Huge Deal - Lauren Layne Page 0,32

his stomach still churning at the thought of having Kate at family dinners. As his sister.

“Definitely not,” Claudia agreed. “I’m stuffed.”

“From the lettuce?” Jack asked curiously.

“It expands in your stomach,” Claudia said matter-of-factly.

“Okay,” Jack said easily before turning to Kate. “Wanna grab some ice cream on the way home?”

“Make it gelato, and you’ve got a deal.”

He lifted his hand for a high five, which she returned with a grin.

Kennedy tipped back the remainder of his wine in one large swallow.

“This was so fun,” Claudia said a few minutes later as the four of them stepped out onto the sidewalk outside the restaurant. “We should definitely do it again soon.”

“Absolutely,” Jack agreed, helping Kate into her coat. “We’ll at least see you next weekend, right?”

“Ah . . .” Claudia frowned in confusion.

Shit. “My parents’ anniversary party,” Kennedy said, hoping to save her embarrassment. “You can still come?”

“Oh! Sure. Yes. I’m so sorry, I must have totally spaced on it.”

She met his eyes just for a moment, her gaze questioning. She hadn’t forgotten. He hadn’t invited her, not that he’d intentionally intended not to. He just hadn’t gotten around to it . . .

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jack lean down and murmur something in Kate’s ear that made her laugh.

“Saturday at five. Please come,” he said to Claudia, even as guilt gnawed at the realization he was asking her for all of the wrong reasons.

12

Friday, April 12

Kate’s gaze flicked to her cell phone that was faceup on her desk, even as her fingers kept typing out an email to Jarod Lanham’s assistant, arranging a time next week for Matt to swing by Jarod’s office.

Her phone had been lighting up for the past five minutes with a string of messages from Lara, each and every one a gentle inquisition about last night’s double date. She was surprised her friend had managed to wait this long. Sabrina had barely made it to eight a.m. before starting her interrogation.

How’d it go?

Was it weird?

Did Claudia bring her own green smoothie?

Was Kennedy a dick?

Is Jack a good kisser?

Kate had yet to reply to the messages, at least not via text. In her head, though . . .

Yes, last night was weird as heck, sitting next to the guy I’m dating, across from my boss.

No, Claudia didn’t bring her own smoothie, though it was a close call. Kate was all for eating healthy and completely respected anyone’s right to choose a salad, but she’d have preferred a little less talking about the carb-free life and the magic of giving up gluten. It had almost ruined her ravioli.

Almost.

Kate would take her pasta over the shiny hair Claudia had promised any day. Besides, Kate’s hair was already shiny. Shinier than Claudia’s, if she did say so herself. Gluten for the win, thank you very much.

As for whether Kennedy was a dick . . . Yes, obviously.

And Jack being a good kisser . . .

Her phone flashed again, and Kate glanced down, then did a double take when she realized Lara was apparently reading her mind from across town.

Did he kiss you?

She sent the email to Jarod’s assistant, then picked up her phone, catching up on Lara’s messages. They were more or less the same as Sabrina’s, phrased just slightly softer.

Kate started a group message to both women. Sorry, busy day, just now catching up on texts.

That much was true. It was seven thirty p.m. She was still at the office and had another half hour or so of work to do, unless she wanted to work over the weekend. Which she didn’t.

Just a couple of weeks ago, she would have. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do. Now she had plans for brunch, the opera, potentially a nightcap after the opera . . .

She tapped the corner of her iPhone case absently against her palm.

Was she going too fast? She’d just met Jack, and she’d seen him, what, five times in the past week or so?

And yet, about that kissing thing . . . They hadn’t. At least not the way her friends were thinking. She’d wanted to, or at least wanted to want to. And last night, after dinner with Claudia and Kennedy, the moment had been there, as Jack walked her home in the cool spring air, debating whose gelato was better, his chocolate or her pistachio. (For the record, they’d decided the right answer was better together and made their own swirl of sorts.)

But when they’d gotten to her apartment