Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
Put like that she was right. They’d been in a corner and there had only been one way out. Her twin was pragmatic, but Kenzie could own up to her mistakes. “I should have stayed and talked to him. I could have made my way back. He would have taken care of me.”
“We don’t know that,” Kala replied. “I saw him. He was pissed.”
What he’d been was emotional. They’d genuinely thought they were dying and then they weren’t and he was faced with the fact that the woman he’d clung to in what he believed were his last moments of life had been lying to him the whole time. Would she have forgiven him instantly? Probably, but she was pretty sure Ben hadn’t grown up on rom coms and epic romances that played out in front of him.
“He was rightfully upset.” Tasha allowed Devi to adjust the cuff of her sleeve. Her eldest sister had handled the whole day with beauty and grace, but that was Tash. She would never be in this position. Well, not exactly this position. She’d lied to Dare but not for as long, and it wasn’t like she’d had a secret twin who pretended to be her some of the time.
“We’re spies,” Kala argued. “It wasn’t like he walked up and told us who he was.”
Lou sent her a look.
Kala sighed. “I get it, but I also don’t. Apparently that doesn’t mean anything and I am supposed to be supportive. But I can’t not point out the fact that Ben showed up without a call and suddenly everything is okay except he’s bad at hiding his true feelings because I watch him when he’s watching you.”
“He looks like he wants to eat her up,” Devi pointed out as she stepped back, obviously happy with her work.
“He also looks like a dude who’s trying something, if you know what I mean,” Kala said.
“No one knows what you mean, sweetie.” Her mom walked in, stopping to stare at Tash for a moment. She’d been crying off and on all day, but her mom cried pretty, offering her emotions to her family without reserve. “You look beautiful.”
“She does.” Aunt Chelsea was with her. “She’s so beautiful, and Dare looked amazing. I’m so happy for you, sweetie.” She moved in, hugging Tasha before she stepped back. “You’re going to have a fabulous time in Loa Mali.” She moved over to stand next to Kala. “You know this is what you could have had.”
Kala had gotten married in a small ceremony that had come together in three weeks, unlike the year it had taken to put together Tasha’s extravaganza. “I could have had weeks of sitting around picking flowers and having Devi poke me with needles only for it to all culminate in a bunch of people watching me? Pass.”
Aunt Chelsea sighed. “Put like that, I would pass, too. So are we warning Kenzie that the hot Canadian is probably here for revenge and possibly working with the enemy?”
“He is not.” No matter what reason he was here, he wasn’t working with Huisman. “I know that asshole tried to put the idea in everyone’s head, but he’s not. Ben would never help Manny.”
“I know you think you know him,” Chelsea began.
“Dare knows him,” Tasha added. “Dare’s known him for a long time and he believes in Ben.”
“He thinks Ben’s come here for purely nice purposes?” Her mother’s question held a bit of challenge.
Tasha’s lips pursed. “He thinks Ben needs time to come to terms with things. Unfortunately, he’s not going to get much.”
“He’s had weeks,” Kala pointed out. “Weeks where he ignored her. He never called. He showed up, and I know it was romantic and shit, but it’s also convenient since we’ve got all the data unlocked now. The meeting is tomorrow. We knew CSIS was sending someone. We didn’t know who. One would think Ben could give us a heads up.”
“Or he wanted to surprise her,” Lou suggested, always the optimist. “What if he’s been thinking all this time and he needed to see how she would react. Without preparation. Now he knows that she’ll leap into his arms. I’m honestly surprised he didn’t propose tonight.”
Kenzie held a hand up. “Oh, we’re not there, and I would not allow that to happen at my sister’s wedding.”
But it would happen. She hoped it would happen. Maybe in Europe. She would say yes. She would make that leap because when she’d known she was going to die the only thing she wanted was a few more minutes with him. They were meant to be, but she couldn’t force that on him.
“Kenz, I love you. I know you’ve been waiting for this guy for a long time, but he’s damaged. Like seriously damaged,” Kala said.
Chelsea cleared her throat.
Kala shrugged. “Yeah, I know. Super damaged, and guess what, Aunt? Like knows like. Ben is in a bad place. He’s wrapped in guilt over what happened to his high school girlfriend. He’s pretty much lost everything to Manny Huisman. Even the car accident where Deanna Fisher died affected him physically. He was being scouted by major league teams for his pitching skill. After that accident, he didn’t play again. He finished up his degree, joined CSIS, and started working on taking down Huisman.”