That Day by Karen Deen (best novels to read in english txt) 📕

those gremlin noises again and stopped on the side of the road.”

“Funny how where the car stopped is right near that dark dead-end road up near Hoken Street, you know where the kids all go to—” Seth is trying not to laugh as he keeps interrupting Jodie.

“Anyway, I had to call this pain in the ass over here to come and tow my car and drop my work colleague back off at the station.”

“Yeah, and I must say, he must be a really good paramedic who specializes in mouth to mouth, because he was holding Jodie’s face and was checking out her lips really closely by the time I got there.”

Jodie grabs the cushion from the couch and hurls it at him as he starts smirking at her. “Asshole. You just couldn’t help the high beams as you pulled up behind us, could you?” Her arms are now crossed over her chest.

“I was just being safety conscious so I could see who it was in the car. For all I knew, it could have been a murderer who was holding you hostage or something. Then again, you would have given him so much shit that he would run from the car while he was waiting for me, just to save his ears from bleeding.”

“You are full of shit, that did not happen. He wasn’t anywhere near me then!”

“See? I knew I needed to rescue you, he obviously tried it before I got there. Like I told you, lucky I was around to save you.” Seth throws the pillow back at her to take the scowl off her face.

“You are impossible. He hasn’t shut up about it since then and just had to come and find you to tell you. I knew if I didn’t get this over and done with tonight and tell you myself, he would make up some wild story. And was I right!”

“You steal all my fun. You may as well have been my sister,” Seth says, standing up and walking towards the dining table. “Oh my god, you have cakes from Susannah’s Sugary Treats.”

It’s like his mind doesn’t stay on one thought for long. Before he even gets to open some of the leftover bags—because let’s face it, we brought enough to last for days—Kurt growls at him.

“Hands off! Don’t even think about touching my girl’s treats.” Seth just looks up and bursts out laughing at Kurt, which doesn’t change the look he was already giving Seth. “Seriously, how much did you drink tonight? You’re acting like a teenager.” Kurt’s eye roll tells me he isn’t in the mood for Seth’s humor tonight.

“Do you think I would be driving if it was that much? What crawled up your ass and died?”

“Now, now, gentlemen, let’s play nice.” I try to calm my boyfriend who is starting to get agitated, which is not like him. Meanwhile, Jodie looks pretty pleased with herself that the conversation has moved from her, until Kurt starts talking again.

“So, big sister, who is the guy at work, do I need to go and shake him down?”

I almost choke because I know he isn’t joking.

“Seriously, he is just a work friend.” I can see her trying not to show one single emotion, and I’m sitting here keeping a straight face too. Yeah right, a work friend that we both know she has wanted to get down and dirty with since the first moment she met him. “I’ve warned you before to stay away from my dates.” Jodie points her finger at him and realizes her slip-up as soon as Seth starts again.

“Date, huh?” Seth looks pleased with himself.

“Oh my god, shut up, you! Why am I now the target of your amusement?” she scolds him.

“Because lover boy over here is getting boring and it doesn’t give me enough ammunition.”

Finally, Kurt starts to laugh. “Now that’s a statement I never imagined you saying about me, that I’ve become boring. My life feels far from that.” Although he is laughing and smiling about it, deep down I feel my heart aching. I’m sure I’m more trouble than Kurt ever bargained for when we met on the beach that night.

He must sense my unease, because he leans in, kissing me on my temple and pulling my body closer to him. It doesn’t make me feel any better, though.

“Why don’t we all go out and party again like we did at the bar?” Seth asks. “I’m sure a few drinks won’t hurt, and maybe Jodie can message her ‘work friend’ to join us.” Seth looks around for support of his idea.

“Nope.”

“Not a chance.”

“I don’t think so,” we all say at the same time.

“I actually just want to go home to bed,” Jodie admits. “Curl up under the covers and get over the embarrassment of tonight before I go back to work on Monday night. No thanks to you. Why did you even have to ask all those questions and have that smug look on your face the whole time we were in the tow truck? He probably thinks you’re interested in me. You’d better not have scared him off.”

Seth just grins, proud of himself. “You’re scarier than I’ll ever be. Don’t stress. If he isn’t backing away from you, then you’re okay. Now, about that night out…” He looks around at us all.

None of us answer him. “Ugh, you’re all acting like we’re so old now,” Seth grumbles as he stands up.

“Because we are, man,” Kurt replies.

“Speak for yourself,” I say, elbowing him in the side, which makes him turn to me. “I’m still a spring chicken.”

“Okay, except you, baby.” He smirks.

Jodie’s standing now, which has me and Kurt standing up too.

Walking towards the door to say goodnight, Jodie turns back, looking at me. “I saw your friend today, the one that was here the night you collapsed. She’s walking really well now with her cast off, quick recovery.”

Which has my mind wondering what she’s talking about.

“Who, Davina?” Kurt asks before I can say anything.

“Yeah, that’s her name.”

“You