Christmas Kiss by Tammy Andresen

Author:Tammy Andresen [Andresen, Tammy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Evan

I was screwing this up big time. I’d managed to completely and utterly throw up the wrong signals, bungling my explanation and apology. Fitting my hand around her waist, I led her into the Italian restaurant and gave my name to the hostess. I knew we looked like a couple with my arm around her like that, but I didn’t care. That told me something right there about how I felt about Kay.

Sitting down, I unfolded my napkin and placed it in my lap. She sat across from me at the small table where we’d been seated. The lights were dim and the conversation was muted. It was a cozy place. I’d chosen it for the generous, yet inexpensive, portions, and also because I’d hoped no one we knew would interrupt us. I stared across the table at her, but no words came out. Now that the moment was upon me, I choked. Honestly, now that I was there, I was trying to buy a little more time.

She wasn’t having it. Kay folded her forearms along the table and leaned toward me. “I’m listening.”

I kept my eyes on the table as I spoke, unable to fully look into those stunning green eyes. “My dad split when I was five. My mom was young, never went to college. She’d never held a job. We moved back in with my grandma for a while but…” I winced. “I love my grandma, but she loves a good I told you so. My mom ended up working nights as a waitress to save money for an apartment.”

Stealing a quick glance at her, I couldn’t read anything from her expression. Her features were soft and open as she held out her hand to me. I accepted it, loving the silky brush of her fingertips against my palm. “It was all right. We had what we needed. I didn’t realize I was different until little league when some of the other dads coached. One of them told me to go home and practice with my dad.”

I saw her wince. It was quick, but I saw it. I wanted to get defensive, but who could blame her? “Then in middle school, it was all about the labels. You know…expensive sneakers and designer jeans. My poor mom. I begged her for just one pair.”

“I had that problem too,” Kay said as she shrugged. “In my head, I berated everyone at school for being so focused on the wrong things. The truth was, I wanted those things too. I just couldn’t have them.”

That caught my attention. I would have expected to commiserate with someone like Evelyn. That’s what I’d done in the past, with all my exes. We’d looked down our noses at the less academic types, and complained about the vain, silly people. They might judge us as less beautiful, but we knew what was really important.

This conversation, however, was a more honest one, like everything else was with Kay. We’d both struggled in high school. She understood, deep down, what I’d gone through.

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