Page 26 of Sugar High
“You’re not listening to me.”
Drawn out of her reverie, she apologized. “I had a tiff with the girl I’m seeing.”
“Kit, right?”
She’d forgotten she mentioned it to Roman earlier in the week. She wanted to be certain of Kit before talking to her brother. “Yeah,” she said, and gave him the abridged version. “I’m supposed to go to this karaoke thing with a new friend, but maybe it’s a mistake, you know? I don’t like leaving things unresolved with Kit.”
“So resolve things. Call her.”
“I’m not the one who started this, though. I think she should reach out first. I only wanted a bit of recognition outside ourhomes that we are together, and instead she’d rather…” Well, she wasn’t about to go into detail about her sex life with her brother. “She ticked me off, she has to callme.”
Roman was silent for a beat, breathing hard over the phone. Finally, “You don’t think you’re asking too much of her? A woman who probably lived in that small town all her life and doesn’t think her sexual identity is anybody’s business?”
“She’s not from here. She’s from North Carolina.”
“That’s not really the point, Sid. I know you, and you’ve always been outgoing and open. Other people need to go at their own pace. You’re mad at Kit for not even acknowledging your relationship to your boss, but haveyoutalked to the lady about it?”
“No,” she grumbled. No skin off her nose to come out to Tish about her and Kit, but she stayed quiet out of respect to Kit. “I even suggested we go to our boss together, but she’s skittish.”
“You like this Kit person?”
She closed her eyes and called up an image of Kit in the Tish’s Riches kitchen, stirring ganache for truffles and prepping candy molds. She recalled a day when business on the shop floor was slow. She paused at the edge of the work area and studied her lover’s expressions. Kit put her all into baking treats and decorating special orders. Her eyes took on a warm glow and, when deep in the zone, the tip of her tongue poked from a corner and held. Sid had to turn away when that happened, because thoughts of that tongue on her clit were certain to cloud her focus, and she didn’t need to have sex on the brain while serving customers.
“I do. It’s only been a month, but I feel we could have something long-term.” Forever? She hated to picture herself as an old woman, but if she and Kit ended up as golden gals with benefits that would be fine by her.
“Swallow your pride, and don’t worry about who is the bigger person here. Everybody’s afraid to call because they automatically suspect it’s the end, and they want to prolong that dose of pain. Take her off the hook.”
Roman made a good point, much as Sid cringed to admit it. Kit could interpret her silence as reluctance to move forward and heal the rift. Years from now, and she wanted to believe they’d still be a couple then, this should be a faded memory.
“Okay. Thanks for listening, Roman. I’ll let you know what happens, love you.” After their goodbyes she auto-dialed Kit’s phone and waited. Five rings, then six, and she canceled without leaving voice mail. Kit would see her number and hopefully call back.
Maybe I should go there first?Kit’s duplex was on the way to the Den. It meant taking a different route and adding a mile to the drive, but she’d burn the extra gas to make things right with Kit.
About five minutes later she slowed near the driveway of Kit’s half of the house, then resumed minimum speed. The car wasn’t there. Where could she be if she wasn’t answering? Except for a few bars, Dareville pretty much shut down after dark. Kit might have driven to Virginia Beach, or…
Her heart lifted. Maybe she’d gone to the Den to surprise her.
She braked at a stop sign and sent Kit a text.Are you coming to the Den? I hope so. Let’s make this better.She wanted Kit to join her, have a few drinks, and maybe they’d dance like the first time.
More than that, she wanted Kit next to her. She turned back to the main road with a confident heart.
~*~
Tish emerged from her office and let out a yelp. “Oh lord, Kit. Why are you still here? I thought you left when Sid did.”
Kit looked up from the sink, from where she had several baking sheets in soak. A quick glance at the wall clock told them it was close to seven. Vinnie’s errand for Uncle Dom had exceeded a few minutes, and this realization jarred Kit’s memory.
“Right,” she said. “Your office door was closed and I didn’t want to bother you. Vinnie’s going to be late.”
“I’m aware of that. He texted not long ago and I checked this time. Score one for me.” Tish glanced toward her open office door, from where her favorite oldies playlist flowed. “I appreciate you staying on to help, Kit, but I like my employees to have lives. Go home.”
Kit picked up a sudsy muffin tin from the left tub and dunked it into the right for a rinse. “I don’t have anywhere to be, Tish. Any shows, I can stream later. I’m good..”
“Have you been cleaning all this time? You’d think the health inspector was coming. I’m not planning a white-glove test, Kit, you can relax. Oh, hell. Hang on.” She disappeared into her office to silence her music, but Kit joined her after drying her hands. She rubbed away the wrinkles on her fingerpads.
“Tish, can I be honest with you for a second?”
Tish’s smile, earlier borne of surprise, fell slack as she regarded Kit. “Always. Have a seat. Is something wrong with your family, or you?”
