Chapter 13
Thirteen
Kayla had a sick feeling in her stomach as she and Josie left Macy’s. Her lying had caught up with her.
“Why didn’t you tell me Jack is your boyfriend?” Josie asked.
“He’s not,” Kayla said.
Josie eyed her closely. “That’s not what Jack said.”
Kayla felt like her head was going to explode.
She’d asked Josie to go shopping to avoid Jack, and because she’d missed her friend.
She and Josie had gotten along great before they’d moved in together.
Kayla had reached out to Josie to salvage their friendship, but lying might have made things worse.
“Let’s find somewhere to sit down,” Kayla suggested. They found a vacant bench in a quiet alcove and sat. “This is going to sound really crazy, but here goes.” She proceeded to tell Josie most of the story, minus what happened last night in Jack’s bedroom.
“You agreed to move in with him because of me, didn’t you?” Josie said. “Because I’ve been a rotten roommate.”
Kayla sighed. “I needed some space, and when Jack proposed his idea, it seemed like a good solution.”
“How has it been, living with Jack?” Josie asked.
“It’s been … interesting.”
“How so?”
“I’m not used to living with a guy.”
“Is he messy?”
“No. He’s very neat.”
“Is he loud?”
Only when he’s having a sexy dream about me. “Sometimes,” Kayla said.
“Nobody’s perfect,” Josie pointed out.
Kayla smiled. “You’re right. I’m sorry for the arguments we had before I moved out.”
“I should have been more respectful of your feelings. When six weeks is up, you’re moving back in, right?” Josie asked, sounding hopeful.
Kayla wasn’t going to lie to her friend again. “I don’t know, but it’s not because I don’t want to be friends with you.”
“You think our friendship will be better if we don’t live together,” Josie stated.
“Maybe.”
“You’re right. Thanks for being honest with me.” Josie paused. “Now, tell me all about Jack’s friend.”
Kayla laughed at the sudden change of subject and shared what little she knew about Ryan. Then she and Josie resumed shopping. Before long, it was time to meet Jack and Ryan for lunch.
“There they are,” Josie said, pointing across the food court.
The men spotted them at the same time. Ryan smiled and waved, but Jack looked as unenthusiastic as Kayla.
Suck it up, she scolded herself. She pasted on a smile as they joined the men.
“You’ve been busy,” Ryan said, glancing at the additional bags they carried.
“At least we bought gifts for other people this time,” Josie said.
They all chuckled, but Jack seemed distracted. “What does everyone want for lunch?”
“Chick-fil-A,” Josie and Ryan replied at the same time.
“Is that okay with you?” Jack asked Kayla.
“Sure.” Then she realized Ryan and Josie had already gotten into line and were chatting away.
Kayla and Jack exchanged a look of resignation and joined them.
During lunch, Josie and Ryan did most of the talking.
Obviously, they’d hit it off and were taking the opportunity to get to know each other better.
At least their friends knew the truth, so Kayla and Jack didn’t have to pretend to be a couple.
Kayla should have felt relieved, but instead, she felt awkward and uncomfortable.
Whenever she looked up from eating her chicken strips and waffle fries, Jack was staring at her.
Finally, they finished eating, and Kayla glanced at her watch. “This was fun, but we should get back to shopping.”
“What are you ladies doing later?” Ryan asked.
Hiding from Jack, thought Kayla.
“Nothing. Why?” asked Josie.
“We should all meet up for drinks,” Ryan suggested.
Josie’s eyes shone brighter than Kayla had ever seen them.
“That sounds great!” Josie said.
Great? It sounded like pure torture. “Maybe,” said Kayla.
“Jack, what about you?” Ryan asked.
Jack gazed at Kayla for what felt like a long time. “Sure. Why not?”
While Ryan and Josie discussed where and when to meet, Kayla zoned out.
The details were irrelevant because she didn’t plan on going.
What she needed was a night at home alone.
Just because she and Jack lived together didn’t mean they had to be on top of each other.
On top of each other? Hmm. No! Don’t go there!
Ryan and Josie exchanged phone numbers in case there was a change in plans, but Kayla recognized it for what it was. The two of them were sparkling with energy and anticipation of the night ahead. In the meantime, she and Jack were quietly contemplative.
As the foursome left the food court, Jack sidled up next to her. “See you at home later?”
“You’re going out,” she reminded him.
“I have to come home and change first.”
Jack was wearing jeans, a long-sleeved waffle weave shirt, and brown boots. He looked like a walking ad for an outdoor store. “What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?”
“It’s not exactly bar wear,” he said.
Kayla shook her head. “It’s fine.”
He eyed her closely. “You don’t want me to come home tonight, do you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s your house.”
Jack leaned in and lowered his voice. “We should talk about it.”
Ryan and Josie were walking ahead of them and focused only on each other.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Kayla insisted.
“I disagree.”
Ryan glanced back at them. “Everything okay?”
“Yep,” Jack said.
Kayla nodded.
Soon, the men and women parted ways, and Kayla felt relieved.
“You should come out with us tonight,” Josie urged.
Instead of replying, Kayla pointed up ahead. “Let’s go into Bath and Body Works.”
“Okay. I’ll buy a new scent to wear tonight,” Josie enthused.
Kayla thought of all her perfume bottles lined up on Jack’s dresser. She didn’t need a new scent, unless there was one that suited her current mood—frustrated and confused.
It was late afternoon when Kayla dropped Josie off at their apartment. “Text me later and let me know if you’re coming to the bar,” Josie said, as she wrestled her packages out of the backseat.
“I will. Thanks for going shopping with me.”
“Anytime.” Josie practically skipped up the walkway to their apartment. She turned and waved, then disappeared inside.
Kayla considered following her, since it was still her apartment, too.
Oddly, it no longer felt like it, though.
She hadn’t been gone that long, but Jack’s condo was already starting to feel like home.
Soon, she pulled into the garage beside Jack’s car.
Kayla gathered her packages from the backseat and went up to the door.
Trying the doorknob, it was locked, so she used the key Jack had given her.
Once inside, she didn’t see any sign of him and assumed he was still with Ryan.
Kayla set down her bags and was about to enter the kitchen when she heard a noise.
Suddenly, Jack strode into the living room wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
“You’re home,” he said, sounding pleasantly surprised.
“You’re not dressed,” she volleyed, trying not to stare.
“I just got out of the shower. I heard sounds and came out to investigate.”
“Didn’t you assume it was me?”
He shrugged. “I’m still not used to living with someone.”
“Obviously,” she muttered. Kayla averted her gaze from his damp chest, long legs, and tousled hair.
“I’m going to get a glass of water, so you can go get dressed.
” Kayla turned away and retreated into the safety of the kitchen, or so she’d thought.
While she was filling a glass with water, Jack walked in and stood behind her.
Kayla took her time before she slowly turned and faced him.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“Not while you’re naked,” she argued.
“I have a towel on.”
“It doesn’t count as clothes.”
He smirked at her.
“I mean it, Jack. I can’t have a serious conversation with you like that.”
“Why not?” He planted his hands on his hips, drawing her attention to where the towel dipped at his waist.
She glared at him. “Because!”
“Because isn’t an answer.”
“You sound like my dad when I was growing up.”
He chuckled, and his pecs danced before her eyes. She tipped up her glass and gulped down the water like it was liquor instead. Maybe if she ignored him, he’d go away, which might be worse, because then she’d have a view of his firm, round …
“I can keep apologizing about last night, but it won’t change anything,” he said.
“I’m not asking you to apologize.”
“Then what can I do to make things better between us?”
“To start, you could put on some clothes.”
Jack grinned. “I know what’s going on here.”
“You do?” She eyed him warily.
“Yes, and I’m tired of holding it in. The truth is, I had a sexy dream about you because you’re hot, and I’m attracted to you. There, I said it!”
If she gripped the glass any tighter, it would have exploded into a million pieces. As it was, she stood there gaping at him.
“If I had to guess, you’re attracted to me too,” he added.
She stared at him, unblinking, until her vision blurred.
“That’s why things are awkward between us, but it doesn’t have to be this way. If you would admit it, we can move past it. Otherwise, all this sexual tension is going to sit between us like a buffalo in the room.”
“Buffalo?” Kayla scoffed.
“Elephant. Whatever!”
Jack’s chest was heaving, and while he’d been talking, the towel had dipped dangerously lower. Any further, and the elephant’s trunk might show. Confronted with all that damp skin, tousled hair, and passionate soliloquy, Kayla was entranced.
“Kayla? Aren’t you going to say something?” Jack prompted her.
She cleared her throat and was about to speak when the doorbell rang.