Page 65 of Begin Again
“Thanks so much, Rachel,” I said. I’d wanted to give this warm-hearted, open woman much more than a mere “thank you,” but we’d only met a few minutes ago, and I didn’t know what was appropriate. So I just smiled and hoped it was enough for now.
“Kaden’s friends are always welcome here,” she answered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “And you are friends, of course.”
Grasping the subliminal question, I raised my hands in a reassuring gesture. “We’re just friends.”
Just at that moment the image of our first kiss replayed in my head, followed by our escapade last week. My cheeks flushed, and I swallowed. This kind of thing wouldn’t happen again. I’d made up my mind. It would be better to nip this flame in the bud before it could rage out of control. Because of our shared home, but even more so our new friendship, were too important to me—I couldn’t risk losing them.
“It’s been a long time since he brought a girl home. I’d be really surprised if you weren’t someone very special to him.” Rachel sounded cheerful and relaxed, but her eyes revealed that she was trying to size me up. “Just don’t hurt him.”
I opened my mouth to protest but then remembered Kaden’s reaction to the hearts scribbled across the CD. So I just nodded. “I don’t think I could, but I can assure you it’s the furthest thing from my mind.”
She looked at me again, paused, and put her hand on my arm. “I think we’re going to get along well, Allie.”
Then she swept out of the room and left me standing there.
Kaden and his mother were too damned alike.
