“You can come to the house, Stan. I’m not trying to hide you.”
“No, just trying to lie to your brothers,” I said around a laugh. “It might be a good thing that I’m the baby of my family,Kitty. I have all the tips. If I were Luc, I’m sure I’d disapprove.”
Her nose wrinkled. “But you don’t?”
“I’m taking an active part in the lie, am I not? A wise man in my world would warn your brothers that you three are a walking disaster together and to never let you out of their sight?—”
“Charming.”
“Instead, I’m facilitating.”
She rolled her eyes. “So kind.”
“Only to you.”
With a snort, she shuffled off the seat. But I stopped her by asking, “Will you hide my ring?”
Pausing, she stared at it. “I might turn it around... I don’t know where Raisin is coming up with this bullshit, but I don’t feel like arguing with either of them.”
“I need to get it resized.”
She hesitated. “If you don’t want me to?—”
“Kitty, that’s going to be on your finger for a long time. I don’t want you to lose it.” She bit her lip but passed it to me. As I slipped that into my jacket pocket, I retrieved another gift for her. “8137.”
“Huh?”
“That’s the pin.”
8 - my hospital room.
13 - the afternoon we met.
7 - the day I made her mine.
She didn’t take it. “I don’t think?—”
“If ever there’s an emergency, you have this to help you. There’s an unlimited spending limit?—”
“Unlimited?” she croaked.
“Unlimited.”
“But I don’t need money! I make my own.”
“How would you have gotten out of Cancún without me?” Thanks to Star, I knew full well that her bank balance hovered precariously close to an overdraft. When she blushed, I tutted. “Thisisn’t to shame you,gattaredda. Just to make sure that you’re always safe.”
“I don’t want to be a kept woman.”
“And you won’t be. Use it. Or don’t. Buy clothes with it or don’t. Keep it for emergencies—that’s all I ask.”
Her frown told me she wasn’t happy about it but that my request was too reasonable to refuse.
With a heavy sigh, she tucked the card into her pocket. “Thank you, Stan.”
“You can thank me by using it when you need it.”
Her blush deepened. “Until tonight, Stan.”
