Page 12 of Waiting Forever
“Thank you.” She gives him a warm grin and reaches to take her suitcase from my grasp.
I walk past her before she can touch the handle. “Not a chance.”
“Why? I can roll my own luggage.”
“Yeah, but if I let you have it, you might take off and then what would I do?”
She rolls her eyes and keeps up with my faster pace. “Are your orders to watch over me so strict you’re worried, or are you afraid our dads will give you shit?”
I laugh. “Both.”
“Hmph!” She walks faster, passing me, and says over her shoulder, “Well, don’t worry. I don’t plan on interfering with your life. When we get to your house, I’ll stay out of your way and release you from any burden of watching over me. I’m a grown woman who can take care of myself, even against two—” She stops mid-sentence and turns forward in an even bigger hurry to get away.
My steps slow, my brain locked on her final words—even against two. Two what? Guys? Men? Girls? Two what?
I run after her to where she disappeared around the corner.
Thankfully, she hasn’t gone farther than the elevators that lead up to the parking garage. Construction panels and cones separate the area into one section. A crowd of six wait in front of the only working elevator, with Kensington standing behind them.
I stop beside her side. So badly, I want to ask why she stopped talking, what was she about to say, and why won’t she fucking tell me. But that would push her further away. The once-young girl who followed me around is now running from me. Someone hurt her. Possibly two people. And if I ever find out who they are, I’ll beat them with my bare hands until they can’t see, walk, or talk. I’ll break both their arms and do it with a smile on my face. If my instincts are right and two guys did something to her, I imagine her father would feel the same way. Hell, my dad would, too. So why is she here, and why did her dad leave the US to open a new branch in the UK?
So many questions.
The elevator arrives and the crowd crams inside. As soon as the doors close, I press the Call button and we wait again.
Kensington focuses on everything but me. Her arms are crossed protectively over her chest. Such a defensive posture from a girl who used to embrace her fears with open arms.
I’m calling my dad when we get back. I’ll make him tell me the truth, or else I’ll threaten to send her home. That should get him talking, although I have zero intention of sending her back. And zero intention of letting her out of my sight. It messes up my plans to move downtown, and Harper won’t like I’m putting Kensington’s needs before hers. But neither of those things can stop me. Kensington was in my life long before Harper. She’s family.
My nose wrinkles with disgust. I have to stop thinking about her like that. She’s far from blood-related family and far from a cousin to me.
Shit. I run a hand down my face. This is messed up.
“What’s wrong?” Kensi’s attention is on me now. “You only do that when you’re stressed.” She gestures to the hand I ran down my face a moment ago.
I stare at her. Damn, the girl pays attention.“It’s nothing.”
She raises her brows, her message clear. She doesn’t believe me.
“I have a lot on my mind. Work and…” I take a deep breath, not wanting to say Harper’s name, but knowing I need to bring her up.
“And?” Kensi inches toward me, her posture softer, her voice filled with concern.
For me. Always for me. Some things haven’t changed and, man, it hits me deep. How genuine she is. How caring. She’s like her mother in that way.
“Nathan?” She moves even closer, her arms unfolding from their guarded position across her chest. “Tell me. Maybe I can help.” Her lips curl with a slight smile.
It lights up her face and eyes, reminding me the young girl I grew up with is still in there. She’s just older, wiser, and hurt in a way I can’t yet understand.
The last thing I want to do is bring Harper into this moment, even if it makes me a traitor to my girlfriend. I’ll mention her later. Right now, Kensington is opening up to me in the smallest way—not like she used to, but I don’t want her closing up again.
She frowns and steps back. “I hope it’s not me being here. I don’t want to cause problems.”
“It’s not you. Okay?” I stare directly into her eyes. “It could never be you. You’re…important.”
6
Kensington
