the Robin to your Batman,” she said after a moment. “I believe he’ll ride in it again one day.”
His head snapped back toward her. “You know about my son?”
She nodded slowly. “It was all over the news. I … I was actually at the market the day it happened. The cops showed us his picture, but none of us … none of us saw anything.” She bit her lip. “I’m so sorry, Derek. I didn’t know how to mention it. Or even if I should mention it. The first time you walked in here, I remembered you right away.” She almost added and I remembered your son, but that would be too much. That would be a lie.
He held her gaze. “Thank you for telling me.”
“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Kenzie turned and looked at the Maserati again. “But I’m with you all the way. The Batmobile absolutely must stay.”
That brought a smile to Derek’s lips. “So, what are you studying?”
“I’m in art school. Doing an MFA in furniture design, but my first love is painting.”
“There’s no master’s degree for painting?”
“Sure there is,” she said, “but the best way to be a better painter is to keep painting. Art is subjective. It resonates or it doesn’t, and I don’t need more training. I need more practice.”
“Explains why you always look at me the way you do,” Derek said. “You’re observant. A true artist.”
“How would you know? You haven’t seen my stuff … yet.” She paused, smiling, holding his gaze. “And that isn’t why I look at you the way I do.”
His breath caught in his throat.
“Anyway, I’m done for the day,” she said. “Thought I’d grab some lunch. Have you eaten?”
He shook his head.
“I don’t know if you’re into Cuban food, but there’s an amazing little hole-in-the-wall place a few blocks away. The lines at lunchtime are insane, but they do incredible—”
“Are you talking about Fénix?”
Kenzie smiled, surprised. “You know the place? I swear their pulled pork Caribbean sandwich is life.”
“Know it? I invested in it. Let’s go.”
“Are you joking?”
“I’m a twenty-five percent equity partner.”
“Oh my god.” She stood as he packed up his computer. “Does that include all the free sandwiches you want?”
“No, I pay for those. But I never have to wait in line.” He winked, then pulled out his phone to call the restaurant as they headed for the door. “Hey, Jeremy, it’s Derek … I’m good, man, you?… Great. Let me have two Caribbeans, extra peppers, and a side of yuca fries. If there’s a free table outside, save it for me … just a small one, only two of us. We’ll be there in five minutes.”
Her shoulder rubbed against his chest as she stepped through the door of the Green Bean. She had never stood that close to him before, and she realized for the first time how much taller than her he was. And at five-ten, she’s not exactly short.
“Caribbean sandwiches and no waiting in line … I think I love you,” she said under her breath, but loud enough for him to hear, as he held the door open.
“Now wouldn’t that make me the luckiest guy in the world,” Derek said.
Spark.
That’s when Kenzie knew she had him.
Chapter 16
The apartment is quiet when Kenzie gets home from her shift at the Green Bean. Tyler’s door is shut. She presses her ear to the thin particle board and hears him snoring. She heard him come in at five this morning, right as she was getting up for work, but they didn’t speak. Getting in at that hour, she can only assume he hooked up with someone he met at the bar last night.
It’s obvious her roommate is mad at her, and she can’t blame him, not after she bailed on their Hill House marathon. They share a 700-square-foot apartment, yet they almost never see each other anymore. She misses him. And she’s lonely.
She hasn’t heard from Derek in two days.
As much as she wants to, she cannot text him. He has to text her. There are rules with married men, and they get upset when you break them.
She settles onto the sofa with a brownie she stole from the coffee shop (come on, they all steal food) and turns on the TV. Every afternoon at two p.m., if she’s home, she watches The Young and the Restless. She’s not really invested in the show’s storylines, but she used to watch it as a little girl with her grand-mère.