"What are you talking about?" John asked.
"Nothing," Kyle said, as he shook his head. "I'll be back in a minute."
Chapter 4
Jenny
She was in shock the moment her eyes connected with his. Those perfect dark eyes made her body shiver. Becky hadn't mentioned that Kyle was going to be in Hawaii when she pestered Jenny every single day to go on vacation with them. Maybe Becky didn't know, Jenny thought. There was no reason for her to specifically point him out. Becky had told her that the guys would all be there with their families. Jenny never thought Ethan and Kyle would both leave the company for a week together. She'd thought for sure Kyle would stay behind to run things. They'd gone through some big changes the few months prior. Ethan had signed over half of the company to Kyle. Gavin had gone on and on about it at work. There was no way for Jenny to not hear the conversations Ethan and Gavin had in person and over the phone.
Jenny shifted from foot to foot as she looked down at him. He looked so damn sexy on that lounger. The way his swimming trunks sat at his hips and the light patch of hair that ran beneath them had her eyes glued to him. It wasn't often that she was able to catch a glimpse of him outside of his full suit and business attitude. Anytime he went to Gavin's office, he was all business. Only at a few family functions had he let himself relax. She enjoyed seeing him outside of work. He'd laugh and smile with the other guys. It was adorable how the dimples in his cheeks would be so deep when he'd let out a loud laugh. He didn't let that side show at work. It was hard to believe he was the same man. He was all man. She knew he kept his body in shape, but seeing him covered in only his trunks for the first time was unexplainable. It did things to her body. She felt like she couldn't put a sentence together if she had too. His muscles weren't huge, but they were definitely defined to perfection.
She'd never let it slip to anyone, but the days he visited the office were her favorite. He'd started coming around when Ethan hired him fresh out of college. She was pretty sure Kyle was around the same age as her. She'd started at Gavin's company after high school. Her mom didn't have a lot of money, and the money she did have wasn't going to be spent on college. Jenny hired in as a secretary and was so thankful that Gavin had given her the opportunity. Once she made enough money, she planned to start college. That never happened. He ended up depending on her more and more. Within a year, he'd offered her the position as his assistant. There was no way she was going to turn it down.
It had been nine years since she'd originally gotten the job as secretary. Being Gavin's assistant kept her very busy and school sort of slipped through the cracks.
Jenny let Kyle's name fall from her lips without thinking. When he responded with her name, she realized she had said it out loud. How did he do that, she wondered? When he was around, she found herself stumbling over her words like a teenager. Each time, she hoped nobody noticed and tried to cover it up.
"I didn't know you were coming since Ethan was here," she said.
When he responded, she felt bad and offended at the same time. She was just shocked that both of them had left the office. That wasn't something that happened often. She knew Ethan was so damn worried about every little thing. Kyle took it the wrong way. She wasn't trying to say Ethan had permitted him to leave. What the hell was his problem, she wondered? He was half owner of the company. She knew that was a huge deal. He could come and go as he pleased. She was sure of that. Why did he think she was insinuating he couldn't? She wasn't putting him down, but he had sure taken it that way.
She walked back to Gavin and Becky's feeling sad and alone. As she sat down on the ground to play with little Gavin, Becky walked out of the house to sit with the kids. Jenny thought about going home. She wasn't sure she wanted to spend a week so close to him when he couldn't stand her. He'd avoided her at all of the recent functions he'd actually shown up at. She noticed him coming by the office less as well. It had been going on for over a year. The thought of seeing him outside of business for an entire week was hard for her to deal with. She already had enough on her plate and wasn't sure she could handle the stress of being around the one man she'd liked for five years. She never could figure out what it was about her that he didn't like.
She thought about him on that lounger in only a pair of shorts. His chest and abs were muscular enough for her to want to reach out and touch him. She loved the fact that his chest was bare beside a few stray hairs in the middle. When her eyes traveled down to see that light line of hair traveling beneath his shorts, she couldn't pull them away. His thighs looked tight and his calves were muscular. She knew he most likely ran, and that was something she really liked. It was something she enjoyed. Jenny ran every morning. She liked the fresh, early air and the time running gave her to clear her mind.
"You okay?" Becky's voice sent a jolt through her.
Jenny looked down to see she had been drawing the same circle over and over in the sand.
"Yes," she said.
"You want to talk about it?" Becky asked.
Jenny shook her head.
"I'm glad you came with us, Jenny. You need some time away. Don't think it's your job to watch the kids. Go out and have fun while your here. You deserve it."
"I'm not so sure it was a good idea to come with you," Jenny said. "I'm thinking I might go home early."
"Why?" Becky asked. "We care about you. All of our friends are here. We never get a chance to all be together. This week is going to be great. You're one of us. You're family. I want you to relax in the sun, swim in the water, and go to the clubs. Maybe we'll even go with the girls and do some shopping while the guys stay with the kids. Maybe even a beauty day. That would be awesome."
Gavin looked back over his shoulder and laughed.
"You're already beautiful," he said.
"It feels good to be pampered," Becky said.
"I can pamper you," he said.
"You know what I mean," she said with a smile. "Where is our other daughter?"
"She's playing with Sarah at John's," Jenny said.
"Who's out watching them?" Becky asked.
"John and Kyle were both out. John said he'd bring her back in a bit."
"Kyle came?" Becky asked.
Jenny nodded.
"I didn't know he was coming," Gavin said. "I can't believe him and Ethan are both here."
"Don't say that to him," Jenny said. "He might bite your head off."
"Interesting," Becky said.
"What is?" Gavin asked.
"Nothing," Becky replied, as she looked over at Jenny.
"What?" Jenny asked.
"Not a thing," Becky answered. "We need to get in the water."
Becky grabbed Jenny's hand and pulled her to her feet.
"We'll be back," Becky said over her shoulder to her husband. “Watch our little guy too.”
Once they were in the water, Jenny felt Becky looking at her.
"What?" Jenny asked.
"Spill it," Becky said.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Really," Becky said. "Is this sudden mood change about your ex? Did he do something?"
"No," Jenny answered.
"Then spill," Becky said.
"I just have a lot on my mind."
"Does Kyle have anything to do with that?" Becky asked.
"What?" Jenny said with wide eyes. "No."
“Bullshit,” Becky said with a smile. “I've seen the way you look at him when we're all together.”
“I don't think so,” Jenny said.
“You've never looked at him and thought he was attractive?” Becky asked with a laugh.
“Of course I think he's attractive,” Jenny replied. “That doesn't mean anything.”
Jenny saw him come back into view. He took the kids down to the edge of the water and sat down to play in the sand with them. She thought he looked so sexy with the four kids surrounding him. He was laughing as the bigger ones threw sand in his hair. When he grabbed his little nephew
and pulled him into a hug, her heart melted, and she couldn't help the feelings that stirred inside of her.
Becky cleared her throat and pulled Jenny from her thoughts.
“Nothing to do with him,” Becky said. “That is what you said, right?”
“I'm going inside,” Jenny said in a snotty tone, as she walked out of the water and up to the beach. She picked little Gavin up to hug him before walking into the house.
Chapter 5
Kyle
Kelly called the kids in, so Kyle jumped into the water to clean the sand out of his hair. When he got out of the water, he noticed that Jenny was gone from where he had last seen her. He collected the stuff he'd brought outside and went to his room.
Kyle let his body fall onto his bed and was asleep before he knew it. It seemed like minutes later there was a knock at his door. John let him know that they were all going down to Gavin and Becky's house for dinner. Kyle changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before walking the short distance down the beach.
He could hear so many voices before even entering the house. When he walked down the steps that led to the basement, he looked around at all of the people and couldn't believe just how many kids were moving between their parents' feet. He walked back up the steps and into the kitchen to offer his help. It was at least a little quieter in there.
Once he had helped Becky carry everything down to the table she had set up in the basement, Becky asked him if he could go and get Jenny and the twins for dinner. Gavin had his little boy in his arms already and looked over at Becky just as she had finished speaking to Kyle.
“What's your problem?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said.
Kyle turned and walked up the stairs before Gavin could say another thing. He could hear little giggles come from down the hall and couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. When he came to a stop in front of the doorway of the room the giggles were coming from, he couldn't move his feet another inch. Jenny was sitting on the floor with a tiara on her head. She had a wand in one hand and a teapot in the other. The two girls were also wearing their own tiaras and holding their own wands. It was the cutest thing he had ever seen. Kyle couldn't help but wonder what Jenny would be like with little ones of her own. All he could do was watch the precious scene before him. After a few moments, he knew he had to say something but felt so bad for interrupting the perfect moment.
“Dinners ready, princesses,” he said softly.
Jenny jumped and pulled the tiara quickly from her head. She stood up and shifted nervously from one foot to the next. Her long, tan legs looked so cute in her shorts. She was also wearing a tank top over her bikini top. Kyle was surprised at how she moved her hands to cover what little skin was showing. How could she be self-conscious, he wondered? She was absolutely beautiful. Her long brown hair came down to cover her shoulders. Her eyes were dark and matched perfectly to the color of her hair. She had no reason to ever cover any part of her beautiful body. He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair before snapping back to reality when one of the girls grabbed his hand.
Kyle and Jenny took the girls down to the basement and sat them next to their parents. He looked over at her and noticed her eyes scanning over the families one at a time. The two of them were the only two that didn't have someone with them. Kyle let his eyes follow hers. She looked at Gavin and Becky with their three kids. Then there was Ethan and Julie with their four little ones. Julie looked exhausted. Next were John and Sandy next to Kelly with Eric and their three kids. Across from them were Heath and Tara. They had the three boys and their little daddy's girl. Finally came Josh and Lisa with their little boy and little girl.
Josh had finally caved to the pressure and bought a house in Hawaii. He was the last of the guys to get one. There was so much love in his eyes when he looked over at his wife. Kyle knew he wanted to feel that same love when he looked at his own wife one day. His eyes moved back to Jenny's, and he noticed her wiping a tear from her cheek. He instantly felt the need to comfort her, but that didn't last long. He could feel Gavin staring daggers at him and turned to look Gavin in the eye before making a face at him. Becky looked between her husband and Kyle. She shook her head and pushed her elbow against Gavin's.
Kyle grabbed a plate and walked back up the stairs to eat by himself. As soon as he was done, he left the house without a word. It was all too much for him handle. He was tired and needed a few minutes to himself, so he took the long walk down the beach to the bar. When he walked in, he found the perfect booth in a back corner and took a seat. There were no babies and no families to be envious of, and he was thrilled.
Chapter 6
Jenny
When Jenny walked upstairs to put some dishes in the kitchen, Kyle was gone. She couldn't help but wonder where he went and why he had taken off without saying anything to anyone. He had acted very defensive earlier, and she wondered if he was still mad about what she had said. She let out a laugh and shook her head. He wasn't thinking about her at all. Who was she kidding? She knew Kyle wasn't fond of her, and she still hadn't figured out why.
Becky decided to give the kids baths while Gavin and Heath talked in the living room. Jenny grabbed little Gavin into a hug and carried him up once the girls were done with their bath. She told Becky to finish what she was already doing with them. Jenny played for twenty minutes with little Gavin and his toys in the tub. She had him dressed and ready for bed when Becky walked into his room after getting the twins tucked in. Once the little guy was tucked in as well, Becky pulled Jenny into the hallway.
“Walk down to the bar and have a drink. You need to relax. I did not ask you to come so you would take care of my kids. I wanted you to get away from everything and enjoy. Gavin took the entire week off, and he gave that same time to you. He has everything working perfectly at work. This is your time,” Becky said.
“I don't know,” Jenny said. “I've never been down there before.”
“Go,” Becky said. “Just go for one drink. You never know. Maybe you'll find a hot, tan man to spend the week with.”
“Not funny,” Jenny said. “I'm not the best at picking out men. You do remember I couldn't even keep my man happy for six months. I think I need to stay single. There is no way I want to go through that again.”
“That wasn't about you not being able to keep him happy. That was about him being a giant asshole,” Becky said, as she grabbed Jenny's arm and turned her to face her. “Do not put that on you.”
“I don't know,” Jenny said. “A walk down the beach doesn't sound so bad I guess.”
Jenny changed into a nice pair of jeans and a nice shirt. She slipped her feet into some flip-flops and headed down the beach. It was so warm and beautiful. She could only imagine how awesome it would be to live there.
She sat down at the bar without looking around and ordered a drink. The more she thought about being away from home and the vacation she was supposed to be enjoying, the more she realized just how sad her life had become. She was surrounded by beautiful water and beaches in a place she had never been before, and yet she was feeling down. No way, she told herself. She decided in that moment that she was going to enjoy the rest of the week. Without having to think about Gavin's schedule, she could really let herself have fun. Becky hadn't asked her to do any of the things she was doing for the kids. She was doing it because she felt she needed to, and she really did enjoy being with them. She told herself, as she took the first sip of her fruity drink, she was only going to do what made her happy for the rest of the week there. With a huge smile on her face, she continued to sip on the delicious drink in front of her.
She hadn't finished her first drink when she felt someone sit down next to her. She looked over to see who it was, thinking it might have been Becky or one of the group. The man sitting there was tall, tan, and very muscular. He looked to be around her age and was very nice looking. She should have been thrilled that he was looking over her body like she was just what he was looki
ng for, but she wasn't thrilled at all.
“How are you tonight, beautiful?” he asked in a rough tone.
Jenny's mind went instantly to Kyle. What the fuck, she thought? She wondered where he went when he left dinner that night. Had he gone home, or had he gone out? It was none of her business, but that didn't stop her from thinking about him. She looked over at the man next to her and smiled. Why was she thinking about someone that wanted nothing to do with her when there was someone that did want to talk to her right there?
“I'm fine,” she answered quietly.
“What's your name?” he asked.
“Jenny,” she answered.
“Nice,” he said. “My name's Todd. Can I get you another drink?”
“No, thank you,” she said. “I just came in for one. I'm going to head back to the house when I'm finished with this one.”
Jenny couldn't help the self-conscious feeling that ran through her. She knew she wasn't the prettiest girl around. She definitely knew she didn't have the perfect body. Her husband Jim complained about more than one of her flaws in the short time they were married. She thought back and knew she wasn't the only reason her marriage hadn't lasted. When she first started dating him, she'd only done it to make her friends happy. They'd been pressuring her to go out with them, and one of them had set her up on a blind date with him. The girl didn't even know him. He was a friend of her boyfriends. Jenny agreed to one date. He seemed nice. She didn't really want to go on a second date but agreed anyway. Jenny knew that she'd never get the attention of the one guy she really liked and kind of continued going through the motions with Jim. She grew to care about him through the months and even thought she might love him. He wasn't super romantic or anything, but he wasn't mean either. They got along pretty well for the most part. He liked to go out way more than she did, but she never once complained when he'd be out with his friends. She trusted him. That was very important to her. Jenny knew he was more outgoing while she was usually very shy. She worked and had a few friends, but she kept to herself more than anything. There was no way she wanted to hold him back from the life he was used to living.
The Future of Love (Bachelor Billionaire #6) Page 3
