Page 54 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

Yeah, where is Rick?

Asleep on the couch

How are you gonna get by him without being tackled?

What are you talking about? I’m like a ninja.

LOL okay, see you in a few.

Kaylee got out of bed and slipped on her house boots, cracking the door open a smidge. She tiptoed down the hallway, doing her best not to wake Rick when she unlocked and opened the door. Kaylee thought she was caught for sure, but he just kept quietly snoring. She shut the door behind her and carefully traveled down the steps in case they had ice on them, making her way across the yard and into Josie’s. She found the hidden key under a gnome and let herself inside.

Josie was sitting on the couch, her cat, Roy, curled up on her lap. The big brown tabby chirped when Kaylee sat down but otherwise didn’t move. The Phineas and Ferb Christmas episode was on TV, and Kaylee arched her brow. “What are you, twelve?”

Josie pointed the remote at her like a sword. “Hey, I liked these episodes when I was twelve, and I find them very comforting. Back off.”

Kaylee threw up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Who am I to judge?”

Josie’s house was identical in design, but inside, she had painted her walls sage green, saying it promoted a calming energy. Her kitchen had gray tile and white cabinets, and she chose bright, floral paintings in a hint of sage green to tie the walls together. Her couch was pink and boneless, like Kaylee’s, which is where she’d gotten the idea to buy one from how comfortable Josie’s was. Kaylee looked around Josie’s house and remembered how much fun Elasia had decorating their dorm room for the first time. They made trips to T.J. Maxx and Hobby Lobby, picking up all kinds of decor.

Josie nodded regally and paused the show, turning slightly without disturbing Roy. “How are you doing?”

“What?” Kaylee asked.

“You said you weren’t feeling good earlier.”

She’d completely forgotten about the lie and wondered if her face was as red as it felt. “Oh, I am feeling better now. Well, I don’t know, kind of.”

“What do you mean?”

Kaylee nervously played with the frayed edges of the blanket thrown over the back of Josie’s couch. “I promised I’d tell you everything, but please don’t interrupt me until I finish, okay?”

Josie nodded, sitting quietly as Kaylee spilled her guts. With the exception of her eyes widening or a distressed gasp, she stayed silent until Kaylee finished.

“I never did buy the two of you being friends,” Josie said.

“Why not?”

“You could cut the tension with a knife. At first, I thought you were exes and maybe he’d cheated on you or ghosted you, but that didn’t seem right, either. And then I thought, secretive about her past, cop shows up … It just made sense.”

Kaylee bit her lip, weighing the repercussions of telling her friend about this afternoon, and ultimately decided to go for it. “I may have had sex with Rick.”

Josie’s eyebrows skyrocketed up her forehead, making her eyes owllike. “You may have, or you did?”

“Oh no,” Kaylee said, unable to fight her sheepish grin. “I definitely did.”

Josie cocked her head to the side, furrowing her brow. “And it made you sick?”

She laughed. “No. You came by when we were sort of in the—”

Her hands swung through the air like she was waxing on and off, cutting off Kaylee’s explanation. “All right, that’s enough. I don’t need any details.” Horror spread over Josie’s face, her mouth flopping open like a fish. “Oh God, like he was— Oh no, geez, okay, all right. The visuals are assaulting me,” she said, closing her eyes. “I don’t know if I can come back from this because now I am picturing you in compromising positions.”

Kaylee wrapped her arms around herself, guffawing so hard her stomach hurt. “Please stop picturing me in any way, shape, or form committing a sexual act with anyone.”

“Well, I can’t help it! I am picturing you and him, and good God, what I mean … Is it as big as I think it is?”

“Girl, what are you even saying to me right now?” Kaylee reached behind her for the throw pillow and swung, catching Josie in the shoulder. Roy skidded off her lap and to the ground, watching Kaylee with his eyes narrowed and his ears back, but she ignored his disgruntlement.

“Are you kidding? First, you’re like ‘don’t give me any details,’ and now you’re asking how big his dick is?”