Heat spread through me at the way he said it.
“Is that why you showed up tonight?” I asked. “To make sure I ate?”
He didn’t answer right away. He took a bite, chewed, swallowed.
“Partly.”
“What’s the other part?”
His gaze met mine. Steady. Unyielding.
“I wanted to see you.”
The words hit me square in the chest.
Ma appeared with a slice of pie and two forks. “On the house for the cutest couple I’ve seen all year.”
“We’re not—” I started, but she was already gone.
“Don’t bother,” Kai said. “She’s decided.”
“What has she decided?”
“That I finally found someone who can put up with me.”
I laughed. “Is that hard?”
“Most don’t try for long.”
There was something underneath that made my chest ache. I wanted to reach for him—but didn’t. Instead, I took a bite of pie. Huckleberry. Sweet and sharp.
“Well,” I said, “I’m not most people.”
He watched me for a long moment. Then the smallest curve touched his mouth. Not quite a smile, but close.
The drive home was quiet but easy. He walked me to the door, the porch light spilling warm yellow over us.
“Thanks for dinner,” I said. “For making sure I didn’t starve.”
“Thanks for coming.”
We stood too close. His hand lifted, hesitated, then brushed my jaw—so light I almost missed it. Then he dropped it.
“Lock up,” he said roughly, already turning away.
Inside, I leaned against the door, my pulse pounding. He’d almost kissed me.
I lay in bed later, replaying every moment—the way he’d watched me eat, the way he’d said he wanted to see me, the ghost of his touch lingering on my skin. I pressed my fingers to my jaw.
I was in trouble.
And I didn’t care.
4
KAI
The hike was a practical idea.
