And just like that, she was walking away from me again. Stopping to talk to Claire, Kilyn kissed her on the cheek and rushed out the door.
“What I wouldn’t do to get that girl’s number. Holy shit. She was hot.”
My body felt as if a heatwave rushed through it as I thought of Gus and Kilyn together. “Yeah. She was cute,” I said as I took off quickly toward the door Kilyn walked out of.
Gus came up next to me as we made our way through the restaurant and outside. Dragging in a deep breath, I pushed aside those hauntingly beautiful green eyes.
“I’m going home to change and then going for a run.”
Running was the only thing that cleared my head, and I needed my head cleared. Fast.
“PENNY FOR YOUR thoughts.”
I pulled my eyes away from the Rocky Mountains and turned toward Claire. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Thano for the last week. The way he looked at me and caused my heartbeat to quicken. His smile seemed to invade my thoughts every time I closed my eyes. I wasn’t used to a man making me feel like this. “Trying to get into the zone with the Peterson design.”
With a regarding look, she folded her arms across her chest and gave me the same look my mother used to when I had told a lie.
“The Peterson house? Seriously, that was the best you could do?”
Dropping my feet to the floor, I walked over to my desk and flopped down. “Yep.”
“You were taken with him.”
“With who?” I asked, knowing damn well she meant Thano.
Thano. What an interesting name.
Pulling up my computer, I typed in Meaning of the Greek name Thano.
“The hotty from cooking class. What was his name again?”
“Thano,” I replied a little too quickly.
Peeking up at her, she shook her head. I swear it was as if Claire had an inside line to my thoughts. We were practically sisters, so I shouldn’t be surprised she would be on to me. “You knew damn well who I was talking about. How in the hell do you remember a name like Thano if he didn’t make some sort of impression on you?”
“Pesh. Please, it’s an unusual name. How could I forget it? Besides, I wasn’t taken with him.”
She leaned back in the chair and stared at me. Her brown hair was pulled up into a tight bun and her makeup done perfectly. The tight white blouse she was wearing was open enough to give a small taste at what could be underneath. The whole outfit was finished off with a pencil skirt and black pumps. Let’s not forget all the jewelry she was draped in. Claire always made sure she was put together. She’d been like that since seventh grade when George McDoogle told her she dressed like a boy. That’s when we both discovered what the power of a dress and makeup could do to a boy.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
Tilting her head, she gave me a slight smile. “Kilyn, when are you going to open your heart to the idea of someone?”
With a shrug of my shoulders, I replied, “When that someone comes along. I’m in no rush to settle down. I’m having too much fun.”
Looking back at my computer, I quickly scanned the search results.
The name Athanasios was at the top. Greek meaning for immortal.
Huh. If only a person could be immortal.
“Kilyn, I know a lot of terrible shit happened to you, but not all guys are scumbags like he was.”
Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes. I needed to get refocused and get Thano out of my mind. “I don’t want to talk about it, Claire. I think I’m going to head home. Go for a run and clear my head. I’ll have some sketches of the kitchen for you by tonight.”
Running was something I had started up in high school as a way to escape reality for a bit. Something about it felt as if it freed my soul.
With a sigh, she stood. “Don’t rush. I won’t be back on my computer until tomorrow afternoon. It’s date night with Blake.”
Forcing a smile, I replied, “Have fun tonight and behave.”
She laughed and grabbed her phone and began typing. I imagined she was sending her husband another dirty text. I swear, Claire had more action sexting Blake than I’ve had in my entire adult life.
“I don’t know the meaning of that word.”
Laughing, I gathered up a few things and headed out the door to my car. My best friend Claire was an overachiever. She always had been. Not only was she business partners with me in my interior design company, but she co-owned Onion Creek Gardens.
I was good to just get by in college. My life was nothing like Claire’s. I loved her like she was my sister, but we were opposites in every way. She was daring, I was cautious. She took chances. I researched the shit out of things. But there was one thing we had in common. We loved life and didn’t take a day for granted.