Page 19 of Silent Partner (Pine Falls 3)

I added a spritz of hairspray to my beach wave curls and called it good. I could honestly not care less how anyone thought I looked tonight.

I sauntered toward the kitchen, dragging my feet as much as possible, to get Gemma’s gift and the unicorn cake I had made for her. I had to say, I wasn’t going to feel bad at all now about giving Gemma the musical instrument set, complete with recorder and tambourine. Dani deserved the noise after setting me up with Tristan. I had to think of something to get Whitney that would annoy Ariana for the part she had played in introducing me to the Brit.

I had to give myself props for how cute the cake had turned out. I especially loved the swirls of pastel flowers that made up the mane. At least I was good at something.

I was about to carefully lift the boxed-up cake when my phone buzzed. I reached into my bag, figuring Dani needed me to grab something for her on my way up to Carrington Cove. That was a mistake.

Happy birthday, love. Slapped me in the face.

Why in the world would Tristan text me that? Why would he text me at all? Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry. I waved a hand in front of my face, trying to stave off the tears. Oscar rubbed against my leg as if he knew I needed him.

I stared down at him. “Tell me not to text him back,” I begged, feeling so alone and unsure. I was almost wishing Tristan wanted me back and that he was missing me.

Oscar meowed just as I was about to give in and respond.

I let out a deep breath. Phew. That was a close call. “Good boy. You’re right; he doesn’t deserve a response, and I deserve better.” I threw the phone in my bag, feeling as if I had passed my first test. I was going to get it right this time and stay away from men. That’s right, I planned on scoring an A-plus.

~*~

I pulled up to Dani and Brock’s big, beautiful house located in The Bluffs, one of the poshest neighborhoods in Carrington Cove. My old Honda Civic felt ashamed of itself sitting in front of all the grandeur. It didn’t help one bit when he pulled up behind me in his flashy, expensive sports car. What were the odds? I’d thought by coming early enough to help, this wouldn’t happen. I had a plan, and this wasn’t it. I froze, not knowing what to do. Just wait until he went in? Or hustle and ignore him as I walked by? I hated Tristan even more now. It was so much easier to deal with him when I was with someone else.

I decided to hustle. My logic was that he had already seen my car, which meant he would know I was waiting him out if I stayed, and that would mean I still felt something for him. Or maybe I was overthinking this and he never even thought about me. Of course he didn’t. He was probably thinking about Stars Wars right now, or the football game that would be on tomorrow. Regardless, I was hustling.

I jumped out of the car and nonchalantly ran around the front of it to the passenger seat to get the cake I had painstakingly made sure hadn’t move an inch during the car ride. All while doing my best not to look toward you-know-who. As I was reaching into the car to get the cake and gift bag, I heard his car door shut and the sound of footsteps on the pavement, then the sidewalk. The footsteps were getting closer, not farther away.

Please no.

“Hello. Do you need some help?” he asked in his melodic baritone voice.

“Um, no. Nope. Thank you,” I responded about ten octaves too high. Were there even ten octaves? I didn’t know, but I went above and beyond them. I thought that he would leave, but I could feel that he hadn’t moved an inch. Worse, I could feel him. He left me no choice but to come out of hiding with cake and gift in hand. I stood and smiled at him. You know, a friendly you-don’t-affect-me-at-all sort of smile. Meanwhile, my eyes were taking him in. He was dressed impeccably as always, in charcoal dress pants that showed off how trim his waist was. And his light-blue button-up made his dazzling blue eyes pop.

“Hi,” I said, way too breathily.

He stared silently, as if he had been stunned.

His gaze made me nervous, so I stood there saying nothing and biting my lip. Finally, he shook his head and blinked a few times and then did something he shouldn’t have done.

“Kinsley,” he said so evocatively I could feel it in my soul. It was just the way I remembered it.

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