Chapter 23
PLAY HER GAME
Nelson opened the door of the office building that his brother owned, then made his way to the elevator to get to the top floor.
Kenzie’s first day of work.
The bouncing of her knee next to him on the subway hadn’t given it away. Not even two outfit changes this morning before he told her they were going to be late. They weren’t, but he didn’t need her stressing anymore.
It wasn’t even her hand gripping his during the ride over. It was the terrified look in her eyes when they entered the lobby.
Eyes wide and searching for him in the crowd of people making their way in, mouth open, hand gripping his shirt as if she was afraid to lose him.
He moved her to the side before the elevator. “Are you going to be okay? We can go home.”
“No,” she said. “I’ll be fine. I feel like such a baby. I just didn’t expect to be like Alice in Wonderland. Salt Lake City isn’t small.”
“No, but Manhattan is eight times the population. I get it. I remember the first time I came here too, but I was a kid.”
The bright lights, the loud noises, the action.
He loved it.
Craved to be in the center of it.
Knew all along what he wanted to do and where he had to be.
He grew up in the past few years and he wasn’t going to blow his chance at something big. He wasn’t going to let others tell him that he only got it because of who his brother was either.
“Kids accept things easier,” she said.
“I guess. Once we are in the office it will be different. I’m sure Lily and Abby told you they felt the same way. They weren’t used to this. Abby still doesn’t like it. That’s why she’s not here often.”
“It definitely takes getting used to,” she said. “I’ll be good. We shouldn’t be late.”
“I was only joking. I didn’t want you to stress this morning. We aren’t really on a time schedule.”
He went to take a step forward, but she pulled him back. “Nelson. I don’t want anyone to know about our relationship. Please.”
He hated her words but expected them just the same. It’s not like either of them had their wedding bands on. “For now.”
It wasn’t the moment to argue, or to reveal how deeply her words stabbed at him or how much it hurt to hear she didn’t want to be tied to him.
He couldn’t take it to heart no matter how much he was.
They moved back toward the elevator and rode it in silence. If she didn’t want to be linked to him it was best not to talk where others could see them.
They got out on the top floor with a few others. Those who knew him and said hi. He held the door for everyone, even Kenzie, then lifted an eyebrow at her.
He could play her game. “Do you know where you’re going or do you need help?”
“I think I know,” she said.
“Hi, Nelson,” Mary said at the front desk. “How can I help you?” Mary was looking at Kenzie.
“I’m McKenzie Raye. I’m supposed to meet with HR to fill out paperwork for a law clerk position.”
“Oh yes. I’m Mary Longwell. I can call back to HR now and let them know you’re here if you want to take a seat.”
Nelson was going to offer to take her down but didn’t want to have it seem odd.
He nodded his head to his wife, pretended he’d just met her on the elevator, and walked toward his office.
Not a big one like Braylon’s. Never one the size of West’s.
This was barely more than a cubicle that had an actual door to shut him in for privacy.
Considering he wasn’t here much, and when he was, he was only on calls or his computer, he didn’t need much more space. Any meeting, he’d sign out another room for it.
He glanced up when there was a knock on his doorframe.
“Hey,” Braylon said. “Ke—”
He put his hand up to stop his brother and nodded for the door to shut. Braylon did and moved in. “She doesn’t want anyone to know her relationship to me or the family.”
“I know,” Braylon said. “Lily told me.”
“When?”
“This morning. Kenzie and she and Abby have been talking. Laken is out now for a few months and she wouldn’t say anything anyway.”
Nelson didn’t like that his sisters-in-law knew before he did his wife didn’t want to be linked to him.
“Then why did you start to say her name?”
“I wasn’t. I started to say keep it quiet, but Laken thinks she’s in labor.”
“Oh. Shit. Should we all be there?”
“It could be a while. West sent the jet to get Mom. She wants to be here. I’m sure she’ll make it. Laken isn’t even at the hospital yet, just feeling contractions.”
“Okay, hopefully it’s fast for her,” he said.
“How was Kenzie this morning?”
“Nervous. She’s feeling more out of place than I thought she would.”
“Get used to it,” Braylon said. “You’re going to have to make allowances for things if you want her here.”
“I do,” he said. “A lot. I want this to work.”
“I can see that. We all can. Are you falling for her?”
“I don’t need a lecture,” he said.
“No lecture. I asked a question. If you think you’re the only one who has felt this way, you’re nuts. Maybe you did the marriage first, but that doesn’t mean it’s any different from what the rest of us went through.”
“It feels it,” he said. “And that everyone is judging my actions.”
Braylon laughed. “We’ve been judging your actions since the day you were born. That’s not anything new. No one is judging Kenzie, if that is what you’re worried about.”
“I don’t want her to leave because she feels as if she’s not accepted.”
“You’re the one not seeing things,” Braylon argued. “My wife loved her. Abby did too. I have heard nothing negative other than your character traits and people giving Kenzie advice.”
He snorted. “I heard some too.”
“That should tell you how much everyone is trying in the family.”
“I appreciate it too,” he said.
He was happy how accepting his family was rather than being skeptical to start. The whole innocent until given a reason to be guilty. They’d always been that way because everyone was guarded. It just proved they trusted him enough to bring her in and they were leaning on his word.
“As you should,” Braylon said. “Get out of your head. You’re only going to cause more problems if you can’t.”
He watched Braylon leave his office and got to work.
Two hours in, and all he could think about was Kenzie. The urge to find her right now was a weight pressing down on his chest, blurring everything else and making it impossible to focus.
He pushed back from his chair and went to the cafeteria to get something to drink.
It was on another floor, but he didn’t care. He just needed to clear his head and kill some time. It was going to be a long day at this rate.
“Hey, Nelson.”
“Hi, Sydney. How are you doing?”
“Better now that you’re in the office. It’s always nice to see the Carlisle men.”
He laughed. Sydney worked in HR. Just great. That was all he needed his wife to hear.
“You see Braylon and West all the time,” he said.
“I hardly see West,” Sydney said. “Or Braylon. Besides, they are taken and with their wives here, you have to be careful what is said even in jest.”
So was he. Did he say that?
He turned his head when Kenzie moved down the hall. “Sorry,” Kenzie said to Sydney. “I got lost down the wrong hallway going to the bathroom.”
“No worries,” Sydney said. “It takes some getting used to. I was just waiting for the elevator and talking to Nelson. Kenzie Raye, this is Nelson Carlisle. Another one of the Carlisle brothers.”
He watched his wife’s face flush some. “Nice to meet you,” he said, putting his hand out for her to shake it.
She couldn’t very well deny it. Not after the way he was introduced.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she said.
“Kenzie is going to be working part time for Braylon as a law clerk while she gets ready for the bar. She’s from Utah and new to the area. I’m showing her around the building now.”
“Good luck,” he said.
“I heard Braylon is pretty easy to get along with,” she said.
Oh, she wanted to play that game, huh? “Of all of us, he’s pretty chill. Not as much fun as me, but you know, not everyone can get so lucky to spend time in my presence.”
Sydney cleared her throat. “HR here. Watch what you say to not scare the newbies away. Nelson is just joking. He always does. Don’t take anything he says seriously.”
Guess he put his foot in his mouth there. Funny though, considering that Sydney was all but flirting with him.
Or was it just his character that he did it to everyone and thought they were doing it back?