“Claire usually handles this stage of things since her husband is the contractor we use. I’ll be sure to have her send you her cell phone number should any . . . should, um . . . should any problems, um.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I cleared my throat. “Should problems arise.”
“Kilyn, are you okay?”
I shook my head and pressed my lips tightly together as I covered my mouth with my hand. If only he knew how badly he broke my heart.
Dropping my hand, I whispered, “I’m fine. I have to go.”
Hitting End, I pushed my phone into my back pocket and counted to twenty.
Now that that was over, I needed to concentrate on moving on. I’d already quit the gym where Thano worked out and I gave my notice to move from my apartment. I was going to stay with Claire and Blake until I found another place.
I did everything differently from what I normally did, and that included not going to my favorite coffee shop in Manitou Springs. The fear of running into Thano was almost becoming obsessive.
Claire’s voice from behind me caused me to jump. “Hey, are you okay?”
Opening my eyes, I spun around and forced the fake smile I had mastered at sixteen years old.
“Yep! I think I’m coming down with something and I needed a few minutes. Are we ready?”
She nodded her head and gave me an inquisitive look. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Wrapping my arm around hers, I laughed. “Yes. I promise I’m fine.”
“Okay, well, let’s go. We have a huge group of rowdy women out there. I think it’s some kind of party.”
My smile grew to a sincere one. “Oh, how fun.”
As we made our way back to the kitchen, I glanced over to the small group of women and smiled. Then my heart stopped. One woman looked directly into my eyes and I swore I’d seen those eyes looking at me before.
I closed my eyes and shook my head to clear my thoughts. I bumped directly into Claire. “Oh, sorry,” I said as my face heated.
Giving me a probing look, I held up my hands and said, “I’m fine. I thought I saw someone and I wasn’t paying any attention.”
Claire lifted her eyebrows and tilted her head as if she was trying to size me up.
Leaning closer to her, I softly said, “Can we just get this going? I’m fine.”
“You’ve been crying!” she said louder than she meant to.
I let out a nervous laugh and looked out as twelve pair of eyes stared at me.
Scanning them, I couldn’t help but notice the one lady with the familiar eyes giving me a concerned look.
Okay, well, I could try and play this off or I could be honest. Shrugging my shoulders, I let out a gruff laugh. “I opened my heart to a guy and he broke it. There. I said it. Now let’s get to cooking!”
I reached over and hit play on my iPod. My favorite song by LOCASH started and I did a spin and danced while Claire laughed and the rest of the ladies gave me a clap.
The only one who wasn’t clapping was the older woman. I did my best to avoid her eyes as Claire began to tell everyone what we would be cooking today.
“We always start with a healthy smoothie to make for us to drink while we cook.”
I picked up the pre made smoothie Claire must have made before she came searching for me, and took a drink. Choking, I curled my lip and gasped. “Holy crap! What’s in this thing? It’s awful!”
Claire glared at me as the room erupted in laughter.
“I won’t be making that,” one of the older ladies said from the group.
Covering my mouth with my hands, I shrugged.
Plastering on a smile, Claire began speaking. “For those of you who would like to make this immune boosting smoothie, ignore Kilyn. It contains Swiss chard, mustard greens, avocado, papaya and rolled oats. Oh, and pumpkin seeds!”
I stared at Claire. And it wasn’t just me . . . everyone was staring at her. “Yeah, I think I’m going to side with Kilyn on this one.”
Turning, I noticed it was the older lady who said it. She looked at me and winked.
Returning her smile, I mouthed, Good choice.
Claire put her hands on her hips. “Does anyone want to make it?”
No one said a word.
Clapping my hands, I said, “I have two bottles of a Merlot I’ve been dying to share! Wine is good for your heart . . . right, Claire?”
She wore a scowl on her face but soon let out a chuckle. “Fine, a glass of wine for everyone.”
I quickly ran and grabbed three bottles, I said two, but I had a feeling I would be polishing one off on my own.
“Now, this evening we have a wonderful group of women who said they were referred to us. They are here spending the day with each other as they celebrate Katerina’s fifty-fifth birthday!”