“Calling…Tessa.” A robotic female voice confirmed the vehicle was following the given command. Her sister’s voice came through after two rings.
“I was just thinking about you,” Tessa greeted cheerfully.
“Uh, oh. That’s scary.”
“What, that I was just thinking, or that it was about you?”
“Both.”
The two sisters’ laughs were nearly identical, which made them laugh even harder. She realized in that moment, this—her sister—was exactly what she’d needed.
“So what were you thinking about that had to do with me?”
“Oh, nothing big. Just that it had been over a week since we’d talked. Which is like a record for us, isn’t it?”
Natalie thought back and nodded. “I think it is.”
The two women usually talked at least a handful of times every week. Sometimes more. But between her work at Frost Avionic and the whole Logan-Kiss-Tires-Couch fiasco, Natalie had used her long work hours as an excuse to avoid having an actual phone conversation with her sister.
Because Tessa saw things in people most others didn’t. It’s what made her so good at her job. Having a shrink for a sibling, however…
That was a whole different story altogether.
“Sorry I haven’t called before now.” She really was. “Things have just been…crazier than normal.” It really had.
“It’s okay,” Tessa’s response was immediate. “I had a crazy week, too. I now only have four full-session slots open in my schedule.”
The pride in her sister’s voice was unmistakable. It was also shared tenfold.
“That’s great, Tess. Really. I’m so stinkin’ proud of you. Mom and Dad would be, too.” A rush of emotion took her by surprise., and it took Natalie a minute to swallow past it.
Luckily, Tessa picked up right where she’d left off.
“Aw, thanks, Sis. That means a lot. Oh, I almost forgot to ask. How is it working with two of Seattle’s richest men?”
“Technically, I don’t work witheitherof them,” she clarified. “I’ve only met Glenn Frost once, and that was only in passing.”
“And Atkinson? He’s the one I really want to know about. Is he as hot as his pictures?”
Natalie laughed. “He’s attractive,” she admitted. “He actually asked me out.”
“You’re kidding!” Tess clearly hadn’t been expecting that last part. “Wait…are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious.” Natalie chuckled.
“When? How? What did you say? Tell me everything.”
A wide grin spread across her face as she switched lanes to pass the car in front of her. God, she loved her sister.
“Maybe you should go with half-a-cup next time, yeah?” She couldn’t keep from teasing the other woman.
“I’m serious! You can’t just drop that bomb on me and not elaborate.”
Well get ready, ’cause it’s not the only bomb you’re gonna get hit with.
First things first, though…
“It was right before I left their corporate headquarters. Dennis came into the conference room where I’ve been working from and struck up a conversation. He said something about getting drinks sometime, to which I reminded him it’s against policy for me to hang out with or date anyone under his company’s employment.”