client.
Hunter found himself in the backseat of a sleek black SUV. He sat beside Kate, heading toward the Westside property.
“So, Catherine Thorne,” Hunter said. He was trying to place why her name sounded familiar.
“What do you do besides hire carpenters at dawn?”
Kate smiled, her fingers fidgeting with an expensive-looking watch. “I run a tech company. Nothing exciting.”
“Mostly business software solutions.”
“And that pays well enough for surprise house calls with private drivers?” Hunter joked.
“I’ve been fortunate,” she replied simply. She then changed the subject.
“Your daughter is wonderful. How long have you been raising her alone?”
Hunter felt the familiar pang whenever someone noticed their family’s missing piece. “Three years.”
“Her mom decided family life wasn’t for her. She left for a job in Europe.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Lily and I make a good team.”
Hunter glanced out the window. He noticed they were entering one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods.
“Though I won’t pretend it’s not a struggle sometimes. Balancing work with being there for her is a juggling act.”
“What kind of jokes does a juggler tell?” Kate asked suddenly.
Hunter raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, what kind?”
“Ones that keep you in suspense,” Kate answered with a small grin.
Hunter laughed in genuine surprise. “That was terrible.”
“I learned from the best,” Kate replied, gesturing toward him.
Hunter felt an unexpected warmth at the compliment. The SUV pulled up to a gated entrance.
Hunter tried not to look impressed as they drove through. They revealed a stunning modern home with walls of glass.
His “Westside property” comment suddenly seemed naively understated. “You live here?” he asked before he could stop himself.
Kate shook her head. “Not yet. I just purchased it.”
“It needs some personal touches before it feels like home.”
Inside the house was even more impressive. It had sleek lines, open spaces, and soaring ceilings.
The views probably cost more than Hunter’s entire mortgage. Kate led him to what appeared to be a study.
It had one long wall perfect for the built-in shelving she wanted.
“I have thousands of books in storage,” she explained. “They’ve been in boxes for years as I moved from apartment to apartment.”
“I’d like to finally give them a proper home.”
As Hunter took measurements, he found himself relaxing around Kate. Despite the wealth gap, she listened with genuine interest.
She laughed at his terrible carpentry puns. “I would not recommend that design,” he teased.
She asked thoughtful questions about his work. “So, what brought you to carpentry?” she asked while he sketched.
“My dad was a builder. He taught me everything from when I was Lily’s age.”
“I worked corporate for a while. Suit and tie, the whole bit.”
“But after Sarah left, I needed flexible hours for Lily. So I went back to what I knew.”
Hunter shrugged. “It doesn’t make me rich, but I love creating things with my hands.”
“And I get to be there when my daughter needs me.”
Kate’s eyes softened. “That’s more valuable than most people realize.”
Hunter finished his sketch and slid it across to her. “Here’s what I’m thinking.”
“Floor to ceiling with adjustable shelves. It includes built-in lighting and a rolling ladder.”
“Not the cheapest option, but it’s perfect,” Kate interrupted. “How soon can you start?”
Hunter named a figure that made him wince internally. It was fair, but higher than his usual jobs.
He worried she’d balk. “That sounds reasonable,” Kate said without hesitation.
“Would next week work to begin?”
Hunter couldn’t believe his luck. This single job would cover two months of expenses.
It would allow him to be more selective about other work. He could spend more time with Lily.
“Absolutely. I’ll email you a formal quote and contract today.”
As promised, Kate’s driver took him directly to his next job.
When he arrived, his phone pinged with a text from an unknown number. “Thank you for this morning.”
“Looking forward to seeing those shelves come to life. Kate.”
Hunter saved the number. He was surprised by the personal touch from a busy executive.
Little did he know, that text was the beginning of something neither of them anticipated.
