“I didn’t; I swear.”
“They had time to find you, get the books, show up at the property, and get away before anyone saw them. It’s elaborate and fairly sophisticated for the timeframe.”
“But do you really…” She waves a hand around the room as she holds on to the last piece of fight in her. It’s not so much that she doesn’t want me here as it’s the lack of control in her life.
I get it.
And it’s my job to give it back to her.
“Yes, I do. I need to be here because you’re here.”
“I’m on deadline and I have events. I can’t just stop living my life.”
“You won’t.”
“But you just said?—”
“This isn’t a punishment, Kat.” The smallest shiver races through her as she shifts on the stool, andfuckI want to know what she’s thinking. “If you want to leave, I go with you.” She opens her mouth to protest but I just hold up my hand. “It’s not optional. You don’t go anywhere without me, and the harder you fight this, the longer we’ll be stuck together.”
“I don’t want to be treated like a child,” Kat cries, the last of her composure falling away. “I’ve given up so much to protect my brother’s career—hidden myself away and doneeverythingto make sure no one can trace Sloane back to me even though I’mdyingto just shout it from the rooftops. And now, you’re telling me that I have to make myself smaller, beless,and I just…”
She trails off, her gaze straying to the sliding glass doors that lead to a small screened-in porch.
It’s temporary.
I almost say it and then stop myself, replaying not just her words but the sentiment, her body language, and the sadness in her tone.
“I will do everything in my power to give you your life back as quickly as possible.” Quietly, I add, “No one can fault you for protecting the people you love, but sometimes you have to take a hard look in the mirror and ask if you’re really doing it for them or if you’ve let it become a crutch, so you won’t have to see what’s out there for you.”
“Do you believe that?”
“I do.”
“That’s awfully insightful, Mr. Oakden. Do you have a wife you haven’t mentioned?”
I snort, the sound involuntary and completely out of character. Apparently Kat knows it too if her little smile is any indication. “No. My nephew. Got to see him grow up, raised him a bit, and got him on the right path.”
“And?”
“And he fell in love with a girl who has a life in the spotlight and lives almost entirely outside his comfort zone.”
“So, he changed for her?”
“He realized he could stand to compromise to be a good partner. And she respects the time he needs to regroup when their social calendar is heavy.”
“What’s your point? Colt is the golden boy of baseball and taking Sloane Daniels public could jeopardize that. Plus there’s no telling what will happen on the children’s book side. There will be angry parents and stores that will be appalled I had theaudacityto do both.”
“I don’t have all the answers, but I think if it’s something you want, you can make it work. You willalwayshave critics; that can’t be avoided. But there’s also no timeframe, so you could setthe groundwork with your team and his—create the narrative and put your own spin on the backlash.”
“Is this why you get paid the big bucks, Mr. Oakden?”
“No, that was a happy coincidence,” I tell her because the reason I get paid thebig bucksis because I live and breathe my job. There’s no room for second place when you work for a company like Andrews International.
And I like perfection.
Demand it from my team.
And usually, I don’t have to convince anyone to do what I need them to do. They justdo it.But Kat isn’t part of my team. She’s blessedly removed from my world and the darkness I see every day.
