Page 44 of Right With You
“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just… I don’t know. I don’t like lying.”
No way he didn’t recognize the irony of me saying this after just revealing I’d lied to him and all of our closest friends about my past and even my name… but I was turning over a new leaf in that regard.
He snorted. “Well, you sure set yourself up for failure on this one, then.”
“Don’t remind me.” I’d brooded on that enough already, though. Elise had taken the engagement lie and pushed it up a notch, but it all fell within the parameters of what I’d wanted. It only made us more convincing.
So why did it feel like such a step off a cliff?
“What are you going to do about the other woman? And sorry, but why is she coming here? Isn’t that weird?” he asked, then took a giant bite of his sandwich.
I exhaled and ran a hand through my hair. “Yes, it is. Supposedly, her family was already coming to the gala, but I doubt that. I suspect it’s a ploy to get me to see her and decide I’ll give it a chance or something? I’ll meet her. I’m with Jenna tomorrow until late so I’ll only have a few minutes anyway. I’ll play the game to meet the minimum expectations my grandfather has while not letting him elbow in and ruin things between me and Elise.”
Somehow, I’d convince him he could move on from his singular focus on me acquiescing to his choice. At some point, I’d find time alone with him and hope that the relationship we had long before my rebellion and his doubling down could reemerge.
“I’m glad Jenna’s back. Hope she’s doing alright.” His brow furrowed, and we ate in silence after I agreed.
Jenna Halter had been an early client of Saint Security. She’d been through the wringer as her celebrity skyrocketed from being a vaguely familiar face to a must-see A-lister in the matter of a year. That fame brought with it opportunity and wealth, but also several forms of unwanted attention. I’d been part of her personal security team when I first left the military and lived in the UK while she worked on a project there and had seen her a few times since. We were good friends, and I was glad I’d get to work her detail again.
We finished our lunch and cleaned up the table in the break room where we’d been sitting. Kenny liked to post up there so he got to see anyone who came and went from the fridge and microwave. “To maximize social potential,” as he said.
“Listen, can I just say something about all of this? I know you know what you’re doing and everything’s fine, but…” he trailed off as we walked toward our offices.
“Of course. I value your opinion, even if you’re obnoxious sharing it at times,” I said honestly. He was one of my best friends and there was no denying it.
He grinned. “Good. So, maybe you should consider letting all of this be real.”
Real? Was he so deluded with his own happiness he couldn’t see that not everyone would end up with a match like his and Elizabeth’s? The internal rejection came swiftly, even as something in my gut hitched like some part of me liked the idea.
Didn’t matter how much any part of me liked the idea of things being real with Elise. Elise didn’t want it, period. There was nothing else to say. So, I raised a brow, which he properly interpreted as my request for more explanation.
“You and Elise are good together. At least, she’s good for you, or this situation is, or something. You came clean with us and I feel like I’m seeing more… you. I don’t know how to explain it. You’re letting us into your life, and it’s a beautiful thing.”
His expression was so genuine, I couldn’t laugh like I might’ve wanted.
I couldn’t deny he had a point, though was it Elise? Or simply the situation forcing me to own up to the truth?
Ironically, even though I was living a lie with my family by birth, I was living the truth with my family of choice, and the unanticipated side effect of that was an incredible sense of freedom. I hadn’t realized how liberating it’d feel to have my closest friends know me even more than they already did, but now I was living it, and sure enough, this was me in all my authenticity. They knew the man they’d bonded with during our years in the military, and now they knew my true history, my real family name, and yes, even the wealthy roots that had formed me in key ways.
Whatever came of all of this, I would be thankful for the breath of fresh air this had given me.
Kenny continued. “Granted, I haven’tseenyou together since you actually started successfully stringing whole sentences together in her vicinity, but?—”
I shoved him because sometimes he required it.
He chuckled. “My point is, I think you like her. And I don’t know how she feels about you, but upping the ante on moving in with you isn’t something she would’ve done if she couldn’t stand you.”
“An impressively high bar,” I said, my insides feeling itchy with the direction of his comments.
Could he be right?No.
Non.Right?
Her display of confidence in our relationship came from the desire to take the agreement we’d made to the fullest extent. Granted, the “agreement” was really just her being kind and willing to help me since she wasn’t gaining anything except a jerk-ex deterrent. She hoped to deter Callum further, and maybe it would. That was a small payout for what she’d already had to endure, but I hoped our appearance at the gala together would truly help.
I felt the chemistry between us, the desire to finally kiss her and claim her in some small way, so I knew there was something real there. But she didn’t want real, and I wasn’t sure I could let myself have it even if she did. I didn’t have it in me to hope for such a thing, much less grasp it with both hands and hold on.
“I know you’re convinced you’re not interested in anything real, but…” He gave me a small, almost reluctant smile. “As a guy who thought the same for a long time, and had really convinced himself he didn’t want to risk getting messed up by another woman, I can say with certainty it’s worth it.”
