Page 170 of Lose You Twice

His shoulders ease slightly, and something warm moves through me.

We make our way around his car, and he opens the door for me. I slide inside, and we head out of the parking lot.

He chooses to have dinner at a small Italian place fifteen minutes from campus. It’s quiet enough that we can talk and casual enough to be comfortable. We sit in a booth near the back. Kai sits across from me in a gray button-up shirt and his pants from his suit earlier, tie and suit jacket long forgotten.

I’m admiring the cut of his jaw when I catch his grin, realizing his mouth is moving. I blink. “Huh?”

He does his best at hiding his smile, but fails miserably. “She asked if you want something to drink.”

My cheeks heat. “Oh, uh, I’ll just take a water, please.”

“Same for me, thank you.”

The waitress nods and heads toward the kitchen.

Kai looks at me, his grin far too cocky. “See something you like, Freckles?”

“Oh, please,” I say, rolling my eyes as my cheeks heat even more. “You’re not that good-looking.”

He chuckles then. “I was talking about the menu, but glad to know you think I’m good-looking and all that.” He ends it with a wink, and it’s all I can do not to melt completely into my seat.

I turn my eyes to my menu, though I already know what I’ll order, same as I know what he will probably get, too. “Do you know what you’re getting?”

“I’m going to get the fettuccine alfredo,” he says, placing his menu down on the table. “With some grilled chicken.”

I tilt my head, acting surprised to hear that he’s ordering exactly what I knew he would. “Only thing missing is your broccoli.”

Kai grins. “And let me guess, you’ll be getting the traditional spaghetti and meatballs and asking for mozzarella cheese on top.”

I laugh quietly, shaking my head.

Some things really don’t change, no matter how much time passes.

27

WREN

During our meal, we talk about anything and everything that’s happened in the last three years, ending with my photography internship in London.

I shrug, moving the last bites of my dessert around my plate. “I love it, don’t get me wrong. I just…I’m not sure if I can see myself doing it full time.” I huff out a laugh. “I’m not sure what I can see myself doing.”

Kai studies me for a minute, his eyes more serious than they have been so far tonight. “I guess I never really thought of what me leaving meant for you in that way. We had a plan for our future, well, together.”

I look down, not being able to hold his gaze, as that’s exactly what happened. We had our life planned out. I never thought there was an alternate path that I would take alone. Even now, are we back on that track, or has so much changed that neither of us really knows what the future holds?

Kai’s end goal never changes, or does it? Does he still just want the NHL, and whatever comes with that, he’ll accept? Or does he still hold onto the hope that it will be us at the end?

After we finish our food, Kai pays the tab, and we head toward his car, his fingers fitting perfectly around mine. He brings our joined hands to his mouth, pressing a kiss to mine.

When we reach his car, he opens the door but doesn’t step back right away.

“Thank you for coming with me tonight,” he says softly, brushing back a stray strand of hair from my face. Anywhere his skin touches mine, ever so slightly, my body heats.

I smile up at him. “Thanks for asking me.”

He kisses me then, bringing his mouth to mine. Kissing Kai is the only time when I feel like I’m floating above everything that’s trying to pull me down. Like he’s been the missing piece, the small ray of sunlight that can break through the darker moments of my life.

I pull him closer, deepening the kiss, and he moves flush against me with zero hesitation.