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There’s plenty of food and alcohol, activities for the kids, and reat, except here I a it with my bud Ryker--no offense--rather than a beautiful yet dorky brunette whoo ahead and ask Ryker No sense in beating around the bush Sutton sort of let it drop about ten o that she’d be here I wasn’t sure if she would be, but Sutton confirmed it and I didn’t even have to ask her

Now that I think about it…it’s alwith a friend," Ryker says neutrally "So she’s co separately"

A friend? What kind of friend?

Suddenly panic and doubt fill me "Just put ing a date?"

"No clue," he says with a careless shrug "Didn’t ask"

Of course he didn’t ask He wouldn’t get personal like that

So now I sit here, on pins and needles, withfor Kate More i for the person ill be with her, because that s

I don’t knohat I’h, but I’ mainly I just want to approach her, s Then maybe I can call her up later and invite her to coffee Sort of a slow easement, definitely low-key, so I don’t spook her off

"There she is," Ryker says as he points a finger with the hand that’s still holding on to his beer

My head snaps in that direction and those feelings--of peace and rightness--settle in just by looking at her She’s wearing a pair of fitted jeans along with soan over it She’s casually beautiful with her hair hanging loose, bangs hovering just over her eyebrows, and those glasses that I’ve come to adore on her I know she doesn’t need the them because she’s nervous at this party and they still serve as a shield for her

Then I notice her "friend" Tall, lanky, with close-cropped blond hair Ordinary-looking dude, I guess One I could lay out flat if I wanted to, but where he has the advantage overnext to Kate and I’m not He’s the one who has his hand pressed to her lower back as they weave through the crowd over to where the kids are That’s not my hand there

Fuck It’s a date, isn’t it?

"Does that look like they’re on a date?" I ask Ryker, nudging him with my shoulder

Before he can answer, Sutton says from my left as she walks up, "Who’s on a date?"

"Zack thinks Kate is dating that dude over there," Ryker says as he points their way