Katrina decided to stop being amazed at how incredible her former nanny was––even though she really wanted to know how Francesca knew all of this stuff––and instead, focus on the idea that she and Darwin might actually be able to do this.She wasn’t sure if she was thrilled or terrified.
She was still thinking about that when a familiar voice interrupted her musings.
“Katrina, I’m so glad I found you!I’ve been looking for you all over,” Upton said, appearing at their table, giving them a charming smile.“I’m sorry to interrupt, Francesca, but I need to talk to Katrina, if you don’t mind?”
She stifled a groan.Thankfully, she’d somehow managed to avoid Upton’s company at the wedding rehearsal and subsequent dinner the night before, and really didn’t want to talk to him now, either.She tried to catch Francesca’s eye, but her friend had already picked up her purse and slipped out of the booth.
“I’m going to find Khloe and see if she needs any help with last-minute wedding preparations,” Francesca said with a smile, leaning over to give Katrina a hug and promise to see her soon before whispering a warning about being careful.
Upton frowned as he sat down beside her.Clearly, he’d heard Francesca’s words of warning.“What are you doing that you need to be careful?”
Katrina panicked for a moment, until she realized Upton probably wouldn’t recognize she was lying if she was convincing enough.
“I told Francesca I was thinking of wearing a different gown to the wedding,” Katrina said, looking left and right as if she were sharing the biggest secret in the world.“It’s a completely different color and style, and Khloe is going to lose her mind, but it’s really more me.”
Upton nodded, his eyes glazing over before Katrina was halfway through the fib.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”she asked.
“Right.”He took a deep breath, like he was working up the courage.“You aren’t going to want to hear this, but you need to, so I’m just going to say it.”
Katrina couldn’t do anything but lift a brow at that big ramp-up, wondering where the heck this was going.Actually, check that.In truth, she had no desire to know what Upton was thinking, because based on the way he took another deep breath and squared up his shoulders, it seemed like he was about to drop a bomb on her.
“Darwin is dangerous,” Upton said bluntly as he held up his hands to forestall any complaints on her part.“For your own safety, you need to hear it.I was with him at the shooting range yesterday.I’ve trained with a professional, so I know what I’m doing with a gun in my hands.But Darwin?He’s different.He’s cold, efficient, deadly.I have no doubt he’s killed before.Probably more than once.”
Katrina stared at him.“You know he’s a Navy SEAL, right?”
Upton did a double-take.“I know he said he’s in the Navy, but I didn’t know he was a SEAL.That doesn’t mean he isn’t a hitman on the side.”
She didn’t know whether to laugh or groan.She finally settled on a snort.“On the side?Like a second job, you mean?”
“You don’t have to make it sound so absurd.For all you know, Darwin murdered Arthur.”
Was that Upton’s way of deflecting suspicion?There was only one way to find out.
“For all I know,youmurdered Arthur,” she said.
Upton recoiled like she’d smacked him.“Me?!”
She shrugged.“You said you know how to handle a gun.”
“Just because I know how to handle one doesn’t mean I murdered Arthur,” he said superciliously.
Katrina pinned him with a hard look.“Exactly my point about Darwin.”
Upton sat there gaping like a fish running a marathon, something that made him seem less and less like a suspect in Arthur’s murder, and more and more like the wealthy social climber he truly was.
“Look,” she said, “I appreciate your concern, but you need to stop butting into my life, or you’re going to destroy the friendship we used to have.”
Upton opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again as something behind Katrina caught his eye.She looked up, smiling when she saw Darwin standing there in jeans and a tee, looking better than any man had a right to, considering he’d probably only slept three hours last night.
Jumping up, Katrina wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.The moment their lips met, all rational thought disappeared and she lost herself in the moment, forgetting where they were, and reveling in how amazing his kiss made her feel.
“I’m glad you’re back,” she said softly when she finally pulled away.
His mouth curved as he gazed down at her.“Me, too.”
Behind them, Upton cleared his throat.Katrina had almost forgotten he was there.She turned to see him getting to his feet.
