Page 87 of Dream a Little Dream

Kyle frowned and Elizabeth squinted at me. “You keep sayingintersection.”

“Don’t worry about it, Elizabeth.” I emphasized her name, unsure why I’d labeled her my enemy but I was running with it. “Only I need to know about intersections.”

“Can I know? Since I am one?” Kyle asked, hand raised.

“No.”

I looked around, weighing my escort options. Elizabeth Draper, my sworn birthday party enemy, or Dr. Soap Opera from the Land of Dimples.

“Sold,” I said and pointed to Kyle. I passed Elizabeth a drunken glare.

“You’re in rare form tonight,” Elizabeth said.

I squinted, trying to filter out the glare from the track lighting above her head. “I can agree.” I swiveled to Kyle. “Ready?”

“I think so?” Kyle said, her look dialed toWhat am I getting myself into?

We skipped saying goodbye to MJ, who was too busy being regaled by her guests to notice anyway. We hit the sidewalk and began our eight-block journey to my house in silence. That was good. Who knew what I might throw at her? My thoughts were leaping the gate tomy mouth as if on their way to a Black Friday sale. Every so often, I would feel Kyle’s hand on the small of my back, steering me back onto the sidewalk. That part was nice.

“Is it?”

“What?” I asked.

“You just said it was nice after I steered you back on course.”

Happened again. “Dammit. You’re not supposed to hear that stuff.”

“I’ll try not to listen.” She attempted to smother her smile, but I saw it anyway.

The walk was actually helpful, the cold air filling my lungs. The cleansing effect was welcome and I felt a little of myself—and my logic—returning to me as we neared my place. Thank God.

“You didn’t have to walk me,” I told Kyle in my driveway.

“Would you have done the same for me?” she asked, hands in the pockets of her leather jacket.

No one could work a jacket like this woman. She had exactly three, all quite similar, a testament to her consistent sense of style. I loved them equally. “Wait. What was the question?” I’d been lost in a leather jacket rabbit hole. “Oh! Right. Yes, I would have walked you.”

“Well, there you go. We, apparently, look out for each other, which I think is a good thing.”

“Can’t argue.”

She watched me a moment, and I wondered what she was thinking. She had an active brain. I knew that much. “Let’s get you inside safely.”

I sighed, sobering by the second—a blessing and a curse. It had been nice to check out of reality for an hour or two, but I was not a fan of rooms that shifted and spun without warning. “Fine. Is this the part where you help me get into my PJs and I fall asleep next to you and wake up surprised when we’re cuddling and cute? I feel like I’ve read that particular book a few times.” I let us inside the house and flipped on the hall light.

She followed me into my living room/kitchen combo. Me without alcohol coursing through my bloodstream would have been embarrassed by the less than organized space. My bunny slippers still sat in front of my couch. Kyle rocked leather jackets, but I was queen of the bunnies. But tonight? I barely blinked at the clutter. “Welcome to my chaos.”

“I’m still caught up on falling asleep and cuddling. It does sound nice, but again, I’m not ever going to infringe upon your space or your comfort level.”

“Right. The wholeI’m here for you but from a distance.”

“Does that upset you?”

I scoffed at the question. Good andscoffed. Why did she always have to be so calm and in control? Her emergency training was a little unnerving about now. “No.” Something flared in my chest that demanded I be entirely honest. “But it’s only a matter of time before that gets old and you’re outta here. Everyone always is. You can set a fucking clock.” I heard the hard edge in my voice. I was a jaded, bitter person these days.

Apparently, I’d been wrong about the calm thing because I watched as annoyance flared behind her blue eyes. “You’re never going toget oldto me, and eventually you’re going to see that. I’m not going anywhere. I will keep showing up, and no matter what happens between us, or doesn’t for that matter, dammit, my feelings for you won’t change.”

Her voice was louder than I was used to hearing it, and she was holding one of her arms out to the side to drive home her point. It was honestly a sight to behold. Yet it was her words that struck me the most.I will keep showing up. And you know what? A small part of me believed them.

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