Inked by an Angel (22 page)

Kyle listened to Kierstan’s giggling through the thin barrier that separated her office from Blaine’s and wondered what had happened to her life. It was like some kind of backward déjà vu-alternate universe-Twilight-Zone place now.

Smack!
Had someone just been spanked? More giggling. She wanted to bury her head. She tried to focus on the numbers in front of her, but it was useless with all the laughing and smacking and general sounds of kissy-face going on next door.

They were hot and heavy at it for a while longer before the door to Blaine’s office finally opened and Kierstan stepped out into the hall. She walked by adjusting her blouse, which was surprisingly demure for her.

Kierstan paused by her doorway and peeked inside. She knocked gently. “Hi. Got a minute?”

Kyle put her pencil down and pasted on a smile. After all, Kierstan had been on her best behavior these past few weeks. “Sure. Come in.”

Kierstan stepped inside and Kyle noticed the small love bite on her neck. “Blaine tells me you’re doing a fantastic job here.”

Kyle tilted her head. “Really? You talk business?”

Kierstan smiled and sat. “Sometimes.”

“Well, thank you. I try.”

“Kyle, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for how I treated you when you were at Gentry’s.” She dipped her head. “I wasn’t fair to you.”

“It’s fine—”

“Wait, let me finish,” Kierstan interrupted. “I shouldn’t have been such a bitch.” She bit her lip like she was holding back an embarrassing admission. “I was jealous.”

Kyle chin dropped in amazement. How could this stunning creature ever be jealous of her? “But why? What could I possibly have that you don’t?”

Kierstan’s crossed leg began to pump. “Are you serious?”

Kyle held up a palm. “I have no clue.”

“You had the only thing I wanted at the time.” She raised a pierced brow. “Jed?”

“Jed? But . . .” The hole in her heart that had begun to scab ripped open to bleed once again. “I think you misunderstood, Kierstan. I never had him.”

“Of course you did.” She leaned in. “But I have to ask, what happened?”

Kyle studied her face. They weren’t friends. But something in her eyes told her she’d understand. “Well, let’s just say he found me in a compromising position with my ex-fiancé.” That seemed the easiest explanation.

Kierstan sat back. “Are you involved with your ex again?”

Kyle wrinkled her nose. “No! It’s nothing like that.” Unable to help herself, she told her what happened. “But he wouldn’t stop long enough to let me explain any of it.”

Kierstan nodded. “Jed can be pig-headed like that.”

“Well, either way, it’s over with.”

“Do you love him?”

That wasn’t the first time she’d been asked that very same question. And the answer was still the same. Perhaps even more resolute.

“Yes. Very much.”

“And you told him, didn’t you?”

She nodded.

Kierstan nibbled the inside of her cheek and then stood to close the office door. She sat back down. “Kyle, I think it might help if I explain something to you.”

Kyle’s stomach dropped. She knew whatever Kierstan had to say wasn’t going to be good.

Kierstan took a wavering breath. “I’m not proud of this now, but I wronged Jed in the worst possible way.”

The tension in the air was thick. “You don’t have to tell me this. Jed told me you had an affair and about the 60-40 split. It’s not my business, really.” Kierstan nodded, seeming somewhat relieved. “All that’s true. But that’s not the worst of it. But I guess it’s his story to tell.” She stood to go. “Just trust me when I tell you that I burned him and I don’t blame him for being careful with his heart.” When she got to the door, she turned with tears brimming in her eyes. “Like I said, I’m not proud. But just ask him about Sam. It’ll help you understand Jed better if nothing else.”

Kyle nodded once as Kierstan disappeared out the door.
Sam?
Was that the man she’d had an affair with? Why would he make all the difference? Maybe they had been best friends or something. But as she remembered the raging expression on Jed’s face as he left her there in the parking lot of her condo, she wondered why any of this would matter in the grand scheme of things. She put her head down on her desk and fought back a fresh wave of self-pity.

Her phone rang and shook her out of her self-induced pity party. “Accounting, this is Kyle,” she answered in monotone with her head still on the desk.

“Hey, girl!” came Bethany’s chipper reply.

Kyle sat up. “Hi, Bethany. How are you?” It was nice to hear a friendly voice.

“Good.” She heard the grin in her voice. “Great.”

“Why? What’s up?”

“In a minute. First I want to know how you’re doing. Are you doing any better with, you know?” She kindly left out Jed’s name, though the pain was the same.

“It’s fine, really. I’m great now that I’m outta that place,” Kyle lied. “But I want to know what’s going so wonderful for you. Let me live vicariously.” She couldn’t help but smile.

“Well, I got moved to the bigger classroom that I wanted,” she started, “and the bakery is going to be featuring my personal recipe carrot cake on the menu, because it’s
fabulous
—
”

“I’ve no doubt, but get to the good stuff, Bethany.”

“Steve asked me and Cody to move in with him. He said he wants to take care of us.”

Kyle’s heart turned green with envy.
Shame on you, heart!
“That’s great! What did you say?”

“I said ‘no.’”

“No?”

Bethany took a breath. “No. I had to stick to my guns. It was hard, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think it’s a good example to set for Cody. So I told him we couldn’t move in together until we’re married.”

Kyle’s jaw dropped.
Married?
Where in the world had that come from? “Excuse me, but did you propose to the man?”

Bethany giggled. “I didn’t mean to, but I guess I did.”

“What did he say? What happened?”

“Well, we had to use the little bit of sign language that I do know and then I had to speak
very
slowly and
very
clearly so that he could be sure I was saying what he thought I was saying,”—she giggled again—“and then we hurried up and put Cody to bed so he could make love to me for the first time. Have you ever made love with a deaf man before, Kyle?”

Kyle was having a hard time absorbing everything that was happening to her today. “Uh, no .”

“Well, let me just tell you, because he can’t hear, of course, he makes some pretty interesting sounds and says some very intriguing things. It is”—she sighed—“sexier than I would’ve ever imagined.”

TMI. “So I guess that was a ‘yes?’”

“We’re going to wait a little while to get married, but it was most definitely a yes.”

“Then I am so happy for you both.”

“Me, too.” She sighed. “Me, too.”

Kyle hung up determined to really be happy for her friend. So what if neither Charles or Jed was her guy? Her ‘Steve’ would come around one of these days.

She pushed her glasses up and tucked some loose hair behind her ear before deciding she’d best get back to work. Idly, her hand brushed her ponytail. She ran her fingers through the long, silky length and thought about what Toni had said. Could she cut it off? She’d worn it like this since high school. But why?

Before she could change her mind, she dug out the card for DaVonna’s Hair Salon and dialed the number. She made an appointment for that afternoon right after work and hung up with butterflies in her stomach. But she knew she could do it. The time for old things had past and she was ushering in the new.

She sat up in her chair like a tin soldier and prepared to get back to work. On her screen an Internet ad came up for a travel site. Her finger hovered over the mouse to delete it like she’d done a hundred times before, but something made her stop. They were running a special to the Caribbean. She glanced around her empty office. Nobody was there to see her. She clicked the link, feeling like a little girl wishing for that elusive toy in the shop window.

“Wow,” she murmured as she surfed the website.

The destinations were endless. The prices were reasonable. She moved on from the Caribbean to the Orient. Australia to Europe. Until she landed on her Mecca.

With her hand shaking, she clicked the tab for Rome. “What’s wrong with me? It’s not like I’m really going.”

Why not?
the little voice in the back of her head screamed.

Could she do it? She tallied the remnants of her savings account, calculated her current salary against her expenditures, and then wondered if she was absolutely nuts. When could she even get the time off of work? She’d just started this job. But she couldn’t draw her eyes away from the screen. It was like living water to her soul; Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica.

“Oh my,” she cried as she wondered what the Roman Colosseum would look like in person. Or the Pantheon. The Trevi Fountain.

Before she knew it, she was pricing flights and had picked the Visconti Palace hotel for its location near Vatican City. “Perfect,” she said to herself with a grin.

“What’s perfect?” Malachi asked from the doorway, making her jump.

“Oh!” She downsized her screen as she suddenly felt terribly guilty. What had she been thinking?

He entered and sat down across from her. “How’s everything going?”

“Good. Great, actually. I was able to finish up the numbers early for all of Derek’s territory already,” she said, referring to another of the sales reps. “And I’m nearly through with Blaine’s and Cassidy’s.”

He smiled showing his perfectly white partials. “That’s fantastic! You know, Kyle, I am not disappointed in your performance at all. Blaine found us a good one with you.”

She felt herself flush at the compliment. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.” It was so rewarding to feel competent and valued in this major undertaking away from the shadow of her father. It was something to tuck away and remember when her mother called to harangue her for not marrying Charles, not remaining at the firm, not, not, not, just not being the daughter she was
supposed
to be. But the one she was
destined
to be, all the same.

“I just wanted to tell you that all your hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.” He stood. “I’ll let you get back to it.”

She glanced back at her computer screen. Jed’s voice whispered in her ear telling her she should get out more often. The temptation was more than she could take. “Sir?”

“I’ve told you several times to call me Malachi. We’re not formal around here.”

She flushed. “Sorry. Malachi?”

He smiled. “Yes?”

“I was wondering . . .” She faltered. Would he be angry about this? She hadn’t worked there very long. Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound. “When the books close for the quarter, would it be too much trouble for me to take some time off for personal reasons? Unpaid, of course,” she hastened to add.

He tilted his head. “Isn’t that about six weeks from now?”

She bit her lip. “Yes, sir.” Time enough to arrange for a passport and hock her engagement ring.

“How long would you need off?”

Italy was so close she could taste the pasta. “I’m not sure. A week or two?”

He smiled again. “Going anywhere special?”

She swallowed and made the commitment. “Rome.”

His eyes widened. “Oh. Wow. How exciting! I don’t see why we can’t spare you for a little while. But you’ll need at least three weeks off for that kind of trip. Just remind me, okay?”

“Sure. Thank you.”

He turned and left her office as a cross between relief and sweet jubilation rushed through her. “Hallelujah!”

Kyle stepped out of DaVonna’s Hair Salon feeling like a new woman. Her previously mousy brown hair sat in sassy layers about her face with golden-blond highlights streaked throughout. She’d nearly cried when DaVonna cut off several inches until it sat at the base of her neck, but she’d gone in knowing she’d have to bite the bullet if she wanted a change. And that’s exactly what she’d done. And she couldn’t be more pleased with the results. No more ponytails for her!

As she settled into her Prius, her cell phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and her heart began to pound. The display read
Gentry’s
.

For one futile moment she debated whether to answer, but she knew she was being immature. She flipped open the phone. “Hello?”

“Miz O’Neill?”

“Michael!” It was so nice to hear his voice. She’d really missed the big guy. “How are you?”

“Good. How about you? How’s the new job?”

She buckled her seatbelt. “It’s going really great. I’m happy.” She thought about her upcoming trip. She was happier than she’d been in weeks.

“That’s good news. We’re all happy for you.” But it didn’t sound like he meant it. “So, listen, Miz Watson, our new accountant here, is having troubles finding some of the files you left. You think you could talk to her?”

Her brows furrowed. What could she be having trouble with? “Sure. Put her on.”

The phone shuffled before a woman’s voice came on. “Hello?”

“Hi. You’re having issues finding some of my old files?”

“Yes. Most of it’s in perfect order, but I can’t seem to locate the older things. Michael says it would’ve been from when you first started? Specifically his accounts payables from approximately six to nine months ago. I’m just double-checking and getting our final tax forms in order.”

Kyle thought a moment.
Ah, yes
. When Michael was being his most uncooperative and she’d had to resort to drastic measures. “Okay. I can tell you exactly where to find them, but it’s going to sound crazy.”