The Gossamer Gate Read Online Free PDF Page A

gotten the memo to back off, but…
    Khiara glanced up from her calculator to glare at the calendar. It was another Friday night. The last one seemed so long ago and yet far too clear in her mind. She had to admit to herself that she dreaded the inevitability of facing Sean tonight.
    “Why do you look so worried?” Cate asked as she shelved books. “You’ve been quiet all week, and I gave you the space you needed to do your work. But today you look downright nauseated.”
    “I told Sean,” Khiara groaned as she let her head smack against the counter.
    “Told Sean what?”
    “That I have a crush on him,” she mumbled against the glass.
    Cate stopped what she was doing, the latest Silver Ravenwolf book dangling from her fingers. “You didn’t.”
    “I did.” She straightened and rubbed at her forehead.
    “Oh my Goddess.” She put the book in its proper place and hurried to pull a stool up to the front counter, facing Khiara. “Why didn’t you tell me about it this week? What did he say when you told him? Are you alright?”
    “Um, I was too angry at myself to really say anything to anybody, even you. I did it last Friday night. He offered to walk me home and…” Khiara shrugged as she shook her head, exhaling through pursed lips. “I couldn’t help it. It was a beautiful summer night and we were alone together in the dark. Part of me hoped he would say that was just the moment he was waiting for . I hoped he might grab me and kiss me.”
    “How very Some Kind of Wonderful of you,” Cate teased without a trace of humor in her voice.
    Khiara sighed and said, “And then the logical, intelligent, not-insane part of me told me that I was just setting myself up for a huge letdown. But I just blathered on anyhow, telling him how I’ve been in love with him for a few years now.”
    Cate canted her head to one side at her friend’s words. “Well, since you pretty much always listen to that not-insane part of you, I don’t think it’s so bad that you gave in to the emotional side for once. You’re only human.”
    “ Maybe, and he rejected me for certain but, shit, I can’t stop thinking about him!” Khiara cried, letting the calculator clatter to the counter. “I want him so much, I’m not sure I can be in the same room as him. I thought saying something would actually help me start to get over him. I knew that I couldn’t have him, and I thought that if he confirmed it, my feelings would start to change.”
    “Well, sweetie, it takes more than a week to get over somebody.” It was one of those rare moments of clarity that the usually mischievous Cate had.
    “Yes, and I know that. It also takes more than a week to stop feeling like such a complete fool.” Khiara picked up the calculator and shoved it in a drawer, which she slammed shut. “Do I avoid gaming tonight and leave more questions than answers, or just get back on the horse?”
    “Go to Sean’s tonight. Face your emotions now and get it over with,” Cate advised. “Otherwise, you’ll wallow in the whole thing and draw it out longer than necessary. The not-insane part of you knows that.”
    “Yes, it does.” Khiara bent her head to the counter once more. “But the humiliated part of me says that it would be easier to just stay home and pretend Sean doesn’t exist.”
    “It would be easier,” Cate agreed. “And the following week, it would be easier to stay home, rather than face first the question of whether or not you’re doing okay after admitting that you’re in love with him and the question of why you’re avoiding him. And every week you hide out will just make it more difficult for you to face him, and for your friendship to continue as normal.”
    “I know that .” Khiara could not seem to stop herself from groaning every time she spoke.
    “Besides, it’s not like he went out on one date with you and never called you again, like Barden.” Cate walked back to the bookshelf.
    “What?” Khiara responded