“Yep. Wild.” I emphasize the word while nodding my head, hoping my agreeing with her will be enough, but Kendra continues to spew gossip.
“I had no idea he had a crush on you, or else I would have tried to hook you two up months ago!”
I nearly slide off my seat but manage to catch myself. “Why do you say that?” I ask. I think I’m running a fever.
Kendra cocks her head. “Well it was just you, wasn’t it? All the men were there to talk with you?”
I want to kick Raegan in the shin.
“I don’t think they knew I was going to be the only woman there,” I say, voice shaking. “I wasn’t told until I got there. It was sort of a mix up.” I laugh awkwardly, but Kendra doesn’t buy it.
She raises one eyebrow and rests her chin on her hand, leaning as far over the counter as she can. “Don’t you think he would have left if he wasn’t interested?” she asks conspiratorially.
“I don’t?—”
“Hey, Kendra!” Thankfully, I’m interrupted by Raegan’s sudden arrival. “Chatting with the birthday girl?”
Kendra straightens and pouts her bottom lip. “You didn’t tell me it’s your birthday!” She runs to the kitchen in haste, concern about my lovelife all but forgotten.
“Bless you,” I tell Raegan as she takes the stool in the corner. “I think I’m officially on the town radar.”
“Radar?” She straightens, jerking her head back reflexively with a quizzical expression. “What do you mean?”
I prop the menu up in front of me. “I’m a known single in Shadow Hills, thanks to you,” I whisper, “so now the elderly want toset me up!” My last words come out with a bit more force and shrillness.
Raegan leans in surreptitiously. “Did she actually say that?”
“Verbatim.”
“Oh.” There’s pity in her eyes. “It’s kinda true though.” My jaw falls open, but she presses onward without letting me get a word in. “It’s why I wanted you to participate. I know you’re lonely, and I think it’s good for you to put yourself out there, start talking to new people.”
I’ve never told Raegan how I truly feel about being in a relationship. All she has to go on is my constant jokes about finding a werewolf mate. “Did you purposefully not choose any other women?”
Now she looks guilty. “There’s really not that many single women in Shadow Hills.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose in an attempt to keep my head from exploding. The gesture reminds me of Aidan and his constant frustration with me, only making it worse.
“I really am a spinster,” I mutter under my breath.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Raegan places her hand on top of my menu and lowers it so I can no longer hide. “I’m sorry. It was probably really awkward for you wasn’t it?”
I press my lips together. “Let’s not talk about that. It’s not important. I don’t want to spoil our first annual birthday brunch.” I’m deflecting, just like I always do.
Raegan beams, and I’ve successfully swept another problem under the rug. We order pancakes with lots of toppings—I stick mostly to fruits and syrup while Raegan goes for a chocolate chip and whip cream approach.
As we eat, my thoughts spiral right back to Aidan. It doesn’t matter what I do. He continues to infiltrate my mind like he’s James Bond.
“Do you know much about vampires?” I ask off the cuff, just as Raegan shoves a large bite of triple-layered pancake into her mouth.
She chews absentmindedly as she ponders my question, not a clue as to why I would be asking such a thing. After another minute, she swallows and replies, “We learned about them in school, and Jamie has told me some stuff, but he doesn’t know a lot.” She scrunches her nose. “Why?”
I try to sway my face into looking passive, but my heart is beating like a wild bird trying to escape a cage. As much as I don't want to bring up the event that started this mess, it’s my only valid excuse. “The speed dating thing,” I say casually. “Seeing Aidan there was a little weird.”
Raegan frowns. “Why was it weird? Did he say something to you?”
