Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 139088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
He put his mug down and was all ears.
“I want you to find out everything you can about a woman named Cynthia Chambers,” I requested. “I don’t have much to give you, outside the fact she’s Knox’s mother, she used to live in Tucson, and she currently drives a BMW.”
I figured the Nightingale team looked into Knox before they hired him, and because they were who they were, and Knox’s family was what it was, that vetting would be thorough.
But that was then.
Her surprise showing up in Phoenix, knowing to stay out of camera range at the Oasis and driving a Beemer, this was now.
Sure, Gypsy could have given her the heads-up about the cameras.
Or, perhaps, not.
“Leave it with me,” Byron replied.
I blinked. “Seriously?”
“Sure.”
“That easy?”
“I have a project deadline today, but even so, I’ll have a full briefing on her by tomorrow morning.”
That seemed fast.
Like, faster than Arthur fast.
“I don’t want to get you in trouble with your, erm…employers.”
“Luna, I have programs that run in the background that do all the work for me. I’ll just put her name in, go back and refine the search so I know it’s digging into who we want it to dig into, and done. And it will barely interfere with what I have to do today.”
“Well…cool.”
He smiled.
My phone buzzed in my apron.
I got up and grabbed the spent mug on the table.
But before leaving, I said, “Thank you.”
“No probs,” he replied.
“No. I mean, yeah. About the search. But also about making my sister feel like a woman, a desired one, not just a mom with three kids hanging on her. Being interested in her, what she does, who she is. And for buying a two-hundred-dollar bottle of champagne on your date and making her feel special.”
Byron stared up at me.
“You guys don’t get how little it takes. Be decent. Be interested. Listen. Care. Boom. You win,” I concluded.
“Uh…” Byron said.
My phone buzzed in my apron again.
“You don’t have to reply. And no pressure. I’m rooting for you guys, but shit happens. Unless you stop doing any of those things I mentioned, you’ll still be my friend Byron.”
“Thanks, Luna,” he said quietly.
I smiled at him and walked the mug to the busser tub while pulling out my phone.
It was a group text from Zach.
And when I pulled it up, I saw the group was humungous.
MANDATORY WEDDING COMMITTEE MEETING!!!!! Tonight, courtyard, 8:00. No excuses for absences will be accepted. We’re in countdown mode, people!
I stared at my phone.
Raye came up to me. “Zach’s text?”
I nodded to her.
“I got it too,” she said.
“When did we get on the wedding committee?” I asked.
“The guys are going to get the rental stuff and they’ll set it up. You and me are helping Patsy with the flowers. Willow and Shanti are setting up the cake and acting as point people for the caterers. Jessie and Harlow are responsible for handling the bar. Joey and Gemma are bride and bridesmaid runners.”
She was set to keep speaking, but I cut her off saying, “I know all of that. And I know my assignment. What I didn’t know was that I was on a committee because I know my assignment, therefore I wasn’t aware I had to sit at a committee meeting to confirm I know my assignment.”
“Maybe Alexis needs to know everyone is on the ball,” Raye suggested.
That I could do.
“Gotcha.”
She took off.
My phone buzzed again, and since it was in my hand, I looked down at it.
It was from Mom.
Sunday family lunch! Can you make it?
Hmm.
I went out of her text and into my string with Knox.
Mom wants a Sunday family lunch. You cool to come out to them about us on Sunday?
I had some food up, so I took it to its table and got a text while doing it.
After I laid it down, I went behind the bar and read Knox’s reply.
Absolutely.
I smiled and texted Mom, I’m bringing Knox. Is that okay?
To which she replied, Of course, sweetie!
Then came, How’s he doing?
Much better. That was me.
I’m SO glad! That was Mom.
I know you’re helping with the cleanup of the wedding, so lunch around 2:00 or 3:00. Okay? Also Mom.
Sounds good. Me.
Love you, my sugar pack of goodness!!!!! Totes Mom.
Okay, maybe she was beginning to reach a bit when it came to her endearments.
I smiled, dropped a heart on her last text and sent one to Dream.
Heads up. Knox and I are coming out at the Sunday lunch with M&D.
Not long later, my phone buzzed to tell me Dream had dropped a thumbs up on it.
Not long after that, I got another text from Knox.
How did I get on a wedding committee?
I busted out laughing.
I sent him a shrug emoji. I followed that up with a kiss emoji (the one that was just the lips). And I followed that with, We don’t have any choice. We’re going.