Jia pursed her lips. “If I must be a cute creature, I want to be the dragon, at least.”
Katrina smiled. “Fine. You’re the dragon friend.”
Rhiannon stood and stretched, her shirt lifting to reveal her flat belly. “I’m bushed. Gonna go to bed and get in a nap before Samson gets here.” She winked at Katrina. “Proud of you, seeing how you handled this whole thing.”
“It’s not over,” she fretted. Who knew if this would reduce interest in her.
No. She stuck her hand into her pocket, over her cell phone. The text she’d sent her dad earlier made it feel weighty. He hadn’t responded, but she assumed he’d show.
“You took the teeth out of it. If someone does reveal your identity now, it won’t be because they’re trying to reunite two lovers, but because they’re assholes, and they’ll be treated as such. Trust me, people will be discussing a symptom of a larger issue, not you.” Rhiannon yawned. “Good night. Morning? Whatever.” She moved to the door, and paused next to motionless, silent Jas. The two of them didn’t interact that much, but they had a cordial, polite relationship.
The hug Rhiannon gave Jas was personal, though. “Samson said he’d come by your cottage in the afternoon, once I’m done with him.” Rhiannon clapped Jas on the arm. “Thanks for taking care of her, big guy.”
Jas raised a perfect eyebrow at Rhiannon. “It’s my job.”
Katrina felt that sharp blow, and filed it away. He didn’t mean it like he’d said it. She knew he had feelings for her.
Or it’s his deep sense of responsibility rearing its head, and he doesn’t really have any personal feelings wrapped up in this. You’re his client.
Her fingers tightened on her phone.
Jia uncoiled herself from the couch and bounced to her feet. “I’m going to get to my Insta and break this down for my followers.”
The door closed behind the two women, and some of Katrina’s anxiety disappeared when Jas crossed the distance between them in a few steps. His hug felt so good and necessary and right.
She drew away and rubbed her nose against his. “Sometimes there’s a prince in the fairy tale too.”
Oh, there it was. Officially the mushiest thing she’d ever said in her whole damn life.
He didn’t seem to mind, though, if his smile was any indication. Or the kiss he gave her.
The sound of the door opening had them both breaking apart and glancing guiltily in that direction. They found two pairs of big brown eyes on them, one almost black, one almost hazel.
“Damn it,” Rhiannon said.
Jia’s expression was smug. “I will take my hundred dollars in tens and fives, thank you.” She waggled her fingers at them. “Go back to whatever you were doing, kids, Mama needed to earn some Vegas money.”
Katrina pressed her forehead against Jas’s chest and huffed out a laugh. After a second, he joined her. “We would have had to tell them sooner or later,” Jas murmured.
They would? Because this was going somewhere? Her heart soared, but it was brought back to the present with the beep of the alarm on her phone. She pulled away from Jas. “I . . . can you drive me to the café?”
He cocked his head. “What? Why? So soon after the broadcast?”
She swallowed. She couldn’t keep this a secret indefinitely, but she knew Jas wouldn’t like her answer, or who she was planning to meet. “I’ll tell you when we get there.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
JAS GLANCED AT Katrina in the passenger seat of the car as he pulled into the alley behind the café. Her shoulders were straight, a frown creasing her brow as she looked pensively out the window. She’d changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt when they’d arrived this morning. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a ponytail. A couple of light brown strands had fallen out to caress her cheeks.
He parked the car. She’d been silent for the entirety of the short drive, and that had only deepened the vague sense of unease in his gut. “You’re not here to see Mona or Andy, are you.” It was a statement, not a question.
She licked her lips. “No.”
“Then who?”
He didn’t miss that she opened the door and had one foot on the ground before she answered him. “My dad.”
It took him a second to overcome the shock of that statement. By the time he’d closed his mouth and wrestled himself out of his belt, she was already out of the car and opening the back door for Doodle. The dog sauntered next to her mistress, their long legs eating the ground.
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
Thomas King. He’d kept his dossier on the man updated, but that didn’t mean much. “Why are you doing that?”
“It’s something I have to do.”
“I do not think that’s a good idea.” That was an understatement.
“I know. I need to talk to him.” Katrina adjusted the bag on her shoulder.
“You should have told me.” He went silent when Mona bustled into view. The woman beamed at both of them, but Jas nearly cursed. He couldn’t argue with Katrina in front of other people.
“Whoa, who’s this girl?” Mona held her hand out for Doodle to sniff, which the dog did daintily.
“This is Doodle.”
“She’s gorgeous.” Mona straightened. “Did you watch? How did I do?”
“You were magnificent,” Katrina said, and hugged her.
Mona graced Jas with a smile, and then turned back to Katrina. “I know you may not feel comfortable coming back here during business hours.”
Katrina’s smile froze, and his heart clenched.
“Please know my place is open to you whenever you wish.” Mona dropped a key into Katrina’s palm and closed her fingers over it.
Katrina swallowed. “Thank you. I appreciate it very much.”
“Not a problem. You asked for my office.” Mona briskly shepherded them to the small room. “I’ll bring your guest here when he arrives.”
“Thank you.” Katrina moved behind the desk and pulled a stack of checks out of her bag. She proceeded to lay them out neatly on the table.
Jas took two steps to the desk. “Katrina. This is unwise. That man shouldn’t be near you.”
“He already knows about this place, and that I come here. Came here.” She straightened, and her gaze flicked to him. There were ten of the checks lined up on the otherwise bare surface, facedown, little soldiers.
His confusion grew, but so did his concern. “This is a security issue,” he tried again, desperate to change her mind. Doodle sauntered over and sat next to him. At least the dog was on his side. “You kept me in the dark until the last minute. I haven’t investigated him. There’s no extra security in place.”
That stopped her. “I’m sorry, I know. I thought you and Rhiannon and Jia might try to change my mind, and I didn’t want to be swayed.” Loud footsteps came from the hallway and they both looked in that direction. “Please. Trust me.” She placed her phone on the surface of the desk and sat behind it.
He looked at Doodle, who gazed back at him with a weary expression on her face, as if in commiseration.