She held out her hand. “Wanna shake on it?”
I grabbed her hand in both of mine and held on. “Jesse and True are here.”
Kendra stiffened and tried to pull her hand out of mine. I shook my head at her.
“There’s more,” I added.
She raised her eyebrows and went still.
“I might have -accidentally- mind you - told them we were engaged,” I finished.
Kendra began breathing heavily and stared at me for an uncomfortably long time.
“Kendra?”
She didn’t respond. Her nostrils flared.
“Goldilocks?”
“Don’t fucking call me that!” She yanked her hand out of mine and began pacing the room. “Why the hell did you tell him that? What happened to your promise of no funny business? Man of his word, my left ass cheek!”
My stomach dropped as I considered telling her why I lost my mind about this, but I knew that would only hurt her, and I felt oddly protective of Kendra. But by the murderous looks she was giving me, I knew none of that would matter. I had to think fast.
“I, uh,” I stuttered.Genius. Well said, arsehole.
“Out with it.”
“I want to help you stop his wedding.”
Kendra stopped pacing and popped her hands on her hips. “And how the fuck is being fake engaged going to do that?”
I eased out of the Captain’s chair and held both hands up in supplication. I didn’t want to make any sudden movements that would scare her away. “You are going to ruin his wedding, right?”
She bit her lip and stared out the pilot house windshield.
“Do you have any idea how you’re going to do that?”
She shook her head.
“Well, I might have a few ideas, but you’ll need help.”
“I don’t need your help!” Kendra shouted. “And have you thought about how the hell this will help me win him over when the wedding is canceled? He will think I’m engaged to you!”
Jesse’s smug face flashed in my mind’s eye. “I have a feeling that will only make him want to fight for you more. He strikes me as one of those guys who always wants what someone else has.”
Kendra reared back. “No, he’s not. You don’t even know him!”
“I know enough,” I said. “And how well do you know him? When was the last time you two were in the same room together?”
“Yesterday!” She shouted. “We had lunch!”
“Did you have a nice time meeting the fiancée?”
Kendra lifted her chin but wouldn’t look me in the eye. “She wasn’t there.”
It felt like she slapped me. The thought of that wanker taking my Kendra to lunch without his fiancée made me want to smash his face in.
Damn it. I needed to stop thinking of her asmyanything.
