I needed answers for the project. Kat was not cooperating.
ELIJAH:
So you stowed away? You’re a braver man than me.
If only you knew. You’d have hung me out to dry years ago.
ME:
I’m a big boy. Kat has agreed to work with me. Plus, I didn’t stow away. Cal got me on the plane manifesto.
ELIJAH:
Cal clearly has a death wish too.
I can sense the incredulity of Elijah’s message.
My phone rings, and I answer immediately.
“How did she take it?”
“About as well as you’d expect. I take it she messaged you all?”
“I’d say my sister is royally pissed. I’m surprised you’re still breathing.”
I am too, if I’m honest, and that’s what concerns me most.
There’s a pregnant pause.
“Try not to piss her off any more than necessary. From what Cal told me, the board are happy. Kat needs you on this project, don’t force her to do anything she’ll regret.”
I bite my tongue. Kat’s brothers are treating her like she’s a child, not a grown arse woman who runs one of the world’s largest hotel groups. A CEO who is both revered and feared in equal measures by her competitors.
“Don’t worry, I want to keep all appendages intact. I’m not going to mess with Kat.”
I decide not to tell him about our living arrangements for the next forty-eight hours, or the fact that his sister had sent me the information before I left. It will fuel the fire, and not something Kat or I need to deal with.
“We’ve already discussed keeping our relationship purely professional,” I say.
Elijah chuckles, and I groan.
“You know what I mean. We’ve agreed to act like professionals around one another for the sake of the project.”
“Oh, for a moment… don’t mind me. It’s being with Pen. The thought of you and Kat?—”
He begins to laugh even harder.
I force out my own laugh.
Elijah probably wouldn’t be my friend, and I certainly wouldn’t have spent years working with Cal if they knew my true history with their sister.
“Sorry,” he says, getting control of himself. “On a serious note, we’re all worried about her. She’s not been herself since Zach and Darra’s revelation. She’s thrown herself even further into work. Pen told me she was using this time as a working break. Now you’re there. No offence, my friend, but you’re not my sister’s favourite person.”
“Look, don’t worry. I’m a big boy, and your sister is more than capable of holding her own. Kat’s fine.”
I cross my fingers as I lie to my friend, but I’m going to do my utmost to ensure Kat gets what she needs this trip.
“Elijah, Kat’s not known as the queen of the hotel industry because she’s seen as a pushover. I’m here to do my job, she understands that, and appreciates it,” I say.
