Friend, Fling, Forever?

“Great.” Kami rubbed her palms together. “Encourage her to pay plenty when she wins that Gatlinburg getaway. Sounds like fun.”

“Obviously not fun enough. I can’t convince you to bid.”

“Can I go without you?”

He gave an offended frown. “That appeals more than the total package?”

Rolling her eyes, she clicked her tongue. “You’re hardly the total package, Gabe.”

* * *

Later that morning, Kami hit the drive-through and ordered a coffee to keep her going long enough to get to her mother’s when all she really wanted was to go home and crash.

Within a few minutes, she was sitting on her mother’s sofa, Bubbles walking back and forth next to her while Kami stroked the cat from her head to the tip of her tail.

Silly cat. Often, Kami wondered if the cat was happier to see her during her short visits than her mother was. She glanced around the tiny, messy apartment. No family portraits lined the walls. No memorabilia from Kami’s childhood. Instead, the walls were bare except for a Red Hot Chili Peppers poster. If there had been a photo, Kami wouldn’t have expected it to be of herself, but of this latest guy.

Kami emptied the litter box, bagged her mother’s overflowing trash, put in a fresh bag, and picked up the empty food containers and drink cans scattered around the apartment.

Making sure the cat had food and water, Kami grabbed the trash and headed out of the apartment to go home. Sleep had her name all over it.

Only, when she got back to her place and finally crawled into bed, sleep refused to make an appearance.

Perhaps she should have skipped the coffee. She didn’t need anything interfering with her rest prior to going into the third night of her three-in-a-row work schedule.

Especially not thoughts of her mother, a silly cat who was home alone, and Gabe.

Why was Gabe even on the list of things running through her mind?

He was a friend. Nothing more.

Ugh. Sleep was not happening.

She reached over and grabbed her phone off her nightstand. Ten a.m. Still early enough that if she dozed off she’d get plenty of rest before going back to work. Not that sleep seemed anywhere near.

Maybe she should get up for an hour, then try again later to go to sleep.

Sometimes after the first night of her three-in-a-row, she struggled to get to sleep the next morning, but never after the second or third nights.

Ugh.

Gripping her phone, she hit the text emblem, then Gabe’s number from her contacts.

So, was he there?

Why she asked, she wasn’t sure. She didn’t care if Baxter had been at the gym or not. She just couldn’t sleep. It made no sense, but deep down she knew talking with Gabe—even via text—would take her mind off her mother and off Bubbles, whom she’d considered packing up and bringing home with her. She might have, had her apartment not had a restriction against pets.

Who?

You know who.

Ah, the ex. He was there. Looking better every day.

Good for him.

There was a long enough pause that Kami wondered if Gabe was going to respond again.

Come on, Gabe. I need you to take my mind to a better place so I can close my eyes and stop my brain from racing because I feel sorry for a cat who has my mother as a caregiver.

Want me to take a picture for you next time I

see him?

The idea of Gabe snapping a shot of Baxter working out had Kami laughing out loud.

People might get the wrong idea, think you had a man crush on him.

Yeah, well, I’m the kind of guy who would risk it to help a friend.

Good one. I’m still not bidding on you.

She lay back, head sinking into her pillow as she stared at her phone screen.

So you keep saying.

You think I will?

Hoping you will. Spoke to Debbie this morning. She’s talking to her producer about the fund-raiser, see what they can come up with to help.

He’d already talked to his ex about the fund-raiser? Then again, Gabe had said he would and she’d never known him not to follow through on something he’d said he’d do.

Awesome. Hope it wasn’t too painful. Thank you.

Thank you for all you’re doing to help Beverly and her baby girl. If it wasn’t for you and Mindy putting so much into this the fund-raiser wouldn’t even be happening.

Ha, I’m not sacrificing nearly as much as you. She was only doing what she thought needed to be done to help with the overwhelming expenses that come with having a seriously ill baby. I’m not the one being auctioned off.

So you admit you feel badly for me?

That you’re going to have women fighting over you with their wallets? Sure, I’m heartbroken. Poor, poor Gabe.

You’re a funny girl, Kam.

She could picture his smile.

Something like that.

Why aren’t you asleep? You were clamoring to get home to bed when I asked you to have pancakes with me.

Yeah, she had been. Too bad sleep continued to elude her.

I had errands to run. I may or may not have drunk coffee. Just saying.

It’s not too late for those pancakes.

Sure it is. I’m in bed.

Nothing wrong with breakfast in bed. You want syrup or cherries and whipped cream? I recommend the cherries and whipped cream, but I admit I’m biased.

Kami stared at her phone screen and shook her head. The man was incorrigible.

Good thing she knew better than to take him seriously.

A smile on her face, she snuggled into her covers and began typing a response worthy of his outrageous suggestion.

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