11. Kaitlyn #2
I slide into the seat next to Bailey, ignoring the nervous flutter in my stomach. “I’m happy the appointment went well,” I say, tapping my fingers on the counter. It doesn’ t seem to matter how many times I wash my hands, they’re usually stained with flecks of paint.
“Us too,” Thalia says, turning back to smile at me. Bailey shifts beside me, and it takes every ounce of self-control I have to not look at him. I have nervous energy to burn right now, and I’m not sure what to do with it.
“Oh, JJ and I were wondering last night if you and Hunter would want to go on a double date before they go back to school at the end of July?” Marley asks, and I actually love the idea, even if I hate the reminder that Hunter’s leaving soon.
With everything going on, I’ve been trying to find time to tell him I decided to take the leap and will be deferring for a year.
I also haven’t told my parents, but that’s a problem for later me.
“That sounds like so much fun. I know Hunter’s been wanting to go to the aquarium, but we haven’t made it there yet if it sounds like something you’d want to do?”
“I’ll ask JJ when they get back, but I’m in,” she says, smiling wide.
“What’s an aquarium?” Javi asks, sprinkling in chocolate chips and blueberries into the pan.
“It’s a place where a lot of fish live,” Thalia answers, and he lights up.
“Can we go too?”
Bailey laughs under his breath next to me. “We’ll go another time to look at all the fish.”
“Are you going to spend the rest of the summer with your family once JJ goes back to Beaumont?” I ask Marley, trying to distract myself from Bailey sitting next to me. He’s not even fucking doing anything, but I still can’t concentrate. I knew Marley would be the perfect buffer.
“That’s the plan, but I’ll definitely miss being here. I think I might still take a trip to Italy so I can visit my brother, even if I wish JJ was going with me. We can always try again over winter break for his birthday, though,” she says, her eyes twinkling like stars as she talks about him.
I truly wouldn’t be surprised if JJ proposed before the end of the year. Anyone with eyes can see he looks at her like she’s the only person in the world for him. After everything they’ve been through, they deserve happiness.
“Do you have any big plans for when Hunter goes back to Oceanside?”
I shrug, tapping my fingers again. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.” Actually, I have, but deferring isn’t something I really want to talk about right now. It’s not like I’m not going to go back. It just won’t be this year.
I can feel the weight of Bailey’s stare, and I’m not sure I want to know what he’s thinking.
“B, do you want the first pancake?” Thalia asks, offering him an olive branch. His hesitation to answer is enough for me to finally turn toward him, but that’s when I notice the mischievous look in his eyes.
“Can I have ice cream as the topping?” he asks, giving his mom a smile.
Mirabelle told me a few days ago it feels like their parents are tiptoeing on eggshells since Bailey is continuing to keep quiet about why he left. I don’t even want to know how many hours I’ve spent thinking about what Hunter could have done that was so terrible.
She laughs, seeming caught off guard by his question. “Sure, why not?”
Once his masterpiece is concocted by a giggling Javi who struggles to scoop the ice cream for him, Bailey takes a bite before an exaggerated moan comes out of his mouth.
Oh my god. I turn away, feeling my face turn bright red as Thalia pours more batter into the pan, except now I’m facing Marley, and she’s watching me carefully.
Shit. She raises an eyebrow, and I don’t know where to look because whichever way I turn, there’s someone who’ll be very interested in why my face is so red, and I’m running on too little sleep to come up with a believable answer.
I’m saved by my mother walking into the kitchen, diverting Marley’s attention.
I breathe a sigh of relief, turning back toward Bailey once my face calms down. Bailey still has a playful glint in his eyes as he spears part of the pancake with his fork, making sure to get some ice cream too before holding it directly in front of my mouth.
“Better open up, or it’ll fall on you,” he says, and I can feel my cheeks heat again as I follow his direction.
Bailey’s careful as he guides the fork into my mouth, and it should be a crime how sensual this feels.
His gaze drops to watch my mouth close around the fork, and there is an interesting combination of flavors bursting on my tongue as he pulls his fork away so I can chew.
When he meets mine again, there’s a fire simmering in them I should be afraid of.
“—practically running out the door this morning.” I catch the last bit of whatever Mom’s saying, trying to swallow quickly.
“What are you saying about me?”
Mom chuckles, winking at me. “I was just telling Lia how eager you were to leave. She wouldn’t even wait for me to get ready.”
“I wanted to see Javi!” I protest.
Thalia shakes her head, glancing at Marley. “Do you know when the boys will be back? I might need to make more batter.”
Marley pulls her phone out of her pocket to check for a message from JJ, sitting on the other side of me. “I think soon, but they can eat what’s left or make their own if they want more.”
“You really are perfect for my son,” Thalia says, helping Javi flip the next pancake. “Penelope, do you want any breakfast, or are we jumping right into the receptionist position?”
Mom groans, leaning against the counter next to Javi. “You know how I feel about work after all these years of being in business together. I’d rather get it over with so we can spend the rest of the day doing literally anything else.”
Javi tries to scoop some more ice cream, but it hasn’t softened enough for him to actually scoop it.
“That’s why I asked,” Thalia says, laughing.
“Have you had a chance to look through the applicants? It looks like we have some solid ones, but I want to make sure it’s the right fit,” Mom says, helping Javi scoop ice cream onto his pancakes.
“Or you could just hire Kaitlyn. She knows the gallery and everything about it, so she’d be perfect,” Bailey adds, and everyone stares at him, including me.
What the hell is he doing?
I already dodged Marley’s question about fall, but maybe Bailey just did me a huge favor. This is the perfect opening I needed to tell everyone I want more time to figure my life out.
“But she’s going back to Duke and then we’ll be in the same boat with applicants,” Mom says, tilting her head, and I twist my hands together. Bailey chooses to conveniently fall silent. “Kaitlyn?”
“I deferred.” The words come out of my mouth, and it’s freeing to feel the weight lifting from my shoulders.
“You what ?” Hunter’s voice rings out from the entryway of the kitchen and my stomach drops.