Chapter 15 Kari
FIFTEEN
KARI
The sun was shining through the windows and my spirits were high.
As soon as Max left for the office, I got a surge of energy.
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep, I jumped in the shower and then into some yoga pants and a sweatshirt.
I slipped on my running shoes and headed into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and my keys.
As I started to open the door to the refrigerator, I saw a new sticky note on the front, covering the ‘unsure’ one I had posted there.
Definite—certain or sure about something.
I giggled and scribbled on a new note and posted it.
Happy—fortunate or convenient
I jumped in the car and went to Target. I put my earbuds in and bopped around the store. I grabbed the essentials, but also made sure to pick up Max’s favorites: Solo cups, Dove dark chocolate pieces, sugar for his tea, and Cheddar Sour Cream potato chips.
I made my way through the book section and grabbed a couple of paperbacks and a really cute picture to hang in the kitchen that said “Kiss the Cook”.
I couldn’t help but feel giddy. As much as I didn’t know if moving in and taking that next step with Max was the right decision logically, it felt right.
Nothing had ever felt more right, actually.
I just needed to keep my cool and remember the proverbial lines in the sand.
I couldn’t get too used to living together.
I needed to be prepared for the moment I’d have to leave, keep that little bit of my heart held back.
I loaded up my car and jetted home. I purchased everything to make him chicken and noodles for dinner. I was pretty sure I could do it without Fern’s instructions.
I rounded the corner towards the house and saw a car parked in the driveway. The car was vaguely familiar but I couldn’t place it. Confused, I pulled in beside it and walked to the front door, my phone in my hand.
Surely a thief or murderer doesn’t pull in the driveway at noon, right?
I turned the door handle and it popped right open. I unlocked my phone and walked in and looked around nervously. I heard a noise from the top of the stairs and looked up to see someone coming out of our bedroom. I screamed and walked backwards as the figure came into view.
“Kari! It’s me!” A set of blonde curls came bouncing down the staircase.
Samantha.
I pressed my hand to my chest, feeling my heart beating spastically.
What’s she doing in my house?
I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. “What are you doing here?”
“Hi,” she said, smiling widely, “Max sent me over here to get a spec book.”
“Why didn’t he call me?”
“He said you’d be here, but you weren’t, so I came on in.” She batted her eyelashes. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Yeah, well, I kind of do. Why were you in my bedroom?”
“I was looking for Max’s office.”
“You haven’t been here before to know it’s right there?” I pointed to the door on the other side of the living room. I leaned against the wall, my nerves on high alert. Since Jada was attacked at Cane’s house a year or so before, I was a little edgier than I normally was.
She laughed it off. “It’s been awhile since I was here. Look, the book is on the chair in his office. Do you wanna get it or do you want me to?”
“You’ve already been through my house, so why don’t you do the honors?” I bit out, having a hard time staying calm.
“Kari, I’m sorry. I was just trying to help Max. He’s had a surprising day with Lucy being back and everything.”
“Lucy’s back?”
“Yeah,” she smiled coyly.
“So what are you doing?”
She grinned and walked towards Max’s office. “I’ve been reassigned to Max’s personal secretary.”
There was something about the way she said it, the way she flaunted herself as she walked through my house that set me off. I started to rip into her when her phone went off.
“Hey, Max,” she said in a singsong voice as she entered his office.
I followed her, my blood boiling hot. “I have my hands on it now and I’m on my way back.
” She looked up at me, her eyes gleaming.
She let out a giggle, “Of course I will. Whatever you need.” She held the phone to her ear, her eyes never leaving mine.
“Yeah, I’ll grab us some lunch and I’ll be back to the office in twenty.
See ya soon.” She pursed her ruby red lips together, “No worries. And you’re welcome. ”
She clicked her phone off and walked by me, a trail of fruity-scented perfume in her wake.
I felt the incredible urge to rip her eyes out.
Although I told myself a million times over that I couldn’t get head-over-heels in love with Max, her little show just told me that I was a fool for thinking I already wasn’t.
“Hey, Samantha,” I called out. “It would behoove you to not come into our house again without someone being here.”
She tossed her hair over her shoulder and laughed, turning to look at me. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You don’t just break into someone’s house!”
She dangled a set of keys off a well-manicured finger. “I have a set of keys, Kari. It’s not like I picked a lock.” The look on my face registered on hers and she backed down. “But I see your point and I’m sorry. I’ll make sure I call next time.”
“You do that.”
She nodded, cast me a final smile, and walked out. I heard her car start and back down the driveway.
I sat on the couch, pulled out my phone, and dialed Max. My hands were shaking as I held the phone to my ear, my blood gushing past my eardrums. He answered on the second ring.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hey. Does Sam have a key to your house?” I cut right to the chase, needing an answer sooner rather than later.
“No. Why would I give her a key to our house?” he asked, obviously a little taken aback by my brusqueness. “And it’s our house, by the way.”
“I don’t know why you’d give her a key to your house, but I came home from the grocery store a few minutes ago and she was walking out of our bedroom.”
I heard his chair squeak. “What? Why? What are you talking about?”
“That’s what I want to know. I walk in and she’s walking out of the bedroom like she owns the place. She said you sent her here for a spec book.”
“I did. But she was supposed to have you get it for her.” He sounded as confused as I felt, his voice lacking its usual control. “How’d she even get in?”
“I don’t know, but I’m not okay with it Max. She has a key—she showed it to me and that’s not cool on any level. I’m not living in a place where another woman has a key! It just …gah!” I covered my eyes with my hand, my temples throbbing. I was furious and embarrassed and confused.
“Sweetheart, calm down. I’m not okay with this at all, either. I’m just as confused as you, but you can bet your ass I’ll figure it out.”
I sighed. “You need to get a handle on her. I understand your friendship with her, even though it goes against everything my womanly instincts say. But I draw the line. Your personal secretary is crossing the Rubicon.”
He groaned. “Lucy came back unexpectedly. Things are a mess back here and I could use the help. Sam’s good at entering data and that shit takes up half of my day.”
“Bring it home and I’ll do it for you,” I said through clenched teeth. “I’m sure her skirt today violated the office dress code, too. And if it doesn’t, I need to talk to Cane about revising it.”
“You’re letting this spiral, Kar, workin’ yourself into a frenzy. You don’t have to talk to Cane about anything. Just relax—you’re overreacting.”
“I better be.” I paused, feeling the fight start to wane.
I could hear in Max’s voice that he was telling the truth, but seeing her in my house had tapped into insecurities that were deep-seated.
“I don’t like feeling this way, like there are no boundaries all of a sudden with her.
Now that I’ve moved in, I...” I cleared my throat, feeling it constrict.
My voice came out a whisper, “Seeing her in here makes me feel...”
“Vulnerable?” Max asked, his voice tender.
“Yeah,” I whispered back. “I won’t compete with anyone, Max.”
He chuckled through the phone. “Compete with someone? Hell, sweetheart. No one can get close to competing with you.”