“I have no idea how office flings work, Rainey,” Beck grumbled. “I’ve never had one before. Maybe he’s keeping Felicity around in case things with me don’t work out or he gets bored with me. She did say that he had a type.”
“Mmm,” Rainey hummed. “Most guys do.”
“Right, well, Felicity told me that she’s just Knox’s type—blond, built, beautiful. You know, the three B’s?”
Rainey giggled and finished off her wine. “Well, you won’t be able to get to the bottom of this mystery until you talk to your boss,” she said. “I think that you should hear his side of things before you believe a blond who may or may not be out for revenge.”
“Revenge?” Beck questioned. “Why would she want revenge?”
“Did she say if she got fired or quit?” Rainey asked.
“She said that she quit,” Beck said, trying to remember that part of their conversation. “She said that she got fed up with his demands and that she quit.”
“Right, so why would she so willingly go back to the casino for work? I mean, if she was so fed up that she had to quit her job, why would she get another job, in another department, at the same place?” Rainey had a good point and Beck hated when that happened. Telling her sister that she might just be right usually ended up with her regretting her words in some way.
“No idea,” Beck breathed. “Maybe she likes working for the casino but doesn’t want to work for Knox.”
“Isn’t Knox still technically her boss? I mean, he owns the casino, right?” Rainey reminded.
“He owns half of the casino and yeah—he’d still be her boss,” Beck agreed. “Fine, I’ll talk to Knox, but can I at least do it tomorrow after I’ve had time to calm down and think all of this through?”
“Fine,” Rainey agreed.
“Um, can I stay with you and the kids tonight? Knox knows where I live and if he shows up at my place, he won’t leave me in peace until I talk to him. He’s already tried my cell phone at least a half dozen times.”
“He’s persistent,” Rainey said, bobbing her eyebrows at her sister.
“He’s used to getting his way is more like it,” Beck said. “How about it? I’ll cook so you can take the night off. Heck, I’ll even give the kids their baths and tuck them in.”
“Throw in a bedtime story and you have yourself a secret hide out for the night,” Rainey said.
“Deal,” Beck agreed. “Thanks, Sis,” she said. “I can always count on you.”
“Always,” Rainey agreed.
* * *
Beck was drenched from helping the four little terrorists with their baths. Of course, her nephew, Jack, the oldest of the crew at seven, told her that he was too old to have someone helping him with his bath. In fact, he told her that he preferred showers—something she promised to talk to his mother about for him because she insisted that he still take baths.
Her two youngest nieces took their baths together and that was when most of the water assault happened. She borrowed a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt from her sister’s closet and found her nephew and nieces all snuggled in their mother’s bed, ready for their bedtime story. If she didn’t know better, she’d believe their little angelic expressions and even give into them when they begged and pleaded with her for a second story, but Rainey quickly put the kibosh on that happening, insisting that they all had school in the morning and needed to get into their own beds.
Beck couldn’t help but giggle when little two-year-old Ella told her mother, “I no have pool.” The rest of the kids snickered and four-year-old Penny quickly corrected her little sister.
“You mean school, El,” Penny said. Ella started crying, telling Rainey that Penny was mean and Beck mouthed “Sorry,” to her sister.
“They melt down every night at about this time,” Rainey insisted. “Don’t worry about it.” Her sister grabbed Ella and took her back to her room across the hall.
“Okay guys,” Beck breathed. “Time for bed.” The three older kids opened their mouths as if they were about to protest and she held up her hand, halting their efforts. “No more arguments,” she said. “You heard your mother—now, go to bed.”
She watched as the three of them sulked out of Rainey’s bedroom, waving over their shoulders as they left for their rooms. “Wow,” she breathed. “This being an adult thing sucks. I like being the fun aunt so much better.”
“Yeah,” Rainey said, walking back into her bedroom. “Welcome to my everyday existence. I never get to be the “fun” one. I’m always the bad cop without Jack here to tag team in.”
“That sucks, Sis,” Beck whispered. “I’m sorry.”
Rainey shrugged, “No biggie. I’ve got them and that’s all that matters.” As if on cue, Penny called for her mother and Ella started crying again. “And wine,” she breathed. “I’ve got wine too.”
“I’m going to head downstairs to the sofa,” Beck said. “You mind if I call it a night?” She wanted to try to call Trinity before it got too late and she was exhausted from helping with the kids and the emotional day she had. Beck didn’t want to think about the fact that she hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, spending the night with Knox. And, she definitely didn’t want to think about the fact that she was supposed to be with him now—at his place, making him dinner, spending the night in his bed again. Yeah—she wasn’t going to think about Knox Heart at all, and that was the second lie she told herself today. The first was that she didn’t have feelings for him.