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“You are.” She pointed her fork at me. “Like, properly radiant. Don’t even try to hide it. Is Mr. Kincaid finally going to be the one?”
Heat flooded my cheeks, and I looked down at the table as though studying my water glass might somehow save me from the conversation. “I don’t know. Maybe? God, this is mortifying. I’m twenty-two and I’m still a virgin. I still haven’t told him because I’m embarrassed.”
“Why are you embarrassed?”
“Because Richard has probably slept with half of the women in Preston.”
Leanne laughed. “Probably.”
“Thank you. Very helpful.” I lowered my voice even though hardly anyone was sitting near us. “What if I’m terrible at it?”
Leanne’s smile softened. “Everybody is terrible at it the first time.”
“What was yours like?”
“I lost mine so long ago that I honestly don’t remember most of the details. It was probably awkward and over in about thirty seconds.” She waved her hand dismissively. “But we’re not talking about my tragic teenage sex life. Tell me about Richard.”
My embarrassment faded almost immediately.
“He’s intense, but in the best way. He’s so smart, and when he looks at me, I feel like I’m the only person who exists.” I smiled before I could stop myself. “He’s protective. He really sees me. I love how calm he is, how safe he makes me feel. I love the way he says my name and how he actually listens when I talk, like everything I’m saying matters. I love how he remembers little things that I don’t even remember telling him. I love…”
Leanne’s eyebrow rose. Her grin widened. “Loves.”
“Oh my God.”
“Not likes. Love.”
I covered my face with both hands while she laughed across from me. “Please shut up.”
“You said it.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“You absolutely meant it like that.”
I lowered my hands and felt my cheeks burning. The worst part was that she was right. I hadn’t meant to say the word, but once it was sitting between us, I couldn’t pretend it hadn’t come from somewhere real.
“I know it’s really soon,” I admitted. “I’ve never felt like this with anybody before. Everything with him just feels right. Like it’s destined somehow.”
Leanne studied me for a moment before her teasing expression softened. “Then maybe it is.”
The conversation stayed with me through the rest of lunch, although Jerry occasionally slipped back into my thoughts. Eventually, Leanne and I said our goodbyes outside the restaurant. I hugged her tightly before starting the short walk back to my condo.
By the time I stepped inside, the late-afternoon sunlight poured through the windows, casting long shadows across the floor. I dropped my purse near the door, kicked off my shoes, and turned on the television for background noise while I crossed toward the answering machine.
A familiar name from the television stopped me.
“Authorities have confirmed that remains recovered earlier this week have been identified as twenty-one-year-old Preston University student Jessica Harlan, who had been reported missing several weeks ago.”
I turned toward the screen.
Jessica’s photograph appeared beside the anchor. The anchor continued speaking while another photograph replaced hers. This time, I recognized the face immediately.
Jerry.
I stepped closer to the television.
“In a separate case, authorities are asking for information regarding the disappearance of Preston University student Jerry Collins, who has not been seen or heard from in several weeks. Collins, twenty-two, is also an intern at Whitmore Holdings, where coworkers reported that he unexpectedly stopped reporting for work earlier this month. His family has reported him missing.”
