Free Conflict of Interest by Allyson Lindt

really good. She wasn’t used to her seafood being prepared so well. She grabbed her own fork and took another bite.
    His foot brushed her shin under the table, and he winked at her. “Careful, your professionally crafted mask is slipping.”
    She overlooked the subtle jab in favor of concentrating on the brief, teasing contact. “I did some research on you last night.”
    He twirled his straw in his drink, ice clinking against the glass. “Sounds like a boring read.”
    “Actually, it was really interesting. Two kids barely in their twenties find the funding to make it big in the software industry, only to have it ripped away by a spiteful ex-girlfriend and a vicious competitor. And then to come back and do it a second time before you were thirty. I’m impressed.”
    His focus stayed on his glass. “It was something I believed in, so I made it happen.”
    Was he actually embarrassed? She was starting to wonder if he was capable. “It is a big deal. It reads like a high-stakes fairytale. But one thing did make me curious.”
    He looked straight at her, dark eyes searching for something. “All that and only one thing stood out?”
    He wasn’t embarrassed, he was proud. And those eyes, she forced her gaze away. “Fair enough. A lot of things stood out. But you don’t seem to publicly exist before your first company became a name. Like no yearbook photos, no college, no anything. Is there a reason your past is hidden?”
    He shrugged. “It’s not. My parents divorced a few years ago. It was messy and I’d never been fond of my father anyway, so I legally changed my last name to my mother’s maiden name. My entire childhood is probably still out there.”
    That wasn’t nearly as interesting as she’d expected. At least some of his surprises weren’t bad. “So what’s your old name?”
    “Lunch,” Tanya interrupted, setting a plate in front of her.
    “Thanks.” Scott flashed the waitress a smile.
    Kenzie’s shoulders slumped, and she sank back in her chair. Things were about to get loud again. There was no way he’d even listen if she tried to shush him now. Except he kept his voice low and the conversation brief. She hid her smile behind her glass as she took another sip of wine.
    Waitress gone, he turned his full attention back to her. “So, clothes shopping, really?”
    She laughed at his feigned disgust. “I promise to try and keep it from being boring.”
    “Not possible. Did you have a destination in mind?”
    Finally, something she knew that he didn’t. It was a small thing, but she’d take her victories where she could find them. “It’s a surprise.”
    “Give me a hint?” His smile never wavered.
    “It’s not Hot Topic.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Glad to hear it.”
    She pushed her half-finished wine aside and grabbed her ice water instead.
    He brushed her shin with his foot again, lingering longer this time. “Not to turn the tables on you or anything, but I’m tired of talking about me. Tell me about yourself. I already know you’re from here. Just the one sister?”
    He didn’t miss a lot, and it made her smile to know he’d remembered such small details from previous conversations. She took a small bite of the food, considering her answer. It was as good as the appetizer had been, and her stomach grumbled in appreciation. “Yes. No brothers.”
    “Older or younger?”
    Did he really care? The sincerity in his eyes said yes. The revelation added to her lilting mood. “Older by five minutes.”
    “Twins.” He raised an eyebrow. “Identical?”
    “Physically.”
    “Right.” His attention was completely on her, his lunch untouched. “So she’s the one who usually picks up strangers, does the one-night-stand thing, the irresponsible stuff.”
    “I—” She paused, not sure if she was about to defend herself or Riley. “As you’re so fond of pointing out, I approached you.”
    He stared back in disbelief, his familiar crooked smile in place. “And you’ve also