Page 52 of So Right
Telling Aubrey about Noah had been difficult at first, but then the words had poured out. By the time Kelsey had finished, a surprising sense of calm and strength had descended over her. She actually thought she’d be okay.
But then it got dark, and as she sat in her apartment—alone—she had second thoughts. And third.
Her phone pinged, and as she had in the shop earlier, she jumped and nearly tumbled off the couch. Apprehensively, she picked it up from the arm of the sofa and looked at the screen.
Luke:How are you doing? Can I bring you dinner?
She didn’t hesitate to type a response:Yes, please.
Luke:What kind of pizza do you like?
She tapped out her answer:Hawaiian, but whatever you want is fine.
Luke:Hawaiian it is. See you in a few.
Five minutes later, he texted again:What’s your favorite beer? I’m bringing a growler.
She smiled, flattered that he’d thought of that too. She sent her answer, and in less than thirty minutes, he texted her again from downstairs. She leapt up and ran down to let him in. “Wow, you’re faster than a delivery guy.”
He gave her an exaggerated bow while holding the pizza box out in front of him. “At your service, my lady.”
“So gallant.” She held the door while he bent to pick up the growler he’d set on the ground.
“I can carry that,” she offered.
He shook his head. “The gallant gentleman carries everything.” He winked as he walked past her. She pulled the door closed, and it locked automatically. She double-checked it anyway.
“After you.” He inclined his head toward the stairwell, and she went first.
He followed her into the apartment, and she prepared for his reaction. “Now you can see why I’ve never invited you up. It’s not exactly Pottery Barn in here.”
He stood in the middle of her living room and surveyed the tiny space. “Um, yeah. I was thinking the architecture would be pretty cool given the age of the building, and those built-ins there are very nice, but…can I ask why you live here?”
She took the growler from him and placed it on the tiny kitchen table shoved in the corner. “Have you tried looking for rental property in Ribbon Ridge?”
He followed her, setting the pizza on the table. “Actually, I have. Why do you think I’ve been living with my brother the past two years?” He opened the growler while she pulled two pint glasses from the shelf in the kitchen. “Forget I asked. I get it. But now I see why you wanted Brooke’s loft, and I feel like crap for not insisting that you take it instead of Jamie.” He took the glasses from her and filled them.
She grabbed a couple of plates and some napkins. “Do you need a knife and fork?”
He took one of her two chairs. “Hell, no. Pizza is meant to be messy and greasy and awesome. Especially when it’s from Slice of Pi.”
Kelsey set the plates and napkins on the table and sat down next to him. “I can’t argue with that.” Ribbon Ridge’s pizza place was a hole in the wall, but it was the best pizza she’d ever had. And it was crafted by a retired math teacher, hence the clever name.
He lifted his glass in a toast. “To messy, delicious pizza.”
She clacked her glass against his. “And sharing them with messy, delicious people. In case you were wondering, I’m messy and you’re delicious.”
He laughed before he took a drink. “That was a close one. A second later and I would’ve spewed Crossbow everywhere.” He sipped his beer and set his glass down. “For the record, you’re more than delicious. You’rescrumptious.”
She drank her beer, and heat flushed through her. She could blame the alcohol, but she knew it was the company.
He opened the box, and they dug into the pizza for a few minutes before he asked, “How’d the rest of your day go?”
“Okay. Gram talked me off the ledge, and Aubrey Archer is going to file a restraining order for me. She thinks it’s a slam dunk.”
“I should hope so.” He wiped a napkin over his mouth and picked up another slice of pizza. “That’s great. You seem like you’re feeling better.”
She could easily nod and continue on as though she were, but panic had started to set in just before he’d texted. “I was. But then it got dark. He’s still in prison until tomorrow, but after that…I’m not sure I want to be alone. I think I’m going to go stay with Gram.”
