“Well, I always thought you had great maternal instincts.I’m surprised you haven’t been placed in more mentorship roles before.”
“Whether or not that’s true, you and I both know that there will be plenty of good mentors in Canada for them.”Kalliopi crossed her arms and let out a steady breath.The topic of maternal instinct made her think of the opportunity she’d lost out on because she’d wasted her years with someone who refused to have children.She couldn’t believe that she’d thought they could build a happy life together, just the two of them, and that she sacrificed her dream of having a family just for he-who-shall-remain-nameless to end up cheating on her.“This is a ploy to make me get to know Stan.”
“So what if it is?”
Kalliopi didn’t know what more could be said on the topic.It didn’t matter how many of her friends and coworkers swore that they saw something magical happen when Stan scooped her off the ground; she wasn’t interested.She’d wasted enough of her life trying to find love and make it last.Now, she was content with where she found herself and had no desire to disrupt the status quo.
“Sometimes relationships don’t work out,” Treasure stated softly.“But that doesn’t mean that none do.You’re shutting yourself off from?—”
“I’m sick of this conversation.”Kalliopi shook her head.
“You aren’t at fault for his gaslighting.”Treasure didn’t give up.“Your beliefs and morals shouldn’t be his justification to cheat, Kallie.He was totally in the wrong, so please stop beating yourself up over this.”
“You know I hate that stupid term Gen-Zs brought back into the lexicon.He wasn’t gaslighting me.He was guilt-tripping, plain and simple.”
Treasure walked around her desk and palmed both of Kalliopi’s shoulders.“You know I love you, but you’ve got to see this clearly.He made you doubt yourself, how you were perceiving the world, the choices you were making.That’s more than a guilt trip.What’s more, just because Gen Z is aware of the manipulation tactic, doesn’t mean you’re too old to learn it and recognize when it’s happening to you.”
Kalliopi chuckled.“Right.Well, Gen Z knowing everything is getting old, just like they will be when the oldest ones turn thirty next year.It won’t be so funny to make fun of us elders when they’re being bullied by the next up-and-comers!”
“God, you are like a carbon-copy of Karyme.”Treasure’s eyes crinkled at the corners as she took a step back, leaning against the desk.
“Yeah, she was the best.”Kalliopi’s eyes didn’t meet Treasure’s as she remembered her older sister.“She would have been forty-seven next month if they had found her in time.”
“And she probably would have been right next to me, pushing you onto this flight to Canada.”
“Yeah.”Kalliopi smiled bitterly at the truth her friend spoke.“You have no idea how pissed I am that Zagan got to me, Treasure.Even though he wasn’t the one who killed my sister in that lab, he’s one of them, out there performing horrible experiments on innocent shifters.I should have had him.Stan shouldn’t have had to help me because I shouldn’t have gone down in the first place!”
“Kalliopi, Zagan and his guys are sneaky.They’ve alluded me, Harriet, Carol, Richard, and even Stan.You can’t blame yourself for that either.Stop trying to be so perfect, girl!”Treasure said as she patted Kalliopi on the shoulder.“You really are perfect enough.Now, let’s stop talking about Zagan and let’s talk about wardrobe!What are you going to wear to knock Stan’s socks off?”
Kalliopi groaned.“I’m not getting out of this, am I?”
“Nope!You’re going, and you are going to have some fun, damn it!Now, first you are calling Stan to confirm the itinerary because he will need to order a coach bus for you and the cadets.And after that call, you are coming with me for a shopping excursion.You’ll need some warmer clothes, for sure.”
“Isn’t it winter in British Columbia, too?”
“Yes, but it’s much colder than what we are used to.”
“No wonder the bear prefers it there.Maybe our mild weather during SHIT is what made him so uncomfortable.”
Treasure let out a chuckle.“You are just saying that because he was very grouchy with the nursing staff when he brought you in.”
“Well, he certainly wasn’t polite to anyone except me.”
Treasure crossed her arms.“You aren’t using that as an excuse to get out of calling the man.”She picked up the phone and dialed Stan’s number before pressing the receiver into Kalliopi’s hand.
Kalliopi barely had the chance to shoot daggers in Treasure’s direction before Stan’s deep honeyed voice vibrated on the other end of the receiver.Kalliopi quickly pressed the receiver to her ear to get closer to the sexiness dripping right from the phone and warming her core.
“Stan, hi, it’s Kalliopi Kouris.Treasure just informed me we will be working together.”
Treasure waved goodbye to Kalliopi before closing the door behind her.
“Yeah, I was just about to call you myself,” Stan replied, his voice slipping a little, leaning more toward irritated.Was he just as surprised about the itinerary?“I was just discussing it with Richard.”
Is Richard in on it with Treasure?Ugh!Is everyone trying to ship us?She sucked in a breath before continuing.“Well, thank you for taking my call.I think we’ll need a bus for the cadets once we get off the plane.”
“I’ll take care of that for you.”
“Great.So… I’m sure you’ll have your hands full registering the cadets.I’m sorry this project is happening so close to the holidays.I’m sure you’ll be busy, so I’ll try to make this transition as smooth as possible and be out of your hair as quickly as I can.”
