She eyed him thoughtfully. Perhaps he should’ve dialed back on the desperation there, but he was already arranging the piece in his head around Cherisse’s vocals. If he added some piano right there at that note, they’d have it. He just knew it.

“I’m not saying I would do this, but I have a challenge for you. You don’t really get what goes into what I do, do you? That joke pissed me off so damn much, and since I’m short my assistant for this thing, I dare you. Be my assistant for the day, and I’ll do the vocals. Tit for tat. Then we’re even.”

“Your assistant? For what?”

“Easter brunch with my mother’s old school buddies. This weekend. I’m doing a full dessert bar.”

“A brunch? That’s all?” Didn’t sound so terrible to him. How difficult could it be to prepare for something like that? Frankly, it sounded like he was getting the better end of the deal. A small part of him did think doing this with Cherisse could be intriguing. Seeing her in her element. “How bad could it be? Older ladies love me.”

Cherisse scoffed. “Uh-huh. So, that’s a yes? You be my tagalong, and I’ll do your thing. Desperate times and all.”

Keiran stuck out his hand. “Alright, we’ll call this a truce of sorts, then. Sold. Shake to seal.”

Cherisse rolled her eyes before shaking on it, then frowned down at Jello, who was attempting to climb Keiran’s leg. “Jello, no!”

“It’s cool. Animals love me.” Keiran grinned down at the cat. He was more used to dogs, but animals, in general, did seem to be cool with him.

“Whatever. We should get crackin’ on the planning.” She leaned down to retrieve her cat, but Jello sped up Keiran’s leg, claws digging in as the cat made it all the way up to his shoulder.

“Seriously?” Cherisse glared at him and then at Jello, who merely perched on his shoulder like it was something the cat did every day. Huh, well, wasn’t that something? Her cat liked him, and that pissed her off.

“Okay, before you end me with your murder eyes, this isn’t my fault.” He petted Jello, and the cat butted at his neck.

“Goddamn traitor,” Cherisse huffed.

Keiran chuckled. Oh, this was going to be fun.

#

CHERISSE

“So, I had some ideas.”

Keiran sat across from her, arms resting on his knees as he leaned forward to check out the bullet points on the board. Jello made himself comfy next to Keiran, and Cherisse pretended she wasn’t offended by her cat ditching her to cuddle up to him—but oh, it chafed. So did the smugness radiating off of him. She could read it easily in the quirk of those damn lips. He figured his end of their little deal would be easy. She couldn’t wait for him to be schooled and surprised at the work that went into preparing for something like this.