Manaconda(53)

She nodded. “Five years ago.” She shrugged. “I was homesick.”

“Where’s home?’

“Vegas.”

“Wow. Really? I don’t know anyone that actually grew up there.”

She played with the end of my tie. “Just me and my mom.” She gave me a wry smile. “She used to be a showgirl.”

“There’s a story there.”

“Oh, you have no idea.”

The fact that she deliberately said nothing about her father shifted a few puzzle pieces into place. She was scary independent, but it seemed like she had to be. Especially if her mother was an entertainer.

And also why she understood us so well.

I cupped her face. Dried chocolate streaks across her chin and neck, even her hair was crunchy with it—but she was so damn beautiful my chest hurt at the thought of walking away from her.

How could I be this far gone on a woman that made a living on brokering favors to build fame? Was it just infatuation?

Would it fade if put her out of my mind?

When she smiled at me—the smirky one that created the little dimples that made me instantly hard— and I knew I’d do anything to see it again. That had to count for something.

At least to see what came of it tomorrow.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Kenny.”

She tugged at my tie before stepping back. “See you in the morning.”





22





Kennedy





Me and Sammy were outside waiting for Hunter and Keys at the crack of dawn. Sammy was pulling at her leash, wanting to go and explore as usual.

I picked my way over the crunchy grass. As usual we were holding our butts for rain. Sammy lifted his leg on everything and happily wagged his tail at a leaf blowing into his face.

When a black Escalade came around the turn I reined in my sniffling bloodhound. “There’s our friends.”

Sammy whined and jumped, getting himself all tripped up into his leash. When Hunter stepped from the truck he was practically beside himself to get to Hunter.

“Well hello there there.” He dropped to his knees in front of Sammy and ended up on his back in the grass as he licked every bit of Hunter’s neck.

Keys jumped out of the truck. “Oh, my gosh, what a sweet guy.” She bent at the waist and accepted all of the lovings from my adorable goof. She looked up at me. “Hey, Kennedy. Nice seeing you again.” She pushed Sammy off as he tried to leap into her arms. “All right you.”

“Off.” I said the command in a no nonsense tone - it was the only one he listened to. Immediately he dropped down into a sit. “Be a gentleman.”

Sammy tilted his head and lifted a paw.

Keys laughed and shook his paw. “Impressive.”

“In five minutes he’ll forget and be in your lap again.”

She lowered herself to his side and hugged Sammy. “That’s okay. We’ll have a nice ride in the back won’t we?”

“Oh, you don’t have to. I can sit in the back.”

She waved it off. “I’ll probably sleep most of the way. This is an obscene time of day.”

Hunter absently scratched Sammy’s ear. “The adoption starts at ten, but if we get there around noon, shouldn’t be too bad.”

“That’s a lot of driving.”

“We might stay in the city overnight. If that’s cool with you.” Keys pulled out her phone and took a half dozen pictures. “I want to catch a show outside of Bernal Heights. My favorite singer is doing an impromptu acoustic thing.”

“We could.” I glanced at Hunter. His misty eyes were heated and steady.

Another hotel room to test out? I fought a shiver and pushed up the sleeves of my lightweight denim jacket.

Keys finally put her phone away. “Hey, super cute outfit, by the way.”

“Thanks.” I smoothed my hand over the poppy red maxi skirt I was wearing. I didn’t get to dress down too often. And it was really nice to wear sneakers. I’d been wearing heels so much that week that it was staring to feel weird to wear flats.

“Ready to get going?”

We both nodded.

“Come on, Samy. Back here with me.” Keys opened the back door and the two of them piled into the back. By the time we were on the highway both Sammy and Keys were curled together on the bench seat.

“I didn’t mean to spring the overnight on you.”

I tucked myself against the door and curled my leg under my knee. “It’s smart. Twelve hours of driving in one day is a lot.”

“Especially when one of your passengers is a narcoleptic when she gets into a car.” Hunter glanced in the rearview window. “No matter where we are, what town, she’s out in ten minutes on the bus.”