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28
KAYLA
“Youreallydida great job, Keeks.” Rae gives me a proud smile, rubbing her hand over my arm in encouragement. We’ve cut our dancing session to take a break and we’re hanging at the bar with Charlotte and Julie.
“You did just as much, Rae. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even know it was his birthday.” I take a sip of my Coke, keeping my promise to Jensen to not drink tonight. The rent of the room is in his name, and I don’t want him to get into any trouble.
“Ugh, what is it with men and their birthdays?” Charlotte rolls her eyes.
“I can’t say shit. I did the same.” Rae stirs her cocktail.
“Hold up, you did what?” Julie gives her a curious look.
“When she came home with Jensen and Bodi last summer?” I start, waiting until Julie hums in confirmation. “We threw her a surprise party.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Julie’s eyes dart back and forth between the three of us.
“No, not really.” I smile. “She just forgot to inform Bodi and Jensen.”
“No.” Julie’s eyes widen and her mouth forms a perfect O, while Charlotte laughs.
“In my defense, I didn’t know you were going to throw me a surprise party!” Rae blurts, indignant.
“Oh, yeah. Can you imagine their faces when they were face to face with our entire family, banner and all? It was glorious. I wish someone filmed it, but Nana once again proved she sucks with technology.”
“It was horrifying!” Rae scoffs.
“For you, yeah. I had the time of my life. Not to mention, I got a better gift than you.” A smug grin sits on my face as I glance at Bodi on the couch.
“What’s going on between you two?” Charlotte gives me a friendly look like only she can. She’s stunning. She has dirty blonde hair, with highlights bringing out her eyes. But it’s her everlasting genuine smile that really makes you want to share your life story, begging for a hug. Girls like her are rare, and as much as she’s more Rae’s friend than mine, I always enjoy having her around. It’s impossible to not feel comfortable around Charlotte Hansen.
“Pfft, I don’t know.” It comes out as a whine and, frankly, that’s how it feels when I actually have to talk about it. What can I tell my friends if I don’t even know what’s going on? Really going on?
“Sure you do,” Rae counters.
I shrug. “Friends with benefits is the quick explanation.”
“And the long?” Julie presses.
I stare into my drink, wondering how much I want to share.
“I like him,” I confess. “A lot. Like a shit ton of a lot.”
“Yeah, that’s clear.” Charlotte smiles and I let out a desperate moan.
“Right. But he doesn’t want anything else.”
“Are you sure about that?” I lock my eyes with Rae. Her brown eyes are filled with sympathy.
“He’s been adamant about it from the beginning. It took me a while for him to even give in to this thing we seem to have.” I pause to suck in a breath before pushing it back out. “We’re close. And it feels like we’re getting closer every day, but we both seem to be avoiding the question hanging above our heads.”
“What question is that?” Julie asks.
“If we’ll ever be serious? I’m scared to bring it up because he has a long list of why we shouldn’t be.”
“And why is that?” Rae questions.
“The short list? I’m too young or he’s too old, whatever way you want to put it, and he’s my boss.”
“Age is just a fucking number,” Julie chimes in. “And the boss thing can be fixed. Just get another job.”
“Right.” I thought about it. But the truth is, I’m scared that by leaving KPI, I’m also leaving Bodi. That he won’t be part of my daily life anymore and the thought alone suffocates me with fear. He’s completely intertwined himself in my life, and I’m scared to let that go. It’ll be a void I won’t be able to handle. I know because I can feel the cracking of my heart just thinking about it.
“What’s the long list?” Rae asks curiously.
“He doesn’t like takeout. He hates the carnival,” I tell them, before Julie interrupts.
“He hates the carnival?”
“Oh, yeah. Freaked out about it when I wanted to organize a carnival themed office party.”
“So what did you go for?”
“Carnival.” I shrug with a cocky grin, resulting in a full laugh from all three of them.
“And he let you?” Julie screeches.
I nod. “He actually fucked me in his office after.”
They all shriek, and I laugh, then quickly glance at him with a guilty look.
“Don’t tell him,” I hiss. “He’ll kill me.”
It takes them a moment to settle down, but when they do, Charlotte gives me a serious expression.
“This says it all. He likes you too, Kayla.”
