Page 73 of Summer Heat
"You seem to be more focused at work. Is it the home renovation?"
I hated when anyone criticized my focus. It made me feel like the bad kid in class again. The one who couldn't sit still or stop myself from calling out when the urge struck. I was smart but didn't get good grades because I didn't see the point in showing my work or rechecking my answer. "I don't know what you mean."
Dad considered me. "You're doing a good job. Whatever the reason, keep it up."
Keep messing around with Kinsley? Done. I had no plans to change anything on that front anytime soon. I enjoyed my time with her, and if it made me more focused, then so be it. "I intend to."
"I wanted to talk to you about the video series you're doing online."
I shifted on the threadbare cushion. "Kinsley's still filming, but I didn't think we were getting much in the way of views."
Dad raised a brow. "It's steadily ticked up now that she posted on a different site. She created a channel for us and everything. It wasn't part of the plan, but I can't be upset about the results." He turned his screen toward me.
I leaned forward, not quite sure what I was supposed to be looking at. "What's this?"
Dad pointed to the numbers under each video. "This is how many times the video's been viewed."
I blew out a breath. "That's more than she told me."
"Well, she was probably giving you numbers from our old-social media accounts. My understanding is that this platform is better for that kind of thing. There's two new ones." Dad clicked through to another screen and showed me more videos with similar numbers.
"Is this a good thing?" If people watched us, that meant they liked it.
"I'd say so. There are a lot of comments about how cute you and Maya are together."
I made a mental note to download those apps to my phone and monitor the comments. "That's good."
Dad moved the computer to the side and folded his hands together. "It is, but I just wanted to check in and make sure you're not getting too attached to Kinsley and Maya. They're just there temporarily, right?"
"That's the plan," I said, resisting the urge to rub the tension in my neck.
"I told Ivy to talk to Kinsley about finding some suitable alternatives for an apartment."
Irritation traveled down my spine. "We've been so busy with the renovation; we haven't had time to deal with her moving."
"The wedding is coming up, and it doesn't make sense that one of our employees is living with you."
Dad stood, which was my cue to leave. He followed me to the door, where he laid a hand on my shoulder. "You're focusing on work, and I don't want you to get distracted."
Focus and distraction were my dad's two favorite words when it came to me. "Of course not."
He slapped my shoulder. "Glad we're on the same page. I can't wait for Hudson to get married. The house is going to look amazing, and Hudson will be settled and happy."
"You mean Mom will be happy?" I said as we headed to the counter where Dad rifled through the mail.
"If Mom's happy, everyone's happy." Dad chuckled. "I'll have to stop by and check on the progress."
I'd have to remember that when Maya was with her father. We tended to walk around in a general state of undress when we didn't have a child underfoot. We were free to be and do whatever we wanted. I didn't want to worry about my dad showing up unannounced. But the house was his mother's.
On the drive home, I thought about what Dad would say if he knew Kinsley and I were hooking up. He'd think I was acting impulsively again. That I'd screwed up somehow, but would he take it out on Kinsley? Would he fire her?
I didn't think so, but I couldn't be sure. If Dad thought she was distracting me from the job, I could see him removing her to prove a point.
I didn't like it, but the business wasn't completely ours yet. Dad still ran it, and if he didn't think we were up for the task, he'd never hand it over to us. I didn't want to be the reason that we didn't get the business or that Kinsley lost her job.
Maybe I should let Kinsley and Maya find another place to live, even if I hated the idea of being alone in that house.
I'd miss their laughter, their teasing, and the rambunctious moments when we played together. I hated the way my future looked. I just didn't see any way out of it.
