Page 73 of Kismet

“Hey, Ky.”

“Hey, bud. What’s with the somber look on your face?”

“You’ll never guess how I just spent my night.”

She tilts her head to the side, tapping her pointer finger on her chin dramatically. “Uh, a rodeo?”

“What?!Kylie, why the fuck wouldthatbe your guess?”

She giggles before she says, “I don’t fucking know, man. It’s Texas. Isn’t that what y’all do? Cowboys and shit?”

“Lord, girl. No, I didn’t go to any rodeos tonight.”

“Then I’m stumped. What did ya do?” Her phone is propped up on what I think is her desk in her room, her elbows rested on the desk, and her face cradled by her hands. She is invested in the shit storm I’m about to unleash on her.

“I… I went out for drinks with Stone.”

Her eyes bulge, and her mouth is agape. “I’m sorry… youwhat?!”

“Bitch, you heard me. I went out to drinks—”

“Okay, yes,” she interrupts me, sitting up straight. “Buthow?! How the hell did that happen?”

“Well, we haven’t spoken much since the convention. If we see each other in the halls, we say hi or smile, but that’s really it. But today, he dropped by my classroom to… I don’t know? See how I was doing, I guess. Then he awkwardly asked if I wanted to get drinks after work… as friends.”

“Wow. How do you feel about it all? How was it?”

“Confused. I feel fucking confused.”

“Was it awkward?”

“No, Ky, that’s what is the most confusing. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. It felt…” Fuck, this sounds ludicrous.

“It felt… what?”

I scrub my hand down my face, letting out a heavy sigh. I hate this. “Right. It felt fucking right.”

“Cash, baby…” A sadness falls over Kylie’s face, and I know what she’s thinking. She saw me at my fucking worst. Shit, we even got trashed together one night, and she fucking held me while I cried for him.I don’t fucking cry.

“I know, Ky. I fucking know.”

Her face brightens and a smile tugs on her lips a moment later. “Hey, how about I come visit you this weekend? Is that cool?”

“What? You don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’thaveto, but I want to. Plus, I have miles I can use, so it won’t cost me anything. I can fly out Thursday after class?”

Seeing her would be fucking amazing. It’s been way too long, considering we used to hang out every single day during our PhD program. “Yeah… okay. That’ll be fun. I have class Friday morning, but it’s only one and I’ll be done by ten. You can just hang at my house with Houston while I go.”

Her excited squeals make me laugh. “Perfect! I miss him so much! I bet he misses me too. Probably cries himself to sleep every night, longing for his Auntie Ky. Well, I’m gonna go and find a flight. Try to not bone the dean before I get there… but if you do, I expect full details, mister!”

“Good God, Kylie. Goodnight.”

As I hang up the phone, I feel lighter, less stressed than I did twenty minutes ago. Whatever happens, it’ll be alright. Plus, it’ll be dope having Ky here this weekend, showing her around… even though I still haven’t done much exploring either.

******

I don’t know what possessed me, what’s come over me, but it’s eight in the morning on Wednesday, and I’m outside Stone’s office. For no other reason than I simply wanted to see his face.

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