Kiss and Make Up (gxg)

Chapter 28

Kenley's POV

I was already regretting agreeing to spend New Year's Eve out at a bar. I admit that I'd been spending a lot of time indoors since the big shopping excursion that Harper and I had been on, but other than food shopping, there wasn't much I needed to go out for. After I'd driven Harper home, I was able to bring almost everything else in her basement back with me, and the little that was left there, she brought up at Christmas when she visited with the family.

Okay, but the Christmas visit did make me leave the house. Because I'd spent so many years celebrating at Harper's house, and before that, my parents', I didn't have a single ornament for a Christmas tree to my name. I know it was an impulse buy, but I went out and bought a small, pre-lit tree and a few ornaments just so I had something in the house when Harper and the family arrived.

They weren't impressed.

I was glad they weren't going to be there on Christmas day, that would be just too embarrassing, but they did show me several places in the house that would be perfect for a bigger tree for the next year, or a wreath, and garland, and holy shit they were going to turn my house into the north pole! Still, they were right. Had I been thinking about it, I would have planned better, but I really didn't have any time once I realized the issue. Next year I'd be better, I was sure of it!

Harper had suggested The Loft for a Christmas Eve dinner, having done a little research for me before they came up, and then noticed the flyers for the New Year's Eve party with live music that would be there in a week. "Kenley, you have to go, no excuses!" she commanded, handing over the flyer. "You need to go get a New Year's kiss!"

I groaned inwardly, because she obviously assumed there would be a woman there that I'd like to kiss. It wasn't like I was opposed to it, but really, the lips I'd want to kiss would be down in New York because I still couldn't bring myself to woman up and reach out to their owner. "Fine, I'll go. But I'm not promising a kiss!"

She scoffed and waved her hand at me. "Who knows, maybe you'll find the perfect set of lips for you."

"Whatever. I'll be here, and then ring in the new year. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Yes!" she cheered happily while typing on her phone. Her excitement got the kids to cheer too, though I doubted they understood why.

Then things took an odd turn a few days before the party when I was food shopping. "Excuse me." A soft voice came from behind me. "Have you seen any wonton wrappers in here?"

I looked over my shoulder and saw a short, pretty blond woman with brown eyes smiling up at me. It was a big supermarket, but my penchant for organizing everything had me memorize the layout after only a couple of trips, so she'd asked the right person to get an answer. "Aisle five left side, about halfway down on your right." I pointed in the direction she needed, then watched as she looked over there.

"Ahh, thanks. I'm planning on making some spring rolls with them. Do you like those?"

I smiled back at her, finally realizing that she didn't really need the help so much as an opening to talk to me. I was flattered, as it was always nice to be flirted with. "Yeah, spring rolls are good. I'm from New York, so I think that is one of our take out food groups."

"So, if I made them for dinner tonight, would you like to come over to share them?" she asked.

Well, that was pretty clear. "Listen... umm..." shit, I didn't know her name.

"Ruby," she said with a dimpled smile.

"Ruby. Right. I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Oh, not gay?" she asked, with shock on her face. "I thought I guessed right on that one."