He shook his head. “It’s a travesty.”
Before she could respond that she rather liked him and his dog, his phone buzzed.
“Nate. He needs me in the club. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
“The fate of an overachiever.”
“Thank you for the entertainment.”
With a few cordial words, he left the house again, looking tired and empty. Milo jogged to the closing door and whined. “Come on, boy. Let’s go to bed.” The dog turned and followed her.
As she topped the stairs, her cell vibrated in her back pocket. Silas. “You need to finish testing Kyle. You’ve been there too long. If he’s Jonah, he’s pulling you in deeper, clouding your judgment.”
“I will. I haven’t had a chance. The man works constantly.” She chewed her lip. “He passed test number one. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“Get it done, Laina, or I’m pulling alpha on you.”
She ended the call, knowing what she had to do.
* * *
Kyle strodethrough the door just after nine. What a day. What a fucking day. Hunt Club was under attack from so many directions, but those fucking protesters were going to send him over the edge. They really were.
“I walked and fed Milo for you.” Laina appeared before him, and all the stuff going on in his brain quieted. God, she was beautiful, all that dark hair and golden skin. “He couldn’t wait. He’s already curled up in his new crate.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry I’m late. Important meeting. I couldn’t leave.” He swallowed. It was the first time he’d been late since she moved in, but still, he regretted it. Lord knew he would’ve rather been with her than in that meeting. Although she had every right to chew him out, she simply watched him as he poured two glasses of scotch and handed her one, then led the way outside to the pool deck. Slumping into a chaise lounge, he stared up at the moon. It was a beautiful fall night, every star visible in the clear sky. God, the moon always eased him.
“Rough day?” Laina took the chair beside him.
“Our online magazine subscriptions are flagging. The analysts say we need to do something to break through the noise, gain some publicity.” He sipped his scotch. He should’ve brought out the bottle.
Those beautiful green eyes scrutinized him. “And you don’t want to do that?”
He shook his head slowly. “I don’t want to talk about this. I know it’s late, but will you just sit here with me for a while? Your presence is…grounding. I’m beginning to think it’s some kind of drug.”
“I’m a drug?”
He closed his eyes. It was too much and he was probably making her uncomfortable, but he couldn’t hold his feelings back. “Lately, the only time my life seems real is when I’m with you.”
She took a fast sip of air.
“Sorry if that crosses the line.”
As she leaned into the cushion of the deck chair, a breeze coursed over the pool, the heated water fogging where it touched the cool night air. “No. It’s fine.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, but he forced himself not to flash her a stupid grin by refocusing the conversation. “What were your parents like, Laina?” She raised her eyebrows. When she didn’t answer right away, he added, “I’m just curious what a nuclear family is like when they all live together.” Kyle hadn’t meant for the question to sound quite so sad. He finished his scotch and hoped she wouldn’t notice.
Laina hugged her knees to her chest. “My mom was a botanist. I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t something growing in our house—trees of all types, green plants, flowers. But it wasn’t just plants… She grew people too. She had this softness about her that brought everyone around her to light, especially my father. Dad was a lawyer. Not the grandiloquent type you see leading class action suits on TV, but a taciturn professional with a narrow focus on a specific niche of corporate tax law. Most of the time, we thought he was lost inside his head. Until my mother was in the room, and his face would grow younger, his smile would come alive, and I’d see it.”
“See what?”
“Love. The connection that cuts through all the bullshit in life, exposes you for who you really are, without your job or your money, right into your soul. Love looks right through you and loves you anyway.”
He inhaled sharply. “I’m not sure I’ve ever witnessed that.”
“Now that they’re gone, I get a glimpse of it now and then with my brothers. It’s a different kind of love, but there’s a permanence that comes with family.” Her expression turned wistful.
“Yeah.” Kyle’s brows contracted until his head hurt. He’d never had that with Nate.
