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I stuck out my hand, but Laurie bent down to hug me. “Oh, hi!” I said lamely through the heavy ropes of hair.
She pulled back and studied me. “Hmm. You have sorrow in your eyes, Kenna. You have to let me photograph you.”
“Oh! Um, sure?” I’d never had someone study my eyes or ask to use me as a muse. I got the sense that this was not out of the ordinary for Laurie, however.
Char jumped in. “Laurie’s son, Liam, might be a good fit for that work you needed done on your house.”
Laurie smiled at the mention of her son’s name. “Liam is my favorite course correct in my life’s journey.” She looked at me. “And he’s a good worker. If you need help, I’ll send him over.”
Laurie was definitely different, more on the wavelength of my mother’s hippie ways than mine, but I liked her. “I would love that, thank you.”
And just like that, I had a set of helping hands to renovate my house, a scorching kiss from my next-door neighbor, and not one extra second spent thinking about my cheating soon-to-be ex-husband.
Chapter Fourteen
Dec
Harley: I’m surprised you didn’t pee in a circle around her and mark your territory, tiger.
Me: Shut the fuck up, Mr. Flirty.
Harley: If you could only hear me roar with laughter right now.
Me: A simple lol would do.
Harley: I don’t do that abbreviation shit the kids do. In all seriousness, you two are good together.
Me: We’re not together.
Harley: But you could be if you just pulled your head out of your ass.
Me: STFU
Harley: Share the freaking umbrella? Dude. It’s not even raining.
I rolled my eyes and tucked the phone back in my pocket. I had fish to catch that were smarter than my best friend. But as the endless sea undulated before me, twinkling diamonds of light bouncing everywhere the sun hit the surface, I couldn’t help but agree with the man. Kenna and I could be together. If I at least entertained the idea long enough to give us a shot. She had kissed me back the other night, after all. This attraction wasn’t entirely one-sided.
There was a tug on the line and I fumbled the rod, my brain elsewhere. The fish was gone by the time I reeled in the line a bit, testing the tension. Fuck. I needed to get my head together. Why was I kissing Kenna when I’d managed to avoid kissing any female in Sunshine Key for ten years? It was foolish of me to open that door.
And yet I didn’t regret it one bit.
The memory of her lips, the way they’d remained frozen for a split second, like she was stunned to be kissed. And then the yielding, the way she’d softened, letting me in and clinging to me like I was a lifeline. It was a heady sensation that had gone straight to my ego, obliterating every reason for not touching her. What kind of asshole had her soon-to-be ex-husband been to not kiss the hell out of this woman every single day? What had he done to turn her into the angry, lifeless woman who had arrived in Sunshine Key?
Kissing Kenna felt like getting the privilege of watching a discarded, damaged rose learn to bloom again. She was doing what I’d never had the courage to try. When things had gone south, I ran away and hid. I’d been hiding for ten years, not brave enough to let the world see my mess or the fact that I just wallowed in it instead of trying to overcome it. But there was Kenna, a hot mess who carried on anyway.
I reeled in my line and headed back for the dock. Fishing held no interest for me this morning. I’d rather see Kenna. I needed to see Kenna, to make sure the kiss hadn’t ruined things between us. She’d been gone all day yesterday with Char, and then the moment she returned home after sunset, she’d gone up to her room, the bedroom light flickering out only moments later.
When I got to the slip, the gator boys weren’t there to greet me with their asinine questions. They were clustered around the boat club’s pier, a commotion happening. I quickly tied up the boat and hustled over to the cluster of people without going through all the necessary steps to leave the Afishinado overnight. Irene immediately moved back for me to join the tight circle, but then pasted her thin body against me with a smile that made my blood run cold. There was red lipstick on her nicotine-stained teeth. Kenna quickly caught my attention when she raised her hand and shushed the crowd.
“I’m not changing the sign. I’m just going to refresh it.”
Bob clucked. “Refresh it, my ass.”
I immediately moved to Kenna’s side, forcing the small crowd to back up a step. Kenna had her hand on the weathered sign pointing the way to the club’s pier in broken sea shells, words completely illegible. The sign had been there since before I moved to the key.
“Your ass could use some refreshing too, Bob,” I snapped, folding my arms across my chest. “Care to explain why you’re harassing the new owner?”
“Ah, come on, Dec. We’re not harassing,” Sam whined. “We’re just asking what her plans are for our club.”
