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A mischievous look enters his gaze. “When we first started working together, did you ever think this is where we would end up?”
I snort. It’s a ridiculous thought. “No,” I say. “I hated your guts.”
Kay laughs. “I know. I loved every moment of it.”
I tilt my head at him. “Youwantedme to hate you?”
“I’d prefer it, actually.” His lightheartedness leaves, something darker entering his eyes. “It would make things easier.”
“I don’t think it would make anything easier,” I answer softly, tightening my grip on his hand. “I’m tired of hating you, Kay.”
“And every day, I’m grateful that you don’t.” He ends it there, sweeping us into the soft melody of the song instead. Before I know it, the song has passed, but another slow one starts up.
A finger taps on my shoulder, and I turn to find Nyla. “Mind if I dance with my new brother-in-law?”
“Of course not,” I say, Kay reluctantly releasing me from his grasp, our fingers lingering together for a few extra seconds. “I’ll go and get another drink.”
As I walk away, laughter comes from them both, their heads tilted back as they sway to the music. I don’t think anyone could have expectedthatfriendship to blossom as it did. Warmth spills in my chest at the fact that Kay has a soft spot for his sister-in-law.
I order two champagnes from the bar this time, the song coming to an end as I approach Nyla and Kay, who are now completely still, serious looks on their faces as they talk. They’re so entrenched in their conversation that they don’t notice me approaching through the other dancing couples. I get close enough to catch Nyla’s words—words that werenotintended for my ears.
“When are you going to tell her you’re turning yourself in tomorrow?”
I freeze, my heart tripping at the realization of why everyone’s been so insistent about us making up.
“You’re turning yourself in?” I ask, voice quivering, their heads snapping toward me.
“Talia.” Kay walks away from Nyla, heading toward me. “I was going to tell you tonight.” He takes the champagne flutes from my hands and hands them off to Nyla, who walks away with them, mumbling something aboutgive you two some space.
It surprises me to feel tears prick my eyes.
“For how long? What’s going on? Why are you doing this?” My voice is getting more frantic as the questions spill over my tongue.
Kay guides me off the dance floor and out the front doors into the night air. He takes my hands in his in a pleading gesture. “I was going to tell you.”
“Wereyou?” The tears spill. “Or was it going to be more convenient for you to leave me without telling me so you could just avoid this all over again?”
“That entire issue with Jules, all of it, what I’m doing, is all for you,” he says gently. “To protect you. I had to… I had to turn myself in to turn him in. He made a threat toward you, and I wasn’t about to take the risk of finding out if he would follow through.” His eyes search my face. “Please,please, understand Talia. It won’t be forever.”
“How long?” I wipe a tear away with the back of my hand, not caring if it smears my makeup.
His perfect brows pinch together. “How long?”
“How long will you be away?”
He straightens, looking apprehensive to tell me, and fear wrenches my heart.
“They shortened my time significantly for providing information, but... two years.”
“Two years?”I turn away, running my hands through my hair. “Am I… are you…” I fumble out, unable to form words right now. “Are you expecting me to wait for you? To visit you?”
Pain flickers through his eyes, and I realize I’ve said the wrong thing.
Because of course I would wait for him. But two years is so long to go without his touch.
“I would never expect that of you.” He approaches me again, pulling me in by the waist, his other hand finding the side of my neck. His thumb strokes my jaw, and I melt into the touch. “Right now, all I want is to take you home and show you how much I’m going to miss you.”
I place my hand over his, our eyes locking in an intense exchange of knowing what tonight will be.
