Keith finished sniffling. He said to meet him at Cafe Blanca down by the river. The place wouldn’t have the same impact as my recent night out had. The whole experience of eating oysters and having a steamy, passionate kiss against Damon’s car was my best date ever. But, Travis had been a beautiful friend, and the least I could do was pay my condolences in person. It was not a date.
“What time?” I asked. A tear rolled down my cheek. The thought of never seeing Travis again started to hit home.
Keith said twelve thirty. At least I still had time to relax and get ready. I dropped the phone back onto the bed and let thoughts of sex with Damon wash away. I sighed. As much as I tried, the idea of Damon’s naked body wasn’t enough to prevent the thoughts of Travis from pushing their way to the front of my mind. And Keith. I really wished I hadn’t agreed to see him. My stomach twisted into knots.
I showered and stood there for much longer than usual. The hot water wasn’t enough to wash away the tingling sensation I felt. Keith was the last person I wanted to have lunch with, and I knew already that the rest of the day would be pretty much screwed.
I walked to the river and spotted the cafe in the distance. Couples ambled hand in hand, and thoughts of Damon and me doing exactly the same thing helped a little. A family walked toward me and swung their child between them. Alexis would love that. I smiled as they walked past me. I paused and grabbed hold of the cast-iron railing, the cold steel sending shudders flooding through my gloves and into my hands. I hunched my shoulders and pushed my hands into the pockets of my maroon jacket.
I stepped into Cafe Blanca and unfastened my coat while glancing around for Keith. As always, it appeared he’d be late. I sighed and then sat at a table that was a far cry from being secluded and quiet. I sat smack in the center of the café and perused the menu. I was starving, although I had no intention of dragging this meeting out for longer than was necessary.
Keith stepped into the cafe with a broad grin on his face. That was not the sign of an upset person. He spotted me and waved as he walked over, ignoring the waiter who attempted to tend to him. Same old Keith.
“It’s a bit chilly, don’t you think?” he asked in an upbeat tone. I stared into his face. Had Keith pulled a fast one on me? I placed the menu back on the table.
“You don’t appear to be very upset,” I said.
Keith chuckled as if his plan to get me to meet him had worked, like things would be back to normal, moving in his favor. He had another thing coming!
“Keith, how could you? How could you use Travis’s death as a way to get me to meet you? He’s not dead at all, is he?” I asked, more shocked than ever. My anger grew. Keith shook his head and appeared content with me sitting opposite him.
“Just relax and enjoy lunch, will you? I might’ve bent the truth a little—”
“How the hell can sobbing on the phone that your cousin’s dead be bending the truth only a little?” I snapped. A few heads turned. I didn’t care. They could all know what a scumbag Keith was. “It’s sick and twisted. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
I reached for my coat and bag and attempted to stand. Keith grabbed my arm and then thought better of it. He sat and pleaded for me to sit back down.
“Don’t go.”
“Keith,” I replied, “over my dead body.” I pulled away and began to leave.
I haad almost reached the door when Keith grabbed me again. He spun me to face him. He pleaded and begged as the door opened, and I stepped back toward the walkway at the side of the river.
“Come back inside, will you? Karly, everything will be okay,” he said, gesturing for me to walk back into the cafe. Keith stood holding the door and waved his arm as if I’d change my mind and walk back inside. “It’s okay,” he pressed.
I stepped back again and half-turned, bumping into a person entering the cafe. “I—”
It was Damon. Thank god.
“Is everything okay here?” Damon asked. I glanced down and noticed Alexis walking up the entrance path to the cafe.
“No! Everything’s not okay, thanks to this douche,” I snapped, facing away from Alexis so she wouldn’t see my anger or hear my words. “He’s a two-bit liar.”
Alexis came up and grabbed Damon’s hand.
“I don’t want to be rude in front of your kid, mister,” Keith said, nodding at Alexis, “but you’d better stay out of it.”