Page 73 of Perfect Order
“Now, see, that’s helpful.” But I still wag my finger at her. “Still, no more of this. I’m just hoping I didn’t hit anything of importance in Keene’s office. You have magic fingers, but somehow, I don’t think that extends to cleaning the carpet.”
Leanne falls out of her chair laughing, giving me a magnificent view of her ass. “Damn, woman. Not helping. Put on some clothes.”
“I’ll remind you you said that,” she gasps.
“No, you won’t,” I inform her smugly.
Her smile is everything I can imagine waking up to for the rest of my life. Now we just need to eliminate the threat against her so that can become a possibility.
Washington, D.C.President Signs Executive Order Charting New Course to Improve the Nation’s Cybersecurity and Protect Federal Government Networks.—Whitehouse.gov
It feels like an emotional wall has come down between us since we broke the seal onus, a burden removed inside of me that someone knowsme. Even though we haven’t directly spoken of my fears since that night, Kane said he’d find some way to ensure someone was keeping tabs on my parents. The suffocating welling up inside me from the moment Carys told me Caleb hasn’t located anything in my twin’s life that needed further investigating is beginning to ease yet sets my stomach churning.
Everything points to me. Me. I’m the one who got Lee killed.
The one thing I was adamant about was my rehearsals for the Grammys. If I’m going to walk out onto that stage and pretend to be my sister, I need to shove out all outside pressure. I couldn’t walk into practice anticipating seeing Kane. So, I arranged with Carys to finish my studio time on my own. That doesn’t stop her from dropping by to check on my well-being.
“Beckett thinks you’re still angry with him for the comments he made the last time he saw you,” Carys mentions as she leans against a wall while I lift the cover off the keyboard.
“Lee said once he was very intense. She was right,” I remark without giving much away.
Carys chuckles. “That’s one way of putting it. He can be a very good friend.”
Sitting down, I stare thoughtfully out the window. “He’s waiting for something. Is it really that he needs me to be all right?”
Startled, Carys jumps. “How can you tell?”
I press middle C, the sound echoing beautifully in the room. “He’s pushing, over and over. He’s trying to take the weight of the world off my shoulders, but of course, he can’t. I’m just not certain if I’m overreacting and that’s his personality or if it’s something more.”
Carys moves forward and leans on the baby grand. “You’re very astute, Lee.”
My lips curve in a faint smile, the first one I’ve shared with someone other than with Kane. “So I’ve been told.”
“And you don’t push. I’m not used to that in this business.”
I don’t mention I likely could figure out what’s wrong with Beckett Miller in a matter of minutes if I cared enough to try. Instead, I shrug before I begin playing a catchy tune Lee and I learned very early on.
Carys laughs when she recognizes “Heart and Soul.” “But much like your sister, you have a wicked sense of humor. Beckett is antsy about something personal, but much like you, he won’t say much about it. I hope you’ll let him make amends.”
“Of course.” Her eyebrows wing upward. I switch to Chopin before confiding the obvious. “I only hold grudges when my family is harmed.”
She offers me a sad smile and turns to go. I stop my playing and call out, “Carys?” It’s time to ask her for something critical.
“Yes?”
“Our trust was originally written so we left everything to each other. I need to update it. Would you help me?” Before she can say anything, I rush out, “You’re the only one I can ask.”
She steps forward. “I’m an entertainment lawyer, Lee.”
My head drops. “Right.” I let my fingers resume playing.
She stays them. “But I know someone who can help. If I remove the names, he’ll look it over without questions. He’ll just assume it’s one of my premier clients. So, yes, I can help, but you’re not going to need it for a long while. Take your time thinking about who you want to leave everything to. There’s a lot at stake between the company and your sister’s assets.” Carys is careful not to disclose which sister’s company and whose assets as we’re out in public.
My thank-you is heartfelt. But something is prodding me to get this done. I’ve kept my promise to Kane and haven’t hacked into anything, but I’ve brushed by my past haunts hunting for information. I’m on edge. Maybe it’s due to the number of messages forQ?zapopping up, but I’m worried about the amount of time I have before something happens.
Then again, perhaps now that I’m “gone,” it could be something as simple as someone assumed my former moniker.
Right. And I believe in Santa Claus again.
