Page 55 of Kissing Kayley

“Ah.”

“How was the call?” I asked.

He glanced around to ensure we were alone as we headed toward the exit and the elevator to return upstairs.

“Everything’s copacetic,” he said. “We’re still good.”

“So what’s next?” I asked. It was a little too soon for lunch.

“Whatever we do,” he said, “let’s give it another fifteen to twenty minutes to let the fart fan clear the air in the room.”

I…

Well, I howled.

CHAPTER 20

Kayley

What we ended up doing after checking the schedule was return to our room, change clothes, and then head over to the stable to go on a trail ride. I suspected I’d be sore tomorrow morning, but as Vic and I ambled along on our steeds and followed Wren, I realized this was… peaceful.

We brought a picnic lunch with us and when we stopped to eat, I loved sitting in the piney shade and staring out at the mountains.

“This is beautiful land,” I said.

Wren smiled. “We like it. It’s home.”

“Did you grow up around here?” I asked.

The hint of a shadow crossed her features before her smile returned. “No. But hopefully it’s the last place I’ll ever live, because it’s my home, and the people here are my family.”

When we returned from the trail ride, we decided to test the outside pool and splash area. I was beginning to wonder if we could de-grumpify some adults by letting them have play timethey were denied as kids. Maybe install adult-sized playgrounds all over.

Sounds like a research paper I could write.

I mean, I was kidding.

Kind of.

We attended another rope class and then headed downstairs for an early dinner. To be honest, I found myself yawning uncontrollably.

Vic smiled at me over his menu. “Did I wear you out, baby?”

I nodded. “I think so. I hate to spend my vacation sleeping, but I think it’s finally all catching up with me.”

While leaving the Italian restaurant, Vic and I ran into Master Derek in the lobby. He was asking how we were enjoying our stay when a slightly plump petite woman ran up. She wore jeans and a long-sleeved plaid shirt with the tails out and sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and pink, sparkly Chucks without socks. Her red hair lay in loose braids low on either side of her head.

“Master Derek, I need to talk to you fast, please!”

He glanced at us and Vic tipped his head, indicating we didn’t mind the interruption.

“Do we need to go to my office, Emmy?” Derek asked.

“No, sir. This’ll be quick. We’ve got a crate arriving in about an hour and we need it fast-tracked for approval to get it inside.”

“Who is ‘we’?”

“Me and Lilah. And Daddy, sort of. But it’s for the Ranch.”