Kieran watched him go. "That seems like a safety hazard."
I glanced over my shoulder. "The sweater?"
"The batteries. One spilled drink, and that guy becomes a seasonal cautionary tale."
The laugh escaped me before I could stop it. Kieran smiled, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
For someone who claimed to be tired of Christmas, he seemed to be having a pretty good time. The realization settled over me quietly. I liked seeing him like this.
Kieran turned back toward me, and for a moment neither of us spoke. The lights hanging above the bar caught in his eyes when he smiled.
My gaze dropped.
A faint smear of chocolate frosting lingered near his thumb. I nodded toward his hand. "You missed a spot."
His gaze followed mine. "Oh."
The tip of his tongue swept across his thumb before he looked back up. The movement lasted less than a second. For some reason, it felt a lot longer. The air between us seemed to shift.
Before either of us could say anything, Mara appeared carrying a tray with our food. “Here you go, guys.”
Kieran looked genuinely pleased. "You're my favorite person tonight."
Mara laughed. "That's what everybody says until I bring the bill."
The interruption broke some of the tension that had been building between us, but not all of it. Even after Mara walked away, I remained hyperaware of Kieran. Aware of his smile. Aware of his eyes. Aware of how easily conversation seemed to flow whenever he spoke.
The next hour passed more quickly than it should have.
We talked about everything and nothing. Seattle. Christmas. Terrible holiday movies. The strange things children said in classrooms. By the time Kieran finished his burger and finally admitted defeat against the last few fries, the bar had begun to change around us.
The loudest groups had already left. Several tables sat empty now. The office workers in Santa hats had disappeared sometime during our conversation, and the energy that had filled the room earlier had softened into something quieter. Even the music seemed less intrusive.
Mara stopped by one final time to collect empty plates. "You boys need anything else?" she asked.
Kieran glanced at me. I glanced at him. Neither of us answered.
Mara's mouth twitched. "That's what I thought."
She gathered the last of the dishes and moved on to another table..
I had spent the entire evening trying not to think about tomorrow. Trying not to think about the cameras. The questions. The headlines. For a few hours, Kieran had made that possible.
Across the table, Kieran’s gaze lifted to mine. Something shifted just enough for me to realize I wasn't ready to walk awayfrom this yet. Maybe he felt it too. Maybe that was why he didn't look away.
"You want to get out of here?" I asked quietly.
For a second, I thought he might say no. He knew exactly what I meant. I could see the understanding in his eyes. I could also see the hesitation. The brief moment where common sense reminded him that I was a stranger. That saying yes might be reckless.
Then he smiled. It wasn't the polite smile he'd given me when I first sat down. It wasn't the amused smile he'd worn while arguing about Christmas music.
This one felt quieter, more real.
"Yeah," he said.
Relief moved through me so quickly I almost laughed.
Neither of us was ready for the night to end.
