Page 43 of Catching Sparkles

“Are you sick, Keke?” She asked, with obvious concern. Ugh, did I really look that bad?

“If you’re sick, you need to stay away from Josie,” Benji said, putting a hand between us, like that would somehow stop the flow of airborne germs from my imaginary ailment.

“I’m not sick,” I said quickly. “I just didn’t get much sleep last night.” Or the night before that.

“Oh man,” he said, narrowing his eyes a bit as he finally focused on me. “Yeah, you do look kind of haggard.”

“Haggard!?” I demanded, my hand flying up to my chest in shock.

“Benjamin!” Josie scolded, giving him a light smack on the arm.

“Well, no! I mean, you don’t look like this all the time! Just… You know, right now,” he finished, blinking innocently.

Great. It was like the complete opposite of how someone would try to look really killer to see their ex for the first time after a bad breakup. But Rhys wasn’t my ex and I looked like shit. I was sure he would look smoking hot as always. He rolled out of bed looking like that.

To give me something to focus on other than my haggard appearance and Rhys’ inevitable arrival, I asked Josie how things were going and how she was feeling, wincing in sympathy when she regaled me with stories of swollen feet, painful heartburn, and intense fatigue.

“You’ve got another two months or so, don’t you?” I asked, and she sighed.

“Please don’t remind me,” she requested, before changing the subject. “A little birdie told me you and Rhys went out and got my baby shower gifts the other day.”

“Tweet tweet,” Benji added, as if I wouldn’t know he was the one who’d told her. Well, that was fine. It wasn’t like it was a secret. Although Rhys had apparently wanted it to be.

“Yeah,” I answered, because I was afraid if I said more, my misery regarding my shopping partner would be obvious to both of them.

As she jokingly grilled me about what we’d gotten her, the rest of the Kensingtons showed up in Mom’s SUV. I tried not to watch out of my peripherals as Rhys strolled by with the massive bowl of potato salad balanced in his muscular arms.

“Kendall!” Mom called out my name in delight as she hurried over and sat on the bench next to me, wrapping me in a tight hug. The familiar scent of her perfume soothed my stress a little. “It’s been eons since I’ve seen you!”

“It’s only been two weeks since we were at the cabin,” Josie piped up with a laugh. “I guess that is a long time for any of us to be apart, though!”

“Well, let’s not do that again anytime soon, hm?” Mom said, running an affectionate hand over my hair. When she pulled back and finally locked eyes on my face, she let out a sound of concern. “Oh my gosh! Honey, you look half dead! What’s the matter?”

“He’s just tired, Mom,” Benji said, probably hoping to garner back some of my favor from the haggard remark.

“I’m fine,” I promised, trying not to sound as weary as I felt. The last thing I wanted was everyone remarking on how bad I looked when Rhys made his way back over. “I’m going to take it easy tonight after the picnic.”

“Well, okay,” she said, but I could tell she wasn’t fully convinced. “How about later this week you come over and you can relax while I make your favorite?”

“Super extra cheesy lasagna?” I asked, perking up instantly.

“That’s right.”

“Oh, we’re definitely in,” Benji said from across the table. It was his favorite too, and we’d asked her for it all the time as kids.

It took me a moment for realization to pierce through my excitement for lasagna. If I came over, Rhys would be there. It would be uncomfortable for both of us. I could deal, but… Was it unfair for me to force myself into his space, where he was forced to be living at the moment? Would he end up resenting me for it? I couldn’t turn down her offer though, or she’d really know something was wrong. We’d both just have to deal.

When Rhys came back around, Dad at his heels, I avoided eye contact with him but I couldn’t exactly delete him from my vision. It didn’t help that he was wearing the running shorts he knew I loved. He looked so hot and so built, all his perfectly defined muscles on display.

Luckily, Dad sat on my other side, enthusiastically commenting about all the dishes I’d brought and how he was looking forward to trying everything, which helped my mind focus on something else for the time being.

The picnic was fun as always. I mingled with lots of people, received tons of compliments about the stuff I’d brought and had a lot of people interested in my services. Everyone piled their plates high with food, and came back in droves to graze and snack during the rest of the activities.

I wasn’t exactly in the mood or mindset to participate in the games, but I watched most of them, faking my amusement, clapping and cheering for all the winners as they were presented with their trophies and ribbons. I was glad for everyone who was happy, I just couldn’t bring myself to feel that particular emotion at the moment.

As the day began to wind down, I made my way over to the dessert table. Just about everything had been picked clean, but a single one of my espresso cupcakes was left, which I picked up and sank my teeth into.

In the open field a little ways out, a group of younger boys were playing with a football. Rhys was directing them, gesturing widely and explaining what looked to be different strategies and different methods of throwing the ball. I couldn’t be too sure about that one, as I didn’t exactly understand the rules of football beyond getting the ball from one end of the field to the other. But the boys were super enthusiastic, staring up at him in sparkly-eyed awe as he coached. I couldn’t blame them, I probably looked like that when he was talking to me too.