LITMIR.BIZ

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Second, it’s not my fault mostly women show up for my lectures.”

      “Riiiggghhhttt,” Kandi muttered, cutting into her chicken parmesan.

      “What’s that supposed to mean?”

      Kandi looked up at her friend with a tilted head and a knowing expression. “Come on, this is me you’re talking to. Don’t try to tell me you don’t enjoy getting up in front of a group of women and giving your little I-am-woman-hear-me-roar pep talk. You love it.”

      “If by that you mean, do I enjoy empowering women who have been victimized in their own lives for far too long, then yes, I do.” She leaned forward, feeling defensive about her work. “And if my book can help even one woman regain control of her life, then—”

      “Hang on, Sojourner.” Kandi held up her hands as if to ward off an attack. “Don’t get me wrong, I love what you do.” She reached across the table and took Mikayla’s hand. “And more importantly, I understand why you do it. I’m just saying you need more in your life than just this…this one-woman crusade you’re on.”

      Mikayla sat back in her chair. “I do have more in my life than that.”

      Kandi’s mouth twisted in a smirk. “Correction, more than a crusade—and a mangy mutt for companionship.”

      Mikayla frowned. “She’s not mangy, she just has weird fur.” She shook her head in confusion, her mind running off in a new direction. “I swear I’ve tried every dog shampoo known to man, and nothing will make her hair lie down like a regular dog.”

      Kandi shook the hand she was still holding to regain her friend’s attention. “Hello? Enough about Angel’s bad hair—I’m talking about you.”

      “Kandi, I appreciate all your help and advice, but believe me when I say I like my life just the way it is.”

      Kandi let go of her friend’s hand and turned her attention to slicing up her chicken parmesan. “That’s because you don’t know any better. You’ve never had a normal relationship with a man, so you can’t possibly know what you’re missing.”

      The sudden silence caught her attention and she looked up to find Mikayla looking at her with a betrayed expression.

      Her first instinct was to apologize for hurting her friend, but then she paused. As a policy, Kandi made a point of never apologizing for the truth, and if anyone needed to hear the truth it was Mikayla.

      What started as a working relationship five years ago when Kandi signed Mikayla to a book contract had blossomed into one of the dearest relationships in her life, and she loved the younger woman sitting across from her like a little sister. But her little sister had scars. Scars left over from a vicious attack and the life before it. And until Mikayla confronted the ghost of her past those scars would never heal.

      After the silence lingered a bit, Kandi muttered, “You know I don’t apologize for the truth.”

      “Your truth is subjective,” Mikayla countered.

      “What’s that supposed to mean?”

      “As long as I was pumping out bestsellers you couldn’t care less about my loveless lifestyle. Now that I’ve hit a wall, what’s your sage advice? Get a lover.”

      Kandi pointed her fork at Mikayla. “That is so unfair. This is not the first time we’ve had this conversation. And it’s not like I brought this up.”

      “Well, I certainly didn’t!”

      Kandi placed her fork on the table and folded her hands under her chin. “Describe this veterinarian.”

      “What?”

      “The vet, Angel’s best and last blah, blah, blah. Describe him. What does he look like?”

      “How did we get back to him?”

      Kandi arched an eyebrow. “That’s where this conversation started, and that’s where it will end. Now, describe him.”

      Mikayla shrugged. “I don’t know. Good-looking, I guess.”

      “Be specific.” Kandi picked up a forkful of steam cooked string beans. “You’re a writer for goodness’ sake, give me some details.”

      Mikayla sighed. “Fine. Let me think.” She cut up her salmon and pulled to the forefront of her mind the face she’d been trying not to remember for the past week.

      “Okay, he’s got a caramel-brown complexion—no, wait. More like molasses when you heat it up, and it has deep, rich, brown coloring you can almost taste even before the sweet smell reaches your nose. And speaking of smell, my Lord, that man smells good.” She frowned. “Which is amazing considering the fact he works with animals all day. But get within a few feet of him and his cologne. Just, mmmm…”

      Mikayla closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ve got to find out the name of his cologne.” She chuckled. “Maybe I’ll buy a bottle for myself and just keep it on my dresser. It really is a wonderful smell. Probably won’t smell as good in the bottle as it does on him, though.” She opened her eyes to find Kandi watching her with a bemused expression. “What?”

      “Nothing. Go on, caramel-brown and smells good. What about his eyes?”

      “Deep brown, chocolate-brown, like dark pools, but not so dark you can’t see his bright pupils, and there is something else, as well. Just around the edges of his pupils are these unexpected flecks of gold. You know, they say you can see a person’s soul through their eyes. If that’s true, he has a compassionate soul.” She frowned again. “But I guess he would have to, considering—again—he works with animals all day.”

      “Nose?” Kandi asked, her attention focused on her meal.

      “Straight, strong, average, neat.” Mikayla smiled. “With the slightest little upturn on the tip. Adorable, really.”

      “Mouth?”

      “Perfect heart shape. Beautiful. Full, but not overly so, just enough to make them kissable.” She sighed again. “You should see his smile. It’s amazing. It’s like his whole face is transformed from just good-looking to stunning when he smiles. It makes you want to smile and you don’t even know why.” She laughed. “And on top of all that, he has the nerve to have dark red hair.”

      “Red?”

      “Yeah, more like a dark, dusty, blondish-red. But he wears it close cut. You probably wouldn’t notice except his eyebrows are the same color and when you meet him your attention is immediately drawn to those compassionate eyes.”

      “I wonder if that’s where he got his name?”

      “You know, I hadn’t thought about it.” Mikayla shrugged. “Maybe.”

      The two women ate in silence for several minutes before Mikayla said, “Okay, so maybe I do find him attractive, but so what? That doesn’t change anything. All I want from this man is a manageable pet. I’m not interested in complicating my life with a relationship right now. I’ve got too much other stuff going on.”

      Kandi continued to eat, saying nothing.

      “And besides, he probably already has a woman. Hell, he may even be married and just doesn’t wear a ring.” She huffed. “Yeah, sounds about right, considering my taste in men.” She stabbed at her salmon. “And who’s to say he would even be interested? He probably flirts with every woman that comes into his clinic as a matter of habit.”

      Kandi continued to eat, seeming oblivious to her friend’s conflictions.

      “Using that damn smile of his like a weapon,” Mikayla muttered, making minced meat of her salmon. “Probably thinks he can have any woman he wants.”

      After several more minutes had passed as the two ate in silence, Mikayla looked up and asked, “What were we talking about before?”

      Kandi

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