Kia. I need to make sure she can come.
She answers on the first ring. “How did you know I was just thinking about you?”
“Because I was doing the same. Where in the world are you today?”
Her laughter is this combination of raspy sweetness. “I’m in a little beach town in the middle of nowhere. My parents can’t even find it on a map. This place is perfect. It’s a mixture of a small town and a beach resort. Living here is like a perpetual vacation.”
Living? “You bought a house?” Kia isn’t the type of person to set down roots. She’s a wanderer. A free spirit sharing her gifts with the world. In order to convince her to settle down—“You met someone!”
“Not just met him. We got married. It was sudden, but…I think he might be the best thing that ever happened in my life. Even better than my music.”
Wow. I never felt that way about anyone, especially not Darrel.
“I need to introduce him to my parents. Mom is going to love him—” She sighs. “—I’m pretty sure Dad will hate him. At least I’ll have Gran in my corner. How are you doing? I heard about the divorce. You’re better off without the creep.”
When it first happened, I wasn’t sure. “I am. I can’t believe how much freer I feel without him in the picture.”
“My parents have pulled all their business from his family’s company in solidarity. What he did was so wrong. But now that you’re free, you can find someone wonderful. Because this love thing is the best. I just want to sing it from the top of every building I can find. You won’t believe how much I’ve been writing. It’s like being in love inspires me. You should hear some of my new stuff. I should come up there and do a concert. But then my parents will want me to visit with them for a while, and Mom will talk me into attending a half dozen boring social events.”
“That was actually one of the things I was calling about. I’m helping with a charity event.”
“If you’re asking me to put on a dress and heels, you can forget it. I just got these locks done. I’m not taking them out to make my mother happy.”
“Did she lose her mind when you went to a ball with them in? Mine would have probably killed me on the spot.”
Kia laughs. “If Gran hadn’t loved it, she probably would have passed out on the spot. Dad laughed the entire time.”
Her dad would, but then again, he’s an artist as well. The difference between Kia’s parents and mine is the fact that hers actually love her. “What if I promise no dresses are required?”
“Now you’re talking my language. What’s the event for?”
“It benefits one small-town kid. We hope to raise enough to fund their college dream.”
“That’s a nice chunk of change. Is it your charity running things?”
This she won’t believe. “It’s a bit of a silent backer, but most of it is run by this biker gang.”
She whistles. “You weren’t kidding about not having to wear a ball gown.”
“They do this whole winter festival every year. I just thought I would amp it up a little bit.”
“You amping it up. Do they know what they got themselves into?”
“Not even a little bit. I’m having more fun planning this one than any others I ever have. Plus, the entire town thinks I’m dating one of the bikers.”
“WHAT? That is the kind of information you lead with. Spill, lady. Tell me he’s hot with a beard and tattoos.”
Bram with a tattoo is impossible to picture. “No tattoos. He’s more of a stuffy professor, but before you get excited, we aren’t dating. We’re divorce buddies.”
“Well, that just ruined it. Unless you’re buddies with benefits. Tell me there are some benefits to being friends with a biker.”
“You’re a nut.”
“That’s why we’re friends.”
My doorbell rings. That’s odd. My last appointment was a while ago. “There’s someone at my door.”
“Okay, send me the details. I’ll be there to drool all over those hot bikers of yours and help you pick one. Wait, why isn’t Winnie all over that?”
