The Rainbow Cedar

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"So, are you avoiding me or am I avoiding you?" Drew asked after she'd cornered Jay in the kitchen.

"I don't know what you mean."

Drew raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'd thought I was the one keeping my distance, but now I'm not so sure."

Jay leaned against the counter, wondering if Connie could hear their conversation, and wondering why she even cared. "I'm not really avoiding you, no."

"Not really?"

Jay pointed her finger at Drew. "But you can't say the same, can you?"

Drew took a step closer. "Look, I just thought, after our little talk, that you'd be more comfortable if you didn't see me every single day."

"So you were avoiding me," Jay said.

"Perhaps."

"And you've been out three times now with your blind date?"

"Yes."

"So what does that mean? Now you're going to break up with me?"

Drew laughed. "Cute."

Jay smiled. "Yeah, thought so."

Drew moved farther into the kitchen, standing close to Jay. "What are we going to do?"

"We can't do anything, Drew. Nothing's changed."

Drew caught Jay's eyes, seeing the sadness there, wondering if it were for her. She tilted her head. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

Jay looked away. "My life's a mess."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I don't know what's happening with it any longer, that's why. Katherine and I are strangers, really. The woman I've lived with for eight years has turned into someone I don't even know." She looked up. "And you, Jesus, you confuse the hell out of me."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. I feel things when I'm around you." She met her eyes again. "Things I haven't felt in a very long time," she said softly. "And it scares me."

"Don't let it scare you, Jay. I told you, I know where I stand with you."

"I don't even know where you stand with me. How can you?"

"Look, whatever you're going through with Katherine, that's between you two. I'm just doing my thing, okay? I don't want to complicate anything for you. Right now, we're just friends. That's it. Whatever feelings are there, they're just going to be there. We'll work around them."

Jay shook her head. "I'm insanely jealous that you're on a third date with someone."

Drew leaned closer, her face only inches from Jay's. "And I'm insanely jealous that someone's had eight years with you."