Page 69 of 1 Last Shot

"Pat's is better," I finally decide. And I know I've made the right decision when his face splits into an excited grin.

"It's the cut of the meat, right?" he asks, reaching for the other half of the Pat's cheesesteak.

I nod my agreement, then take another bite of the sandwich. This time I let out a moan at the flavorful bite.

"Easy, princess," Kane growls. "If you get that turned on from cheese in a can, I might start to feel like I'm not that special."

I let out a snort at that. Almost immediately, my eyes go wide in shock and mortification, my hand coming up to cover my mouth.

Kane chuckles at my reaction. Then he's digging into the sandwich, ingesting almost half of it in one bite.

"I'll take you to Dalessandro's sometime," he says once he's swallowed the bite. "Personally, I think that one's the best in the city, even though it's a little outside of it."

I take another bite of my sandwich to try to cover up my glee at Kane already planning another hangout.

"So how long do I have you for?" I ask after a few minutes of us eating. Immediately I wince, realizing how clingy that just sounded. I open my mouth to clarify, to ask what time his work shift starts, but Kane's already checking the time on his phone and answering my question. He doesn't seem to even react to the way I phrased it.

"I don't start until nine tonight, which is why I had time to bring you down here. Usually, I start at seven. Depending on how long we're here, I might even have time to take Oscar for an actual walk before I head down to the club." He glances my way before adding, "You should come with us. If you're not busy."

I don't bother hiding my smile this time. "I'd like that," I tell him.

Kane nods and goes back to his sandwich, his expression unchanging—except that I can read his tells now, and I can see the gleam in his eye that says he's pleased with my response.

"So, what are you doing tonight?" he asks after a moment. "If you work and dance all day, what does a night for Isabella look like?"

I let out an exaggerated sigh, wiping my hands and dropping the napkin on the table. Kane shoots an amused look at the empty wrapper where a cheesesteak was sitting only a few minutes ago.

"It's a big night in the Brooks apartment," I start. "First, we have an everything shower on the agenda, which I am entirely too excited for. Then, Iwasgoing to try a new recipe, but now I think I want to live on the taste of this cheesesteak for a few days. So that's out. I'll probably just dig into the pint of Ben and Jerry's I still have in my freezer and convince myself that I'll run it off as soon as I'm done. But realistically that won't happen until tomorrow because I'll probably get way too sucked into that new serial killer documentary on Netflix." I shrug and fold my arms in front of me on the table. "So basically, I'm going to sit on my couch with a mask on my face and ice cream in my lap and stare at horrific crimes that I have no business being so interested in."

At first, Kane can only blink at me. Then he says, "That was… a lot of information."

I laugh at his confused expression.

"So… true crime, huh?" he asks after a moment. "Every time I think I've got you figured out, you surprise me with something."

"What do I look like I'd be interested in instead?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. Sweet, romantic movies?"

"Why, because I'm a girly girl?" I ask with a laugh, expecting the tone of the conversation to stay light.

But the way Kane looks at me is anything but.

"No. Because you see the best in people, not the worst."

My laughter catches at the sight of his earnest gaze. And if there was any remaining doubt in my mind that Kane deserves a chance, it wilts in that moment.

I don't know how to respond to him without coming off as a completely obsessed and lovesick girl, but thankfully, Kane saves me from having to do that. He reaches for the other half of the first cheesesteak as he asks, "So why true crime?"

I fidget with the wrapper in front of me as I answer. "I like the psychology of it. I always think the reasons that people have for doing things are fascinating. I—" Swallowing roughly, I hesitate to add the next part. But with the encouraging way that Kane is looking at me, it feels like the most natural thing in the world to keep talking. "I always thought if I ever went to college, I'd pick psychology as my major," I eventually admit.

Kane doesn't even hesitate before he nods in agreement. "That doesn't surprise me. You're too good with people to not be successful in that kind of field."

I'm pretty sure I'm beaming at him. I've never admitted that dream to anyone, too scared to say it out loud, and yet, once again, he's supporting me without any hesitation. The same way he did when I admitted my fears about only ever being seen as a dancer.

I don't think this is just a crush anymore.

I force the terrifying thought down before I do something embarrassing—like admit that out loud. God knows I still don't know where this thing with Kane is even going.

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