Page 51 of See Me

Cassie thrums her fingers on the steering wheel. “We should have flown. This sleeting drizzle is killing our timeline.”

Driving through upstate California in December probably wasn’t the best idea, but the weather slowing the trip and causing this excursion to last a few more days than planned is the only thing keeping me going right now.

“No way. This will be something we’ll always remember.”

She looks over and smiles. “You’re so right.”

I swallow past the lump that now apparently lives in my throat and turn to Cassie, painting a smile on my face. “Tell me about this artist.”

“I happened to come across his posts one day. Crazy-beautiful metal sculptures. But every time I reach out to him, he blows me off.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t want the attention.”

“Good thing I have expertise in that area.” I remember Jace at the opening and how nervous he was to have his work displayed. Cassie has since sold a few of his pieces and featured others in art publications. “He has a few pieces up on his social media. I thought they were for sale but apparently not. Someone wants one of them. He could be raking in the cash.”

“So, we’re driving eight hundred miles to talk him into it?”

“And to try to get him to sell one of the pieces he won’t sell.”

“Why won’t he sell it?”

“I don’t know. He stopped responding to my messages.” She looks over and gives me a weak smile.

I blink a few times, letting that sink in. “Wait. He doesn’t even know you’re coming?”

“Nope.” She pops thepand winces when she looks at me.

I face palm. “Do you know where he lives?”

She looks over at me and purses her lips. “Kind of.”

“Cassie. You set us up for a scavenger hunt?”

“I know he works for this guy named Kylo. The guy commented on one of his posts. Something likewhy are you working for me when you have this kind of talent?But his username just had his first name. I’m sure we can find him.”

Something sounds familiar about that name.Kylo.

No, no, no. Oh my god.

I root around in my purse looking for the business card Enzo gave me. The one with the weekend getaway sex guy.

“Cassie?”

“Yeah?”

“You sure you and Jace are all good?”

Cassie whips her head around to look at me and back to the road. She doesn’t want to take her eyes off the road in these conditions, and the result is a rhythmic head whip that has me stifling a giggle.

“Why would you ask that?”

I hold up the card.The Kylo Kent Experience. “Well, I don’t know many guys named Kylo, and probably even fewer living in Oregon, but this one does weekend getaways… of the sexual variety.”

The pulsing head whip resumes, and I have the urge to turn on some house music and film this for use at a later date.

“Are you saying we’re going to meet male escorts?” Her voice comes out squeaky.

“It would seem so.”

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