Authors: Sandi Perry
Allison
took
the
shot
and
looked
at
it.
"That's
awful,
I'll
take
some
candid
shots
of
you
while
you're
talking
and
looking
through
your
bags
and
stuff.
It
won't
look
so
staged."
She
snapped
away
for
a
few
minutes
and
was
about
to
hand
the
camera
back
when
she
had
a
thought.
She
walked
over
to
the
woman
at
the
next
table,
spoke
with
her
for
a
second
and
then
handed
her
the
camera.
She
walked
back
to
Kaitlin
and
put
her
arm
around
her
and
they
laughed
as
their
picture
was
taken.
Then
they
gathered
all
the
bags
together
and
Kaitlin
balanced
the
box
of
cupcakes
she
was
bringing
home
for
her
father
in
one
hand.
She
had
chosen
three
chocolate
with
various
toppings,
and
one
peanut-butter
crumb,
just
to
be
safe.
They
hugged
good-bye
and
set
out
into
the
brisk,
winter
air.
Allison
entered
her
loft
after
six.
It
wasn't
late,
it
just
felt
that
way
because
she
was
so
weary.
As
she
was
hanging
up
her
coat
on
the
rack,
she
heard
a
sharp
rap
on
the
door.
She
cautiously
opened
it
to
see
Kenyon
standing
there,
indignantly
tapping
his
foot.
"You
scared
me
to
death;
I
just
got
in
this
second,"
Allison
said.
"I
know,
I've
been
waiting.
I
ran
out
of
mozzarella
in
the
middle
of
my
lasagna.
Do
you
have
any?"
he
asked.
"Yes,
on
the
fridge
door.
Wouldn't
it
have
been
easier
to
run
down
to
the
corner
deli?"
He
stormed
over
to
the
refrigerator
and
wrenched
it
open,
"No,
because
you've
been
avoiding
me
all
day.
Why
do
you
have
a
whole
wedge
of
mozzarella?
You
don't
even
cook."
"Because
you
always
run
out
when
you
prepare
lasagna
and
if
I
have
the
cheese,
then
I
have
some
ownership
of
the
lasagna.
And
it
just
so
happens
that
I'm
in
the
mood
for
some
creamy,
fattening
food
tonight."
She
stepped
in
around
him
and
took
two
beers
out
of
the
fridge.
She
rummaged
around
in
the
kitchen
drawer
for
a
bottle
opener
and
opened
one,
handing
it
to
him.
Then
she
took
the
other
one,
opened
it,
and
took
a
big
swig.
A
large
belch
escaped
her
delicate
lips.
"Hey,
hey,
manners,
young
lady.
Your
mother
taught
you
better
than
that."
"That
was
an
unrepentant
belch.
I'm
done
with
apologizing
and
making
excuses.
I'm
done,"
she
said
as
she
slammed
the
bottle
on
the
counter.
Kenyon
eyed
her
warily,
"Is
that
why
you've
avoided
my
texts
and
calls
all
day?
I
haven't
heard
a
thing
about
the
date
last
night.
Alex
will
not
return
my
calls
either.
I'm
in
a
total
news
blackout."
"There's
nothing
to
tell.
It
was
a
disaster—a
total
and
unmitigated
disaster."
"Really?"
"Yes,
Kenyon,
really."
"What
went
wrong?"
"Let's
see,
so
many
choices...was
it
the
moment
when
Alex
told
me
to
unfreeze
myself
and
join
the
living...or
was
it
when
I
threw
myself
at
him
and
he
rejected
me
saying
he
didn't
want
just
a
physical
relationship.
The
nerve
of
him,
a
newspaper
thief,
lecturing
me
on
anything!"
She
huffed
as
she
threw
herself
onto
the
plump,
cushioned
sofa.
"He
steals
newspapers?"
Kenyon
asked.
"That's
beside
the
point.
I
have
to
figure
out
a
way
to
get
through
the
next
couple
of
weeks
until
I
finalize
my
decision
with
the
board."
"Let's
backtrack
a
minute.
You
offered
your
glorious
body
to
the
man
and
he
said
no?"
She
nodded.
"Did
you
offer
it
verbally?
Or
did
you
kiss
him
and
touch
him?"
Allison
blushed,
"The
latter."
"And
was
he
turned
on?"
Kenyon
probed.
"He
sure
was."
"And
then
he
said
no.
He
wanted
more—he
wanted
the
whole
enchilada."
"Pretty
much."
"Ally,
I
know
you
don't
want
to
hear
this.
But
I'm
liking
Alex
more
and
more.
He's
a
stand-up
guy
who's
confident
enough
not
to
take
advantage
of
a
vulnerable
woman."
He
held
up
his
hand
when
she
started
to
protest.
"Hear
me
out.
Every
other
guy
would've
grabbed
you
and
made
for
the
bedroom.
Here's
a
man
who
genuinely
respects
you
and
won't
let
you
be
taken
advantage
of—even
when
he
would
be
the
recipient
of
the
booty.
He's
pushing
every
button
you
have
and
you're
reacting
to
him."
He
pointed
an
accusatory
finger.
"Now,
while
that's
a
good
thing,
you
aren't
being
proactive.
You
have
to
make
a
decision
from
a
point
of
strength,
like
when
you
opened
the
gallery.
You
wanted
to
prove
something
to
your
dad,
and
to
yourself,
and
it's
a
grand
success."