31

I held her gaze, flipping back through all the years I could remember in detail. “You’re the most interesting woman I’ve ever met, Kendall.”

“That’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me—and lately, you’ve given me a lot.” She dug through the side of a pancake until she found what she wanted—what I assumed was the lemon curd—and surrounded her lips over the tines. “I definitely don’t want to be ordinary or trite. Most of all, I don’t want to be expected.”

I exhaled. “You’re far from that.”

When she set her fork down this time, I could tell how happy my response had made her.

Before I could add to it, the waitress was back. “Can I get you anything else?”

Kendall looked at me, and when I shook my head, she said, “Just the check, please.”

The waitress went to drop the billfold on our table, and Kendall snatched it before it even hit the wood.

“My treat.” She reached inside her tank top, removing a credit card that had been tucked in her bra.

I held out my hand. “No.” When she didn’t b