“He wanted to help you,” Marcia insisted. “He thinks of you as a friend. And I…”
“You what? We’re not friends. We never have been. Why would you care if I hooked up with your brother?”
“Because I knew he had feelings for you too.”
“Oh did you.” Kelly didn’t phrase it as a question, because she knew the sentiment was pure bullshit.
Still, hope flared inside her.
“Yes. I did. Well, I suspected. It’s not like we had a heart-to-heart about it.”
“And again, why would you want me with him? Why would you care?”
“Why would I care? He’s my little brother. Surprise, I want him happy.” Marcia gave a jerky shrug. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure what your motives were. I didn’t know if he was just a notch for you or a way to get ahead. But Cale assured me you weren’t like that.”
“And you trust Cale that much.”
Something about the shifty expression that slid over Marcia’s face made Kelly stand up straighter. What the hell? Was something going on between Cale and Marcia? What about Tony?
“Yes, I do,” she said softly.
Kelly blew out a breath. She had her own issues and they didn’t include Marcia’s tangled relationships. “Look, I appreciate you telling me the truth. I guess I also appreciate you both trying to play matchmaker. But that list shouldn’t have been made public. If Cale wanted to be my friend, he should have let me handle my own damn love life.”
“He was going to. I’m the one who insisted Spencer needed to have it.” Marcia smiled thinly. “Let’s just say I was pretty sure how Spence would react. From the way the two of you have been flitting around each other lately, looks like I was right.”
“And you told Tony why?”
Marcia suddenly seemed preoccupied with her manicure. “He acts like he thinks he’s God’s gift to women sometimes, so I figured it might bring him down a peg or two to know at least one woman didn’t want him.”
“Did it?”
Marcia grinned. “Nope. He’s incorrigible. Which is the way I like him.”
Kelly dug her thumbs into her aching temples. Too many nights of too little sleep were catching up to her. “Thanks for the heads up. But it doesn’t matter much now, does it?”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s not about me being sure. It’s about Spencer making his own choices and me making the choice not to let him hurt me.”
Marcia touched her arm. “Doesn’t look like it’s working, Kel,” she said, her voice gentle. “You look like you haven’t slept in a month.”
“Only a week or two.” She tried to smile, thought she knew the attempt fell flat when Marcia frowned. “I need to talk to Diana.”
“Be my guest.” Marcia leaned in and whispered, “If you need to clean up the blood, there’s a mop in the closet.”
Kelly laughed and returned to the break room, quietly shutting the door. No need to slam it. Yet.
When she turned to face Diana, Diana shifted toward her with a bland smile. “Kelly, is it?”
Caught off guard, Kelly bit her lip. “Um, yeah. How do you know me?”
Diana went back to drawing columns on her whiteboard. “I asked questions, just as you asked about me. Only difference was I know how to be discreet.” She made a lowtskingsound in her throat. “Either you were unconcerned about being overheard or you’re just stupid. Which is it?”
Kelly’s fingers curled into her palms. Well, this certainly wasn’t proceeding as planned. This one had some bite to her. Apparently Spencer liked the feisty type.
But she wasn’t too concerned. Diana may be feisty, but Kelly could still kick her ass if need be. And she’d skip using the mop afterward. Better to leave evidence of her fresh kill.
“This may surprise you, but I didn’t think the woman I was looking for was still in residence. I thought Spencer had more class than that.”