“How about breakfast tomorrow?” Kong suggested. “Pack for a few days, and if either of us don’t think it’s a good fit after a week, then we move on.” He held his tatted hand out for her.
Ayla hesitated, but her brown eyes drifted up to his. Warm. Endearing. Drinking her in with an admiration she’d never seen before. Her core hummed, causing that sensitive space between her legs to moisten. Her mind was screaming at her to run far and fast from this situation because she had no idea what she was in for, but her heart was telling her she was right where she was supposed to be. Grabbing his hand, she shook firmly, and a half smile tilted the corner of his mouth.
“Ayla.” Audiemar strolled from the kitchen with his hands resting in the pocket of his slacks.
“Yes, sir.” She immediately straightened up.
“I appreciate your honesty in this situation. I understand that we are in an age of technology and entertainment that I’ll never fully grasp, but it’s an outlet and a source of networking for many people.”
“Does that mean you don’t mind if I film a segement or two a week in your gorgeous kitchen?” Ayla posed, only half serious.
She could still do content at Inari’s when she wanted.
“I don’t mind at all,” Audimar agreed, surprising both her and Kong. “I’ll be heading to the office now. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
SO DISRESPECTFUL
“Rise and shine!” Bee threw the curtains open in Coast’s room, alarming her.
Bringing her arm up to shield her eyes from the blinding sunlight, she groaned into her pillow and rolled onto her stomach. She didn’t know what time it was, but she sensed it was early. One thing she knew about Bee, she got up with the birds, even on her off days. If she wasn’t moving around by seven, something was wrong.
“Oh, what the hell?” Coast pulled the covers over her head.
“It’s Saturday morning, Coast.”
“Already?” She whined.
“Yes. It’s almost seven-thirty. I tried to let you wake yourself up, but I need to get moving, and so do you.” Coast listened to her footsteps shuffle back toward the door. “I need you to run over to Vintage Vault and pick up those pieces that are being donated for the auction. I have to go to the park and make sure they are on their shit and setting everything up.”
Coast rolled to her other side.
“You hear me?”
“Loud and clear, Bee,” Coast responded, irritation lacing her tone.
She stayed up last night after coming in from the lounge and decided to sketch. Her late-night session lasted until just a couple hours ago. She’d finally sank into that deep sleep abyss, and here came Bee with the bullshit.
“You did these?” Bee asked, her tone a little gentler and closer.
Coast peeled the cover from over her head and glanced at Bee at her dresser, examining the images that came to her last night. One was of a young woman on top of a hill, the lake behind her and a dreary gray sky. She looked like she was blowing in the wind, in a simple spaghetti strapped dress with one hand cradling her pregnant belly. Another was of a newborn in a crib, sleeping on her stomach with a bow on top of her head and little dimples in her cheeks as she smiled in her dreams.
“I was bored. Couldn’t sleep.” Coast sat up and pressed her back against the headboard. “It’s nothing.”
“Are you keeping the baby?” Bee asked, glancing up from the art in her hands.
Coast stared straight ahead, face void of any expression. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she shook her head.
“I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.” She dropped her hand in her lap. “I haven’t said anything to my parents or my brothers either.”
“What about the father?”
“The father,” Coast repeated. “He’s the reason I showed up here. Sipes is weak. Not the kind of man I see myself raising a child with. He’s selfish and ignorant. I don’t want him anywhere near this.”
“Have you been to a doctor yet?”
“No.”
