"Are you free on the 27th?" She asked.

"Yes, around noon actually," I replied.

"I'll send you the address. It's been over a month since we last agreed to have tea," she said.

"Well, I will wait for the address."

Of all the places, she picked il PANINO. I thought that postponing our meeting would enable me to clear my mind but, seeing her seated by the window made my blood boil. She spotted me and waved.

I walked in and headed straight to order my usual; latte au caramel and walked back to join her. Before she could stand and say hello, I sat down, my latte between my hands.

"How have you been?" She asked smiling, though weakly.

"Could be better," I replied.

"So...I-uh-I don't know where to start for us to catch up," She continued.

"How about why you were such a barnacle the last day we were together?" I pitched, sipped my coffee, then looked her dead in the eye.

"You're being way too harsh," Heidi said under her breath.

"Am I?" And that's when I lost it. I honestly blame it on the grief I was going through but, who am I to use that. "Of all the things to bring up, you brought up Mr. Davidson. We took a blood oath never to talk, let alone mention his name. And what did you do, you ran your mouth to a bunch of men in suits. So, tell me, Heidi, am I being too harsh?" 

"I cannot explain why I did that," she started.

"I can," I interrupted. "As usual, you wanted to be miss goody two shoes, the Dutchess of Sass."

"What if I were?" She shot back. "You keep pinning me down like you're not to blame! You basically called me a slut in front of everyone that morning."

Her words made me flinch. I did know that seeing them together in the shower had made my blood freeze and what was worse, I hoped Heidi would have listened to me and stepped out of the shower. Was I going to tell her that her drunken self was a nuisance and a wreck? 

"I will say this without any harshness," I leaned in and pushed my coffee aside. "That morning, you were wasted and I was saving you from that creep. That was all I was doing. After that, everything flew off the handle."

"That's not what Keith said," She replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked completely confused.

"When we left, they dropped me off at my apartment and I slept for like 12 hours. Afterward, I called Keith and asked what happened and he said that nothing did. We were just messing around and you stormed in all upset." She said.

"You don't remember him taking your clothes off and all that?" I asked astounded. The memory of his sexy voice ran through my mind.

"No, not really. I do know we were messing around and stuff but, he said we never went that far," She replied calmly.

"And you believed that?" I shot back. "He basically used you. One would even call it rape!"

"Kathleen, please..." She said quietly, looking away from me.

She did know. She knew deep down that Keith had used her. But why? Why was she not coming to terms with it?