Chapter 8
A Week Later . . .
“I never thought I’d see the day my big bro let another woman put his heart in a vice grip.
Your lovesick ass must be prone to falling into those traps because first it was Me—that skank, and now it’s Ms. Ky.
You’re gonna be down bad with this one. I can already tell.
” Laughter pierces the line after Jaleel stops talking.
All I can do is shake my head while my hands grip the steering wheel, because I’m definitely feeling Kyelle.
Unlike when I thought I loved the ground Meshay walked on in high school, this feels different.
Kyelle doesn’t make me feel like I’m walking with blinders on.
In fact, my eyes have never been more alert and clear where a woman is concerned.
My attraction to Kyelle isn’t simply because she’s a beauty with a magnetic smile.
It’s in how her eyes flicker with cheer upon seeing children get excited about reading.
The confidence that she speaks quietly unsettles and fascinates me equally.
It’s the music in her laughter and the excuses I find to be near her in a crowded room.
It’s in the obsessive yet protective nature that invades my body whenever I see a thirsty nigga in her face trying to spit game.
“Mhm. See, you know I’m speaking right. That’s why you’re over there being choked by the cat holding your throat.”
“Shut up, fool. I ain’t gotta justify shit with you. What’s Cupcake doing?” My voice holds no bass or threat as I release the grip on my steering wheel.
Practice has been over for thirty minutes, but I have to leave the facility due to this conversation with Jaleel. I only called to check on Mica to ensure she didn’t need anything that would force me to go home.
“She’s straight. Her little con artist ass talked me into taking her to get another set of books from your girl’s spot.” The cadence of my heart slows upon hearing that information as Kyelle’s face pops into my psyche, causing a cheesy grin.
“Oh, for real. That’s—”
“Nigga, you ain’t gotta try to fake like you don’t want to ask questions about ole girl.” Jaleel’s laughter pierces the line.
My cheeks start hurting from the continuous smiling at the thought of Kyelle, so I’m unable to dispute Jaleel’s claim.
“Whatever.”
“Whatever, my ass. Even though you’re capping, she did ask about your ass.” My heart leaps at hearing that because I have definitely been thinking about her, which was the motivation for my check-in.
“Oh, for real. What did you tell her?” I try for a cool delivery that Jaleel instantly shoots down like a missile.
“Sucka ass nigga.” Laughter echoes around the interior as I hold my breath, waiting for Jaleel to answer my question.
“I didn’t have to say shit because your parrot quickly told her that you were working and shit.
Hell, with the way Little Bit was dominating the conversation, I think you’re gonna be fighting her for ole girl.
I have never seen her brighten up and take to a woman like that.
Ole girl clearly got both of y’all asses in a chokehold. ”
“Hm. Alright, since y’all straight. I got a move to make, and I’ll be at the crib in a few hours.” The urge to pull up on Kyelle increases upon hearing Jaleel’s statement, making it imperative for me to end this conversation and be on my way.
Forty-five Minutes Later . . .
“I can’t believe you brought me here. You don’t even look like the type to drink coffee.”
Grinning, I watch Kyelle sitting across the table staring at me with wonderment.
“I don’t. But I just wanted a little bit of your time, and you seem like the type to appreciate something subtle like this.
If I’m gonna work on getting more of your time, I gotta think outside the box.
” Shrugging, I pick up my lemon-infused water and take a drink.
“Hm. So I’m worth the effort, huh?”
“The kind that sneaks up on you when you’re minding your business, and suddenly, you’re drinking citrusy water you despise just to create a moment.”
“You could’ve chose somewhere else.”
“Could’ve. But then I wouldn’t be sitting here wondering why someone I’ve only spent limited time with feels like my one.” Shrugging, a slow smile upturns my lips when Kyelle’s eyes bulge slightly.
“The one, huh? That’s either really insightful, scary, or premature.”
“I’ll take insightful, especially if it means I get to sit here a little longer without you considering running for the exit.”
Giggles escape Kyelle’s mouth as I smirk while enjoying the cadence of her humor at my expense.
“Oddly, no red flags form at the thought of you, so I think you’re good. But I am curious about why you feel that way already.” Kyelle’s keen eyes peer into me as her giggles end, and she takes a drink of the coffee concoction that sounds more sweet than caffeinated.
“It’s in the way you bite your lip when you’re thinking, how your eyes light up like you’re capable of painting stars in the sky. Or your smile that has me trying to catalog every instance that you bless me with it, so I can repeat the action. Hell, you don’t even have to try. I’m already gone.”
Laying my cards on the table seems fitting in this moment because the truth is, Kyelle is who I want. That thought is why I not only pulled up on her but asked her to meet me at this new café for coffee, knowing I don’t indulge in it.
“Wow. What does that mean to you?”
“It means I want us to spend more time together. I just want the freedom to be in your presence. To that end, will you go to a barbecue one of my teammates is hosting?”
Kyelle bites her lip, and a slight smile upturns mine as I give her a few minutes to ponder my invitation.
After practicing my teammate Stefan mentioned having a few of us over to unwind and release before the hustle and bustle of the season begins.
My acceptance came easily, and I instantly thought about asking Kyelle to accompany me.
Most of my teammates are dating or married, and whoever isn’t will bring someone they feel comfortable with, so it’s only right that I bring the woman filling the empty spaces in my mind.
“When is it?” Kyelle asks after several beats of silence.
“Next Saturday evening.” With us having practice in the morning, Stefan opted to host his barbecue in the evening so everyone has a little downtime beforehand.
“I’ll provide my answer before the night is over. So tell me a little bit about Kaeden, the man. I’m sure I can do an internet search to find out your stats regarding your profession. I’m more interested in learning things I can’t find at the click of my fingers.”
“See, this is that unique shit that’ll have your stomach swelling every two years with a five-carat diamond resting on your left ring finger. Interrogate me, Ms. Ky.” A lopsided grin takes shape as I attempt to quiet the drum cadence in my chest.
“You’re a mess, Kaeden.”
“Nah. I’m foretelling our future, my baby. You’d better keep up. Now, what would you like to know, because I want to provide you with the details you care most about.”
“Where’s Mica’s mother?”
Sitting back against the booth, I nod before giving Kyelle a quick rundown about what took place between Meshay and me, along with her walking out on Mica and I. Fire flashes in Kyelle’s eyes when I stop talking, and I fight the urge to kiss the deep frown from her lips.
“You mean to tell me that—that—umph, I don’t even know what to call her scraggly ass.” A deep laugh escapes my mouth at hearing Kyelle’s moniker for Meshay while fighting for a perfect description of my baby mama.
“Whoa, you’re wild. Did you call that woman scraggly like she’s a dog?”
“Mhm. Only dogs walk away from their children without a care in the world. No decent mother worth her salt would do such a despicable act like that. I’m disgusted.” Pushing her coffee cup away, Kyelle’s nose twists like something foul is in the air.
“It’s cool. Cupcake is and always will be good. As long as she has me, she will never have a moment of lack.”
The area around Kyelle’s eyes releases the tightness from a moment ago, and the storm clouds in her eyes burst into twinkling lights as she speaks.
“Aw, that’s such a cute little name.”
“Now that we have that heavy topic out of the way. What else would you like to know about me? Mica excluded because while I love my daughter, I don’t want her to dominate this right here.”
“Why are you interested in a woman not in the spotlight? I would think you would want someone in your circle.”
With every encounter with Kyelle, my interest increases, and my heart expands from her ability to riddle me with something I’ve never experienced.
“I have been there and done that. Now, I’m looking for someone who isn’t looking for the noise surrounding their attachment to me.
In my world, finding a woman who challenges me to be more than my performance on the field is rare.
You’re that woman, and I’m chasing the realness you bring to the table. ”
“Good answer.” Kyelle nods.
“That’s my truth. What else you got?”
“Don’t you want to ask me questions too?”
“In time. Now, what else do you want to know?”
While I’m anxious to learn more about Kyelle, I’m more interested in hearing her melodic voice. I could listen to Kyelle talk for twenty-four hours and still crave the sound of her voice.
“This is the last one for tonight. I know you probably had practice and should be getting home. I also have to open the bookstore early, so I probably should also be mindful of that. Anyway, what’s something people assume about you that’s totally wrong?”
“I’d operate on an hour of sleep if it meant continuing this conversation.”
“What?” Kyelle grins like she doesn’t believe my words, causing me to seek clarification.
For countless minutes, Kyelle simply watches me with assessing eyes as I photograph every feature on her face. My chest tightens and releases upon seeing fatigue simmering beneath the curiosity in Kyelle’s eyes.
“Answer the question, please,” Kyelle says after several beats of silence.
“People look at me and all they see is the guy who makes plays, and they assume I’m strength and swagger.
But what they don’t see is the softness underneath.
The part of me that longs for love that’s written in most influential love poems intentional and full of meaning.
The truth is, when I look at you, everything calms down.
You make me feel seen, . . . not as the player everyone cheers for but as the man who just wants to be loved for who he is when the stadium lights go dark. ”
“Well, damn,” Kyelle whispers, like my words caught her off guard.
But this is my truth and why I have remained single since Meshay walked out the door.
Sure, I’ve had my time where I’ve let my dick talk and I’ve walked into situationships.
Yet none of those encounters have been able to penetrate the part of me longing for something long-term and eternal.
Pussy comes a dime a dozen, but soul-binding commitment is the one thing I’m still working to obtain.
I not only owe it to Mica to find someone capable and with the fortitude to stay forever.
But I believe it’s what I deserve because damn it, .
. . I’m a fucking good man, Savannah, and I refuse to settle for anything less.
“Give me the details and I’ll meet you there,” Kyelle says, cutting into my thoughts and agreeing to attend the barbecue with me.