Page 53 of Indigo Sky

"You asked Indie out?"

I saw no reason to hide it from him, so I said, "Yeah. I mean, I dunno when, but I asked if she'd be interested, and she said yes."

"I heard her talking to Crystal and Ivy," Scott admitted with an apologetic lift of his mouth. "She likes you."

"I like her too," I said for no other reason than to say it aloud to someone.

He pushed off the wall and sniffled again. "God, this weather is killing my sinuses," he griped, using his arm now to wipe his nose. "Anyway, I'm rooting for you, man. Just, like I said, don't let feelings get in the way of work—you know what I'm saying?"

I nodded. "I don't plan on it."

"Nah," he said. "But does anyone ever?"

***

Kate was one of the last to leave. Scott had walked Ivy and Crystal to their cars while I waited for Kate to finish getting her things together. Then, she appeared in the hallway, a smile gently tugging at her lips as she approached where I stood near the front entrance.

She dabbed a tissue against her bottom lip, and I frowned.

"It split again?"

"Yeah, while I was dancing earlier. And now, the bleeding just won't stop."

"Maybe you should get it looked at."

Kate shook her head and waved the suggestion away as if it were completely asinine. "I've had a split lip before. I'm fine."

I didn't push the argument, although I wasn't sure I believed she was fine. Maybe her lip was, but her heart, her pride … I wasn't sure there was anything fine about those at all.

But I can help her get there.

I offered my arm, and she accepted it with the smallest quirk of her lips and a bow of her head.

"Thank you, kind sir."

Together, we walked out the door and toward her car, not far from mine. She swept her gaze around the dark parking lot and pressed her side to mine. I wondered if she was typically this nervous or if it was a new thing. Maybe since the attack the night before, or maybe it was something else entirely.

"So, when do you wanna go out?" she asked, her voice shattering the silence.

I inclined my head toward hers as I sucked in a deep breath. "Well, I don't know when I'd be able to this week—or really at any point before Saul comes back." I didn't mean to sound like I was bitching. I didn't mind filling in for him. But it sure as fuck was throwing a wrench into this new development with Kate, and excuse me for not being thrilled about it.

"Oh, right. You have another job, right?"

"Yeah," I grumbled. "I work eight to four Monday through Friday. Then, I have a couple of hours to get home, shove some food down my throat, get dressed, and head over here."

"That sucks," she sympathized. "But, I mean, maybe I could shove food down my throat with you soon."

A smile tugged at my lips as I turned and pressed my back to the side of her car. "Yeah, I guess we could do that."

"What day works for you?"

"I don't wanna seem too eager"—I shrugged and turned my gaze to the cloudless black sky—"but how does tomorrow work?"

"I'd say yes, but I'm babysitting for Crystal." It was her turn to sound disappointed.

"Babysitting?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah, her son."

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