Silver(39)

“I see that look in your eyes,” he said. “Don’t second-guess things. I’m not going to rush you. I’m just letting you know where I stand.”

And that was a very refreshing difference from how things had been before.

“Okay,” she said. “Now I know where you stand.”

“And you?” he asked. “Where do you stand?”

She reached in and took another pastry out of the box, nerves tingling as she considered her answer under his watchful gaze. “Where I stand is that I’m still figuring things out, but I’m really having a lot of fun with you. I like you a lot.”

“I like you a lot, too,” he said with a smile, one that actually reached his cool, silver eyes.

She’d lied. Just as she’d thought last night, she was more than liking him. She was falling for him.

This man she barely knew anything about.





Fifteen





Robbie came by later that morning—after a lazy few hours cuddling in front of a TV, watching a movie with Adrien—to ask Kelsey if she could come meet with her for a bit in Citrine’s office.

Adrien had needed to get ready for a staff meeting before their appointments anyway, so it worked out.

They’d said an awkward good-bye, with Robbie watching in amusement, and then Kelsey followed her down the hall, wondering what she could possibly want to meet with her about.

When they were in Citrine’s office, the door locked, Robbie pulled a chair out for Kelsey in front of Citrine’s desk and then sat behind it.

“So,” Robbie said. “I’ve decided to hand some of my manager’s duties over to you.”

“You aren’t leaving, are you?” Kelsey asked, wondering if this had anything to do with the men they’d seen the other day.

“Not planning to right away,” Robbie said. “But this was never supposed to be a permanent position, so I want to make sure there’s enough structure in place when I do decide to go. It’s great that you can be a bouncer, but I think you’re sharp and can do much more than that.”

“I have done office work before,” Kelsey said. “At one of my temp jobs. I haven’t used a lot of computer programs, though.”

“That’s fine,” Robbie said. “I can teach you the big one you need for scheduling pretty easily. The main thing is you get along with the guys. They respect you, especially Adrien, and you can keep them in line.”

“I can try,” Kelsey said. She felt nervous but a bit excited about all these new opportunities being held out to her. But deep down, she’d always felt more capable than she’d been able to show in any past position. Life was dropping more challenges in her lap, and she was happy to take them.

“Great,” Robbie said. “Because based on the fact that I saw you and Adrien together in that apartment, I’m guessing you’re going to be around here for a while.”

“It’s only been a few days,” Kelsey said. “I don’t know how you can tell.”

“These guys move fast, if Dante is any indication,” Robbie said, leaning back in her chair and running a hand over her hair, smoothing back the few dark curls that were escaping her bun. “Anyway, Adrien is so picky that my guess is he’s the type who, when he does find what he wants, he knows and he goes for it.”

“I know,” Kelsey said. “He’s said as much. But I mean, just a few days ago, I was a homeless person.”

“No,” Robbie said. “You were someone who got out of a bad situation and managed to find somewhere better. The rest is in the past.”

“I know,” Kelsey said. “I have to keep reminding myself of that.”

“Yes,” Robbie said. “And if you forget it, anyone here can remind you.” She gave her an oddly wistful look. “Even Citrine seems to really like you. I think you’ll all be fine here.”

“If you’re planning to leave, I think you should tell the others,” Kelsey said.

“I’m not,” Robbie said. “But just in case… come over here and pull up a chair, and we’ll go over the main programs. And if possible, please don’t tell Citrine about this, okay? I’ll tell him when I’m ready. He hates change, and he would overreact. But the truth is, when my friend Ella set me up with this job, I was always just supposed to get them on their feet and then be able to leave.”

“I think they’ll miss you,” Kelsey said. “But yes. I didn’t tell them about the other things, and I won’t tell them about this.”

“Right,” Robbie said. “Thanks for that. I’ll make sure nothing happens to jeopardize the club.”