Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Nine
Two months later …
“Every single time I’ve asked you why, you say that it’s time for a new regime,” Arlo said as they sat in a coffee shop in Yorkdare Bay.
“Arlo, please, you know that this change was needed. You being sworn in as mayor tomorrow is the best thing I could have hoped for,” Kelley said.
“And your financial backing and all you’re A-list friends that have attended my fundraisers … what do you get out of this? I’m not ungrateful, Kelley, but I have to wonder what you want out of this,” Arlo said.
“The former mayor was in the Elite’s pockets. I want truth and justice to be just that, truth and justice, no matter who the person is. I’m tired of corruption in the places where the people are supposed to be honourable. I don’t want anything from you, not even a favour,” Kelley said.
“Not even getting out of unpaid parking tickets?” Arlo joked.
Kelley smiled and emptied his coffee cup. “Not even that. I’m your friend, Arlo, and this is business, your business now. I just want things to be dealt with honestly.”
Arlo nodded his head and then a smirk formed on his face. “Can you honestly tell me that you haven’t noticed that woman over there giving you the look?”
Kelley smiled, one of those rare, genuine smiles that changed his features completely. “I have noticed.”
Arlo shook his head and emptied his cup of coffee. “No word from Milana yet?”
“No. And no, Arlo, I’m not looking for her either,” Kelley said as he clenched his jaw tightly. It was a sensitive subject for him and one he didn't like to discuss at all.
“Well, as far as arranged marriages go, yours wasn’t so bad. It’s time for you to get out there again. You’re a good guy, Kelley, get yourself a woman that sees that.” Arlo's advice was the same thing he'd heard from his brothers, Connor and Jesse.
Kelley glanced over at the woman. She smiled shyly and then broke eye contact with him. Kelley looked back at Arlo’s grinning face and shook his head. “I’m still married, Arlo.”
“Technically, you’re separated and anything you do doesn’t count as cheating. Your wife left you, without a word, you’ve got to move on.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Kelley said and Arlo chuckled in victory.
“Of course I am. Have another cup of coffee since I’m leaving now and that will give her a chance to come over,” Arlo said as he stood up.
Kelley stood up as well and the two men shook hands. Arlo left the coffee shop and Kelley sat back down. He could feel the woman’s eyes on him as he typed a message on his phone.
He could smell her perfume as she walked closer toward him and he almost smiled in victory. “Is this seat taken?” Her voice was breathy and it had an effect on his groin that he hadn't expected.
Kelley looked up at the same woman, who now stood behind the chair that Arlo had vacated. “No, please, sit down.”
She smiled at him again and sat down. They ordered more coffee and she smoothed her skirt before looking up at him again. “I’m Sylvie,” she introduced herself.
“Kelley.”
She looked at him in an odd way and Kelley had the feeling that they'd met before and that puzzled him. He was usually very good with faces. "I know who you are, Kelley."
Kelley looked her over. She was of medium height, had long midnight, black hair with a pair of striking blue eyes. She was dressed nicely, showing that she had some sort of income. Her shoes were expensive as was her purse.
“We've met?"
She smiled brightly at him, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "Yes, we've met."
“Then you'll have to forgive me for obviously being out of it when we did meet because I don't really know how a man forgets meeting someone like you," Kelley said.
Sylvie laughed then and Kelley liked the sound of it. Her whole face lit up as she smiled at him. “We went to St. John’s University together. We shared a class our final year.”
“There were like a hundred students in almost every class I had that year.” Kelley's frown was now prominent as he tried to remember the woman in front of him.
“Granted, I wore glasses and I was about fifty pounds heavier back then. You hit a guy outside the cafeteria because he called me fatty Patty,” she said a little softer.
Kelley smiled as recognition flooded him. She looked completely different. “I remember that.”
“Well, I never got the chance to say thank you to you and when I saw you earlier, I thought now was as good a time as any,” Sylvie said.
“You didn’t have to thank me, I did what any normal person would do.”
Sylvie shook her head. “Not true. You were always nice to me, even when I was fatty Patty.”
“You’re definitely not fatty Patty anymore,” Kelley said as his eyes roamed over her.
“No, I’m not,” Sylvie laughed. “Anyway, it was nice to see you again.” Sylvie stood up and grabbed her purse.
“Sylvie, would you like to go to dinner with me, sometime?”
“Really?”
Kelley laughed at her question. She was oblivious to what she looked like now. She was gorgeous and even back when she was overweight, she’d always been a nice person. “If I remember correctly, there was a frat party where I kissed you.”
Sylvie blushed bright red and lowered her face into her hands. “We went into the closet and you actually kissed me. I didn’t think you would, but you did.”
“My spin landed on you,” Kelley said and shrugged. When she blushed it was a faint hue on her cheeks, it suited her.
“When did you want to go to dinner?” Sylvie asked instead of elaborating on that kiss in the dark closet. Nobody would’ve known if he hadn’t kissed her, but she could still remember the way his hands had framed her face, the pressure of his lips on hers and how her underwear had dampened when he slid his tongue inside her mouth.
“Sylvie …”
She blushed again. “Sorry.”
“I said tonight’s great if you’re free,” Kelley said again. He didn't need to be a mindreader to know exactly what she'd been thinking of. The look on her face had spoken volumes.
“Tonight’s perfect.”
“Here’s my number,” Kelley said and slid a business card over to her. “Text me your address and I’ll pick you up at eight.”
Sylvie smiled as she pocketed the business card. “See you tonight.” She turned at the front door and lifted her hand in a wave and left.
