“How long have you been seeing each other?” she asked as she filled the kettle up and put it on to boil.
“About a month,” Kyrone said.
“It’s not serious, then.” It was a flat statement rather than a question.
Kyrone wasn’t sure what to say to that. He’d never felt as deeply for anyone as he felt for Jared, but he wasn’t sure how he would class their relationship. Was it serious? Could it be serious one day? Or was it simply too early to tell?
“We’re happy,” he said at last.
“Did you meet Kyrone at uni?” his mum asked. “Or have you graduated already?”
“I’m not at university,” Jared said, his words a little stilted. “I don’t have a degree.”
Disappointment flashed over Evte’s face. She looked at Kyrone, obviously waiting for some kind of explanation.
“Jared’s training to be a tattoo artist, which is how we met.”
“At a tattoo parlour?” his mum asked.
“Yes.”
“Nana!” a small voice shrieked from the doorway that joined the kitchen and the sitting room. Kyrone’s niece, Tahiry, stood with her arms folded and her chin raised. “Jamir is hogging the TV again.”
Evte rolled her eyes. “Can’t you three entertain yourselves for five minutes? I’m trying to have a conversation with your uncle.”
Tahiry grinned. “Hi, uncle Kyrone.” She ran over to him and flung her arms around his waist, the multicoloured beads on the end of her braids clicking together as she moved. “We haven’t seen you inages!” She drew the word out, emphasising her point.
“Sorry, munchkin,” he said. “I’ve been busy.”
The little girl eyed up Jared. “Busy with your newboyfriend?”
“Yes.” Kyrone chuckled.
“You’re cute,” Tahiry told Jared. “I like you.” Her eyes lit up when she saw the drawing pad that was tucked under his arm. “Youdraw?” She sounded absolutely awestruck.
“Yes,” Jared said. “Do you want to see?”
Tahiry jumped up and down, clapping her hands together. “Yes, please! Can you teach me how to draw?” She gasped. “Can you drawme?”
“And me!” a tiny voice piped up from the doorway.
Kyrone’s two nephews had come to gawp at the stranger in their nana’s house. Jamir was the oldest of the kids and was tall and lanky for his age. Kofi was the youngest and didn’t seem to have inherited the tall genes the rest of the family had been blessed with. He was short and stout, with a gorgeous round face that hadn’t lost its baby fat yet.
“Draw me!” Kofi pleaded. “Please!”
Jared arched an eyebrow as he glanced at Kyrone. He was smiling, so hopefully he didn’t mind that Kyrone had basically set him up to entertain the kids while he talked to his mum.
“Why don’t we go into the sitting room?” Jared suggested to the kids, putting the plate of treats down on the counter. “I can draw all three of you, if you like.”
The plate was swiped up seconds later by Jamir, who spirited it away into the lounge.
“Those aren’t for you!” Kyrone’s mum yelled after him. “They’re for Jared!”
“He can share,” Jamir shouted back. “We’ll all share.”
“Can you draw unicorns?” Tahiry asked, taking hold of Jared’s hand.
“Draw Peppa Pig,” Kofi demanded. “And George. And dinosaur!”
