Page 9 of The Kissing Part
“No.”
“You see why it has to be you?”
“Shay—”
“Please, Owen. The moment my guard quit, I thought of you. Your mom told me about your company. I knew it was the perfect solution.”
I hold my breath.
“I’m not a bodyguard,” he finally says. “I don’t even have a permit to carry a gun.”
“That’s easily remedied.”
“I already have a job.”
“You know why you’re better than a bodyguard? I can relax around you, which will do wonders for my state of mind. Mental health is important, you know. Just as important as physical health, well, maybe not exactly as important, but pretty close—”
“I’ll find you someone else.” He stands. “We should go. I’ll fill the team in on what you told me and get back to you tomorrow.”
My gut does a slow roll. Here I was hoping this was going to be a fresh beginning for us when Owen wants nothing to do with me.
3
Owen
The next morning I go to our rescheduled office meeting with my own agenda and coffee to sweeten the deal. Half the time we work from home or we’re out on a job, but today we managed to get the three of us together.
“Hey, boss,” Nathan says as I walk in.
“Hey, boss,” I reply. “Nice try on growing a beard.”
He rubs his dark stubbled jaw. “Give it time. Soon I’ll have your level of beard, and I’ll finally get a break from women throwing themselves at me.”
“Ha-ha.” Nathan is abnormally good looking with his brown hair in an expensive neat cut, blue eyes, and the kind of cheekbones and jaw you see in ads. He was a model starting in his teens through college. He’s nobody’s wingman, but I keep him around because he’s loyal. He was my next-door neighbor growing up in a rural area of Connecticut, where kids were few and far between. I trust him with my life.
“The boss queen has arrived,” Mackenzie says as she strides in with her satchel. Her long wavy brown hair is up in a messy bun. Unlike Aunt Hailey’s penchant for designer dresses and lots of pink, Mackenzie favors T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. And never pink. I’d say it’s a rebellion against her mom, but they’re close. As long as Aunt Hailey doesn’t probe about Mackenzie’s love life.
The three of us are equal partners in Brooks Campbell Security. Nathan is Nathan Brooks. His name is first purely for alphabetical reasons. Oh, and he invested the most. And the Campbell is for me, Owen Campbell, and my cousin Mackenzie Campbell. Nathan and I work on location with clients while Mackenzie does marketing and accounting. And basically runs the company.
Mackenzie settles at the meeting table and efficiently takes out her laptop and papers.
I set the coffee down and hand my cousin hers. “Saw your mom downstairs at the café yesterday.”
Mackenzie raises her blue eyes to mine. “Please tell me she didn’t bug you about your love life.”
“Well, then it wouldn’t be Aunt Hailey, would it? How else could she stay in business so long in small-town Clover Park? She’s practically required to arrange couples to walk down the aisle.”
Mackenzie smiles as she boots up her laptop. “Well, she is a master networker. I’m always amazed at how far her reach is.” She stops smiling. “She didn’t ask aboutmylove life, did she? Never mind. Don’t tell me.”
I grin. “I told her about your latest walk of shame, and she nearly fainted.”
Nathan chuckles and takes his coffee. “I’m overdue for my walk of shame.”
“No shame in enjoying consensual fun,” Mackenzie replies easily as she taps her keyboard. “So, let’s get down to business. I’ve got lots to do today. Our virtual assistant deserves a raise. Sutton’s been with us three months and exceeded expectations.”
“How does Sutton manage to be sunshine all the time from a cold place like Minnesota?” Nathan asks.
“It’s not cold all the time,” I say.
