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From the bikini photos I’d seen of her on the Internet, I agreed. She had one hell of a body.
“Would you like me to keep the door open?”
She stopped and looked at me, her head tilted slightly. “What?” she asked with a light chuckle.
I shrugged. “I just want you to feel comfortable, that’s all.”
Her tongue darted out and she licked her lips…I had to jerk my gaze away.
“Um…thank you for being so considerate, but I don’t think it would be improper to close it.”
Nodding, I shut the door and let out an exhale. “You wanted to talk?”
Her hands started to wring together as she turned away from me and walked over to a bookshelf. She appeared to be reading the spines—until she suddenly spun around and said, “I’m scared to death to do this.”
“To do what?”
“The show. Host it. I’m terrified.”
I was positive I looked shocked as hell. “But you were Miss Montana. You stood on national TV and spoke during the Miss America pageant to millions of people around the world.”
She swallowed hard. “That was different.”
“How?”
Her nose scrunched up in the most adorable way, and I had to fight the urge to smile.
“I don’t really know. Maybe because pageant stuff is all rehearsed. And this feeling didn’t even hit me until we pulled up to your house. Why did they pick me? What makes them think I’ll even be a good host?”
“Why did they pick me?” I countered.
She let out a humorless laugh and waved her hand in my direction. “Look at you! Why wouldn’t they pick you.”
I leaned against the desk and crossed my ankles. “Okay, if we’re going there—look at you. You’re gorgeous, Kipton. I don’t know you yet, but from what I’ve seen on Zoom, you have a great personality as well. My cousins, Lily and Rose, go to the same college as you, and Lily said you’re always volunteering and doing things for others, so that tells me you have a kind heart.”
Her cheeks blushed. She looked away and cleared her throat before she began strolling around the library slowly, running a finger along the books. “I read that you do a lot of charity work as well. And that your father has a foundation here in Hamilton.”
“That’s the only reason I agreed to do this. The money is going to the foundation.”
She stopped and looked at me—then smiled. Jesus, her smile could light up a room.
“The money was the only reason I agreed as well. My parents could really use it to get them out of…”
She blushed and I figured she had been about to say out of debt. I wasn’t about to push her for the reasons she signed up to do this gig.
I folded my arms over my chest. “We both have good reasons for doing it. We’re both going in a bit unsure if we can pull it off. I don’t mind admitting I’m probably just as scared as you. And I think it’s safe to say we’re both worried we’re going to look like idiots.”
Kipton laughed as she stopped a few feet away from me.
“How about this—we promise each other right now that if either one of us is feeling off, worried, scared, unsure…whatever…we talk to each other about it.”
Her head tilted again. “Okay,” she replied softly. “I think knowing I have a possible friend here will really help.”
“You’ll have my entire family, as well, since you’re staying here. Lily and Rose will be on winter break, and I’m positive you’ll all get along.”
She smiled. “I’m sure we will.”
I pushed off the desk and walked over to her. Gazing into her eyes, I ignored the way my heart felt like it was beating just a little too hard, and reached my hand out for hers. “To our newfound friendship.”
