Page 76 of Movers and Shakers

“I don’t think I qualify for the name sunshine when I look like this.” She gestured to her dark hair.

“You’re the sunshine inmylife, so I think it works.”

Her jaw dropped and she had no other arguments for me. I lifted her, carrying the woman of my dreams to my room, where I wished we could stay forever. I pulled her to me as we lay down, knowing she could be gone by the next day.

Chapter Fifteen

Lila

Barry was gone when I woke up.

Disappointment curled in my chest. When was the last time I’d woken up in someone else’s arms? I’d hoped that this would be the first time that someone stayed the entire night.

I slowly got up, checking the windows for any signs that people knew where I was. A truck and a sedan were parked outside, but they didn’t look to be camping out waiting for me.

When I opened the door, I could hear voices in the bar. I slowly crept down the stairs.

“Barry, this is life-altering news. We wouldn’t be here for something small.”

It was a woman’s voice and I wondered if it was his sister. I paused, knowing I shouldn’t listen but couldn’t help it. My desperate curiosity about his family was too much to fight.

“Whatever it is can wait until later, okay? I have something that I need to get back to.” Barry’s voice was tight.

“Barry,” a male voice said.

“No. I’m not having you guys ruin it by bringing more family drama for her to see.”

“It’s okay,” I said before I could stop myself. Everything went silent, but I refused to let him turn away his family forme. “Whatever it is sounds important.”

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath. He turned to where I was half hiding. “Go back to bed. It’s nothing.”

“It’s obviously not nothing,” I insisted. “And they know someone is here.”

“Wait,” the woman said. “I know that voice.”

“You might as well come on out,” Barry said, his tone flat. “Ruth is going to figure it out any second now.”

Ruth’s eyes widened. “Wait. Barry, are you sleeping with—‍”

“Lila Wilde?” I asked, coming fully into view. “Yes. Yes, he is. And now that you two have seen me, you’re about to have to sign the most extensive NDA you’ve ever seen. Sorry about that.”

I shouldn’t have walked out of there, but I needed to know what was happening. A sibling meeting that I got to take part in? It seemed too good to be true.

At least I’d remembered an NDA. Malia and my lawyer would be happy with me.

To Ruth’s and Tom’s credits, they handled it well.

Ruth, with her sharp features and dark hair, only covered her mouth. Tom stared, his face nearly as unreadable as Barry’s.

“Okay,” Ruth eventually said. “Well, this complicates things.”

“You weren’t supposed to know she was here,” Barry muttered. “And you should sign the NDA.”

“Is this the same one you told me you’re under?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said, running a hand over his face. My heart skipped a beat. Maybe I shouldn’t have said a thing. It wasn’t my place to step in. The last thing I wanted to do was piss him off by getting involved in something I shouldn’t.

“Wh-what’re your emails?” I asked slowly, trying to focus on one thing at a time.

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