Page 91 of Kneeling for Them

“I’ll do you one better,” she says, a smile in her voice.“I’ll bring it to you personally.Say, in two days?”

“Oh, I thought you were in New York?Or Nashville?”

“Nashville, but it’s just a plane ride away.These things are best handled in person.”

“Of course,” I say, pretending like I might know what she’s talking about.

“I’ll see you soon,” she says.

“Great!”

The call is over, my phone screen goes dark.I lean my head back against the wall and close my eyes.Damn it all.Not only did I not get the information I needed, but now I’m going to have to fight off Trina’s agent-y advances again.

Because regardless of what may or may not have happened with Sebastian and Alyssa?There’s no way I’ll ever be able to trust this woman.

Kingston

“Kingston, pass me the salt,” Kristin says.

I nudge it toward her, ignoring her sound of exasperation.She’s been trying to get me to do things for her all through lunch, and I don’t understand it.In the office, she’s stopped trying to ask for my help all the time, which has been a relief, to be honest.But now she’s trying to give me orders.

Yeah, that isn’t going to fly.

She, Grant, and I are just finishing up a quick lunch at a nice restaurant in downtown San Esteban.I wave at the server and ask her to bring over the bill.

“I’ll cover it this time,” Kristin says, shaking a bit of salt onto her last few bites of potato salad.“You got it last time.”

I shrug.“Thanks.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Grant says.

As soon as we’re all finished, we head out of the restaurant.

A woman’s face catches my attention and I stop dead in my tracks.

“Kingston?”Kristin says.“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, you two head back without me.I’ll catch up.”

The woman in question is magnetic.She’s charismatic from her head to her toes.I can’t see her legs yet, but I know they will end in tiny feet encased in the most expensive high-heeled shoes money can buy.Her light brown hair falls in a straight sheet down her back, and her blue-green eyes are striking.Men and women alike stop whatever they’re doing in the restaurant to turn and look at her as she walks past.

And she’s heading straight for me.

I used to be married to this woman.

“Kingston,” she says.“I thought that was you.”

“Hello, Rayanne.What brings you to San Esteban?”I ask.She and her husband live in Clear Springs, about two hours north of here.

“Oh, Joel didn’t tell you?”

She knows very well that Joel and I aren’t speaking.

“Steve and I are moving here,” she says with a tinkling laugh.“We’ve been house hunting this week, but we just found a nice place, so we’ll put in a bid this afternoon.”

Fuck.Fuck.The last thing I need is my ex showing up in all of my favorite places.I’m already wondering how hard it would be to relocate my entire life and business when she lets out another little laugh.

“Was that a girlfriend I saw you with, a moment ago?”