25
“W here are we going?” Aiva asked from the passenger seat, and Knox glanced over at her.
It was Sunday afternoon, and he had an entire day planned for them. His parents had picked up Yasmine that morning to make the four-and-a-half-hour drive to visit family since his father couldn’t fly. So, they’d kept their original date time of around lunch.
“To a park of sorts.”
“Of sorts?” Aiva questioned.
“If I tell you exactly, it’ll give away the surprise. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Knox saw her nod from the corner of his eye before turning his full attention back to the road. True to his word, they pulled into the parking lot of the trails barely five minutes later. He got out, going to the passenger side to open the door for her.
“Are we walking the trail?” she asked, and Knox shook his head as he saw the truck pull into the parking lot and the nearest spot. “Wait right here for me?”
When she nodded, he walked over to the truck, and the driver greeted him. The older man unloaded the rental and asked Knox for an autograph before telling him he’d be back in two hours, which Knox felt was more than enough time.
He walked back to Aiva, pushing the rental beside him, and a smile bloomed across her face. That smile, he was sure, could bring a man to his knees.
“We’re going on a tandem bike ride.” It wasn’t a question, but he answered anyway.
“Yes, I remember you saying on our first date that you and Meila went when you were kids. I thought it might be fun.”
Aiva placed her hands on his chest and rose on her tiptoes. He leaned down to meet her, and she kissed him softly.
“I didn’t think you’d remember that.”
Knox stole another kiss. “That would mean I wasn’t listening, and that’s far from the truth.”
They went to one of the trails, Aiva opting for the backseat, and headed into the trees. Several trails branched off from where they were. Some went exclusively through nature, and others only went along the river. The one he’d chosen would give them a bit of both as it veered off toward the river after a while.
Their ride was leisurely, taking in the passing greenery, squirrels, and birds that scurried and flitted about. A comfortable silence sat between them, and when they were about two miles in, the trail redirected, and the river ran beside them several yards later.
There were other people along the trail. Some were walking, and others were sitting on a couple of benches. The weather was excellent, and the breeze off the river only added to that effect, so he wasn’t surprised there were so many people out enjoying it.
They rode for about a mile. When they came to an empty bench, they pulled over, and Knox steadied the bike as she got off. He moved it off the trail and put both kickstands down, sitting beside her.
“I couldn’t tell you the last time I went on a bike ride. I feel like it was probably in my early twenties,” Aiva stated, turning to him.
“That’s no good. Yas and I go a couple of times a month when the weather’s nice at the park a couple of blocks from the condo. You should come with us one day.”
“It’s sweet of you to offer, but I wouldn’t want to impose on your time with her. I also know she’s still adjusting, and I know me being around, especially right now, might confuse her or stall her adjustment.”
Knox couldn’t help but smile. It never ceased to amaze him how she took his daughter into account. Even when planning dates, she didn’t want him to be away on a night Yasmine had school the following day. She always asked about her when they spoke or saw one another. Hell, she’d done that even before they started dating.
The fact that she took his daughter into account would always be something Knox would be grateful for. He knew that wasn’t always the case. Even though they hadn’t been dating long, just a little over a month, he got the feeling that wouldn’t change.
“We imposed on your outing with your sister. It’s the least we could do to make it up. Besides, I think Yas would enjoy it. She kept asking me when we got home after the movie, the next time we would see you again.”
For over an hour, once they’d gotten home, his daughter asked him how he and Aiva became friends, how long they’d been friends, and if Kaley was really her little sister and not her daughter. She asked if they were all going to go on another playdate together. She’d even told him he and Aiva should go on an adult playdate like the one he and her grandmother had spoken about several weeks ago, because he would have fun. That had been amusing to him because she didn’t know Aiva was who he’d gone out with, but kids had an uncanny way of speaking facts even when they didn’t know it.
“If you’re sure.”
“I am,” Knox assured.
They sat and talked, and Knox told her about his journey to being drafted when she asked. He rarely brought up his NFL career. Not because it was bittersweet or anything like that, but it was just a job he’d liked that afforded him a good life. However, he didn’t mind discussing it and answering her questions. She was honest with him and told him she wasn’t the biggest sports fan, but she listened to him relay the moment he was chosen in the first round and how he felt about it with a smile on her face. Almost as if she was reliving the moment with him, if that were possible.
After a while, they got back on the bike and headed back to the parking area. They arrived just as the truck was pulling into the parking lot. Knox gave Aiva his keys so she could get in the car, and he returned the bike to the delivery man. He thanked him for dropping it off and made a mental note to give them an excellent review online.
When he got into the car, he headed to their next destination. There was a deli about twenty minutes away that served some of the best pie he’d ever had. He would take her there for lunch, and if he could coax her into giving him more of her time that day, he planned to pick her up later that evening and take her to dinner.
K nox followed Yasmine into the condo the following Friday afternoon, after spending the morning at the museum and zoo. She’d spent the first few days of her spring break with his parents, and over the last few, he’d taken her somewhere each day. Yasmine skipped off down the hall to put away the stuffed animal she’d gotten at the zoo, and Knox went into the kitchen to take something out for dinner.
Yasmine returned a couple of minutes later and climbed onto a stool as Knox placed the meat in the sink to thaw
“Daddy, is Ms. Aiva still going bike riding with us tomorrow?”Knox had told her that morning when he picked her up from Mia’s and it seemed his daughter wanted to make sure nothing had changed in the last few hours.
“She is. She’s meeting us at the park down the street.”
“What time?”
“At noon.”
“Okay. I can’t wait!” Yasmine exclaimed, bouncing with excitement in her seat.
Knox wasn’t surprised that she was excited. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he told Aiva his daughter had almost immediately asked about the next time they would see her. He was glad Yasmine seemed to like Aiva.
His goal had been to wait a few more months before introducing them to one another. But they’d run into each other at the grocery store and he couldn’t bring himself not to speak. Then, when they’d bumped into Aiva and her sister at Chuck E. Cheese, it felt like fate was trying to tell him something. So, he’d go with it, and if things happened to not work out, he would deal with the consequences of jumping the gun.
“Is she going to spend the day with us?” Yasmine inquired.
“I don’t think so, Yas. We don’t want to take up her whole day, but maybe we can get lunch together if she has time.”
“Yeah, okay. I’m sure she’ll want to. Riding bikes can make you hungry.” Knox chuckled at how seriously the statement was said as he nodded in agreement. “Can we do another piano lesson?”
“Sure, kiddo,” Knox responded, going around the bar and picking her up. He sat at the keyboard with her in his lap. “Do you remember what we worked on last time?”
“Twinkle, Twinkle,” Yasmine responded, immediately bringing her hands up to play the children’s song.
With her gymnastics instructor taking the next several months off for maternity leave, she’d asked Knox to give her piano lessons. He figured she was used to having an activity two days after school, and every other Saturday morning. She was enthusiastic to learn, and Knox had no problem teaching her. It was more quality time they got to spend together. Yasmine had also gotten his determination, and she picked up on what he taught her quickly. Knox decided he’d teach her something a little more challenging for the current lesson.
K nox opened the door later that night and stepped aside to let Ezra enter. His friend had called him twenty minutes ago, asking if he could stop by and discuss something with him.
“Hey,” Ezra greeted. “Sorry to stop by this late, but I got a call about something I wanted to run past you.”
“It’s fine,” Knox responded. It was almost nine o’clock and he would be up for the next few hours. So it wasn’t like the other man was keeping him awake.
“Where’s Yas?” Ezra asked as they went into the living room.
“She’s getting ready for bed.” Knox muted the television. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the buzz about your pending Hall of Fame induction.”
Knox had heard it, but he’d paid no mind to it. He hadn’t been retired long enough for that to happen, so there was no point in listening to baseless rumors.
“I have, but I haven’t been retired long enough yet.”
“Which is why I said pending. Anyway, because of that buzz, I got a call from two separate brands. One is launching a new fragrance for men and the other sleepwear, and would like you to participate in their campaigns.”
“Would it not make more sense for them to get someone who is currently playing?” Knox asked.
“Maybe, but both products will launch around the same time next year as the announcement for the Hall of Fame candidates. They can ride the wave. On top of that, you’re still one of the most searched players, and you’ve been trending on social media,” Ezra explained.
“Which is probably because of my divorce.”
“Okay, yes, but that just means ladies know you’re single, and statistically, women buy more cologne and sleepwear as gifts than men buy for themselves. It makes you the perfect candidate. As your agent, I think it’s a great opportunity, but the decision is yours.”
Knox hummed. “Do they need an answer right away?”
“You have a couple of months to decide, and it’s only one shoot apiece.”
“Let me think about it, and I’m not single.”
“Uncle Ezra!” Yasmine exclaimed before the mentioned man could respond as she came down the hall.
“Hey, Yas.”
“What are you doing here? Do you know it’s almost my bedtime so you won’t get to hang out with me?” she informed.
Knox refrained from chuckling because anytime his friends stopped by and his daughter was home, they clearly had done so to see her in the five-year-old’s mind. Ezra, on the other hand, chuckled.
“I know. I’ll have to come earlier next time.”
“I’m going to pick out a bedtime story. I’m tagging along with Daddy on an adult playdate tomorrow and I want to get a lot of sleep,” Yasmine announced before disappearing down the hall just as fast as she came.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Knox called after her.
“An adult playdate, huh?” Ezra questioned when they were alone.
“I did not call it that, but I’m assuming she put two and two together from a previous conversation.”
“Probably. She’s too smart for her own good. It’s with your lawyer, right?”
“Aiva isn’t my lawyer anymore, but yes.”
“And you think you’re ready to date again so soon after your divorce?” Ezra inquired.
Knox knew his friend was asking to make sure he wasn’t jumping into another relationship as a rebound. Until he and Mia separated and he moved out, he hadn’t let anyone in on all the things that happened behind closed doors. Once they separated, he gave them some details since couples didn’t usually live apart for the hell of it.
“I am. My marriage was over long before the divorce was finalized. The last year in the house with Mia was me trying to stick it out for our daughter, but part of me knew even then that our marriage was over. Separating for a year before filing was my way of trying to see if she would come around. If things would change and we could somehow miraculously work it out. Mentally and emotionally, I’ve been single for two years.”
Ezra nodded. “As long as you’re enjoying spending time with Aiva, then I say go for it. Mia might not be too happy when she finds out, but as long as her potential wrath is worth it.”
“It is,” Knox responded. “How she feels about it is her problem.”
“I should get going. You have a bedtime story to read.”
Knox walked Ezra to the door and locked it after his friend left. He turned off the lights and television before heading down the hall to see what book his daughter had chosen for bedtime.