Page 27 of Until Tomorrow Comes
Kat clears her throat, turning away and picking up the pan. She focuses back on whatever she was making while she answers me.
“It’s the audiobook for a why-choose romance byWillow Winslet.” She says nonchalantly while pulling eggs out of the refrigerator. Both my brows shoot to my hairline as I try sorting through the many questions I have.
Unable to think of anything to say in response, I decide to busy myself and make a beeline toward the coffee pot. Once my mug is full, I turn to face Kat again, watching as she sips her own coffee while flipping bacon in the frying pan. Leaning against the counter and taking a small sip from my mug, I wait another moment before finally asking my biggest question after hearing that.
“What’s a why-choose romance?”
Kat immediately chokes on the coffee, coughing and catching her breath.
I wonder if I should be embarrassed or act like I didn’t hear anything. But my own curiosity wins. Waiting patiently for her to collect herself.
“It’s a story where the female main character has more than one love interest,” Kat says finally, clearing her throat. “And none of them make her pick. Like they are all happy to share her.”
She turns back toward the bacon, but I don’t miss the way her blush spreads down her neck again. After another sip, curiosity wins again.
“So like, all of them are in a relationship with each other? Like do the guys all…” My voice trails off, and I stare down at my coffee, realizing what I was about to ask her.
Kat’s clearly already embarrassed and all I’m doing is pushing it.
I’m about to tell her never mind when I hear her giggle and watch in surprise as she covers her mouth to stifle her laugh.
“Are you asking if the guy’s cross swords?” She asks through her fit of laughter.
I can only nod as the sound echoes around me.
I’m used to being in the quiet and always assumed my favorite sound was the waves from the ocean crashing against the shore. However, a thought runs through my mind before I can stop it.
The sound of the ocean pales in comparison to her laughter.
“Sometimes,” She cuts off my inappropriate thoughts with a shrug as she plates the bacon and cracks an egg into the pan. “But most of the time, if the guys have relations, it’s labeled differently.”
I’m about to ask her another question but am cut off by someone knocking on my front door.
From the corner of my eye, I don’t miss the way Kat visibly stiffens. The spatula in her hand is hovering above the pan while she stares wide-eyed toward the front of my house.
She’s a statue, frozen in place and barely breathing. The sound of my deadbolt unlocking causes her to jump and glance at me. Her wide, panicked eyes seer into me and it’s then that it dawns on me. Outside of Doctor Davis, she hasn’t been around anyone except me and her brother.
Only one other person has a key to my house: My mother.
But since Kat arrived two weeks ago, I hadn’t thought twice about my mom. She has sent me a couple texts and tried calling me last week. I had every intention to call her back that night, but it escaped my mind when I walked into Kat watching some chick flick that shockingly sucked me in.
“Hello?” My mom’s voice rings through the house and I sigh.
If I had remembered to call her back, perhaps she wouldn’t be coming over unannounced at seven thirty in the morning.
Fuck, I haven’t even told her about Kat staying here.
“Kitchen.” I call out, turning to face Kat, stepping toward her slowly and holding her stare. “It’s my mom.”
Her shoulders relax slightly, and she nods before turning back to the stove. I set my mug down on the counter behind me as my mom starts talking while she makes her way toward the kitchen.
“Well would you look at this! You are alive! Shame you couldn’t answer your phone, making me come all the way ov—” She stops dead in her tracks in the doorway, her eyes locked on Kat for a heartbeat before turning her gaze toward me.
It is then that I realize, in my rush to check on Kat, I forgot to put a shirt on.
My mom raises an eyebrow, eyes flitting toward Kat pointedly before focusing back on me. I shake my head, knowing I will need to correct her before she starts assuming something is going on between the two of us.
I clear my throat, leveling her with a pointed glare before finally speaking up.
