Chapter 11 #2
She’d been a little scared at first of the private security specialist as he’d called himself.
Asher was tall and his shoulders and arms were thickly muscled, and he had a hard look to his face that said he’d seen things…
possibly done things that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
When he’d held out his hand and introduced himself, the ghosts left his eyes for a brief moment, and he smiled and told her she would be safe with him. And she believed him.
Before they’d left the house, Asher had already made arrangements to fix the broken window, and he’d taken Kara’s new cell phone, adding his phone number and Angelo’s to a special swipe screen on the front for even faster calling.
There was something reassuring to know that she could call either of them immediately. She hoped she would never have to use that feature.
Asher drove them to Magnificent Mile, or Michigan Avenue, which was a stretch of road that went from the river to Oak Street.
It was famous for its incredible shopping.
Her eyes widened as they passed several large expensive looking department stores.
She swallowed down a wave of panic. She couldn’t afford a Kleenex box from one of these stores, let alone clothing.
Tell him. You have to tell you can’t afford this.
“Angelo, I don’t think—” she started as he opened the car door when they pulled up to the curb.
He held her gaze and reached out to brush her fingers with his.
“Today is just about having fun, okay? If you see something you want, don’t worry about what it costs.” Angelo helped her down and kept hold of her hand as he led her to the first big department store.
Three women around Kara’s age were clustered together in the lobby and spotting Angelo, they all called out.
“Angelo!”
Kara clutched at Angelo’s arm a little more than she should have as he led her toward the group of women. She recognized one of the women from the night she’d taken Angelo to the hospital.
“Ladies, this is Kara.” Angelo put an arm around her, briefly giving her shoulders a squeeze before he let her go.
“Kara, this is Shana Pimms, an attorney. She’s dating Roarke. You might remember meeting her at the hospital.”
“Hi Kara,” Shana brushed her gorgeous blonde hair back over her shoulders before she held out a hand to Kara. She was a statuesque beauty with kind eyes that Kara definitely remembered. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“This is Felicity,” Angelo said as he pointed woman with dark auburn hair. “She’s a museum curator.” Felicity smiled warmly at her, and it was easy for Kara to see what made Jared fall in love with her.
“I love museums,” Kara confessed. “But I’ve never had the chance to visit that many.”
“You have a free VIP tour from me anytime,” Felicity offered.
“Thank you!” Kara hoped she’d be able to take her up on that offer.
“Now you know why she’s Jared’s better half.” Angelo’s words had Felicity chuckling.
“And this is Veronica.” Angelo gestured to a petite dark-haired woman. “She owns and runs a coffee shop called the Chi-Bean. She is Thad’s fiancée.”
“You’re the one that he took to Disney?” Kara asked.
On the drive to the shopping district Angelo had mentioned that Thad had taken Veronica to Disney to propose to her with the help of Veronica’s 4-year-old daughter, Lyra. They’d flown back early after learning of Angelo’s accident, but they’d still had some time to celebrate their new engagement.
“Yes.” Veronica lifted up her hand to show her engagement ring and all the women gathered around to see it. Kara admired the beautiful diamond set into the gold band. Her own hand felt oddly… empty. Strange, she would feel that way, given that she and Angelo weren’t actually engaged.
“Congratulations,” Kara said to Veronica who was still blushing from all the attention.
“Angelo, why don’t you and Asher wait in those chairs over there while we girls take Kara to shop.” Shana pointed to a pair of large, comfortable armchairs. “We’ll be going in and out of the dressing room just over here.”
Angelo exchanged a look with Asher who had just walked up to them after parking the car.
Asher nodded. “That should be fine. No one should leave the area without telling me,” he instructed Kara and the others.
“We won’t. Everything we need is in this part of the department store.”
Angelo leaned into speak to Shana, and Kara turned to look around at the huge racks of clothing surrounding her.
It might be fun to try a few things on, if she just pretended it was like dressing up as a kid.
She’d done that once with one of her mother’s nice dresses and a pair of heels.
It was the only time Kara had a chance to pretend she was normal.
“Alright, this way. We’re on a mission, ladies,” Shana announced and took Kara’s hand to guide her to one of the casual clothing sections. Once they were out of range of the men’s hearing, but still in sight, the women circled around Kara and started bombarding her with questions about Angelo.
“Hold on,” Kara held up a hand. “One a time. Please.”
Shana cleared her throat. “We… um… know about your situation.”
“Does everyone know?” Kara ground out. “Angelo can’t keep anything a secret. What’s the point of fake engagement if everyone knows it’s fake?” She almost groaned.
“Don’t blame Angelo,” Felicity interjected. “Roarke, Jared and Thad told us, not Angelo. We needed to know what was going on. That being said, what we want to know is… are you and Angelo… you know… like really together or—”
“No, it’s just a cover story,” Kara replied. “I only said I was his fiancée when the ambulance wasn’t going to let me accompany him to the hospital. It was stupid of me, and I didn’t think it through until Angelo’s family were all suddenly around me, hugging me in the waiting room and…”
“I would have done the same thing,” Veronica said and placed a hand on Kara’s forearm.
Shana stepped a little closer to Kara. “Even if it is just a story…that doesn’t explain how Angelo looks at you.”
“What?” Kara asked. “We don’t have any feelings, we just…
” She couldn’t tell these women who were all so in love with their men that she’d just had casual sex with Angelo the night before.
They’d jump to too many conclusions and they’d be wrong.
There was nothing between her and Angelo. There couldn’t be.
She felt like she’d be letting them down if she said she and Angelo were only having a casual sexual relationship.
Of course… last night had meant something to her, but she just didn’t dare let herself really feel the truth of that.
It was better to bury it so when she had to leave him, she could do it with less pain.
“No feelings? You better tell him that because it looks like he’s really into you,” Felicity added.
“It’s only an act,” Kara lied. At least it was a lie for her.
“It’s all an act… until one day it isn’t,” Shana said softly. “You might find you are in love at the end of this.”
It was hard to picture a future where she wasn’t being chased. She knew in theory that a day might come when she wouldn’t have to run, but her programming was so deep now that she wasn’t sure she’d even recognize when it was safe to stop… to stay in one place and just live.
“Please… I don’t want to talk about it,” Kara said, her tone held a note of pleading that she hated but the others respected her request.
“Okay, let’s get you some new clothes.” Shana said. “I was told you needed a bathing suit, some good fun casual clothes, a bunch of shoes and anything else you wanted.”
“A bathing suit? It’s winter…”
Shana winked at her. “Angelo mentioned something about giving you swimming lessons at Thad’s hotel?”
“Oh… right.” She’d completely forgotten that. “Shana, I can’t afford any of that—”
Shana laughed softly and held up a black credit card. “You’re not, honey. Angelo’s paying.”
“Wait, that’s his?” She could clearly see his name on the card.
“Yep, he slipped it to me with clear instructions on what you needed.”
“Shana, I can’t take his money,” Kara protested. She felt like she’d already taken too much from him.
“You’re not. I am,” She smiled. “I’m just shopping for you.”
“Don’t argue with a lawyer, Kara, you lose every time,” Felicity chuckled as if she had personal experience, probably with her lawyer husband.
“Come with me, Kara,” Veronica motioned for Kara to follow her through the maze of expensive clothing racks.
“Wait…” Shana suddenly grinned. “Are we all going to that party at Thad’s hotel in a few days? That big fundraiser thing?”
“Oh my God!” Felicity clapped her hands in glee. “Kara will need an evening gown.”
“Wait, what party?” Kara asked faintly. This was all beginning to make her feel a bit dizzy. She couldn’t go to some big public party. That was a terrible idea, a dangerous one.
“It’s a huge fundraiser gala for literacy efforts across America.
Thad and his father are hosting it at the Golden Circle Hotel which has one of the most beautiful art deco ballrooms in the city,” Felicity explained.
“Angelo’s restaurant will cater the dinner service.
They’ll have dancing and an art auction. ”
“I don’t think I should go—” Kara’s protests were drowned out as she was dragged in the direction of the evening gowns that shimmered and glittered in dozens of colors and styles.
“She looks overwhelmed,” Asher said. “Given her background, I’d say this is not something she’s ever done before.”
Angelo’s gaze was fixed on Kara and he had to agree with Asher’s observation.
“She hasn’t. She had only two or three days’ worth of clothes.” His stomach still knotted every time he thought about how little she had.
Kara’s face was pale and her look a little dazed. She was definitely overwhelmed, but maybe that was what she needed. To get out of her own head for a few hours, forget her past, the danger and just be a normal person for as long as Angelo could make it last.