Page 30 of Get Lost

“Well…” Nessa raised one eyebrow. “What abouthisbulging baguette?”

Kelsey scowled at the thought, but then her attention was drawn to the nosy, slightly judgmental women finally getting up from their table. They’d finished their meal, so Kelsey wanted to send them home with something to remember her by. She looked back at her friends and said, louder than necessary, “You mean his crooked cucumber?” She looked up at the older women and winked.

One of the ladies shot her a glare, which made Kelsey smile, but when she looked back at her friends, they only watched her with questions in their eyes.

She frowned. “Not that I would know what Alexander’s cucumber looks like, so don’t get any ideas.”

Nessa raised an eyebrow. “Okay, Kels.”

“What? I don’t.” And she didn’t want to talk about it either, because who would want to talk about Alexander Arroyo’s penis?Bleah. Breathing deeply, Kelsey stared at Nessa long and hard, then turned her attention to Brynn in the seat across from hers. She leaned forward, smiling sweetly. “We haven’t caught up in some time. Where are things with your elevator guy?”

Brynn’s cheeks flushed, but she smiled sadly. “He’s really… dry.”

“What do you mean? You don’t think he’s interested?”

Brynn shrugged. “He’s really hard to pin down. I’ve tried a couple times, but he’s just always so busy. And he’s always giving me, like, one-word responses. I wish he’d just not respond at all, but every time we go a few days without talking, and I think that’s the end of it, he reaches out again.”

“What’s the guy do for a living?”

“That’s just the thing,” Brea said, “she still doesn’t know.”

“And you guys haven’t seen him in the building again?”

Brynn shook her head sadly.

“And I wouldn’t know him if I had. I was outside when she met him.”

“When she grabbed hiselevator erection?” Kelsey deadpanned.

They all laughed, then clinked their glasses together, then Nessa’s smile fell. She watched someone or something past Kelsey, eyes wide.

“Kels, don’t turn around.”

“What is it?” Kelsey whispered. “A bee?” Her skin crawled at the thought. “Get it!”

“It’shim,” Nessa whispered.

“Who?”Jean-Luc?That couldn’t be possible. He was probably back in—

“Alexander,” Nessa hissed.

Kelsey froze. A bee would have been better. A whole hive. But there was no way Alexander was here either. What were the chances they’d run into each other at the same brunch spot twice? Unless he was actually stalking her. Shit. “Maybe he hasn’t seen me.” Panicking, Kelsey looked at her stuff on the table and started to put her glasses and phone back in her bag. “I’m out. I’ll Venmo you.”

“Too late.” Nessa’s hand clamped onto Kelsey’s thigh.

She looked up as Nessa flashed a smile at someone walking up behind Kelsey. Breathing deeply though her nose, Kelsey closed her eyes on a long blink, then forced a smile for her nightmare. She stood to face Alex and—

Oh God, his mother too.

And a gorgeous blonde with the legs of a gazelle and Hollywood breasts. And lips. The whole Hollywood package, probably, because she was well into her thirties without a single crease on her forehead or wrinkle around her eyes or mouth. Botox, injections, something that made her skin super shiny…

“Kelsey,” Mrs. Arroyo exclaimed as she pulled Kelsey into a hug, “I thought that was you! Did you know I saw your mother at church last week?” She pulled back and searched Kelsey’s gaze expectantly.

“Oh, that’s nice.” Kelsey smiled as the woman released her.

“I had to miss this morning’s service, though. We had something important to do.” She motioned to her son.

Kelsey glanced up at her nemesis and offered him a fake smile. “Arroyo.”

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