“Your turn. Truth or dare?”
Kate scrunches her nose at the plate of mollusks. “Truth.”
“What? Is scaredy Kate afraid of a dare?”
Kate juts out her chin. “No. Just smart enough to know when to call it quits.”
I roll my eyes, and Kate settles back into her chair. A thousand questions spin in my mind, and because it’s Kate, I know she’ll answer honestly. My heart takes off like a motorcycle as one burning question lands on my tongue.
“Why are you with Tanner?”
Kate’s head snaps up, eyes cutting to mine.
Sure, she and Tanner don’t appear to be serious, but Kate lasting this long in a relationship is the equivalent of a ten-year wedding anniversary. Whatever marathon-con she’s running, she’s dedicated. Which means there’sgottabe a reason.
“Why do you care?” she asks evenly.
“Because I’m your…friend.” The word sounds so absurd, I almost laugh. “And I know I’ve only met the guy once, but you were acting so weird with him.”
“And this is your business, why, exactly?”
A twitch in my jaw responds before I do. “You’re not stupid, Kate. And changing yourself for someone else is stupid.”
Her mask of indifference falls into a scowl. “Wow. Thanks for cushioning your words, Brandon.”
“I’m calling it like it is, since I’ve a feeling no one else will.”
Kate crosses her arms, tone turning lethal. “You, of all people, are not allowed to tell me who I can or cannot date.”
“I’m not telling you that youcan’t; let’s make that very clear. And if you’re truly happy with him, great.” I cough a sharp laugh. “Actually, to hell with that guy. He’s not worth it if you can’t be yourself. And I care too much about you to sit back and watch you act like someone you’re not.” I scrub a hand down my face. “So, answer me. Why are you with him?”
After a long moment of scrutiny, Kate’s lashes flutter closed, and she sighs.
“I—”
The jilted hostess materializes, escorting a disgruntled Mr. Winthrop and his wife.
Kate’s jaw snaps shut, silencing the truth I’ll likely never get to hear.
We’re forced to stand, to greet them, to move on and act like nothing transpired in the last twenty minutes. While the evening progresses well and Mr. Winthrop agrees to a massive donation, I’d pay an equally exorbitant amount just to know why Kate’s left knee bounces for the rest of the night.
twenty-four
PRESENT DAY
KATE
The pins crash together as the bowling ball annihilates them all.
I smirk, then skip back to where Tanner is gaping.
“You’re freakishly good at this,” he says.
“Thanks.”
Valentine’s day is tomorrow, but since he has a work shift scheduled tomorrow evening, he insisted on taking me out tonight. I swear, dating a hospital physician assistant is pretty much committing to their odd schedule. But he has four days off next week, so that will be nice. The bowling alley was my suggestion, since Tanner seems to favor wining and dining. Nevertheless, he seems content enough to be here.
He really is such a good guy. It will be nice to bring him to the Lunar New Year day parade with my family next week. They’ve already met Tanner and like him, so it will be a welcome reprieve to have a buffer from any disappointment.
