I can’t help but smirk at the annoyed look Izzy is sending Bryn’s way.
“Don’t let her distract you,” my middle sister chides Bryn.
Noting the distinct windows of my sister’s downtown office space, I ask, “Why are you all at the office on the weekend?”
“Lila said she had to come in to get some work done, so we thought we’d keep her company,” Izzy says.
“Distract her is more likely,” I tease.
“Hi, Kelsey!” Lila’s voice carries through the phone from somewhere on their side of things. “I sent you a few messages, but nothing is pressing.”
“I’ll get back to you before I head to the venue for tonight’s concert,” I tell Lila, mentally calculating all the things I need to do before I leave for the Tokyo Dome at two. Luckily, today is the second concert at the same venue, so we don’t have to have the larger security team meeting. This afternoon we’ll just touch base with the team leads. I firmly shut Carter down when he asked me to stay over the first two nights in Japan, refusing to be distracted by this thing between us.
I’d tried to stay in my own room last night, but Carter had shown up, puppy dog eyes in full force, and said, “Okay, but hear me out, what if you stayed in my room for tonight? And tomorrow night too? Let’s call it the next thirty to forty-five nights at minimum.”
How am I supposed to resist that?
So, being the strong, independent woman I am, I said yes, but only for the night. There is no way I can do this job if I’m sleeping with him every night. Even if I actually believed I’d be sleeping, which, if last night is any indication, there isn’t much rest happening.
“Sooo,” drawls Bryn from my phone. “Who was that?”
I force my face into a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?”
“That very masculine voice that mumbled something when you answered the call earlier. The one when you were clearly in bed.”
“I fell asleep with the TV on.”
Both my sisters send looks of disbelief at me through the phone.
“It feels like she’s lying to us,” Bryn says to Izzy.
“Definitely lying. The real question is why.”
“Do you think she’s sleeping with one of her employees?” Bryn says, a smirk pulling up the side of her mouth.
“Technically”—Lila’s voice cuts in, and both my sisters look away from the phone to listen to her—“there isn’t anyone traveling with Kelsey who is her employee.”
“Damn, soeveryoneis fair game?” Bryn asks. “Are you just sleeping your way through the Mitchell Security team?”
Their laughs twine together, a lighthearted sound that almost makes me want to join in. Almost.
“Yup,” I deadpan. “Just waiting for Trent to show up again so I can complete the roster.”
“Gross,” Bryn says. “Thank fuck I know you’re joking.”
“She might not be,” Izzy says, a contemplative look on her face. “She did say Trent wasn’t as bad as she thought before she left. Maybe they’re having an illicit affair.”
“Is that why he was returning the trophy wife’s car? Did you wreck their home?” Bryn asks. “Is this a Brad-and-Jennifer situation? Are you Angelina?” she gasps.
“You really spiraled there,” I say.
“You’re the one who brought Trent into the conversation.”
Izzy’s face lights up like she’s just remembered something. “Speaking of Trent, I heard he was at the bank last weekend meeting with a loan officer. What do you think he’s planning on buying the wife this time? A pool?”
Bryn laughs. “A pool? For the one week a year that you’d actually want to swim outdoors in eastern Colorado? If he’s smart, he’s buying a vacation house someplace nice…maybe Costa Rica.”
“Did you two have something you actually wanted to talk to me about, or are you just bored because your famous golfer boyfriends are at a tournament?” I ask.
