Page 63 of Friends Don't Kiss

“What I meant to say,” he says slowly, “is… how can I put it?” He looks at me, a little panicked.

I turn the paper over and scribble,I’m here to do some reading.That should work, right? Pretend he got his words mixed up or something. He came to the NEK to do some reading. Not much else to do around here in the winter except snow shoe and ice-fish. The dude doesn’t look like he’d be able to hold a conversation about either of these very common Vermont activities.

He glances at the paper and rolls his eyes. “You read too much!” he blurts.

Kiara

My jaw drops open. Is this guy for real? I put my hand on the phone’s mic and stare at Willow, trying to come up with a summary for her.

She throws a popcorn in her mouth. “What?” she asks, her eyes dancing.

“I can’t believe him!”

She scoots closer. “What’d he say?”

I move the phone further from her. “First he says I’m reading too much into his story.” I pause for dramatic effect, rolling my eyes.

“Ouch,” Willow says. “In his defense, he doesn’t know your aversion for the expr—”

“And then,” I add, not wanting to hear her defense of the douchebag I’ve already decided I’m not interested in, “he says I read too much.”

She tilts her head like a curious puppy. “Hm? Ask him what he means.”

“Dude, I’m just gonna hang up.”

She shoots her hand out toward me. “No-you’re-not,” she replies instantly.

What does she care? “I’m not interested!”

“You can’t make a decision like that on a-a-a—”

A hunch? I abso-fucking-lutely can. I bring the phone down and aim my index at the red button.

“Wait!” she yells, then adds in a regular tone. “Just tell himhedoesn’t read enough.” Whispering, she adds, “let’s have some fun. See how bad he really is.”

“And maybe you don’t read enough,” I say, looking at Willow and smiling. Excitement courses through my veins. I feel like a teenager again and am vaguely ashamed yet outrageously entertained by the whole thing. I put the phone on speaker.

Colton

“And maybe you don’t read enough,” she says. I can hear Willow giggling and whispering in the background. This is a shit show of epic proportions. It’s going to blow up on the proverbial fan and Kiara will be pissed. Majorly pissed. Does Willow even realize her job is on the line if Kiara finds out?

With the desperation of a man who has nothing to lose, I grab an invoice from the top of the pile, turn it over, and start scribbling as legibly as I can.

This is my last chance at saving not only this disaster of a scheme, but, this time, my friendship with Kiara.

Kiara

“Or maybe I read between the lines,” he says in a suave voice.

Willow jerks back into the couch, clasping her hands on her mouth, giggling excitedly. “HOT!” she mouths silently.

I have to say, he got me there.

He continues, talking super slow. “Maybe I’m only here for a month… to get away from it all… and I’m ready… I’m ready to meet someone who’s not… not like anyone else I’ve been with… before. Someone real… and honest… and no bullshit. Maybe… maybe that’s what your profile said to me… between the lines… and… and your voice… between the words… and your answers… between my questions. Are you that person, Kiara?”

Colton

I sense her hesitation on the line. Did I go too strong? I scribble another line.

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