Page 16 of Until Kendal

As we left the bike rental area, I patted her arm. “Want to talk about what you said?”

Her eyes widened as she shook her head. “Not really.”

I would earn her trust, but that meant spending time with her. I pointed to our rental car. “Fair enough. So, you want to do a nature walk or hot air balloon ride next?”

She rocked on her feet. “Hot air balloon ride?”

“Okay done,” I said and texted the company I'd hired earlier.

She took my wrist, and I ignored the sparks from her touch as she asked, “Wait. What? I’m confused.”

I directed her around the car. “I googled date ideas and booked the tour for two.”

She giggled. “You’re too much. This isn’t a date.”

Yes, it was. I was usually an impressive guy, and I’d never been denied the pleasure of calling something as I saw it. Kendal was harder to please, but I was just getting started. I quickly added, “I’m not usually over the top, but you’re an exception for me. We need to head to Franklin for our ride.”

She almost choked. “You already paid?”

“Yes. It’s no big deal to turn it into a giveaway for someone else.”

She shook her head. “Let’s go then, but remember, we’re just talking.”

If she was in danger, we would be alone in the balloon.

I held her door for her and quickly wondered if this would be my life if I didn’t have a trillion-dollar inheritance coming to me. A drive in a Honda with a pretty woman seemed to me like someone else’s. I took the driver’s seat and put my phone in the armrest between us.

Kendal kept her lips closed for a few minutes as I followed directions to the rolling hills. A minute later, my phone rang. I hadn’t connected my phone to the car, and I wasn’t sure how or if the car accepted video calls on the panel anyway, so I asked Kendal, “Can you answer Arman for me?”

She nodded and answered quickly, “Hi. I’ll hold the phone so you can video with Joel.”

Arman called out. “Wait. Who are you?”

My brother usually got any woman he wanted with that natural charm of his.

She blinked. “Kendal. So you’re Joel’s brother.”

“He’s mentioned me?”

I knew he'd flashed her the smile that his last girlfriend had written a poem about and posted it on social media. A gossip site that loved to trash us had ripped it apart.

She shook her head. “You called.”

Loyalty was rare. Arman was loyal, but her no-nonsense tone sent a thrill through me. She would be great to have in my life.

Arman said, “Well, I heard Mom was meeting some woman’s mother after I left you in Kentucky, and I see that wasn’t a lie. Keep my brother safe, Kendal.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Why? Is he in trouble?”

“No," Arman said, "but I need him back in New York soon. We have to find good research on female gamers that wasn’t written as an afterthought, and Joel is usually great at finding the right people.”

I called out as we continued down the road, “Only because you just look at numbers, whereas I look in their eyes and decide if they’re lying.”

Arman laughed. “Well, he’s one of the good ones. Have fun. And nice to meet you, Kendal. Call me whenever you want to send the helicopter in.”

She hung up. “He’s nice.”

With eleven brothers who were doctors to pilots, I’d never needed more friends, but Kendal made me think having her with me completed the picture.

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