Page 94 of Vain

“So you want to tell us what the super spy mission is all about, or is it classified?” I ask, twirling the linguine around my fork.

“Actually, you guys are the mission.”

I chew the food, frowning.

“I’m scared to ask,” Aiden mutters.

“Fuck, this is good.” Kellen dives in, forgetting about the conversation altogether until Aiden kicks him.

“Focus, Kellen. The mission.”

“Oh yeah, right. My mission is to get you two to fly back with me tomorrow for a big surprise.”

“What kind of surprise?” I ask warily. I’m probably one of the few people that loathes them.

“Blake and Callie are getting married.”

I gasp in delight. Even though I’ve never met either of them, I feel like I know them from how much Aiden has talked about them.

“Wow that’s awesome, but who are we supposed to be keeping it a secret from?” Aiden questions.

“Oh, that would be Callie.”

With the fork in front of my face, I stop and turn to look at Kellen. “Huh?”

He laughs. “It’s all a big surprise. Don’t worry, Callie has agreed to marry him, she just hasn’t realized what an impatient fucker Blake is. He wants them to marry before the baby arrives, so he’s been organizing it all without her knowing. Plus, he’s worried that June might take another turn for the worse.”

“Whose June?”

“Blake’s grandmother.” Aiden answers.

“Ah, I remember now. She had a stroke, right?”

Kellen nods. “She’s strong though. I personally think she’ll outlive all of us. She sure as fuck won’t be going anywhere before she meets her great-grandbaby. But Blake’s…well, Blake.”

“He loves her. I think it’s sweet. I’d be the same way if my grandmother were still alive.”

“Yeah, me too,” Kellen says softly. I see it then, the acute loneliness in his eyes. It’s gone in a second, but I know what I saw.

I change the subject. “Okay, so what’s the plan?”

Kellen gives me a grateful look before diving in. “We fly out and head to Old Man Jenkins’s place.”

“Wait, what?” Aiden questions.

“Hotel is already booked with other guests flying in. Plus we have the town fair this weekend, and you know how that pulls the tourists in. Jenkins has a fuck-ton of space and he knows how much you love it up there.”

I look at Aiden in question. “His house is on the bluffs, surrounded by lavender fields. As a kid, I dreamed of one day living in a house just like it. It’s been in his family for generations. But his wife, daughter, and two kids were killed in a car accident last May, so now he lives up there alone.”

“Oh god, that’s so sad.”

“I know. The town pulled together for him. We all try to look after ourselves, but he mostly keeps to himself.”

“And he’s letting us stay there? Are you sure he’s okay with that?”

“It was his idea. Maybe he’s a fan,” Kellen waggles his eyebrows.

“As long as he’s not another stalker. I’m at my limit with them.”