“You’re fine,” Kellan answered, as if she understood her unspoken concerns. “Both, to be honest. I was lucky. Early on I met a colonel who took a liking to me.”
Ashleigh stopped in her tracks and she suspected her face revealed exactly what she was thinking, a combination of surprised and scandalized.
“Not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter,” Kellan teased. “About three years in, I was stationed in the Middle East. We were out on a field mission. Two teams of us. I was there as the analyst for one team, but we were all kind of working together. In the middle of the op our main radio malfunctioned and we lost communication. It was pretty dicey because we were in, let’s just say, not friendly territory. There was a communications guy there with us, but he was useless. I ended up just tinkering around with the radio and got us back online. I’m actually pretty good at stuff like that.”
“Impressive.”
“I think Colonel Smith was scared he was never going to see his family again. After that, he was taking no chances. I was assigned to his team permanently. He was the commander of a military outreach unit. We went to a lot of interesting places in Europe, Asia, and Africa, also—obviously—the Middle East. He was a decent guy to work for. Honest, fair.”
“Sounds like you enjoyed it.”
“I did, most of the time.”
“Was being gay ever an issue for you?”
“In the Army or in life?”
“Both, I guess. Although I was asking about the military.”
“I had my fair share of run-ins while I was in the Army. There are jerks everywhere, as I’m sure you know. But the colonel protected me. He once told me that I reminded him of his daughter. I don’t know if that means she’s a lesbian or butch or non-gender-conforming or what.”
“You didn’t ask?”
Kellan shook her head. “It wasn’t that kind of interaction. He mentioned it once in passing. Beyond that, he was always kind, respectful. By the same token, I was a hard worker. A good analyst. I can fix almost anything. I was a valuable member of the team.”
Ashleigh had plenty of questions she still wanted to ask, but she didn’t want to pry and put Kellan off. They still had the whole summer ahead of them.
Kellan leaned in close to her. “By the way, getting back to the original question, I don’t feel stuck here. Yes, coming to New York wasn’t part of my original plan, but I’m enjoying myself. Thanks to you.” There was a genuineness in her tone and her expression that transcended flirting. It rang of absolute sincerity, and it touched Ashleigh in a way she didn’t quite expect.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, changing the subject entirely.
“You know the answer to that.” Kellan’s smirk was dangerous and charming as hell.
“Great.” Ashleigh pulled her phone from her purse. “Shauna texted me the address of her uncle’s restaurant not far from here. Apparently, it can get crowded, but she called ahead and her aunt is holding a table for us. Her mom’s family is from the Dominican Republic, so it’s authentic Dominican food. Is that okay?”
“Sounds amazing. So nice of Shauna to set it up for us.”
It was nice. A touch manipulative, but it came from a good place. Shauna was clearly going to do her part to make Team Kellan happen. Ashleigh smiled to herself as they exited the park and walked along the streets of Washington Heights.
“Hey, what was Shauna talking about before? That stuff about August?”
Ashleigh felt her heart pound. How was she supposed to explain this without sounding crazy or pathetic or both?
“Oh, that,” she said with a wave of her hand like it was no big deal. “Shauna’s getting married in the middle of August out at the end of Long Island, by the wineries. She thought if you were still around, you might like to come. You know, just to experience that side of New York. She was pushing me to bring you as my plus-one.” It was a harmless stretch of the truth.
“Wow. It’s so nice of her to include me.”
“I told her you were probably busy.”
“You tell me. You’re in control of my schedule.” Kellan laughed out loud. “But I imagine you might want to bring a real date.”
“Well, there’s no one on the horizon, so you might get lucky,” she said, as they squeezed into Uncle Mervin’s. She regretted her word choice the second it was out of her mouth and hoped Kellan didn’t pick up on it, but when she glanced up, the twinkle in Kellan’s eyes told the story.
“A vineyard wedding and I might get lucky? I’m in.”
Ashleigh shook her head and rolled her eyes, feigning disinterest, because she was ridiculously and completely turned on at Kellan’s playful suggestion, and she was sure she was blushing. She sent all her prayers to the sky, hoping if there was a God above, Kellan wouldn’t see right through her.
Chapter Nine
“I don’t know how you could possibly have room for anything else.”
“I can do it.” Kellan felt confident inside, but she heard doubt in her tone that contradicted the words.
She and Ashleigh were two hours into Smorgasburg, Brooklyn’s open-air food festival located in the Williamsburg section. So far they’d indulged in Korean barbecue tacos, a Wowfull—some genius’s sweet and savory play on waffles—and a small order of truly stellar Buffalo wings. And even though they’d split everything between them to avoid this very problem, Kellan was stuffed. But there were still tons of vendors whose offerings piqued her interest. She patted her abdomen for support and inspiration as she considered hitting up one more stand just to get the most out of her experience. “I’m no quitter.”
“Don’t feel pressured.” Ashleigh scooted next to her to make room on the picnic bench for another customer. “We can come back anytime. Smorgasburg is here every weekend. Plus, we still have all afternoon. We can even walk around Williamsburg and come back in a bit, if you want.” Ashleigh arched her back, stretching deep as she tilted her face toward the sky.
It was ridiculous, but Kellan could be perfectly content just watching Ashleigh bask in the sun for the rest of the day. Eyes closed, her smooth skin was slightly flushed from the temperature and open exposure to the UV rays, the sun highlighting her dirty-blond hair as she tossed it slowly back and forth across her shoulders. The movement itself was innocent, but it sent Kellan’s mind to all sorts of non-PG places. She forced herself to turn away and focus on a row of tents lining the perimeter. She dug deep to find her voice.
“I still can’t believe you surprised me.”
“I knew you’d get a kick out of it. You’re always teasing that I never let you eat.” Ashleigh scrunched up her nose and her smile was positively irresistible. “Plus, I figured Brooklyn Flea wasn’t high on your must-see list.”
Kellan hung her head and laughed. Ashleigh already had her number. “True, vintage clothes shopping isn’t high on my list, I’ll admit, but I wouldn’t have minded,” she said, the second half of her statement just as true as the first. “I like hanging with you.” She shrugged, hoping it made her comment come off breezy.
They’d only spent a handful of days together, but Kellan was having a fantastic time. It wasn’t just the sightseeing, although that was proving fun. But instead of whittling down her list of tourist attractions to catch, or figuring the right way to reconnect with Dara, she spent her free time thinking solely about Ashleigh. Counting down the hours to their next adventure, wondering what they would talk about, what Ashleigh might wear. It was harmless. Fun little daydreams she indulged in, knowing the real thing couldn’t happen.
“What do you say, champ?” Ashleigh patted her thigh. “You have another meal in you, or what?”
“Champ?”
“You wrecked those wings like a champion, so, yeah.”
“Were they not fantastic, though? Hot, tangy, crispy.”
“My mouth is still on fire a little bit.”
“Ooh, let’s have a beer.” Kellan nodded in the direction of the beer garden.
Ashleigh squinted,
a quizzical look taking over her expression. “I thought that just makes it worse.”
“Eh, only the first few sips.” Kellan stood up and offered her hand, pleased when Ashleigh took it. “Come on, let me buy you a drink. It’s the least I can do, since you spoiled me rotten with this event.”
At the bar, Kellan ordered them each a local brew and was mildly taken aback when the bartender asked for ID. She reached into her back pocket and took out her thin wallet, retrieving her Colorado driver’s license and handing it over. The guy gave it a glance, accompanying his inspection with a nod that almost seemed like an apology.
Ashleigh pulled her attention away from her phone. “Did you just get carded?” she asked, her voice full of surprise.
“I did.”
“Wow. I haven’t been proofed in years. That’s got to feel amazing.”
Kellan scrunched her face in response, knowing she needed to let Ashleigh in on what really happened. “Don’t get all excited. It’s not what you think.” She tapped her credit card on the bar as she waited for their drinks. “It’s less about me looking like a twenty-one-year-old woman.” Kellan leaned in close and lowered her voice, mostly because she didn’t want the bartender to feel bad hearing her explain it to Ashleigh. “More that I look like a nineteen-year-old dude.” She shrugged. No biggie.
“Oh.” Ashleigh nodded, seeming to analyze the explanation. “Really?”
Kellan nodded, knowing it was the absolute truth. This wasn’t the first time her physical presentation had caused this type of confusion. She was used to it. And she didn’t mind. Especially when things proceeded as smoothly as they had in this interaction. She checked Ashleigh’s expression to see if she was freaked out.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Me?” Ashleigh touched her chest. “I’m fine. I do have one concern, though.”
Kellan felt her blood pressure rise a little. “What’s up?”
“I need to see your wallet.”
“Uh, why?”
“Because if I’m not mistaken, when you were putting your license away, I caught a glimpse of your military ID. And I’m going to need to see that picture of you in uniform.”
“You wish.” Kellan couldn’t contain her grin or the speed of her pulse at Ashleigh’s perfect response.
They had a good spot at the corner of the bar, and Kellan was enjoying people watching the crowd behind Ashleigh. The bartender returned with their order and Kellan’s credit card, and when she reached for her wallet, Ashleigh made a play to snag it away.
“Nice try.”
“Come on. Please?” Ashleigh batted her lashes for effect.
“Nope.” Kellan didn’t really care about the picture, but she was too heavily invested in the back-and-forth to give in so quickly. She raised her eyebrows and held the slim billfold just beyond Ashleigh’s reach. “What’s in it for me?”
Ashleigh dropped a look that indicated she couldn’t believe Kellan had gone there. “Hardball, huh?”
Kellan responded with a playful arch of an eyebrow, so Ashleigh would know it was all in good fun.
“I guess we’re going to do this the hard way.” Ashleigh’s tone was so measured Kellan didn’t expect her to lunge for the wallet so quickly. Still, she was so much stronger that Ashleigh wasn’t able to loosen it from her hand. Their bodies were pressed close together, and they were both laughing from the silly struggle. Kellan knew she was enjoying the contact too much as she held the wallet behind her back and felt Ashleigh’s breasts graze her torso.
“All right, you win,” Kellan said, ready to give in.
“Ash?” A spirited voice caught them both off guard, and Ashleigh froze as she stopped playing and turned around. “I thought that was you.”
Kellan slipped the wallet away and looked between Ashleigh and the mystery brunette closing the distance between them.
“Hi. Reagan…hi.”
Reagan. Of course. Leave it to the ex to interrupt their most flirtatious moment ever. Without even seeing Ashleigh’s face, Kellan could sense that she was unnerved by Reagan’s presence. Immediately, she was annoyed in solidarity.
“Hi, Josh.” Ashleigh looked right at her ex-wife’s significant other. Her voice was even, almost friendly, but Kellan felt Ashleigh’s body stiffen and knew it was all stress. “I’m sorry.” She pivoted and touched Kellan’s midsection ever so slightly. “This is Kellan. Kellan, this is Reagan. My ex-wife,” she added. Did Ashleigh really think she didn’t know who Reagan was? Her usual easy cadence was replaced by sheer unrest. “And her boyfriend, Josh.”
“Nice to meet you both.” Kellan extended her hand and gave them each a tepid greeting, unsure what her role was.
She could feel Reagan analyzing her from head to toe. Did she think they were together? More importantly, was Ashleigh trying to play that off? She was standing closer than usual, but the bar area was packed, and they’d just come off their frisky moment. It was hard to split the difference.
“I’m actually surprised to see you here,” Reagan said. “You hate stuff like this.”
“Yeah, well.” Ashleigh moved closer and pressed into the front of Kellan’s body to make room for a patron in a rush to get to the bar. “Sorry, Kell,” she said, shortening her name for the first time ever.
“No worries.” She wanted to slip her hand around Ashleigh’s waist possessively just to let her know how okay it was. If the situation had been at all different, she might have gone for it. But the timing was wrong for such a bold move, and it might never be right. Instead she subtly touched two fingers to the small of her back, hoping Ashleigh felt her support over this less than ideal situation.
Ashleigh’s eyes held gratitude, and Kellan felt her heart pound unexpectedly. “Kellan’s a foodie,” she said, answering Reagan’s comment. “She’s here for the summer. This was sort of a no-brainer.” Her words were calm, but her smile stressed. Kellan hated that if she noticed, surely Reagan did too.
“Nice.” Reagan nodded, clearly still trying to assess their dynamic before she made full eye contact. “Where’s home?” she asked.
“Colorado.”
“Cool.” Josh turned from the bar. “You guys need drinks?”
“No thanks,” Ashleigh said.
“I’m good,” Kellan echoed.
Reagan reached out and took a plastic cup of ice water from Josh, downing half of it immediately. “I was dying of thirst. So hot today,” she said to no one in particular as she dabbed at her brow before giving her attention to Ashleigh. “How was your class this year? Shauna said you had some troublemakers second semester.”
“Shauna exaggerates. You know that.”
Reagan took another swallow of her water, then laughed softly in silent agreement.
“How’s things at John Jay?” Ashleigh asked.
“Great,” she said. Kellan caught Reagan looking at Josh. Was she really checking for approval before answering? “Our math team almost made it to regionals. I thought of you. You would have gotten them there.”
“They did great. I saw them compete during the city finals.”
“Of course.” Her nod was a touch wistful, a smidge complimentary. It annoyed the fuck out of her. “What do you do, Kellan?”
“I just retired from the Army.”
“Wow.” She and Josh looked at each other again. “That’s amazing. And now you’re in Brooklyn?”
“Like Ash said, just for the summer.” Ash. It oversold their connection, but only slightly, and she still didn’t know how they were playing this. She didn’t want to assume anything, but she didn’t want to blow it up, either. She hoped Ashleigh would give her a sign.
“We should actually get going.” Ashleigh picked up the momentum. “Are you ready?” She found Kellan’s hand and laced their fingers together.
Kellan squeezed her hand in response. “Whenever you are.”
“Good seeing you, Reagan.” Kellan saw a practiced smile emerge across her beautiful face. “You too, Josh.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I did that.”
“Are you okay?”
Ashleigh nodded, but her eyes were closed and her lips pursed, and Kellan felt genuine concern course through her veins at the sight of her obvious angst. It killed her to see Ashleigh hurting. “Are you sure?” She bent down to make eye contact. “It’s okay not to be. You know that, right?”
“It’s ridiculous not to be.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and crossed her arms over her chest, seeming to steel herself, even though the hard part was over. She let out a long breath and Kellan thought she might say more, but their Uber pulled up to the curb. “Did you get us a car?”
“I got the feeling you might want to get out of here.”
“When, though?”
“Just now, when we were walking out. We lucked out. It was a minute away.”
They slid into the back seat, and Ashleigh relaxed her head against the headrest and looked out the window. “Where are we headed?”
“I just put in my address because it was easiest. But we can go anywhere. Liam’s, if you want. Or I can drop you off at home. Whatever you say.”
“Let’s go down by you, if that’s okay. It’s pretty there. I don’t really feel like going home.”
Fifteen minutes later the driver deposited them outside Kellan’s apartment building. Kellan wasn’t really sure what the plan was from here. She loitered by the front door. “Do you want to go upstairs or walk for a bit? Grab a coffee, maybe?”
“A walk sounds nice. Would I be able to wash my hands first?”
“Of course.” Kellan led the way through the lobby and waved to Sanjay. “I’m up on the fourth floor,” she explained to Ashleigh as they stepped into the elevator. “Blue will be so excited to meet you.”
Brooklyn Summer Page 9