Page 20 of Endurance

“You don’t have to. I can ask Ryles to set it up. Nothing fancy. We’ll keep it casual with the goal of discussing the photoshoot. I don’t know who Rylee is planning to bring, but it’s a good idea to brief you on each of the boy’s situations. What do you say?”

I pursed my lips and considered his proposal. It wasn’t a bad idea. I was familiar with Corporate Cares and knew they fostered boys from all backgrounds, many of which included extreme trauma with long-lasting effects. Having a better understanding of what I would be walking into would be a good thing. Plus, the idea of seeing Kallie again so soon was more than just a little bit appealing. The problem was, I wasn’t sure how she would react to a night out with me after what happened this morning. Hell, I didn’t even know if she still wanted to be my PR rep. A new agent might have already been assigned to me for all I knew, and she could be on a plane back to D.C.

My heart constricted at the thought of never seeing her again. It felt strange to be so affected by a woman—to want her so desperately despite barely knowing anything about her. My conscience nagged at me, telling me to rein things in before they went any further.

But I couldn’t.

I’d had a taste of her, and I already knew I’d never get my fill.

“Alright. I’m in. Have Rylee set it up.”

7

Sloan

Five hours later, I pulled into a parking space in front of an eclectic sushi restaurant named The Lucky Koi. I’d never been there before and was surprised when Colton texted me this as our dinner location. I wasn’t a huge fan of sushi and hoped they had something mainstream on the menu. Still feeling slightly hungover, my body craved anything deep-fried and greasy over raw fish and seaweed.

When I stepped through the restaurant’s doors, I was greeted by a formally-dressed Japanese woman standing behind a narrow podium.

“Welcome to The Lucky Koi,” she said with a nod.

“Thank you. I’m meeting Colton Donavan, party of four. I’m not sure if they’ve arrived yet.”

The woman looked down at her clipboard.

“Yes. I see two members of your party have arrived. Right this way, please.”

Walking down a dimly lit hallway, I looked around. The place wasn’t too fancy, but definitely more upscale than the local hamburger joint. When we reached the end of the hallway, the space opened up to reveal what looked like an Asian garden built into the Pacific coast. The walls were nothing but glass, giving a full view of the beach and shoreline. Inside, slated stones, tall bamboo, and lanterns decorated the seating area.

I spotted Colton and Rylee sitting at the far end. Colton gave me a short nod when he saw me.

“I didn’t take you for a sushi kind of guy, Colton,” I joked as I took the seat across from them. “Was there something wrong with the Surf Shack?”

“Not my choice. Blame Ryles. She picked the place.”

“I thought it would be better to cater to Kallie’s tastes since this is supposed to be a business dinner,” Rylee explained. “When I called to invite her, I asked about any dietary restrictions. She told me she was a vegetarian. I knew this place had plenty of vegetarian options, so here we are.”

I shook my head.

“Of course Rainbow Brite is a vegetarian,” I remarked, not bothering to suppress an eye roll.

“No rainbows tonight. Sorry to disappoint you,” said a familiar voice.

Startled, I looked up to see Kallie had come up behind me. It had been less than ten hours since I’d last laid eyes on her, yet I felt as if I was seeing her for the first time. Gone were the rainbow streaks in her hair, replaced by purple strands that matched her dress. She wasn’t wearing bohemian attire like she’d been this morning. Now she wore a thin-strapped, long bright orchid satin dress that whispered over her curves, giving me a glimpse at tiny details that I’d missed before. With her arms bare, I was able to see a delicate moon tattoo lacing over her right shoulder with little stars cascading halfway down her arm. There was writing as well, but I couldn’t make out what the scrolling font said at a quick glance. The dark ink should have been too bold against her creamy skin, yet somehow it made her seem elegant and even more mysterious.

“Kallie, I didn’t realize you…I, um…” I stuttered, uncharacteristically stumbling over my words as I quickly stood to pull out her chair. I was both surprised to see her standing there and amazed by how fucking gorgeous she looked. “I…ah, you look great—different. Please, have a seat.”

Colton attempted to laugh but had been mid-sip with his water and started choking. Once he caught his breath, he grinned from ear to ear.

“I never thought I’d see the day,” he said with unmistakable humor in his voice.

“Shut up, asshole,” I muttered.

Rylee pursed her lips and threw Colton a scolding look, but she didn’t comment. Instead, she stood and extended her hand to Kallie.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kallie. I’m Rylee.”

“Likewise. It’s nice to put a face to the voice,” Kallie graciously said as she returned Rylee’s handshake.

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