Sparks Reignited

24 | Misfortunes & Fortunes

A sweet-throb Kyle isn't what I'm expecting on our first date.

On a late Sunday morning, he surprises me by showing up at my doorstep. Carrying a box of Krispy Kreme donuts and a flower box in each hand. With a charming smile on his face, he hands them over to Aunt Abbie, who has opened the door for him. I clamber down the stairs, watching as she reels in shock.

"Kyle!" she exclaims. "It has been a long time, hasn't it? How have you been?"

He grins at her, looking more comfortable than I would ever have imagined. But then again, I doubt that this is his first time at Aunt Abbie's house.

"Never been better," is all he says.

She takes his gifts and sets them aside before throwing her arms around him to give him a hug. "Gosh, how do boys grow up so fast? You're so tall now. And dashing too! How's Lily faring?"

"Mom's doing great." He inclines his head towards the bloom box, where the flowers blossom in a burst of colors; a combination of sweet pink avalanche stalks of carnations, roses and baby breath. "She arranged those for you."

Aunt Abbie gushes over them. "Tell her they are beautiful. She really has a knack for this handiwork. She should open her own shop."

"Oh, she did. In fact, these came fresh from her shop."

"Really?! Where is it? I will drop by her shop when I'm free to thank her in person."

She ushers him into our living room. When he notices me lingering on the stairs, he stops. His expression softens and a gentle smile curls at the tips of his mouth.

"Hey."

I feel my cheeks warm. "Hey," I say bashfully. "You're early."

A curl of hair falls over his forehead as he tilts his head at me, amused. "For this, do I get to earn some brownie points?"

I bite my bottom lip, barely suppressing a smile. "But you didn't get me any gifts."

He cracks a smile. "I got you something better."

"Really?" I peek behind him, but his hands are empty. "Where is it?"

"You'll see it later."

We share a brief silence. It isn't awkward. There's an undeniable pull in the space between us, pulsing and electrifying.

Kyle closes the distance between us slowly until we are barely a few inches apart. With a questioning look, he studies my appearance and I completely forget how bad I look right now. My hair strands are sticking out all over the place, but thankfully, I've already changed from my sleepwear into something more presentable—a denim jumpsuit. It isn't a super cute outfit, but since my jitters aren't going away soon, I've opted for a comfy look instead.

He lifts a hand to my already mussed hair, giving it a light tousle and turning into a far worse state.

"Hey!" I back away and clutch at my hair protectively. "Hands off!"

He grins humorously. "Nice hair."

Embarrassed, I try to comb through the strands with my fingers, hoping it'll somehow fix the mess. But I doubt it works. "Juds did it," I sigh. "The second I came out of my bedroom, she tackled me."

Curious, he searches behind me. "Well, where is she now?"

We glance up at the top of the stairs, spotting a small shadow peeking through the gaps of the railing. As soon as Judy notices us staring, she turns and runs back to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Sorry," I say. "She gets all scared whenever we have men in the house, especially those she hasn't seen before."

He shrugs in understanding. "I don't blame her. The last time I saw her, she was four. I doubt she remembers me."