Technically Speaking

30: Unspoken Meaning

*** Kinsey's POV ***

Text from Lex: Headed out now. Save me a seat. I can't wait to see you, beautiful.

My phone is in my lap as I read Alex's text. My body tries to give me the butterflies I'm supposed to feel but it ends up feeling like moths in a dusty attic.

"Everything okay?" Opal is trying to peer at my phone. I shut the screen.

"Alan is on his way. He said don't eat all the hummus." Sasha laughs aloud, reading Alan's text.

I'm sandwiched between Sasha and Opal. No hope in saving Lex a seat. I don't even know if I want him sitting close or if I'm really ready to reveal what we have going on.

It feels like it's all been a dream or a joke. But something tells me I need to give him a chance to explain. He extended that courtesy to me when he found Lucas's texts.

I just need to shore up my resolve to not let my heart get broken by his response. What the fuck am I saying? It's been a week!

"Hey all! Sorry I'm late." His eyes scan the table quickly and widen slightly when he sees me and who I'm situated between. I smile slightly and he moves to take the empty seat next to Suki. He looks nervous as he glances at us again. I subtly look over at Opal and see her boring holes into Lex with her steely stare.

Zander drums the tabletop. "So Kinsey ready to spill? You've kept us all in the dark here about your sudden departure."

I lock eyes with Lex. There are questions in his eyes. Concern. But one thing I would expect to see if he did what Opal said is missing. There's no guilt.

Thankfully Sasha cuts me off before I start to cobble together a response. "No wait for Alan! I'm sure he wants to hear too."

Opal turns to me, gripping my arm. "Wait, you even kept Alan at a distance? Girl, this is serious!"

"Can y'all excuse me for a minute?" I push back my chair with a screech and trot towards the bathroom. I get side-tracked along the way as I see Alan enter the restaurant. I quickly move towards him.

"Hi Kinsey." He is about to say more, but he takes one look at my face. He places me in front of him and walks us out of the restaurant. I start to pace and gnaw on my fingernails as soon as we're outside. "So things haven't gotten better since I last saw you. What's up?"

"No, they have been fucking amazing. I should have know it was too good to be true. I'm sorry. I just need to vent." I mutter.

"Opal talked to you, didn't she? Told you she is sleeping with Lex?" He guesses. I nod. God, if Alan knows it must be obvious. How could I have been so dumb?

"Kinsey, stop. It's not true." I stop and blink at Alan. "He filed a complaint against her for harrassment. This is her way of dragging him through the mud, but I walked in on them today and she is clearly the one pursuing and he is clearly not interested."

I feel like I can breathe again. "Oh thank God!"

Alan chuckles and reaches out to squeeze my shoulder. "You like him like him, don't you?"

I blush. "He came over Monday night even after I told everyone to back off. He knew how to support me without smothering me or making me feel belittled. He asked me to be his girlfriend."

"That's good Kinsey. I'm happy for you." He says it and his eyes echo the sentiment.

I smile at him. "You and Sasha..."

He sighs "...are wonderful thanks to you."

"And I hear congratulations are due, bossman!" I tease.