Page 9

Kat

“So, what brings you to New York?” Jude asked once the waiter had placed their drinks on the table.

They were in a bar that Jocelyn’s assistant had found for Kat, on the top floor of a tall building only a few blocks away from the bookstore, near the Hudson River, with dim red lighting and sleek black furniture.

Half of the walls were windows and half of the walls were mirrors, which created the dizzying effect of not knowing which was which.

“Well, I’ve mostly been in L.A. for the last twelve years,” Kat said. “I wanted to try living somewhere that doesn’t center Hollywood.” Technically true, even if she was making it sound more like her choice than it actually was.

“And what do you think so far?”

“I love it,” Kat admitted. “I’ve been to New York for press events and opening nights, but I’ve never had the time to actually walk around by myself before. There’s always something interesting to see.”

Jude beamed, and Kat felt herself relax a little. “My mom used to say that if you couldn’t find something exciting in Manhattan, you were the problem. Even if you’ve walked the same block a thousand times, you’ll always find something new.”

God, Jude was cute. Especially when she smiled that lopsided, easy grin.

Kat had half expected that when she saw Jude again, there wouldn’t be the same kick-to-the-stomach type of attraction.

But when Kat had looked up to see Jude walking toward her from the back of the store, she’d felt mesmerized by the softness of her hair and the messy way it defied gravity by sticking up in all directions.

She loved the carelessly perfect way Jude’s rumpled blue button-down shirt showed off her torso—loose enough to be masculine but tailored enough to convey lean strength through the fabric.

Kat realized she was staring and hurried to add something to the conversation. “How long have you lived in the city?”

“My whole life, practically. I was born in Jersey, but my mom moved us to the West Village when I was five.”

“Does she still live around here?”

The half smile melted downward. “Uh, no. She actually died three years ago.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks,” Jude said. “What about you? Are you close with your family?”

“Me? No. I pretty much stopped talking to my parents after I found out they’d stolen most of my life savings.”

Shit. Kat shouldn’t have said that. She’d been thrown off-balance by how comfortable she felt with Jude, and she’d forgotten who she was for a second. Katrina Kelly couldn’t share anything that she didn’t want to find herself reading in Entertainment Daily in three weeks.

Jude’s eyebrows lowered over those beautiful eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not a big deal.” Kat tried to keep her voice breezy, channeling Interview Katrina. “I’m very lucky that I even had money in the first place. Not everyone gets the chance to live their dreams at a young age.”

“I’m sure it was really tough sometimes, though,” Jude said. “Even if you wanted it.”

Kat sipped her drink and didn’t respond.

It was possible Jude didn’t mean anything by that comment.

But too often, she found that the men she’d gone on dates with wanted a sob story.

They wanted her to open up and tell them about the tragic figure behind the child actor.

They wanted to get to know the “real” Katrina.

Or at least, they said they did. What they actually wanted was another fantasy.

A fantasy behind a fantasy. A princess they could rescue.

But then, when Kat turned out to be more than just a tragic archetype?

When she turned out to be a real person with morning breath and messy hair and grumpy days?

Well, then Kat would be reading about her secrets in Tiger Beat or J-14 while blocking another phone number. Just like with Madelyn.

As if sensing Kat’s reluctance, Jude changed the topic. “Have you read the Eileen Styles book yet?”

“Oh my God, I loved it,” Kat gushed. “ Curled Around Your Finger might be her best one yet.”

“I can’t believe they didn’t win!” Jude said. “I totally thought they were going to pull off the best underdog comeback in history.”

“Okay but don’t you think that would have been too much?” Kat said. “I mean, they already won by ensuring the women’s curling league would continue to operate. They can’t also win the tournament.”

“Maybe I’m an idealist,” Jude said. “But I wanted a completely happy ending.”

“But that scene at the end? When Ella races across the ice to say she doesn’t want Sam to quit her team after all? And it seems like she slips but then she lands on one knee and proposes? That was so good.”

“True. And it wouldn’t have hit the same way if they hadn’t lost the finals earlier.” Jude’s half-hitch grin had reappeared. “You’re right. I concede the point.”

“Also, that sex scene in the locker room after semifinals? Unbelievably hot.” Kat said it without thinking, then felt her face flush. She hadn’t meant to steer the conversation to sex.

Jude leaned in slightly. “I read it four times,” she admitted in a low voice. “I had no idea you could spank someone with a curling rock.”

“I’m not sure you actually can. ” Kat snorted. “I looked it up and they’re forty-two pounds. So, unless you’ve been lifting a lot …”

“Well, Eileen has never let physics get in the way of a good sex scene.” Jude’s usual half smile melted into a full one, and her eyes danced at Kat across the table.

Kat glanced down, then back up into the gravitational pull of Jude’s gaze.

It made her chest ache to hold eye contact, but in the most delicious way.

She wanted to lean into that ache, to stare at Jude until she could no longer breathe.

It had been a long time since she’d flirted like this—with a feeling like you were passing a ball of energy back and forth, making it grow with every little glance and touch.

Like you were having an entire conversation without speaking.

“So, what made you decide to message me?” Kat said, in a low, flirty tone.

To her surprise, Jude leaned back, breaking the magnetic field between them.

“Oh.” Jude rubbed a hand through her hair, rumpling it even further. “Well. Actually, I, um, didn’t send the message. My friend Rhys did. I told him that I met you in the store and he, uh, reached out without telling me.”

A cold snap iced Kat’s insides. She picked up her drink to give herself something to do, but she suddenly didn’t feel like drinking it anymore.

“I mean,” Jude tugged at her collar, pulling it away from her throat like it was too tight. “I didn’t—Like, he messaged you because…” She stopped, twisting her wrist in a nervous circle.

Kat put her drink back down. She knew why Jude’s friend had messaged her. Because he wanted a good story about someone famous. He’d probably sent the DM as a joke, never imagining that Kat would be insecure enough to respond.

Had Jude even wanted to go on this date?

She’d thought the message meant that Jude had been thinking about their meeting as much as Kat had.

That maybe Jude had been replaying their conversation in her head, too, wishing for the chance to do things differently.

But Kat had been projecting, the same way she’d been projecting in the bookstore.

And here Kat was, spilling details about her relationship with her parents and making comments about queer sex scenes.

If Jude had told her friends about their first meeting in the bookstore, she would certainly tell them about this date, too.

Then they would tell other people, and someone would post online, and the whole world would suddenly be tweeting about how Katrina Kelly loved to get spanked with sporting equipment.

Which was not the plan. She was supposed to be seen dating a woman, not embarrass herself by oversharing personal details with someone who wasn’t even into her.

She needed to get out of here.

“Right.” Kat raised her hand, flagging one of the waiters down, and passed him her credit card. Jude opened her mouth to protest, but the waiter walked away before she could.

“I’m really sorry,” Jude said, but she was still fidgeting with her hands, which made it hard to believe she was sincere. “I didn’t mean—”

“I have to go. I have dinner plans,” Kat said. Jude’s eyes slid to her watch. “Early dinner plans.”

Jude’s mouth opened, then closed. Finally, she said, “Okay.”

They sat in awkward, fidgety silence until the waiter brought the check back. Kat signed it. Then she stood up and strode out of the bar so fast, Jude didn’t even have time to say goodbye.