Kismet: A Serendipity Novella (12 page)

Annie smiled. “Thanks. But I think my ex
will always be around to handle things,” she said through lightly
clenched jaw.

“That could be a good thing,” Kelly mused,
“having someone at your beck and call when you need something.

“Not when you’ve told them you want to be
independent,” Annie muttered. The frustration in the other woman’s
voice was something Kelly understood.

Like Annie, Kelly didn’t need or want a man
who felt the need to take care of her. She was determined to be
smart and self-sufficient, the opposite of her mother in every way.
No matter how many obstacles life threw in her way. And
unfortunately, there were more to come. Utter humiliation loomed in
the not-so-distant future courtesy of a man she’d once loved. The
affair was long over. The fallout was not. Kelly could handle the
mess. Her younger sister could not. And Kelly did not want Tess
exposed to gossip and innuendo just as the teenager was doing well
and making better choices. Kelly only hoped the distance between
Manhattan and Serendipity would spare Tess when trouble hit.

“Men just don’t get us women, do they?”
Annie asked, a welcome interruption from Kelly’s troubling
thoughts.

Kelly shook her head and sighed. “No, they
do not.”

“Firsthand experience?” Annie asked.

“Unfortunately, yes.” Kelly frowned, the
memory of spending the last year getting over having her heart and
trust betrayed, still fresh.

“I’m sorry.” Annie blew out a long breath.
“I don’t know about yours but my ex means well. He just takes the
word ‘responsibility’ to the extreme.”

Kelly swallowed hard. “And my ex-boyfriend
took the word ‘commitment’ way too lightly.”

“Excuse me,” an older man said, indicating
he needed to get to the counter so he could pour milk into his
coffee.

“Sorry.” Kelly stepped out of the way and
with Annie, walked toward the exit.

“So how about I call you at my father’s
office later today and we’ll exchange phone numbers and make lunch
plans?” Annie asked.

Kelly nodded. “Sure. That’s fine.”

They parted ways and Kelly headed toward
Richard’s office in the center of town. The buildings stretched
along the road, stores on the main level, small apartments above,
like hers over Joe’s Bar. The small town appealed to her coming
from the overcrowded city with tall buildings and too many
people.

Using her key, Kelly walked into the office
of the man she credited for helping to save her sister and her
family. “Richard?” she called out.

No answer.

The small office was empty. Obviously she’d
beat him here which was unusual. Richard was an
early-to-the-office, late-getting-home kind of man, though his wife
had been trying to get him to work fewer hours, maybe take in a
partner to lighten his load.

Kelly settled in to her desk in a small room
with a window that she appreciated. She already knew which case she
had to work on and what she needed to do today, but she pulled out
her calendar anyway. As part of her work routine and a way to make
sure she never forgot an assignment, Kelly glanced at today’s date
and the list she’d made on Friday before leaving work for the
weekend.

Seven
P.M
.
— parent-teacher
conference for Tess.

Which she was attending with Dare since
Ethan was away. Better Dare than the other Barron brother. The one
she’d deliberately put out of her mind since the kiss on
Saturday.

And what a kiss it had been.

Kelly prided herself on her poker face but
she still wasn’t sure she’d pulled off being nonchalant after Tess
interrupted them. Her sister had sulked all the way home but hadn’t
mentioned what she’d seen, nor had she brought it up the next day.
If Tess wasn’t going discuss it, neither was Kelly.

And considering she hadn’t heard a word from
Nash, neither was he. Which bothered her. A lot.

Sure, she’d been a little tipsy and a lot
aggressive, but she’d felt his body heat and obvious reaction
firsthand. He’d obviously liked the kiss, but he’d been hard to
read afterward.

She told herself she shouldn’t care what
Nash thought or felt. She’d learned from her mother’s choices and
her own past not to rely on anyone but herself. So though she might
be attracted to Nash, his feelings on the subject didn’t matter.
Even if he was equally interested, a brief affair would be
disastrous because it would hurt Tess. And short term was all Kelly
would let herself believe in from now on.

* * * * * *

Carly Phillips is the
New York
Times
Bestselling author of over 30 romance novels with
contemporary characters and plotlines that today’s readers identify
with and enjoy. Carly is a stay at home mom of 2 daughters (now
almost old enough to read her books!), one soft coated wheaten
terrier and a brand new Havanese puppy. She’s a Twitter and
Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers.
More information on Carly can be found at
www.carlyphillips.com
.
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