“I will blend in just fine at the school. I’ll be charming but I can’t help if they make me out to be some kind of,”—he pauses—“what’s the thirsty thing?”
“Thirst trap?” I ask, gaping at him.
“Yeah, that. Royce had to tell me what it meant.”
Without waiting for a reply, he closes the door, his gaze scanning the area around us as he walks around the hood and climbs in.
“I have no idea what to do with you,” I tell him, my mind spinning on the fact that he just referred to himself as athirst trapand that his nephew had to explain it.
I can only imagine how that conversation went.
“I’m not that complicated, Kat. My job is to keep you safe. I plan to do that as unobtrusively as possible.” I narrow my eyes at him when he turns to look at me, but he just shrugs. “Anna from the craft store notwithstanding.”
“It’s amazing you can even fit through the door with that ego you’re carrying around,” I grumble but he doesn’t respond, only turns up the radio as a Descending North song plays through the speakers, and all I want is to be home.
15
TOM
Kat is quiet on the way home, her whole body demeanor changing when I turned on the radio. I could speculate that the song is the culprit considering the lead singer of Descending North lives in the same gated development as her brother.
That thought probably spiraled into her being mad—but notactuallymad—at her brother and on from there.
I’m paid to be observant, but I’ve never been this invested in anyone’sfeelingsbefore.
I want her to be happy.
Carefree.
Safe.
Kat excuses herself as soon as we get back to the house, telling me she’s going to lie down for a bit. An uncomfortable feeling settles in my gut as I pace around the kitchen with my phone in my hand.
I’ve never neededfriendsbut that’s not to say I haven’t acquired them either. Kat’s admission in the store tugs at something deep inside.
She’s lonely.
I’ve never had time for loneliness, but I can understand why other people crave that connection. Is Kat lonely all the time? I should stay out of it, keep things professional, but how can I just carry on when she’s clearly hurting?
But what can I do? I can’t just bring people into the fray when we’re in the middle of something. Flying Bailey in would be risky and that would take coordination I don’t have time for. Plus I’d have to allocate resources to protect her as well.
“I can’t remember the last time I had mine done. I usually get the press-on ones, but I haven’t had time.”
Coming to a stop in front of the sink, I replay the words in my head, remembering the way Kat looked when she said it…almost wistful.
Could I make that happen?
Debating for just a second longer, I scroll through my contacts until I find the one I’m looking for and hit the call button.
She answers on the second ring, amusement coloring her tone. “Oakey! To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”
Typical.
Emerson Andrews is exactly like her cousin, Isla, but instead of being ruthless in the boardroom, she kills her opponents with kindness. With Isla and Cullen retired, it’s just Emerson and her father, Gene, running Andrews International.
I watched those girls grow up. Even before I started working there, they were part of the small circle of people I cared about.
It’s the only reason I still let them call me Oakey.
