Page 47 of One Last Run

"That’s not…" Danica started, but paused, shaking her head. “You know, I’m not putting on my doctor hat tonight.”

“I’m picturing a really cute scrub cap as your doctor hat,” Pete said.

Danica bit the inside of her cheek to keep from beaming up at Pete with all of their friends around. “Itispretty cute.”

Chandeliers made of brown beer bottles hung above tables in the dimly lit dining area, made even darker with weathered old wood floors and chocolate brown leather seating. Kiera idly played with the edge of a curtain that was pulled back by the edge of the booth.

"It doesn't give me completely straight vibes," Izzy said, looking around.

"Bicurious, maybe?" Maggie asked. "Like Kiera in college."

Kiera gasped. "It wasone kiss. Hardly a phase."

Pete leaned back in the booth, murmuring, "Uh oh," under her breath so only Danica could hear.

Danica looked between Kiera and Maggie, confused. "One kiss? What kiss?" She glanced back to Pete, who only offered her an unhelpful shrug.

Kiera crossed her arms over her chest. "I kissed Izzy once."

The server came right then, interrupting as the group fell into an awkward silence. He took their drink orders, and Danica chose a few appetizers for the table, knowing both how hungryandhow indecisive they were.

Once the server left, Danica looked at Izzy, her eyes widening in surprise. Izzy, to her credit, only gave her a small shrug. "We were drunk at a party," Izzy explained.

"What party?" Danica asked.

"I think it was the one where we made that drink in a bucket," Maggie said, glancing between Kiera and Izzy for confirmation.

They'd thrown a few parties in college, but the wildest were the parties with their signature drink, "Hop, Skip, and Go Naked," which they traditionally made in some kind of large punch bowl or bucket. It included a six pack of cheap beer, a bottle of vodka, blue Hawaiian punch, and frozen lemonade concentrate. Danica felt a little queasy even thinking about the horrific hangovers that drink gave her, but it also lived up to its name.

"Wait, wait. So, you two kissed, and everyone knew?" Danica asked, looking at everyone at the table. She glanced back to Pete, who had her arm outstretched on the back of the booth behind Danica. Pete lifted a shoulder in response. "Izzy told me later. I think you and I, uh... skipped most of that party."

Danica's cheeks flushed but she forced herself to turn back to Kiera. "And you never toldme? Your resident bisexual best friend?"

"It wasn't that big of a deal," Kiera said, and Danica knew she was forcing the casual way she was speaking. "It was just one time."

“But you never told me,” Danica repeated.

A strange quiet fell over the table, as Danica glanced back at Izzy, who had a blank expression on her face as she stared down at the menu as if preparing for an exam.

Danica felt Pete's hand on her back and, turning, saw a knowing look that hinted at later revelations.

The drinks came at the perfect moment to switch topics away from Kiera and Izzy’s kiss. They talked about the menu and ordered, then relaxed back to sip their cocktails.

"Here's to Danica's first black run today," Pete said, lifting her glass.

"And here's to Pete being back on skis," Danica added, lifting her own glass.

Pete’s gentle expression as she looked at Danica made Danica all-too aware of how close their bodies were in the booth. How Pete's arm moved to casually brush her shoulder and back, how Pete's knee was so close to hers.

"Ugh, get a room," Maggie interrupted with a laugh as they all clinked glasses in a cheers.

Their food arrived shortly, along with another round of drinks, and Pete and Danica ended up splitting their salmon and chicken plates, sharing the meals with one another. It felt comfortable again, apart from the obvious tension surrounding the revelation that Kiera had once kissed Izzy and never told Danica. Not that Danica had the right to know everything, but it was odd that Kiera hadn't at least mentioned it.

"Should we go back to the karaoke bar?" Pete asked as the server took their plates.

"I'm tired," Izzy and Kiera said in unison, and everyone laughed a little uncomfortably.

"I think I overdid it with the snowball fight and need to go ice this thing," Maggie said, pointing to her wrist tucked into its sling.

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