“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “It’s so sad to lose someone so young.”
Kincaid nodded. “It was and still is.”
“So, today is his birthday, huh?”
“Yeah,” she muttered quietly. “I’ve always spent today with my parents, sharing the day with the only other two people on the planet who knew him the way I did.” She let out a deep sigh. “However, this year, my parents got stuck in Rome.” She scrunched her face up. “I just got off the phone with them, my mother’s a mess because she knows today is a rough day for me.”
“Oh, Kincaid,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I know I keep saying that-”
She smiled kindly at me. “It’s okay, Hastings.” This time, she reached out and squeezed my thigh. “I promise.”
“What about Saxton?” I asked. “I mean…he knows what today means for you, right?”
She nodded. “Yeah, but I didn’t find out until late last night that my parents weren’t going to make it home in time. Saxton doesn’t know that I’m not home for the weekend.”
“Do you want me to call him?” Though I’ve never used it, Kincaid had given me Saxton’s number last year for emergencies. However, since it had been Kincaid who had given me his number, and not Saxton himself, I’ve never abused what having his number had been intended for.
Kincaid shook her head. “Nah, I’ll call him later,” she replied. “Right now, I just…I don’t know.”
“I know you’re not a…credit-card-shopping socialite, but I’m going shopping for a new dress.” The words sounded superficial and flighty to my ears, but I didn’t know how else to lighten her mood. “We can get pedicures and manicures while we’re at it.”
Kincaid’s head dropped back. “God, I can’t remember the last time I had a pedicure,” she grumbled. Then she sat up and looked down at her hands. “And my nails can definitely use some TLC.”
“I treated myself to a do-it-yourself spa day yesterday, so I promise it’s just fingers and toes,” I grinned.
Kincaid arched a brow. “Is there any particular reason you took care of everything else yesterday?”
I shrugged. “I’m going to Drummond’s party tonight,” I told her. “Considering that it’ll be packed, you never know who I might run into.”
She grinned. “Are you overdue?”
I nodded with no shame. “Yes, ma’am.”
Kincaid tilted her head in thought. “Maybe that’s what I need,” she muttered. “Maybe I just need to get laid.”
“It’s not the worst idea in the world,” I teased. “I mean, if I had a choice between yoga and getting laid as a way to relieve my stress, it’s dick every time.”
Letting out a genuine laugh, Kincaid agreed. “I’m not arguing that one bit,” she chuckled. “I’m just…wary, I guess. I’d hate to pick up some hot-looking piece, then have him end up being a bust in bed.”
I winced. “Oh, my God,” I groaned dramatically. “Wouldn’t that be the worst?”
“Luckily, I haven’t had that happen yet, but…God, it would suck if it ever did,” she shuttered.
“Okay, so here’s the plan,” I said, shaking off the nightmarish vibe of awful sex. “We’re going to go find me a dress, then find a walk-in salon and get our toes and nails done. After that, we’ll grab an early dinner and gossip about everything and everyone.”
She smiled at me kindly. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Hastings,” she said. “And you know what? I’m going to let you do it.”
I laughed. “Good,” I replied. “Besides, we haven’t had some girls’ time in a while.”
Kincaid let out a deep breath. “No, we haven’t,” she agreed. “We haven’t, and I take full responsibility for that. I’ve been…preoccupied for a while.”
“Okay, you’re sorry, I’m sorry, we’re all sorry,” I joked. “We can make it up to each other by paying for each other’s beautifications.”
“Beautifications?” she teased. “It’s just our nails and toes, Hastings.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I argued. “It’s all about the details.”
The rest of the day was spent shopping, getting our nails done, and having dinner. When it was all said and done, I ended up with a classy French manicure and matching pedicure, and a sexy as hell dressed that was guaranteed to get me laid tonight.
There had also been that text message to Saxton Voss.