Page 29 of Stolen Kisses
Chapter 7
On Friday morning, Krista picked up her pace to stay in stride with Grace. “I can’t believe you talked me into this,” Krista complained, already breaking into a sweat. “I like morning muffins better.” She was wearing her yoga pants and sneakers, her work uniform in the backseat of her car.
“I have to be able to fit into my wedding dress in a few weeks,” Grace told her, pumping her arms beside her as she walked. “This’ll energize your day. I promise.”
Krista growled as she kept walking. “I walk up and down the hospital halls all day long, back and forth. I get plenty of exercise and my feet already hurt by the time I settle into my bed.”
Grace laughed, but didn’t show any remorse for this morning’s decision. “So, Jack and I want to invite you over to dinner at our place this week.”
Krista glanced over. “Why?” she asked, a suspicious tone swinging in her question.
“No reason. Well, there is a reason, but we want to wait to tell you until we’re together.”
Krista narrowed her eyes. “Are you pregnant?”
“No.” Grace laughed and shook her head. “And if we were, I wouldn’t mysteriously invite you over to dinner to tell you.”
“Right. Well, I guess I have no choice but to say yes then. I can’t stand the suspense. But I hate being the third wheel, so if you two start getting handsy, I’m out.”
Grace waved a hand. “There’ll be four of us anyway, so you won’t be a third wheel. And I’m not saying anything else because I know you and you’ll ruin the surprise. How about Sunday night?”
Krista nodded. “I have the day off. I can be there whenever you want.”
“Perfect. Let’s do five-thirty.”
They passed Abby’s restaurant and Abby exited the front in her own pair of yoga pants and sneakers.
“This is an awful idea,” she complained, walking up beside them. Her red-toned hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail.
“Don’t tell me the morning muffin habit isn’t starting to make your clothes a little tight,” Grace said cheerily.
“I don’t meet you guys every morning,” Abby said. “So I’m good.”
Krista shrugged. “And I wear scrubs all day. They have elastic waistbands.”
“You two crack me up.” Grace laughed.
They continued walking until they reached the waterfront and Grace tagged one of the benches on the boardwalk. “This is the one-mile point. By the time we reach our cars we’ll have gone two miles. Our heads will be clearer and our bodies will thank us.”
Krista and Abby shared a look that made Grace swat them playfully.
Krista doubted her head would be any clearer. It’d been convoluted with work and Chandler Dale, and Noah, lately.
“How was the date on Wednesday night?” Abby asked, as if reading her mind.
“I’m not sure. Good, I guess.”
“Are you seeing him again?” Grace asked.
Krista nodded. “I think so.” She looked between them. “He made me laugh and that’s always a plus. But there was also a disaster. Karen showed up and stopped at our table.”
“Oh, no. Your boss outed you dating a colleague. Is that against the rules at Blushing Bay Memorial?” Grace asked.
Krista shrugged. “Kind of. I never would’ve even gone out with him if Noah hadn’t pushed the issue. It didn’t even occur to me that I might be breaking some rule or ethics.”
Abby waved a hand. “Whatever. It was just one date. Dinner with a colleague. Did you kiss him?”
“No.” But Krista had thought that maybe Chandler was going to try. She’d scrambled for her keys quickly as she’d made her way to her front door and avoided eye contact. She wasn’t ready to be kissed. It’d been ages since she’d been kissed by a man and…
