I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want it to go away, though I’d done my best to put a modicum of space between us, thin as it was. There was nothing else I could do since realizing my feelings and the subsequent awareness that they probably weren’t returned. Except to tell him the truth.

But if I lost my safe place now, I’d come unraveled.

I closed my eyes and hung on to Kash with all my strength, solidly in denial where I would remain until I had no other choice.

The ballroom was pandemonium. Racks of chairs were being filled noisily. The kitchen crew rid tables of remaining glasses and flatware. Table linens were stripped and dumped into rolling bins. My two remaining interns were helping Kash pack up the centerpieces and displays, and by the look of it, they were nearly done. Sadly, Tess’s organization didn’t work in reverse—everything had been shoved willy-nilly in boxes and loaded onto carts, which hotel employees were already rolling out the back to be moved into his van. He directed it all with that cool, collected way he had about him, commanding attention while somehow remaining affable and undemanding. And everyone listened because everyone loved him.

I, on the other hand, ruled by fear. Not on purpose—it was just my nature. A byproduct of my incessant suspicion and general mistrust that someone else could do any given job to my requirements. Especially when the results of their work reflected directly on me.

As I checked in with the various crews, I watched Kash out of my periphery, wishing I could be so relaxed while being that productive. People said I was unflappable when in fact I got ruffled rather easily. Kash Bennet was truly unflappable. He remained unperturbed under the most stressful and chaotic of circumstances. When faced with a challenge, he kept a confident calm, assumed that everything would work out, and vowed to help however he could to make it so.

If he could bottle that up and sell it, I’d buy a truckload.

When I made it around to him, his arms were buried to the shoulders as he lowered the wound-up garland into a huge box.

“Looks like you’re almost done,” I said. “I think that’s the fastest floral load-out I’ve ever seen.”

“Well,” he said as he stood, “I figured I’d better get to it if I’m going with you to the club.”

I flushed with gratitude. “Are you sure? It’s going to be nothing but rich, drunk celebrities and socialites for hours.”

“If you think I’m letting you walk into that snake pit alone, you don’t know me at all.”

“Thank you,” I said, relieved that I’d have backup. “I have to get going. Meet me there?”

A nod and a smile. “I’ll be right behind you.”