As he walks away, a small kernel of guilt settles in my chest.
Even as everything I just said hangs in the air, I get the feeling that keeping my promise isn’t going to be nearly as easy as I assume.
15
Kia
My phone buzzes as I put away the last of my clothes, toiletries, and random odds and ends I picked up from Oliver’s place this morning.
Lilah:
Anyone up for meeting at the bakery? I need tea and a cookie to get me through the day.
Callie:
Is that even a question? Come on by!
Sloane:
I hope by tea, you mean some juicy gossip.
I stare at the screen a second longer than necessary, wondering if I’m included in the invitation or if they forgot I was added to the thread. Just when I think about slipping the phone back into my pocket and ignoring it, another text pops up.
Rina:
Kia, are you in?
That’s all it takes for my muscles to loosen.
These women don’t invite out of obligation or politeness. When they include you, it’s because they genuinely want you there. There’s no posturing, quiet competitions, or invisible scores being kept. They show up for one another in ways that are effortless and sincere.
The feeling tugs at an old memory, reminding me why I quit hockey in middle school. At that age, girls can be cruel. Doing something different was enough to make you stand out, and standing out made you a target. It was easier to step away than to keep bracing for the next comment, the next look, the next reminder that I didn’t quite fit in where I was expected.
This warmth and easy acceptance feels so foreign. Maybe that’s why it sinks in so deep, loosening parts of me I didn’t realize had been wound tight.
I text back before I can second-guess myself.
Me:
I’ll stop by, but I need to grab Elody from school at one.
Rina hearts the message and Sloane sends five cookie emojis.
A reluctant smile tugs at my lips as I grab my jacket and head for the elevator. Even though Laiken mentioned having full use of his vehicle, I still feel obligated to shoot him a text. I don’t want to assume anything.
Me:
Do you mind if I use your SUV to meet Rina at Lakeshore Sweets?
A reply pops up almost immediately.
Laiken:
No problem. And you don’t have to ask. That’s what it’s there for. Consider it a perk of the job.
Me:
There are perks?
