Page 18 of Divine Sense

And don’t forget Jack, it’s black tie formal.

I wouldn’t miss it flower.

“Mags,I’m so sorry I won’t be able to come to the party this year.” Margaret set her skinny caramel latte down with a huff as she slouched down in her seat. I pulled my cup to my lips and took a sip, nodding my head at her.

“It’s no big deal, I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? This is the first time in years that I won’t be able to come and now that Daniel…” her voice trailed off and she looked at me uncomfortably, her lips pulled back to the corners of her face.

“Now that Daniel is bopping his hardly-of-age girlfriend and isn’t my boyfriend anymore, I’ll have to go alone,” I finished the sentence for her.

“Yeah…” she grimaced. “I know how hard these parties were for you growing up and how much it helps to have some backup. Your parents can be ruthless at these things sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” I barked out a laugh because the use of the word was more than comical, it was downright ridiculous. “Margaret, my parents arealwaysruthless at these things and this year is going to be worse. With it being the unofficial kickoff of my father’s campaign, any kind of misstep on my part will be reason enough to cut me out of the will forever.” My heart sank behind my chest thinking about all the back-handed comments and snide remarks that have been sent my way over the years at these types of functions. I was either my parents’ most prized possession or biggest embarrassment—never anything in between. Margaret took another sip of her coffee and chewed on the inside of her lip.

“Margs, don’t worry about it, really.” I reached across the table and took her hands in mine. “I’ll be fine. I’m a big girl and can handle my parents.” We locked eyes and I gave her a wink.

“Besides, I won’t be entirely alone,” I offered with a smirk, looking down at my coffee that I had picked up again. I needed something to focus my energy on—something other than the butterflies that fluttered around in my belly every time I thought about him. My friend’s eyes went wide from across the table and she covered her mouth to hold back the coffee she almost spat out.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry, say that again?” she choked out as I let out a breathy laugh and rolled my eyes playfully.

“IsaidI won’t be entirely alone at the party. I have a friend who’s coming.”

“And is this friend a man or are you suddenly blushing over women now?” She raised a brow at me.

“I’m not blushing!” I cried, but I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

“Then I’m going to need the name of your color changing blush because, girl, your cheeks are bright pink,” she teased. She tucked her lips between her teeth and studied me from acrossthe table with raised brows. I took a breath and a sip from my nearly empty coffee cup before continuing.

“He’s just…this guy I met a couple of weeks ago. We ran into one another downtown and I don’t know, he’s interesting.” None of what I’d told her was alie, but it wasn’t the full truth either. Ihadmet Kolbi a few weeks ago downtown when he nearly ran me over on his skateboard and Idofind him interesting.

“Uh huh, and what about him do you find so interesting?” Her voice was pointed but in a way that only your best friend could use. I had opened up this door with her, and now I was going to have to walk through it.

I thought about her question for a moment. There was so much about him that I found interesting. The way he looks at me when he doesn’t think I’m going to notice, how he looks me in the eye when I am speaking, how he isn’t who you think he is upon first glance. The thing about him that interests me the most, though, is how gentle he is. The guy is well over six feet tall, has broad shoulders that could take you out, but is truly one of the kindest men I have ever met. The kindness he showed me after knocking me down on the street and again when he took care of me three weeks ago after picking me up was something I’ve never experienced before, and something I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

“I don’t know, he’s just different from the guys I’ve been with before.” I shrugged and looked up and down the street. Margaret and I were sitting outside one of my favorite coffee shops downtown enjoying the afternoon sun. The closer it gets to the end of the year, the more cashmere sweaters I have to pull out of my closet to keep warm.

“The guys you’ve been with before? Mags, you’ve only ever been with Daniel. Wasn’t he like, your first real boyfriend?”

“No, he was just the first person I slept with. I had boyfriends before him.” I was quick to correct my friend because whileDaniel had been the only man I’ve been with sexually, he wasn’t the only guy I’ve ever dated. I had a few boyfriends before him, thank you very much. I watched her follow a guy with her eyes as he passed by our table before looking back at me. She swallowed hard and leaned on the table with her elbows and by the way her face morphed into a dark mix of concern and apprehension, I grew nervous about what she might say next.

“You don’t think it’s too soon? You and Daniel only just broke up.” She gave me a timid smile and waited to see how I would respond. My lips pursed together and I leaned back in my chair.

“We were over long before I walked in on him sleeping with another girl. I think I knew that, I was just too afraid to rip off that Band-Aid because I knew it would upset my mother.” It was true, while I hated to hear him say it, Daniel was right when he said things between us had been off. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was only staying with him because I knew it pleased my parents. “And besides, that happened almost a month ago now. I’m ready to just put it behind me and move on.”

Okay maybe‘move on’was a strong term to use.Kolbi had made it clear that what we had was strictly professional. I was a client and he worked for my family and it would stay that way.

But if that were true, why did he make the comment about wanting to do things to me that were‘anything but professional’? I knew there were feelings there, both from him and from me. I called him that night not because I knew he would come and get me, but because I wanted to see him again. Something about him pulled me in and kept me entranced, like a long lost land you finally find after being stuck at sea for years. It lures you in with the promise of comfort, security, and refuge.

Plus, he had said yes to coming to the party awfully quick for a guy who was trying to ‘keep things professional.’

“Speaking of your mother, doessheknow about this new guy?”

“Not exactly, and I don’t plan on telling her about him either.” Again, not a lie. She knows Kolbi, sure. But she doesn’t, and can’t, know about the growing feelings I have for him.

“You’re playing with fire, you know that, right? She will find out, she has eyes everywhere.” I shook my head at my friend but didn’t have a reply. She knows as well as I do that my mother has spies all over the city. She calls them ‘friends,’ and I call them ‘blabbermouth old ladies who don’t live exciting enough lives so all they do is gossip about one another and their children at their weekly tea time.’ I wasn’t worried though, I’d be able to keep this from her.

Something about him was pulling me in and I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of that connection.

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