Page 12 of Crazy Love

Memories of skipping school to buy weed off the local dealer flash before my eyes. It was harmless fun back then. Little did I know how complicated and dark my using journey was going to become.

“Jonesy said you’re thinking of opening your own Pilates studio?” I prompt to change topics. Talking about vices is not a path I want to go down right now.

A sigh escapes Kali’s mouth before she takes a drag of her joint. She holds her breath for a few seconds before exhaling, a thick plume of smoke disappearing into the night sky. “Did she?”

“It’s a good idea.”

Kali’s eyes dart to me. “Why do you say that?”

“Because you don’t strike me as the type of woman who should work for anyone other than themselves.” I continue to pack away my things, wiping down the surfaces covered in dirt and particles. “You get to be your own boss, make your own rules, make your own schedule. It takes courage. I may not know a lot about you, Red, but I can tell you’re brave.”

Kali dips her head in apparent shyness, and something swells in my chest. “Thanks, but I wouldn’t say I’m brave.” Kali looks back up at the star-studded sky, blurred thanks to the light pollution of the city. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

There’s a vulnerability about her I hadn’t noticed until now. In our brief interactions, she’s been the go-getter, takes-what-she-wants, Kali, but now, I see a woman on the precipice of big life changes and unsure how to take it.

“If it was easy, everybody would do it,” I say.

Kali looks back at me and smiles. “Did your therapist tell you that one?”

“You don’t need a therapist to know that one. It’s the oldest in the book.”

Kali peers at me with squinted eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why do you see a therapist?” she asks. “I mean, I think it’s great, but you’re the first man I’ve met who’s so open about going to therapy.”

My mouth twists as I try to find the words to explain in the simplest terms. The other night in the car, my brain couldn’t settle on how to even start telling Kali the truth about my past. The familiar sensation of panic rises in my throat, but I stamp it down with a clearing of my throat.

“I wasn’t always keen on it,” I admit. “Thought it was for people to cry about their feelings and get pat on the back for it. Turns out, it was a huge part of me turning my life around. I’ve got no shame in telling anybody that.”

Kali tilts her head. “What made you want to turn your life around?”

I do my best to offer her a smile, but it falls flat. “When I win the bet and you go on a date with me, I promise I’ll tell you.”

Kali quirks an eyebrow. “Your straight, white-male confidence is almost comical.”

I chuckle, dusting off my hands. “That’s me for the night.” I collect my phone and keys off the bench and walk over to where Kali still leans against the outside wall. Her eyes are on me, but I don’t know what she’s thinking. When I reach her, her breathing changes and her chest rises and falls, her dark hair flies off from its high bun, and I can see her high cheekbones covered in a moonlit sheen. She is fiercely beautiful. It’s terrifying how much power she holds with one stare.

This bet becoming confusing was not part of my plan. One minute we’re bickering, the next we’re practically tearing each other’s clothes off with our eyes.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’d be great at it.”

Kali frowns. “At therapy?”

I smile. “At running your own studio. You can do anything you set your mind to. I know a lot of people say that, but I reckon it applies to you. And if you need any other reasons to go for it, I could help you with the carpentry side of things. I’m good with my hands, remember?”

My gaze dips to the toned strip of her midriff poking out from her tank top. I reach down and let my finger trail across it, internally cheering as Kali gasps. The joint clasped in her fingers falls to the ground, forgotten. Leaning in, I inhale her coconut scent, my nose skimming across her jaw as my breath puffs onto her neck. I hear her swallow. “Good night, Red.”

I step back and hop into my truck before I pitch a tent in my pants. As I turn out of the driveway, I can’t help but look in the rear-view mirror to see Kali grinning to herself.

7

KALI

“What doyou think I should do?”

I place the cup and saucer on the dining room table in front of Mimi, before spinning the teapot handle in my direction. She taps my hand. “I can pour my own tea, Kalina. I’m not useless.”

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