Page 151 of The Confidant
“Wait—” his girlfriend, Scarlett, asked, a confused expression on her face. “You know he’s the…” She glanced around the coffee shop, like she was worried people were listening. Then after assuring herself that the only other person in here besides us was too far to overhear, she said, “You know that Hunter isThe Confidant?”
“I figured it out a few months ago.”
When Scarlett’s mouth dropped open in shock, Hunter just smiled and said, “Apparently, Kiara is a much better detective than you.” Then with a teasing smirk, he added, “Maybe we should tell the committee that they should give the valedictorian award to the true brains of Eden Falls.”
“But she doesn’t even go to our school.” Scarlett lightly smacked Hunter’s arm. She looked up at me apologetically and said, “I mean, I’m sure you are amazing and would have given me a run for my money…but—”
“It’s fine.” I laughed, enjoying the teasing vibe these two had together. “I've got a solid B average, so I think your award would have been safe.”
“But you’re a senior?” Scarlett asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I graduate in just a few days, too.”
“That’s cool.” She held out her hand. “I’m Scarlett, by the way.”
“Kiara.” I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Hunter sat up straighter, and after clearing his throat, he said, “Remember when we went rappelling and saw that girl at the cottage on the Hastings’s property? That was Kiara.”
“Really?” Recognition dawned on Scarlett’s face. “So you know the Hastings?”
“A little,” I admitted. “My mom works for them so I see them from time to time.”
“Well, that’s cool,” Scarlett said. “Hunter and I are close friends with Carter, Cambrielle, and Nash, so we’re over there all the time.”
The bell on the coffee shop door jingled. After Scarlett and Hunter looked in the direction of who had just walked in, Hunter said, “Speaking of the Hastings…”
When I glanced to see who had come in, my heart did a little flip-flop because standing with his siblings, with the sunlight making his dirty-blond hair streak with gold, was Nash.
He wore jeans and a blue shirt that I knew would bring out the color of his amazing blue eyes, and when he looked in my direction, I felt my entire body buzz with electricity.
Was he looking at me?
Had he recognized me?
A slow smile spread across his lips, like he was happy to see me. And when he started walking toward me, I swallowed and worried I might have a heart attack because this could not be happening.
After being basically invisible to him for the past three years, did he actually notice me?
But then he got a little closer, and I realized he was actually walking to say hi to Hunter and Scarlett.
Becausetheywere his friends.
Not me.
I sighed. While Nash was giving Hunter a high five, I turned to Scarlett and said, “Looks like I have some orders to take. It was nice meeting you.”
Scarlett smiled, thankfully not seeming to notice how jittery I was around Nash. “Nice meeting you, too.”
I went to the counter, and as soon as I stepped up to the register, Cambrielle and Carter Hastings were ready with their orders.
I put in their drink and breakfast orders. Then Carter, seeming to realize that Nash was too busy chatting with Hunter and Scarlett to order his food, called to his brother, “You want the Green Eggs and Ham sandwich and mango smoothie like usual?”
Nash nodded and said, “Yep,” before going back to his conversation.
I totaled their order, and after they paid, I printed off the ticket to get started on their drinks.
As I listened to the group of friends chat and laugh while I frothed the milk for Cambrielle’s cappuccino, I couldn’t help but be a little envious of the close friendship that they all seemed to have.
