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Miley squeezed my hand. “We’re all in the pictures at the club, Avril. It’s bad for my current job if clients or the senior partners ever see the headlines of me with an alcoholic.”
I swayed, though Kir kept me steady. “The article is about me and how Kir has started partying at all hours because of me, and I don’t even stay out that late.”
Kir shrugged. “It’s kind of true. I’m going out in public more, but it’s odd to me that this blog is usually against my brothers, but when it comes to me, it’s hating on Avril, not me.”
Jeff snapped his finger. “Good catch there. Next week, we need to brainstorm about anyone who liked you and hated the rest of us.”
Kir shrugged. “I have no idea who that would be. I’m usually the one lost in the crowd.”
Impossible. But he believed that about himself. I smiled at my friend. “He’s humble. It’s one of his nicer qualities.”
Miley rolled her eyes at me in her sarcastic way. “You’re only saying that because you’ve fallen for him.”
Heat rose to my face. I had fallen for him. My heart raced, and I wasn’t sure when that had happened or what to do about it.
Kir said, “Well, we’ll think about it, but I want to steal Avril away for a minute before Elon and Clarissa come out.”
Jeff said, “Have fun.”
We walked to the trees at the edge of the lawn, where we could talk but get back to our seats if we needed to. I couldn’t ask any of my questions, so I asked, “Is it possible this blogger has a vendetta against me and my friends?”
Kir’s brow furrowed. “Why would you ask that?”
Recent events from before Hawaii replayed in my mind. “A few weeks ago, they weren’t nice about Charlie, and whoever wrote it wasn’t nice about Hope earlier. Now it’s my turn.”
He shrugged. “Brainstorm with Miley. Maybe we have more in common than we knew, but let’s not think about it now.”
My body tingled as I waited. I half wanted to kiss him, but I forced my lips to curve higher and said, “Totally agree. Let get some champagne.”
He nodded. “I want to talk to Xerses and Roman for a moment.”
My mind buzzed. Good thing he’s still thinking straight. I needed to speak to his brothers, too, so I walked in step next to him. “Okay.”
A minute later, we were near Xerses, Roman, and my friends Kelly and Isabel. Kir asked, “So, are you two buying Sodani Tech?”
Roman asked, “Is that a problem?”
Kir shook his head. “No, but Avril works as an analyst there, and since she’s my girlfriend, she’s getting asked a lot of questions.”
My heart lifted.
Roman said, “Don’t worry about anything, Avril. We need good people there.”
I focused on his brothers, who both seemed so different from Kir. “I’m fielding a lot of questions.”
Xerses said, “Well, if you help with a smooth transition, we’d be grateful and want to move you up in the company.”
Kir frowned. “Unless she quits and starts working with me.”
I stood taller as I blinked. “What?”
He waved his hand in the air. “Nothing. It was just a thought, but it’s time to get back to our seats. Elon and Clarissa are coming.”
We waved to them as we went to sit down again. “Did you mean what you said back there?”
He gazed at me. “About what?”
I picked up my fork to eat my salad. “I know you, Hope, and Charlie are starting some airline. Would you really want me to join you one day?”
