possible, but Kiran looked more stunning today than she had the day before. He firmly clasped her hand in his, and their hands remained joined together as they spoke.
“I’m so glad you decided to come,” Hawk began.
“I told you I would try my best to be here,” she said.
“You wouldn’t believe how often preachers hear people say that.”
“I’ll bet people tell you that so you don’t pester them about showing up.”
“Exactly,” he affirmed.
“Well,” she cheeringly said, “I’m not one of those people. To tell you the truth I really enjoyed it. The band and the preacher were great.”
“I don’t know about that.” He scuffed his shoe against the floor.
“At least he was doing well until he forgot what he was going to say,” she chided.
“Oh, you noticed that?”
“Everyone noticed it. The blushing was a dead giveaway.”
“I got distracted.”
“By what?” she teased.
Hawk merely smiled but decided to say nothing more on the subject. They ended their protracted handshake and stood awkwardly for a moment as silence fell across the front porch. Attempting to fill the silence Hawk asked, “Can I walk you to your car?”
“Sure, that would be great. It is a long walk though; you really pack ’em in here.”
Kiran and Hawk walked down the steps and made their way along the sidewalk toward the downtown area. They chatted about the church and how welcomed Kiran had felt being a guest for the first time. Tiring of the church chat, they rounded the corner on Front Street alongside the movie theatre.
“I have always loved this town,” Kiran reflected. “I remember when it was built and wished I could live here.”
“It is beautiful,” Hawk agreed. “It is a unique place.”
Their footsteps echoed on the sidewalk as Kiran slowed. Gesturing toward the corner and taking her keys out of her purse, she let Hawk know they had arrived. Kiran looked down toward the sidewalk and slowly raised her face as she spoke.
“Hawk, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?”
She asked so quickly and unexpectedly that Hawk was completely caught off guard. He found himself at a loss for words for the second time of the day. Recovering quickly he said, “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” She looked away as she apologized.
“No, no, please don’t be sorry,” Hawk attempted to reassure her. “I am flattered you would ask.”
Kiran’s face flushed at her perceived blunder. Fussing with her keys, she walked briskly as though she couldn’t get to her car and away from him fast enough. Hawk almost had to run to keep up with her. He reached out and impulsively, but gently, grabbed Kiran by the arm and turned her toward him. Facing her, he steadied himself.
“I would love to take you to dinner. I just can’t do it tonight. Could we plan on it tomorrow night?”
She searched his face. “If you’re sure . . . tomorrow would be nice.”
“Great!” Hawk was genuinely glad she had agreed. “Where do you want me to pick you up?”
“Why don’t I meet you right here?” Kiran was now recovering and her confidence was slowly coming back.
“Here?”
“Right here,” she stated.
“You want me to pick you up right here on the street corner?”
“It’s safe, isn’t it?”
“Of course, but I can pick you—”
Kiran interrupted, “I can be here at seven o’clock if that’s okay with you.”
“That works for me. I’ll be here.”
“Great, see you then.” Kiran patted him twice on the chest and turned toward her car.
Hawk watched as she got into her car and drove away. Everything within him wanted to have dinner with Kiran tonight, but he had already made plans. He had decided before church began that he would head over to the Disney Studios to look at Walt Disney’s office in the One Man’s Dream attraction. If he was going to figure out what meaning the key to the kingdom Rales had given him possessed,
“I’m so glad you decided to come,” Hawk began.
“I told you I would try my best to be here,” she said.
“You wouldn’t believe how often preachers hear people say that.”
“I’ll bet people tell you that so you don’t pester them about showing up.”
“Exactly,” he affirmed.
“Well,” she cheeringly said, “I’m not one of those people. To tell you the truth I really enjoyed it. The band and the preacher were great.”
“I don’t know about that.” He scuffed his shoe against the floor.
“At least he was doing well until he forgot what he was going to say,” she chided.
“Oh, you noticed that?”
“Everyone noticed it. The blushing was a dead giveaway.”
“I got distracted.”
“By what?” she teased.
Hawk merely smiled but decided to say nothing more on the subject. They ended their protracted handshake and stood awkwardly for a moment as silence fell across the front porch. Attempting to fill the silence Hawk asked, “Can I walk you to your car?”
“Sure, that would be great. It is a long walk though; you really pack ’em in here.”
Kiran and Hawk walked down the steps and made their way along the sidewalk toward the downtown area. They chatted about the church and how welcomed Kiran had felt being a guest for the first time. Tiring of the church chat, they rounded the corner on Front Street alongside the movie theatre.
“I have always loved this town,” Kiran reflected. “I remember when it was built and wished I could live here.”
“It is beautiful,” Hawk agreed. “It is a unique place.”
Their footsteps echoed on the sidewalk as Kiran slowed. Gesturing toward the corner and taking her keys out of her purse, she let Hawk know they had arrived. Kiran looked down toward the sidewalk and slowly raised her face as she spoke.
“Hawk, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?”
She asked so quickly and unexpectedly that Hawk was completely caught off guard. He found himself at a loss for words for the second time of the day. Recovering quickly he said, “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” She looked away as she apologized.
“No, no, please don’t be sorry,” Hawk attempted to reassure her. “I am flattered you would ask.”
Kiran’s face flushed at her perceived blunder. Fussing with her keys, she walked briskly as though she couldn’t get to her car and away from him fast enough. Hawk almost had to run to keep up with her. He reached out and impulsively, but gently, grabbed Kiran by the arm and turned her toward him. Facing her, he steadied himself.
“I would love to take you to dinner. I just can’t do it tonight. Could we plan on it tomorrow night?”
She searched his face. “If you’re sure . . . tomorrow would be nice.”
“Great!” Hawk was genuinely glad she had agreed. “Where do you want me to pick you up?”
“Why don’t I meet you right here?” Kiran was now recovering and her confidence was slowly coming back.
“Here?”
“Right here,” she stated.
“You want me to pick you up right here on the street corner?”
“It’s safe, isn’t it?”
“Of course, but I can pick you—”
Kiran interrupted, “I can be here at seven o’clock if that’s okay with you.”
“That works for me. I’ll be here.”
“Great, see you then.” Kiran patted him twice on the chest and turned toward her car.
Hawk watched as she got into her car and drove away. Everything within him wanted to have dinner with Kiran tonight, but he had already made plans. He had decided before church began that he would head over to the Disney Studios to look at Walt Disney’s office in the One Man’s Dream attraction. If he was going to figure out what meaning the key to the kingdom Rales had given him possessed,
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