Page 76 of Spies Like Us

“Oh, hold up, Kenz. It’s Jeff, and I want to introduce you.” Dad pulls me to a stop, and the two of us wait while Governor Turner is bombarded by the press, but movement behind him has me focusing on the man getting out next.

Holy hotness, Batman. It’s Max, and he’s wearing a fucking tux and looks delicious. I fan myself with my own clutch as Katie sidles up to me and whispers in my ear.

“Would you get a look at the deliciousness that just stepped onto the red carpet?”

“Back off, bitch, he’s mine,” I hiss at her, and she blinks with surprise.

“What?”

Dad chuckles, and I blush because he overheard everything.

“That is one of Kenz’s new teammates,” he tells her quietly, and her eyes widen.

“Holy hell, no wonder you’re considering joining their team. Hell, if I had someone on my team who looked like that, I would be giving my mother exactly what she wants and letting him knock me up—or at least practicing very hard.” She winks as Governor Turner and his eldest son walk toward us.

The governor looks pleased to see my father, and they exchange handshakes and back slaps. Max’s eyes rake over my body, somewhat disbelievingly.

“Do you remember my son, Max?” Governor Turner says to my dad, keeping up the act in front of everyone who knows nothing about our real identities.

“Of course. Good to see you again.” Dad holds out his hand, and Max shakes it, smiling affably.

“Good to see you too, sir,” he says before Dad turns to me.

“Have you two met my daughter, Kensington?” he asks, and Jeff smiles.

“A very long time ago. I doubt she would remember.”

I say a polite, “Hello,” before returning my attention to the man who rocked my world only a few nights ago. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I tell him, holding out my hand for him to take. He does, and he bows his head over it, placing a kiss on the back.

“Oh, I assure you, the pleasure is all mine, Princess Kensington,” he purrs, and I start to melt into the sidewalk, so I steel my spine.

“Kenzie, please.”

“Come on, let’s go,” Katie says impatiently, and Max holds out his arm.

“May I escort you?” he asks.

I smile and take his arm as cameras flash all around us, guaranteeing that Max and I will be having a sudden, torrid affair tomorrow. I’m not sure how that’s going to go back in Summerville, but surely they have a plan.

“What are you doing here?” I ask quietly, still smiling as we enter the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the fundraising gala for my mom’s project is being held.

“The boys didn’t like the idea of you going off to New York on your own.”

I roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of that notion, but before I can say anything, I hear, “Kensington Watson, if the wind were to change, your face would be stuck like that.” It’s my mom’s prim voice that scolds me, and it’s all I can do to stop myself from repeating it. “I’m sure the handsome man on your arm doesn’t want to see you making such ridiculous faces.”

I sigh, and Max chuckles as my mother saunters up to us, taking me into her arms and kissing me on both cheeks. “Ah, my baby, you look so beautiful when you’re not making such silly faces. When she’s finished with me, she turns to Max, smoothing over the lapels of his tux.

“Oh, my handsome boy. Don’t the two of you look so beautiful together? You would have such beautiful babies for me to snuggle,” she says, raising her eyebrows and looking between us. I stiffen, but Max just laughs and drops my arm before sweeping my mother into a low dip and kissing her on each cheek.

“Sadie, my love, when are you going to leave your wicked husband and run away with me?”

My mother giggles and blushes like a schoolgirl as he sets her back on her feet again. “Oh hush, you big lug.” She slaps at him. “Save all that charm for my girl.” She turns to look at the rest of our group, her eyes zeroing in on Max’s dad. “Jeff, don’t you think our children look like they are made for one another?” He smiles and nods, humoring her while continuing his quiet conversation with Dad and Uncle T. I wonder if he’s filling the governor in on what we discovered, or if he and Max debriefed earlier.

“Enough business,” my mom scolds them as Aunt Felicity joins us, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

“You girls look beautiful tonight,” she says.

I thank her as my mom claps her hands. “Come. Eat, drink, and spend some money on a good cause. There is plenty of time for us to talk later. Kenzie, I see your cousin Kamel is here. Who is the girl on his arm?” She frowns, pursing her lips. “Hmm, I think I’ll go say hello.” She wanders off, and I spy my cousin with his latest love both holding glasses of champagne.

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