Page 8 of Love and Leashes
Well, that’s one mystery solved. Although, now a part of me wonders what it would have been like to wake up at the same time as her, but I make myself dismiss that idea quickly. Besides, there are more important things to figure out. Standing up, I swallow down the last of my coffee before walking back to the couch and picking up my phone. Trepidation fills me as I stare at the notifications from Left for Love, the goddamn app she signed me up for last night. “Kelly. There’s thirty-seven notifications. What the fuck?”
I go to the settings to try and delete the profile, but it needs a password. Turning the phone to face her, I say, “You need to take it down. Now.”
“Oh, come on, Jensen, just go on a couple of dates. Meet some people. Where’s the harm in that?”
I glare at her for several seconds, watching her squirm. But before I can put her out of her misery, Oliver does it for me, jumping up on the couch and stretching across her lap. Her hands instantly start to stroke along his back and he lets out a sigh of pleasure.Lucky dog.I’d have to be crazy, a monk, or blind, not to be attracted to Kelly. But the way she’s pushing this dating app is making it pretty clear that any attraction I might have is one-sided.
“Fine. I’ll go on one date. Then you’re taking it down.”
“Five.”
“What? Fuck, no!” I look at her in horror. “Three. Final offer. Three dates, with three women that I choose from the app, and when you see what a bad idea it was, you agree to take the profile down.”
“Fine.”
Jesus. What the hell have I gotten myself into…
Chapter five
Kelly
What the hell have I gotten myself into?
Yesterday, after we got dressed and took Oliver for a run, we drove around Westport looking at apartments. Jensen put his name on a couple of waiting lists, but nothing was that great. After we got back to my house, he sat down and started going through the profiles of the women — now up to forty-three — who had messaged him on that freaking dating site.
I’m not gonna lie, that was hard. Some of those women were downright crazy, but some of them were beautiful, with profiles that made them sound interesting and alluring even to me, a perfectly straight woman. Jensen settled on two that he reluctantly agreed to reach out to, and I thought that would be the end of it.
I was wrong. All freaking afternoon, he was messaging these women. Lola and Andi. Every now and then he’d laugh and show me something they’d sent him, and every time the knot in my stomach grew a little bit bigger. What kind of idiot am I, pushing my best friend, who I’m finally admitting I might like as more than just a friend, into the arms of strangers?
This is why, on Monday morning, when I get to the bakery bright and early to open up and start baking, I’m in a foul mood. And my cookies are suffering because of it.
“Girl, I swear if you roll out that dough any thinner, we’re going to be making paper cookies,” Mila comments wryly as she pries the rolling pin out of my hands. “What’s got you all pissy?”
I slump down on a stool and dust off my hands on my apron. “Nothing.”
“Uh huh, and I’m a Disney princess. Tell me another lie.”
My eyes roll upward before I can stop myself. Mila doesn’t deserve my shitty attitude, but she’s getting it. “Just because you’re all happy and engaged doesn’t mean everyone else has to be sunshine and roses all the time.”
The measuring cup she was using hits the stainless steel counter with a clatter. I keep my gaze elsewhere. Mila’s a great person until you tick her off. Which I might have just done. But then to my surprise, a still-warm cheddar cheese scone is slid in front of me. My favourite.
“Yes, I am happily engaged. Thanks, in part, to you, which we’ll get to later. Right now, let’s deal with the hangry, and then you’re gonna spill it, sister. Is it the new roommate? Does he leave the seat up? Walk around naked? Talk with food in his mouth? Poison you with his farts? Drink milk straight from the jug?”
Crumbs fall from my mouth because I’m laughing at her ridiculous suggestions, which is obviously her point. Because when I finally look at her, Mila’s eyes are twinkling and a satisfied smirk is on her face. But her tone is soft and concerned when she reaches one hand over to the top of my leg. “Seriously, Kelly, I’m your friend, and I care about you. Which is why I’m really hoping you’ll tell me what it is that obviously has you upset today.”
“I-convinced-Jensen-to-try-internet-dating-and-now-he’s-gonna-go-out-with-other-women-and-I-think-I-want-him-to-go-out-with-me,” I blurt out super quickly, the words all running together.
“Wait. What?” Mila frowns. “All I got was something about Jensen and goats?”
“God, no!” I say, exasperated, but I repeat myself slower this time. “We got drunk the other night, and I stupidly convinced Jensen to try internet dating. I thought I had good intentions, but the thought of him dating other women makes me feel…not good. Because I think…” I pause and bite my lip. “I think I want to date him.” I say the last part with my head in my hands.
“Well, no shit, Sherlock,” Mila comments drily, causing me to lift my head in confusion.
“Wait. What?”
With a huff, Mila sits down on the stool beside me. “Girl, you’re not the most subtle individual. Every time you talk about Jensen, especially lately with him coming to stay, you get a little catch in your voice, and I swear, hearts dance in your eyes. Did you seriously only just realize you want that man?”
“Ummmm…” I stammer, wide-eyed, in a complete state of shock that Mila read through me so easily. “I guess, I mean, yes?” My voice squeaks at the end, making my insanely intuitive friend laugh. Apparently, Jensen isn’t the only one who knows that’s my tell.
