Page 15 of Blind Date with a #Doctor
“Yeah, well, I forgot we had an audience.”
“Sweetheart, I hate to break it to you, but you and I have had an audience since the second Nan got involved.”
She sighs dramatically, then threads her fingers through mine, tugging me toward the door. I go without hesitation. I think I’d follow this woman anywhere.
Chapter Eight
Aspen
Kendra is ten minutes late for lunch but makes up for it by sliding into the booth with wide, expectant eyes and skipping the small talk entirely.
“Okay,” she says, practically vibrating with excitement. “Tell me everything.”
I lift an eyebrow, sipping my iced tea like I haven’t been waiting all morning for this exact conversation. “Everything?”
“Don’t play coy with me, Hayes. I know you.” She leans in. “You spent the whole week texting Carter, and then last night, you went to dinner in The Dress. The dress that leaves a trail of destruction in its wake.”
I snort. “A trail of destruction?”
Kendra waves a hand. “You know what I mean. And don’t think I didn’t hear about the bowling alley make-out session.”
My stomach drops. “Who told you that?”
She levels me with a look. “Who do you think?”
I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “Nan.”
“Nan,” she confirms, grinning like a damn Cheshire cat. “She called me this morning to say, and I quote, ‘You might want to check in on Aspen. That girl is falling hard, whether she likes it or not.’”
I choke on my tea. “She did not say that.”
“She absolutely did. And she sounded smug as hell. So, care to confirm or deny?”
I hesitate, because Nan isn’t wrong. Last night was different. It wasn’t just fun. It wasn’t just playful competition or Carter looking at me like I was the only person in the room. And I don’t know how to explain that to Kendra.
So instead, I do what I do best—I deflect.
“Alright,” I say, sighing dramatically. “I’ll give you the highlights.”
I recap the entire night. Carter’s reaction to the dress “He barely spoke, Kendra. Just sat there staring like I’d short-circuited his brain.” About dinner, “Have you ever had a date where you just click? Like there’s no effort at all?” And about our competitive bowling game.
Kendra practically howls with laughter when I get to the part about Nan, Sally, and Marie whistling and clapping every time Carter and I so much as breathed near each other.
And when I tell her about the kiss at the end of the night, she just smirks.
“So,” she says, stirring her drink, “you like him.” It’s not a question. It’s a statement. A fact.
I exhale, pressing my fingertips to my temples. “I do.”
“Okay, then what’s the problem?”
I hesitate and Kendra just waits. I hate that she knows me well enough to see exactly what’s happening. Because the truth is, Carter feels different, and that scares me.
Before I can respond, the universe saves me from emotional vulnerability in the form of Nan, who materializes at our table like she was summoned.
“Girls,” she greets, all suspiciously timed enthusiasm.
Kendra immediately looks for an escape route.
