“I’m Katrina Korsova,” she said.
“Mr. Cassidy sent a car for you and your party.”
“Ooh, we’re a party,” Anya said over her shoulder. “Let’s rock this.”
They took their bags and followed him to the limo. Really, Grant didn’t have to send a limo when she and the kids could have grabbed a taxi.
“Sweet,” Leo said, sliding in and putting on his earbuds.
She tried to never spoil the kids. They took cabs or they walked in the city. This was extravagant and a little over the top, but Anya seemed to be enjoying it, while Leo tuned into his music, though they both looked out the window at the sights.
“I want to see the Gateway Arch if we have time,” Anya said. “I’ve heard the view up there is amazing.”
“We’ll see if there’s time.”
The limo pulled up to the house. There was an older woman at the open front door.
“You must be Katrina,” she said. “I’m Gail Josephs. I’m Grant’s next-door neighbor.”
“Oh. Hello.”
“I have a key to his house and he asked me to let you in.”
He’d texted her earlier and told her about Gail, since he wouldn’t get out of practice today until about five.
“Very nice to meet you, Gail. This is my brother, Leo, and my sister, Anya.”
“Hello. You have a beautiful family. And speaking of families, my daughter is coming by shortly, so I have to run. Do you need anything?”
“No, we’re fine. Thank you.”
Gail ran off, so she led the kids inside.
“This house is big,” Leo said.
“And this kitchen. Wow.” Anya took a look around, her gaze gravitating to the back door. “Plus, a pool. I’m going to take a dip. Where do we change?”
She hadn’t even thought to ask Grant about what rooms, but fortunately there was a note from him on the kitchen counter.
Tell the kids to pick any room they like—other than mine, of course. You can put your things in my room.
—G
She wrinkled her nose at that. Staying in Grant’s room with the kids here? She didn’t think that was a good idea.
“Grant said to pick any room you want—except his.”
“Imagine that,” Anya said. “I think with the two of you in there, it’ll be crowded enough.”
Katrina gaped at her. “What makes you think I’m staying in Grant’s room? With him?”
Leo rolled his eyes, then looked at his sister. “She thinks we’re naïve.”
“Right? Come on, Leo. Let’s choose our rooms.”
And just like that, her brother and sister completely assumed she was sleeping with Grant.
Maybe she was the old-fashioned one. Though she was hardly old-fashioned.
Whatever. She gave up trying to shelter them. Maybe they were right. They weren’t babies anymore and they knew what was what. She picked up her bag and carried it upstairs to Grant’s room, then changed into her swimsuit and cover-up.
When she came downstairs, she found the kids outside, both of them already in the pool.
Nothing like making themselves at home. She shrugged and made herself a glass of iced tea, then headed outside.
“This place is great,” Anya said, swimming over to the side of the pool.
Katrina took off her cover-up and slid into a chair. “It is, isn’t it?”
“I can’t believe some hot babe hasn’t scooped up Grant and married the hell out of him.”
“Your language, Anya.”
“Okay, whatever. But you know what I mean. He’s a catch, Kat. He’s good-looking, obviously makes great money based on the house and all the land here. Plus, he plays sports. What’s there not to like?”
What indeed, if a woman was looking to settle down with a man.
Which she decidedly was not. She liked her life just fine. She was single and independent, and needed no man to complete her already complete lifestyle.
Though the sex was an added plus.
She didn’t need to be married to have sex, though. She just needed to alter her current lifestyle to accommodate having sex more often. Now that Grant had introduced her to it, she definitely wanted more of it.
But monogamy? Or, God forbid, marriage? So not for her. She’d seen how that had worked for her mother, who’d been dedicated to a man who’d abandoned her—and his children—when they’d needed him the most. And then Mom had died, and her children had been left alone.
No, thanks. She’d made sure to put away enough money so that Leo and Anya would never have to depend on anyone.
And neither would she.
They spent time lying in the sun and swimming in the pool. Grant showed up about an hour later. She hadn’t heard him arrive home, because he came out back shirtless and in his board shorts.
“I see you all made yourselves at home.”
“That’s us,” Anya said, floating on a mat in the center of the pool. “Thanks for inviting us, by the way. Your house is great.”
“You’re welcome.” He pulled up a spot at the edge of the pool next to Katrina. “Everything going okay? Kids’ flight on time?”
She nodded. “Fine. How was practice today?”
“Intense. And hot as hell. I need a dip. You look like you could use one, too.”
Before she could say anything, he’d grabbed her by the waist and dumped her in the pool, following her in. Then it was a free-for-all as Leo, who’d been listening to music in a chair, dove in, and Anya dunked herself.