Page 102 of Nothing to Deny

As soon as Holly released the hug, Kelly sidestepped to blink at her. “She knows? Can’t you control your employees?”

Her…? What?

“Excuse me? My what? You might be upset, you’re stressed, but watch your tongue.” Throwing back the covers, she was quick to get to her feet. “Baer is my boyfriend, not my employee. And he means a lot to me, more than you understand. And he’s been honest with me, since the start.”

“There’s no need to fall out,” Holly said, playing mediator. “We have each other’s backs, we’re here for each other. The sisterhood, right?”

“Your boyfriend?” Kelly asked, intrigued rather than angry. “Your boyfriend is an escort?”

“So is yours.”

“You’re not supporting him? You have all the money in the world, and your boyfriend still has to go out and sell himself to cover bills?”

Okay, so it was less of a judgment on Baer, and more of one on her. The confusion could be forgiven, she gave money left and right whenever people needed it. Her grandfather’s little bleeding heart, she never saw someone in need and failed to help. Kelly had to wonder why Baer was the exception.

Before she could answer, Baer reappeared from the bathroom.

“Oh…” Kelly said, her cheeks reddening. “I didn’t know you were—”

“I’ve been called worse for less reward.” She became his focus. “Want me to stay or go downstairs and—”

“Downstairs. We can’t leave Paul there alone.”

Good for her remembering to reference Holly’s fake boyfriend, rather than Donoghue.

“I have questions,” Kelly said. “I need to—”

“Frey can answer them.”

“She can’t know—”

“She knows more than I’ll tell you.” He came over to stroke her hair and dipped to brush his lips across hers. “Holler if you need me.”

“I’ll go hoarse,” she said and squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t go too far.”

She’d want to fill him in on whatever Kelly said. As it stood, they didn’t know if Nickson was still in the building.

He kissed her again and headed for the door.

“Baer,” Kelly said, just before he opened it. “Thank you for… being honest.”

“I did it for Frey, not for you.”

Okay, he didn’t have to be that honest.

“Regardless,” Kelly said. “Thank you.”

He nodded and went out. So he got a thank you and she got accusations of being cheap? That was fine. Baer had taken a burden for her, he’d been ready to be the bad guy, saving her the trouble.

“So…” Holly said, dragging Kelly to the bed to sit her down. “Is Nickson here? Is he gone? Are you together? Apart? What?”

Kelly exhaled. “He’s in the shower, we’re… coming to terms with it.” The next appeal came her way. “It’s a relief really to find out you and Baer are serious. How do you deal with it?”

“Mostly by pretending it doesn’t exist.” Kind of true. “When he’s with me, we’re together, he’s mine.”

“He does it for a reason, doesn’t he? It’s not like an addiction or—”

“He has his reasons.” She went to join her cousins on the bed. “I won’t get into that though, that’s his business.”

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