From: Keenan
I’m turning down your street. Be outside within ten minutes or I’ll take myself to dinner. I’m starved, and I’m sure you look lovely.
Squawking a laugh, I cover my nose as I snort. He knows me too well. I can’t count how many times as friends we went out to places, and I made him wait until I was finished getting ready. Giggling into my phone screen, my cheeks tingle.
To: Keenan
Perfection takes a while, darling.
My flirty text elicits an immediate answer, a raised brow emoji, and I smile widely. Excitement surges through me. I turn to my mirror to apply my lipstick, struggling to do it properly because I’m so damned excited.
Satisfied with my work, I play with my hair briefly before grabbing my heels to slip into them. I can’t deny how good it feels to dress up in something other than business clothes or pajamas. Flexing my toes in my shoes, I smile down my smooth, bare leg and kick out my foot.
Leaving my room with my clutch under my arm, I walk out of my house just as Keenan’s SUV pulls up. The narrow street makes him seem so close. My smile widens, and genuine happiness swarms through my chest. He looks good, reaching across the seat to push open the door for me. “Damn. You look perfect and you’re on time. It’s a damn near miracle.”
“You.” I scrunch up my nose playfully and push his hand away while sliding into the passenger seat. “You clean up good yourself, Keenan Gallagher.”
“Why, thank you.”
The atmosphere’s lighter than it’s been in days. I take a deep breath, my eyelids fluttering closed in bliss. Sinking into the seat, I exhale a soft sigh. My chest doesn’t feel so cramped. My abdomen isn’t so tight as it was earlier.
“So, where are we going?” I ask. A shit-eating grin stretches Keenan’s mouth as I glance over.
“I’m not telling you. You’ll know when we get here,” he declares boldly, and my brows rise in light suspicion. “I’m glad we’re finally together. I know you’ve been dealing with some heavy stuff at work. If I can do anything to help ease your worries, don’t be shy about it.”
I blink. Keenan’s offer hangs between us like a dense, black cloud, and he rolls down the window. The underlying message is clear, and I frown as he looks over at me to wince. “I shouldn’t have said anything?”
“I . . . don’t know,” I say in an unsure manner. I fight the urge to run my hand through my hair, frustration moistens my palms. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m sure Keeva told you. I figured she might, but I’m . . . I’m not mad at her or anything. Like, I’m okay with it. All I did was complain. But I don’t want to ruin this date with my work problems. I want to have a good time with you.”
“If it looks like you can’t handle it, you need to jump ship,” Keenan says, smiling wryly as I gasp a scoff. “This is what I’d like to say, but you won’t do that. I know. Just promise me you’ll seriously acknowledge the risks to yourself, Delilah, if you keep on meddling in this situation.”
“Meddling? I’m not meddling. I’m trying to . . .” I trail off, my mouth drying under Keenan’s scorching hot look. Wait, why would he even use that word? It reminds me of Scooby-Doo. Didn’t they always refer to Daphne, Fred, Wilma, and Shaggy as ‘those meddling kids’? “You think that’s how my dad sees me? As a meddler?”
“I just want you to consider your options if you can’t fix it, that’s all,” he points out, and alarm burns my eyes. “If you can’t fight it, you might have to abandon your pride and retreat. That’s a basic rule of war. Know the odds.”
“This isn’t a war,” I point out, acid evident in my tone.
“It shouldn’t be, but your father put you in a position where you have to make a choice. Fight and maybe this never gets out, and it blows over. Or, you can quit and wash your hands of it.” Listing my options, Keenan clears his throat. I glance up and see his driver’s gripping the wheel tightly, trying not to pay much attention to our conversation. I should’ve waited until we were alone, but alas, I didn’t.
I hate the way Keenan’s right. Those two options have crossed my mind. So much for not talking about it! “Or you can be his accomplice and help cover him because it covers you. And honestly, Delilah, I’d quit and stay far away from your father, because when this gets out, he’s going to have his day.”
“I know all that already!” I snap nastily, glaring at Keenan furiously. “I said I don’t want to talk about it! If this is just going to be all about my job, you can stop the car right here. I’ll go back home and worry about it by myself without you commenting on things I already know. And I certainly won’t have to sit in the car with a man who’s making me second guess my intelligence right now. I know what’s at stake here. Fuck, I know better than anyone else!”
Silence fills the car for a few minutes. It’s eerily quiet, but the moment Keenan clears his throat lightly, I figure he’s about to say something.
“I don’t want you getting killed over a few million euros,” Keenan says quietly, so quietly that I almost miss it. I tense in my seat and my heart jumps into my throat. “Shite, Delilah. It’s all I can think about. You get killed over this mess your father made. No . . . I won’t allow it.”
“Iwillbe fine. I have a plan,” I lie. Like fuck if I know what I’m going to do to fix this mess at Knitted Hearts. Can I even fix it? I shake my head and smack my cheeks. “No more talking about it. Oh, but first, do you think Delaney would be interested in an internship at Knitted Hearts? Regardless of what my father is doing, no one knows about it but me and Haisley and a handful of others that have been sworn to secrecy. I think, as long as I’m not associated with her hiring, it’d be a good opportunity for her. I was thinking she could work with Cassie on the small pop-up events we do around Northern Ireland, but localized ones, of course, since she’ll be attending uni soon.”
“Uh, I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her what she wants to do. Though, I do think she’s been dying for you to ask for her help somewhere. Since the event, she’s been talking about how she felt so useful and loved every minute of it,” Keenan comments, rubbing his jaw and shaking his head. Hope blossoms in my chest. I like Delaney. She’s young, feisty, and so hungry for success, and she can achieve it given good opportunities. I want to be the one to provide at least one of them. I nod, satisfied with Keenan’s answer before he sucks in a sharp breath. “It’s hard adjusting to everything. I bet she’d love connecting with something that’s still the same after all this time when nothing else is.”
“Really? Good. I’m glad.”
The quietness is stripped away as we pull up in front of a beautiful restaurant. Long vines hug the bricks, and I gasp at the beauty. Soft, golden light spills from the windows. Keenan hops out of his seat to round the car, grinning broadly as he opens my door for me.
“Oh, what a gentleman.” I smile as warmth spreads up my neck. I take the hand Keenan offers. His warm, hard hand. The hand I can always count on. He winks at me, and a little flirty giggle clogs my throat.
“Only for the next two hours, tops,” he jokes, his eyes brightening with desire. I open my mouth to pucker my lips in appreciation. “If all goes well.”
