Page 113 of Don't Let Me Break

“Let’s just say I’m on shark week, and Flo wasnotsubtle when showing up this month.”

Blake and Mia exchange curious glances.

Ash blurts out, “Okay, we’re gonna all need some more details, Kate.”

A groan escapes me as I shove aside my embarrassment and rip it off like a Band-Aid. “After we hooked up, we watched a movie and fell asleep. I woke up to find I’d started my period. In hisbed.”

“No!” Mia gasps.

“Yup. I bled all over his sheets and didn’t have any tampons in my backpack, so he had to drive to the gas station at the base of the mountain to pick some up for me. I offered to take his car and do it myself, but he insisted I take a shower and promised he’d be back in a few. While he was gone, I cleaned myself up and made him breakfast, and he drove me home when we finished eating. Now, here I am.”

Silence ensues, and I peek over at them.

Blake’s grinning like the Cheshire cat, Mia’s eyes are wide with surprise, and Ash looks like she might literally swoon at any second.

“Say something,” I snap.

Blowing softly on her hot mug of coffee, Mia murmurs, “If you don’t marry him, I will.”

Blake snorts. “Yeah, I’m totally calling Theo to remind him how he’s starting to look like the lesser Taylor and needs to up his game. Because that?” Blake’s mouth makes a tiny circle as she whistles. “Is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning, I mutter, “I didn’t get to the best part.”

“There’s a better part?” Ash asks.

I toss the grocery sack of goodies toward them. “He also bought me chocolate and apologized when there wasn’t any Midol at the gas station.”

“Mack knows what Midol is?” Ash asks.

“He has two daughters, remember?” Blake chimes in.

“Oh, yeah.” Ash grabs the sack and searches its contents, clearly impressed with the selection. “I forgot.”

“Speaking of which.” The time glares at me as I check my phone. “I have to get ready for work. Can anyone drive me?”

Steam billows from Mia’s Snoopy cup, and she blows on it as she collapses into the chair next to mine. “I can take you.”

“Thanks.”

34

MACKLIN

My Prickly Porcupine

Got my grade for Litwak’s test. Not great.

Me

Damn. I’m sorry, Kate.

My Prickly Porcupine

It’s fine.

Me

Liar. Anything I can do to help?

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