The Storm between Us

Chapter 13

When amber finished her shower she walked downstairs into the kitchen to grab so ice for her cutwater. Immediately entering the kitchen Xasso came through the garage door.

Amber smiled when she saw him, but quickly looked away.

She didn't realize he was watching her.

Something was different. She was smiling.

Not the regular smile she gave when she was in a good mood.

This was the same smile he'd seen on her face the day before. The kind that made her look distracted.

The kind that made it obvious her mind was somewhere else. He walked inside and closed the door behind him.

"You smiling again."

Amber stopped.

"What?"

He put his gym bag down.

"You heard me."

Amber tried to keep a straight face.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Her cousin laughed.

"Amber."

"What?"

"You've been walking around smiling for two days."

Amber grabbed her cup and sat at the kitchen island pouring her drink.

"I had a good day."

"Uh-huh."

Her cousin followed her and sat down.

"A good day at work?"

"Yeah."

"And that's why you're smiling like that?"

"Can you stop?"

He leaned against the kitchen island.

"Nope."

Her cousin watched her carefully.

"You met somebody?"

Amber nearly choked on her drink.

"What?"

He laughed.

"I knew it."

"I never said that!"

"You didn't have to."

Amber shook her head.

"Come on. Tell me."

"There's nothing to tell."

"Then why are you smiling?"

Amber looked down at her cup.

She knew she wasn't going to get out of it.

Eventually, she sighed.

"Okay."

Her cousin leaned forward.

"You got a crush on somebody?"

Amber smiled.

"Maybe."

He immediately laughed.

"Who?"

Amber shook her head.

"His name is KJ."

"KJ?"

"Yeah."

"How you meet him?"

Amber rested her arms on the island.

"At the gas station."

Her cousin raised his eyebrows.

"The gas station?"

"Yeah. I saw him there sometime back.

She explained how she'd first noticed him, how they'd barely spoken at first, and how she eventually saw him again at work.

"He's Simone's son," Amber explained.

Her cousin nodded slowly.

"Wait. Simone from your job?"

"Yeah."

"So the guy you like is her son?"

Amber smiled.

"Apparently."

Her cousin sat back in his chair.

"And how did he end up bringing you home?"

Amber explained everything that happened with the storm and the traffic. She told him how Simone found out they lived in the same direction and insisted that KJ take her home.

"He was already outside," Amber said. "He was waiting in his car."

Her cousin smiled.

"Waiting?"

"No. He was rolling a blunt."

Her cousin laughed.

"Of course."

Amber rolled her eyes.

"He gave me his hoodie because it was raining and I didn't have an umbrella."

Her cousin's expression changed slightly.

"He gave you his hoodie?"

"Yeah."

"And he walked you to your door?"

Amber nodded.

"He got soaked."

"And you liked that?"

Amber smiled.

"A little."

Her cousin stared at her.

Amber laughed.

"Okay, a lot."

He shook his head.

"What's his background?"

Amber hesitated for a second.

"He's Jamaican."

Her cousin's smile faded slightly.

"Jamaican?"

"Yeah."

"Like... Jamaican Jamaican?"

Amber laughed.

"What does that even mean?"

"You know what I mean."

Amber smiled.

"His family is Jamaican. He came to America when he was in middle school."

Her cousin leaned back more.

For a moment, he didn't say anything.

Amber noticed immediately.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, what?"

He sighed.

"I just don't want you getting hurt."

Amber's expression softened.

"I know."

"I mean it."

Her cousin looked at her seriously.

"You know how some Jamaican men are."

Amber rolled her eyes.

"Not all of them."

"I didn't say all."

He paused.

"I'm talking about this generation especially."

Amber knew exactly what he meant.

She had heard the stories too.

Men who talked sweet. Men who moved fast. Men who knew exactly what to say to make a woman feel special before showing a completely different side later.

Her cousin wasn't saying KJ was like that.

He didn't know KJ.

That was the problem.

"I just don't want you getting caught up because he's handsome and knows how to talk," he continued. "You just met him."

Amber nodded.

"I know."

"Take your time."

"I will."

He studied her face.

"You really like him?"

Amber looked down at her hands.

"I don't know yet."

Then she smiled.

"But I like talking to him."

Her cousin nodded.

"That's better."

Amber looked at him.

"He actually seems nice."

"Everybody seems nice at first."

"Can you stop being so protective?"

He laughed.

"That's my job."

Amber smiled.

"You're acting like a dad."

"Somebody has to."

She shook her head.

They both laughed.

Amber picked up her water again.

Her cousin was still watching her.

"So what's his name again?"

"KJ."

"And how old is he?"

Amber paused.

"I don't know."

Her cousin's eyebrows shot up.

"You don't know?"

"I told you, I just met him!"

He laughed.

"Okay. Find that out before you start falling in love."

Amber rolled her eyes.

"I'm not in love."

"Good."

He stood up and grabbed his gym bag.

"But I'm glad you told me."

Amber smiled.

"Why?"

"Because now I know why you've been walking around smiling like a fool."

Amber laughed.

"I don't smile like a fool."

"Yes, you do."

She threw a napkin at him.

He laughed and walked away.

Amber stayed at the island for a moment after he left.

She looked down at her phone.

Her conversation with KJ was still open.

She smiled again.

Her cousin had every reason to be protective.

But Amber wasn't worried.

Not yet.

All she knew was that KJ had made her feel something she hadn't expected.