Heartbreaker (Unbreakable #1)(78)

“Sure did.” Lila plucked a card from her apron pocket. “He tossed this at me—right before my broom made contact.” She gave an emphatic nod. “I might should give his boss a call. Give’m a piece of my mind.”

Kiki reached out, hand trembling slightly. “May I have the card?”

“Suit yourself.” Lila handed it to her with a stern look. “Don’t let ’em bully you around.”

Cade scowled. “How the hell did he find Kiki here?”

“My phone calls.” Kiki muttered absently while she sat beside me again, staring at the card. “Timothy Williams,” she whispered.

After a beat of silence, I put a hand over hers. “Know him?”

“Yeah.” Her gaze met mine. “He’s the agent assigned to my case. I gave him a few places to track me down if he couldn’t find me at the warehouse.”

She took a deep breath, eyes lighting up as the corners of her lips twitched.

I gripped her hand. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Damn, I hope so.” She finally broke into a smile.

“Well?” I nodded at the card. “What are you waiting for? Call the man.”

I pounded a flattened hand on the table a few times and stood. “Listen up!” I scanned the room to make sure her brother and sisters were paying attention.

“We’ve got a party to plan.”



Kiki…

By midday Thursday, chaos had officially erupted.

A landscape architect surveyed the space.

Electricians stood on ladders, splicing wires.

The caterer unloaded samples of hors d’oeuvres.

“Dino’s a go!” Darren collided into my side then pulled me into his arms.

“He’s coming? That’s wonderful!” I kissed him, but my gaze locked on to the newest guy to invade my private space. Wearing a vintage Orange Crush T-shirt and tattered jeans, he methodically tested each chair and table in my courtyard for stability.

“Hey!” I shouted as he carried away two chairs from different sets. “Those are staying!”

Kristen appeared by my side. “They’re going. We’ll put them in storage until after.”

“No.” I pushed out of Darren’s hold and followed my chairs. “They’re not leaving.” All I could imagine was my prized garage-sale finds suddenly disappearing.

“We can’t have guests sit on collapsing rust-buckets.” Kristen jogged ahead, then stood in my path with a held-up hand. “In the back of your warehouse, then?”

“I don’t want strangers traipsing through my house.”

She arched a brow. “In two days, guests will be traipsing through your house…to use your bathroom.”

I let out a frustrated sigh, blowing a stray piece of hair away from my lips. “Fine. Have him leave the discards by the front door. I’ll put them back there.”

“Done.” Kristen ran after Orange Crush Guy to retrieve my confiscated chairs.

Darren’s scent and warmth wrapped around me an instant later. His arms slid around my hips, then my belly. He rested his chin on my shoulder. “You okay?”

I let out a slow breath. “Yeah.” No.

All the buzzing activity in my quiet world stressed me out. But I’d deal.

“And Dino’s not just coming, he’s playing. We are.”

“Really?” I spun in his arms. “You, Dino, and Gordie?”

“Yep.” Happiness sparkled in his eyes. “And right now, he’s spreading the word to his closest friends and connections in the industry.”

“Wow.” I blinked, then stared at the intimate space. “That sounds like a lot of people.”

He dropped a gentle kiss on my nose. “He’s only inviting art lovers who are serious collectors.”

“Oh.” I nodded and swallowed hard, hoping the party stayed under control like he imagined.

The rest of the day and Friday passed in more of the same frenzied blur.

I survived the ordeal by running. A lot.

By Friday night—T minus twenty-four hours—my modest courtyard had been shaped into a wonderland. Blooming plants with delicate foliage had been added to my raised planters. Pretty bistro sets awaited guests with white tablecloths and rose-shaped crystal tea light holders. Strands of round, clear party lights stretched above us, swaying in the slight breeze.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, leaning my head against Darren’s chest.

He squeezed my shoulder and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Beautiful party for a beautiful girl.”

Kendall’s voice murmured in the background as she confirmed arrangements with the caterers. Kristen sat at a far table, clicking away on her tablet’s to-do list.

Cade was down at Midnight Sky Gallery with Ben, Mase, and a fifteen-foot U-Haul truck—along with IRS Agent Timothy Williams, who’d finally agreed to release my sculptures upon my providing him satisfactory ownership documentation.

All my artwork will be here.

“So…” Logan snuck between us from behind, and we widened our embrace into the three of us. “Kiki says it’s okay if I miss the party. You cool with that, D?”

He frowned down at her. “Why would you miss it?”