RSVP with Love

Kevin grinned but shook his head. Chloe was also aware of a light frown that momentarily passed between his brows.

“No, not my driver. CB is…I guess you can say he’s my assistant. We started out together in my first business. He showed up one day looking for work, and he was willing to do anything and help anywhere. His biggest talent is that he’s reliable, honest and discreet. He’s helped me out of some, shall we say, difficult situations.”

“I bet,” Chloe said dryly.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Kevin said smoothly. “But you’d be surprised at the kind of troubles that seem to find you when you have a business and you’ve gained some success. It’s not always pretty or fun.”

“Well, what kind of trouble?” she persisted.

Kevin hesitated. “The kind where tempers flare, voices are raised and sometimes people get arrested.”

“You’re serious?”

He lifted a corner of his mouth in a caustic smile. “Very. You know, as hard as it is to believe, there are some folks who just don’t like me.”

Chloe grinned. “I can’t imagine why not. Is CB some sort of bodyguard?” Chloe asked.

“Sometimes he’s that, too.”

Kevin was suddenly so serious that Chloe felt regret at assuming that he had somehow brought it all on himself.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said quietly.

He turned to begin walking, very slowly, back to the entrance of the building. Chloe fell into step next to him. She felt somewhat awkward being next to Kevin, because it felt almost like they could be a couple. Chloe glanced up at Kevin’s profile, and her breath caught in her throat. They seemed to share a natural stride and pacing in their walk. Even more of a surprise, against all reason and common sense, she felt…safe.

“You were asking about Micah Ross. How come?” she said, to get past the sudden silence between them.

“We’ve been in touch over the years. He’s a good guy. Did you know he’s a hotshot record producer in L.A.? Has his own label.”

“I do know that. Although we were friends at Hollington I lost touch with him in the last several years.”

“I think we should get in touch with him. He represents some of the hottest talent on the charts today. Maybe we can get him to loan us a singer or a group.”

“You mean for homecoming?”

“That’s right. I thought we could have someone appear at Saturday’s party. What do you think?”

Chloe’s eyes brightened. “Kevin, that’s such a great idea.”

“That’s all I need to hear. I’ll get in touch—”

There was a sudden flash of light. And then another. Chloe blinked and glanced around, momentarily confused. But Kevin reacted more instinctively, immediately finding the source and identifying it. Chloe quickly realized they had just been photographed.

Her first thought was one of confusion. Why would anyone be taking a photograph of her?

Kevin firmly grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the line of vision of the photographer, placing himself between them. He then put his free hand up in front of the lens.

“Hey! Back off. What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice annoyed and hard.

“Come on, man. I’ve been trying to get a decent shot since last Friday night at the club. Don’t play hard to get on me now,” the young man said with a broad smile, even as he took several steps back from the tone of Kevin’s voice and still shot two more frames.

“I’m not at the club,” Kevin announced clearly. “This is private time. I don’t appreciate that you’ve been following me. And you don’t have the young lady’s permission to take her picture.”

The young man seemed unfazed. “This is a public place. You’re both fair game. New arm candy? Never seen her before.”

Chloe, more rattled than she realized by the intrusion, let Kevin handle the situation. She had no idea how she would. Kevin made sure that the photographer never got another chance to take a clear picture of her. But Chloe knew that people were staring, stopping to watch the encounter. There was no place for her to hide, except behind Kevin who still had hold of her arm. Almost as if he knew she would leave if he didn’t.

Then, she saw a now familiar figure returning to the scene. With a slow confident walk, CB approached, assessing the situation. The photographer, having gotten what he came for, turned to leave, only to find himself nearly colliding with Kevin’s assistant. Another quiet discussion ensued.

“Let’s go,” Kevin said.

With a protective arm around her waist he purposefully steered her away from the atrium where people were once again going about their business.

“What’s CB going to do? What’s going to happen?”

Kevin looked at her with an amused grin. “Don’t worry. CB is not going to touch him. I can trust him to handle the situation calmly.”

“But…”

“Chloe, I’m sorry,” Kevin said once they were inside the building near the bank of elevators.

His apology got her attention, and Chloe stood looking closely at him. She felt some of her tension drain. He looked sincere and contrite. And, in a strange way, Kevin seemed almost helpless, as if what had happened was entirely his fault, and not at all what he wanted to have happen.

“Why was he taking our picture?”

Kevin faced her and put his hands in his trouser pockets. “You don’t read the local gossip rags, do you? Or the Atlanta magazines? I’m kind of a regular in their pages. For whatever reason everything Kevin Stayton has become fair game. I’m at one of the clubs, I get photographed with friends and it ends up in print. I show up at an opening, or a sporting event, the photographers are there. It’s annoying, but it also brings in business.”

“You mean, our picture is going to be used?”

He frowned. “You sound unhappy about it.”

Chloe glanced down at her summer sandals and moistened her lips. She shook her head. “I’ll be honest. It makes me uncomfortable.”

“Why?” he asked, mystified.

“Because people will presume that they know something about me that they don’t.”

He was silent for a long moment, and when Chloe looked up again she found Kevin studying her with frowning consideration.

“Maybe I’m going overboard, but…”

He reached out and gently stroked her bare arm with his fingers. A curious warmth and reassurance spread throughout her.