CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY

KIM

I get home after visiting the stores and fall onto the couch and kick off my shoes. What an exhausting day. So much to do.

Cancelling this evening’s event crosses my mind, but my friends wouldn’t hear of it. They’d come and get me, done it too many times.

I drape my arm over my eyes for a little nappy time. I’m sleeping deeply when my phone goes off. Perfect.

Reach with my free hand and hit that button on the side to shut it up.

It goes off again.

Ahhhh!

I snatch my phone, sit up, and answer, assuming it’s Zoey or one of the other girls making sure I’m not flaking out on them again. “I’m getting ready now.”

“It’s about time you answer my call.” Oh, for Chrissakes. “Where are you going?” my mother asks.

I should have checked the name. Need to change her ringtone to something ominous so this doesn’t keep happening to me.

“I’m going out with my friends,” I snarl. “I’m not doing any more modeling. Stop trying to line up jobs for me. Everyone knows I’m done.”

“Fine. But that’s not why I’m calling. I want you to meet someone. I’ve been talking you up, and he’s quite interested in you. You will love him.”

She never listens to me. Not only don’t I want to model, I don’t want to date any man she finds for me. They are just younger versions of the ones she dates. They’re all throw-away relationships, never meant to last. Mom can’t handle commitment, or fidelity.

“I’m sorry, Mom, I don’t need a date. I’m seeing someone now. Talk to you later.”

I hang up and wait. The phone rings again. I don’t answer. Not this time, Mom.

I call a taxi and gas it out the door. Twenty minutes later, I’m at the restaurant meeting up with the girls. Catching up with them tonight will be nice. We haven’t done this in a while, the four of us. We’re so busy with work that it becomes harder all the time.

I’m late when I sit down at the table.

“I can’t believe it,” Rachel says. “We bet you wouldn’t show.”

“Ha, ha. My mother called.” I don’t need to say any more than that. They’ve all met her, so they know how she is.

Zoey: “Does she still want you to model again?”

“Yes, no matter how many times I say no.” I don’t mention Mom trying to fix me up. Then I would have to tell them about Josh, and I’m not ready for that. I want to keep him a secret for now. I don’t know how Zoey is going to feel about me seeing one of her brothers-in-law, after she pointedly told us not to. “Now.” I slap the tabletop. “Enough about me. Tell me what I’ve missed.”

We spend the next forty minutes over dinner talking and laughing. What a good time. From there, we move next door to a bar. We vetoed the nightclub for a quiet place to finish up in. I’ve had my fill of clubs. Going to one improves my chances of running into Mom if she happens to be in town. She never seems to tire of the nightlife.

The waitress puts an apple martini in front of me. I love me a good apple martini. I can only have one, though. Maybe two. That’s it.

Elizabeth is telling a story about one of her security jobs. She always has good stories to tell. I’m laughing about a woman getting locked out of her place in only a towel because she couldn’t remember her code to get back in.

“That’s so you,” one of them says, and they all chuckle at me.

“Is not.”

Someone catches my eye from across the room. He seems familiar, but I can’t place him. I nudge Zoey. “Who is that?”

She looks over and frowns. “Dillon Dalton. I bet the rest of them are over there, too. Shouldn’t have told Ryder where we were going tonight.”

Damn, I bet Josh is with them. I wanted to keep our relationship low-key, but I don’t think that will happen.

The brothers rise out of their chairs in unison and come our way. All eyes are on them. It’s impossible for them not to be. They’re all hunks.

Josh’s gaze doesn’t leave me. It’s wishful thinking, but maybe he won’t say anything.

He grabs a chair and sits down beside me, kisses me on the lips.

“I’ve missed you,” he says out loud, and everybody gawks.

So much for keeping secrets.

Dang it.