Kate had been sitting in the kitchen, mindlessly scrolling through her favorite animal rescue accounts while sipping lukewarm coffee. She’d been lost in thoughts of kittens and charity donations, it was her safe zone, her cozy little corner where everything felt worthwhile. But Derek’s words still sat bitter in the back of her mind, a splinter she couldn’t quite dislodge. Maybe he was just having a rough patch? Or maybe, she thought wryly, he was simply being a dick.
She sighed, standing up and taking her mug to the sink, catching a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the window. Frizzy purple hair, a nose ring she’d gotten on a whim at twenty-three, her stupid, old-fashioned glasses, since the new pair Derek gave her got smashed by one of her "damn" cats and the faded T-shirt perfect for a street wanderer . Comfortable, sure. Sexy? Eh. She set the mug down, feeling a faint urge to do something, anything, to make Derek see she was trying to meet him halfway.