Kia Denton had mastered the art of minding her own business.
Unfortunately, her family had not.
At forty years old, Kia could set a boundary faster than a security guard at a celebrity wedding, but her relatives back in Severnville still treated her love life like a community project.
“Girl, you ain’t getting any younger,” Aunt Vera would say.
“As if I’m a carton of milk,” Kia once muttered to herself after hanging up.
The only people she would’ve willingly discussed her personal life with was her parents but they were gone. The car accident that took them three years earlier had shifted everything. After the funeral, Kia packed up her life and moved to Vernon Heights, a vibrant city full of noise, color, and people who minded their own business.
She loved it.
Different cultures, food from every corner of the world, and absolutely no aunties knocking on her door asking about marriage and kids.
Well… mostly.
Her cousin Alexis still called from time to time.
Alexis was the one relative Kia actually liked. Smart, funny, and usually not nosey usually being the key word.
But even Alexis didn’t know about her.
The person Kia had been secretly dating for almost a year.
The person who made her smile at random moments in grocery store aisles.
The person who texted her things like:
“Thinking about you. Also I just burned toast again.”
Tonight they had reservations at Bella Napoli’s, one of the hardest restaurants in Vernon Heights to get into. Kia had spent twenty minutes picking a dress and another ten minutes trying not to grin like a teenager.
Her phone buzzed.
“Outside,” the text read.
Kia grabbed her purse.
Bella Napoli’s glowed with warm golden lights and smelled like garlic, basil, and money.
Kia stepped inside with her date beside her, both of them laughing about something that happened in the car.
“You cannot blame me for that,” Kia said.
“I absolutely can. You said, and I quote, ‘Take the shortcut.’”
“That was the shortcut!”
“That shortcut had three raccoons and a man playing saxophone aggressively.”
Kia laughed.
“Okay but the saxophone was kind of good.”
They reached their table and sat down. Kia had barely opened the menu when she felt that strange sensation people get when someone is staring at them.
She looked up.
And nearly inhaled a breadstick.
Across the restaurant stood Alexis.
Alexis stared.
Alexis blinked.
Alexis leaned forward like she had just spotted Bigfoot eating lasagna.
“Kia?” Alexis said, already walking over.
Kia whispered under her breath.
“Oh… no.”
Her date chuckled softly.
“That sounds like trouble.”
“You have no idea.”
Alexis arrived at the table with wide eyes.
“KIA.”
“Hey, Lex.”
Alexis looked from Kia… to the person sitting across from her… then back again.
“You told this whole family you were busy working and avoiding people, and you’re out here on dates at Bella Napoli’s?!”
Kia rubbed her temple.
“It’s not a crime to eat pasta, Alexis.”
“For a year apparently it was!”
Kia froze.
“…How do you know it’s been a year?”
Alexis squinted.
“Woman, you have the glow.”
Kia sighed.
“That is not a scientific method.”
Alexis finally looked at the mystery person sitting calmly across from Kia.
“And you are…?”
Kia straightened.
“Well… since the universe decided tonight was the night.”
She gestured across the table.
“Alexis, this is the person I’ve been dating.”
Her date smiled warmly.
“Nice to finally meet someone from Kia’s family.”
Alexis leaned closer, studying them like a detective solving a case.
Then she slowly said:
“Okay… I have about fifty questions.”
Kia groaned.
“I knew this was coming.”
Alexis pulled out a chair and sat down like she had just joined the investigation.
“Well first of all,” Alexis said, pointing between them, “how did y’all meet?”
Kia and her date exchanged a glance.
Then Kia smiled.
“Oh that story is embarrassing.”
Her date laughed.
“It involves spilled coffee.”
“And a very dramatic apology,” Kia added.
Alexis folded her arms.
“Oh I am absolutely staying for this.”
Kia shook her head, laughing.
“Fine. But you’re not ordering from our bread basket.”
“No promises,” Alexis said, already reaching for one.
Kia looked at her date and sighed with amusement.
“Well… secret’s out.”
Her date squeezed her hand gently.
“Honestly? I’m kind of glad.”
Across the table Alexis froze.
Her eyes dropped to their hands.
Then slowly back up.
Her expression changed.
“Oh,” she said quietly.
Then she leaned back in her chair.
“Well… this just got interesting.”
To be continued…
Simply Reesi 