Kia sat down on a rock. “I shouldn’t complain to you.”
Sullivan shrugged. “We didn’t make any house rules about complaining.”
“We’re going to court tomorrow, and it’s just… a lot.” The waterfall hid the tremor in Kia’s voice.
Sullivan waited. Kia wanted to sink against Sullivan’s strong, REI-clad chest and pour out her worries, but you couldn’t ask to be comforted by the person whose life you were ruining.
“I’m fine,” Kia said.
Sullivan took her jacket off and handed it to Kia. “You look cold.”
The warmth of the jacket felt impossibly intimate.
“Sandwich?” Sullivan opened her pack.
Suddenly, Kia was starving.
“Roasted vegetables with Gruyère, or pulled pork with caramelized onions?” Sullivan asked.
“Which are you more proud of?”
Sullivan considered and handed her the roasted vegetables. “Notice how the miso glaze melds with the sear on the rocotillo peppers.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Kia took a bite. She had visited restaurants in thirty-eight states and she hadn’t had a sandwich this good. “Fuck you, Sullivan,” she said through a mouthful.
Sullivan’s smile said she knew it was a compliment.
Above them, the clouds were parting.
“Here it comes,” Sullivan said, gesturing to the sky.
And like magic or something out of a religious painting, a ray of light shone into the pool, illuminating every droplet of water in the air. Kia’s mouth opened in an O of wonder.
She was just about to say how much she appreciated Sullivan taking her out even though she’d almost drowned in the wetland, when a giant, poisonous viper slithered out of the underbrush. It moved in for the attack. Kia screamed.
Sullivan stood up and moved toward the monster.
“Shoo,” she said. “Kia doesn’t want to know you.”
Kia considered wading into the water to escape. Could this kind of snake swim? Her skin crawled at the thought.
“It’s just a garter snake. They’re harmless,” Sullivan said.
The snake disappeared back into the bushes. Now that it was gone, Kia could admit that maybe it wasn’tthatbig. Maybe it was more like shoelace big. Short shoelace. It was still hideous.
“Why are you so afraid of snakes?” When Sullivan sat back down, she was closer to Kia, their hips touching. She hadn’t moved closer on purpose, had she?
“It’s the way they move.” Kia waved her arm to imitate the unnatural slither. “The way they just appear. And everyone says,Oh, there’re no snakes at the fairgrounds. There’re no snakes in Cincinnati.And then, bam, there’s one under my RV. That’s why I want the Wind Searcher Pop-Up Pavilion. And don’t make fun of me. Everyone’s scared of something.” Kia trembled in Sullivan’s coat.
Sullivan looked at her, confused but sympathetic.
“I wouldn’t make fun of you.” She touched Kia’s knee, just a fleeting gesture but Kia felt it vibrate through her body. “Even though you put marshmallows in your coffee.”
“You already made fun of me for the marshmallows.” Kia pretended to scowl.
“Shit. I forgot. Sorry. I won’t make fun of your snake thing.”
Sullivan’s calm dispelled Kia’s nerves.
