Page 91 of Gold Rush

I blanch. “Don’t.”

“Exactly,” Kit says grimly. “So, I need you to buck up and deal with it for six more days. We each got to pick an emotional support person to tell early, and you’re mine.”

“Well, it sounds like the drought is over, so we’re good here?”

“What did Rory say about the bachelorette?”

I sigh. I guess not. “Not much. She got back late, and she leaves for work before I do. But she sounded like she was having fun when I talked to her.”

“You talked to her while she was gone?”

“I called her Saturday night, yeah.”

“Did she say anything about Collins?”

I think. “No.”

“She was worried people might notice she wasn’t drinking,” Kit explains.

“I think Rory was drinking too much to notice,” I say, smiling as I recall her sleepy, slightly slurred voice when we talked on the phone. “She’s sort of a lightweight.”

Kit tilts his head. “Interesting.”

“Not really. She doesn’t drink often, so it makes total sense.”

“I’m not talking about Rory’s healthy habits. I’m talking about how you, Mr. This Chick Is Too Clingy, called Rory on one of the three nights she was out of town. I told you claustrophobia wouldn’t happen with the right person.”

I stare at him, startled into silence.

I called Rory back because she’d only called me once before—to chastise me for telling Kit about us. Yes, she was with her sister and her cousin and a whole group of women, but she was also in a strange city in another country. If something was wrong, I wasn’t going to wait until the morning to find out what it was. And, yeah, I stayed on the phone after it was obvious everything was fine because I’d become accustomed to daily updates from her. That’s attributable to noticing a change in routine, nothing more.

“I heard you guys are living together.”

“Who told you that?”

“Rhody. And Wren. And⁠—”

“People should mind their own business,” I mutter.

Kit laughs. “Are you kidding? You guys are what everyone is talking about.”

Exactly what we expected. What I wanted to happen. So, why do I still feel unsettled? Because I didn’t foresee sleeping with Rory when I pitched the plan to her? Because I wanted to call her when she was out of town? Because I didn’t know what Kit cheering on our relationship would be like?

I check my watch, the time a convenient excuse to say, “I gotta get back to my cubicle.”

Kit stands when I do. “Our legal team all has their own offices, you know. We could have lunch together every day …”

Working at Kensington Consolidated would have been viewed as favoritism before. My friendship with Kit is common knowledge. I wouldn’t have really cared since I know I’m more than capable of handling the job. But I can’t stomach the possibility now, not knowing it would also be seen as a perk of dating Rory.

“I’m good where I am,” I tell him. “But thanks.”

Kit nods.

“You coming to Beers and Balls next week?” I ask. “They’re playing Boston.”

“Yeah, I’ll⁠—”

The door opens, a deep, booming voice interrupting Kit. “Did you—oh. Hey, Flynn. How are you?”