“Acrobat,” Kyle said.
Kip sighed. “Ky, please.”
“You earned a bronze star with valor for that nickname,” Kyle reminded him.
“I was doing my job. Nothing special.”
“I think it was more than that, Kip. But we didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable,” Harper soothed him.
“Thank you.” Kip placed his hand on hers and inhaled. “I was with my team on a mountain marked by a number that, for the moment, had some strategic value. Unfortunately, our position was popular knowledge to the enemy. We were ambushed under heavy fire. I held them off as the team made it partway down from where we were,” he started the story, avoiding using the word SEAL.
Kyle held his palm up. “He was bringing up the rear and stopped. We had heavy wounded. The only thing that would save us was to call in an airstrike, but it was what we called ‘danger close.’ The strike would be on top of us. No good. Kip created the distance for us. He called in the strike…right over him. As hellfire rained down, I looked up to see him leap from one large rock across a crevice, front-flipping to another rock and diving over another crevice, landing on his feet and running toward us. He saved the team.” Kyle nodded at his friend.
Chantal began to cheer when Harper placed her hand on her sister’s to silence her. “Kip, thank you for sharing.”
Kip admired her for understanding. She intrigued him more.
“Kip, Chantal tells me she and Harper are born and bred Crescent City girls. I told her you are moving to town,” Kyle changed the subject.
“Well, if you need a tour guide, Harper and I will be happy to show you around,” Chantal offered.
“Are you free Thursday? Our designer/decorator/prince of personal appearance is taking me house hunting and suit buying. He says I need a look.” Kip chuckled, not expecting a real offer from the women.
“You do. Senior executives need to dress to impress. Wool winter suits won’t cut it in N’awlins. And you can’t dress in shorts and polo shirts. Help him out, ladies.” Kyle laughed.
“He’s right about wool. You’ll get a terrible heat rash in your pits and male parts,” Chantal said. “Or you’ll get heat stroke. Make sure you go to Clothes Contact. I buy my suits there. Their specialty is executive clothing, and the men’s department is amazing. Sales staff is like tele-evangelism for suits, but the clothes are worth it. It’s the best place in town.”
“Channy!” Harper shook her head, cutting her sister off. “Have you settled on a place to live?”
“My company purchased a home for me. Barry, our homes consultant, is taking me to see a house in the Garden District. My office is in the Central Business District,” Kip said. “It doesn’t seem to be a bad commute.”
“We live in the Garden District. There are some beautiful old homes there,” Harper advised.
Kip checked off in his head that this topic was safe territory. In the company of her sister, she began to relax.
Suddenly, it was Chantal who tensed. Something or someone upset her.
“Chantal?” Kip asked, scanning the area.
“It’s nothing,” she maintained and adjusted her seat.
Kyle raised a brow. “Miss Chantal, those four overdressed women and their macho-looking male companions walked in, and your shoulders are up to your ears.”
Harper followed her sister’s sight line to see what had upset Chantal. “Have you ever seen the movieMean Girls? Those four never found redemption.”
“Incoming three o’clock,” Kyle said.
Both girls tensed. A woman dressed in a white sequined minidress with four-inch clear heels led the group toward their table. “Oh, my gawd!” she shrieked. “Girls, look who’s here.”
“Hello, Annabelle, Colette, Olivia and Vivian,” Chantal said through gritted teeth.
Vivian lowered her eyes to Chantal’s belly. “A baby?! When are you due?”
“Tell them,cherie. We’re so excited.” Kyle slid her into his lap and placed a protective hand on her belly.
“Baby is due in October. Kyle and I are taking advantage of our pre-baby time.” Chantal cupped Kyle’s cheek with her palm.
“And you, Harper?” Colette raised a perfectly penciled brow.
