Chapter 5
Kennedy
“Monique’s not joining us?” my sister-in-law, Riley, asks as we’re shown to our table at the American-style restaurant.
“No, she’s having lunch with her mom at the gallery today.”
Once the hostess leaves us after distributing the menus, Riley asks, “What’s good here? I’m starving.”
“The salmon burger isn’t too bad. The waffle fries are why I eat here at least once a week.” That and this restaurant is only a few doors down from work.
“I’ve never been here be—” Riley’s cut off by her ringing phone. When a familiar smile crosses her lips, I already know who it is.
I grin. “Tell my twin I said to get a life,” I mutter as I look over the menu.
“Hey, you,” she answers in a ridiculously sweet tone.
The love Riley has for my brother is apparent. I might be reluctant as hell on the whole love thing for myself, but I don’t begrudge my brother or his wife for what they share.
“I told you who I’m with for lunch today.”
I suck my teeth.
“Tomorrow. We’ll have lunch together tomorrow,” Riley continues.
She pauses, listening to whatever his response is.
“Don’t start with that,” she admonishes. “I’m not coming to work for Townsend Industries.” There’s another pause. “Yes, even if it would mean we’d have lunch together daily.”
She lets out an exasperated sigh.
“I have to go. Your sister looks like she’s getting restless.”
I laugh. “I am,” I say loud enough for Kyle to hear me.
Riley puts the phone on speaker. “Love you, sis.”
“Love you, too. Now, hang up.”
He chuckles before Riley hangs up.
“He’s exhausting. I don’t know how you deal with him.”
“He’s not that bad,” she defends.
“Please tell that to someone who didn’t share a womb with him. My brother, and all of the men in my family, for that matter, can be exhausting as hell.”
“And loving and kind and—”
“Possessive as fu—”
“As what?” a third voice interrupts.
My smile is instantaneous when I look up into the brown eyes that belong to my mother.
“Mommy.” I’m on my feet and wrapping her in my arms before I can get the word out.
“Hey, baby.” Those two words always provide a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“Hi, Patience,” Riley greets, hugging my mom as well.
“Sorry I’m late,” Mom apologizes. “The scholarship applications for next year have started rolling in, which means I’m swamped with paperwork.”
Riley waves her explanation off. “You’re right on time. We haven’t even ordered yet.”
As if on cue, the waitress appears to take our orders.
“The salmon burger sounds good, but I think I’ll skip the fish this time around,” Riley says. “I’ll go with the veggie burger.”
My mom and I put in our orders as well.
“Now, what were you saying when I came in?” My mom looks directly at me. Her sparkling brown eyes that mirror my own never leave my face.
I meet her smile, admiring the shoulder-length sisterlocks she started growing again a few years back. Aside from a few gray hairs that pepper her strands, I doubt anyone would guess she’s much older than forty, let alone in her early fifties.
I grin knowing I won at the genetic lottery. I take after my mom in the looks department. Aside from the freckles that trace the bridge of my nose and cheeks. Those are the Townsend genes kicking in.
It’s funny how my dad and all of my uncles have freckles, but they skipped my brothers and landed on me and my younger sister, Stasi.
“Nothing,” I reply.
“Your daughter was calling my poor, defenseless husband names,” Riley interjects.
I snort. “Helpless my foot. That man acts like he can’t go without talking to you for a few hours. Reminds me so much of—”
My mother’s phone rings.
“Don’t tell me …” I mumble. The look on my mother’s face says it all, though.
“Hey, I thought you had a meeting,” she answers. A pause, and then she lets out a laugh. “I can’t cancel on our daughters.” Another pause. “It’s rude.”
I look over at Riley, wondering if she noticed how my mother included her in the our daughters comment.
The small smile that crests on her face tells me she did.
“No, I can’t come to your office after lunch.” My mom rolls her eyes. “Because I have a job, too.”
I shake my head. My father is no doubt trying to convince my mom to blow off the rest of her workday and spend it in his office. He doesn’t even want her for anything. He just likes … no, loves having her around.
“I’m hanging up now. You have a meeting, and I’m having lunch with Ken and Riley.” She looks like she’s going to hang up but then stops.
He’s working overtime to convince her to visit his office.
I hold out my hand. My mom blinks and then grins. “Someone wants to speak with you.”
“Hi, Daddy,” I say, pressing her phone to my ear. “I’m fine, thank you for asking,” I tell even though he hasn’t asked yet. “And thank you for trying to get Mom to blow off lunch with us. Not rude at all.”
He chuckles into the phone. A sound I doubt many other people have even heard.
“For the record, I told her to have you all over for dinner instead.”
“That does make me feel better, but I’d have to turn down that invite. I have a ton of work to do that’ll probably keep me at the office late. Maybe this weekend. Now, can I have lunch with Mom and my sister-in-law in peace, please?”
He lets out a long, suffering sigh. “If you must.” He acts like he doesn’t live with the woman.
“So kind of you. Love you, Daddy.”
“Love you, baby girl. And don’t work too hard,” he orders.
“You’re one to talk.”
“I work hard so my family doesn’t have to.”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to,” I tell him for the thousandth time.
“Just don’t overdo it. Come over this weekend for dinner.”
“I’ll try.”
His voice turns hard. “That wasn’t a request.”
I roll my eyes skyward. “See you this weekend, Daddy.”
I hand the phone back to my mom. “After all of these years, I don’t know how you do it. I think he’s getting worse.” I frown and then look at Riley.
“You’re in the same boat with my twin.”
Her smile widens despite the grim expression.
“It can be a little overwhelming at times,” Riley admits, “but it’s out of love.” She shrugs. “You’ll understand when you fall in love. Right, Patience?”
“Oh no.” I shake my head adamantly, cutting in before my mom can answer. “That’s not my fate. Besides, I don’t have time for love.”
My mom and Riley exchange a look.
“Don’t do that.” I narrow my gaze on both of them.
Our waitress brings our food to our table. I pause as she sets the plates in front of each of us. With my fork, I gesture toward my mom and then to Riley.
“Love is not in the cards in my near future.” I keep the frown from appearing on my face. I’ve dated, but at twenty-seven, I only had two serious boyfriends. The last one lived out of state and never met my family.
He dumped me about a year into our relationship.
“Besides, this story I’m working on now consumes enough of my time.”
My mom leans into the table. “Can you tell us about it?”
She knows I can’t give too many details about the stories I work on until the articles come out.
“I can’t name names, but I’m looking into the death of an employee of a well-known businessman.”
“Here in Williamsport?” Riley asks.
“The death occurred here, but he’s not based in Williamsport full time. He has a few chains in the city, though. That’s all I can say.”
“Be careful,” my mom insists. “I don’t like hearing you investigating anything involving deaths.”
I tell my mom not to worry, but she holds up a hand.
“I know, I know. You’ll be careful. You didn’t mention the word murder or intentional death, but if there’s an investigation involving someone dying, I’m going to assume the worst. And as your mother, I’m telling you to be careful.”
She frowns, and a wrinkle appears between her eyebrows. “Promise me,” she insists.
“I promise.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her not to worry too much. This is my job; at twenty-seven, I’m still a newbie. I have to work hard to prove myself. To earn my position.
Luckily, I know how to get answers without putting myself in too much danger.
I finish lunch with my mom and Riley, then return to my office.
“Kennedy,” Blake Madison, the vice president of The Regal media, greets as the elevator doors open.
My eyes bulge because seeing him casually taking the main elevator is rare. “Mr. Madison,” I reply. “How are you?” This is only the second time I’ve spoken to him.
The first was on my first day at The Regal when I was shown around the offices.
“How’s it going? I hear you’re working hard?” He smiles.
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
He waves me off. “You don’t have to be so formal. Blake is fine.”
I start to frown but quickly school my features. He seems extremely friendly. That doubt at the back of my mind roars, and I wonder, not for the first time, if someone in my family knows Blake Madison, and that’s how I got this job.
As much as I can’t stand Ardie, his words from our recent meeting conjure up my insecurities. My career is the one thing that I want to have earned all on my own.
“Keep up the good work,” Blake says as he exits the elevator a few floors below mine.
“I will.”
I shake off the odd feelings and ride the next few floors to my office. As soon as I enter the receptionist’s line of sight, her eyes widen.
“Kennedy, you have a delivery.”
Frowning, I wait at her desk. “Do you know who it’s from?”
She shakes her head. “I had the delivery guy leave it on your desk.”
I head to my desk, and before I’m halfway through the spacious open office, which contains about twenty different desks, I spot the large bouquet of lavender and white flowers.
“I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”
I glance over my shoulder and notice Kelsey eyeing the flowers.
“I’ve been waiting for you to return from lunch so you can tell me all about it.”
I take my seat. “I’m not dating anyone.”
“Who are the flowers from?”
“Good question,” I mumble as I search out the card.
My forehead wrinkles from what’s inside.
“Who’s it from?” Kels asks.
I read the short note but still don’t get an answer to her question.
“Doesn’t say,” I reply.
“What does the card say?”
“If you want answers, meet me at 7 p.m.” I hold up the front side of the card to show her there isn’t more to the description. But there is something written on the back.
“My car will pick you up at 6:45 from your home.”
“Wow,” Kelsey responds when I read that part out loud. She looks at me with wide eyes in awe. “Are you sure you’re not dating anyone? This is a little …” she looks at the flowers, the card, and then at me, “romantic. Isn’t lavender your favorite color?”
I nod, swallowing at the coincidence. Lavender is my favorite color and scent.
“Whoever it is didn’t even leave a name,” I say.
Only one person comes to mind when I wonder who it could be. “This has nothing to do with romance.”
She whistles low. “Well, if it’s for work, this person has gone out of their way to get to you.” She smirks. “Are you going to go?”
“No,” I reply adamantly.
Her eyes bulge. “Why not?”
“Because I’m busy. I have an investigation that needs all of my attention. Whoever sent this note,” I hold it up between us, “is playing games that I don’t have time for.”
Why else wouldn’t they leave their name?
I know the answer to that question without having to think too long or hard. And I know who these flowers are from.
Dae Kim.
As I stare at the flowers, questions arise in me. What answers is he willing to give? Can I trust his answers?
Decision made, I shake my head.
“I’m not going.”