Page 71 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

“Therefore, I’m going to honor our deal. I’ll go back and testify when I have completed my list.” She unlocked the door but didn’t open it, turning to face him. “Until then, I will be civil, and you can stay at the inn ’til your little heart’s content. I will continue to live my life. You will be like a shadow hanging around in silence.”

Her dismissiveness got under his skin, and his jaw clenched. “You think you’re going to be able to ignore me that easily?”

“Oh, absolutely. I mean, I ignored you for two years when you weren’t in town. I’m sure that I can ignore you even if you are here.”

He took several steps toward her, caging her against her front door. “Sweetheart. I’m gonna make it very hard for you to ignore me.”

“Oh yeah,” she countered, her voice slightly breathless, “and how are you gonna do that?”

“I guess I’ll have to think of something,” he said, pushing off the wood and turning around, ambling down her steps. “Sleep tight, Kaylee.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Kaylee

On Sunday morning, Kaylee woke up and went to the early service at church, deciding that if she was going to ignore Rick’s presence in town, she was gonna need all the help she could get after church got out. She went home, grabbed something to eat and a little more coffee, and headed for Marianne’s with Josie. When they arrived, Marianne was all smiles and gushing about how thoughtful Rick was.

“What are you talking about, Marianne?”

“He bought us a case of champagne for today.”

Oh, goody, he was here.

Kaylee didn’t know why she thought he would bow out. He’d already told her he was going to make ignoring him hard on her. They walked into the living room, and Rick was sitting on the couch, surrounded by women who were hanging on his every word. Kaylee scowled at their insipidity. Where was their indignation about having a man in their midst who wasn’t gay or attached?

They think he’s attached to me.

When Rick spotted her, he smiled and waved, and she resisted the urge to flip him the bird.

Josie laughed. “If looks could kill, he would’ve been impaled by now.”

Kaylee left the room before anybody noticed her scowl. “I just don’t understand why he’s being so stubborn. I’m giving him exactly what he wants. I’m gonna go back, and I’m gonna testify, and he gets to be the big hero.”

“Maybe that’s not what he wants anymore.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, maybe what he wants is you.”

Kaylee snorted, pouring herself some champagne with a splash of orange juice. She held it up, silently asking Josie if she wanted one, and Josie nodded.

“If that man truly wanted me, he would not have come down here under false pretenses, and he would certainly not have tried forcing me into doing what he thought was right.”

“Maybe he didn’t realize how much he wanted you until he had you.”

Kaylee set the bottle down a little too hard, glancing around for prying ears, but they were all still simpering in the living room.

“Dude!” Kaylee hissed, summing up all her feelings in that one word of irritation.

Josie smiled mischievously. “Sorry, I’m just saying, maybe you have a magic punani that made him realize that it was the only punani he ever wanted for the rest of his life.”

“Will you please stop saying punani?”

“Only if you will admit that you like the attention. That it feels good to have him chasing after you.”

“You have lost your ever-lovin’ mind,” Kaylee said, handing her a mimosa. They returned to the living room just as Marianne called the book club to order. When she asked for volunteers, Rick raised his hand, and she gushed, “Yes, please start us off.”

Gag me.