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I park out front of Kiara’s house and run up to her front door. She opens it at the same time as I reach it. She looks gorgeous in a black jacket and a pair of jeans. The tank she wears underneath hugs her petite figure, highlighting her curves. Her hair is swept back into a loose ponytail, and as I edge closer to her, I can almost smell the sweet fragrance of her shampoo. My heart races as she wets her lips, spreading them into a smile.
“Thanks for coming,” she says. She moves to the side, letting me past, and then closes the door behind her. “Did you call your brother?” she asks.
“I did, and he's more than happy to speak to you.”
She sits down on the sofa, her expression relieved as she rubs her forehead and sighs. “God, I'm so worried, Max. I'm so scared of losing her.”
I sit down next to her and reach for her hand. “You're not going to lose her, I promise.”
She offers me a small smile and glances at my hand over hers. I don't pull away and neither does she. It’s a small gesture that tells me so much.
“You can call Will now if you like. It'll make you feel better getting some actual legal advice from someone who knows about this shit.” I hand her the piece of paper with his details on it.
“Thanks.” She smiles.
I nod and pat her thigh. “I'll make coffee.”
I navigate my way around her kitchen and eventually come up with two mugs of coffee, impressed at my ability to remember how she takes her coffee. I walk back into the living room and see that she's on the phone. Quietly, I place a mug in front of her on the coffee table and take one of the armchairs beside the sofa.
They continue to talk for another ten minutes or so, and then she thanks him and hangs up. She picks up the cup and takes a sip, her shoulders relaxing.
“What did he say?” I ask. Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on my knees.
“That they don't have much of a case, and that
realistically I don't have much to worry about. He’s also emailing me the names of some people here who might be to help me.”
“That's great. Feel better?” I ask
“Much.” She grins. She reaches forward, taking her cup and bringing it to her lips. “Sorry to drag you all the way over here. You could’ve just texted his number to me.”
I shrug, a smile twitching on my lips. “True, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. I can go, if you like,” I say, unsure if that’s what she’s hinting at.
“No,” she says, answering the question a little too quickly. Her face reddens and her gaze drops. “Stay. I was going to order some Chinese, if you want some? I mean, it is your favorite.” She gives me a smile and I laugh, impressed that she remembered that from our first date.
“Sounds good.” I grin, finding her embarrassment cute. Though I don’t want to admit it, I love that she wants me around. “Do you have a place in mind?”
“Jimmy Chow’s does some pretty nice takeout. And they deliver.”
“Okay,” I say, pulling out my phone. I navigate to the website, and between the two of us we order online.
“You’re so high tech,” she teases. “I usually just call up.”
“I’m a guy.” I chuckle. “I avoid the phone wherever possible. So how are you feeling?” I ask, eyeing her intently. “I mean really.”
She shrugs, but manages a smile. Lifting her legs under her on the sofa, she pushes the hair away from her eyes. I resist the urge to reach out and comfort her.
“I’m nervous about this whole thing. Every time I think about it my stomach twists into knots.”
“I’m not going to tell you not to think about it, because that’s just not going to happen.” I pause for a second. “But what I will tell you is try to focus on the reasons why they’ll never go for it. Putting together a motion to sue someone means nothing these days. People sue for anything, and I’m telling you, the huge majority of those cases are rejected because they have no grounds.”
“I know that, but even if there’s a tiny chance Heather could win, I’m going to focus on that. It’s who I am.” She lets out a laugh.
“I don’t believe that,” I reply, challenging her. “I’d go so far as to say you’re the opposite of that. All you’ve been through and you still manage to put on a happy face and get through each day.”
“Maybe, but there’s a big difference between putting on a mask and actually feeling happy,” she says with a sad smile.
“But you still do it,” I persist. “Do you know how long it took me to accept Tommy was gone?” I let out a laugh. “God, I didn’t leave my room for weeks. Then I rebelled against everyone, including my parents, because the world sucked.”
