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"But, yeah, he's very, let's just say... attentive," I say, with a wink, enjoying the camaraderie and getting to talk to women who actually know him.
Clarissa winks back. "I assume that's something they all share."
"Anyway!" My-Linh interjects, her cheeks burning even more red.
"Oh, don't pretend. I've heard you through the walls when we all stay in the same house," Kiara taunts her. "She knows how to help Damien relax after a full day of being grumpy."
I reach over and raise my hand in a high five to My-Linh. "You and me, both. Taming that grumpy takes some special skill."
My-Linh hesitates and then meets my hand in a hearty slap. "Ha! You got that right."
And we all fall into a fit of giggles.
"How are you doing?" Clarissa asks me a little while later, as we sit on a bench, waiting for Kiara and My-Linh as they duck into a Sephora for some makeup supplies. "About your recent loss. I'm very sorry to hear about it. I knew your father. He was always kind to me."
"You did?"
"Yeah, I used to be a little more active in society here. It's a long story," she says, with a wave of her hand. "But he's always been in the Baxter circle, so I knew him."
"I think it's different every day. Sometimes he's all I can think about, and sometimes Kingsley keeps me busy enough so that I can go a whole morning without thinking about him. I think that's part of his plan, really."
"It's a good plan. The grief isn't really going to go anywhere soon. Take your time working through it."
"You said before your family had disowned you? I didn't know if that was a joke."
"It's not a joke. But it's okay. I'll be the first to admit that I probably deserved it. I've changed a lot in the last year. And a lot of it was very hard work."
And I thought my family had problems. "Family is weird, isn't it?"
"The weirdest. And it's nice to see I'm not the only one who's changed. I've known Kingsley more or less my whole life. And it's so wonderful to see how he is with you. I never ever thought after everything, he'd find someone like you."
I'm not really sure how to take her words. "Um."
"Oh my gosh, I don't mean that to offend you. I think you are amazing and he is so lucky to have found you. I just didn't know if it he would ever be open to it. He's forty-one. Pretty set in his ways, and it's not like he hasn't had a life. But, I've never seen him look at anyone like you. It just... I guess it just surprises me that it's happening now."
"I... hadn't really thought of it that way."
She squeezes my hand. "It just tells me how special you are, though, Luna. I don't think that Kingsley would overlook everything he's ever planned for his life, for anything less than something that was this special. Oh, here they come. Oh my gosh, Kiara has bought half the store."
She gets up, reaching her hands out to grab some of the bags out of Kiara's arms, and leaving me on the bench with my thoughts.
Forty
Kingsley
My brothers and Itake the opportunity of us being on the same continent to sit down and really hash out some of the issues we've put on the back burner for such occasions.
In the space of two hours, we sort through a few staffing issues, as well as some higher level reshuffling between our regions based on need, and chose two intercontinental campaigns for our focus over the next twelve months.
And then we tackle the issue that we've put aside for the bulk of our time.
"Gerry's going to be at the gala tonight. Clarissa has it fromGlitz."
Kylian makes a face. "Great. So, are we going to punch him or run him over with the car?"
"Think big, Kylian. We'll do both."
Damien sits up, annoyed. "Seriously though, as much as we try to avoid him, he's going to approach us. Are you ready for that, Kingsley?"
