Page 78 of Kissing Kayley
Except would I be?Really? Me moving to DC wouldn’t change the fact that he was still on the job. He could be sent anywhere in the world for weeks at a time on assignments, still leaving me alone.
Still leaving me in second place to his job, and still leaving me home alone too many nights.
And the last thing I wanted was resentment to bleed into our relationship and taint it. Staying in California, for now, and working was one less resentment to poison any potential future we might still have.
If we still had one. I honestly had no idea anymore.
Frankly, I didn’t know how Leo lasted as long as he had waiting for Elliot. I would have kicked that man to the curb after a couple of years of thatpush me-pull youBS.
Then again, Leo also had Jordan to balance things out during the times Elliot was unavailable.
All I had was… me.
I hadn’t told Vic I was coming to DC. I wanted to hear Ily’s pitch first and learn what I would be doing before screwing up the courage to contact Vic.
Besides, if he wasn’t in DC, then I wouldn’t be disappointed when I arrived and could focus on whateverthiswas.
I didn’t spot any press lingering outside the White House when we pulled up to the ground floor entrance outside the Diplomatic Reception Room and agents opened my door for me. I followed them inside through familiar corridors, past rooms I could never forget, and I took several deep breaths once I was in the elevator for the ride upstairs to the private residence.
Act cool. Don’t be a dork.
Ily Bardales stood waiting when the elevator doors slid open. I’d barely stepped out of the car when she enveloped me in an exuberant hug.
“Kayley! I’m so glad you came!”
“Thank you, Mrs. Bardales.”
Shetskedand hooked her arm through mine. “Ily. Save the formalities. I swear, Leo’s right about the stubborn streak running through your family.”
“He’s not wrong,” I said. “And he should know because he’s just like me.”
“Yes, well, that’s a big brother for you.”
Sometimes I wish I had sisters. I could imagine them being like Ily.
We started walking. Rather, she led the way but wouldn’t release my arm, so I had to walk with her.
“When do I get the details about this mystery project?” I asked.
“Soon, I promise.”
I couldn’t help glancing around and studying agents’ faces, hoping for a glimpse of Vic as we headed to the small family dining room. Ily hadn’t changed the decor here from what Jordan designed for Elliot, although there were a few different pieces of furniture and the arrangement was different, as well as new artwork on the walls. Still, the paint and wallpaper, rugs, and drapes were the same.
Ily ushered me to the head of the table and didn’t release my arm until I was seated. “Wait right here for a minute.” She exited the room, which left me sitting at the empty table.
My back was to the doorway leading to the kitchen. I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through my emails and didn’t look up when I heard a server enter and set a covered silver platter in front of me.
“What’s this?” I asked as the lid was whisked off but the server exited just as quickly as they’d arrived.
On the platter wasn’t a plate of food.
It was a sheet of paper folded in half.
I picked it up. My hands trembled as I unfolded and read it, tears blurring my vision and forcing me to blink them away.
It was a formal acknowledgement of retirement beginning on the first of next month.
Just a couple of weeks away.
