Page 45 of Only You

Twelve

After embarrassing himself last night, Jack decided avoiding Kayla was the best course of action. He couldn’t hang out with his parents because they had plans with their friends, but Ryan might be available.

Ryan answered on the first ring. “Hey. What’s up, besides you?”

“Are you busy today?” Jack asked.

“I’m going Christmas shopping. Why?”

“Christmas shopping?”

“It’s Black Friday. I want to take advantage of the sales.”

“Can I tag along?”

Ryan chuckled. “You’re being weird again. What happened now?”

Jack sat up in bed and warily glanced at his bedroom door. He couldn’t risk Kayla overhearing him again. “I’ll tell you when I see you.”

“Okay, but I’m warning you. I’ll be shopping all day,” Ryan said.

“That’s fine. I’ll buy lunch.”

“Deal,” Ryan said. “When should I pick you up?”

“Give me half an hour.”

“See you then.”

After they hung up, Jack sighed with relief. Then he jumped out of bed and strode into the bathroom. While he showered, he kept thinking about last night, flipping between segments of his dream, and Kayla’s reaction to it. He should have spared her the details, but she’d kept asking questions. The room had been dark, but he swore her cheeks were flushed as he recounted the intimate details. Aside from that, she’d seemed cool with it. Kayla’s response should have been reassuring, but he was still embarrassed. She’d caught him with his hand down his pants, and if she’d entered his room a few minutes later, it might have been worse.

Jack quickly got ready, with a few minutes leftover to grab some coffee and a bagel. Preparing to face Kayla, he inhaled deeply and went out of his bedroom. The kitchen light was still on from last night, but the house was silent, so he assumed she was still asleep. When he entered the kitchen, he saw a note by the coffeepot. Went Christmas shopping. K.

Jack exhaled. At least he wouldn’t have to face her this morning. Kayla had already made coffee, so he poured some into an insulated cup. As he was spreading cream cheese on a bagel, he wondered if she’d gone shopping alone or with someone. It’s none of my business, he reminded himself.

A few minutes later, Ryan rolled up in his black pickup truck. Jack tucked his wallet into his pocket and went outside with his coffee and bagel.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” Ryan asked as they drove away.

“My pretend girlfriend,” Jack corrected him. “She went Christmas shopping too. She must have left really early because I didn’t even hear her.”

“How is it going so far, living with a beautiful woman and not being able to touch her?” Ryan mused.

“It’s hard,” Jack answered. Literally!

“Spill.”

Jack was anxious to unload his burden and trusted Ryan implicitly to keep his secrets. “Last night, we watched Friends With Benefits. Have you ever seen it?”

Ryan chuckled. “Since you just admitted it, yes, I have. What’d you do, ask Kayla to be your friend with benefits?”

“No!” Asking her what she thought of the concept wasn’t the same.

“What then?”

“After we went to bed—separately—I had a sexy dream about her.”

“Who? Mila Kunis?”