We laugh as we glance at each other, and I wonder how anyone could walk out on this guy, leaving him standing at the door.
It’s refreshing as we travel the dirt road through the lake community. The car moves slowly until the tires meet the pavement, then turns onto the main road and speeds away. My body presses against the seat as he continues down the road.
When the laughing subsides, I glance at my phone, and the text message taunts me as I debate whether I should read it out loud. “Ready to hear what my sister sent?”
Then Kai’s phone, which is connected to his car, pings with a text message. Of course, it’s my brother-in-law, Logan.
He points to the screen. “Told you, talk of the office…and the office cookout.” He smirks at me from across the car, and my stomach does a couple of flips.
I shrug, like, who cares what they think, but maybe Kai does, though it didn’t seem that way when he called them gossip queens. “I don’t think we’ll ever live this down, and I’m okay with that.”
“Me, too. So, which one first?” He has his finger hovering above Logan’s text with one eye on the road and the other on me.
I strum my finger on my chin and say, “Let’s read mine first.” Pulling up the message, I read it out loud.
Theresa:Where in the hell are you going with Kai? He’s a nice guy.
“Nice to know how she feels about you.” I raise my eyebrows, knowing my sister likes Kai, and she’d approve.
“I’m a nice guy, alright, and usually nice guys finish last,” he says, his hands on the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. He shakes his head.
The way he says,‘nice guys finish last,’is like a punch to the gut. It has me questioning what the hell I’m doing. Kai, playing along with my crazy ideas—inviting me to his house for sunsets in his hot tub, opening up to me—and here I am thinking this is only for fun. But it’s like holding a mirror up to myself and asking,“Why do I always do this?Why am I dragging him into this?”A tinge of guilt looms over me. I should ask him to drive me back.
But then he asks me, “What’s that all about?”
Ugh, it’s time to be honest. “There have been times in my life when I don’t make the best decisions and can be impulsive.”
“Oh, I like the fact you’re impulsive. It’s how you’re in a car right now. Guess we’re spending more time together.” He gazes over at me with a smirk pasted on his face, looking a lot like hope.Hope for something more?I don’t do relationships, but I see I might be giving him mixed messages.
No, it’s all in fun…right?
“Well, then you’re reaping the benefits of my impulsive decisions.” I half-giggle.
Needing a distraction from my internal conflict, I point to the screen and say, “Alright, let’s listen to what Logan has to say.”
Logan:Man, this is my fault. I pointed out my sister-in-law and encouraged you to say hi. But leaving with her…you’re the talk of the party.
Logan:Call me later.
My brother-in-law is a closet romantic. He hides it fairly well, but I see through him. The way he treats my sister is what I want for myself one day. I mean, if I were actually interested in a relationship, but I’m not. Relationships—they aren’t for me, and why I move around a lot. I keep it lively and have my friends around.Who needs a guy around?Not me.
It’s fun until someone catches feelings, and I’d rather avoid all of it.
It doesn’t surprise me that Logan encouraged Kai to say hi. Logan would love for me to stick around here. He thinks it would be good for everyone. I haven’t completely ruled it out. While my sister is pregnant with number two and due in September, it would be fun to be the cool auntie. My niece, Giana, turned three a couple of months ago, and she’ll start remembering the times I’m not here.
“Not nearly as bad as my sister’s text.” I roll my eyes.
“I guarantee he knew you would hear it, so he kept it tame.”
“Maybe, so…where are we off to?”
It doesn’t matter where. I’m content to hang out with him for the rest of the day. Telling myself it’s casual, fun, and to forget about those sparks I felt. It’s been too long since it happened, and I’m not sticking around, so I need to let it go.
“I’m bringing you out to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant since we didn’t get a chance to eat.”
Taking charge, I like it. “Sounds perfect.”
We pull into the parking lot, and he isn’t joking. It’s calledA Hole in the Wall.
