I didn’t recognize the band or their song. On either side were mazes of food trucks and all sorts of vendors. We sampled local honey, local beers, local jam, and Colin bought me a small 5x7 painting because I admired it.
“Are you hungry yet?” he asked as the sky burned orange behind him.
I nodded.
“Good. Me too,” he said. He laced his fingers through mine and led us through a line of food trucks, studying the menus and asking which one I’d care to try.
It doesn’t matter what I eat. Nothing will have any taste. Your touch is all I crave.
We finally settled on a Mexican food truck, and when we approached the line and stood behind another couple, I stared at the man’s head in front of me. My eyes shot open, and I went still as I realized whose head it was. Unfortunately, I also dropped the small bag with my painting inside, and as Colin bent down to retrieve it, the sound had prompted the couple to turn around.
Kaitlin and Grant.
His eyes widened, hers narrowed, and for a heartbeat no one spoke. Thankfully, he snapped out of it quicker than I did.
“Hey! What are you guys doing here?” he asked with an easy smile. Kaitlin’s forced smile was nothing less than I would expect as she looped her arm through Grant’s a little too tightly.
Colin wore the same chillingly stoic expression he presented at work. He extended his hand and shook Grant’s as I squeaked out a, “Hi!”
“We’re enjoying the evening,” Colin said. “Same as you, looks like. Everything alright, Kaitlin?”
“All is great,” she said, sidling up to Grant and fixing her eyes on me. “We’ve been walking around. Such a great festival!”
We ordered our food, and I overheard Kaitlin say to Grant, “I should find us a table.” Her hand moved up and down his arm. He nodded and then looked over to us.
“It’ll probably be hard to find a spot. Why don’t you guys sit with us?” Grant asked.
I gave Grant a hard look, hoping he understood that meant NO.
But Colin quickly answered, “Thanks. That’d be great.”
We grabbed our food and headed over to where Kaitlin had secured a picnic table. She looked reasonably confused about our little seating arrangement.
“We don’t mean to intrude on your date, Kaitlin. I’m sure the last thing you want is to see your boss outside of work,” Colin said.
“Not at all,” she said, her face and voice utterly transformed. “I don’t mind at all. But, um, are you two on a date?” She spoke to him but looked at me and then back to Colin, who gave me a small nod.
“We’re getting to know each other,” I said and took a sip of my water.
Kaitlin’s nostrils flared and her lips held together tightly as she gave a, “Hmmm.”
Colin and I would have to get away from that little reunion. Grant and I both needed our time alone with our dates to get anything useful out of them. Plus, Kaitlin was beingKaitlin,and I didn’t trust how much longer I’d remain neutral toward her.
When Colin spoke again, it was to casually say, “Grant, I wasn’t aware you were interested in dating around the office.”
I stopped chewing. It seemedColinhad no interest in remaining neutral.
“It’s not against the rules. It’s not like I’m Kaitlin’s superior. I empathize with what you guys may go through.”
The two men each had self-assured looks, but Colin suddenly brightened and looked at me.
“That’s what we were saying to each other, wasn’t it, Kate? That we’d go to HR once we got to know each other better. I won’t put you on the spot here, but, for my part, I’d love to have that conversation when you’re done eating.”
I couldn’t help smiling back at him, his eyes practically shining as he waited for my response. “Yeah, we can go have a chat when we’re finished here.”
I was fucked.
CHAPTER TWELVE
