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For himself and for her.
“I’ll wine and dine her. Keep her occupied.”
Shane’s spine straightened. “As long as it’s occupied, not romanced.”
Kain grinned. “I can’t help it if I’m more charming than you.” His smile faded. “That wasn’t always the case.”
It felt like that part of him was behind Plexiglas. He could see it but didn’t know how to reach it. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be that person again. He was pretty sure his laughter had gone into the ground with his father.
“Just take care of her.”
It took all his willpower to walk to the door. Kendall was right; he was a fucking asshole. And she didn’t need him in her life right now. Even if losing himself in her arms was the sweetest thing he’d known in too many years to count.
He pulled out of Kain’s drive and pushed Kendall to the back of his mind. He had a lot of work to do and not much time to do it in. The quiet, winding road gave him plenty of room to think. By the time he made it to his father’s house, he had a half plan formed.
Now he just had to make sure the money worked.
* * *
Kendall pushed the door from the garage open into Kain’s small mudroom. “I can’t believe you did that.”
“You’re the one who dared the personal shopper from Chanel to go with you to Target. Who doesthat?”
She dropped two huge shopping bags on the counter. “I was playing your wingman. You got her phone number, didn’t you?”
Kain grinned down at her. “I did. You still should have let me pay for the clothes.”
Kendall laughed. “Maxing out my Target card was worth it for the look on Monica’s face. Especially when I saw her try on two pairs of those dress pants in her size when she thought I wasn’t looking.”
But now she had clothes for the trip home and a few extras that she probably shouldn’t have bought. She had a problem with bras. The only good thing about being a B-cup was the ability to buy cheap bras. Her girls were small, but they were always dressed pretty.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She held up a finger to Kain and answered. “Hey, Mom.”
“Any idea when you’re coming home, sweetie?”
Her mother had called and asked the same question twice a day, but it was now day three, and Shane hadn’t contacted her once. Kain was playing the perfect host, yet she hated to just sit here and do nothing. “Still working out the specifics.”
“I can’t believe that will is so complicated.”
Kendall winced. She hated to lie to her mother. How was she supposed to tell her that everything was going to change when she was over three thousand miles away? “As soon as I know more, I promise I’ll let you know.” Kain tucked groceries into the fridge. She leaned heavily on the counter. Her good mood evaporated.
“Sweetie, I know you’re not telling me something. I wish you didn’t think you have to take care of me all the time. I’m the mother, you know.”
She smiled and dipped her head until her forehead touched granite. “I don’t want to worry you. Are you sure you can handle the Heron without me?”
“Bells has been stopping by to take me to the store every night. We only have one group of men here, and they are repeat guests. They don’t need you to be here to show them all the good fishing spots.”
From a monetary standpoint, that news sucked, but she was glad it would be an easy week. “You have—”
“Sweetheart, I have Bells’s phone numbers. You know this is a slow time of year. Thanksgiving is right around the corner.”
“I know.” Kendall hoped to God she’d be home before that.
“Just come home as soon as you can. And stop keeping me in the dark. At least say you’ll think about it. You’re as stubborn as your father was.” She could hear the tears in her mother’s voice. The news of Larry’s death had hit Lily hard. As if the man hadn’t abandoned them twenty-two years ago. Kendall felt a prick of her own tears in sympathy for her mother. Her mother was so strong about everything except that blasted man.
“It’s about damn time.”
Kendall looked up at Kain’s voice. Her gaze followed his to the kitchen doorway through to the dining room.
