10. Kiera #2
Impulsivity overtook Kiera again and she tugged on the apron strings, undoing the bow that Hunter had made at her waist. The apron fell around her feet and Kiera could feel her pulse pounding in her ears by now.
Hunter was undeniably attractive and Kiera didn’t think she was making up the chemistry that she felt whenever they found themselves alone in a room, however briefly.
This moment felt a lot like the one she’d chosen to tell Lauren how she felt. Except this time, there was no alcohol to cloud Kiera’s judgment and no little voice in the back of her mind trying to tell her it was a terrible idea.
If anything, that voice was suddenly singing, go for it.
But why?
No one had ever had such an immediate effect on Kiera before – not even Lauren, who she’d fallen for slowly over the course of their first semester. But Hunter blew into her life and wiped Lauren off the map so fast it scared her.
Kiera was the first to look away. She picked the apron up from the floor and set it on the island, then grabbed the bowl of pasta and said, “Shall we eat?”
“Yeah,” Hunter said. She picked up the tray of garlic bread and followed Kiera back into the dining room, where Nana was waiting patiently.
Kiera sat beside her grandmother and Hunter took a seat across from them.
Nana had nice things to say about all of the food and Hunter complimented her sauce recipe, meanwhile Kiera was having a hard time focusing on the food.
Every time she was in a room with Hunter, she could hardly keep her eyes off her, and this was the first opportunity Kiera had to actually spend a little time with her and get to know more about her.
She wanted to make the most of it, because who knew when it would happen again?
"So you went to nursing school," she said while they ate. "Would you tell us about it?"
"Well, I didn't go for long," Hunter said. "I took my general education courses and was just starting the nursing classes when Piper called and told me that she needed help with the boys. I dropped out in the middle of the semester to move in with them.”
"It was really selfless of you to give up your own career for your sister and nephews," Kiera said. “Do you think you’ll go back at some point?”
“That’s the dream,” Hunter said, then she shrugged. “It doesn’t really seem like it’s in the cards any time soon, but maybe someday. Anyway, I don’t think I’m selfless, or that I did anything special. I’m sure you can relate – family comes first.”
She nodded to Nana and Kiera felt a brief stab of guilt.
Neither of them knew the real reason why Kiera moved in.
She couldn’t tell Nana what happened with Lauren and she certainly didn’t want to talk about it with Hunter, so she was letting everyone believe that her actions were nobler than they really were.
Kiera was just trying to formulate a response that would deflect some of that unearned praise when Hunter saved her by changing the subject. She twirled some spaghetti onto her fork and asked, “What about your dreams? What’s next for you after graduation?”
“That’s a few months away, fortunately,” Kiera pointed out, “but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the grant I applied for will come through and I’ll be able to work full-time at the teen center.
You should bring Josh and Andrew by sometime – we do a lot of after-school and weekend activities, and I bet they would like it. ”
Hunter asked her questions about the teen center and what she did there – a subject Kiera never tired of.
Then they spent the rest of the meal bouncing around through various topics - everything from their career aspirations to the best recipe cards in Nana’s collection.
Then at last, Nana pushed her chair away from the table and smiled graciously at Hunter.
“That was delicious,” she said. “You did my recipe proud. Now let me clean up.”
“No, Abby,” Hunter objected, “I’ll take care of it.”
“Why don’t you go work on the cap you’re knitting for my mom?” Kiera suggested. “I know she’s jealous of mine and she’s eager for you to finish.”
“Are you sure?” Nana asked. “I’m not too old to wash a dish.”
“Yes,” Hunter said, standing to help Nana out of her chair. “I’ll clean up. You relax.”
She escorted Nana down the hall to the den, and while they were gone Kiera started clearing the table. When Hunter reappeared in the doorway, she immediately objected, saying, “I told you I’d clean up.”
“No,” Kiera argued, waving her away. “You did all the cooking. I’ll take it from here.”
“I’m happy to help,” Hunter said.
“You should go home,” Kiera said, although she didn’t actually want Hunter to leave. She just couldn’t think of any good reasons why she should stay so long past the end of her shift. “Get some rest. Spend time with your family.”
“I will,” Hunter said, then smiled and added, “later. For now, I’m going to tend to the sauce splatters I left all around the cooktop. I would feel bad if I didn't clean that up, and I won't take any arguments."
“Okay,” Kiera said with a shrug, letting Hunter help her stack the empty plates. She acted put out by this offer to help, but something tingly was blooming in her core - something optimistic. She was excited for Hunter to stay a little longer with her.
She picked up the spaghetti bowl and followed Hunter into the kitchen. While Kiera transferred the leftover spaghetti into a storage container, Hunter asked, “So how was the food, really?”
“It was delicious,” Kiera said, a little surprised by Hunter’s uncertainty.
“Are you sure?” Hunter asked.
“Yes,” Kiera said, laughing at her. “It was good.”
She put the leftovers in the refrigerator while Hunter went back into the dining room to retrieve the empty garlic bread platter, then they worked together to wipe down the cooktop and load everything into the dishwasher.
It was a one-person job that they managed to split up, standing close to each other in front of the sink.
Hunter rinsed each plate, then handed it to Kiera to load into the dishwasher behind her.
Their shoulders were practically touching in the middle of the enormous kitchen and Kiera’s fingers grazed Hunter’s a few times as she took dishes from her.
They worked in silence for a minute or two, Kiera listening to the news droning in the den and the sound of her own pulse in her ears.
Then Hunter asked, “So you seem like the type who likes to be busy. Classes, sorority, volunteer work… is there a boyfriend?”
Kiera’s heart leaped into her throat as any and all doubt disappeared about whether Hunter reciprocated the unexpected and intense attraction she was feeling. She smiled but didn’t look at Hunter as she dropped a fork into the utensil basket in the dishwasher.
“No,” she said. “No boyfriend.”
Hunter paused for a second or two, long enough for Kiera’s confidence to falter, then she asked, “Girlfriend?”
"No," Kiera said, finally looking Hunter in the eyes. They both forgot about the running water, the silverware in Hunter’s hand, and the sound of the television in the distance. Kiera’s voice was hardly more than a breath as she said, “There was a girl, but I’m beginning to think it was just infatuation. What about you?”
“No girlfriend,” Hunter said. “Not for a long time.”
She licked her lips subconsciously and Kiera tried not to smile.
Hunter held out another fork and Kiera took it, intentionally wrapping her hand around Hunter’s this time.
Her heart was racing and the air around them felt hot, and then Kiera leaned forward before she could talk herself out of yet another impulsive move.
She closed her eyes, praying that Hunter was doing the same, and then their lips met.
Everything stopped – the running water, the news show in the den, even the feeling of her feet on the ground. All Kiera was aware of were her lips pressed against Hunter’s, their fingers entwined, a faint taste of garlic on Hunter’s breath that she didn’t mind in the least.
And then from the den, Nana called, “Kiera, dear, could you bring me a cup of tea?”
The moment was over.
Kiera pulled away and let out a nervous little laugh, then looked at Hunter. She was smiling – thank the heavens, she was smiling. Then Kiera turned away, flipping on the electric kettle and calling, “Be right there, Nana!”
She smiled again at Hunter. She couldn’t seem to wipe the smile from her lips if she tried.
The water boiled in the kettle and Hunter finished loading the last few items into the dishwasher, then turned it on.
She looked at Kiera as if she might rush over and kiss her again, and Kiera tried to tell her with her eyes that was exactly what she wanted.
It didn’t work – they both stood in a bashful, awkward silence until the kettle started steaming and Kiera turned to retrieve a mug and a tea bag from the cupboard. Then Hunter said, “I should go. Thanks for inviting me to stay for dinner.”
“Any time,” Kiera said. Their eyes locked again as Hunter walked toward her. She didn’t kiss Kiera again, but her hand brushed ever so lightly across the small of her back as she passed, then disappeared into the hallway.