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Food eaten, I was comfortably curled up on the sofa listening to the others reminisce about a time they’d had a massive snowball fight in the castle ruins as kids. I couldn’t even imagine Arlo doing anything like that, but I guessed he hadn’t always been like this. He was changing, I could see it. I highly doubted that an evening like this would have happened even a few months ago. Caiden seemed to be willing to give him a chance, and that was all I could ask for.
I debated whether to mention the whole thing about Arlo finding my shoes, and the note he’d given me, but in the end my curiosity won out.
“Arlo?”
“What is it, dear?”
“My shoes,” I began, not exactly sure how to word this.
“Ah, yes. I wondered when you would mention those. Funny story. Imagine my surprise when I was in my office, the morning after our gathering, and one of my security team brought them to me when he was doing his
morning patrol.” His eyes glinted with amusement as he regarded me. “At first, I wondered if a couple of guests had wandered off to…well, you know. It wouldn’t be the first time. I reviewed the security footage, and what did I see? You, sneaking around the side of my house, barefoot, then being tackled to the ground by your friend Zayde and driving away.”
Oh fuck. How were we going to explain our way out of this one? Thank goodness he hadn’t seen me climbing out of Allan’s window. There was no way I’d have been able to come up with a believable excuse. I was so glad there had been no cameras pointed at Allan’s room, although I guessed they would be mostly facing away from the house, anyway.
“Would you like to tell me what you were doing?”
I shook my head. “I can’t. Not yet.” I took a deep breath. “But I will. I just need…”
“Time,” Caiden finished for me. “Dad, there are things we need to make you aware of. But we can’t yet. Not until we know for sure.”
Arlo looked intrigued, and he nodded. “Okay. I trust you both. Now, speaking of security footage…” A smirk crossed his face. “This relates to my earlier comment about knowing there was, or had been, something between the two of you.”
Oh no. What now?
He continued. “I had some interesting footage to erase. I keep a couple of discreet cameras in my office, here, not that I expect to need them. They’re really only there as a precaution—they don’t pick up sound or anything.”
Next to me, Caiden groaned, already knowing what he was about to say. “We didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“What to happen?” Weston stared at him.
“Uh. I kissed Winter in Dad’s office, when we came for that meal. Y’know, when I arranged to have her car resprayed.”
“Why didn’t I know this?” He frowned.
“Do I want all the details of your love life? You don’t need to know all the details of mine.”
“Sorry, Arlo.” My face heated for the second time tonight. Ugh, it was so awkward. We’d basically attacked each other in Arlo’s office, and the thought he’d seen that…
He waved a hand. “All taken care of. Now, while we’re clearing the air, is there anything else you want to talk about?”
I didn’t want to bring up the note and gift he’d given me, not yet. To be completely honest, I was feeling so awkward about him finding my shoes and knowing I’d been in his private office kissing Caiden that I didn’t want to draw any more attention to myself.
I hesitated for a moment. No. I needed to know why. “Um, I do have one question.” I bit my lip as Arlo gave me his full attention. “It’s about my birthday present. I just…why that gift, and the note?” He looked at me thoughtfully. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful and I appreciate it—I guess I just wondered why you’d choose that.”
“It’s nothing sinister. You, ah, come across as a headstrong young woman. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it’s an admirable trait in fact,” he hurried to add. “I couldn’t help but feel that your—” He coughed. “—way of handling things had the potential to land you in hot water. I spoke to one of my security team about discreet self-defence items suitable for carrying around day-to-day, and he suggested the kubotan. It was merely something I thought would be helpful to have as a precaution, although, of course, I’m hopeful that you would never need to use it.”
“Oh. Well, thanks.”
A small smile played across his lips, as he repeated the words he’d written on the gift note. “Stay safe.”
“I’ll try.” I shrugged, pulling a face, and he chuckled.
“That’s all I can ask. Now, was that all, or shall we play one of these games?”
“Actually, Dad, there’s something I need to talk to you about. In private.” Caiden straightened up next to me. Was this about his mum? I was guessing so, if he didn’t want Weston to be a part of it.
Weston raised a brow, and I knew it was up to me to distract him as Arlo nodded and stood, murmuring, “Let’s go to my office.”
