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“Hello.” I sank into the chair opposite her and waited while she closed the newspaper and set it aside. I scanned her face for evidence she’d spent more time crying and was pleased to see she looked back to normal. “How are you today?”
“I’m good. And you?”
“Good too.” I interlaced my fingers to stop myself from fidgeting. Damn, this was awkward. I searched around for something to talk about. “So, how long has Blair been in town?”
She gave me a look. “He just arrived yesterday.”
Ah. Yeah. Of course he had. Because on the weekend, he hadn’t been around while I’d installed the extra security, and he sure as hell hadn’t been there on Christmas.
“Was it a planned visit?”
“No. He’s worried about me.”
I nodded. As he should be. I’d been worried even when I’d told myself I should hate her guts.
“One of his friends should be arriving soon,” she added. “Tyler. Apparently he agreed to join Blair in New Zealand, but wanted to drop by Australia to visit some friends first.”
“Huh.” My chest burned at the thought that Blair had felt the need to call in reinforcements. It was good that he was looking out for her, but no other guy could protect her the way he and I would. “Have you met Tyler before?”
“Of course.” Her smile was a little too fond for my liking. “He and Blair have been close for quite a few years, so we’ve spent a lot of time together. I haven’t seen much of him recently though.”
“Oh?” Why did that please me more than it should? I shouldn’t be getting possessive over a woman I’d done my best to leave in the past.
“Good morning.” Eden stopped beside our table, wearing an overly bright smile. “Would you like to order anything?”
I glanced at Kennedy, who nodded.
“Yes, please,” I said. “I’ll get a breakfast bagel and a cappuccino with cinnamon. What would you like, Kenz?”
“Waffles with chocolate syrup and whipped cream on the side, please. Another trim latte too. Thanks, Eden.”
Eden grinned, her nerves seeming to fade. “Good choice.” She hesitated, then added, “I’m glad you two are talking.”
Fortunately, she left before either of us had to respond. I looked around, suddenly realizing that a few other people had arrived, and many of them were watching us with interest.
“So….” I cleared my throat. “Apart from the fact you have an acting career, I know nothing about your life over the last eleven years. You’ve probably realized that Destiny Falls boycotted all things Kennedy Cox, so I haven’t even heard the usual celebrity gossip. You raised your siblings?”
Kennedy smiled. “Blair, not so much. He was only a little younger than me. But Mina, Joel, and Jamie, yes. I was their primary caregiver through middle school and high school. Now Mina is at Stanford studying criminal law, and Jamie and Joel are living their best lives at the Kappa Lambda Mu frat house at U.C.”
I raised an eyebrow. I remembered the twins being high-energy and not particularly academic. “Those little terrors are at university?”
She laughed. “It continues to shock me each time they get a passing grade. Fortunately, they’re aiming for the NHL. I’m hoping they get scooped up sooner rather than later because I’m not sure they’ll make it to senior year. They’re great kids. They have massive hearts, and I’m proud, but working in a corporate setting wouldn’t be right for them. They need to be constantly challenged and on the move.”
The warm way she spoke about them stoked a fire deep within me. I’d forgotten how big her capacity for love was and how wonderful it was to be the recipient of that love. She clearly adored her siblings. I’d thought I might feel bitter toward them, since she’d effectively chosen them over me—even if I knew that way of thinking wasn’t entirely rational—but I was surprised to discover I didn’t. I was glad things had turned out well for them. The family had been through a lot and deserved good fortune.
“And Blair?” I asked. “What’s he do?”
“He’s a musician.” Her expression was fond, her tone soft. Blair had held a special place in her heart, and it seemed he still did. “He’s incredibly talented. His band could already have a contract with a recording studio if he’d take advantage of Malcolm’s or my connections, but he’s determined to do it on his own.”
“I understand that.” I had a lot of respect for people who didn’t want a handout or shortcut. Not that I thought poorly of Kennedy for the success she’d had because of her own contacts. “He’s grown up a lot.”
“Yeah.” She sounded wistful. “But he’s still overprotective of me.”
“That’s not a bad thing. From what I can see, you need a little protection.”
Her smile faltered. “Yeah. Maybe. But hopefully all I’m dealing with is an overzealous fan who somehow got Grace’s address.” Based on the worry etched into her forehead, she didn’t believe that, and neither did I. “What about your siblings?” she asked, deftly switching the focus of the conversation. “Nate is the local sergeant. Max is a doctor. I assume Summer is working at the veterinarian clinic because she was wearing one of their shirts yesterday. What about the others?”
“Summer is the primary small animal vet at the clinic,” I told her. “They have another vet who works with livestock and wildlife. Connor is a park ranger. Toby works as a ski instructor at the resort and picks up a few odd jobs to cover the rest of the year.”
