Kiera's Moon

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

Kiera settled at an uncomfortable angle, the sandpapery red roofing snagging her polyester disco clothing and preventing her from sliding over the nearby edge of the three-story row house. A warm, late spring breeze held just a dash of chill, which was kept at bay by the internal warmth of the three margaritas she’d downed less than an hour before. Evelyn, her best friend and landlord, shifted beside her before waving a manicured hand at the clear night above them and asking,

“Ever wonder what’s out there?”

“Sure. I think everyone does,” Kiera answered.

“Do you think people reeeeeeally want to know?”

“That’s pretty philosophical for a blonde.”

“You’re so wroooong!”

Kiera giggled. The dinner party Evelyn threw to celebrate Kiera’s first commissioned piece of art had been a success, as was expected. The bombshell blonde always threw good dinner parties with fun themes; this theme had been Disco Night, complete with lava lamps, disco ball, tacky ‘70s music that still jammed out the open windows, and costumes for those who chose to wear them. They’d gone shopping at the local Goodwill for their polyester outfits.

“Well, do you?” Evelyn whispered.

Kiera’s thoughts, warm and fuzzy after too much of Evelyn’s special punch, drifted as she gazed into the quiet night sky.

 “Do I what?” she asked.

“Think people really want to know what’s out there?”

“Probably not. People don’t know what they want, Evelyn, or life wouldn’t suck.”

“It doesn’t really suck,” Evelyn sang in such a happy voice that Kiera rolled her eyes.

“Not for you! You haven’t been home in, like, three months, and when you’re here, it’s all Rum-ass this, Rum-ass that,” she complained.

“Romas!” Evelyn corrected with another giggle. “Stop calling him that!”

“Whatever.”

“You’re so bitter!” Evelyn’s giggle turned into outright laughter.

“Don’t laugh at me!” Kiera managed a hurt tone and rolled on her side to frown at her blurry best friend of fifteen years. “Why are you laughing at me?”

Evelyn didn’t stop for a full minute. She wiped her eyes and drew a shuddering breath.

“You’re so cute, and so funny, Kiera,” she sighed, and giggled again.

“Puppies are cute. I’m fierce!”

“Yeah!” Evelyn snorted. “Romas says you’re as fierce as a kitten.”

“A kitten?” Kiera’s tone grew more hurt. “I’m not afraid of him, just because he’s twelve feet tall and can bench press me with his toes. It’s not nice of him to say that.”

“It’s nicer than your nickname for him,” Evelyn pointed out. “He wants to hook you up with his brother, by the way.”

“No!”

“You’ve never met him!”

“If he’s half as alpha-male as Rum-ass, hell no!” Kiera snapped.

“And why did you dump Brian?”

Kiera was quiet and flopped onto her back.

“Didn’t you say he was an indecisive sissy?” Evelyn prodded. “He wasn’t a lightweight either. I saw him box.”