Page 41 of Keep My Heart
Damn, she’s beautiful. How could Chris give her up? According to what Lyndsay told me last night, Chris didn’t even try to save their marriage. She asked him to go to counseling and he refused. I can’t believe she stayed with him as long as she did.
‘I got us a table,’ I tell her. ‘It’s really busy in there and I didn’t want us having to wait.’
‘Yeah, I don’t have much time. My mom needs the car.’
‘Oh. I was hoping we could go do something after this, but if you need to get home, I’ll go hang out with my brothers. They’re all going over to Sawyer’s place before the party.’
‘I could do something. I just need to drop off the car. I don’t need to stay there.’
‘You’re trying to get all the dating practice you can before I leave, aren’t you?’ I smile and take her hand.
‘Believe me, I need it,’ she says as we walk to the door.
When I took her home this morning, I started feeling guilty for suggesting I tutor her in dating, knowing part of my offer was self-serving. I don’t want to lose contact with her after this weekend. Last night was too great to just end it when we leave here. I could’ve just told her I want to stay in touch, but when I’ve said that to friends before, we get busy, time passes, and we never connect again. I didn’t want that to happen with Lyndsay. With the tutoring sessions, we’ll have a reason to talk, upping the chances of it actually happening.
As we sit down at the table, I feel like the whole restaurant’s staring at us, wondering why the oldest Kanfield boy is back in town and why he’s with Lyndsay Davis. I knew this would happen, but I really don’t care if people gossip about us. I don’t live here anymore. And when the rumors start, my mom will set everyone straight. She doesn’t put up with people saying things about her family that aren’t true.
‘Everyone’s staring,’ Lyndsay whispers as she looks over her menu.
‘Should we give them a show?’ I smile at her.
‘What do you mean?’
I reach over and hold her hand, keeping our hands on the table where everyone can see.
‘Nick!’ she whispers, glancing at our hands.
‘What? I can’t hold your hand?’
‘Everyone’s watching. They’re going to think we’re together.’
‘We are. We’re having breakfast together.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘Yeah? So let them talk. This town could use some new gossip.’
She smiles a little, then glances at the table next to us. An older couple is there, watching us like they’re watching a TV show.
‘Can I get you something to drink?’ the waitress asks, appearing at our table.
‘I’ll just have water,’ Lyndsay says.
‘I’ll have orange juice,’ I say.
‘Nick?’ The waitress smiles at me. ‘Nick Kanfield?’
‘Yeah,’ I say, trying to figure out how she knows me.
‘It’s Lori.’ She points to her name tag. ‘We were partners in chem lab.’
Lori from high school? She looks totally different. Her long blonde hair is now short and dyed red, she’s put on about 50 pounds, and she has tats running down both sides of her neck.
‘Lori. Sorry, I didn’t recognize you.’ I get up and hug her, then sit back down. ‘How have you been?’
‘Okay. How about you?’
‘I’m good.’ I look over at Lyndsay. ‘You remember Lyndsay?’
