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“I’ll see you after then.”
Before he could leave, Kylie took his hand and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. His eyes widened in surprise, then she snickered and entered the shop.
He stood there a moment, his chest burning and his mind racing with what that kiss meant. Was it her way of saying that she was okay letting people know about them? She wouldn’t do that if she was still planning on leaving would she?
“Excuse me, young man,” said an older woman who was standing behind him. She had a sly smirk on her lips and her arm through the arm of an older gentleman wearing a sweater vest and a flat cap.
Derek backed out of the way and held the door open for them.
“Come along, Forrest,” the woman said tugging the man’s arm.
As the gentleman passed, he gave Derek an elbow nudge and a wink. Being caught in such an intimate, and confusing, moment, he stammered an apology and let the door swing shut.
~ * ~
At supper time, Derek, Cate, Adam, and Charlie were all around the kitchen table enjoying roast chicken, vegetables, and french fries shaped like smiley faces as per Charlie’s request. It didn’t take long for Cate to bring up the topic of Kylie.
“So big brother,” she spooned vegetables onto her plate, “are you going to be careful with Kylie?”
Derek sighed. “Cate, I already know what you’re going to say, so you don’t have to.”
“Are we talking about Derek avoiding Kylie because she’s leaving again, and he’ll get his heart broken?” Adam said.
“Apparently.” Derek groaned.
“Honestly, I think it’s great,” Adam said.
“Oh really?” Cate raised an eyebrow at him.
“Yeah.” At least he had the wits to appear sheepish. “I haven’t seen Derek this happy in years. Let the man have a little fun.”
Derek coughed.
She stopped eating to look him dead in the eyes. “Are you happy, big brother?”
“Yes, I think so,” he said. “I’m not going into this with my eyes closed. I know she’s not planning on sticking around, at least, she’s probably not.”
“Who are we talking about?” asked Charlie, who’d stopped making his chicken and potato faces talk to each other. He had ketchup ringing his mouth, and Cate leaned toward him with a napkin at the ready.
“We’re talking about Uncle Derek’s friend Kylie,” Cate said.
“She’s nice,” Charlie said. “She likes dinosaurs.” And he popped a smiley face into his mouth as if his statement settled the argument.
“If you’re in this, Derek, then I support you,” Cate said.
“Really?”
“Well, you have been less grumpy lately.”
“Thanks so much. Your support is overwhelming.” He rolled his eyes.
“But as far as we know,” Adam said, “she is still planning on leaving, right?”
“Yeah,” Derek said. “She is.”
