Page 23 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

Kaylee

Is he still looking over here?” Kaylee asked from the couch, which was out of sight from her kitchen window. Her rental and Josie’s house had the same layout except they mirrored each other. Josie stood in the kitchen, staring at Rick.

“Yes, but he’s starting to pace now.” Josie turned around, her green eyes lit with curiosity. “If he’s a friend, then why did you ditch him to come over here alone? He looks cute from what I can see.”

Cute is not how Kaylee would describe Rick. Puppies and kittens were cute. Rick was …

“Vile. Feral. Insufferable is what he is.”

“All that, huh?” Josie chuckled, leaving her post at the window to take the spot next to Kaylee on the couch. Josie’s blond hair fell around her shoulders in loose waves, and the cozy pink lounge set she was wearing exposed one round, pale shoulder. “Sounds like he’d make a terrible houseguest. Why not kick him to the curb?”

Because I have no choice in the matter. Kaylee had gone over a hundred different scenarios on how to get rid of Rick, but none of them were possible, especially with him stationed on her couch, watching her. He was everywhere, ordering her about, teasing her, and flirting with her.

Whoa, maybe not flirting. Why would he do that after everything she’d done to him? If anything, his little comments were just another way to fluster and torment her.

“I kind of owe him for getting me out of a bad situation in college. That doesn’t mean he’s any less annoying.”

“Noted,” Josie said, leaning forward. “Although, in my professional opinion—”

“Please, don’t shrink me,” Kaylee begged. Since Josie had her master’s in psychology and worked as a specialized therapist, she always brought up her “professional opinion” before telling Kaylee something she didn’t want to hear.

Josie threw her hands up. “Fine, no advice. However, I do think we need to go to this meeting tonight and take your mind off your unwanted houseguest.”

“Except the minute he sees us leave, he is going to want to tag along.”

“Let him,” Josie said, rubbing her hands together before reaching for Kaylee’s. “It will give me a chance to analyze him, see what makes him tick.” Josie pulled her off the couch, her brow suddenly furrowed. “You’re not embarrassed of me, right?”

Kaylee gasped, squeezing Josie’s fingers. “Of course not! Why would you even ask that?”

“I know my job can be hard to explain to some people, and if you think he’ll be awkward, I understand.”

“No, it’s nothing like that. If anything, I’m embarrassed of him.” And I don’t want to lie to you any more than I already have.

Josie laughed, a tinkling sound. “Then let me grab the popcorn and we’ll head over. He can follow us if he wants to, and I’ll tell him to stop being creepy.”

A sound escaped Kaylee, somewhere between a groan and a laugh, but she didn’t protest again. After Josie grabbed her bag of popcorn from the pantry, Kaylee followed Josie out the door. Maybe while Rick was distracted at the meeting, Kaylee could slip out, take Pumpkin, and run.

The moment they shut Josie’s front door, Rick stepped outside Kaylee’s house, waving at them. “Hey there,” he called out like they were cast members on an idyllic sitcom.

“Hi,” Josie returned warmly, because that was her nature. She was a kind, jolly girl whom everyone liked, but wasn’t afraid to speak their minds to. Josie was so nice that a few times when people had said some brutal things to her, she just smiled and, for all intents and purposes, pretended like it didn’t hurt. Only a handful of people had seen Josie break down in private, and it made Kaylee irate that anyone would treat her that way.

The three of them met on the sidewalk, and Rick held out his hand. “I’m Rick. Kaylee and I have been friends since college.”

“Hello, Rick. Kaylee and I have been friends since Santa dropped her off especially for me last year.”

“That’s cute, especially with her last name being Kringle,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “It’s almost too convenient. Like her entire existence is made up.”

Kaylee glowered at him, but when Josie turned her way, she forced a laugh. “Oh, Rick. Such a funny guy.”

He smirked. “I am. So, where are you ladies off to?”

“Town meeting at the Grange hall,” Josie volunteered. “Want to join us?”

“I would love to,” he said, falling in step with Josie, who started firing off questions at him in rapid succession. Kaylee listened in with mild curiosity, trying to pick out the truths from the lies. When they’d been alone together in that motel room, they hadn’t dug into anything really personal, but with Josie, Rick pretended to be an open book, which rankled Kayle a bit.

“No, I don’t have any family that I talk to. My dad raises racehorses, and they are about all he loves, and my mom and I aren’t in contact. The only family member I was ever close with was my abuela, but she passed a long time ago.”

“I’m sorry. So, you came to visit Kaylee for the holidays?” Josie glanced over her shoulder at Kaylee, directing the words “You must have been very close” at her.