Page 72 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
She crossed a grocery store parking lot, picking up her pace as the bus stop came into view. The last thing she wanted was to ride the bus, but she didn’t have time to walk. She was already late.
“Katherine, what a coincidence.”
Kat glanced over her shoulder at Gabriel. She faced away and wiped stray tears, putting on her best fake smile. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to him, or anyone for that matter, but she wasn’t rude.
“Hi,” she greeted, turning toward him.
“Are you all right?”
She fingered the zipper of her coat. “I’m fine.”
“It looks like you’ve been crying.” He stepped closer. “Boyfriend upset you?”
Kat’s brows furrowed.Why would he assume Nex is the reason I’m upset?Gabriel had been at church the last couple of weeks and continued to approach her. The way he phrased things always made it seem like he thought Nex wasn’t a good person.
“Of course not. Nex is wonderful,” Kat said. “I wasn’t crying. It’s allergies.”
“Right.” His smile faltered, and Kat shuffled her feet. “Where are you off to?” He gestured to a car. “Need a ride?”
“No.” Kat backed away, and Gabriel frowned. “Sorry.” She kicked at the asphalt. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m fine. I’ve gotta get to the bus.”
“The bus?” A crease formed in Gabriel’s forehead. “I can drive you.”
“No.” Kat shook her head and stepped back again. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was already upset before running into him, but he was starting to bother her. “Sorry, gotta go. See you Sunday.” She turned and ran before he could respond.
The second she was on the bus, she gripped the bar and tensed when the wheels rolled forward. Chest tight, she reminded herself to breathe, but her knuckles whitened around the metal. An eternity passed before she arrived at the theater.
The cast went through one last rehearsal and set check, ensuring everything was where it needed to be for scene changes and that all props were accounted for. Stage crew tested the lighting and music, and by the time the play was scheduled to start, Kat sat in the empty dressing room, trying not to cry.
She hadn’t expected to be this emotional about the play. She knew it might hit a soft spot but thought she could keep it together. Instead, it snuck up on her, and now she couldn’t relax, couldn’t stop her mind from going to that night. Nausea rolled through her stomach.Pull yourself together.
None of her usual methods of control worked. She counted, breathed, tried to ground herself in what was real. Frustrated, she set her head in her hands and cried again.
“Don’t cry, kitten,” Nex murmured, rubbing her shoulders.
Kat jumped less than usual. Unannounced appearances were becoming normal. He crouched and gazed up at her, wishing he could banish the sadness.
“I’m fine,” she whispered.
“Stop lying. Tell me what’s wrong. Why is it so important to you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You only have ten minutes to curtain. I think you better get over not wanting to talk about it and tell me anyway, or it’s going to distract you.”
Agonizing moments of silence passed before she could speak. Kat stared at her lap. “I was always too chicken to try out for theater.” Her voice was so quiet, he wouldn’t have heard as a human. “I don’t have the confidence, but I love it. My parents were so supportive, and I got a small part in this Christmas play at church. We were on our way to the last show at my pastor’s house when . . .” Her lower lip quivered. “That was the last play I was in.”
Nex’s eyes widened. He took her hands and kissed the backs. “I’m sorry.”
“I wish they could be here. I wish they were here to see me. Christmas Eve was going to have the biggest turnout, and my mom put her bracelet on me before we left the house. She said when I got nervous to,” her eyes squeezed shut and expelled more tears, “look at it and know I wasn’t alone. Even if I couldn’t see her, I’d know she was with me. I wanted to wear it so I could feel like they were here.”
“I understand.” Nex brushed the tears away with his knuckles. “It’s a good thing you have it then, isn’t it?”
“What?”
He dangled the bracelet in front of her. “It was in your parents’ room, but I swear I didn’t touch a thing except this bracelet.”
Mouth agape, Kat stared at the bracelet with wide eyes. “You found it?”
