Page 71 of Before I Lost You

He emphasizes the word other, and my eyes widen.

“What?” I breathe. “What do they say about me?”

“It’s just a theory.” He shrugs. “But it says that you’re cocky, and that you actually have a reason to be cocky.”

I shiver at the look he gives me, and his smirk stays firmly in place. We lock eyes for a moment too long, until my hands start shaking again, and I clasp them together on my lap. “Do you think I do?” I ask quietly. “Have a reason to be cocky?”

“I don’t know,” Kenneth says, leaning over the table, propping his elbows on it, and cradling his face between his hands as he stares at me. “You look like you have a nice cock, though.”

I cough once and turn bright red, an overwhelming wave of déjà vu washing over me. But still, I say, “Maybe I do.”

Ken throws his head back and laughs, and I chuckle quietly. When his eyes return to mine, he whispers, “I take it back. Now I’m sure you do.”

“What do you do for work?” I ask him, trying to get back to a safe conversation, even though I already know what he does. But I can’t look like I know those answers.

“I’m a professional photographer,” he tells me, shrugging. “It pays the bills.”

“Pays the bills?” I gawk. “I have your portrait on my living room wall. My bank account doesn’t think itjustpays the bills.”

My eyes widen at the realization of what I’ve said, horror filling me to bursting. Oh, fuck. Why would I admit to that? There’s no fixing this. His eyes are wide, his cheeks bright red, his mouth ajar. Then a smile takes over his face.

“Creepy.” He grins. I panic. There’s no other way to describe it. I’m about to get up from this fucking chair and bolt, maybe even move out of Boston entirely, when he waggles his eyebrows. “Kinda hot though.”

My entire body deflates, relaxing into my chair. “Sorry I didn’t tell you I knew who you were. I didn’t really think I should lead with that.”

“Dating someone who owns my portrait wasn’t ever on my bucket list, but I’ll admit—I’m flattered, truly.”

“Oh, uh,” I stammer. “Yeah.”

Kenneth laughs. “You’re horrible at flirting, you know that?”

I flush, my face turning hot. “Not usually.”

“So it’s just a me thing?”

“You could say that.” I shrug.

“Is it because you have my picture in your living room?” Kenneth smirks. “Or am I just hot?”

“Both,” I blurt out.

“Cute,” he sighs. “You’re adorable.”

“Adorable?” I scrunch my nose at the word. “I’ve never heard that one before.”

“Then they didn’t know you that well.” He shrugs. “I think I’ll get to know you soon enough, and when I do, I bet I’ll think you’re even more adorable.”

“Well, let me know if you do.” I smirk, and he smiles, making his dimples appear. The ones at the corners of his mouth, the other on the apple of his cheek. “You’re really beautiful.”

Kenneth blushes furiously. He plays with the golden chain around his neck, too, and it makes something inside of me light up with hope. “You don’t have to butter me up, sweetheart. I already said I’d go out with you.”

“Let me guess—you don’t know how to take a compliment.” I smile.

“Busted,” he sighs. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I shake my head, offering him my phone. “Give me your number.”

Kenneth raises an eyebrow. “Is that a question?”