It's All Relative(59)

He smiled brilliantly, relieved again. “Great.”

Jessie darted to her room to add some more layers and a jacket to her outfit. As she was slipping on the fluffy outwear, she heard Harmony lightly knocking on her open door. “Hey, you got a minute?” she asked.

Even as she slapped a smile on her face, Jessie tensed. Oddly, her very first thought with Harmony entering her room was, Shit, Kai’s alone with April now. She shook her head to forcefully remove the thought. Kai and April were going to be very alone when they started dating, and she would have to get used to it sooner or later. Trying to relax, Jessie asked, “Sure, what’s up?”

Harmony leaned against the door frame. She glanced down the hall to the living room and returned her attention to Jessie. “Everything okay with you?”

Jessie paused in zipping up her jacket. Oh God, had Harmony noticed something? Praying she hadn’t, Jessie smiled brighter. “Everything’s fine, Harm. Why?” She resisted the urge to cross her fingers as she waited for her friend’s answer.

Harmony narrowed her eyes at Jessie and then glanced back at Kai. Sighing, she swung her eyes into the room again. “Nothing, it’s just been weeks since…the breakup…and I like to check in with you every once in a while.” She gave Jessie a halfhearted smile, like she felt bad for bringing it up.

Jessie smiled in earnest. “I’m so over Jeremy, Harm. No worries there.” Walking over to her friend, she placed a hand on her arm. “Thank you though, for being concerned about me.”

Harmony rolled her eyes as they started walking back down the hall. “Of course I’m concerned about you. With all your family but Grams gone, it’s up to me to bug you about men.” She grinned and laughed.

Jessie laughed with her and stopped when she saw April and Kai talking. In a whisper, Jessie unintentionally added, “I’m not alone…Kai’s here.”

Kai twisted to look at her then, and Jessie beamed at him. He returned her grin, and even with the physical distance between them, Jessie felt the warmth in it. Harmony was silent for a moment then said, “Sure…but…you can’t date Kai. Maybe you should try and find your Ricardo.”

Harmony laughed as she said the fictitious name Jessie had told her, but the comment about Kai struck deep. Her face flushed, Jessie smacked Harmony’s arm. Little did Harmony know that Jessie actually had found her Ricardo…and Harmony was right, she couldn’t date him.

Ignoring the sadness in that fact, and Harmony bellyaching at being smacked, Jessie walked up to Kai. His eyes were curious; he’d seen her hit her friend. “Okay,” Jessie sighed dramatically, “I’m ready.”

Kai laughed at her put-out expression. “Let’s hit the road then.” His eyes twinkled playfully. It was astoundingly attractive, and Jessie felt her heart race for more reasons than just the fear of riding a motorcycle.

Ignoring the adrenaline surging, she groaned again. “We’re not literally going to hit the road, are we?” Her face scrunched in concern; she actually was nervous about that.

Sighing, Kai lightly grabbed her arm, just above her elbow. Jessie felt the heat of his touch through her padded jacket. “Would I let you down, Jessie?” His eyes searched her face, and Jessie could have sworn he wasn’t really talking about dumping her on his bike.

Gazing up at him, she shook her head. “No,” she whispered.

He smiled softly, and his hand drifted down her arm. His fingers passed over hers, and Jessie had to stop herself from grabbing his hand. As one, they both looked back at her roommates. “Have a good afternoon, ladies,” Kai said politely.

Harmony smiled brightly and told them to have fun. April pursed her lips and gave Kai a seductive smile. Walking right up to him, close enough that Jessie had to take a step back, she cupped Kai’s cheek. “See you Saturday night,” she said in a breathy voice.

It made Jessie ill that they’d made plans while she’d been getting ready. But what April did next shocked her. In an all too obvious maneuver, she leaned up to his mouth. She was going to kiss him, right in front of Jessie.

Kai’s eyes widened as she approached, but he didn’t pull away. Jessie wanted to do something, wanted to avert her eyes, but she couldn’t stop watching as her friend lightly pressed her lips to his, enclosing them in a soft kiss. Jessie knew that April was forward, but she kind of thought she’d at least hold out until their official first date before feeling comfortable enough to casually kiss him goodbye. Although it was really more of a peck than a full-on kiss. Even still, Kai’s eyes half-closed, and he seemed affected by it when she pulled away.

The spell broken, Jessie finally looked away. Needing air, she turned and strode out the front door. She could hear Kai murmur goodbye to her friends, before hurriedly following her out the door. Jessie felt the tears stinging, but she forced them back. He should be with April, they made sense together, and she shouldn’t be negatively affected by seeing them kiss. She couldn’t kiss Kai, and April could. And Kai deserved to be kissed, deserved to be loved. It was as simple as that.

But still…that didn’t mean she liked watching it.





Kai wasn’t sure what he was doing, showing up at Jessie’s place the day after they’d decided to go their separate ways, but not really. They’d never truly go separate ways, not with what they meant to each other. And not with the fact that they were family. That would never change. Even if the feelings brewing were hard and confusing, they would eventually fade, and the family ties would be all that remained.