Kathleen set her phone on the nightstand while she changed back into her nightclothes. She was using her towel to squeeze the excess water from her hair when her video call connected. “Kathleen, why am I looking at one ugly-ass lamp?” Hannah asked.
“Oh sorry. Hold on a second.” Kathleen pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and reached for the phone. She smiled at Hannah, a near mirror image of herself. “I was getting ready for bed.”
“Bed?” Hannah checked her watch. “It’s only nine.”
“Yes, in California. I’m in Texas, remember, and it’s eleven here.”
“Oh yeah. I forgot.”
“Where you going all dressed up? Not like you need much of a reason.” Kathleen laughed.
“True, but tonight I have one. I’m going to the opening of a friend of mine’s new restaurant.”
“Oh...well I guess we can talk later,” Kathleen replied, trying but failing to hide the disappointment in her voice.
“Oh no, you don’t. I know that look. What’s going on?”
“I don’t want to keep you from your friends.”
“Stop that.” Hannah leered at her sister and sat down. “You know the rules. Family comes first. I got lots of friends but only two sisters. What’s up?”
“Thanks, Hannah, and I’ll be quick.”
“Don’t worry about it. What’s going on?”
“I need your advice about something, but for you to help me, I have to share some things with you about my work.”
“Okay.” Hannah’s eyes widened with surprise just as Kathleen expected.
Kathleen knew she had to keep the specifics of her investigations secret. However, Hannah had to know that she had developed feelings for someone and the situation around that person but not his identity, to know just how complicated things had gotten.
“I met this man...” Kathleen watched the small smile spread across Hannah’s face as she searched for the right words. “He’s the target of my investigation.”
Hannah’s smile disappeared. “What? Kathleen, you’ve been without a man for a long time, and the first one you fall for is a criminal?”
“Don’t call him that. He’s not a criminal.” That was a conviction that had started taking root in her mind and heart the more time she spent with Morgan. The revelations about Mr. Silva didn’t hurt, either.
“He can’t be a Boy Scout, either, if you’re investigating him. You’ve never been wrong about the targets you’ve gone after before. Don’t let hormones screw up your professional success. Trust me when I say mixing business with pleasure doesn’t work.”
“This isn’t about you, sister dear. Now can I finish?”
Hannah crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “This should be good.”
Kathleen was having second thoughts about sharing the dilemma with her sister until she remembered Hannah’s response was coming from a place of love and real concern. “Ever since I met this man I can’t seem to stop thinking about him...dreaming about him.”
“That’s your hormones talking. Maybe it’s just a bad boy phase you’re going through. You’ll get over it,” Hannah concluded.
“It’s not a bad boy phase, and I told you he’s not a criminal. Morgan’s strong...a man’s man. He’s extremely smart and family oriented. He reminds me of Dad.”
“Then why are you investigating him?” She raised her left eyebrow.
Kathleen knew her sister’s question was rhetorical, but she couldn’t leave it out there in the universe like that, so she said, “All I can say is that a claim was brought against his company and not him personally.”
“Remember what Dad always says?”
“We are our company,” the two women chorused.
“Yes, Hannah but that’s our company. I think this family is much like ours in that regard. There is no way his mother would do anything to hurt her company or their reputation.”
Hannah frowned. “His mother?”
“Never mind that, what do I do?”
“About what?”
“These feelings...”
Hannah dropped her arms. “Do you think he’s into you too?”
“I think so...maybe.” Kathleen released an audible sigh. “I don’t know.”
“Well, if you’re really into him, ask the man out.”
“I thought about that, but I don’t want to taint my investigation.”
Hannah reached for her ringing phone. “Isn’t it already tainted?” She sent the caller to voice mail. “You are having what I assume are sexy dreams about the man.”
Yes, they are. “The dreams just started, and I pretty much have my answers regarding the investigation.”
“Putting your hormones aside for minute. Can you honestly say with one-hundred-percent certainty that he is innocent of whatever it is you’re investigating?”
“I’m ninety percent there.”
“Then I recommend that you find that other ten percent before you do anything,” Hannah stated.
“Looks like I’m about to get that chance tomorrow.” She nodded in agreement.
“If you do, then bring him to Vista.”
“Vista?”
“Yeah, that’s the restaurant my friend is opening in Houston this weekend. It’s their soft launch, so it won’t be too crowded, no press and I’m his guest chef. That way I’ll be able to check out the man who finally reminded my beautiful sister that she’s a woman.” Both women laughed. “But promise me one thing.”
Kathleen was afraid to ask but replied, “What’s that?”
“You won’t do anything until you know for a fact that this man and his company are innocent of whatever it is that they are being accused of, okay? I know you, Kathleen. If you’re wrong about him, you’ll hate yourself.”
Kathleen knew her sister was right and she couldn’t put the lives of others in jeopardy because she was suddenly all hot and bothered for Morgan Kingsley. “I promise. I won’t make a move until I’m one-hundred-percent sure.”
“Good.”
“But...”
“But what?” Hannah’s phone rang again.
Kathleen rolled her eyes. “Please answer your hotline.”
“Hold up.” Hannah put the caller on Speaker. “Yes?”
“Hannah, where are you? Everyone’s waiting,” the frantic-sounding person on the line asked.
“I’ll be there soon. Chill.” Hannah ended the call.
“You should go, sis.”
Hannah gave a nonchalant wave. “But what?”
Kathleen ran her right hand through her damp hair. “What if he says no or isn’t interested in me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “You know I haven’t dated in a while, so maybe I’m misreading the signals.”
“I’m sure you’re not. If he’s not interested, then he’s weak,” Hannah stated matter-of-factly.
Kathleen burst out laughing, and before she knew it, she said, “Morgan Kingsley is most certainly not weak.”
Hannah’s eyes widened, and her whole face lit up like a kid discovering a favorite toy under the Christmas tree. “Morgan Kingsley? You want to do the nasty with Morgan Kingsley?”
Both hands flew to Kathleen’s mouth. “Dammit!”
“Girl, you should’ve started with that. Morgan Kingsley is fine as hell, and you’re right. I don’t care what anyone says...they couldn’t have done anything they’re being accused of doing. The Kingsleys are good people.”
“Wait, you know the Kingsleys?” A horrifying thought popped into her mind. Had her sister and Morgan dated?
“Of course I know the Kingsleys. We all run in the same social circle. A circle you rarely visit.”
Kathleen didn’t want to ask, but she couldn’t stop herself. “Have you and him ever...”
Hannah smiled. “You really do like him. No, we’ve never even met, not formally anyway. I wish you could have seen your face. If I’d said yes, you would have come after me through the phone,” she replied, laughing.
Kathleen threw up her hands and shook her head. “Not funny, Hannah. Talking to you is like talking to a toddler sometimes.” Hannah stuck out her tongue. “What does ‘not formally’ mean?”
“He’s escorted his mother and her sister Elizabeth Kingsley to a few charity events that I’ve attended with Dad. You know, the ones you usually refuse to go to.”
“Not this again. I don’t refuse. It’s just most of the events I’m asked about happen when I’m extremely busy with work, or they’re halfway across the country.”
“Which is why we have our very own planes, Kathleen.”
“Cut me a break. I just went to one, remember?”
“Yes and only because it was about Mom,” Hannah reminded her sister, her voice turning somber.
A sense of sadness seemed to hit them both at the same time. “Yeah, well, I was there,” Kathleen murmured.
“We have some obligations that we as a family should address. We just need you to do better when it comes to your responsibilities to the foundation and all of us. Now I’m done. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Be careful with Morgan Kingsley.”
“Why do you say that?” Kathleen frowned. She was nervous about what her sister was about to say.
“I hear he’s not much for long-term commitments.”
“Neither am I,” Kathleen offered, knowing that was a lie. She’d never really been one to date. Her life had been centered on her work; she had no idea how she felt about commitments.
Hannah burst out laughing. “Seriously, Kathleen? You’re no virgin, but you’re not a serial dater either. All I’m saying is Morgan Kingsley is the type of man you play with...not marry.”
“Why do you keep trying to marry me off? I told you, I’m not looking for a husband.”
“Then what are you looking for...a one-off, a hit-and-run? Are you looking for Mr. Goodbar?”
Kathleen felt her whole face contort. “What?”
“A one-night stand...just sex.”
Kathleen looked away from her sister for a moment before returning to glaring at Hannah. “Maybe. Maybe I want to sow a few wild oats myself.”
Hannah gave her head a slow shake and picked up her purse. “You couldn’t find an oat if you stood in the middle of an oat field.”
Kathleen gave her sister the evil eye. “Go to your opening and thanks for the advice.”
“Anytime. Be careful, and I love you.”
“Love you more.” Kathleen blew a kiss at the screen and disconnected the call.
Kathleen turned off the light and lay down on her bed. She thought about everything her sister said and realized she had no idea what she wanted from Morgan. The only thing Kathleen knew for sure was that everything about the man intrigued her and she was attracted to him in a way she’d never been with anyone else.
Kathleen had to find out why and what it meant. Was it just physical or might it go deeper than that? But first, Kathleen needed to see if the picture everyone painted about the Kingsleys was accurate, and she had to figure out how. As Kathleen closed her eyes, an idea started to take shape.