Addie gave her a sympathetic look. “That’s huge.”
“It is.” Kaelee looked away. “I have trust issues that make some parts of casual sex harder, but… I know I’m not relationship material. We were going to try friends with benefits, which would be perfect, but then I found out she’s my editor. So we’re doing this friends thing, but I like her. I reallylikeher.”
“Oh, Kae, I’m sorry.” Addie shook her head. “Could you turn your next book in early and once it’s edited…”
“Already submitted it,” Kaelee said.
“You thought people accusing you of getting ahead with my help was mortifying, what if this gets out? Ha!” Toni called from the kitchen. “Casual sex is not worth burning your careeror my editor’s career.”
Addie rolled her eyes. “Ignore her. True love overcomes. Look at us!”
“It’s not love,” Kaelee said quickly. “We’re just really compatible.”
As much as Kaelee wanted to believe that there was a solution, the court of public opinion could be rough. She’d already seen cruel remarks on social media that her book was overhyped because she used to be Toni’s TA.
“Sure, look at us.” Toni brought over a tray with a cup and a pot of tea for Addie. “Let that steep another moment,” she murmured before speaking louder and adding, “Having our lives dissected in the tabloids was awesome. Highly recommend.”
“Worth it, though.” Addie stared up at Toni with the same joyous smile that captivated millions on the screen. “Love is worth all the slings and arrows.”
“Not exactly how the quote goes,” both Toni and Kaelee said at once.
Addie picked up a sugar cube and sucked on it before dropping it into her cup. “Academics.” She poured tea over the cube in her cup. “Writers.” She frowned briefly. “Wonderful, grumpy women with all their walls.”
Addie watched them both as she stirred the tea with a dainty spoon from the tray. “So unwilling to take risks until you are on the edge of losing the most important thing in the world.”
“Which is?”
“Love,” Toni supplied.
“Greta can’tloveme,” Kaelee protested. “She’s become a great friend, and I want more. I miss the tas—”
“No!” Toni glared at her. “My editor does not have sex, especially with you.”
“Would you grab me one of those little biscuits? The shortbread fingers? The ones I like?” Addie fluttered her eyes at Toni, who went to grab whatever it was she had just requested.
Then Addie looked at Kaelee and bluntly said, “Of course she could love you. You’re perfectly lovable, and Greta is a smart, wonderful woman. I’m sure she sees that beautiful heart of yours. You’re smart, talented, and loyal. What’s not to love?”
Kaelee shook her head. “I don’t want what you and Toni have.I just want to have sex with the woman I chat with every day. Just casual. Nothing emotional. Friendship and orgasms.”
“You’re deluded,” Addie said with a singular nod. “Greta put her reputation on the line to make sure you were okay when you were drunk and alone. She clearlylikesyou, too. What we need to sort out is how to get you to look beyond your baggage and fears. It’s hard sometimes if you are refusing to admit your own wonderfulness. We could start with affirmations.”
And Kaelee couldn’t even try to argue with Addie. There was something irrepressible about her energy. The best Kaelee had to refute Addie’s optimism was “My past has some things in it. She doesn’t deserve having to risk herself because of that.”
“I regret to inform you that you are not in charge of what risks she decides to take.” Addie primly accepted the cookie that Toni brought her and dipped it into her tea. “What your partner sees in you is outside your control. What she does with her heart is, too.”
Neither Toni nor Kaelee replied to that.
Addie continued, “Would either of you try to tell a woman what to do with her own body?”
“No.” Toni frowned.
“Of course not!” Kaelee added.
“Then what makes either of you think that you can tell her what to do with her own heart.” Addie crossed her arms. “Poor Greta. I know just what she must be feeling. I had to put up with this one’s self-doubts, so I am something of an expert on women like you now.” She pointed at Kaelee. “You need to stop refuting her feelings and know that she has valid reasons for them. If she feels emotions for you, that’s up toher. You don’t get to control her heart!”
IfAddie’s right, I can never let Greta find out how I already feel about her.The thought of Tripp Alden’s long reach, his deep pockets, his hateful words spilling into Greta’s life was enough to make Kaelee debate running, upending her life.
One phone call from him is not reason to burn it all down,her logic argued.
