Page 146 of A Dangerous Kind of Love

“Hey,” she says. “Get something to eat. Then we can go sit down.”

I look down at her, and the tension eases out of me almost immediately. She smiles up at me, and just hearing her voice takes the edge off my mood.

“Yeah,” I say. “That sounds good.”

The rest of the day is easy. We stay until nine. Before we leave, Sarah pulls Katie aside. I don’t hear what’s said, but when they hug, Katie doesn’t let go right away.

“What was that about?” I ask, taking her hand as we walk to the car, my fingers threading through hers.

“We had a fight. It’s over now.”

She doesn’t elaborate.

“Are you going to tell me what it was about?”

“No. Just friend stuff.”

“Alright, but if you want to talk about it, you can.”

“I know.”

I open her door for her, my hand resting against the top of it as she slides into the passenger seat. By the time I walk around and get in, she’s already buckled.

“Want to stay at my place tonight or yours?” I ask, turning the key in the ignition.

“Yours,” she says.

I nod, starting the car and pulling out. The drive is quiet, but not easy. There’s something sitting under the surface. It isn’t until we hit the highway that she finally turns toward me.

“Sarah wants me to go out with her and some friends on Thursday.”

“Friends,” I repeat, merging into traffic, my eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“Yeah. Just people we’ve known for years.”

I let a beat pass, then, “Are any of those people men?”

She hesitates. It’s small, but I catch it.

“Yes.”

My jaw tightens, and I press my tongue to the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to keep my tone even.

“Anyone I’ve met?”

This time the silence stretches longer. Long enough that I already know the answer before she says it.

“Trenton.”

I exhale slowly, my grip tightening slightly on the wheel.

“So you’re asking me if you can go out with your ex.”

“I’m not asking,” she says. “I’m telling you.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Of course you are.”

“Michael, we’re going to the bar. There’s a baseball game on. We’re going to eat and hang out.”