Sunset Rising (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 5) by Jaz Primo Read Free Book Online

sign.
    “ Saying? I haven’t said
anything, yet,” Kat said.
    “ It seems like Caleb’s
hardly said three words about you,” Chance said. “So, it got me to
wondering, are you some spy or secret agent or
something?”
    Kat arched one of her brows. “Something like
that.”
    I nearly gaped at her and both Trey and
Chance seemed momentarily taken aback.
    Kat forced a chuckle. “Seriously, though,
I’m just a businesswoman who travels quite a bit.”
    “ Corporate consulting,” I
quickly added.
    Chance looked at me. “Oh, yes, you said as
much that night at Carlucci’s. Strategic planning and restructuring
or some other sort?”
    Kat spare a momentary glance at me with an
arched brow. “Carlucci’s?”
    I looked back at her sheepishly. “Oh, yeah.
It’s a restaurant over on Wooster Street. We should try it
sometime.”
    “ You mean that I should,”
she said. “You’ve obviously sampled the menu already.”
    I stared at her, wondering about potential
innuendo in her statement.
    Fortunately, her attention quickly returned
to Chance, and I made a conscious effort to slowly exhale the
breath I’d been holding.
    Why the hell am I feeling so guilty? Nothing
happened that night. Chance and I only talked. Besides, Paige had
waited outside for us.
    I absently rubbed my palms against my
jeans.
    “ Getting back to your
earlier question, Chance,” Kat said. “I cover a span of projects
and expertise, often multiple layers simultaneously.”
    Our drinks arrived, and for some reason, I
relished the temporary lull in conversation.
    I looked over at Trey and he looked back at
me with a forced smile.
    My throat felt so dry that I practically
gulped at my tea.
    “ You’re gone so much; it
must be difficult maintaining a long-distance relationship with
Caleb,” Chance said.
    I almost choked on my tea.
    Everyone stared at me.
    “ Okay—just down my
windpipe,” I struggled to say. “Fine now.”
    “ I think you’ll find that
my relationship with Caleb is rock-solid,” Kat said.
    “ Mm-hm,” Chance said while
staring back at her.
    Thankfully, the awkward moment was broken by
Chance’s smartphone ringing.
    “ Excuse me,” she said,
reaching into her jacket pocket and getting up from the table.
“What’s up?”
    I watched as her expression darkened.
    “ What? I’m out—Trey and I
are having dinner with Caleb and—” she said. “What, Dad? Caleb,
he’s—just a minute.”
    She appeared unnerved when she looked back
at us, and proceeded across the dining room toward the exit.
    “ That was odd,” Trey said
with a perplexed look.
    Kat frowned as she stared after Chance,
seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
    “ Yeah, she told me once
that she and her father have sort of a strained relationship,” I
said.
    Trey shrugged. “I dunno. She hardly mentions
him. But she and her mom seem really close.”
    I nodded. “Yeah, she said as much to me
once, too.”
    Then, just as suddenly as she had walked
away, Chance walked briskly back to the table.
    “ I’m sorry, but I have to
go,” she said. “Trey, can you take me back to my
apartment?”
    “ Yeah, sure,” he
said.
    “ Everything okay?” I
asked.
    She appeared a little out of sorts, which
seemed unusual for her.
    “ Oh, it’s a family thing,”
she said. “My dad’s just being an ass again. So much melodrama with
him. I have to try and buy some train or plane tickets so that I
can get home ASAP.”
    Trey got up from his chair and inclined his
head toward me and Kat. “Well, it was—nice.”
    “ Sorry you have to leave.
I hope everything works out okay,” Kat said cordially to
Chance.
    As Trey helped her with her coat, she froze
and stared at Kat. “Thanks, but I’m sure you know how screwy
families can get sometimes.”
    “ More than you know,” Kat
said. “Safe travels.”
    Chance gave me a quick hug. “I’ll message
you.”
    “ Okay,” I said.
    I sat back down as she and Trey walked
across the dining room together.
    “ Well, that