“Yes,” I said finally. “Of course I will be there, Katherine.”
She released a breath as if she hadn’t actually been sure what I would say.
“Good.” A real smile graced her features then, and she looped our arms together. “I wouldn’t have known what to do if you hadn’t shown up. You’re my oldest friend, Penn Kensington. We’ve had our differences, but we’re practically family. I wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
I eyed her suspiciously. “Why do I feel like you’re about to do something vicious?”
“Wouldn’t you like that?” she said with a wink.
“You’re being too nice. What do you know?”
“Well, I thought you already knew, and that’s why you were being so mopey.” She tilted her head onto my shoulder and fluttered her eyelashes. “But I see that this is just who you are. All broody and self-loathing. No wonder she didn’t tell you she was back in the city.”
I jerked Katherine to a halt. “Who…is in the city?”
“Natalie, of course.”
My mind whirred to life. She was here. In my city. What was she doing here?
“You truly didn’t know? I thought she’d have already come by to torture you some more,” Katherine said dryly.
“How do you know that she’s here?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she cooed. Her bright red lips turned up into a smile. Her dark hair blowing in the early morning breeze.
“Tell me,” I said flatly. I knew that begging would only make her more stubborn. I’d give her a minute, and if she didn’t tell me, I’d fucking figure it out on my own.
She stared me down, absolutely loving that she had the upper hand. I counted out a minute and then started walking away from her.
“Penn,” she groaned, rushing to catch up with me. “It’s all in good fun.”
“Sure it is.”
“Fine. It was Jane.”
“One of Court’s girls?”
“They’ve been together a year, Penn. You think you’d have an interest in your brother’s girlfriend.”
“I think he’s had enough interest in mine for the both of us,” I grumbled under my breath.
Katherine rolled her eyes. “Anyway, Jane posted a picture of herself with Natalie at Club 360 last night. I guess they’re friends now.”
“Why would she be hanging out with Jane?”
None of what Katherine was saying made any sense. Natalie had no interest in the Upper East Side or any of the people in it. Why would she have gone to the club with Jane?
“How should I know?” Katherine asked. “I don’t keep tabs on her. I merely thought it was funny that she was here, hanging out with our people and not seeing you.”
“Hmm,” I murmured noncommittally.
I was too focused on the fact that Natalie was here. In New York City.
Katherine sighed in exasperation. “I don’t even know why I bother with you.”
My eyes swept up to hers. “Because you wanted to see my face when I found out.”
She shrugged. “Fine. Now, can we move on? Let’s go get lunch or something.”
“I’m going to have to pass,” I told her blankly.
“Whatever,” she spat in frustration. “But this whole thing is a bit pathetic at this point. Natalie doesn’t want to see you. You ruined her life. You wrecked whatever was between you. Honestly, if she came all the way here and didn’t see you, doesn’t that say something?”
I slid my hands into my pockets. “What does it matter to you, Katherine? You’re getting married soon anyway.”
She glowered at me. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“Anytime.”
“I wish things could go back to the way we were.”
“We both know that you were the one who fucked that up.”
Katherine laughed morosely. “The only person who ruined it came to the city and didn’t see you. She’s a virus, a plague. One day, you’ll see that, too.”
She brushed past me and across the brick-lined sidewalk. The click of her high heels the only sound as she stormed away from me. Her mission had backfired. And now, she was more pissed than before.
Still, her presence here had left me with more questions than answers.
I veered away from the spot where Katherine had left me. If I’d thought I was going to get any more work done today, that was completely ruined. Now, my mind was a restless place, itching to put the pieces together.
Why was Natalie here? What had she had doing at that party? Why had she been hanging out with Jane? Why here? Why now?
Why?
Anger blasted through my body. Anger that I had held on a leash for the last year. That I’d buried, trying to forget, trying to move on, trying fucking anything to get her out of my head.
I’d been a goddamn fool and flown to see her, and it hadn’t made a difference for us. She’d wanted out. I wasn’t selfish enough to pull her back in. Even if I wanted to be.
But I wasn’t above finding her in my city if she’d ventured in it. None of the other shit had worked. Maybe I needed to stop running from the one good thing that had happened to me in my fucked up life and start running toward it.