Loner by Harloe Rae Page 0,3
Taking the scenic route and letting this interrogation cool is the best route to avoid collision. I reach for my mug as if nothing is out of sorts.
“I never took you for a vegetarian, Keke.”
“You’re losing me again.”
Her lips curl into a wicked grin. “Reintroducing meat into your diet is long overdue. You’re a young woman in her prime with needs that extend beyond the reach of a battery-operated boyfriend.” She lifts her chin at me, the angle more than haughty.
She’s just lucky I didn’t have another mouthful of coffee, otherwise I’d have doused the front of her shirt. All I can manage is a basic gape—lips parted and jaw hanging. I should’ve predicted she’d aim straight for the gutter. Heck, I certainly know better. With a flurry of rapid blinks, I collect my composure and sit upright. “I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”
Her snort is loud enough to hear in the crowded café. “Right, right. Your BOB must be losing steam, though. Give that bad boy a rest. A real man has tricks of the trade.”
Routine grinding from an espresso machine kicks up in the background. The grating whir is a pleasant distraction, especially from Josey’s firing squad. But when the distinctive sound cuts off, my friend is still staring at me expectantly. I huff, sending a few strands of blonde off my forehead. “Can we drop it? Dating isn’t on my radar, Joe.”
“Why not?”
“I have more important things to focus on.”
She makes a circular motion with her hand. “Such as?”
“My daughter, first and foremost.”
Her brows lower. “Millie is preoccupied with being a first grader.”
I frown at her easy explanation. “She needs my full attention.”
“Are you worried about her?”
“Always,” I respond without hesitation.
“Why? Isn’t she enjoying school?”
I lift a single shoulder. “She seems to be adjusting well. Her teacher has sent me a few emails, though. Millie’s lack of communication is raising some red flags. Several staff members have noticed. She’s resistant to speaking with just about everyone, even the girls she’s friends with.”
Deep grooves cut across her forehead. “Ah, shoot. I’m sorry, Keegan. Is there something we can do?”
My exhale is long, drawn out on purpose. I’m stalling. This topic is always difficult to breach. “There are special services she might qualify for. She would have to go through an evaluation. I’m not ready to cross that bridge yet.”
Josey nods. “You were a shy kid, right?”
I laugh, as if the opposite could be true. “Uh, yeah. It’s safe to say she inherited the quiet traits from me.”
She rests a palm over my fidgeting hand. “Then don’t fret yet. Millie will find her stride and blossom.”
The tension pulsing in my temple eases slightly. “That’s what I keep hoping for.”
“Great. In the meantime, you can cut loose a bit.” She winks at me. “A little static between the sheets.”
I rub my temples. “No. Just no, Joe.”
“What’s your next excuse?”
She earns another glare for this relentless badgering. “The last thing I need is another careless man to stomp all over my newly erected life. I made a promise to myself, and Millie, that I wouldn’t make careless choices again. When I’m ready to try again, it will be for serious.”
She garbles out a laugh. I cock a brow, waiting for the joke. Her jaw pops open. “Oh, wow. You’ve been out of the game too long. Come on, girl. You said erected.”
I give her an eye roll that any diva princess would envy. “How old are you again?”
“Where’d my fun-loving friend disappear to? I want her to speak up. She would laugh with me about stupid innuendos.”
“She’s been kicked one too many times, I’m afraid.” An all-too-familiar ache spreads through my chest. I don’t bother trying to rub the sting away.
Josey sits forward. “I’m sorry, I truly am. But meeting up for a casual meal or night out won’t hurt. Keke needs her groove back.”
Another round of churning twists my belly. “Honestly, I’m fine.”
“That isn’t good enough.”
I’m three seconds away from banging my head on the table. Just before I take action, a lightbulb moment flickers on in my brain. “Before I even entertain the idea of dating, Millie needs a dog.”
My friend crosses her arms and assesses me with an all-knowing look. “Are you really comparing finding a decent man to getting a family pet?”
“The responsibility of it all? Yes.”
“It’s official. You’re being ridiculous.”
“Me? This is all your doing.”
“Because I care about you and the cobwebs sprouting down below.”
The laugh bubbling out of me shakes my