Kieran & Drew by L. A. Gilbert

Author:L. A. Gilbert [Gilbert, L. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B00BNADHV0
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2013-02-26T11:00:00+00:00

ChApTeR NiNe.

FRIDAY night with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Kieran sat in the kitchen, pushing the food around on his plate. His dad was actually home for once, but seemed to keeping a safe, quiet distance, rather than attempting to talk to him. It made him a little sad.

He looked down at the squares of pasta that had long since gone cold on his plate. His dad had been home but hadn’t waited to eat with him—his plate had been already resting in the sink when Kieran got in late from school after spending nearly two hours making some sort of sense of the—now dreaded—art storage room. He’d found a prepared plate for him in the microwave.

If he craned his neck he could see his dad sitting in his office, slumped over a laptop and completely absorbed. At least he’d left the door open like usual, and it wasn’t as if his dad was giving him the cold shoulder; he was just leaving him alone like Kieran had asked him to. Why he’d started to listen to him now Kieran didn’t know, and wished it was otherwise.

He pushed his plate away, unable to eat. His appetite was gone and regret was eating at him. Regret for the awkwardness that lay between his father and himself, and regret from the upsetting and frustrating confrontation with Drew earlier that day. He knew the situation with Drew was over with. It had been as wonderful as it was brief, but it was done now and he had to deal with it.

His dad wasn’t going anywhere. Not only that, but Kieran only had so much time before he had to broach the subject of college, and then if all went well he’d be gone for at least three years. Nothing felt resolved, but despite how unimportant he felt sometimes, it hurt when his father wouldn’t even look at him.

“Dad?” he called weakly, suddenly feeling very young and very vulnerable. His dad glanced over his shoulder and then saved the document he was working on before closing his laptop and strolling into the kitchen. He rested his hip against the kitchen island in a casual stance and crossed his arms.

“What’s up?” he asked. The vaguely guarded set to his father’s shoulders was difficult to look at. “Um, I’m… I’m sorry for how I was yesterday.” He worried his lip. “I didn’t mean what I said.”

His dad’s posture became more genuine and relaxed as his shoulders dropped, and the expression in his eyes softened into something less cagey. “Alright,” he said gently.

Kieran’s heart sank. That didn’t exactly sound like forgiveness. “I-I’d had a bad day.”

His dad nodded toward his black eye. “I could see that.” Kieran gestured at his eye. “This really was an accident; I was standing too close and caught someone’s elbow to the eye.” He lifted his shoulders, feeling helpless. “That’s all.”

His dad sighed. “That’s all?” He had that penetrating stare only a parent could use—one eyebrow lifted in question and a don’t you dare lie to me set of the jaw.

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