10. Season’s Greetings #2
Once they each got two samples, Ayla dragged Coast along so they could finish shopping.
Almost an hour later, the two pulled up to the house, and Ayla hopped out of the Denali Audiemar insisted she drive, especially when she was shopping.
She popped the back latch so they could start taking things inside and the hum of a familiar engine drew their attention to the bottom of the driveway.
Kong whipped his G Wagon uphill, pulling in behind Ayla and Coast as they sifted through and organized the haul in the back.
“Ayla!” As soon as Kara’s boots hit the ground, she rushed over to her.
“Oh, so she’s the only one you see?” Coast rested a hand on her hip, faking attitude.
“We see you all the time, Auntie Coast.” Kara giggled.
Kyro moved toward them, his Switch in his hand as he focused on the screen, barely even blinking. Nayelli and Kong simultaneously got out on opposite sides of the car.
“Need some help?” Kong cleared his throat and offered.
“Sure do!” Coast adjusted the strap to her Hermes bag on her shoulder.
She turned, no shame in her waddle as she made her way to the front door.
Although she and Mozzi were back at his house, Coast felt like the estate was a second home.
The two of them still spent the night from time to time.
Audiemar didn’t mind since he was practically living alone.
Moose would sleep over when he made his way from the tattoo shop too, and Phoebe was always a frequent visitor.
She’d been a lot more pleasant to deal with since Kong and Nayelli got married.
Kyro and Kara trailed Coast to the door.
“Is my mother here?” Nayelli asked.
“I’m not sure. We just got back.” Ayla turned back to the trunk.
“I’ll go inside and check. Nice to see you, Ayla.” With a smile, Nayelli sauntered behind Coast and the kids.
Although she’d been nicer, Nayelli had developed that same superiority persona from before.
It was just a lot more subtle. She didn’t offer to lift one bag before excusing herself like a pampered princess.
The cold air blew Kong’s cologne in Ayla’s direction.
Versace. She used to love that scent, especially blended with his natural manly aroma.
Now it left her stomach flipping, and not in a good way.
In his black trenchcoat and his black leather gloves on his hands, he reached into the trunk to grab one of the boxes of seafood.
Ayla gagged, battling with her breakfast in her stomach before covering her mouth and turning away from him to hide her uneasiness.
Leaning against the car, she took a breath, praying the wave of nausea would pass.
“Are you okay?” Kong asked, arms full as his brows bunched together.
“I’m f-fine,” she assured him. “I haven’t eaten since earlier, but thank you for helping.” She straightened up against the car but Kong continued to study her curiously.
He’d made it a point not to come around as much, hoping he would be able to wean himself from being in her presence.
He’d gone from thinking about her every hour to every other hour, but she was still the first thing on his mind in the morning and the last at night.
He would never admit to anybody that he had also created a whole social media presence so he could stalk Palate Pleasures.
It was the only thing he could do to see her or hear her voice, which he was missing daily.
He had to bite his tongue a lot reading all the comments that would post. Niggas was thirsty as fuck out here and said anything.
It took everything in him not to hit Mozzi so he could get IP addresses and start running up on motherfuckers.
Often, he had to remind himself that Ayla didn’t belong to him, no matter what he felt.
The kids were doing okay, but they made it obvious on more than one occasion that they missed the estate and Ayla’s cooking.
The weekends weren’t enough for them. Studying her in the denim jeans hugging her waist, Kong noticed a few extra pounds, but nothing major.
The weight honestly only made her sexier as her black V-neck sweater hugged her breasts but draped over her middle with her peacoat flapping open in the wind.
She’d been rocking her hair down in a silk press style with a middle part, but today it was covered by a gray beanie, and her resident thin framed glasses shielded her eyes.
She gripped a green reusable bag in her hand and reached for another.
“Go inside. I got it,” Kong insisted, tightening his grip on the box in his hand and nodding toward the house.
“No. I got it. This is my job. I don’t need you doing anything for me,” Ayla sniped, sending both of his brows spiking from her tone.
She was always so sweet natured, rarely irritated, and he’d never seen her mad. Snatching another bag from the back of the truck, she turned to stomp away but slipped on some ice instead. Ayla and the bags in her hands went flying, and she landed right on her ass in a pile of snow.
“Yo!” Kong threw his head back and chortled.
Shaking his head, he set his box back on the edge of the truck and ambled over to her.
When he held his hand out to her, Ayla only glared at it at first. Both pissed off and embarrassed, she eventually placed her palm against his, allowing him to pull her to her feet.
When he did, she bumped right into his hard torso and was forced to look into his eyes. Kong rested a hand on her waist.
“You need to be careful.”
Ayla reached to swipe the snow off her butt and looked down at herself. She was a mess both inside and out. There was that damn whiff of cologne ready to take her out. Kong watched her turn green this time, his face crinkling in concern.
“You sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah. I just need to get inside and rest for a minute. Been a busy day.” She eased out of his strong arms and picked up her bags off the ground.
Making sure to watch her step, Ayla trekked down the sidewalk to the front doors, leaving Kong staring after her.
She was stubborn, for good reason, and he didn’t want to complicate things any further.
It was also the holiday season, time for family, togetherness, and all that other forgiving shit Jane used to talk about.
It became her favorite time of year, even as Kong and his brothers got older.
Turning back to the SUV, he grabbed the box he’d originally decided to take inside first and headed toward the house.
For the sake of the kids, he would have to find a way to make this work.
Coast changed like she was next up on the runway when she got back to the house.
Her doctor’s appointment was in thirty minutes, and she’d been dilly dallying with Ayla like she didn’t have shit to do.
After slipping into tights and a maroon sweater dress, she snatched up her purse and keys off the dresser in Mozzi’s bedroom and hustled downstairs.
Ayla blew in, flustered as hell and stomping with grocery bags in her hand.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I fell!” she snapped. “And Kong was right there—”
“Oh, shit!” Giggling, Coast covered her mouth and hid a smile.
The tight expression and her cinched brows suggested to Coast that Ayla was pissed.
“Well, I mean obviously you’re okay.”
“Yeah, but my ass hurts.” Ayla pouted, massaging the middle of her back. “I’m going to put this food up, run me a hot ass bath, and then come in here and prep. You’re coming back, right?”
“Yeah, after my appointment.” Coast nodded. “You know what you need to do, though? Call that fine ass Justin and tell him you’ll meet him for that dinner he offered tomorrow around six-ish,” Coast teased.
Ayla’s gaze slipped past her to Kong in the doorway. Judging from his tight jaw and glazed over eyes, she assumed he heard Coast.
Ayla cleared her throat. “Goodbye, Coast.”
Kong side-eyed her on the way through the door.
“Don’t be looking at me like that. Your fumble gives the next man a chance to score.”
“She said bye, Coast.”
She stuck her tongue out on the way past him, but Kong paid her no mind since he was too focused on the guilt-ridden expression darkening Ayla’s face.
Coast was more than happy to escape that awkwardness.
Mozzi had the doors put on her jeep, so she yanked the driver’s side open and hopped in.
After checking her reflection in her mirror, she pouted her lips, started her engine, and turned the heat on full blast.
She had a sonogram appointment again. The last few times she went, the baby was playing games and hiding their genitals, so she was hoping and praying they would be able to find out the sex.
Mozzi said he didn’t need to know that it was a girl, but Coast had to be sure before she started buying shit.
She ended up in underground parking, which she hated, but she whipped her Jeep into an empty spot about eight feet from the elevators to the hospital entrance and parked.
After shutting off her car, Coast took her time climbing out, becoming slightly winded since her belly was now leading her wherever she went.
She stopped at the elevator as they opened and two passengers got off.
Allowing them to pass first, Coast slid on and hit the button for the main level with her back against the wall.
The doors hadn’t closed yet, so when Arwen stepped on with Sipes right behind her, Coast nearly popped a vessel.
“What are you doing here?”
“Doctor’s appointment, right?” Sipes queried, watching the doors close.
Coast looked down and found his hand intertwined with Arwen’s while she sported a smug grin.
“Are you following me?”
“I told you I got resources. By the way, got some information from the judge.” Sipes went into the inner pocket of his big bubble coat and retrieved a file folder.