That First Special Kiss

“I’ll look forward to it.” She studied him more closely, noting that his smile still didn’t reach his eyes. He looked bone-tired, and maybe a little down. She didn’t remember seeing him look quite this way before.

She wished she could think of something she could say to cheer him up.

Kelly was very fond of Shane—just as she was fond of all the friends she’d made during the year and a half that had passed since she and her best friend, Brynn Larkin, had moved to Dallas. Now Brynn was married to Dr. Joe D’Alessandro and had made a special place for herself among Joe’s large, close-knit family. Brynn had also formed close bonds with the extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins she had discovered entirely by accident after moving to Dallas. Shane was one of Brynn’s cousins.

Kelly and Brynn had considered themselves honorary sisters since they’d met in a foster home as young girls, when Brynn was fourteen and Kelly only eleven. Because of that connection, Kelly had been accepted among the Walker family with a warmth and generosity that had both astonished and delighted her. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she felt like a member of a family. And it meant more to her than she could ever put into words. Just as this group of friends had become very special to her because of the way they had taken her in when Shane had introduced her to them a little more than a year ago.

She wondered if she was the only one to suspect that something was bothering Shane. It would certainly be difficult for a casual observer to tell that there was anything wrong. He laughed at the others’ jokes and told a few of his own. He jokingly fought Scott for the last chocolate cookie—and won. He teased Amber into a rosy blush, made an extravagant bet with Cameron over an upcoming football game, and talked airplanes with Michael, a professional charter pilot. Shane gave every appearance of being his usual, casually laid-back self.

And yet ..

As if by accident, he glanced her way and caught her watching him. Their gazes held for a moment. Shane must have seen something in her expression. “You okay?” he asked, softly enough that none of the others could hear.

“I was going to ask the same of you,” she admitted as quietly. “Is anything wrong?”

He hesitated, glanced at the others, who were paying them no attention, then shrugged. “I’ll tell you later.”

Again Shane hid whatever he was feeling behind a quick quip and a lazy grin as he rejoined the conversation among the others. Kelly had always marveled at his ability to mask his emotions. His perpetual cheerfulness and exuberance made him very popular to nearly everyone who knew him, but she wondered how many people actually knew him well. She had always believed that there were parts of him he kept hidden—maybe even from those who were closest to him.

Or maybe, she thought ruefully, she was delusional. Maybe she was imagining depths to Shane that weren’t there at all. Maybe he was exactly what he seemed- -a happy-go-lucky. serenely untroubled young cowboy, perfectly content with his life. Maybe she simply wanted to believe she could sense things about Shane that no one else could. Which was ridiculous. She certainly didn’t know Shane Walker better than his close-knit, loving family. Or this group of friends he’d known much longer than he’d known her.

“Kelly, are there any more of those chocolate things in the kitchen??

? Scott—one of Shane’s friends since adolescence—asked hopefully.

She smiled and shook her head. “Sorry, that was the last of them.”

He sighed gustily. “Then I might as well go home.”

“You aren’t leaving yet?” Heather demanded. “It’s barely eleven o’clock.”

Scott cleared his throat. “I, er, have to look over some paperwork from the office.”

“Bull,” his twin retorted inelegantly. “You’re going to Paula’s place, aren’t you?”

“And what if I am?” Scott asked defensively.

Heather rolled her eyes. “Tell him, guys. She’s entirely wrong for him and everyone knows it but Scott.”

Michael Chang immediately tried to change the subject. “Did anyone catch the score of the A & M game this afternoon?”

His effort backfired when Heather immediately rounded on him. “Michael, you’ve met Paula. Tell Scott what you think of her.”

“I—uh—” Michael tugged at the collar of his knit shirt. “I thought she had several truly amazing features.”

Cameron laughed. Amber punched his shoulder.

Heather turned to Shane. “He’ll listen to you, Shane. Tell Scott why I don’t like it that he’s spending so much time with Paula. Tell him how awful she is.”

Stretching back in his chair, Shane folded his hands over his flat stomach and tilted one corner of his mouth into a half smile. “You should know by now that I never get involved in anyone else’s love life. If Scott enjoys spending time with Paula, I’d say that’s his business, not mine.”

Heather exhaled impatiently. “You guys are a lot of help. What about you, Kelly? Are you going to keep quiet, too?”

Cameron spoke before Kelly had a chance. “Kelly never gives advice. She’s much too cautious.”

Somewhat surprised by the assessment, since she’d never thought Cameron gave her much consideration, Kelly asked, “What makes you say that?”

“I’m an observer, remember?” the newspaper reporter drawled. “I watch people. You don’t like making waves, and you hate it when anyone is mad at you. Giving advice involves taking a risk of being wrong—which, in turn, almost guarantees that someone will be upset with you. So—you keep your opinions to yourself, for the most part.”