Page 33 of Forgotten Comeback

“Let’s not and say we did,” I call after him.

I stop at Kat’s car and peek inside, but no Kat. Calling her, I wait for a beat, but she doesn’t answer. Pressing end, I send her a text.

Where the hell are you? Brunch, remember?

Hours pass with me wearing a hole in my living room rug, pacing back and forth. And that’saftersearching the gym, the parking lot, and the side streets. Hell, I even stopped by Kat’s condo and her mother’s bakery. All without luck.

I call Kat again. For like the hundredth time.

“Hey girl?—”

“Not, hey girl!” I shriek. “What the hell? You disappeared, and I swear to God, I thought someone kidnapped you!”

“Sorry I bailed on you; there was a situation I had to deal with,” she says vaguely. “I owe you brunch and mimosas next time.”

“You owe me more than brunch and booze. I was this close to calling the cops and reporting you missing!”

“Taylor, I’m so sorry. I was dealing with a family emergency, and there was no time to let you know what was up.”

“Everything alright?” I don’t typically pry about her family, being that her cousin Darius is hooked up with the mob, but this is an exception.

“Yeah. I just had to run to Newark to keep an eye on Iris,” she says, referring to Darius’ new stepdaughter.

“Why? Darius get into some kind of shit?”

“No,” she says hesitantly.

“Kat, you know you can talk to me,” I assure her.

“Thanks, but there’s nothing to talk about.”

“I don’t like this,” I tell her. “You’ve been acting sketchy just as your ex Dominic gets back in town. You disappear with a mystery guy for the weekend.” The last phone convo we had, shewas down the shore, and no way she was by herself. “And now, you bail on me because of a secret family emergency.”

“When you put it that way, it does sound bad,” she jokes.

“You sure everything’s alright?”

“I promise I’m good. Look, I’ve got to go.” She hangs up.

My bestie’s keeping secrets.

Pot, meet kettle.

Chapter

Fourteen

Gavin

I scored extra tickets to the party I’m bartending. Why don’t you drop by after your shift?

Bubbles appear, my little fish Mia, eager to take the bait.

I’d love to!

More bubbles.

Taylor and Kat are tagging along, if that’s okay.