“It’s just that you’re picking at your food. You should have said something and I’d have made them fix it.”
She’d left the tortillas alone and eaten the filling. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just that tortilla’s have a lot of calories. A girl’s gotta watch her figure, you know.” She gave a light laugh, but it was forced.
“I like a woman who enjoys her food.” He grimaced. “Sorry, that came out kind of rude, didn’t it? You’re right. It’s hard to maintain a slender figure.” He grinned. “That’s why I gave up and decided to enjoy life.”
Kate took a sip of water, swallowing back an angry retort. How dare he judge her? Didn’t he know how hard it was to stay thin? Heck, it had taken magic to get her here. This date was not turning out quite like she’d imagined.
“What do you do for fun and excitement?” she asked. Hopefully a change of subject would get them back on track.
Kyle shrugged, “Nothing much. I like scifi movies, as you know. Old black and white ones. I like to travel and try new foods. The usual stuff. You? I read in your profile you like to skydive, hike, and paraglide. Sounds kind of tiring.”
How on earth did she admit she’d actually done none of those things? “Well, I do have calmer hobbies. For instance, I make my own Castile soap. You know, with olive oil. I like to add different herbs and essential oils to make different scents. I usually just give them away as presents, but sometimes I sell a few online. I don’t make much, but it’s enough to buy a bottle of wine now and then.”
“That is really strange.”
She frowned. “What is?”
“That woman I was telling you about? She has the exact same hobby.”
That was it. She’d had enough. “Why do you keep bringing this woman up? If you’re so enamored of her, why aren’t you on a date with her instead of me?”
“Because she isn’t interested. I don’t blame her. She’s totally out of my league.” There was sadness in his expression which only made Kate angrier.
“So, what, I’m second best? How dare you ask me out when you’re obviously hung up on someone else.” It wasn’t fair, and she knew. She’d been the one who’d run out on him. She’d been the one who had deleted her profile so he had no way to contact her. She’d been the one to pretend to be someone she wasn’t just to impress him. And it obviously wasn’t working.
“If you’ll recall, you’re the one who pretty much badgered me to ask you out. And you know what,” Kyle stood up throwing his napkin onto the table, “you’re right. I shouldn’t be out with you.” He threw some bills on the table alongside the napkin. “I’m sorry. You seem like a nice person and I thought we had some things in common, but…” He shook his head. “Good luck, Kaitlyn. You’ll find the right person for you, but it isn’t me. I should be finding Kate and convincing her that we could be good together.” And with that he strode from the table.
Kate sat there staring at his retreating form in shock. ”Wait! Kyle, I’m…”
But it was too late. He was gone.
* * *
“Branwen! Branwen!”
Branwen awoke to a pounding on her door which matched the pounding in her head. Tiffany had thrown another magnificent party which had resulted in an overindulgence of Irish car bomb cupcakes. Tiffany had sworn the alcohol got baked out of the cupcake. She hadn’t mentioned that the frosting was pretty much loaded.
“I’m coming. Geez.” Branwen staggered to the door and fumbled with the locks. “Kate. What are you doing here?”
“I need your help.”
Branwen stared at the slender girl, at her red rimmed eyes and the streaks of mascara running down her cheeks. No matter her size, Kate was obviously not a pretty crier. “Come in. I’ll put the coffee on. You might want to wash your face.” Branwen waved in the general direction of the bathroom.
A few minutes later they were seated at the kitchen table with steaming cups of coffee. Kate looked marginally more human. Branwen felt marginally more human. Or more goddess. Whatever. Though she was swearing off cupcakes for at least the next twenty-four hours.
“Now, tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m confused.” More tears streaked down Kate’s gaunt face.
Oh, boy. Branwen loved this part. “What are you confused about?”
“I thought being thin would make everything perfect.”
“Didn’t it?”
Kate shook her head, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders. “Oh, no. Shopping is just as big a nightmare at size 2 as it was at size 16.”
Branwen snorted. “I coulda told you that.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Go on.” She gave an airy wave.
“Um, all these guys that used to ignore me or make fun of me suddenly think I’m hot. They all want to…to…well, you know.”
Branwen repressed a laugh. “Yeah, I get the picture. What’s the problem?”
“It pisses me off!” There was so much anger in Kate’s voice it took Branwen aback for a moment.
“I see.”
“Do you? Really? I mean these guys mocked me. They treated me like I was less than human all because I weighed a few extra pounds more than they thought I should. And now, just because I’m thin, they suddenly like me. I’m the same person!” Kate slammed her fist down on the table, sloshing coffee over the rim of her mug. “Oh, sorry,” she said, mopping it up with her napkin.
“Don’t even worry about it.” Branwen patted her hand. She had a lot of sympathy for this girl. She knew what it was like for the world to think you were beautiful. She also knew what it was like when they didn’t. Unfortunately Kate had gotten a lot more of the latter than the former. Which kind of sucked.
“And you know what’s worst of all? I went on a date with this guy I totally like and all he could talk about was me.”
Branwen frowned. “Isn’t that a good
