Kiss Me Crazy by Ednah Walters, E. B. Walters Page B

on his other shoulder.
    “Where?” he mouthed.
    She pointed toward the kitchen then folowed him and paused to watch as he removed Styrofoam containers from the bag and placed them on the counter. The aroma of Chinese food made her stomach growl, reminding her she’d skimmed on lunch again.
    As for her hot boss, her senses stirred at the domesticated figure he cut arranging food on the counter with Tessie on a stool beside him, eying him suspiciously while her whiskers twitched.
    “How’s my pumpkin,” her dad’s gruff voice reached her ear, reminding her she stil had the phone glued to her ear.
    “Fine, Daddy.” Kara gestured just-a-minute with her forefinger when Baron looked up, then she went back toward the living room. Since there was no privacy in her living room, with an open archway separating it from the kitchen and the family room area, she entered the halway leading to her bedroom.
    “That’s wonderful news about Briana. Are you ready for your first grandchild?” she teased.
    “I could have waited a few more years.”
    She smiled, knowing he only said that for her benefit. “You know you’re more than ready, Daddy. I can’t wait to be an aunt.
    I’m going to spoil the little imp rotten. How are you doing?”

    “Couldn’t be better. Wil you stop by to visit soon?” Kara smiled. His voice said he missed her. “I wil on your anniversary. Thirty years, Dad. Not many couples stay married that long anymore.”
    “We Michaels are like permanent glue. We love once and forever.” He laughed. “Your mama is shaking her head. She knows I speak the truth. Now, pumpkin, I don’t want you to take what your mama says to heart. She worries a little too much sometimes.” Her mother piped something in the background that Kara missed, but her father answered, his voice sounding faint. “I know, Penny…
    when the time is right.” Then his voice grew clearer as he came back on the line. “Your mother tels me you have a visitor?”
    “I do. I’l cal tomorrow when I have time and we can discuss business.” She’d mentioned using him to design the frames for her store but he hadn’t been too sure. That was just her dad, cautious to the core.
    “You do that,” he said.
    “I’l also try to reach Briana tonight just like I promised.”
    “I hope one day she realizes how lucky she is to have you for a sister. If it weren’t for you, she’d never have met Jim. I’l let you go now, sweetheart, but make sure you cal home tomorrow.”
    “Promise. Love you, Daddy. Bye.” Kara hung up and scowled. She never knew her dad had connected the young man she’d taken to his place of work and the man her sister started dating a few weeks later and eventualy married. He never let on, not even once.
    What would her mother say if she knew how often Briana stole her boyfriends? It’s all in the past, move on. Kara had moved on, but that didn’t mean she’d forgotten. She didn’t begrudge her sister the celebrity life she now led as Jim’s wife. She understood they couldn’t help faling in love. What she hadn’t liked was the way they hid and lied about their relationship for weeks until the paparazzi caught up with them. Finding out about them that way had been very humiliating.
    Pushing aside thoughts of her sister, Kara hurried back to the kitchen to find Baron placing pieces of chicken in a bowl for her cat. On the counter were two plates and utensils, plus an opened bottle of Pinot Noir.
    “Don’t spoil her,” she warned.
    Baron patted the tabby’s head and looked up. “I’m bribing her to like me. Where did you find her?”
    “Outside my door one morning. When I placed her picture on missing-cat posters, no one came to claim her, so I kept her.
    Poor thing. A trip to the vet confirmed what I’d suspected—
    someone had starved and physicaly abused her.”
    “That’s terrible. She looks healthy now.” Tessie took a dainty bite of another piece of chicken from Baron.
    “Yeah, she demands a lot