Page 33 of Love Undiscovered
“Is it just the two of you going to lunch?” I ask.
“Probably,” she says.
“How does sexy-not-ex feel about that?” Lexie asks. Our new nickname for Kat’s fiancé, Brad since they got back together.
“You know, I think he’s okay with it. He doesn’t like it, but he trusts me. And oddly, I think he trusts Bauer. We’re friends, Bauer and me. Even if Brad didn’t like it, he’d have to suck it up,” Kat says.
I feel a little pinch in my chest when she says she’s meeting him for lunch. It’s not jealousy.
I don’t get jealous.
It’s just a pinch.
“Where are you going to go for lunch?” Lexie asks.
“Probably the food truck in the precinct parking lot,” Kat laughs.
“Kat, that food isn’t healthy, you shouldn’t eat there.” Lexie is, always trying to be the voice of reason where Kat’s health is concerned.
“It’s one meal, Lex, it’ll be okay.” Kat pats the top of Lexie’s hand. “More importantly, what are you going to wear on Saturday, Remi?” She turns toward me as she says it.
“I hadn’t thought about it,” I say. “Alex just called me today about it.”
Fuck.
As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize my mistake.
“Alex called you?” Kat asks. Honing right in on what I would have loved for her to ignore.
I shrug my shoulders in a noncommittal sort of way.
“Was he calling you back?” Lexie asks.
When did she get so fucking attune to our conversations?
Usually she’s got her head in the clouds and not paying such close attention.
“No,” I say.
“So, Alex called you about a blind date?” Kat confirms.
“Yes.”
“Wow, what are the chances?” Lexie asks.
“Apparently pretty good,” I say.
“So, at the same time that you were going to call Alex to set him up, he calls you to set you up?” Kat confirms again.
“Weird, right?” I pick at my napkin.
“Very,” Kat says.
“You don’t believe me?” I ask.
“I totally believe you,” Kat says. “I was just thinking it’s a little odd. You even said it was weird. Don’t be so defensive.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway.” I sit up straighter in my chair. “The bet wasn’t that I had to call him, just that we had to double blind date and I had to stick with the guy for a month.”
“And see him once a week, don’t forget,” Lexie says, then turns in Kat’s direction. “Technically, she’s right. Her calling him wasn’t in the bet, it was the way to the bet.” Kat grumbles about it, but we finish our meal in relative peace.
We leave the restaurant a short time later and say our goodbyes in the parking lot. I sit in my car until they both drive off. Then I start my car and slowly head toward home.
It used to be that my house was my sanctuary. But lately it’s more like a reminder that it’s just me in my life outside of Kat, Lexie, and work.
All by myself.
And sometimes I just don’t want to be reminded of that.
