Page 26 of Endurance

Turning away, I continued my walk down the beach. Sloan fell into step beside me.

“Is that all you’re going to give me? Come on, Kallie. We’re going to be working together a lot over the next few months. At dinner, you wanted me to tell you everything about myself so that you can help me, but it’s kind of hard to do that if I don’t know anything about you. Give me something here.”

Give him something? Why would I give up anything about myself when I know he is keeping things from me?

I stopped walking and turned to face him, the words on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to repeat what Rylee had told me, but instinct held me back. I knew Sloan would need to tell me his version of the story in his own time, not because I demanded it.

It’s too personal. Besides, it isn’t like he’s had the opportunity to share the story about his parents. It isn’t fair of me to accuse him of hiding things considering the length of time we’ve known each other. Until he decides to open up about it, I’ll just have to work with what I know.

Shaking my head, I began walking again. “I’m not here because of me, Sloan. It’s about you.”

He fell quiet as he walked beside me, the only sounds coming from the waves crashing into the shore or the occasional laughter of people in the distance. “So… are you going to tell me the real story behind the purple hair?”

I pursed my lips, frustrated with his persistence.

“Since you insist on knowing, fine,” I said with an exasperated sigh. “Before dinner tonight, I broke things off with Dean, my longtime boyfriend. He wanted to marry me, but I knew I couldn’t go through with it for reasons I don’t feel like explaining. Even so, my decision didn’t come easy, and I have conflicting emotions about it.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize you were involved with someone.”

“How could you? We literally just met this morning.”

“Well, either way, the decision had to be tough. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I mean, the breakup was inevitable. When I called him, he wasn’t even shocked. He told me he’d expected it. He said pinning me down would be like trying to pin down a cloud.”

“So you’re a real-life Fraulein Maria, are you?”

I smiled. “You’re familiar withThe Sound of Music. I wouldn’t have guessed that.”

“It’s not by choice,” he admitted with a laugh. “My gram was into musicals and used to torture me with them when I was a kid.”

“My mother loves them, too. It’s in her blood. My grandmother, Claudine Benton-Riley, was a stage actress on Broadway. My mother grew up with show tunes all around her.” I paused, feeling pensive as I thought back to what Dean had said. “I don’t know. Maybe Dean is right. Maybe I’m too flighty.”

“Do you want to know what I think?” he asked, and without waiting for an answer, he continued. “I think that bit about comparing you to pinning down a cloud was his ego talking. He probably just didn’t want to admit rejection.”

“No. You don’t know him like I do. He’s always so practical, right down to the engagement ring—or lack thereof.” I let out a bitter laugh as I thought back to the other things Dean had said during our phone conversation. Even though I’d just told Sloan I didn’t want to explain it all, I found myself divulging more than I should. “Dean originally told me he didn’t propose with a ring because he wanted me to help him pick one out. I thought it was considerate of him, even if it wasn’t very romantic, but I should have known there was a more logical reason behind it. The truth came out after I ended it. Apparently, he’d assumed I wouldn’t say yes right away and didn’t want to lose out on the interest he’d earn on the cash in his brokerage account while he waited for my answer.”

Sloan stopped short, and I turned to see him looking at me with disbelief. “He actually told you that? The guy sounds like a real dick if you ask me.”

I shrugged. “No. Not a dick. There wasn’t any malice when he told me. It was just a statement of fact. At least now I know the truth. It’s for the best.”

Sloan cocked his head to the side with an expression of concern. “I hope that um… our kiss this morning. You have to know I don’t normally do things like that. It sounds like things weren’t too great with the two of you, but I hope what happened with us isn’t the reason you broke up with him.”

“No—yes. I mean, no. It wasn’t the main reason. Our breakup was bound to happen. What happened between you and me, no matter how inappropriate, was eye-opening for me. But more importantly, I’m the PR agent representing you. That can’t happen again.”

“Hmm,” was all he said, and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. He had the most peculiar look on his face. He appeared both smug and elated at the same time.

“Why are you smilking at me like that?” I asked.

“Smilking?”

“It’s like a smile and smirk at the same time,” I explained. “Don’t do that.”

Sloan threw his head back and laughed long and hard.

When he eventually quieted, we stood looking at one another for the longest minute of my life, neither of us sure of what to say. It was as if my admission about breaking up with Dean suddenly left endless possibilities—none of which we could possibly explore. He was my client, after all. Not to mention, my father would have my head if I got romantically involved with Sloan.

But oh, how I wanted to—badly—and I couldn’t understand why.

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