Page 12 of Only You
Kayla grinned. “What would you do if you had a woman over?”
“You’re a woman.”
She shook her head. “Not a fake girlfriend. A real one.”
Jack scratched the back of his head. “I’m not sure. It’s been a while since I’ve had a woman over.”
Kayla gazed at him for a long moment, and then averted her eyes. “I better get started or I’ll be at this all night.”
All night was an exaggeration, but Jack watched the lengthy film, Braveheart, while she unpacked. Kayla came into the living room as the credits rolled.
“Are you ready for the big reveal?” she asked.
Jack turned off the TV. “Sure.” He followed her down the hallway and into his bedroom. Pointing at the bed, he said, “What in the hell is that?”
“It’s a reading pillow,” she explained.
“No. Not that! The other thing.”
Kayla went over to the bed and picked up the item in question. “This?”
“Yes.”
“It’s my Squishmallow.”
“Your what mallow?”
She sighed. “Haven’t you ever seen these before? They’re everywhere!”
“No, I haven’t. What animal is it supposed to be?”
“It’s a koala. Geez, Jack. It’s like you live under a rock.”
He ignored the insult. “What is the purpose of a Squashmallow?”
“It’s Squishmallow,” she corrected. “I cuddle with it at night. It’s comforting.”
“Interesting. How come I never knew this about you?”
“Why would you? It’s not like I carry it around.”
“I’ve been in your apartment before, and I never saw it.”
“I usually hide it before company comes over.”
Jack scratched his chin. “Why is it on display now?”
“Because, if I’m sleeping in here—which I’m not, but it’s supposed to look like I am—I would have it on my bed,” she said, like it was obvious.
“Would you do this with a real boyfriend?” Jack asked.
“Yes, because a real boyfriend would accept everything about me, including my—”
“Squashmallow,” he finished.
“Squishmallow,” she corrected again. “But don’t worry. I’ll hide it when your parents come over.”
He wasn’t a fan of having the stuffed animal on his bed, but as she kept reminding him, she wouldn’t be sleeping here, anyway. Jack turned his attention to the dresser. Kayla had shifted his few things to one side and displayed hers on the other side. He walked over and perused the mirrored tray containing an assortment of perfumes and lotions. “Do you really use all these?”
