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I hurried down the stairs. “Kacey. No, can we not—”

“And I know now that you were right. Dead-on as always. This isn’t a fling. I want what you want. The on-demand hookups were great, but you want us to be more, and now I want that, too. We need to formalize this.”

I couldn’t believe what was happening. I could feel Carrie watching from above. I cringed. “This is not the time to do this.”

“Yes, it is, because I don’t want to waste another moment that we could be spending together. I was just stuck in this senseless loop ofnonsense. A roller coaster never leaving the tracks. But I’ve caught up to you now. You knew all along that we belonged together, and now I do, too.”

“Things are different now.” I was speaking quietly, as if it could keep Carrie from hearing. Ridiculous. “Can I call you? This is all too much, and I have neighbors.”

She dropped the flowers and moved to me, taking both of my hands in hers. “But they don’t have to be different.” She looked around. “And I want your neighbors to know what I do. That I love you, Skyler, and I know you love me, too.” She shook her head as if the desperation was overtaking her. This was not the Kacey I knew. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be yours.”

“Kacey,” Carrie said, descending the stairs. She had her bag on her shoulder and paused next to us. God, no, this wasn’t at all good. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard about you.”

Kacie nodded, still on the high of the mission. “Hi.”

I turned to Carrie. “It’s fine. This will just take a minute. Please don’t go.”

She scoffed but in that calm unflappable way of hers. “Oh, I definitely think I have to do that. I hope you two figure out your troubles. ’Night, now.” I felt the chill as she passed me on the sidewalk without so much as a look back. This wasn’t good.

My heart sank, and I dropped my hands. “You should go, too,” I told Kacey, who glanced behind her at Carrie’s retreating form.

“Was that the woman from the news? Why is she here?” Then understanding hit. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” A pause. “Look, I’m really sorry, but I can’t do this with you. I care about you a lot, but things in my life have shifted.”

Her fervor had quieted, and Kacey looked sad. “And you’re dating the anchor from your station.”

I sighed. “I’m not really sure but need to find out.”

“Fuck me. I’m too late.”

“Kace. No. It’s just not the path we’re supposed to be on. We’re friends. We had a good time, but it’s probably best for us to both move forward.”

She nodded, attempting to accept my words. “Are you sure? Because I just feel like I’m ready for more. You made me think about the bigger scheme.”

“And maybe you are. Find the woman for you. She’s out there.”

We stared at each other as she worked through it. Her brown eyes carried such shock. “I thought for sure this is what you wanted.”

“Well, now you get to find what it isyouwant.”

She nodded. “So…I guess I’m not staying over.”

We shared a laugh. “No staying over.”

“The couch? The anchor lady won’t mind.” She passed me a smile.

I grinned back. “Good night, Kacey. Drive safe.”

Chapter Ten

Carrie didn’t return my messages that night. Or my calls.

I hadn’t done anything wrong but was still consumed with horror at what had occurred. It still didn’t feel quite real, as if a bad dream I could just shake off. Only it hadn’t been.

I couldn’t sleep. Images played back in my head on repeat. I vacillated between Carrie smiling at me at the picnic and the confusion in her eyes on the sidewalk and then back to the hunger in them when she’d walked toward me in my living room. All of it underscored by a distorted version of the Timbaland music that played from Kacey’s speaker in a garish taunt.

Finally, I gave in to my sleep failure and headed to the station. At least playing the role of early bird might get me top pick at the incoming stories from overnight. I was desperate for any worthy distraction.