Page 32 of The Kissing Part
“Should we maybe see the house first?” Mackenzie asks.
“I’ll get the details from your aunt, but are you open to it?”
She beams. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
She laughs. “Yes!”
We laugh and then launch into a happy dancing hug. This is going to be epic.
9
Owen
“I’m sorry, what?” We’re at an outdoor table on Shayla’s lunch break, and I can’t quite believe my ears. She bought a house in Clover Park, and my sister and cousin are moving in with her? This is a security nightmare.
She puts her fork down. “The important part is, my offer was accepted. Don’t worry, it’s only a block away from your house, and Madison said a block in the other direction is the police station. The house already has a security system. I just need to transfer it over to me after closing.”
I scrub a hand over my face. “Obviously you’ll need better than a standard security system, and you still need a bodyguard for home and to go to work with you. You can’t afford to take risks.”
How can I ever relax knowing not only Shayla is at risk, but my family too? Any moment Matt could break in, and who knows what he’ll do?
She shows me a picture of an old house on her phone. “It’s so beautiful. A restored Victorian with a fenced-in yard. Newly renovated kitchen and baths. And the best part is that it has four bedrooms, so I’ve got room for Harper, Mackenzie, and my assistant, Olivia.”
Shayla looks over at the second-tier craft services with cold sandwiches, where Olivia is getting her lunch, and waves.
Olivia gestures to see if Shayla needs her, but Shayla waves her off. Olivia goes back to getting her lunch. I met her yesterday when she arrived. She’s a no-nonsense brunette, early twenties, with ruthless organization skills. She had Shayla’s hotel kitchen set up to mimic her favored foods from her home in LA within an hour before setting up camp in the guest room. She’s a film school graduate working to get enough money to produce her own work. One day she’ll own Hollywood.
“When did all this happen?” I ask. We live together, and I’m in touch with Mackenzie daily for work. How did I not know a major move was underway?
“It’s that house your aunt Madison mentioned at the party on Saturday. I decided to buy it that night, and Harper and Mackenzie agreed to be my roommates.”
“So from Saturday to Monday, the house is yours.”
“Yup. I offered cash with no contingencies. The owner was eager to move to Florida to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren. We close this Friday and can move in the following Monday. Fortunately, Harper and Mackenzie already have some furniture between them, and Olivia will take care of whatever else we need.”
I pinch the top of my nose and close my eyes.Nightmare.
“I just love your family,” she gushes. “Cooper says he’ll stop by to install or fix anything we need. He’s fixed lots of stuff at Happy Endings. Mackenzie says he’ll eventually take over the restaurant. You’re so lucky to have a family who loves to work together and helps each other out.”
“So basically you’re adopting my family as your own.”
She smiles. “Yes. But Claire adopted me as her own first, so I guess it’s mutual.” She studies my expression. “Why aren’t you happy for me?”
I speak through my teeth. “Because that family you love so much,my family, is now at risk.”
“But you live close by, so maybe you could check in on us regularly.”
“Check in on…” I trail off. Obviously, I’ll need to move in. I’m not sure if she’s hesitant to ask more of me or if she thinks she no longer needs me. Either way, I’m sticking close. Before I can inform her of this, Olivia joins us.
She holds up cookies. “I scored the last pack of Oreos.”
“Nice!” Shayla says. Her plate is vegetables with grilled chicken, a side of fruit salad, and sparkling water. Olivia’s plate is a sub sandwich, potato chips, Oreos, and Diet Coke.
“You want some of my fruit salad?” Shayla asks.
Olivia takes the bowl and puts the grapes on her plate. “There. Now you don’t have to work around them.”
