“She’s coming back with us?!?!” Kevin exclaimed. Kristin nodded excitedly. “How?”
“Howie convinced her,” she said, grinning ecstatically.
“How’d he manage that?” Kevin asked, sitting down next to her. She shrugged.
“He said that she just lost her job,” Kristin explained. Kevin frowned. “I know, he says she was really broken up about it and she kept blaming herself, when it really isn’t her fault. Brian had gone over her house that morning as well and had gotten her all riled up and upset. Howie was lucky to find her when he did, otherwise, who knows where she’d be?”
“Nowhere good, that’s for sure.”
“Yeah, I know. Anyways, Howie took her out for coffee and convinced her to come home with him, even if it’s just temporary. He’s determined to make her happy.” Kevin raised his eyebrows. “Not like that, loser!” Kristin giggled, chucking a pillow at him. “She need a friend right now and we seem to be the only ones there.”
“I guess it’s good that she’s coming with . . .” Kevin said, his tone still questioning.
“What?” Kristin asked, concerned.
“What about Brian?” Kristin scowled.
“What about him?”
“I mean . . . umm . . .” Kevin searched quickly for an excuse.
“How can you defend him after what he did!?” Kristin exclaimed.
“Because he’s my cousin!” Kevin argued. “And he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
“And that’s an excuse?” Kristin was shocked that Kevin was thinking like this.
“He’s my cousin,” Kevin growled.
“And she’s your friend,” Kristin growled back. They glared at each other for a moment and Kristin sighed. “Maybe when we get back to Orlando, we should take a break.” She regretted her words, but she knew what she had to do. Their priorities were not in the same place. It was time they figured out where they were.
“Maybe you’re right,” Kevin said, looking down at his hands. After a long stretch of silence, he looked over at her. “I’d like it if you stuck around, though. I think Kassy will need you.” Kristin nodded.
“I’m going to take the first flight I can get tonight rather than go back with you guys tomorrow,” she said, softly. “Give her my number and address. Tell her to call me when you get there.” Kevin nodded and looked back down at his hands. Getting up, Kristin threw her stray items into her suitcase and zipped it. She took a moment to stop her hands from shaking before she turned around to face her now ex-boyfriend. He was still looking at his hands.
Walking slowly over to him, she kissed the top of his head and hugged him to her. “This doesn’t mean that I don’t love you,” she whispered in his hear, fighting back tears. He smiled weakly and mouthed, “I love you,” afraid to find his own voice. She smiled back at him and grabbed her suitcase. Within moments she was gone.
“Ooh, what’s this?” Howie held a pair of black satin underwear up to his hips. “Is it me?”
“Hey!” Grabbing the underwear from him, Kassy slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “You’re supposed to help me, not critique me!”
“I wasn’t critiquing you,” he said in his defense. “I was making a fashion statement.” Rolling her eyes, she threw the underwear back at him.
“Put it in the drawer, D. I’m not gonna need them. I have plenty of underwear packed already.”
“But you need black,” he said.
“Why? No one’s gonna see them.”
“Someone might.” She turned and gave him a look.
>{?“No one will see them,” she said, stressing each syllable. Howie nodded. Turning back to her closet, Kassy looked around. “What do you think I’ll need?”
“Black underpants." She threw him a look. "Okay, a lot of t-shirts and tank tops,” he said, rummaging through another one of her drawers. “Maybe a few sweatshirts and long sleeve shirts. Mostly shorts, too.”
“I’m bringing pants,” Kassy said. “I don’t wear shorts.” Howie looked up amazed.
"Why not?”
“Because I look like shit in them,” she said, her voice muffled by the mound of clothing she was holding.
“I’m sure you do,” he said, sarcastically. She just looked at him. “Okay, but bring a few pairs of shorts, please?”
“Fine.” Kassy dropped the clothes on the bed and ran back into her closet. A few minutes later, she heard a loud bang and a yell. Smiling, she walked out of the closet. “What, do you keep a copy of your CD in your back pocket?” she laughed as she watched Howie dance around the room.
“Hey, don’t blame this one on me,” he said, pulling her into his embrace nad dancing her around the room. “This was in your collection.”
“I have never owned one of your CD’s,” Kassy protested, wiggling out of his embrace. He tried to reach out for her, but she just slapped his hands away. “Now, get back to work,” she demanded. “We’re leaving tomorrow. I need clothing.”
“Hey, if you don’t bring enough, we’ll just go shopping when we get down there,” AJ offered as he walked into the room with a handful of socks.
“No!!!” Kassy screamed, falling onto the bed. “Please! No more shopping!” AJ laughed and pounced on top of her.
“Shopping!!” he cheered. “Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!”
“Get . . . Off . . . Me!” Struggling, Kassy managed to push AJ off and get up from the bed.
“Hey, Kas, what’s this?” Kassy looked over to where Howie was standing. He was hovered over her night table drawer, looking through a stack of photographs.
“Oh, umm, those are just some old pictures I had lying around,” she stuttered, leaping across the room and pulling the photo’s out of his hands. She shoved them back in a drawer and didn’t notice as Howie folded one and shoved it in his back pocket.