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Blinding sunlight streamed in from the window. Kennedy rolled over. What time was it? She squinted at her phone. Ten after nine? She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept in so late. In fact, she didn’t even remember falling asleep. She knew something had happened last night. What was it?
“No, I’m sorry. She’s not up yet.” Was that Willow talking? Why was she whispering?
“We had a meeting scheduled for this morning.”
Kennedy recognized the voice but couldn’t place it, not until her brain had a little more chance to wake up.
“She didn’t say anything about it to me,” her roommate snapped.
“Does she tell you everything?”
Kennedy sat up in bed. “Who’s there?” she asked in a groggy voice.
Willow stepped aside to reveal Ian, the red-haired journalist. Kennedy had talked to him yesterday when she was at the hospital. The hospital ... Memories from Carl’s attack crashed and swirled in her mind.
“Good morning.” He offered a small smile. “Sorry if I woke you up. I tried texting you to see if we were still on for breakfast, but I never got a reply.”
At the word breakfast, Willow’s entire countenance changed. She let out an airy laugh. “Something you learn about Kennedy real quick is that she’s got a moral compulsion against checking her messages or keeping her phone charged. Just one of those little idiosyncrasies you grow to love about her.”
Willow flung open Kennedy’s small wardrobe, pulled out a pair of jeans and a new blouse they’d bought on an impromptu shopping spree together and tossed them onto Kennedy’s bed. “You get up and get ready, sunshine,” Willow told her then turned to Ian. “And you wait outside until she’s presentable. Don’t worry, I won’t make you wait too long.”
She closed the door in Ian’s face and ran to Kennedy. “You didn’t tell me you had a date with the ginger.”
“It’s not a date.” Kennedy’s temples were throbbing. She wasn’t a regular caffeine drinker, but she’d need more than a few sips of coffee this morning to get her brain as alert as it needed to be. What day was it, anyway? She had lit class in a few hours and then lab, right? Wait, lab?
She sat up in bed. “I can’t go out. I have all my students’ reports to grade.”
Willow pulled down Kennedy’s blankets. “Of course you have time for breakfast. Especially with that cute journalist. Maybe I shouldn’t be saying this, but I’ve been praying that God would send you somebody after Dominic ... well, you know. And I’ve only been at this praying thing for a little while, so think what it’s doing to my brand-new faith to see you finally starting to date again. So you can’t let me down now. And someone like the journalist. Didn’t I tell you the very first time I saw him that he’s absolutely scrumptious? I mean, Dominic wasn’t bad looking if you’re into the whole huggable-teddy-bear-with-a-beard sort of feel. But the ginger ... when did you even start talking to him anyway? Last I heard, wasn’t he filming in your parents’ neck of the woods in China or something?”
Kennedy was behind her closet door and halfway dressed, but even though her body was out of bed, her brain couldn’t keep up with all of Willow’s questions.
“So where you going?” Willow asked. “Is he taking you someplace fancy?” She let out a sigh. “First dates are so romantic. It’s too bad Nick and I will never have another.”
“It’s not a date.” Kennedy emerged from the makeshift dressing room.
Willow rolled her eyes. “Sure it isn’t. And I’m a virgin. I mean, ok, so maybe it’s a bad example since I’m doing the whole abstinence thing now that I’m saved, but you get my point.”
Still droopy with exhaustion and trying to recall if she had officially agreed on a time to meet Ian this morning, Kennedy grabbed a pair of socks from her dresser drawer.
“No,” Willow protested. “Look outside. It’s a gorgeous sunny day. And what about that cute pedicure I gave you? You can’t hide those toes in your old worn-out tennies.” She reached under her own bed. “Here, wear my platforms. They’ll go perfect with those jeans.” After tossing the sandals onto the floor by Kennedy’s bare feet, Willow rummaged through her desk. “Want to borrow some earrings? I have these beaded ones you like, but I think the turquoise look more mature. Which is what you’re going for, because this ginger, how old is he again?”
Kennedy didn’t have time to answer before Willow started brushing her hair for her. “If he weren’t waiting right out there, I’d mousse it up for you. But this will have to do.” She stepped back and crossed her arms. “There you go. Perfect for a breakfast out.” Another loud sigh. “Morning dates are so dreamy.”
“It’s not a date,” Kennedy repeated right before Willow shoved her out their bedroom door.