Page 46 of Shift the Tide

Kiera exhaled, shoulders relaxing slightly. “Yeah. Okay.”

Her dad gave her a grin. “So… was it agoodkiss?”

Kiera groaned and dropped her head onto the table. “Oh my god.”

Her dad leaned forward, his smile widening. “I mean, we need details. Was it amovie-worthykiss? A ‘slow-motion, dramatic music swelling in the background’ kind of thing?”

Her mom chimed in, eyes twinkling. “Or was it more of a ‘whoops, didn’t see that coming’ situation?”

Kiera groaned again, covering her face with her hands. “Why did I tell you this?”

“Because we’re your loving and supportive parents,” her mom said sweetly, taking another sip of tea.

“And because you knew deep down that we’d eventually drag it out of you anyway,” her dad added, stretching his arms behind his head like he had all the time in the world. “So, was this just a casual kiss? Or are we talking Big Feelings?”

Kiera peeked at them between her fingers, equal parts mortified and exasperated. “Please stop.”

Her mom gasped dramatically. “Big feelings, then. Got it.”

Her dad pointed at her, eyebrows raised. “You didn’t deny it.”

Kiera groaned, slumping forward onto the table. “I take it back. You two arenotsupportive. You’re busybodies.”

Her mom patted her back soothingly. “Sweetheart, we’re just happy for you. And also, frankly, relieved. I knew you’d come to your senses.”

“Come to my senses?” Kiera lifted her head just enough to glare at them.

Her dad nodded sagely. “Well, yeah. The way you used to talk about your totally platonic girl crushes growing up? It was painfully obvious. And in college, there was that girl you never stopped talking about. I’m just shocked it took this long.”

Kiera threw up her hands. “I hate this. I hate this entire conversation.”

Her mom just laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, honey. You don’t hate it. You’re just flustered.”

“I amnotflustered.”

Her dad raised an eyebrow. “Then why is your face turning the exact color of a tomato?”

“Wait, what girl did I talk about in college all the time? Danica?”

Her mom rolled her eyes. “Yes, but not like that. I believe it was Missy, if I remember correctly.”

“Missy?” Kiera repeated.

“Pixie?” Her dad added rather unhelpfully.

“Izzy?” Kiera clarified.

Her mom’s eyes widened. “Yep, that was it. Izzy.”

Kiera groaned again and pushed back from the table. “I’m leaving.”

Her mom clutched her arm. “But sweetheart, where will you go? We know where you live.”

She could see the laughter bubbling up inside her dad.

Kiera crossed her arms, grumbling, “I wastryingto make a spreadsheet before you both turned this into a full-fledged intervention. Now I’m going to go to Pilates and forget this conversation ever happened.”

Her mom leaned in conspiratorially. “Kiera, darling. What we really mean to say is that wehopedyou would come out, but we did begrudgingly accept you as our straight daughter, as well.”

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