I chuckled as I thought about her comment. “You wouldn’t worry about that if you knew what I was thinking.”
She exhaled, clearly relieved. “I’ll have to bring Slippers back.”
“Good. I like her. You know that. I’ll text you the code to the gate, and I’ll have my assistant swing by my place now with a key.”
“Cormac…”
So many emotions welled up in me when she said my name like that. Keelie finally seemed to understand how much I wanted to take care of her.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. One of these days, you’re going to realize what I keep telling you: you’re important to me.”
I could hear the smile in her voice. “I’m beginning to.”
Chapter40
Keelie
“I’m not sure how you talked me into this,” Ida Jane said when I picked her up from work the next evening. We drove to Naomi’s, where we planned to watch the game. She tugged at her top, then at her hair, embarrassed by the bruises on her cheek and jaw and the impressive shiner that still appeared swollen and tender around her eye.
“Well, I’m new, too, so I figured we’d be freaked out together,” I told her. “Plus, you’re my roomie now.” I smiled as I turned at Naomi’s—also Cormac’s—street. I’d learned many of the guys lived in the same neighborhood. That made getting home afterward easy.
I still wasn’t sure exactly what was going on with Ida Jane and Maxim, but she’d allowed the bodyguard who showed up this morning to drive her to work. He would have brought her back to Cormac’s, too, but I’d needed to run errands after school and that put me near her office. Instead, Ida Jane’s bodyguard now followed behind us in his SUV. Maybe I should have let him drive us here, but I didn’t understand how all this security stuff worked.
“You’re dating Cormac. Well, I guess right now, you’re living with him, right?”
A thrill went through me, and I smiled. I’d missed Cormac’s house, missed him. And I’d slept well, snuggled into sheets that smelled of him—much better than the night before when I’d tossed and turned, missing him. I also slept in one of his shirts, wanting him as close as possible.
“I’m just Maxim’s feel-good project,” Ida Jane muttered. She slumped down in the seat.
“That isn’t true. Maxim told us he likes you.” I chewed on my lip. “I’m nervous. Naomi’s fun, but she’s loud and asks a lot of questions…”
Ida Jane perked up. “I have an enormous family with tons of nosy women. Those I know how to handle. Consider me your wing woman.”
I sighed and nodded. “That would be amazing. I think Naomi and I could be great friends…once I figure out how to handle her.”
Ida Jane made a sound. “Don’t make me laugh. The bruises hurt.”
I winced. “Sorry.”
Naomi and Adam’s house was a larger and more ostentatious version of Cormac’s. I parked a few feet behind a sleek foreign car that looked new. My chest tightened, and I glanced over at Ida Jane, glad to see that she, too, seemed off-kilter.
“This isn’t my world,” she mumbled.
“I totally understand,” I said. “I’m a public school employee.”
Before we’d even exited the car, Naomi pulled the wood-and-mullion glass door open and waved with her right hand, a margarita in her left. She wore a romper that flowed over her figure with glitzy sandals.
“This is going to be crazy,” I said, glancing back to the driveway. Ida Jane’s bodyguard nodded at me. I waved.
“I think you’re right.”
I grabbed the tote with spa stuff I’d picked up after work yesterday and got out. I slammed the door shut, wincing as it squeaked.
“Yay, you’re here! Nicole brought a margarita machine, so that’s going to mean loose lips and a hangover tomorrow.” Naomi’s grin faded as she caught sight of Ida Jane’s battered face.
“Who the hell did this to you?” she demanded.
