Chaos. My life is pure chaos right now. I came back from Rhys’ place on Monday night. Tuesday morning Reid had his follow up appointment and got the all clear for now. Then I got a call from my real estate agent with an offer on my house.
If I chose to accept it, the buyers want to close in thirty days. That means, I only have that much time to pack up and move. And find a place to move to, or at a minimum, find a storage unit for the stuff I want to keep until Rhys, and I find a place we can agree on. Staying with him for a week or so, wasn’t all that bad but I was still hoping to find a place of my own.
There were a few that I liked but nothing that Rhys approved of. He claims they were not in the safest neighborhoods. I think he’s still trying to keep me close. Which, I may not mind so much after all, not that I’m telling him that.
Tossing the last outfit in my suitcase, I zip it up and set it on the floor. Crystal should be here any minute to watch Reid.
Did I mention in the midst of that craziness, I’ve got a book signing this weekend?
Like clockwork, the doorbell rings. At the same time my phone dings.
I’m reading the message as I walk to the front door to let Crystal in.
Rhys: Hmm, imagine that. I’ll get to see you again already. I just got a last minute call – someone wants me at this New York signing.
I hadn’t even considered his name was on the roster for this signing. Shit. As stupid as it sounds, I’m not sure that I’m ready to let the book world know we’re in love. I’ve always preferred to keep my personal life separate. Damn. I can bet he’s not going to pretend I don’t exist.
Me: Well, how about that. This should make things very interesting. The question is….are you bringing your cuffs ;)
Rhys: Hell no. I don’t plan to be tethered to anything this time. Besides, I don’t trust you.
“You ok girl? You look like someone just kicked your puppy.” Crystal asks as I let her inside.
“What? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Stressed about the move and this signing. And now I’m about to cry about leaving you behind.”
“Girl, please. You need to take this opportunity. Go be with your man and raise your babies together.”
“Whoa! Calm down. Baby… BABY, not plural girl.”
She laughs, “I’m just sayin’ I’d have ALL his babies.”
“Dear Lord, you’re as bad as Zoey.” I stick my tongue out at her and stop in to kiss Reid on the forehead while he naps. Then I’m out the door and on my way to pick up Zoey so we can head to the airport. I don’t check my phone again until I’m sitting outside of her apartment waiting on her to come out.
There’s four new texts from Rhys. Part of me wants to ignore them – but this is all on me. It’s not his fault.
Rhys: That’s not what I meant. I hope you know that.
Rhys: Shit, Kels, I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t mean it that way.
Rhys: I’ll bring the cuffs and let you attach me to a chair this time if it makes it better ;)
Rhys: Ok. That was a bad attempt at humor. I hope, maybe, you’re driving and not ignoring me because I’m an asshole.
I think for a minute before responding.
Me: You can be an asshole. But that was fair. I won’t be tying you to anything. Because I’ll be in my room, with Zoey. No boys allowed.
Rhys: Guess that means Reid and I get to have a boy’s night. Hmm. Maybe he and I can do a photo-shoot together. He’d look great in one of those mini speedos, don’t you think?
Me: Uh, I’m not bringing Reid. And no to the photo-shoot with him either way. Don’t get any ideas. Just picked up Zoey. Tootles.
I don’t give him time to respond before I silence my phone and turn off the message alerts so that my car Bluetooth won’t pick them up.
Zoey finally emerges with her bag and her phone pressed to her ear. It takes her a minute to disconnect the call and drop her suitcase in the back before she climbs inside.
“Big Apple here we come!!” she squeals, causing me to shake my head.
“You’re insane, you do know that, right?”
“Whatever. I plan on enjoying the city life this weekend. And, guess who’s meeting me at the hotel!”
Damnit. I’m going to kill Zoey if she bails on me. “You did not.”
“Look, you can’t blame a girl for wanting the D, I mean. Dylan knows how to fuck. And since his BFF is coming, he figured he’d join in on the fun!”
“You realize shit always goes sideways when Rhys and I end up at a signing together, right? And – it’s usually because you ditch me!”
“Nice try. It’s because you want his D, which I can’t blame you. I mean that time I popped by, just before he was about to boink you? You could tell he wasn’t lacking.”
Leave it to Zoey to remind me about her impromptu visit on Wednesday before Rhys left to head back to Tallahassee. We’d just put Reid down for a nap and things got a little hot and heavy in the kitchen when he went to kiss me goodbye.
“Christ. Stop talking.”
“Just sayin’.”
Seriously. I swear, sometimes I wonder if she’s not secretly a teenage boy as horny as she is twenty-four seven. I guess that’s probably why she also tends to write more erotica.
“Hey, speaking of boinking. How’s the relocating coming? Have you told him yet?”
“No, I’ve not told him that I’m probably going to move in with him. I’ll let him sweat it out. You know you’re helping me pack when we get back right? It’s in the girl code book.”
“Well, shit. Can’t I boycott this? Oh! I have a great idea…instead of moving in with Rhys, I’ll come with you, we can move in together.”
“No offense, I’d rather live with Rhys.”
I did the roommate thing with Zoey, briefly – just out of college. Never again. She’s far too wild to live with, especially with a baby.
We make it to the airport and are checked-in in record time. We’re in the air for an hour and fifteen minutes before we land in Atlanta for our hour and a half layover.
I’m ordering a drink at Starbucks when strong arms wrap around me. I immediately lean to the left and swing my elbow back, a move that I learned in a self-defense class that Zoey and I took together. I’m about to make an even bigger scene when the man grunts and curses my name.
When I spin around, I don’t know if I should laugh or apologize. Laughter wins because Smitty is hunched over trying to catch his breath while Rhys and Zoey are standing behind him laughing their asses off.
“Stupid ass, you’re a goddamn cop, and you didn’t see that shit coming?” Rhys gasps between chuckles. “That’s what you get for touching what isn’t yours.”
I look over at Zoey who is almost in tears, “You told him to do it, didn’t’ you?” What can I say? I know my best friend.
“Maybe.” She doesn’t show an ounce of remorse either.
“Venti Caramel Macchiato for KJ,” the barista calls out. I pick up my drink and turn back to Smitty, who is at least standing upright now. “I’m sorry. Hopefully, you’ve learned a valuable lesson about approaching unsuspecting women. You might want to go back to basic training though. I’m pretty sure you should have been able to see that coming, like Rhys said.”
“Yep,” he squeaks. “I think I need an ice pack for my nuts now.”
Why the hell am I even shocked that these two knuckle heads are on the same flight out of here? I’m willing to bet Zoey had something to do with that too. I wouldn’t put it past her to have shared our flight info with them when she booked our flights together because my best friend is awesome like that.
I’m damn sure she’s behind it when we board the flight and Rhys slides in the seat next to mine.
“Well, would you look at that? I get to spend the next two hours next to you.” I’m ready to smack him upside his head when he leans in and whispers in my ear, “Maybe we can join the mile-high club.”
My eyes widen, he gives me that megawatt panty melting smile.
“No. And when we get there…Pretend we don’t know each other.”
“What? Why the fuck would I do that?”
“Um, I’m there to work. Not start a gossip mill.”
“I’m not following.”
“Seriously, Rhys. Have you not figured out how this whole book world works yet? If we’re caught together, tongues will start wagging there will be all kinds of assumptions made and there’s no doubt some, if not all, of your groupies will come after me with pitch forks.”
“First of all,” he rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t have groupies.”
“Rhys Mitchell. You are absolutely insane. And naïve. It’s kind of charming. You’re a fool though. You have groupies, babe.”
“Do not.”
“Do too.” I laugh.
“Okay, whatever. I don’t get why it matters though.”
“If people see us together. At an event? I prefer to keep my private life private. KJ and Kelsey are two different people.”
“Says you.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“KJ and Kelsey seem a lot alike if you ask me. And I don’t get the big deal about keeping it private. Eventually they’ll figure it out. There will be other events we will both be at, and I’m not always going to walk around hiding the fact that I’m with you.”
And so, we spend the next two hours debating and arguing over how much contact we’ll have with one another this weekend. Apparently, Rhys is also pissed that I didn’t let him know that Reid would be with the sitter before now.
The flight ends with me feeling emotionally drained, and Rhys pissed off. At least he steers clear of me once we’re off the plane. I don’t have the time or energy to deal with him right now. I’ll let him cool off on his own and figure it out later.