Chapter 19
“You want to go out on a date with my Dad?” ~ Harper
Harper
“S orry,” I greet Kai. “We can’t…”
I’m cut off when his lips meet mine. “Hello, Slugger.”
“Hi,” I breathe out – a bit flustered by a mere meeting of our lips. This boy is trouble. And I can’t seem to stop myself from wanting more. Double trouble.
“How was work last night? I tried to stop by but Miles and Zane tied me down.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Tied you down?”
“Yep. Literally. Or, technically, I guess I should say they tied me to a chair.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing. To them at least.”
“Were you raised in a barn?” Dad yells.
“You were the one who raised me, or have you forgotten? ”
“I haven’t forgotten shit. Ain’t nothing wrong with my brain.”
“Hey, Henry,” Kai greets. “How are you today?”
“I’d be a lot better if my daughter hadn’t invited the entire mosquito army into the house.”
I sigh and motion Kai inside. “You better come in before Dad has another stroke over me keeping the door open.”
“I’ll chat with your dad while you get ready to go.”
“About our date.” I sigh. “It’s Carl’s birthday. I gave him the day off.”
“Not a problem.”
“Yes, it is. I can’t leave Dad alone.”
“I’m not a child,” Dad grumbles.
“Agreed. You’re a grumpy old man who can’t cook, dress, or go to the bathroom without help since you broke your arm.”
“I got this.” Kai rolls Dad’s wheelchair toward him. “Hop in. Time to get dressed.”
My brow wrinkles. “What are you doing?”
He motions to Dad. “I doubt he wants to go to lunch in his pajama pants.”
Dad perks up. “Lunch? Where are we going?”
“Anywhere you want.”
Dad gets a gleam in his eye. “The Salty Siren for a burger and fries?”
“I love their burgers and they have the best fries.”
I glare at Dad. “You are not having a burger and fries.”
“Why not? I’m a grown man. I’m tired of eating your rabbit food. ”
“I’m trying to keep you healthy so you can annoy the siren out of me for another thirty years.”
“I’m not annoying. You’re the one who complains about everything. The television is too loud, I can’t sleep with your snoring.”
I close my eyes and inhale a deep breath before I start to list the two million ways Dad annoys me. If I tell Dad he’s annoying, he’ll say I’m a complainer. And pretty soon, we’ll be sniping at each other. I don’t want to fight with my dad in front of Kai.
“Will one burger hurt?” Kai asks.
I growl. “Are you seriously asking me in front of my dad?”
“Duh. I want your dad to like me. I already know you like me.” He winks.
“I don’t know why I like you,” I mutter. “You’re as annoying as this one.” I motion to Dad before whirling around and marching down the hallway toward my bedroom. “I’ll be ready in five minutes.”
When I emerge from my bedroom five minutes later, Dad is changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and is waiting at the door in his wheelchair. Considering how much he hates his wheelchair, I’m beginning to wonder if Kai is a miracle worker.
“Let’s go.” I begin pushing Dad out of the door but Kai nudges me out of the way.
“I got this. ”
“But you need two people to lift the wheelchair down the stairs.”
“Slugger, let me handle this.”
I reluctantly step away and Kai bends at his knees before lifting the wheelchair with Dad in it and carrying it down the stairs. His muscles bulge and there’s a bead of sweat on his forehead but he does it.
“You need a ramp.”
“I’ll get right on it as soon as my lottery winnings come in.”
Kai frowns as he steers the wheelchair toward his SUV. He opens the front door and lifts Dad into his seat. I grab the wheelchair – intent on folding it and putting it in the rear – but Kai snatches it from me.
“I got it.”
“I’m not helpless.”
He kisses my cheek. “Nope. But it doesn’t hurt to accept help once in a while.”
“Whatever.” I climb into the backseat behind Dad.
“Your boyfriend has a fancy vehicle.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Why the hell not?”
“You want me to have a boyfriend?”
“I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life taking care of me and not have a life of your own.”
I squeeze his shoulder. “I don’t mind taking care of you.”
The driver’s door opens and Kai positions himself behind the wheel. “Who’s hungry?”
“I’m starved,” Dad grumbles. “Someone keeps hiding the Fruit Loops on me.”
Those bleeping Fruit Loops are going to be the death of me .
Kai chuckles. “It’s a good thing we’re on our way to lunch, then.”
The drive to the boardwalk where the Salty Siren is located isn’t long. Usually, we’d walk but it’s a bit far to push Dad. We park and I jump out to get Dad’s wheelchair but Kai beats me there.
“Let me do this for you.”
“You’re always doing things for me.” How long will it be before he’s tired of how much extra work it is to be with me?
“I enjoy doing things for you. And for your dad.”
“But…”
He kisses me before I can finish my sentence. “Stop,” he whispers against my mouth. “Stop worrying about everything. I’m here. I’ve got this.”
He whips out the wheelchair and leaves me standing behind his SUV with my jaw hanging open. Does Kai – the man-child who’s a goofy jokester – have this? Did he grow up and I missed it?
“Are you coming?” Dad asks. “I’m starving.”
I slam the back door closed and hurry to follow them.
“Do you prefer bacon on your burger?” Kai asks Dad.
“Ain’t a burger without bacon and cheese.”
“What about fries? Are you a ketchup or mayonnaise with your fries person?”
“Son.” Dad shakes his head. “No good man has mayonnaise with their fries. Mayonnaise is for sissies.”
Kai glances behind at me and flexes his bicep. “I guess I’m eating my fries with ketchup today. ”
“Goofball.”
“Your goofball.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t try your luck, Goofy.”
“Goofy’s awesome. I’d be dashing in a fedora, don’t you think?”
I’m afraid Kai would be dashing wearing a neon pink cropped sweatshirt and oversized sweatpants or nothing at all. Based on those muscles he was displaying earlier when he carried Dad, nothing at all has my preference.
“You gonna open the door or stare at your boyfriend with googly eyes all day?” Dad asks.
“I wasn’t…” I trail off – I should know better than to argue with Dad – and hurry to open the door.
The Salty Siren is packed when we enter. I glance around but the only available tables are booths. Dad can’t sit in a booth. Damn.
“We can go somewhere else,” I suggest but I’m speaking to air.
Kai has already wheeled Dad to a table occupied by two people. “I’m sorry. Do you mind moving to the booth over there?” He points to the free booth. “We need a freestanding table for the wheelchair.”
“But we already have our food,” the woman complains.
Kai grabs a tray from a passing waitress and begins putting their food onto it. “Lunch is on me. Make certain to get dessert. The cherry pie is to die for.”
He doesn’t wait for them to respond before moving to the booth and setting their food and drinks down on the table. The woman looks at the man and he shrugs before standing and following Kai to the booth.
I remove one of the chairs and place Dad’s wheelchair close to the table. Kai returns with a washcloth and cleans the table. He disappears again and this time he returns with menus.
“Did you work here?” I ask when he finally sits down next to me.
“Nah. Eli worked here when he was in high school.”
“And he taught you everything you know?”
Dad scowls at me. “Stop interrogating him. He’ll never want to be your boyfriend if you’re always poking at him.”
Kai waves a hand in dismissal. “It’s okay, Henry. Harper can ask me whatever questions she wants. I’m an open book to her.”
“You should be a little mysterious.”
Kai chuckles. “Is that how you won your wife over?”
Dad grins. “Vikki couldn’t resist me once I hit her with my charm.”
Kai leans close. “Tell me more. I could use a few hints to get this one to fall for me.”
“You have to leave her wanting more,” Dad says.
I groan. “Please, for the love of all the pirates on the sea, do not discuss your sex life with Mom with Kai.”
“A good sex life is important for a relationship. Don’t you think, Kai?”
Kai raises his hands. “You’re awesome, Henry, but I can’t discuss what Harper and I do behind closed doors with you.”
“Good. ”
“Were you testing me?”
“Yep. Only the best for my daughter.” Dad pats my hand.
“I agree.” Kai smiles at me and his blue eyes are full of warmth. And love?
No. Not love. I must be delusional. Maybe I’ve been reading too many romance books. There’s no way Kai Raider actually loves me. We barely know each other.
Except we’ve known each other for years.
Although, the Kai I thought I knew was a goofball jokester.
I didn’t expect him to be kind to my dad, arrange things like a dog sitter and a payment plan to make life easier for me or find a caretaker after Dad fell.
I certainly didn’t expect him to rush to the hospital to help us.
I didn’t… Well, shit. I’m falling for him. Kai has somehow managed to worm his way past my walls. I pray to the smugglers he doesn’t break my heart.