A New Hope (The Second Chance Series Book 2) (21 page)

When they made it to the pizza place and placed their order Karla looked at Kiara and grinned. “You really put Manuel in his place.”

“Sometimes you have to. If not he’ll think he can run your life, but I don’t do it often because he means well.” Kiara told her and grinned back.

“I like him.” Jake told them as he sat beside Kiara. “He’s just like I am with my little sister.”

“He doesn’t intimidate me at all.” Conner added with a smile. “Dr. Peterson is the one who scares the life out of me.”

“Oh, Andrew is just a big teddy bear.” Karla said with a grin. “Plus he loves you. Now Leslie is the one you need to be afraid of. She may be petite, but dynamite comes in small packages.”

“I can see that.” Kiara agreed. “Especially after what she said to us when we were getting ready.”

“Enough talk about parents and older siblings.” Jake said as the pizzas arrived. “Let’s get to know each other better.” He suggested.

“What do you want to know?” Kiara asked as she took a sip of her tea.

“What’s your favorite color?” He asked and grinned.

“Keeping it to the basics I see. My favorite color is green.” She answered.

“Mine is blue.” He said with a smile.

“Karla’s is pink.” Conner told them and Karla smiled at him.

“Conner says his is green, but I don’t know if it really is or if he just likes my eyes.” Karla said and Kiara chuckled at them.

“Well your eyes are an amazing shade of green.” Kiara told her. “Unlike my brown, your green stands out and grabs people’s attention.”

“I think your brown looks like pools of melted chocolate.” Jake said, causing Kiara to smile at him.

  “Well that’s a line I’ve never heard before.” Kiara said and Karla giggled at her. “Now I have a question for you.”

“Ask me anything.” Jake said.

“Rylee told me that you had a thing for Karla and I need to know if you asked me out and suggested the double date so you could get closer to her.” Kiara asked seriously.

Jake was taken aback by her straight forward question. “Didn’t expect that one.” He said with a nervous chuckle. “Kiara, I saw you and liked you before I knew you were Karla’s sister. Yes, I did have a thing for Karla, but that’s been over for quite a while. She’s very happy with Conner and I know that I could never come between them. Also, do you really think that she would have anything at all to do with me if I used you to get closer to her? I’m sorry you wondered that. I really like you and only suggested the double date so you would be more comfortable.”

“I’m sorry.” Kiara apologized and looked at the table. “I’ve had a guy do that before, not with my sister but with my best friend, and I had to know. I’ll understand if you don’t want to go out again after tonight.”

“Hey, look at me.” Jake said and Kiara looked up. “No one should ever do a girl like that and I understand. It’s a perfectly logical assumption. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my past crush on Karla, but I was trying to avoid this very thing. Can you forgive me for not telling you? I really like you, Kiara, and I want to get to know you better.”

“I like you too.” Kiara said and smiled at him.

“Now that that’s cleared up, can we decide which movie we want to see?” Karla asked with a grin. “Oh, and sis, if you had asked me I could have told you that Jake likes you for you. I can tell by the way he looks at you. It shines in his eyes.”

Kiara laughed at Karla and looked at Jake. “Can we forget I asked that question please?”

“What question?” He asked and Kiara smiled at him.

“I have a question.” Karla asked them.

“What’s your question, Karla?” Jake asked her.

“Are you going to kiss her already or just sit there and look at her like you are and never make a move?”

“Geeze, Karla.” Conner said with a laugh. “That’s the way to get straight to the point.” He looked over at Kiara and Jake and grinned. “I’m going to take my girl here and kick her butt at pinball. You two have fun.” He winked and pulled Karla from her chair and over to the video games.

Once they were alone Jake looked at Kiara and blushed. “I do want to kiss you, but I’m afraid of moving too fast.”

Kiara smiled at him, leaned in and whispered, “I want to kiss you too.”

When she pulled back Jake framed her face with his hands and gently brushed his lips across hers in a soft kiss.

“Now that wasn’t so hard was it?” Karla said as she walked back to the table. “Conner sucks at pinball.” She added in explanation of her being there.

Kiara and Jake cracked up at her and Jake released Kiara’s face. “Now, what movie does everyone want to see?” He asked.

The rest of the evening passed quickly and before they realized it, it was ten-thirty.

“I had a great time tonight.” Kiara told Jake as they sat in the car talking. Conner and Karla were sitting on the front porch in the glider swing.

“I did too, but I think next time I want it to be just you and me.” Jake told her.

“I agree. Conner and Karla are fun and a great couple, but Karla is my little sister and I would like to see how we do on our own.”

“I agree.” Jake said as he locked eyes with her. “I’m going to kiss you again.” He said and pressed his lips to hers.

****

While Jake and Kiara were talking in the car, Conner and Karla were talking on the porch. “I want to take you out again Karla, just the two of us, but I won’t be able to until after I get my license in January.”

“I know, Conner. I want that too.” She said and smiled at him. “Right now though, I’ll be happy with what time we can have together.”

“Me too.” He said and pulled her closer. “Karla, there is something I want to talk about.”

“Anything, Conner.” Karla said and laid her head on his shoulder.

“I know Rylee and Dominic had sex before he left last month.”

“Who told you that?” Karla asked. She knew he didn’t hear it from her, Rylee or Callie.

“Dominic told me. He’s worried about Rylee and he called me last week. He asked me to keep an eye on her and he told me what they did.”

“Oh.” Was all Karla said. She was starting to get worried about the direction of this conversation.

“I want you to know that sex is not something I’ve even thought about. Maybe one day in the future, but for now it’s not something I need or want. I don’t think either of us are ready for that step.” Conner told her in a soft voice. “Don’t take what I’m saying wrong, I love you more than anything and I want to show you how I feel every day, but I don’t think that’s the way to show your love. Especially at our ages. I just wanted you to know that.”

Karla laid her head on his shoulder as tears ran down her face. “Conner Fredrick Newberry, if I didn’t already love you I would after that.”

“Why are you crying?” Conner asked as he lifted her face and wiped her tears.

“Because you understand my fears without me saying them and you know just how to calm them.” She answered and brushed her lips over his.

Conner captured her face in his hands and deepened the kiss a little. When he pulled away he looked into her eyes. “I love you, Karla, and I will never do anything to violate the trust and faith you have in me.”

“I love you too, Conner.” Karla said and laid her head back on his shoulder. They sat there in silence until the car doors opened and Kiara and Jake got out. “I guess that means it’s time to go in.” Karla said and stood up from the glider.

“Guess so.” Conner said and stood up with her.

Karla opened the door and walked in followed by Conner, Kiara and Jake. When they walked into the kitchen Karla was greeted by her family playing Monopoly at the kitchen table. “Wonder if they’ve realized Callie is a Monopoly genius?” Conner asked from beside her.

“Yeah, we figured that out hours ago.” Manuel said dryly. “And I’m assuming Rylee knew that since she suggested we play in teams of two and immediately claimed Callie as her partner.”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve known that for years.” Rylee said with a wink at Manuel. He just groaned in response and rolled the dice. Jake said his goodbyes and Kiara, Karla and Conner sat at the bar and watched them play until the game was over.

The next few weeks passed quickly. Rosa was showing signs of improvement and Chase was doing well with his rehab. Kiara and Jake had been on a couple more dates and seemed to be getting closer every day.

When Elliot came home from school talking about the fall carnival they were having at his school, Karla was thrilled to volunteer. On the day of the carnival Elliot, Karla, Conner, Callie, Rylee and Manuel all showed up early to finish setting things up. “Elliot, are Madison and Malinda going to be here?” Conner asked him with a wink. He knew Elliot had a crush on Malinda and was rooting for him.

“They’ll be here later. Dr. Carpenter had a surgery this morning and couldn’t bring them until later.” Elliot said with a distant expression.

“I hope you have fun today.” Karla said and ruffled his hair.

He scowled at her and finished blowing up balloons for the dart booth.

“That’s odd.” Karla whispered to Conner. “He usually jokes with me when I do that.”

“He’s been quiet all day.” Manuel said from behind them.

“Want me to talk to him?” Conner asked her.

“See if you can find out what’s bothering him. He was so excited about today, but now he isn’t and I don’t know why.”

“I’ll see if I can get him to talk. Be right back.” Conner said and kissed her on the cheek before he walked over to Elliot.

“Hey, little bro. Want some help?”

“Sure, if you want to.” Elliot said, shrugged his shoulders and continued hanging balloons.

Conner grabbed some prize tags and started filling the pegs as Elliot hung balloons over them. They worked in silence for a while before Conner finally said something. “Everything alright, Elliot?”

“Why do you care?” Elliot snapped at him.

“Hey, little bro, I do care. What makes you think I don’t?” Conner asked in confusion.

“You and Karla are always together now. Everything I want to do with my sister, you always come too. You, Rylee, Callie, Manuel and Kiara are always around.” Elliot said in anger.

“Whoa. Have you talked to Karla about this?” Conner asked him.

“What’s the point? She told me before I came here that y’all would never come between us, that my feelings would always come first, but they don’t.”

“Hey, now wait a minute. How do you expect her to put your feelings first if you don’t share your feelings with her? She isn’t a mind reader. She knows something is bothering you, but if you don’t tell her what it is she can’t fix it. She loves you Elliot and she would do anything to make you happy, even if that means telling me to take a hike.”

“You seem so sure about that.”

“I am sure about that. Why don’t you go talk to her and I’ll finish up here?” Conner suggested.

“Thanks, Conner. I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier.”

“Don’t sweat it, little bro. That’s what big brothers are for and Elliot, that’s how I see you. You may be Karla’s brother biologically, but you’re my brother too and I will always have your back, no matter what.” Conner told him and was rewarded with a freckled grin.

When Elliot was gone Manuel walked up to Conner and asked, “Did you really mean what you told him about him being your brother?”

“I did, and I feel the same about you and Kiara. You are Karla’s family and that makes you my family too. I love Karla and, even though we’re entirely too young right now, I plan on marrying her in the future.”

“I have to tell you something and you may not feel that way about me once I’m finished.” Manuel said and took a deep breath. “Since I first laid eyes on Callie I have been unexplainably pulled to her. She somehow worked her way under my skin and I can’t seem to shake her off. I can’t explain it. At first I thought it was a big brother instinct because of what she was going through, but the more time I spend with her the stronger the pull gets.”

“So, you’re telling me you have a thing for my sister?” Conner asked in a calm voice.

“I am, but you have to know that I would never act on it. She’s Karla’s best friend and I am too old for her anyway.” Manuel told him in hopes of keeping the friendship he had forged with his sister’s boyfriend.

“You are probably one of the smartest guys I know, myself included, so I have to ask. Are you really that stupid?”

“What are you talking about?” Manuel asked in confusion.

“I guess you are.” Conner murmured. “Let me break it down for you. Callie likes you too and you two are probably the only two who can’t see that. I’ve known for weeks that you like her and I’ve known for weeks that she likes you just as much.”

“She can’t stand me. She makes that perfectly clear every time she opens her mouth.”

“She’s fighting herself because she thinks you only see her as another younger sister. She refuses to admit how she feels and is lashing out at you because she’s confused. Believe me I know my twin and she is scared to death by her feelings for you and is even more terrified that you don’t feel the same way.”

“Wow.” Manuel said and looked over to where Callie was working with Kiara and Rylee at the ring-toss booth. “She is like no one I’ve ever met. How do you deal with her every day?”

“I just take it one day at a time. You’ll figure this out. When you do just remember that she is stubborn and has a temper. Oh, and she has really good aim with a baseball.” Conner said with a grin and walked off.

****

While Conner and Manuel were talking Elliot approached Karla. “Karla, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure.” Karla said as she sat down on the bench and patted the seat next to her. “What’s up, little brother?”

“Something has been bothering me.” He said in a small voice.

“I’ve noticed, but I wasn’t sure what it was. Care to share it with me?”

“I want some time with just you. Every time we do something your friends are always there. I want to do something just the two of us.”

“Oh, Elliot. Why didn’t you say something? The only reason my friends always come is because I didn’t know it bothered you. Of course we can do something together. How about tomorrow we have Leslie drop us off at the indoor go-cart track and I beat your butt at putt-putt and go-carts?” Karla suggested with a smile.

“That would be awesome except for one thing.”

“Oh, what’s that?” Karla inquired.

“I’m going to beat your butt.” Elliot answered and ducked when she reached out to mess his hair up. “Hey, watch the do. I got ladies to impress later.” He said with a grin before he dashed off to help with the other booths.

Karla laughed at him as she finished setting up the bean bag toss tables.

A few hours later the carnival was packed with sixth, seventh and eighth graders having fun, eating junk food and just being kids. When Karla spotted Elliot from her post at the snow cone machine he was surrounded by girls and laughing his head off. She loved seeing him this happy and hoped he always remembered this day.