Page 87 of Perfect Chemistry

“But there was somebody recently,” he pried.

I didn’t say anything and stepped out of his car. I thought my poker face was good enough, but something must have given me away because he started cackling behind me. “You did!!”

Suddenly, he was behind me and clapping me on the back again. “So the dry spell is over? This mean you can be my wingman?” He asked.

“No.”

“Come on! You never went before because you were married. Then you were grieving. Then it was school… What’s it this time?” He asked.

As we approached the window of the food truck, he let it go. I didn’t say anything and ordered my food. Once we were both seated with our lunches at a picnic table, Lee went back to his questioning.

“So? Spill it,” he said, taking a sip of his sweet tea.

“There’s a woman I am seeing,” I admitted. Then added, “I think. Maybe. I hope so anyway.”

Lee stared at me wide eyed for a second. “What kind of shit is that? Have you at least talked to her?”

I rolled my eyes, wiping my hands on a wet napkin. “Yes, I’ve fucking talked to her. We’ve known each other since back in school, and just kind of…. reconnected recently.”

Lee nodded, following along. “So…. What’s that mean? You exchanged numbers? Saliva? DNA samples?”

I choked on the soda that was mid-way down my throat, and started coughing.

Lee laughed at me. “Holy shit! You really reconnected!”

I wiped my mouth with a napkin once I stopped choking on my beverage. “When are you this straight forward?” I asked, eyeing him.

He grinned and leaned back a bit. “Eh…. I was afraid to talk when you worked for me…. Now, we’re friends; I don’t need to be so diplomatic,” he said, winking.

“Jesus… Fine. We’re friends. So tell me, wise one. What do I do to get the love of my life to give me a second chance?” I asked, staring back at him.

Lee sat speechless for a good two minutes before saying a word. “This the girl that left town?” He asked, quickly piecing everything together.

“Yep.”

“I thought she was married. Scary marine or some such other shit, out of state. What happened?”

I bit my lip, deciding what I wanted to share about Katie. “Widowed. Finished with the Marines. Just moved back two weeks ago.”

“And you already slept with her?” He whistled, looking shocked.

I looked down at the ground, feeling ashamed. “When you put it that way, I sound like an asshole. But it wasn’t like that. She just…. She started crying and I just held her. The whole night,” I admitted quietly and told him everything that had happened up to Lacy’s house.

“Damn,” Lee exhaled. “You’re the better man, Kai.”

“I don’t know what to do, Lee. I don’t want to fuck this up. I want to spend the rest of my life waking up next to her.”

“Well, try the old fashioned way and take her out to dinner. You got an in with Alex’s; why don’t you take her there?” He suggested.

My face heated up immediately, remembering our first time. “I don’t know how she’d feel about that, to be honest.”

Lee laughed at my reaction. “Take her to dinner, and let her get to know you. You’ve both been through a lot over the last ten years, from the sound of it. Start with dinner, and see where it goes from there.”

* * *

Katie’s POV

“Andie, can I help you with anything?” I asked, watching her whip around the kitchen preparing food for everyone.

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