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the subject. “ Certain things .”
    I sighed. “It’s just a date, Gran. We can go on a date.”
    “Yes, but . . .”
    “But what?” I paused, and glanced over her shoulder at Kris. She had turned away from us, and faced Micah in some sort of challenge of the minds or something. “What’s bringing this on, Gran? What did she say to you?”
    Gran shook her head softly, and I knew I wouldn’t get a straight answer. Cryptic, coded messages were Gran’s thing. “She’s thinking. But I question if it’s because she’s really ready for a physical relationship, or if she feels like she should be ready. Remember, you’re older than her, more experienced than her . . .”
    “I know, Gran. I know.”
    “I just fear that’s pushing her before she’s ready,” Gran concluded.
    “I’m not . . .” I stopped. I haven’t been pushing for anything. Have I?
    “I’m not saying you are,” Gran corrected quickly. “I think she’s pushing herself . . . for you.”
    Huh. I had not expected that.
    Gran smiled as she patted me on the back. “Just do what’s right for her. You always have. Don’t let that change now just because things have changed between the two of you.”
    “That will never change.”
    That was a vow I meant full-heartedly. No matter the context, there was nothing I wouldn’t do for that girl, and nothing I would ever do to hurt her. No matter how embarrassing it may have been for the words to come from Gran of all people, they stuck with me. As I walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was on to something I had been blind to.
    What if a wardrobe crisis wasn’t the only cause of Kris’s anxiety about tonight?

Chapter 4
     
    {Kris}
     
    Nathan had been right. We needed some time off the island to be ourselves.
    He had planned an exceptional evening. From the moment Kim handed me over to him at the door, to the moment our feet hit the sand on the mainland, everything had gone off without a hitch. Even the Kala stationed at the boat dock had practically rolled out the red carpet for us.
    And it was still going well.
    Better, even, because we were now alone, and enjoying our first taste of real—not prepackaged and mass produced, cafeteria-style—food in weeks. Sitting at a secluded, candlelit table mere feet from the ocean’s gently crashing waves, with soft music playing in the background, and the best-looking, most attentive date ever across from me was the highlight of all of my eighteen years. I couldn’t have wiped the smile from my face if I had wanted to.
    “How much time do we have left before the boat comes back for us?” I asked as I scooped the remainder of my dessert—something that resembled a chocolate cake, but named something I couldn’t pronounce—onto my fork.
    He checked his watch. “About an hour and a half.”
    “So what’s next?” I asked as I tossed my napkin onto my empty plate.
    “Whatever you want,” he returned casually as he removed several bills from his wallet and placed them on the table. “Across the street is a dance club, where I will go if you insist, and behind me is one of the world’s most beautiful black sand beaches waiting to be explored.”
    His tone and hopeful expression made it clear which option he preferred. I nibbled my lip as I considered the beach over Nathan’s shoulder. 
    “But it’s dark,” I said timidly. “We won’t be able to see much.”
    He smiled at me in that way he did when I said or did something that wasn’t exactly bright, but he resigned to love me regardless. He propped his elbows on the table and stared at me in silence for a moment before it dawned on me—he hadn’t actually meant for us to explore the beach. More like explore each other . . .
    “Beach,” I answered quickly. “Definitely, beach.”
    Fifteen minutes later, I concluded that nothing could beat a romantic, leisurely stroll to wrap up the perfect evening. Aside from a few small sand creatures, we were alone. We walked hand in hand