Page 21 of Love Like This

“More like he was also seeing the girl from his building, as wellas the bartender at the same place he took me to on our first date.”

“A dog,” her father said. “A damn dog.”

“You’re too good for that man,” her mother said, and placed a firmhand on Kendra’s arm. “You will not go back to him no matter how much heapologizes or begs.”

“I will not. My mother would turn over in her grave.”

Her mother looked skyward. “Bless her, she would.”

“Porch?” Spencer asked.

Kendra looked relieved. “Yeah, that’d be great.”

“I’ll be back to do the dishes after, Mama, okay? Don’t touchthem.”

Her mother waved her off. “No need. I’ll use it to take out myfrustrations on that no good, lying ex-boyfriend of my Kendra’s. Russell, bringthe dishes to the sink so I can slam them around a little bit.”

“Least I can do for the excellent meal.”

“The least, indeed.”

Spencer smiled at her parents’ playful simpatico and followedKendra to the steps of the front porch. It was in that very spot that the twoof them sat, year after year, talking over the heavier subjects in life,hearing each other out when times got hard and serving as a shoulder to cry onwhenever necessary. Kendra had been the one to teach Spencer how to braid herown hair on that porch when they were just eight years old. In turn, Spencertaught Kendra the right way to handle a bully on the playground (though woundup handling the bully for Kendra herself on more than one occasion). When theywere teenagers, Kendra listened supportively as Spencer came out for the veryfirst time to anyone. When they were twenty-two and Kendra’s mother died,Spencer held her on the porch as she cried in Spencer’s lap. Many a problem hadbeen explored and solved on those steps, and if Kendra’s heart was broken,there was no place better to talk it through.

“How’d you find out?” Spencer asked, as the neighbor kid flew byon his hoverboard.

“I did what I promised myself I would never do. I looked throughhis text messages. Just had this feeling that he was a player, and he is. Theasshole. Played me the whole way.”

Spencer laced an arm around Kendra. “You did the right thing.Always follow your instincts about a person.”

“I know that now. Just still can’t wrap my mind around the hurt.When you put a lot of stock in somebody and they let you down, it’s a gutpunch.”

Spencer straightened. “Want me to slash his tires? I can findhim.”

That pulled a smile. “Don’t you tempt me.” A pause as they watchedthe quiet suburban street. “I honestly thought he might be the one, Spence.”

Spencer sighed, dismissing the romanticized idea. “Yeah, well, nowwe know.”

She felt Kendra studying her. “You still don’t believe thatthere’s someone for everyone, do you?”

She shrugged and stared up at the darkening sky. “I’m thepragmatist in this duo. You know that. People float into your life and theyfloat away again. Just like Tucker, low as he is. Family like us? That’s theonly real constant. Love interests and romance? They come and go.”

“Girl, that’s the most unromantic of life views. One day we’regoing to change that.”

She looked over at Kendra, dubious. “Not sure that’s possible.Besides, there’s a certain level of control that accompanies not letting yourselfget too attached. Case in point, your heart is broken right now. Look at you.That wouldn’t happen to me.”

“Because you don’t let people in. You keep ’em at arm’s length. Idon’t want to be that. It’s sad.”

“It is not. It’s the healthiest thing in the world.”

“Right. Because you have it alllll figured out,” Kendra said,playfully.

“No, no, no. I’m just capable of enjoying someone without makingthem the center of my life. When it doesn’t work out, you pick up the piecesand move forward.”

“Just move forward.” Kendra shook her head. “Just you wait, oneday when you least expect it, bam. Someone’s gonna steal your heart when you’renot looking. I hope they never give it back either.”

“Have you met me?” Spencer scoffed. “Never gonna happen.”

Kendra bumped her shoulder to Spencer’s. “Famous last words,Spence. Famous last words.”

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