Page 44 of Dream a Little Dream

She turned at the sound of my voice and grinned. She went quickly to her knees, said something to Gray, and then made her way over. “Is this like Coachella for small towns? This place is packed.”

“We do not slack when it comes to fall gatherings. Or the celebration of any season, for that matter. I was just explaining the small-town dynamics to MJ, who also happens to be new around here.”

“Kyle Remington,” Kyle said, extending her hand.

“With a name like that, you might think she’s a TV character, but I assure you, she’s not.”

“MJ Wells. You’re the one Raven has a crush on. I was showing her spaces for her beauty supply shop this week, and she mentioned Dr. Remington who she’d seen at Roo’s.”

My eyes narrowed. Raven had her sights set on Kyle? I relented, because what lesbian wouldn’t?

Kyle laughed. “Yes, I know Raven. She’s supposed to be heresomewhere.” She looked around, to no avail. Did they have plans to meet up? Was Kyle on a date? Not that I could hold that against her, given that I was, too. The world felt so off balance. If you’d told me last year that Kyle and I would be sitting at Bountiful Park about to watchLittle Women, I’d have been ecstatic but not shocked. If you’d tossed in that we’d be on dates with other people, I’d have fallen out of my chair. “Anyway, any snack recommendations? I was overwhelmed by all the booths on the way in.”

“I definitely recommend the warm popcorn with melted caramel.” Glancing down at our bag, I realized MJ and I were still holding hands. Kyle would have caught that, too. She was one who observed all the small details. I felt a little nauseous. I slid my hand out of MJ’s and used it to hold up the popcorn, realizing how much I would have enjoyed introducing Kyle to all of my favorites. In fact, I would have loved it. But I’d chosen to invite MJ along for a reason, and it was up to me to not abandon that cause now.

“She’s not wrong. We’ll need a big bag.” Raven. She’d surfaced, popping up behind Kyle. Her short bob haircut had been parted in the middle. The look fell somewhere between nerd and ahead-of-the-fashion-trends-supermodel, depending on what she wore. Supermodel was definitely winning tonight with her high waisted jeans and short waisted brown sweater. Watching them interact made me squint in annoyance. Kyle and Raven took a moment to small talk with MJ, and now that we were all best friends, I grinned at the group, firmly committed to focusing on the event at hand. It was, in fact, the star of the show, and I wasn’t about to let Kyle on a date get to me.

“Well, I hope everyone has the best time. Tonight is one of my favorite nights of the year.”

“You are easy to please and I like it,” MJ said with a laugh and side hug. I laughed right along with her, not sure if that was a compliment for me or commentary on the film fest. The slight raise of Kyle’s brow was not lost on me, however. She’d heard it, too.

“It’s amazing. The whole setup. Even the weather is perfect.”

“Right?” Raven said. “And this is an awesome jacket.” She gave the sleeve of Kyle’s green suede jacket a tug. It was fitted in the waist and looked killer on her. Raven could take her hand right back, though, and that would be fine.

“Thank you,” Kyle said, meeting her gaze. She turned back to us. “We better go grab snacks before the movie. Enjoy the show, okay?”

The interaction shifted my entire mood. MJ talked a lot about workand the different clients she was juggling, but I had trouble focusing on our conversation. Kyle and Raven settled into their seats alongside the Collettes, and I found myself stealing glances. When the movie started, I wondered what Kyle was thinking of each impactful scene. I could see the side of her face and checked in on the funny parts, the sad ones, the joyful. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap. She occasionally reached for a bite of popcorn or a sip of the Octoberfest beer at her feet. I was jealous, plain and simple. I wanted to be sitting next to Kyle and experiencing all of this with her, and it was my own fault that I wasn’t. I was frustrated and confused and seemingly unable to bench my fears long enough to be open to love.

Bringing MJ had, perhaps, been a mistake that was in no way her fault. It was time to face facts. Kyle had my head spinning, and I probably needed to deal with the fallout before involving someone else. I needed to be clear with MJ and myself about where I stood. I took a final look in Kyle’s direction as the crowd filed out to the sound of the credits rolling. To my surprise, she was already looking over her shoulder right back at me. Only she wasn’t smiling, and neither was I. That moment, the sizzle, the intention, the yearning, burned right through my chest and radiated downward. In just a four-second exchange, I could feel Kyle all over.

“That movie was so much better than I was expecting,” MJ said on the drive back to my place.

“Wait a minute. Are you not a fan of the book?”

She held up a hand. “I love the book.” She laughed. “Look at you getting all up in arms.”

“It’s my duty to protectLittle Womenat all costs. They’re little, after all, and need my undying protection and loyalty.” I smiled, signaling that my outrage was all in good fun.

“You’re adorable.” She looked over at me with clear affection. “I’m possessive of the original novel, too, and was really happy to see the characters as I knew them come to life.”

“Now, that is a satisfying answer.” I smiled and watched through the window as the sights of Main Street ambled by. I loved the Bay at night. The little shops all lit up and only a patch or two of people walking up and down the sidewalks, illuminated by the curvy lampposts the city council had installed for extra-quaint strolls. The drive home was short, but it definitely gave me time to decompress and relax out of the emotions that had fired and shook.

I really did like MJ. Everything seemed so much less terrifyingwhen it came to her. We had decent enough chemistry. We had similar world views. Plus, the lack of fire and feeling was so incredibly…comfortable.

She killed the ignition and turned to me. “Can I come in?”

“You know, I’m a lot more tired than I’d planned on.”Tell her. Tell her. Tell her like a fucking adult.

“Then I’ll walk you up.”

I’d gone without my crutch today, which made my pace a little slow. “Cool. Thank you. Tonight was great.”

“When are we doing it again?” MJ didn’t shy away from what she wanted. “I like you a lot.”

“I like you, too, but I need to—”

I’m not sure she heard anything past those first four words because her lips were on mine so quickly I didn’t have time to blink. In fact, I took a step back from the force at which the kiss had landed on my surprised lips.

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