After Naomi had a quick nap in his arms, where Kieran couldn't help but stroke her hair and back, he gently woke her up. She yawned with an adorable mewl, and as she observed her surroundings, her eyes widened.
"Did I fall asleep?"
"Just for twenty minutes."
She wiped her eyes. "Why'd you let me do that?"
"Your friends mentioned you're the Energizer bunny, and I thought you might need a recharge," he teased.
She sat up and shook her head. "Those jerks."
"I think it's cute, and that you're cute. You whimper in your sleep like a little puppy."
Her cheeks reddened, and he laughed. A quiet pause settled in as the indie playlist's acoustic guitar drifted in.
She looked down at her t-shirt and smiled. "Thank you for earlier. It meant a lot."
"That? It was nothing. I'm glad you're happier."
Her sad stare didn't leave him. "It wasn't nothing to me. "
"I mean it wasn't a big deal. It happens. While I like that you want to try this, I want you to feel comfortable and tell me as soon as you're not."
"I was excited about surprising you by wearing that and a normal amount of nervous when we came here, but it changed."
That was reassuring she hadn't forced the whole encounter.
"You're busy hosting a party, checking on people, whisking your handsome boyfriend around," he teased with a laugh. "It's a lot to juggle, or we might not be in that comfort zone, and that's cool too."
She snuggled against him. "Have I mentioned you're the best and I adore you?"
"My ego can handle hearing it a few times."
She kissed him softly, and he didn't dare move his hands or push her further. It was a sweet, tentative kiss. When she pulled away, her chestnut-hued gaze was filled with tender emotion. If anything their bond was stronger now that she'd opened up about her discomfort. His heartbeat echoed in his ears.
Voices carried in from outside the door. He'd already pulled her away from the party for almost half an hour.
"We should get back," he said. "I'll check on Jake, and I imagine your friends miss you."
"I'll change and find you in a few?"
He nodded and embraced her before he left. She clung to him like he was leaving for a year-long trip, and he returned the gesture with as much intensity even though he couldn't imagine ever being separated that long.
As he stepped into the hall, a guy who resembled Naomi's outspoken baseball friend pressed a blonde woman in a long dress into the wall, kissing down her neck.
Was that... "Brinny?"
She giggled, and their gazes met for an awkward moment before she focused on whatshisface.
"Looks like we're both having a good night." She laughed.
"Are you... is this... what?"
Had something happened between her and Cole? Brinny never hooked up with men she just met. She would get herself hurt. Or was she hammered, and this guy was taking advantage?
"Brin?"
The look she shot him was anything but a boozy haze. She seemed determined and happy. "I'll find you later, Kieran."
He took the hint when she returned to kissing that man.
Was this his fault? Would she be okay? She was a grown woman and not inebriated, so he continued on.
In the kitchen, Naomi's other guy friend Marc searched through the fridge. Kieran should have checked on Jake, but talking to this guy solo may be helpful. Her words in the basement about her ex had stuck with Kieran. Plus, Austin was around to entertain Jake.
"Hey, it's Marc, right?"
The dark-haired man grabbed a beer and shut the refrigerator door. "Yeah, enjoying the party?"
"Yeah, an improvement on the last one."
Marc chuckled. "Definitely. Naomi and Shivanna are much better hosts, and their electricity works consistently."
They both chuckled and stood in that awkward space of silence, not knowing whether to stay or leave. Kieran glanced down the hall. Naomi hadn't left her room yet.
"Can I ask you a question about Naomi?"
Marc opened his beer and nodded.
"She hasn't told her ex about us yet, and we've been dating for over three weeks now. Should I worry about that?"
Marc looked around the room before his gaze returned to Kieran. "If she hasn't told him, it's a good thing. If she was using you to make him jealous, she'd say something. It seems like she wants to protect your relationship."
"Protect? Should I be worried?"
Marc was silent for a troubling moment. "He's not the same person he was when we were kids. None of us are, but he's more selfish, and oblivious or unsympathetic to the consequences. When we call him on it, he course-corrects, but if we don't..."
"What does that mean?"
"He may not take the news well. You seem like a nice person, and you make Naomi happy, so I'm hoping it works out. If she doesn't want to tell him, I wouldn't push her. Trust her instincts."
"Good to know. And is that your buddy playing tonsil hockey with my friend over there?"
Marc craned his neck and laughed to himself. "Shit, something finally went Ian's way."
"Will he take advantage of her?"
Marc shook his head. "No, he's decent, weird, often arrogant, but... decent."
"Cool."
"You're the game night guy, right?" After Kieran nodded, Marc added. "Good, I could tell she was excited about someone for a while, and I'm glad you've stuck around."
"Thanks." A beat of silence passed between them. "So what do you do for work?"
Marc leaned against the kitchen island. "I'm a high school social studies and history teacher."
His black hair and young face were different from the gray hair and wrinkles of Kieran's history teacher. But it would be good for kids to have a fresher perspective.
"Nice, at a different school than Shivanna?"
"Yeah, same division though. It's how I met my girlfriend when I helped coach the basketball team."
"Is she a teacher too?"
Marc finished sipping his beer. "No, she does support work at a few community organizations in high-needs neighbourhoods."
"Cool."
"Yeah, she's a better person than me, that's for sure. But keeping up with her pushes me to do better, so I can't complain."
Marc looked out the window to where she sat with his friends, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. Felicity was there chatting too.
"Naomi does the same to me."
Kieran was more compassionate, attentive, and kind around her. His relationship with Jake had improved in the past months, and he connected more easily with just about everyone.
"That's how you know it's real."
"As opposed to that?" Kieran nodded toward where Brinny and Ian still were.
Marc chuckled. "Ian's... he's intense, but it's because he gives 120% to everything he does. He's all in for softball even if it's a beer league, he's hyper-focused for school to the point we never hear from him, and he tries hard with women, though it rarely works out for him."
A twinge of sympathy echoed in Kieran's chest. He had been there often, and on days like this, he struggled to believe he wasn't dreaming.
Marc eyed the corner of the living room. "Is Nomi playing music off that old record player console?"
"Yeah, I rigged it up to Bluetooth for her until she and Shivanna get more records. I'm fifty percent sure they bought it more as a shelf and table than a record player, but it has decent speakers and should play music."
"It hooks up to your phone? I think she's looped this playlist already."
Kieran grabbed Naomi's device off the top of the fridge. Her background was set to a photo of them from their first date, grinning in front of the train car at the restaurant. While he couldn't see much of her red dress, he could still remember how it took his breath away and how much he enjoyed talking to and flirting with her. He opened up Spotify and handed Marc the phone to pick a new playlist since the Bluetooth device was temperamental and didn't love connecting to multiple devices.
Soon drumbeats and a man's low singing voice filled the space. Marc's gaze shot to the backyard, where Nimkii's head turned toward the house. As they smiled at each other, she rose and joined them inside. Her long, brown skirt swayed as she approached.
"I thought you were grabbing a quick drink." Her hand rested on her hip.
Instead of answering, he took her hand, spun her around then guided her effortlessly into the living room in a swift dance-walk motion. The lyrics portrayed the end of a romance rather than the beginning, but they danced with joy that counteracted the words. Kieran supposed whether love was blossoming or fading, it was still love.
Naomi strolled down the hall and cocked her head when she saw him. "Where's Jake?"
Kieran shrugged and held out his hand as Marc had. She raised an eyebrow.
"Dance with me?" he asked.
She bit her lip and glanced at Marc and Nimkii, who moved with passion and skill. "I'm not any good."
"By dance, I mean let me hold and rock you to the beat. That's my skill level too."
"Sure."
When she approached, he put one hand on her upper back, and the other held hers. The tempo was too quick for their failed slow dance-inspired movements, so he took her other hand, and they swayed their arms around partially to the beat, laughing together at their incoordination. He released one hand so she could spin. After her giddy twirl, she landed in his arms, beaming, and he kissed the top of her head.
"I'm so happy we met," he whispered in her ear. "I love days like this with you."
He loved so many things about her and their connection, but it was still early and he didn't want to put pressure on her to say it back.
She squeezed him in a tight embrace, and from the hitch in her breath, he sensed today meant as much to her as it did to him.
On Wednesday, Naomi and Shivanna will reflect on the party and have a few truths to share.
This is the song they are dancing to. It's 'Somebody Else' by Aysanabee (who has a fantastic collection of music worth checking out).