Once again, the V man has the perfect opportunity to spend time with her alone and wastes it. Heavy sigh. What am I going to do with that knucklehead? “And here I thought you’d be happy to have a little space after months of slumber-partying.”
“There are only so many books I can read and so much hovering I can stand. I need to get back to my life again. I thought we’d come to check on you and support your fifteen minutes of singing fame.”
“Hah.”
“And while we’re there, I can tell Kate to back off and have a talk with Tanaka about temporarily returning to my old job.The one that doesn’t require trying to be something I’m not, or having knives aimed in my general direction.”
I close my eyes and thank whoever is listening. “I love that idea, Bex.”
“I just have to convince my uncle he needs to hire someone else before I leave to try something new.”
Okay, I really wasn’t expecting her to say that. “You… Something new? As in, you won’t be working with him or Ken Tanaka anymore?”
“I don’t know yet. Probably not.” She’s drawn a line with her voice. She doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. “So you were saved by the pub beast?”
While she was recovering, I told her about what happened that night because I was drowning in guilt over the fact that I’d been enjoying myself in a back room instead of keeping an eye on her. Using humor to describe our hookup fail and a lot of dragon imagery, I made her laugh, which was what I was going for. She wasn’t the least bit upset.“No one could have seen that coming, except for my boss. And even he didn’t know. I suppose there’s a first time for everything.”
It’s not easy when your heroes let you down. She believed Tanaka was invincible and infallible. So did I.
Still reeling over the possibility of her job change, I give her the basics of everything that’s happened since I stepped into the topiary garden. Sheoohsandahhsandomgsat the appropriate places…until I get to his name. She isn’t surprised about that tidbit at all. Apparently, a Michael Demir did some work with her boss before and was listed in his contact files as related to Bellamy.
“I thought he was a cousin, not a secret brother,” she finishes, leaving me shaking my head.
“They both worked for the same company and had the same father. I still can’t get my head around how they never accidentally ran into each other in the hall or something.”
“That company is a monster, Winnie. Not a single building. They have a lot of irons in a lot of different fires. Stocks, R and D, financial management, real estate, lobbying and occasionally a little espionage. Though the shadier aspects of the Demir holdings will probably disappear now that Bellamy’s in charge of being more than just a pretty face. But while his father was alive, it was the usual secretly-run-the-world business model for people with that kind of money.” She snorts. “Rich people are oddly not that big on original thinking.”
“Rich people suck.”
“Do they?” Bex asks slyly. “Your new boyfriend is probably swimming in endless waterfalls of money alongside the rest of his family. Does he suck, Win? You can tell me.”
Yes, he does. Spectacularly.
“No comment.” I stare harder out the window, through the snow, toward the stump where a pile of firewood is neatly stacked and ready to be brought inside. I don’t see him anywhere. He must be in that garage he told me about. “Michael isn’t like that. He doesn’t work for them anymore. He’s…different.”
You keep using that word. You should try another one.
When Bex hums, I roll my eyes. “What?”
“Nothing. I’ve just never heard that tone in your voice before. Not unless you’re talking about a new musical or the latest scholarly analysis of our illustrious founding documents. You really like him, don’t you? And to clarify, I’m talking about him as a person, not his potential kinks or acrobatics in the bedroom.” She pauses for effect. “Though I wouldn’t mind hearing about those either. I just finished a book that was insane and I’d like some proof that men in real life couldn’t possibly bethat well endowed or flexible. I’d kill for a funny Winnie hookup story right about now. Give me the sequel to Winnie’s Dragon Disaster.”
I feel strangely protective. My time in Michael’s arms is not something I’m sure I want to share with Bex for a laugh. It’s private.
What in your life has ever been private from your friends?
Just this.
“The only story is that he saved me and is letting me crash here for the duration,” I finally tell her. “Why wouldn’t I like him for that? But that’s all this is. A friendly rescue and close quarters due to inclement weather.”
“If you could see my face right now, you would crumble under the enormity of the disbelief and side eye I’m throwing your way. We can try to FaceTime if a visual would help.”
“I’m good.”
“Youlikehim.”
I groan. “We’re not twelve, Bex. And it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. I barely know him.”
That doesn’t ring true after everything we shared yesterday. After months of daydreams and the way he woke me up last night. I feel like I know him. I like him. More than I should. And if I stay on this call any longer, I might admit it out loud. I can’t let that happen.
