Kenzie’s boyfriend, Hayden Howland, had asked her to move in with him months ago. She’d finally accepted his offer after she’d witnessed what happened to her best friend, Jillian. There was no guarantee that the same thing would happen to her, but it did make her realize that life was short and it should be spent with those you love the most.
Of course, Kenzie’s parents were saddened by this news, and understandably so. She was their only child, and for the past five years, she’d lived right down the street from them in the cozy farm town. But now, she’d be moving to Moonlight Falls to live with her boyfriend.
Their reactions had been indulgent, but also distraught.
“We’ll miss you living right down the street from us,” Constance had said, her eyes threatening to spill tears. “And if you ever need anything, how will we get to you?”
“Mom, I’ve been living on my own for how long? I was technically living alone in college, except I had Jillian as a roommate. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
“The question is, do you really want to do this?” Russ had interjected, his face stern and serious. “We want to make sure you aren’t being forced into doing something you don’t want to do.”
“For the love of the creator, Dad, I do want to do this. Hayden and I love each other, and we want to be together. It hurts doing the long-distance thing all the time.”
“Then why don’t you get married?” Constance had inquired.
Kenzie heaved a sigh. This was her typical mother – old-fashioned, fearing that if a couple moved in together prior to tying the knot, they never would do so.
“Mom, a lot of couples move in together before they get married,” she’d replied. “In fact, some people even encourage it. That way, you know what it’s like to live together before you have some legally binding contract that you’re stuck with.”
It had taken a lot of conversations like that one to convince Russ and Constance that Kenzie genuinely did want to move in with Hayden. So now she was packing up her belongings in preparation of starting the next chapter of her life.
And she wasn’t the only one to do so. She was starting her next chapter by moving in with her boyfriend. Jillian was adapting to life as a vampire, and she was also living with her vampire boyfriend. Austin and Cheyenne were now parents, their son being born on the twenty-third day of November.
Suddenly, Kenzie’s cell phone rang. She saw on the caller ID that it was her boyfriend calling. She plopped down on the couch and greeted, “Hello, Beast.”
“Hello, Beauty,” replied her boyfriend, causing them both to chortle. It was a private joke the two shared, and it never seemed to get old.
“How goes the packing?” Hayden continued.
“Pretty good. What’s up?”
“Well, I have to head that way this weekend to do an interview for a new Asian restaurant opening up in Sunset Valley. Since it’s not far from Riverview, if it’s okay with you, I thought maybe I could pick you up on the way back and we could move some of your things to my place so there’s less to move later. Plus, I really want to see you.”
“Miss me that much, huh?”
“Even more so now that I know it’s only a matter of time before we can permanently live together.”
Kenzie couldn’t help grinning. Every time she talked to Hayden, she was reassured that she was making the right decision. She knew that everything was going to be all right.
“Well,” she replied, “I miss you, too. And actually, I wouldn’t mind going with you to the restaurant. You know I love Asian culture.”
“That works out even better!”
“Great! I can’t wait to see you again.”
“Damn, I wish I could take off the rest of the week and then we wouldn’t have to wait until this weekend.”
“Remember, good things come to those that wait.”
“Is that some sort of promise?”
“I suppose it could be.”
“You can be a real wild animal, Kenzie Howell.”
“I learned from the best, Hayden Howland.”
Kenzie looked down and saw Sage, her loyal dog, eyeing her curiously. Kenzie scratched her behind the ears and said, “Say hi to your new roommate.”
“What?” Hayden asked.
“I’m talking to Sage.”
“Hi, Sage!”
Sage barked in response, causing the couple to chuckle again.
The two chatted for a little longer before saying their temporary farewells. After hanging up with Hayden, Kenzie’s phone rang again almost immediately. This time, it was her best friend calling. She pushed the Talk button and said, “Hey, Jill.”
“Hi, Ken! How are you?”
“I’m pretty good. Just packing some things.”
“When do you move?”
“There really isn’t a definite date set yet; it all depends on when I get everything packed up. Hayden’s already clearing out some places for my things, and what I don’t need to take with me, my parents can take. Or I can sell it.”
Kenzie lounged on the couch as she chatted with Jillian. It was still so hard to believe that her beach babe best friend was a vampire. Her whole lifestyle had to change, and she was now trapped in Midnight Hollow, where the sun never shined. Thankfully, Isaiah had his father’s manor, and they’d fixed it up very nicely. Though Kenzie had no idea how they could stand living there, considering that was where Jill had been taken and tortured after her kidnapping, thus eventually causing her transformation into a creature of the night.
“Stop it,” Jillian said now on the other end of the line. “I can tell by your voice that you still feel guilty. And I told you, you shouldn’t.”
“But this whole thing is my fault…”
“Bullshit. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s that psycho who kidnapped me. But Isaiah and I had been talking about me turning into a vampire for a while, so it all worked out. Got it?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it.”
As she talked, Kenzie looked around her house. She felt the familiar tug on her heartstrings as she saw the empty counters and surfaces. Sage sensed her despondency and trotted over to her, licking her hand in comfort. This did spawn a smile on her master’s face.
It was only natural to feel a sense of gloom before moving out of a house one had lived in for several years. Plus, Kenzie wasn’t that keen on change. But she knew this was what she wanted, and everything would be all right once she took the plunge.
********************************************************************************
Saturday finally arrived and Hayden picked Kenzie up at her house as promised. Sage would be staying with Kenzie’s parents while she and Hayden embarked on the interview in Sunset Valley and took some of her things to her new home.
Along the way, they made small talk, chattered about current events, made up for lost time with romantic gestures, and Hayden told Kenzie about the restaurant.
“It’s called Cravin’ Asian,” he explained as he drove, “and it’s owned by a couple from Shang Simla. They moved here to open it, apparently. That’s part of what I’ll be finding out.”
“Sounds great!”
At last, they arrived in Sunset Valley. Even though it was still winter, the temperatures were moderately comfortable with the beach being nearby. But Kenzie and Hayden still had their winter garb wrapped around them just in case.
The restaurant was located in the middle of town and fairly easy to navigate to. A GPS made it even better. Once Hayden parked in front of the authentically-decorated establishment, they went inside. Kenzie looked around in awe at the interior. It was even more impressive than the exterior.
Lanterns hung suspended from the ceiling and cast an illuminating glow throughout. There was no shortage of fans, dragons, or bamboo. Booths were nestled in one corner while straight ahead behind a hostess desk was a seating area donned with tables and chairs. And to the right was a genuine hibachi grill. Cravin’ Asian combined all elements of Asian food into one establishment. One could order egg rolls, sushi, and everything in between at this one place. Kenzie could feel her mouth begin to water already as she took it all in.
“Konnichiwa,” a young woman said as she hustled toward Kenzie and Hayden. She was wearing a long silk kimono and her hair was topped off with decorative chopsticks. She smiled warmly, and Kenzie could have sworn she’d seen her somewhere before.
“Hello to you too,” Hayden replied. “I’m here to do an interview with the owners.”
“Ah, yes, Ryu mentioned something about that,” the woman said. “I’ll get him in a moment.” Then she seemed to notice Kenzie.
“Excuse me,” the woman said in her small voice, “but you look familiar. Have I met you somewhere before?”
Kenzie was befuddled. She wracked through her brain, trying to bring up a file in her memory, and it hit her like lightning.
“Shang Simla, maybe? Hayden tells me the couple who opened this place are from there.”
“Yes, it’s where I’m from.”
“You’re…are you…Su Chong?”
The woman’s face lit up and broke into a smile. “Why, it’s you! I met you at home several years ago! Kenzie, right?”
“Yeah, that’s it. It’s been so long! I had no idea this was your place! Are you here with your brother?”
Su shook her head. “Oh, no. Shen has stayed behind to continue teaching Sim Fu, among other things. I’m here with my new family. My husband and daughter.”
“You’re married? And you have a daughter? Wow, congratulations!”
Su smiled again. Kenzie couldn’t believe that it had been nearly four years since she’d last seen her friend that she’d met while on vacation in China. Su had always dreamed of becoming a chef, and now here she was living the dream with her family. Su had taken her on tours of ancient ruins, taught her Sim Fu, and even made her homemade fortune cookies right in her very own home. Yet it seemed like just yesterday.
“Please, come with me,” Su said, beckoning Kenzie and Hayden to follow her. She had them sit in one of the roomy booths and placed two menus in front of them after they shed their coats. “I’ll give you an appetizer on the house.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” Kenzie began, but Su held up her hand. “It’s an honor. And forgive me, but I haven’t properly introduced myself to your companion.”
“Oh!” Kenzie chuckled as Hayden gave her a mischievous look. “I’m sorry. Su, this is my boyfriend, Hayden. Hayden, this is Su. I met her after college when I went to China.”
The two shook hands, and Su added a bow.
“I’ll let Ryu know you’re here,” Su said. “But first, you must try today’s special!”
Kenzie and Hayden placed an order of free Crab Rangoon appetizers and Su shuffled away, promising a fast return.
“This is a nice place,” Hayden observed.
“Yes, it is,” Kenzie agreed. “And wow, I had no idea Su was running it!”
“According to my notes, the owners are Ryu and Su Tanaka. He’s from Japan and she’s from China, and they met in Shang Simla, got married, had a daughter, and then came here to start a restaurant.”
“Su always did want to come here. I feel bad that we lost touch after all these years.”
“It happens sometimes.”
“True, but I don’t want it to. I’m going to swear right now never to lose touch with another friend.”
Hayden reached across the table and held Kenzie’s hands in his. “At least nothing bad happened to her. She’s happy, living a good life, and she even remembers you.”
“Yeah. And now I’ll be able to see her more often.”
“Exactly.”
The appetizers arrived and the two dug in. Once they’d finished their meal, Su introduced them both to her husband, Ryu, and their two-year-old daughter, Mai. The Tanakas invited both Kenzie and Hayden to visit their home after the restaurant closed on account of Su’s close friendship with Kenzie, thus giving a more personal vibe to the story Hayden was writing.
The house was a cozy little townhouse that looked like a traditional Sunset Valley one on the outside, but the inside was furnished with various knickknacks from the owners’ Asian heritages. Su gave them a full tour, and Kenzie thought she’d melt at the cuteness that was Mai’s nursery. All the panda décor and furnishings were simply precious.
She and Su got reacquainted while Hayden interviewed Ryu, and then Su joined her husband while Kenzie watched from the couch as Mai played in her playpen, her face alight with glee, and the family dog, Izumi, even joined in.
It was nearly ten o’clock when the interview was finished. They’d had to wait until after the dinner crowd had left and the restaurant closed for the night before the interview could begin. Su promised to show them the hibachi grill next time.
“Well, that was a great interview,” Hayden stated once they were back in the car. “I wish they could all be that smooth.”
“I know the feeling, except for me it comes with interviewing suspects.”
“I’d imagine so.” He glanced at the digital clock on the car’s dashboard. “Man, it’s late. A little late to drive back to Moonlight Falls tonight. I mean, I’m okay with it, but…”
“No, it’s fine. Let’s just get a hotel. We didn’t plan on it taking this long, since I didn’t know an old friend would be involved.”
“Not a problem. By the way, did I tell you how much I love your haircut?”
“I don’t think so. I thought it was time for another change.”
“Well, when we get to that hotel, I’m going to show you just how much I love that change. And more importantly, I’ll show you just how much I love you.”
Loved it, the nursery is so cute. Looking forward to more :)
ReplyDeleteAwww, thank you so much! :) Part 2 is coming right up!
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