“Looks like she doesn’t want to talk to you, bud,” Daniel spoke with authority, his chest puffing out, as he pulled me back toward him.
Ben’s eyes pleaded with mine. “Please…please just let me talk to you for two minutes.”
He placed his hands together in prayer pose and I sucked in a breath, wondering what could possibly be so important that he would beg me like this. I reluctantly agreed, “Fine. Two minutes.”
He led me far enough away from Daniel so that he couldn’t hear our conversation, but I was still close enough where he could keep a watchful eye on us.
And watch he did.
“What are you doing with Daniel Alexander, Elizabeth?” Ben asked.
“Is that really what you wanted to ask me?”
“Elizabeth, listen to me.” His words rang with desperation. “I need to know what you’re doing with him?”
“How’s Kim?” I asked, pulling my virtual gloves off.
“Who? Who’s Kim?” His face crinkled.
Who is Kim?
WHO IS KIM?
Has he seriously forgotten her name?
I didn’t care how many years it had been. That name should have been tattooed on his fucking tongue or engraved on his memory when it came to me. I sure as hell related her name with his whenever he was brought up.
“You’re a pig.”
Recognition dawned on his face. “I haven’t seen her since college. But, Elizabeth, why was Daniel holding your hand?” He was clearly determined not to stray from this singular topic.
“My personal life is none of your business.”
“Yours might not be, but his is.”
“How do you figure?” I asked, my tone more than simply annoyed.
“Because he’s dating my sister.”
“Jenny?” I asked.
His older sister’s face filtered into my mind. It had been a long time since I last saw her, but it didn’t add up. I couldn’t see the Jenny I remembered with someone like Daniel.
“No, not Jenny. Kate,” Ben corrected.
That made more sense simply based on looks. Kate had always been really beautiful, and she was two years younger than we were. But she wasn’t at all motivated or particularly intelligent, if I recalled correctly.
Then, his words hit me all at once. He didn’t say they used to date. He said they were dating—as in present tense.
Currently.
Now.
“What do you mean, he’s dating your sister?” I asked, hoping he would correct me.
He only shrugged and took a tentative step toward me. “They’ve been dating on and off for years. Katie’s completely in love with him. She adores Daniel. What I don’t understand is, why are you here with him?”
This could not be happening. Daniel had told me he called off all his friends with benefits. He never said he had a girlfriend. Ben had to be wrong or mistaken. Maybe he had bad information or something.