Chapter 16
“Why are you still up, Kaylee?”I glanced at the clock that had just ticked to midnight.
“You said to call.”
“I was expecting a call sometime tomorrow.” I’d texted her earlier, before my trip to Boston.
“But I’m busy tomorrow.”
I swiped to the robotics agenda in my email, and it wasn’t packed. But I left that detail out.
Leaning back against the headboard, I said, “You planned it, didn’t you?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
I rolled my eyes. “Your dating app. You asked me to test out Heartstrings.”
“I asked a bunch of people.”
I could almost hear her smile on the other end.
“Are you trying to set me up with your sister?”
“How’s the chat going?” She giggled, excitement filling her voice.
I knew it!“I could twist your arm for this.”
“That’d be considered child abuse, and I’d have to report you to the authorities. But Vivian would have already gotten to you first.” She paused. “Just as a warning, the police will be kinder to you.”
Christ.
She sounded so serious. “You know I’m joking, right?”
She laughed. “You know I’m joking too, right?”
I couldn’t help but smile.“How old are you again?”
“Thirteen going on thirty. That’s what Viv always says.”
Kaylee would be a force to be reckoned with when she got older.“You’re not spying on our conversation, are you?”
“No!”
I had already blocked that ability. She was creating the app that was being supported by my server. So I had access to everything. A team of people was dedicated to teaching and helping young kids amplify their talents. But kids often did unimaginable things, so this program had to be monitored closely. I’d been more involved in Whiz Kidz until the recent months when my concentration had gone to The Trogyn and the fucking asshole who stole my wine.
“Good, because I’d delete the entire app.”
“You can’t do that!”
“I certainly can. You’re doing this through Whiz Kidz, which is my business, remember?”
“But I created it.”
“Yes, you did. Creating a cool app and ensuring it works properly demands responsibility, Kaylee. Didn’t you listen to the instructor about personal and social responsibilities?”
“I did, and don’t worry,” she said. “Besides, I don’t care what two adults talk about. Probably boringshit.”
“Language.”
“Stop! You sound like Viv! She doesn’t like it when I swear. You cusssometimes when you’re talking to your team.”
Shaking my head, I said, “I’m an adult,so I can do whatever I want.”
“So responsible.”
I smiled at her annoyed emphasis. “How did you know Tulip and Bullseye would get along?”
“I didn’t. But Viv is single, and so are you. You saidyou like this dentist, so I assumed you have a thing for dentists. My sister is smart and beautiful. So . . . do you like her?”
Kid, I’m obsessed with her.
But I wasn’t going to share that. Who knew how she would twist it?
“I do.”
“Then ask her out! Duh! She needs a break. All she does is work and look for Aimee. I don’t even know if she’s still alive.” She sighed. “But I don’t have the heart to share that with Viv.”
I could imagine the pressure and fear around Vivian.
“I didn’t know the two of you would connect on Heartstrings. The details on your profile probably connected to something on hers. I created both of your profiles and added things I knew about you. Did you change anything?”
I’d included fishing in my details, and she also enjoyed fishing. Maybe that was what linked us together.
I didn’t want to keep her on the phone any longer. It was getting late. “Next time, I want you to tell me what you’re planning, okay?”
“Okay. Can you keep this between us?” she asked.
“Why?”
“Viv would be angry with me for manipulating stuff.”
“All right. You owe me one.”
“Okay,” she said. “But I deserve a reward too.”
“For what?”
“For connecting you to the woman of your dreams!”
She laughed. “Good night!”
She hung up, leaving me shaking my head at the truth in her statement.
My phone buzzed, and three reminders popped onto my screen: wine campaign, WaterFyre Rising, and Ormon’s reopening.
I had to review the international wine campaign for my Bambooze Series. Even if CheckMate Black and CheckMate Red didn’t win the final round, I’d be part of the top tier and could use that in my promotions.
I had to sit down and think about what I wanted to do for Level Five of WaterFyre Rising. The feedback from my friends had been glowing, but there was something the game needed that I couldn’t understand yet.
I had to attend a banquet at Ormon’s Restaurant this Friday. The renovation wrapped up only a few days ago. It was a popular Italian restaurant chain owned by Kenneth Ormon, my ex’s father. I’d dated Sylvia for a few months until she hinted at a ring and marriage, which forced me to end things quickly. I wasn’t ready to be attached like that. Despite the ending of our relationship, she suggested her father stock my wine in all of his restaurants. Though I’d rather be working on my to-do list, I had to attend the reopening of his restaurant to show my appreciation.