Read Can't Go Home (Oasis Waterfall) for Free Online Page A

the cat most certainly does not have my tongue. I can do anything you’d like me to with my tongue … anything,” I say, seeing her sexual innuendo, and doubling and raising anything she may add.
    Fanning herself, she says, “It’s getting too hot for my blood; I fold,” she announces, walking to the office door. “Seriously though, what brings ya back to the Agency?” she asks coyly.
    “I wanted to see if a certain literary agent wanted to have dinner tonight,” I admit.
    “If she’s an agent, then she’s probably ‘booked’ for the night,” she says, cracking herself up. I groan at her cheesy joke. “Ba-dump-ba! I’m here all night, folks.”
    Kathryn Howell is adorable. She’s corny, quirky, and sexy too. I can’t take my eyes off of her. Smiling, Kathryn says, “Well, what’s her name? I’ll ask her when I get inside.”
    “Katie something or other. Just tell her I’ll be out here tonight at 5:30,” I say, starting to walk away. I stop, turn around, and add, “If she’s not here by 5:45, then I’m hitting up that waitress, ‘Allie with i.’ I hear she’s got crabs, but I’ll take my chances.”
    Laughing, she says, “I’ll let her know. Wouldn’t want those all-you-can-eat-crabs spreading all over town.” Kathryn waves, turns to leave, but stops, and then looks back at me to add, “Oh … and Dre, please don’t call me ‘Katie.’ I hate it.”
    “Then you’ll never hear me say it again,” I promise her. A grin travels all the way across her face; you can even see the smile in her eyes. I thought she might be a little hard to get, but this was going smoothly—very smoothly.
     

     
    Kathryn exits the Seaside Literary Agency, earlier than expected, 5:21 p.m. to be exact. She’s laughing with a male co-worker as they approach me on the sidewalk. When Kathryn sees me, her face falls immediately, a frown forming on her face.
    “Dre! Oh God, I totally forgot,” she says, dropping her head and lowering her shoulders. “Theodore, Dre, Dre, Theodore,” she nods, batting our names back and forth, introducing us as we stare at her in confusion.
    “Dre, I completely forgot that Theodore was coming into town for the night. We made plans for dinner and drinks,” Kathryn explains. “I’m so sorry.”
    I nod, not knowing what I’m supposed to say here. She forgot? No woman has ever forgotten she had plans with me before. I’m shocked. No, not shocked. I’m … I’m … shit … I’m hurt.
    Realizing I need to say something, I say, “Oh yeah, no problem, some other time.” I shove my hands in my damn pockets, because, well, because I have no idea what else to do.
    Then Theodore offers, “Hey man, it’s cool. Why don’t you come with Katie and me?” Theodore, fucking Theodore, thinks he’s doing me a favor, throwing me a bone? Uh, no thanks, Teddy. Fucking Theodore. What kind of goddamn name is that?
    “No, no, you two have fun. I’ll catch ya later, Katie. Maybe some time next week or something,” I say as aloof as I can. Ha! Take that, Katie!
    As soon as I say it, and I see the reaction on her face, I realize I’ve hurt her and wish so badly I could retract it. That’s the thing about pain, you only realize how bad it is when you actually see the hurt it’s caused. Man, I’m a prick. I knew I should’ve stayed away from her—and we haven’t even really gotten started.
    “Yeah sure, Dre,” she says. “Some other time.”
    Kathryn half-heartedly waves at me, and loops her arm through the crook in his. As they walk away, I can’t take my eyes off of them. Who is this guy? Just as I begin to leave, Kathryn turns back to look at me and whispers something to him, motioning for him to wait. Then, she walks back to me.
    “Dre, I’m sorry that I forgot about my plans with Theodore; I really am,” she says. “I forgot about my plans with him—not with you.”
    I shrug, not knowing what else to say. Admittedly, I’m slightly relieved that she hadn’t forgotten