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After picking them up from school, I headed directly home. Carter was meeting us there.
On the way, the girls talked my ear off.
“So, I don’t know what to do,” April said thoughtfully. “Should I text him back? Or not?”
“Go for it.”
April grinned at me. “I will.”
Peyton had other issues. “Val... I need a costume for the festival. Can you come shopping with us? Pleaaaase.”
“The festival is next Tuesday, right?” Since Carter and I were actively trying to shift things around in our lives to make time for each other, I also had a copy of the girls’ schedule.
“Yep.”
“We’ll go shopping Saturday, okay?”
Peyton clapped her hands, nodding excitedly. Carter was already at my house when we arrived. I’d offered to pick up the girls because their school was on my way from a meeting. I loved spending time with them and goofing around. We’d grown closer since that swoon-worthy night with Carter.
The girls and I also plotted behind Carter’s back quite often, which was probably why he scrutinized us as if we were in the witness box when he saw us.
“What secrets are you keeping from me this time?” he asked.
“No secrets. We’re just going shopping on Saturday to buy a costume for Peyton,” I replied smoothly.
He grimaced. “Got it. I’m in for a few hours of torture.”
April rolled her eyes, heading inside the house with Peyton. I took advantage of the fact that we were alone and whispered, “I promise to reward you very generously after the shopping trip.”
Ah, that glint in
his eyes was simply delightful.
My Bennett cousins arrived shortly afterward, and we ordered in dinner.
They were in town on a business trip for their company, Bennett Enterprises. They made the most beautiful jewelry, and they were in talks with Blair, one of Hollywood’s hottest leading ladies, to have her be the face of the company.
Sebastian was the CEO, and Pippa the head designer. Out of the nine siblings, five worked at Bennett Enterprises. I was always eager to catch up with them. Over the past few years most reunions had been at weddings (all nine of them were married), or when they had business here.
“Such a pity no one else could make it,” I commented.
Pippa waved her hand. “Everything was too short notice, but we wanted to meet Blair before we signed her, to see how she is as a person.”
“We’ve never had someone represent the company this way. It’s a big risk, but she has international recognition—in Europe especially,” Sebastian continued.
“Taking over the world, huh? I will forever be in awe of the way your brain works,” I told Sebastian honestly.
“I’m not doing it on my own. Everyone works hard.”
“He just likes being modest from time to time,” Pippa mocked.
“My wife would disagree with you.”
“I can’t believe Ava actually agreed to share an office with you.”
Sebastian grinned wolfishly. “What? I am the CEO. If I want to share an office with my marketing director, who also happens to be my wife, why shouldn’t I? It makes perfect sense. Many synergies in our work.”
“Uh-huh. That’s why it took you years to convince Ava. Because those synergies will be so productive.” Pippa chuckled, but her eyes flew to April and Peyton, and I knew that if there hadn’t been kids at the table, she would have called him out on the tactic. I imagined those synergies included some hot make-out sessions... at the very least.
