I blinked, thinking he’d heard my thoughts about his lips, then realized that he meant the dance.
“Good,” I replied. “Want me to keep leading?”
He nodded.
“Ok.”
The music started, and he started to relax again.
I would dance with Lance all night if it meant I could keep his pain away for even a few hours.
Chapter 11 - Lance
Iturned off the television and wandered to the kitchen, but it was clean for once.
I wasn’t hungry, so the kitchen was a dead end. The next stop was the bedroom, but it was also tidy—or at least as tidy as I had the energy for. Regardless, the bed was made and the laundry put away.
It was as I was looking through my books that it hit me: I was bored.
It was a feeling that I hadn’t experienced since… since Connor.
It was impossible to be bored when nothing mattered.
Maybe the feeling would pass, but I had an intense urge to do something. Anything.
I looked at the time, then rushed to my cell phone.
“Lance?” Kenzie asked as she answered. “Are you ok?”
“I-I…” I stammered. “Can I take you to lunch?”
There was a beat of silence, then, “Are you sure?”
I took a deep breath. “I… kinda need to get out.”
Kenzie squealed. “Of course we can go to lunch! I’ll talk to my boss to get a few extra minutes approved so that I can swing by and pick you up.”
“I… I’ll drive. Pick a quiet spot and text me the where and when. I’ll meet you there.”
“Oh, Lance,” she sniffled. “Ok. I’ll let you know what I want in a few minutes.”
“Thanks Kenzie.”
I hung up, wondering why Kenzie seemed so emotional about lunch.
Then it hit me. I hadn’t invited her to lunch since moving to Mesa Roja nearly a year before. In fact, she’d been the one to initiate every interaction.
I slumped onto the couch. I’d been a horrible friend.
Kenzie deserved somebody better than me—somebody who didn’t move across the country to live in the same city, only to become a recluse.
Maybe lunch was a bad idea. She was probably just humoring me.
“I should call and cancel…” I mumbled.
My cell chimed from beside me.
Bangkok Cuisine at 11:45 ok?she’d texted, followed by a smiling emoji.Can’t wait!