Chapter 4 #2
“Help yourself if you want any,” she said to Keira, pointing at the onion rings with her fork.
“Thanks,” Keira smiled, then took another bite of her burger. For someone who supposedly had a big lunch, she was sure putting her meal away like she hadn’t eaten in days.
Sienna, who sat diagonally across from Amelia, took the opportunity the break in conversation afforded and started grilling Amelia on her basketball career.
Amelia, remembering being eighteen with a world of possibilities in front of her, humoured the teenager.
Amelia absentmindedly reached for an onion ring, but her fingers found Keira’s hand instead of crispy batter.
The jolt of electricity she experienced wasn’t subtle this time.
“Oh, sorry!” She quickly retracted her hand.
“Don’t be sorry, they’re your onion rings.” Keira pushed the bowl towards her. Amelia blushed and took a piece, willing Sienna to ask her another question. But Sienna had moved on, now grilling Sofia, leaving Amelia stuck, silence hanging in the air between her and Keira.
The restaurant table was full of empty dessert plates and glasses, and the conversation had quietened with sleepy, satiated satisfaction.
Coach Grant, with a “don’t get used to this!
” caveat attached, paid the bill on her way out.
The rest of the team departed slowly, except for Keira.
She bolted from the table, seemingly desperate to leave.
Amelia followed her, quickly navigating around a few pulled out chairs and other diners, jogging a few steps to catch up.
“Hey, I’m glad you made it,” she said, feeling awkward as she stalled Keira’s escape.
“Hah, yeah, just about.” Keira scratched the back of her head. “I, err, do have to get back now, though.” Her gaze lingered on Amelia for a moment, then she turned to go.
“Where are you parked?” Amelia asked quickly, not wanting the connection to end.
“Oh, I, er, I walked.”
“Are you local?”
“Something like that.” Keira’s smile was wry.
“I’m parked in the multi-story a couple of streets over. I could give you a lift home, if you like?”
When that stopped Keira in her tracks, hand already on the door handle, Amelia doubled down.
“Look, it’s getting dark, and honestly, you’d be doing me a favour. I’d just worry otherwise.”
Keira hesitated before responding. Amelia held her breath.
“Okay. Thanks” Keira smiled as she opened the front door of the restaurant and waved Amelia through in front of her. “Lead the way.”
People filled the street, some looked to be letting off steam after a long week, chatting with friends. Others walked with purpose, heads down, work uniforms visible in the dim light. The warm lighting from the businesses that lined the street spilled onto the pavement, painting it amber.
“I’m this way,” Amelia said, indicating to the right. Keira quickly fell into step beside her. Amelia swore she sensed Keira’s gaze lingering on her more than once.
“So, uh, how’re you finding being back?” Amelia asked, breaking the silence.
“Hmm?”
“In Wales. You’ve just got back from America, right?”
“Right. Yeah, it’s good.” Keira responded, eyes still forward.
They lapsed into silence again. Amelia wondered if she’d imagined the electricity of their hands touching.
What am I doing?
Amelia swallowed down her embarrassment. She’d kept a seat empty next to her. She’d practically stalked Keira out of the restaurant. All for a feeling that she was certain was one-sided, and equally certain would be a terrible idea to act on if it wasn’t.
A group of young men burst out of the kebab shop on their right, and warm hands suddenly enveloped Amelia’s shoulders and moved her out of their path; the men would have tumbled straight into her.
Their gazes locked, and suddenly, the rest of the street melted away.
The grip that had moved her out of harm’s way became gentle, and Amelia had the irrational urge to lean into it.
“Are you okay?” Keira asked softly.
“Yeah, thanks.” Amelia laughed, still not breaking eye contact. “The perils of going out on a Friday night.”
“At least I kept you upright this time.” Keira smirked, eyebrow raised.
Amelia swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. For a few moments, it was just the two of them, standing under the night sky.
The rest of the world tumbled back in when Keira removed her hands.
Amelia missed their warmth immediately. Keira cleared her throat.
Amelia mentally shook herself before continuing to lead them down the street, fighting to keep a smile off her face.
It didn’t take them long to reach Amelia’s car, and she suddenly wished she had taken it to get cleaned before coming this evening.
Her work bag had spilled on the drive over, and clothing, an odd sock, and a rogue cereal bar sat on the back seat.
Amelia was half tempted to wipe away the non-existent dirt on the passenger seat before Keira sat down.
The confines of the car immediately reminded her of their intimate proximity in Coach Grant’s office.
This might be a long journey.
She clicked her seatbelt into place, started the engine, and opened the maps on her display.
“Where are we going?”
“If you could drop me by Howard Gardens, that’d be great.”
Amelia nodded, set the destination, and then set off.
Most of the cars on the road were the plethora of taxis ferrying people into the city centre to start their weekend.
Amelia stopped at a set of traffic lights and used the opportunity to glance at her passenger.
The way the streetlights illuminated Keira’s face gave her profile a slight glow, and accentuated the curve of her lips.
Keira stared pensively out of the passenger window, elbow on the door and chin resting in her hand, seemingly in a world of her own.
When the lights changed, Amelia continued driving, still stealing glances when she could.
“So, you’re a doctor, huh? What made you want to do medicine?”
Amelia jumped, realising Keira was looking right at her.
“It kind of runs in the family,” Amelia said wryly. “But mainly, I want to help people. Children, specifically. I work in paediatrics.”
“Wow. A nice, low-pressure job then?” Keira laughed.
“Definitely. What about you? What else do you do, besides basketball?”
“Just basketball,” Keira said quietly. “I’ve not been back long enough to find another job, so…” She mentally kicked herself.
“Sorry, of course. I didn’t think.”
That explains a lot.
Amelia knew how much she was getting paid to play basketball, and that it wasn’t enough to live off.
“It’s okay. I majored in marketing and communications, so I’m hoping to find a job in that field.”
They lapsed again into silence. Amelia thrummed her fingers on the steering wheel, wondering if it would be rude to turn on the radio to fill the quiet.
She needed something to distract her from Keira’s proximity, and the way she’d looked at her when their eyes met.
She really hadn’t thought this far ahead when she chased Keira down in the restaurant.
I’m just being a good captain.
They pulled up to another set of traffic lights as it started to rain. The heavy drops tapped the windshield for a few seconds, then became a deluge. On the pavement, coolly clothed partygoers were suddenly scrambling as the warm summer rain soaked everything in sight.
“I’m definitely glad of the lift now.” Keira chuckled, her gaze on the pedestrians scattering into nearby shops like startled cats.
“That’s Welsh weather for you.”
They talked about the upcoming basketball season and how Keira found playing in America for the remainder of the drive.
Basketball felt like a safe topic. It was, technically, a professional topic, now they were a professional team.
And yet, as they approached Howard Gardens, Amelia wanted to keep driving. And talking.
“Which house is yours?” she asked, scanning around. Relaxed, chatty Keira disappeared, and tense Keira returned.
“You can just drop me here, thanks. If my dad sees you, he’ll insist on inviting you in, and it’ll be a whole thing.”
Amelia thought about arguing, but something in the tone of Keira’s voice made her decide against it, and she parked the car instead.
“Thanks again for the lift,” Keira said, undoing her seatbelt and climbing out of the car.
“No problem.” Amelia smiled, and Keira shut the door.
She watched her walk away in her wing mirror, until Keira had rounded a corner and gone out of sight.
It took Amelia a few seconds to snap out of her daze and start driving again.
A warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with the heated seats.
She tried not to think about what it meant.
Maybe Lucy is right. You just need to get laid. But when would she have time for that? She barely had time to see her friends. Amelia turned onto the main road and headed home. Her mind drifted to the small vibrator she kept in her bedside drawer. That would have to do.