He’s quiet. I hold my breath.
“That’s too bad,” he finally says.
“Why?”
“I was hoping we could hang out one night. Do something fun.”
I briefly close my eyes and clench my jaw. “Sorry. I really wish I could, but I can’t. I promised Tatiana I’d always stay home in case she ever needs me for anything.”
Kieron thinks about this for a moment. “Well, then. Maybe I can visit you at your house…we can make it a Blockbuster night or something. They have great deals on the older movies,” he says with an impish grin.
He has me backed into a corner. With a sickened heart, I know my perfect time with Kieron is over. I’d have to be a colossal idiot not to recognize it, and I’m an even bigger one for ever thinking something could’ve happened between us the first place.
“I’m sorry…she doesn’t allow me to have any visitors,” I whisper.
Oh, how badly I want to freeze time…to stop the natural progression of our conversation which inevitably leads to him getting up and walking away, realizing he’s totally wasting his time with me…that I really am the weird, anti-social freak that everyone says I am. How stupid of me to think for even one second that things might be different with him. Stupid stupid stupid!
“Okay, then.”
“Okay, what?” I brace myself for his rejection.
“If the daytime is the only time I can see you and spend time with you, then daytime it is.”
He shifts closer to me. My heart threatens to leap from my chest. I lick my lips nervously and hold my breath, waiting…
Just as he leans in to me, his arm suddenly jerks and his head swivels, followed by the sound of his surprised laughter.
“Whoa, got a live one here.” He stands up and begins wrestling with his pole which is bending almost to the point of breaking.
I jump up and move over to avoid getting wet as Kieron steps into the water to wrestle his catch. As I take a step back, my foot hits a slick stone, and before I know it, my leg shoots out from under me. I scramble to regain my balance, but it’s too late. Splash! The freezing spray swims up my nostrils as I face plant in the cold water.
“Liora! Are you okay?” Kieron jams the end of his pole in a deep hole in the ground and hurries over to me.
No, I am so far from okay it’s not even funny. Kill me now before I die of humiliation!
I nod, wiping wet hair away from my face and spitting out the water. “I’m fine, just slipped. No big deal.” No. Not a big deal at all. I’m just sitting here looking like a giant jackass covered in algae is all. Don’t mind me.
“Are you sure?” he asks, concerned. He grabs both of my hands and helps me to my feet.
“I’m fine, just wet.” I look down at my soggy sweatshirt and jeans. Then I look at his beautiful, horrified face.
And then I start laughing.
Once I start I can’t stop, and soon Kieron is laughing, too. We laugh until tears run from our eyes, and I start to hiccup. I fetch a bottled water from the cooler and sip it while he turns his attention back to the river. Within a minute, he’s reeling in the giant trout.
He sets it down and eyes me appraisingly. “Stay here, I’ll be back in a jiff.”
Before I have a chance to ask him where he’s going, he sprints off in the direction we came from. I watch the fish flop beside me, still alive. Without thinking I toss it back in the water.
Kieron comes back a few minutes later, his arms laden with clothing. “What’s this?” I ask.
“A clean towel and some sweats for you to change into.”
I take the towel and blot my face and hair. He hands me a black and red hoodie and matching pants. “Ummm…” I laugh holding up the large sweatshirt.
“Yeah, they might be a bit big on you. But better than sitting around in wet jeans.”
He’s right about that. The cold denim is already molding to my thighs.
“Thanks,” I say, looking around for a place to change. I consider going behind the trees, but the ones closest to us are pretty spread apart and won’t provide me with much privacy. The denser patches are much farther away.
“It’s okay, you can change here,” Kieron says, noticing my dilemma. “I’ll turn my back and cover my face. A perfect gentleman, I promise.”
I hesitate only a brief moment before nodding. I don’t want to walk far in my sticky pants. And I’m feeling chilly. Kieron immediately turns his whole body away and, as promised, places his hands over his face. I wait a few more seconds to make sure he’s not going to peek. When I feel confident he won’t, I quickly remove my nappy sweatshirt. As I replace it with his large, soft one, I get a whiff of his musky scent. I feel warmer already.