Biting my bottom lip, I motion for him to pick one.
He browses the small cards, pulling several out and studying them before he slides them back in place. Finally, after a long show of it, he decides on the card I knew he was going to choose.
With bright eyes, he holds it up for me to inspect. “Perfect, right?”
A gray and white kitten stares back at me. She’s tangled herself up in a ball of blue and pink yarn. I’m pretty sure it’s meant for baby showers.
Carter’s slightly uncomfortable expression turns into a cringe when he sees the card. He holds up his hand. “Wait. That guy who just left—” He jabs a thumb toward the door “—isn’t your boyfriend?”
A little shard of sadness pierces my heart, but I shake it off. “Nope.”
“He’s The Friend,” Isaac informs Carter, already writing away on the back of his kitten card. “You gotta keep up.”
Carter rolls his eyes. “Hurry up. Lunch break is almost over.”
“You guys work together?” I ask.
“Over at Kentford’s,” Carter answers. It’s obvious he’s trying to look humble, but he’s proud of the fact.
“Oooh, fancy,” I tease.
Kentford’s is a local classic car restoration shop that is always featured on the TV channels I never watch. I only know what it is because Kyle is a little obsessed.
“Golden boy there is engaged to the boss’s daughter.” Isaac looks up and winks. “I, on the other hand, actually have to work to keep my job.”
I like him. I really do.
He hands me the card. “Read it for me. Tell me what you think.”
“You’re not the first guy who asked me to proofread today.”
“I didn’t ask you to proofread—I asked you to check the….what’s the word?”
“Content?” I supply.
“Yeah. That.”
I read the card, and my stomach does a pleasant little flip.
Dear Kaylee (AKA Cutest Cat Lady Who Attended Speed Dating),
Will you go out with me tomorrow? And by tomorrow, I mean the day after Valentine’s Day. (Because you’re not supposed to read this until the 14th. In fact, forget you read this.)
We’ll go for a long walk on the Arizona beach and then crochet tiny blankets from Pomeranian hair while watching Jane Austen movies.
Isaac
Once I’m finished, I set it on the counter, kitten side up, and slide it back to him. “I think it’s perfect.”
“Even the last line?”
“Very weird—very perfect.”
“Is that a yes?”
His eyes are a grayish shade of green, kind of a muted tone. It’s not the color that makes them so bright; it’s the smile behind it. Isaac practically radiates happiness, and I want that right now. In fact, I think I need it.
“I don’t know—for some odd reason, I don’t remember what the card said.” I shrug as if it’s a mystery. “But you should probably put your number at the bottom, just in case.”
“Good call.”
As he writes it on the card, another man walks into the store, followed by two more.
“I’ll be right with you,” I call to them.
Once he’s finished, Isaac hands me the card. “It was good to see you again.”
“You too.”
Carter then drags Isaac out the door. I give them a wave and devote the rest of my afternoon to helping the steady stream of customers.
One of the part-time girls comes in and takes over the counter, and I head into the back to help June.
“So, a guy I know ordered me flowers for Valentine’s Day,” I tell her, setting the invoice on the table.
She looks up, raising a brow. “A guy you know? Meaning…not Kyle?”
“I’m going to go out with him.”
June frowns in a thoughtful, sort of sad way. She knows me too well. “I’m sorry, hon.”
“No, it’s okay. Isaac is fun. I think I’ll have a good time.”
“You should go.” She lowers her wire-rimmed, rectangular glasses, meeting my eyes. “But don’t give up on Kyle—not yet. Ava did a number on him. Maybe he’s scared to start something new when the last one ended so badly.”
“Maybe,” I say softly.
“I have a feeling about you two.” She looks back at her arrangement. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun while he’s sorting through stuff. Besides, a little competition is good for a guy.”
“I like that shade of alstroemeria,” I say, nodding toward her arrangement, shamelessly changing the subject.
June smiles at the flowers. “They’re pretty, aren’t they?”
She starts talking about our next shipment, and my eyes wander to Isaac’s order. I have a date. A date with someone who isn’t Kyle.
And, as weird as it might be, I’m actually looking forward to it.
21
Kaylee is upset with me. I get it. I’m not an idiot—I know how much I hurt her when I pulled away the other night.
I wish things were easy. I wish we’d been those friends who realized they liked each other their freshman year and dated all through high school. No complications, no obstacles.
Instead, I have an ex-girlfriend leaving me messages once a day and begging me to call her back, and Kaylee is going on a date with that guy she met at the freaking speed dating event I should have never attended.
“I just thought I should tell you,” Kaylee says, looking uncomfortable—making me feel guilty as heck.
“It’s fine,” I promise her. “You don’t have to apologize.”
“I didn’t apologize.”
I force a smile. “Not with your words, but your eyes…totally apologizing.”
She huffs out a breath that moves her long bangs. “This is so weird.”
And it’s exactly what I wanted to avoid. “Go out. Have fun.”
And, please, let the guy be annoying or dull. Let him talk too much about himself or make stupid jokes. Let him be all wrong.
Kaylee stabs a plastic spoon in her ice cream. “I need to get home. Savannah asked if I could run lines with her before my date.”
“How’s it going?”
Savannah ended up landing the lead in that play for the traveling Renaissance faire that’s going to be in Flagstaff this summer. Along with performing five evenings a week, she also gets the pleasure of walking amongst the fairgoers and entertaining.
Basically, it sounds like a nightmare, but she’s excited about it, so more power to her.
“Great, I guess. It’s all she can talk about.” She stands, tossing half her unfinished ice cream in the trash next to the table—a sign that she’s upset, even if she’s trying to hide it. Kaylee never throws away good ice cream. “I’ll talk to you later.”
From my seat, I grab her arm as she starts to leave, but then I realize I don’t know what to say.
She gives me a sad smile and then leans down, hugging me around the neck. “We’re fine, Kyle. We’re fine.”
How many times have we tossed those words around lately? It’s getting old. It’s my fault, of course. But it’s still old.
My phone rings just moments after Kaylee walks through the door, and I pull it from my jacket pocket, fully expecting it to be Ava again. I should block her number, but I haven’t worked up the energy yet.
This time, however, it’s not Ava. It’s Daniel.
“What’s up?” I ask him, turning around to throw my empty ice cream cup in the trash. Then I stand, freeing the table for a family that walked in as Kaylee was leaving.
“We’re going out tonight,” he says.
“Do you want to play paintball again?” I ask. “I’d be up for that.”
That’s right—another thing checked off the list. Even though it’s stupid, I’ve slowly been working through it, doing some things with Kaylee and others alone. It’s like I have it in my head that if I just finish the blasted thing, I’ll be cured.
It would probably be quicker to book an
appointment with a therapist.
“Nah, man,” Daniel says. “Double date—sisters. Crazy hot.”
I cringe, not because I doubt his taste in women—though that’s somewhat questionable to be sure—but because if I’m going to date someone, it’s going to be Kaylee.
But I couldn’t go out with Kaylee even if I wanted to—she’s got a date of her own. With Isaac.
“I have an idea,” I say. “How about we don’t and say we did?”
He laughs like I’m joking. “You’re not squirming out of it this time. The two are a package deal—they’re visiting family, and Sheridan doesn’t want to ditch her little sister to go out with me.”
“Please tell me she’s at least eighteen.”
“That was one time,” he groans. “She said she was—”
“Never mind. You know what, fine. I’ll go.”
“Really?” He sounds surprised, as he should. I’m surprised myself.
“Yeah. Just tell me when and where.”
He rattles off a bunch of details, and I hang up, already wishing I hadn’t agreed. I’m certain a blind date isn’t going to be a lot better than speed dating.
* * *
I meet Daniel at the front of the restaurant. The girls aren’t here yet, though I’m five minutes early, so they should be soon.
“I’ve changed my mind,” I tell Daniel idly, shoving my hands in my pockets and rocking back on my heels.
He rolls his eyes because he knows I’m not serious—I wouldn’t stand up my date like that.
I look at the restaurant and study the steps that lead to the front. It’s a French bistro, on the nicer end of casual. “How is this place anyway?”
Daniel shrugs. “I have no idea. Sheridan wanted to come here.”
“How fussy do you think it is?” I wrinkle my nose at the scrolled iron railing that lines the porch-like entry.
I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy—good old American cuisine is my thing. All I’m saying is they better not try to serve me snails.
A couple walks out the front door. They’re dressed casually, so the restaurant probably won’t turn us away because I’m not wearing a tie. Too bad.
The longer we stand here, the more I dread the night. I haven’t been on a date with anyone other than Ava since high school—and speed dating at the community center doesn’t count.
My hands begin to sweat in my pockets, and my shoulders ache. All I want to do is leave and call Kaylee to see if she wants to hang out. But I can’t call Kaylee. She’s on a date tonight too.
I didn’t tell her about mine—I didn’t see a point, and I was worried it would only hurt her feelings. Besides, I’m not here because I’m interested in “getting back out there.” In fact, the only reason I’m here is to get my mind off Kaylee. Otherwise, I would have sat at home all evening and wondered how her night was going, if the guy was treating her well, if she let him kiss her.
My hand clenches at the thought.
I’m still scowling when Daniel hollers a friendly, “Hey, Sheridan!”
Reluctantly, I follow his gaze to the two women walking toward us on the sidewalk. They’re pretty, and it’s easy to tell they’re sisters even though one has blond hair and the other is a brunette.
“Daniel,” the blond-haired girl says, smiling. Her sister hesitantly slides her eyes to me and offers a tentative smile.
Apparently, someone else isn’t sure about being set up.
To ease her apprehension, I force a smile of my own and extend my hand. “I’m Kyle.”
“Hailey,” she says. “You must be my date.”
I nod, relieved that she looks several years above the legal voting age. It’s not that I don’t trust Daniel. It’s just that I don’t trust Daniel.
We get the introductions out of the way, and then we head into the restaurant. Daniel actually remembered to make reservations, and the hostess escorts us to a table in the front half of the restaurant.
Hailey turns out to be a veterinary technician from Boise. The girls’ parents moved here last summer, and this is Hailey and Sheridan’s first visit to the area.
She’s nice and a little shy. Thankfully, Sheridan and Daniel carry the conversation for us.
“So you work with Daniel?” Sheridan asks me, and then she takes a sip of her water. She drinks it with lemon, like Ava. For whatever reason, that reminds me of Kaylee and her habit of dumping a billion sugar packets in her tea.
“That’s right,” I say.
“Are you a guide?”
I nod, not sure what else to add.
“How did you get into off-roading?” Hailey asks.
“Growing up, my parents were in a four-wheeling club. Sometimes we’d do group rides with other families; other times it was just us.” I smile to myself. “My best friend came with us a lot too.”
What the heck? Why did I add that last bit?
Daniel wants to know too. He gives me a strange look.
“What’s a four-wheel club?” Sheridan asks. “Are you guys part of it now?”
Daniel nods. “We organize group rides, clean trails—that sort of thing.”
Hailey looks up, briefly meeting my eyes. “Maybe we can all go for a ride before we leave?”
“Oh…” I turn to Daniel, subtly asking him to save me. “What do you think?”
He flashes me a wicked smile, knowing exactly what I’m asking. “I think that’s a great idea!” He turns to our dates. “How long are you in town?”
I clench my teeth but keep my expression impassive.
“We leave Sunday morning,” Sheridan says.
“Do you have plans for Saturday?” Daniel asks.
Hailey looks at me again, smiling in a sweet way that makes me feel like a complete jerk. “We can change them.”
“Saturday it is!” Daniel sounds awfully proud of himself.
“I have a group Saturday,” I say, trying not to sound too relieved. “But you guys can go.”
Daniel scoffs. “Someone will cover for you. Ned was saying he’d like some extra hours just this morning.”
I give him a hard look. “I think Ned already has a ride on Saturday.”
Actually, I have no idea if he does or not. But he might.
Daniel rolls his eyes. “Dad will cover for you if he has to. Don’t worry about it.”
There are definite disadvantages to hanging out with the boss’s son.
“Great,” I say, forcing a smile. “Saturday it is.”
Grinning, Daniel turns back to Sheridan and Hailey, and they begin making plans.
“Kyle?”
We all turn toward the girl standing in the walkway…the girl who happens to be Kaylee. She stands with her date, looking surprised. More than surprised in fact—she looks hurt, though I doubt anyone else can tell.
“Kaylee!” Daniel leaps to his feet. “Kyle didn’t say you had a date here tonight.”
She glances at me, uncertain. “He didn’t know we were coming here.”
Her date wears a friendly expression, though he looks mildly uncomfortable.
“Would you all like to sit together?” the hostess asks the group, smiling helpfully. She points to an empty table next to ours. “We can move the tables together.”
“No,” Kaylee and I say in unison—and a little too loudly.
Our companions fall silent, and Kaylee forces a laugh, trying to dispel the awkward tension. “We don’t want to intrude upon your evening.”
“Come on,” Daniel says to her, shooting me a questioning look. “I insist. The more, the merrier. And besides, I want to get to know your guy.” He winks at her in his over-the-top charming way. “Make sure he’s up to snuff.”
“I don’t mind,” Kaylee’s date says to her quietly, leaving the decision up to her.
I can’t even look at Kaylee. I know what she’s thinking. Not a week ago, I told her I wasn’t ready, and here I am on a date with another woman. But it’s not what she thinks. I wish I could tell her that.
; No, I wish I could trade places with her date. He looks nice. I’m sure he and Hailey would have a great time.
Why did I agree to this? Why did I push Kaylee away?
Because Sally got in my head, that’s why. I’m sure she was trying to be helpful, but this is insane. I’m going to lose Kaylee anyway. We can go on as friends, just as we are, but eventually, someone is going to figure out how great she is and steal her from me. Sure, we might still be friends, but she’ll have her own life and eventually her own family.
Either way, I’m going to lose her.
“I’m sure they’d rather do their own thing,” I tell Daniel firmly, more for Kaylee’s sake than mine.
My best friend’s eyes meet mine. “I would, actually.”
The words hit me hard. I look down at the table, nodding.
“Thank you, though,” she says to Daniel. “You guys have a nice evening.”
Kaylee grasps hold of her date’s arm and nods to the hostess. She doesn’t have to drag him; he seems more than happy to take her off into the dark back half of the restaurant.
I drum my fingers on the table, watching them go.
I only realize my dinner companions haven’t spoken another word when Daniel loudly clears his throat. My attention snaps back, and I find three sets of eyes staring at me.
“She’s my best friend,” I explain, feeling like a jerk for momentarily ignoring Hailey.
My date cocks her head to the side, studying me. “How long have you been in love with her?”
I think about the question—really think. The answer dawns on me slowly, until it’s so obvious, I don’t know how I missed it. Heath was right—I’m an idiot.
“I’m not sure,” I admit.
“I guess this means you won’t be four-wheeling with us then?” She gives me a soft smile, letting me know it’s all right.
“I’m afraid not.”
22
“Will this be all right?” our hostess asks us, stopping at a cozy table against the wall. Not too far away, a low fire burns in the fireplace.
“This is great, thanks,” I say, ready to hide for the rest of the night.
27 Ways to Mend His Broken Heart Page 11
