Conner was over the moon with his treasure and Kingsley realized that the day he’d blackmailed Gabi into being Conner’s nanny had been the most fortuitous one of his life. He’d found a treasure he hadn’t realized he’d been searching for.
* * *
Brunch with her parents made her more nervous than facing an entire room of spoiled children and being told she was the one adult that had to get them in line. On the way there, Conner seemed fine in the backseat of the SUV and Kingsley... It was hard to get a good read on him. He had on his Wayfarers.
Kidz Bop music filled the car. To be honest, that might be part of her nerves. She was also still on edge over the canceled playdate with the twins. Once their parents had heard Kingsley’s name, they’d pulled out. It bothered her.
She’d been really upset but Conner had taken it in stride when she’d told him that his friends would have to play another day due to the fact that his dad had planned a campout under the stars. She’d told a similar white lie to Kingsley so that he wouldn’t have to know that the parents hadn’t wanted their kids to play with Conner.
It all made her so mad.
They’d slept in the tent Gabi had brought over, a gift from a sheikh her cousin Gui knew. That summer she’d spent in Spain she’d met all sorts of interesting people. Even men who fancied themselves in love with her. But she had been too confused and scarred by what had happened to be any good to anyone.
“What’s up?” Kingsley said.
“Nervous.”
“Why?” he asked. “You like your parents, right?”
She laughed. She loved her parents. “Yes. My brother and I get along, as well. He has a new girlfriend. And it must be serious if he’s bringing her home.”
“Is it serious with us?” he asked. “Is that what’s making you nervous?”
She leaned her head back against the leather seat, glad her large sunglasses concealed her eyes from him. She was serious about Kingsley. But she was seeing every day how much of a struggle it was going to be to live here where everyone knew his story and still be happy.
“Yes,” she said. “Does that make you want to jump out on the side of the road and run for the hills?”
“Not at all. It makes me want to lock the doors so you can’t get out,” he said, reaching over to take her hand in his. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed the back of it, then put her hand on his thigh. “But if you’re not nervous about brunch, that means you can only be nervous because you didn’t tell me the truth.”
“What?”
“I know about what really happened,” he said. “I don’t understand why you haven’t said anything.”
She glanced in the backseat and noticed that Conner had put his headphones on and switched on a movie.
“I didn’t want to upset you. I was mad enough for the both of us. And really, there was nothing to be done to change their minds, so I just kept it to myself. I do think we made the evening a lot of fun for Conner. And I told Melissa we won’t be taking them on as clients at the firm.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked. “I meant what went on at the county commissioners’ meeting. I heard they don’t want my money involved with the playground project.”
“Oh, that,” she said. “It was a rough day, Kingsley. First the commissioners and then the twins’ parents. Until that moment I never realized what you lived with.”
“It’s not that bad on the East Coast or in big cities. But Carmel is too close to the campus.”
“I was thinking the same thing. You should move back east,” she said.
“Would you?”
“No. California is in my blood. It’s my home. I couldn’t live somewhere else and feel whole,” she said. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to let the jerks win.”
He gave her a half smile.
“Me, neither. Which is why I’m here.”
“You said revenge. And I honestly thought you should be more willing to let it go. That revenge never solves anything, but when I thought of how Conner would feel if he knew the truth...well, I get it.”
She felt protective of Conner and not just because he was her temporary charge. She knew it was a mistake to get attached to Conner. There were no guarantees with herself and Kingsley, but she couldn’t help it. Both of the Buchanan men had cast a spell on her.
She didn’t want to break it.
“Tell me where you are in your investigation,” she said.