with about fifteen different cushions to prevent blisters and the agonizing pain of her current situation.
Kate rested her elbows on the cement railing perched several stories above ever-bustling 42nd Street and tried to look casual as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, giving each foot its break in turn.
A seat would have been preferable, but since this was a cocktail party instead of a seated dinner, chairs were limited, and a woman sitting alone on a chair rubbing her feet was just a little sad. At least this way she could pretend to be looking at the view.
And there was nothing sad about her evening, thank you very much. In fact, it was the best party she’d been to in a long, long time.
Kate was never a wallflower, per se, but even when she was in the middle of things, she often felt on the periphery. She was well aware that she wasn’t the one who sparkled. She was the one who always had a bobby pin, a safety pin, a breath mint, to make sure other people sparkled.
Tonight, though, she’d felt at least a little sparkly. Whether it was the pink dress itself or the confidence she’d felt when she walked into the room, for the first time in her life, she’d felt like people saw her. And though she hadn’t been able to resist keeping an eye out to make sure everything went smoothly, she did so because she wanted to, not because she had nothing else to do and no one else to talk to.
Tonight, everyone had seemed to want to talk to her, not just her circle of friends. It was . . . nice.
Kate always enjoyed her friend circle, but she was also sensitive to the fact that she was a fifth wheel. Seventh wheel, if you counted Kennedy and Claudia, though she preferred not to. She loved spending time with Lara and Sabrina. And with Matt, Ian, and Kennedy. But with all of them together, Kate couldn’t help but feel apart somehow. And maybe just a tiny bit jealous.
Tonight, though, she’d felt like part of a unit, with Jack Dawson of all people.
Kate was no dummy. She knew Kennedy’s brother had heartbreaker written all over him. The man was so charming it should be illegal, and she’d watched as one woman after another had gone literally breathless when he’d spoken to them.
And yet he’d stayed with her almost the entire evening, up until his father had dragged him away to talk to Something Something the Fourth, and Kate had politely begged off in the name of sore feet.
More surprisingly, Jack had seemed to stay with her all night because he wanted to, not because he needed her to fix something for him or solve a problem. He seemed to like her, just as she liked him. He was easy to be around. And yet . . .
A large male figure came up beside her, suited arms resting on the railing beside hers. “What’s with the stork routine?”
She turned her head to look at Kennedy. “The what?”
He lifted one foot, then the other. “Stork.”
“You try wearing these shoes.”
He glanced down knowingly. “Ah. We could sit?”
Her stomach did something stupid at his use of the word we. “Nah, I’m good. Plus, I tried that for about two minutes, but every time someone came to talk to me, I either had to stand or crane my neck.”
“You’re short. Don’t you always have to crane your neck?”
She let out a little laugh and dropped her head forward as she muttered, “You look nice, Kate. Thanks for being here, Kate.”
“What?”
She turned slightly to face him. “Nothing. Do you need something?”
He scowled. “Why is that your assumption?”
“Because I’m your assistant.”
“You’re my friend.”
“Am I?” she said, more to herself than him, as she turned back to the view below the balcony.
He touched her elbow briefly, and she felt a corresponding tingle in her palm. “You don’t think we’re friends?”
“I don’t know what we are, Kennedy.”
He turned toward her. Studied her. “We’re different, huh?”
“You and me?” She turned slightly toward him, trying to figure out what was behind his strange mood.
He lifted his shoulders. “Me and Jack.”
“Definitely,” she said with a laugh.
He looked away, and she had the uncomfortable sensation that maybe she’d hurt his feelings.
“The world only needs one Jack,” she replied softly.
He searched her face. “You two were pretty inseparable all night.”
She didn’t pretend not to know what he was talking about but kept her answer