for her to come in. “It’s eight o’clock, for God’s sake.”
“I know, but it’s chemo week. That makes you sleepy.”
“I napped for a couple hours this afternoon. Now I’m wired. Wide awake. Robbie’s working late at the recording studio, so I’m sitting here watching Hoarders on TV. Which is stupid as hell because it’s triggering my claustrophobia. I was just trying to take some deep breaths during the commercial break. So really you’re saving me from myself.”
Kristen laughed. “I don’t know what it is with you and that show.”
“Me either, but I can’t make myself look away. What’s up? Are you just getting home from work?”
Kristen nodded, following Zoey into the living room, the smell of lilacs filling the air. “Flowers?”
“Candle,” Zoey said, pointing to the flame flickering in the corner. Her friend was a candle addict, but Kristen liked the effect. The fresh scent reminded her of springtime in her grandmother’s garden. It was a comforting memory.
They both sat on the couch as Zoey tugged a fleece blanket over her bare feet. She wasn’t wearing her wig and the sight of her bald head made Kristen feel guilty. She’d come here seeking reassurance over something silly while Zoey’s problems—cancer and chemo—were real and frightening.
“I shouldn’t be bothering you.”
Zoey leaned forward and grasped her hand. “I’m glad you’re here. Everyone’s been tiptoeing around me ever since I got sick. I’m bored with my own drama and hoping you’ve got something juicy going on to entertain me.”
Kristen laughed. Zoey was just the person she needed. She’d known Kristen the longest, so Zoey would most likely understand why she was freaking out so much.
“Is this about that doctor? What’s his name? Matthew?”
Kristen shook her head, then changed her mind. “Not exactly, but maybe. Sort of.”
Zoey grinned. “Wow. That’s enlightening. Kind of hard to believe your strength in the courtroom is your eloquence.”
“Matthew and I have been going out a lot the past few weeks.”
“I’ve noticed. Seems like his car is in the parking lot pretty much every evening, though I haven’t seen it here in the morning yet.”
“No sex.”
Zoey shook her head, pretending to be disappointed. “Josie won’t be happy to hear that.”
Kristen rolled her eyes. “Josie will have to deal. I’m not rushing things.”
“I don’t blame you there. But I will say Matthew’s incredibly handsome. That mustache reminds me of someone famous, but I can’t remember who. Makes my girl parts hot.”
“Down girl. You’ve already got Rob. You can’t have my doctor too.”
“Ah, so he’s your doctor, is he?”
Kristen bit her lower lip nervously as she tried to decide what Matthew was to her. And what she wanted him to be. If she’d met him a year ago, she would have been doing cartwheels in her yard, screaming to the world she’d met the one. Now she wasn’t sure what she was feeling, but it definitely wasn’t excitement.
“Earth to Kristen.” Zoey waved a hand in front of her face. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Jason kissed me today.”
Zoey’s eyes widened. “No way. Like a real kiss?”
Kristen nodded her head slowly, wondering if there was a stronger word than kiss because in her mind that didn’t come close to covering what she and Jason had indulged in. It had been almost primal, a claiming, the most powerful hunger she’d ever experienced.
Zoey sighed. “You’re blushing. And you’ve disappeared again. Must have been one hell of a kiss.”
“You have no idea.”
“So what does that mean?”
Kristen waved her hands around, letting her agitation escape. “I have no clue. It fucking came out of nowhere, caught me off-guard. I wasn’t prepared.”
“Prepared for the kiss or prepared to like it so much?”
“Both. But mainly the second. God. He’s a womanizer, a pervert, a sex maniac. He says he wants a commitment, but deep
“I know, but it’s chemo week. That makes you sleepy.”
“I napped for a couple hours this afternoon. Now I’m wired. Wide awake. Robbie’s working late at the recording studio, so I’m sitting here watching Hoarders on TV. Which is stupid as hell because it’s triggering my claustrophobia. I was just trying to take some deep breaths during the commercial break. So really you’re saving me from myself.”
Kristen laughed. “I don’t know what it is with you and that show.”
“Me either, but I can’t make myself look away. What’s up? Are you just getting home from work?”
Kristen nodded, following Zoey into the living room, the smell of lilacs filling the air. “Flowers?”
“Candle,” Zoey said, pointing to the flame flickering in the corner. Her friend was a candle addict, but Kristen liked the effect. The fresh scent reminded her of springtime in her grandmother’s garden. It was a comforting memory.
They both sat on the couch as Zoey tugged a fleece blanket over her bare feet. She wasn’t wearing her wig and the sight of her bald head made Kristen feel guilty. She’d come here seeking reassurance over something silly while Zoey’s problems—cancer and chemo—were real and frightening.
“I shouldn’t be bothering you.”
Zoey leaned forward and grasped her hand. “I’m glad you’re here. Everyone’s been tiptoeing around me ever since I got sick. I’m bored with my own drama and hoping you’ve got something juicy going on to entertain me.”
Kristen laughed. Zoey was just the person she needed. She’d known Kristen the longest, so Zoey would most likely understand why she was freaking out so much.
“Is this about that doctor? What’s his name? Matthew?”
Kristen shook her head, then changed her mind. “Not exactly, but maybe. Sort of.”
Zoey grinned. “Wow. That’s enlightening. Kind of hard to believe your strength in the courtroom is your eloquence.”
“Matthew and I have been going out a lot the past few weeks.”
“I’ve noticed. Seems like his car is in the parking lot pretty much every evening, though I haven’t seen it here in the morning yet.”
“No sex.”
Zoey shook her head, pretending to be disappointed. “Josie won’t be happy to hear that.”
Kristen rolled her eyes. “Josie will have to deal. I’m not rushing things.”
“I don’t blame you there. But I will say Matthew’s incredibly handsome. That mustache reminds me of someone famous, but I can’t remember who. Makes my girl parts hot.”
“Down girl. You’ve already got Rob. You can’t have my doctor too.”
“Ah, so he’s your doctor, is he?”
Kristen bit her lower lip nervously as she tried to decide what Matthew was to her. And what she wanted him to be. If she’d met him a year ago, she would have been doing cartwheels in her yard, screaming to the world she’d met the one. Now she wasn’t sure what she was feeling, but it definitely wasn’t excitement.
“Earth to Kristen.” Zoey waved a hand in front of her face. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Jason kissed me today.”
Zoey’s eyes widened. “No way. Like a real kiss?”
Kristen nodded her head slowly, wondering if there was a stronger word than kiss because in her mind that didn’t come close to covering what she and Jason had indulged in. It had been almost primal, a claiming, the most powerful hunger she’d ever experienced.
Zoey sighed. “You’re blushing. And you’ve disappeared again. Must have been one hell of a kiss.”
“You have no idea.”
“So what does that mean?”
Kristen waved her hands around, letting her agitation escape. “I have no clue. It fucking came out of nowhere, caught me off-guard. I wasn’t prepared.”
“Prepared for the kiss or prepared to like it so much?”
“Both. But mainly the second. God. He’s a womanizer, a pervert, a sex maniac. He says he wants a commitment, but deep
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