Page 118 of False Start

Kit’s eyes fluttered around the room, taking in the decorations, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. My stomach folded into knots, and all I wanted to do was talk to her alone.

“Hey, Kitten,” I said under my breath. “About those texts.”

A server passed between us, handing out champagne to our group of three.

“Should we have a toast?” Her mom interrupted.

She pursed her lips, her soft brown eyes moving away from me. “You can’t be serious.”

“Come on, Katherine. You know I love a toast, and we’re celebrating!” Mrs. Holden grabbed a fork from the table and knocked it against her glass. “Thank you all so much for coming to my little Katherine’s college graduation!”

Kit’s friends and coworkers clapped politely while Kit did her best to avoid accepting any attention. I gave her an encouraging smile as she attempted to disappear into the floor.

“And thank you to her lovely…friend, Trent, for arranging this soiree! Katherine has worked so hard, and I’m so proud to be here tonight.” Mrs. Holden pressed two fingers to her mouth, holding back tears. “And if her father could be here tonight, he would also be very proud.”

Kit locked eyes with me.

“Help me,” she mouthed.

I held back a laugh, remembering all the times she’d come to my rescue during the rally.

“Mrs. Holden,” I said under my breath. “Would you mind if I say a couple of words? Once you’re finished, of course.”

Rudely, I’d interrupted Kit’s mom, but whatever train of thought had been flowing through her head had derailed, and that’s what I was really aiming for.

She tilted her head, trying to get the thought back before shrugging and holding up her glass. “Of course, Trent. To Katherine!”

“To Kit,” the crowd responded, knocking back their glasses in time for the servers to make a second pass.

“Seriously? Another speech?” Kit muttered under her breath. “That’s not helping.”

“I’ll make it short and sweet,” I said, resting my palm on the small of her back. “Y’all, we have an open bar and food coming, so I just wanted to say…”

I dropped my hand and faced her. “Kit, you’re amazing. A brilliant scientist, rally partner, and person. I’m lucky to have you in my life.”

The brief speech drew a couple of “aww”s out of the crowd, but I only had eyes for Kit.

Her eyes misted, and she wiped away a tear with the back of her hand.

“To Kit,” I said, holding up my glass.

“To Kit.”

“Now, please enjoy the food and drinks. Thank you all for coming,” I said to the group before stepping closer to Kit. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

She nodded, and I led her out of the room into the restaurant.

“What are you doing, Texas?” Kit stopped just outside the door. Her face looked pained.

I ran the pad of my thumb over her cheek, and she ducked away, her eyes flitting back to the private room where her friends and family celebrated.

“I’m asking. I think I did everything in my power to not to ask outright, but I don’t want to lose you.”

“You’re not losing me,” she said with a wistfulness that made my heart ache. “We’re friends. Really good friends.”

The confession was everything I wanted two weeks ago. But it wasn’t enough now.

“I don’t want to be your friend, Kitten.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Maybe I did before the rally, but now? I want to date you. I want you by my side at all the lame barbecues, shitty bingo nights, and bad rest stops. I want there to be an ‘us.’”

---