by Sandi Lynn
“I will. Thanks, Steven.”
Chapter 7
Kinsley
Everything was happening so fast that I didn’t have time to think about anything else, and for that, I was grateful. Excitement overtook me because I had an appointment after work to look at a furnished apartment that was for rent in Santa Monica right across from the water. The monthly rent wasn’t listed, and from what I could tell by the pictures online, it looked nice. When I asked Mrs. Graham how much she was charging, she told me to come look at the apartment first and then we’d discuss the rent, which I found a little odd. I prayed that I liked it as much in person and it was in my price range, because all I wanted was a permanent place to call home.
I was sitting at my desk when Chase Calloway walked over.
“Hello there, Kinsley.” He grinned as he planted himself on the edge of the desk.
“Hi. Can I help you with something?”
“Oh, darling, you can help me with a lot of things.” His grin widened. “But, anyway, is he in there?” he asked as he pointed to the office door.
“No. He’s in a meeting right now.”
“Hmm. Okay. I’ll have to catch him later. I wanted to ask you if you would like to have dinner with me tonight. I would like to personally welcome you to Calloway Tech.”
My brow arched as I stared into his blue eyes.
“No thank you. I have plans.” I lightly smiled.
Chase cleared his throat as he stood up.
“Oh. Of course you do. A beautiful woman such as yourself certainly wouldn’t be sitting home all alone.” I caught him looking at my left hand. “I’m sure you and your boyfriend already have dinner plans.”
I knew exactly what he was trying to find out, and if I didn’t let him know that I was onto him, he’d probably think I was stupid.
“No.” I shook my head.
“No what?”
“My boyfriend and I don’t have dinner plans.”
“Well, then you must have other plans with him.”
“No.” I smirked.
“No, you don’t have any plans with him?”
“No. I have plans with myself. I don’t have a boyfriend, Mr. Calloway.”
“I see. Well, I can honestly say that I’m shocked. You’re too beautiful not to be seeing someone.”
“Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” The corners of his mouth curved up into a smile. “By the way, just call me Chase. Mr. Calloway reminds me too much of my father.” He sighed.
Just as Chase was about to say another word, his father walked up behind him and placed his hand on his shoulder.
“What are you doing, Chase?”
“Actually, Dad, I was looking for you.”
“I’m here, so come into my office,” he spoke.
“We’ll talk soon.” Chase winked as he followed his father inside his office and shut the door.
I let out a breath. He definitely was the sexiest man I’d ever laid eyes on. But, despite his six-foot-two stature, obviously fit body, short blond hair that sported a messy textured top like a piece of art, electrifying blue eyes, chiseled cheekbones, and a strong masculine jawline that held the perfect amount of stubble across it, I wasn’t interested. And even though he looked like he just stepped right out of a GQ magazine, I couldn’t be interested. Okay, I lied. I could be if I let myself. He was a freaking Adonis and incredibly sexy, but I hated men at the moment, and I didn’t need any distractions in my life, especially when I was starting over and reinventing myself. Plus, he was a playboy, a charmer, a seducer, a one-night kind of man who left a path of shattered hearts and souls wherever he went. That much I could tell.
Chase opened the door and walked out of his father’s office, giving me a wink and a smile as he passed by my desk.
“Kinsley, can you come in here, please, and shut the door?” Mr. Calloway asked.
“Yes, Mr. Calloway?”
“Have a seat please.” He motioned for me to sit down. “I know my son can come on pretty strong.”
“It’s fine, Mr. Calloway. I’m not bothered by it.”
“Listen, you seem like a really sweet girl and I don’t want to see you get hurt. So, it would be in your best interest to not entertain Chase.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t go out with him, and for god sakes, don’t sleep with him.”
I couldn’t help but let out a light laugh.
“I’m assuming he does this thing quite often.”
“More than you want to know.”
“Thank you for the warning, Mr. Calloway, but you don’t have to worry. I’m so anti-men, I didn’t even give your son a second look.”
“Oh. So, you’re a lesbian?”
“No. I’m not a lesbian.” I smiled. “Let’s just say that I moved here to reinvent myself and to start my life over. I’m not going to let any man distract me from that. I already made that mistake once and it will be a cold day in hell before I let it happen again.”
The corners of his mouth curved up in a cunning smile.
“I get the impression you’re a very independent and strong woman. Good for you. May I ask why you’re working for a temp agency?”
“I just moved here three days ago from Indiana. It was a kind of a spur of the moment move, and the agency called me quickly, so I had to take it for now.”
“Well, you have a good head on your shoulders, and I’m lucky the agency sent you over to Calloway Tech.”
“Thank you, Mr. Calloway.”
“You’re welcome, Kinsley. Can you please call the florist and send my fiancée, Penelope, a dozen red roses? We had a little argument this morning.” He smirked.
“Of course. I’ll do it now.” I smiled as I left his office.
Chapter 8
Kinsley
The work day finally ended, and I hopped into my car, typed the address to the apartment into my phone, and found my way to Santa Monica. As soon as I pulled into a parking space in front of the white buildings, an older woman, whom I presumed was Mrs. Graham, was standing on the sidewalk waiting for me.
“You must be Kinsley.” She smiled as she extended her hand.
“And you must be Mrs. Graham.” I smiled back as I lightly shook it.
“Follow me, dear, and I’ll show you the apartment.”
I was a little surprised when I arrived because I was under the impression it was a traditional apartment building. But it wasn’t. There were two house-styled buildings that stood next to one another, each building with black wrought iron stairs going up to the second level, and each apartment having their own private entrance. I followed her up the stairs to apartment 2A, where she unlocked the door and invited me to step inside. The living room was quite large with walls that were painted a light gray. Inside the space sat a dark gray sectional with a round glass coffee table in front of it, a matching glass end table on one side, and an entertainment center with a 55-inch television that sat on top. The kitchen was on the smaller side with white cabinets, black granite counter tops, and a small round table that sat four.
“So, Kinsley, where are you living now?” Mrs. Graham asked as we toured the bedroom.
“A motel.”
“Oh, dear.” She looked at me in confusion.
“I just moved to Los Angeles on Friday. It was an unexpected kind of move. I came out here to start my life over.”
“Are you running from someone or something?” she asked.
“Sort of. This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I would have been here a couple of years ago, but then I met my ex-boyfriend Henry.”
“Ah. So, you pushed it all aside for him.” She smiled.
“Pretty much. I went over to his apartment Friday morning to surprise him for his birthday and I found him in bed with my best friend, Krista.”
“Oh, dear. I’m so sorry.” She placed her hand on my arm.
I had no clue why I told Mrs. Graham something so pe
rsonal. Maybe it was because she reminded me of Mrs. Buckley and she was very easy to talk to.
“Thank you, but that was the push I needed to finally leave Indiana and move here. I’ve been saving every dime I’ve made since I was sixteen years old for this.”
“Are you looking for work?”
“I have a job. Today was my first day. I’m a temp for Dean Calloway at Calloway Tech. I’ll be working there for at least eight weeks. But I’m still looking for something permanent.”
“So what do you think about the apartment?” she asked.
“I love it. I think it’s absolutely perfect. How much for the rent?”
“What is your budget?” she asked.
“I really can only afford a thousand dollars a month until I start making more money.”
“What a coincidence.” She smiled. “That’s exactly what the rent is. But you are responsible for all utilities except water.”
“Are you serious? There’s no way this apartment is a thousand dollars a month.”
“It is for you, dear, and if you want it, it’s yours.”
“Mrs. Graham. I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much.”
“I’m very selective about whom I rent my apartments to. I’ve already turned down four people for this place because I felt they weren’t the right fit. But you, you’re the right fit. My husband passed away a couple of years ago and left me set for the rest of my life. So, I’m not worried about the money. You need a nice place to live and I have one available.” She smiled.
“Thank you.” I reached over and gave her a hug.
“You’re welcome. You can move in tomorrow or even tonight. I’ll just need you to sign the lease and the keys are yours. The kitchen is fully stocked with dishes, glasses, silverware, bakeware, and pots and pans. There are some cleaning products under the cabinet, but not many. The bathroom is fully stocked with towels and washcloths, and there are two sets of extra sheets in the linen closet. All you have to do is bring in your clothes.” She smiled.
After signing the lease, I drove to the motel, gathered all my things, and checked out. I wasn’t spending another night there when I had a beautiful apartment waiting for me. I dragged my suitcase up the steps, into my apartment, and straight to my room, where I began to hang my clothes in the closet. When I was finished, I walked over to the window and stared out at the ocean view from across the street. A sense of peace filled me. My new life had officially started. I had a car, a job, and a home.
I lay in the bubble-filled tub, taking in the relaxing scent of lavender as I unwound from the long day. For some reason, I was thinking about Chase Calloway, so I grabbed my phone and decided to google him.
“L.A.’s sexiest and most eligible bachelor?” I laughed. Of course he was.
I scrolled through the pictures of him at parties and bars surrounded by several women. Women who looked like prostitutes and strippers. Was I surprised? Not at all. Even though today was my first day, I saw the way women looked at him like a dog salivating at a piece of meat. Chase Calloway was simply nothing but a manwhore; a manwhore whom I would keep my distance from.
Chapter 9
Chase
The doorbell rang, and when I answered it, Lexi was standing there with her head cocked at me.
“Okay, Chase. What is so important that I had to run over here?” she asked as she stepped inside.
“I need to talk to you about something. Can I get you a glass of wine?”
“Sure,” she spoke as she set down her purse. “Why couldn’t you talk to me about it at the office? Traffic was a bitch getting here.”
“I couldn’t run the risk of someone overhearing us.”
I handed her the glass of wine, grabbed my scotch from the table, and had her follow me out to the patio.
“This sounds serious. Are you in trouble?” she asked with concern.
“No. This is about Kinsley.”
“Your dad’s temp?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“What about her?”
“She seems to not be affected by me.” I arched my brow.
Lexi let out a rip-roaring laugh.
“You mean she’s not falling to her knees to suck your dick like every other woman in the world?”
“That was uncalled for, Lexi. But yes, something like that. I asked her to go to dinner with me tonight so I could welcome her to Calloway Tech and she declined.”
Lexi placed her hand over her heart and widened her eyes.
“Oh my God. Someone actually said no to the great Chase Calloway?”
“I know, right? She said she had plans.”
“So what? Maybe she did.”
“Lexi.” I cocked my head. “Women cancel their plans to go out with me.”
“Maybe she’s a lesbian.” She shrugged.
“That is what I need you to find out.” I pointed at her.
“What?” She laughed.
“I need you to befriend her and find out if she’s into men or women or both.” My brow arched. “If she’s bisexual, then I’d still have a chance.”
“So, let me get this straight. You want me to become friends with her just so you can find out if she’s a lesbian?”
“Yes. As my secretary/personal assistant/sister-like friend, I’ve just assigned you a new task.”
“Come on, Chase. I’m not going to deceive the smart girl.” She smirked. “But I could get to know her as a friend. She seems really nice.”
“Excellent. I knew I could count on you.” I refilled her glass.
“Did you ever stop to consider that maybe she’s just not into you?”
“Impossible.” My brows furrowed.
She sighed as she rolled her eyes.
The next morning, as I was sitting at my desk, there was a light knock on the door.
“Come in.”
When I looked up, I saw Kinsley walk into my office with a file folder in her hand.
“Good morning, Kinsley.” I smiled with a hint of excitement.
“Good morning, Chase. Your father asked me to drop this file off to you.”
“He did now?” My grin widened as I got up from my chair and took the file from her hand. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she spoke with an odd look on her face.
“How was your evening?” I asked.
“It was really good. And yours?”
“Not bad. Not at all. So, how about dinner tonight?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Plans again?” I narrowed my eye at her.
“No.” She shook her head. “Just looking forward to a quiet evening alone.”
“Oh. I see. Okay, then. Thanks for the file.” I held it up.
“You’re welcome.” She smiled and walked out of my office.
I stood there wondering what the hell was going on. She had to be a lesbian. There could be no other explanation as to why she would turn down dinner with me, twice.
“Lexi,” I shouted. “Get in here.”
“What’s wrong?” She came running into my office.
“Have you found anything out yet about Kinsley Davis?”
She glanced at the watch that was sitting on her wrist.
“Really, Chase?” She cocked her head at me. “It’s only nine thirty. She’s been here thirty minutes. I haven’t had a chance yet.”
“Well, chop chop! What are you waiting for? She just turned me down for dinner again.”
“I’ll go now and ask her if she would like to have lunch together today,” she spoke in a calm voice.
“Good idea. As soon as you get back, I want the full report.”
She rolled her eyes and walked out of my office.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me! This is important!” I shouted before she could close the door.
Chapter 10
Kinsley
“You’re welcome, Mr. Calloway.” I smiled as I shut his door.
I had just taken a seat at my desk when a woman walked over to
me.
“Hi. I’m Lexi.” She smiled. “Welcome to Calloway Tech.”
“Thank you. I’m Kinsley.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get over here yesterday to introduce myself. It was a crazy busy day,” she spoke.
“Oh, that’s okay. Please don’t give it a second thought.”
“Would you like to have lunch together today? There’s this great Chinese restaurant just around the corner from here. That is, if you like Chinese food.”
“I do, and yes, lunch would be great.”
“Perfect. I usually take my lunch at noon. Will that work for you?”
“Noon is good.”
“It was nice to meet you, Kinsley.” She smiled.
“You too, Lexi.”
She seemed really nice, and she was pretty. Five foot four, slender figure, medium-length brown hair with bold blonde highlights, and dark brown eyes. She looked to be about the same age as me or maybe a couple of years older.
Noon rolled around, and I informed Mr. Calloway that I was heading to lunch. When I went back to my desk to grab my purse, Lexi was standing there.
“Ready?” She smiled.
“I am, and I’m starving.”
“Me too. Come on.”
When we approached the elevator and the doors opened, Chase walked out with a wide grin across his face.
“Well hello, beautiful ladies. Off to lunch?”
I gave him a small smile while Lexi answered him.
“Yes. We’ll be back in an hour.”
“No need to rush,” he spoke. “Take your time and enjoy your food.”
We stepped inside the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, I spoke, “Is he your boss?”
“Unfortunately.” Lexi rolled her eyes and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Actually, he’s really good to work for, sometimes.” She smirked. “I’ve known Chase since I was a kid. His dad and my parents were good friends back when we lived in New York. We stayed in touch all the time when he and his father moved to California, and I would spend the summers here. After I graduated high school, I moved here to attend college, met my fiancé Ben, dropped out of college, and then Chase offered me a job as his secretary/personal assistant.”
