Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
What?
A fresh start?
Or maybe a graceful ending?
Neither of those felt right.
And Smith was the one who had urged her not to label this. Not when it felt so impossibly fragile.
Like her no wallowing rule, it was good advice and he should probably stick to it.
Tina raised a speculative brow when Smith and Kenny walked into her home together later that afternoon. Thankfully, she did not immediately comment on the unexpected development.
Kenny had no doubt that there would be questions later, but for now the other woman’s tact felt like a reprieve.
“Smith, you can join Harris and Greyson in the kitchen,” Tina said.
She waved a hand toward where the Chapman brothers were both lounging around on bar stools next to the marbled island that divided the dining and living areas of the large open-plan space from the kitchen.
“Go and make yourself useful,” Tina continued, before taking hold of Kenny’s hand and leading her in the opposite direction. “Kenny, would you like a drink? Libby and I are watching a Love Island marathon. Sundays are the only days we get to catch up. We’re so busy the rest of the week.”
Kenny found herself shepherded to the big, beautifully furnished living area. More of Tina’s favorite cozy cottage/shabby chic decor. Pale blues and creams lent the room a relaxing freshness that Kenny found appealing.
The house was situated on the mountain slope overlooking town, and the living room boasted three massive floor-to-ceiling paneled sliding doors that showcased the magnificent panoramic view of Riversend and the ocean beyond it. The doors opened up to the outside entertainment area, with a turquoise infinity pool closed off by glass fencing which kept the children and dog safe, but didn’t impede the view.
“Your house is lovely,” Kenny told Tina, as the other woman steered her toward where Libby was seated.
The living space was was full of baby paraphernalia and clutter.
The twins were happily babbling in a play pen in a corner of the room, and Clara and Piper—Libby’s little girls—appeared to be having a tea party at a tiny plastic table with several stuffed toys and a scruffy little dog in attendance. All three sat on tiny chairs and wore tutus.
Libby was on the comfortable-looking, overstuffed blue sofa, dotted with tiny white floral sprigs.
“Hey, Kenny,” she greeted with a friendly smile.
“Libby,” Kenny greeted a little conservatively, hating how she could feel herself retreating back behind her shield, just because she wasn’t very familiar with the other woman.
Libby Chapman was an ethereally beautiful, mixed-race woman, of about thirty, the same age as Kenny. The woman had lovely gold-hued brown skin, wavy black hair and light brown eyes. “How are you?”
Libby propped her elbow onto the arm of the sofa and dropped her cheek into her palm.
“Knackered,” the woman confessed. “I only worked half a day yesterday, but it was exhausting. Saturday afternoons can get a little nuts. I don’t know why on earth I chose this hellish profession. It’s making me old before my time.”
“Bullshit,” Tina scoffed with a dismissive laugh. “You live for the crazy.”
She handed Libby and Kenny each a glass of white wine.
“Have a seat, Kenny,” she invited, dropping into a massive, wingback easy chair and curling her bare feet under her bum.
Kenny—for lack of anything better to do—sank down on the opposite end of the sofa.
“Don’t believe a word she says, Kenny!” Tina said. “I’ve never seen a woman thrive on chaos as well as Libby. And the busier we get, the calmer she is.”
“My idea of chaos can’t possibly compare to Kenny’s,” Libby dismissed. “I imagine the life of a surgeon in a public hospital must be quite frenetic.”
Kenny took a thirsty sip from the generous amount of chardonnay Tina had given her and shook her head.
“The bulk of my time is divided between patient consultations and admin, actually. I have an amazing team of professors, surgeons, and students who do a lot of the heavy lifting, while I serve in a supervisory capacity.”
“Aren’t you a little young to be the head of an entire department?” Libby asked.
“Aren’t you a little young to be the head chef of a popular restaurant?” she threw back at the other woman.
Libby laughed appreciatively and tipped her glass toward Kenna.
“Touche.”
Kenna smiled, finally relaxing, and took another sip of wine before answering Libby’s question. “I’m younger than most of the other department heads, yes.”
It was an understatement. It was almost unheard of for a thirty-year-old woman to hold the position Kenny did. A lot of her peers fully believed it was because her father had bought the position for her.
Kenny didn’t really care what they thought of her. She had worked her butt off to be where she was now.
The night she’d met Smith had been the first time in years she’d even felt a stirring of sexual interest in anyone. That fierce driving need had felt like an awakening, and had completely blindsided her.