Chapter Seventeen
Kim had just stepped out of the shower when she heard the sound of the phone ringing. She thought about just letting the machine get it, but the thought that Jerry might be calling buoyed her out of the bathroom and toward the phone in her bedroom.
The caller ID identified the caller as Steven. Releasing a breath she clicked the talk button and answered. "Hey Steven."
"Good, you're using the callerID," was Steven's response, his voice tinged with humor. "It's nice to know that you're at least taking some of my advice."
Kim tightened the towel around her body with one hand. "Is that why you called?" she asked. "To see if I'm following your advice. Cause if you are, just give me a passing grade and call back later. I'm dripping all over the place."
"Oh, sorry," Steven sounded truly contrite "I do want to talk to you though. Can you call me if you have a sec after you've dried off?"
"All right." She again readjusted the towel, this time the one on her hair as it was starting to list slightly to the side. "Give me a 20 minutes, okay?"
"Sure." Steven disconnected.
Kim hurried through drying her body, deciding to let her hair dry naturally. It would settle into loose waves that would go well with the sundress she planned to wear.
Throughout her preparations, she kept wondering what was so urgent that Steven needed her to call him back. She was going to see him later in the day, anyways. And she was certain that he'd have something to say when she showed up with Jerry. But Steven needed to know that despite being his little sister, she was a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions without his intervention.
Tasks completed, she dialed Steven's number and settled in for the discussion. "Okay, bro. What's on your mind?"
"I ran into Jerry this morning," he said, immediately getting to the point.
Kim was quiet for a moment. She hadn't quite expected that. A small shock went through her as she tried to control her voice. "Really? Where?"
"At Needham's," Steve replied. "Mrs. Needham even knows him. Gave him a glowing recommendation."
"Small world, huh?" Kim responded. "I'm surprised you didn't run into him growing up. New Haven isn't that big."
"No," Steven agreed. "Although I probably would have had a better chance knowing his brother considering our age difference."
Kim waited, when Steven didn't continue, she said," So you called me to tell me that you ran into him?"
"Actually, I called for another reason that I was hoping you would share. But since you aren't: I discovered that he was coming to the cook out today. That was a bit of a surprise. Do mom and dad know?"
Kim winced slightly. "Not yet. I was going to call mom this morning. But you know she won't mind, and Dad'll follow her lead."
"Yeah," Steve's agreement sounded thoughtful. "Is this thing with this guy serious, Kim? Last time we talked you told me that you were just friends. I'm not getting a "just friends" vibe off of him. I don't think I ever have."
Kim frowned. Jerry had been a very good friend over the past few weeks. He hadn't pushed her in anyway toward anything more. And then last night happened. HE had been so intense. She got flutters in her stomach just thinking about it.
"Kim? Is it serious?" Steven prompted when she didn't answer immediately.
"It think it may be," she admitted to him and herself. "We really were just friends . . . until yesterday. Something sorta. . . shifted in our relationship. I really don't know if I can explain it, all I know is that I really like him, Steven. So if you feel the need to give me a lecture about it, just save it because this feels too important not to see where it is going to go."
Steven took a turn a being silent. When he finally spoke, there was a hint of laughter in his tone. "You do realize that if this thing goes any further with you and Jerry I am going to be left to face the full brunt of mom's ever continuing quest for more grandchildren."
Kim laughed, relief washing its way through her. She didn't want to fight with Steven about Jerry. It was good to know that he was coming around.
"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself," she teased. "We only started seriously dating yesterday."
Steven snorted and replied, "Somehow, I doubt that little sis." Then, before she had a chance to respond, he continued. "Listen, I've got a couple things to get done before the cook out. I'll catch you later. Wish I could hear mom's response when you tell her."
"Ha ha." Kim said. "Bye Steven."
"Bye Kimmie."
~*~
"Honey, he's adorable." Margaret Storm said as she came to a stop beside Kim at the table that had been set up in the back yard of the sprawling ranch style home.
Kim followed her mom's gaze to where Jerry was playing with Candy and Bryan, Kim's niece and nephew. The two kids were giggling hysterically as he played with them in the grass.
"He's great with children. You should see him with the soccer team. And he's got a nephew and a baby niece, too."
"He will make a good father to someone," her mother shot her a knowing look. "And I can tell that he has feelings for my daughter."
"Mom, we only just started dating," Kim protested. She didn't want to get her mother's hopes up too high. Her and Jerry's relationship was technically less than 24 hours old.
"I have a feeling about him," her mother said. "I'm glad you decided to let us meet him - this new man of yours."
The continued to watch as Steven and Kim's other brother Joseph Jr. rescued Jerry from the giggling children and invited him to join in a game of hoops.
The children laughed at something Jerry said in parting and ran off toward their mother who was pulling something out of a bag for the baby.
Jerry looked up and met Kim's eyes across the yard before he headed toward the basketball goal. The lingering smile from speaking with the kids broadened slowly. She felt as if she had been enveloped in a warm embrace. She went cool then hot all over in reaction, returning the look. And then it was over. He continued on toward the other men.
"Yes. I definitely have a feeling," Her mother's voice sounded beside her, further dissipating the atmosphere Jerry had managed, with a look, to create around her. She blinked away its remnants and flushed with embarrassment.
"Mom. . . " she tried to argue, but Margaret wasn't having it.