Page 11 of Target Acquired
“On my way home now,” she said.
“Kash and I are having a little dinner party next Friday night. We were wondering if you’d like to join us.”
A dinner party? Since when did her brother do dinner parties? “Uh—”
“It’s for his job. His boss and his boss’s son are going to be in town and Kash thought it would be a good gesture.” Kash worked for an investment firm, and even Kenzie would admit he was a genius with all things numbers. He made a lot of money and had a lot of happy, wealthy clients.
“Kash did? Or you did?”
“Well, I didn’t figure it would hurt to put the offer out there. Kash thought it was a brilliant idea.” The smile in the woman’s voice surprised her. Maybe Kenzie needed to give Amelia more of a chance than she had. She’d be the first to admit she’d made assumptions about her character simply because she was dating Kash. Her brother only went out with snooty women who had money. And Amelia definitely had money.
“I don’t know, Amelia, dinner parties aren’t exactly my forte. I’m not sure I’d know how to act.” Especially one where her brother was half of the host team. He thought she should have gone into a different line of work.
Amelia scoffed. “I happen to know that your grandmother taught you how to act like a lady should the need arise. So, I’m asking you to come and do her proud.”
Well, how could she say no to that?
“No.” The word came out easier than expected. “I really don’t think—”
“Please?”
Kenzie bit off an exasperated sigh. “Let me check my schedule. I need to see if I’m working.” She didn’t think she was on the schedule, but maybe she could trade with someone. “Do I need to bring a plus-one?” Kenzie wasn’t sure what part of her brain decided to ask that, but she needed to find a shutoff switch for it.
“Do you have one to bring?”
“Um . . .”
“That’s what I thought. Then no, I’ll take care of everything. All you have to do is show up.”
Why didn’t she like the sound of that? Kenzie glanced in the rearview mirror and frowned. The person behind her was following awfully close. She tried to get a look at the driver, but the windshield was too grimy to make out anything other than the shape of a man. She sped up a little and relaxed a fraction when the car turned off.
“Makenzie?” Amelia asked.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m here.” She’d given up asking the woman to call her Kenzie. Apparently Amelia didn’t do nicknames.
“So, you’ll check your schedule?”
She sighed. The woman was a pit bull. “Sure, Amelia. I’ll check it. And don’t set me up with anyone. I’ll bring someone.”
“Who?”
“Does it matter? Just a guy I know.” What was she doing? Stop talking and stop now!
“Okay. Be at my house at seven o’clock sharp. We’ll dine at 7:30.”
So they’d be dining fashionably late. Was that even a thing?
“Got it. Seven o’clock. Next Friday night. Hold on a sec, who else is going to be there?”
“Just the family.”
So, that meant Logan and Paul too? She opened her mouth to ask.
“See you then,” Amelia said and hung up.
Kenzie blinked. Wait a minute. Had she just agreed to be there? Yes. Yes, she had and she’d promised to bring a date. She was an idiot.
Too tired to worry about it at the moment, she pulled into her garage and shut the door. It didn’t take long to get inside her house and breathe in the scents that said she was home. Vanilla and lavender along with a hint of pine cleaner.