The Gathering Dark

Smith looked back at Walker, as if for confirmation. “Really? That long? I’d have thought you’d’ve mentioned it, then.”


Walker shot Smith a granite stare. “Some things are too good to talk about right away.”

Smith looked over at Susan. “He’s always trying to hide all the fun he has. He’s scared my mom will be pissed at him.” Smith leaned closer to Susan. “She’s kind of high-strung, but it’s not that hard to get around her rules.”

Susan’s eyes sparkled wickedly. “Sounds like my parents.”

“Aunt Holly’s only trying to keep you out of trouble,” Walker growled. “And fun isn’t always free. Especially if you’re sneaking around.”

Smith huffed dismissively. “You just worry about your own cookie jar.”

Walker huffed back at him, but then his voice and gaze softened. He looked down at Keira. “Speaking of sweets, are you going to open those Twizzlers, or just cuddle them?”

“Smart-ass,” she answered. But she tugged open the plastic and offered him the candy.

The movie started with a bang. Literally. A house exploded when the aliens landed on it. Keira sighed and looked over at Walker. He rolled his eyes.

Susan, on the other hand, was practically bouncing in her seat.

“That was amazing!” She looked over at Smith. “Can you believe the effects? Oh, my God!”

“I know,” he agreed. “But look at the gun he’s carrying. No way would it work if it were built like that.” He leaned close to Susan, his finger tracing the weapon on the screen as he explained why.

The next ninety minutes were painful. The movie was terrible, but Smith and Susan seemed to be having a ball, judging from the number of times they bent their heads together to talk. Of course, there was no telling if it was the movie they were enjoying or . . . something else.

When the credits finally rolled, Smith practically leapt out of his seat. “It’s too early to go home. Susan and I are going to get coffee. Do you guys want to tag along?”

Susan stared hard at Keira. Even in the half-light of the theater, Keira could see the tiny twitch of Susan’s eyebrows as she silently begged Keira to say no.

Walker was grumpy about Smith intruding on their date, but now Susan was clearly telling them that they were in the way of her own evening plans.

“It’s getting late and I really need to practice,” Keira blurted out. “Why don’t you guys go?” She looked over at Walker, realizing that it sounded like she was ditching him, too.

He gave her a tiny, I-get-it shake of his head. “I have to work early anyway,” Walker said.

“Too bad,” Smith said to Keira. “If you matter so much to Walker, it seems like his family should get to know you.” There was an edge to his voice.

Walker stepped in closer behind her. “Keira wouldn’t be Keira if she didn’t want to run back to her piano. That’s the great thing about her. Well, one of the great things. There are a lot of them.”

Smith’s smile fell a bit, then spread wolfishly. “I guess I’ll have to spend all my time on Susan, then. I’m not the least bit sorry about that.”

Behind him, Susan’s eyes glittered. “I’ve got more dish on Keira than you’ll get out of her, anyway,” she teased.

“Best of both worlds, then.” Smith looked at Walker when he answered, which made the hair on Keira’s neck stand up in an unexpected warning. “You kids get home safe.”

“We will. I always do.” Walker stepped out into the main aisle. “See you two later.”

He and Keira picked their way out of the dim theater, avoiding abandoned soda cups and errant popcorn. They’d barely made it into the glare of the lobby before Walker blew out a long breath.

“Sorry. My cousin’s an ass sometimes.” He shook his head. “He seems way more interested in what’s going on between you and me than he does in Susan. I hate to say it, but I don’t think he’s going to be all that good for her.”

Keira laughed. Walker looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Not if she does him wrong first,” she chortled.

“What do you mean?”

“When we were in the bathroom, she admitted that she’s mostly interested in what he can do to erase the social damage of being dumped by Tommy. And since we ran into them, I’d say she’s well on her way to accomplishing that mission.”

Walker looked startled. “She’s . . . using him? Ha!”

“That’s about the size of it. I’d bet you she’ll take him to the coffee shop where everybody hangs out, just to get the maximum number of people gossiping about it.”

The smirk that spread across Walker’s face wasn’t entirely pleasant. “That would serve him right,” he said.

Keira pushed open the door and the cool freshness of the night air spilled over her.