Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
RAY
Five hours of sleep, and I’m more awake and revitalized than usual.
Mom drops Tucker at the house a little after eleven on her way to the diner to help Dad with the influx of patron traffic. Tucker and I shower and dress in record time, fill a couple bottles with water, and make it out the door in under an hour. Before I back out of the driveway, I message Kaya.
I know we agreed to meet at the festival but I’d like to pick you up. Is that okay?
I connect the phone to the car and shift the gear into reverse. As I exit the property, a ding echoes through the car and I tap the screen for it to read the message.
Yes. Should be ready in ten.
With most of the residents on the opposite end of town, it isn’t long before I turn onto Kaya’s family’s property and park in her driveway. Seeing her house in the full light of day, I enjoy the simplicity of it. Stone, wood, and stucco with several windows and tucked into the trees. Quiet, peaceful, and very much her style.
As one of the wealthiest families in Stone Bay, the Imalas live as if money isn’t something to pride themselves on. As if it could vanish in an instant. Which it very well could. Nothing in life is promised, regardless of who you are.
The front door opens and Kaya steps out, the sun glinting her braided hair through the trees. In a flowy, juniper-green sundress, the skirt ending inches beneath her knees, Kaya strolls to the car with a breath-stopping smile on her face.
Damn, how I love that smile.
“Hi,” she says, voice soft as she slides into the passenger seat.
“Hey.” I meet her sparkly gaze and mirror her smile.
“Hi, Miss Kaya,” Tucker greets with more enthusiasm than me and Kaya combined.
She peeks over her shoulder to the back seat. “Hi, Tucker. Excited for all the games and food?”
I watch Tucker in the rearview mirror. A dreamy look takes over his face a beat before his eyes widen. “I want to eat as many fried things as possible. Grandma says it’ll upset my tummy, but I don’t care.” He shrugs as if a stomachache is no bother. “And I want to win the biggest prize at the games.”
“No pressure,” I mutter as I back out of her driveway and steer us off the estate.
Knowing traffic will be insane, I take the scenic route, drive farther north than the event, and loop back to the employee parking at RJ’s Diner. Partial ownership perk.
A short trek down the street, we weave into the crowd within minutes. Animated chatter and delighted whoops marry with carnival game sounds and music playing through large speakers. The scents of fried foods, sweet confections, and hickory smoke float through the air.
Tucker grabs my hand and yanks me left and right to play games, pausing on occasion to eat excessive amounts of deep-fried, sugary food. Kaya and I indulge in a few, too.
Everything about today is perfect. Easygoing. Ordinary. Something I didn’t know I craved until now.
At the ring toss game, I take Kaya’s hand as we watch Tucker. Warm and delicate, her fingers curl around mine. An unfamiliar, desirable sense of security and peacefulness washes over me. The delicious hum I only feel with her courses through my veins. But it’s when she leans into me and rests her head on my shoulder that everything clicks.
She said I’d have to work hard for her affection, for her. And I have every intention of doing so. But is it really work if all I want is her happiness?
The heady joy simmering in my veins, the woman at my side, my son having the time of his life… couldn’t picture a better day if I tried. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep this slice of paradise.
After a few hours, the downside of my sugar high hits and my energy plummets. Not ready for the day to end, an idea sparks. The only trouble I’ll have is convincing Tucker. Fingers crossed, I sway him.
“T-Man, let’s get out of here before it’s impossible.”
“No.” The whiny two-letter word sounds a mile long. “The fireworks haven’t started yet.”
I bend down and drop my voice. “What if I know of a better place to watch the fireworks?”
His eyes light up. “Really?”
“Yep.” I nod. “And what if I told you we”—I gesture between me and him—“can also make a special dinner for the three of us? Whatever we want.”
“Ooh.” He rubs his hands together and bounces in place. “Anything?”
“Mm-hmm. Anything,” I repeat in affirmation.
“Let’s go.” He grabs my hand and tugs me forward.
All I can do is laugh.
We fight the crowd—on the sidewalk and streets—for almost an hour before we reach a quieter roadway. Music filters through the car speakers as Tucker asks what he should name the massive stuffed bear he won at one of the games. He ticks off names and asks Kaya which one she thinks is the best.
By the time I turn into the vacant lot at Calhoun’s Bistro, Tucker announces the winning name—Brody the Bear. Easy enough to remember.
I park in my usual spot at the back of the restaurant. Kaya side-eyes me before we exit the car and laughs.
“What?”
“Day off and you decide to come to work.” She shakes her head, but the smile grazing her lips says she’s anything but disappointed.
We exit the car and head for the back door, my hand going to the small of Kaya’s back. Tucker stumbles a bit, Brody the Bear obstructing his view. And as we step inside, I relay why I chose the restaurant over our houses.
I put a finger up. “This kitchen is far superior to mine.” I add a second finger. “The food selection is better than my pantry at the moment.” Another finger goes up. “Watching me in this kitchen is a much better experience than the house.” I smirk and add a fourth digit. “Easy cleanup.” Final finger pops up. “And we’ll have the best view of the fireworks out back past the tree line while we enjoy our picnic dinner.”
I have never considered myself a romantic—not that I’m opposed to flowers, notes, and gestures; they have their place—but I’ve never been with someone who made me want to give or do those things. To woo them.
Until now.
Studying me from across the room, Kaya warms me in unimaginable ways. Makes me feel like the biggest tender heart. Like I’m more than eye candy online, more than my family’s name, more than a single father. She stares into my soul and sees me. It makes me dizzy, catapults my pulse. Heats my skin. Gives me new life.
With Kaya, displaying affection through gestures comes naturally. As easy as breathing. A simple caress, her hand in mine, stolen glances, the love I pour into every dish I cook her.
As our relationship evolves, so will the ways I tell her how important she is in my life.
“A picnic during the show sounds perfect,” she says, my favorite shade of pink coloring her cheeks.
I grab a chair for Kaya and have her sit where she has a full view of us. “Be right back.” I wink and cross the kitchen.
Tucker’s hand in mine, I guide us down the short hall toward the walk-in. A shiver ripples through him as the door closes behind us. He tugs his hand free and wraps his arms around his middle. Grabbing a coat from the hook, I help him shrug it on. I can’t help but laugh when it hits the floor and drags behind him. But at least he’s warm.
“Let’s do something fun and easy since it’s a picnic,” I suggest. I ask for his ideas, and he rattles off several. We narrow it down by the ingredients we have available and get to work.
Grabbing two of the small baskets off to the side, I load up on ingredients, making sure his basket isn’t too heavy. Once we have what we need, we head back to the kitchen and unload. I locate a footstool and apron for Tucker. Separate the ingredients, hand him a paring knife, and show him how to cut each item.
“Remember to tuck your fingers and take your time. Better to be slow than cut yourself.”
Tucker nods. “I got this, Dad.”
I kiss the top of his head, don an apron, then get to work on my own pile of ingredients. I preheat the oven and fetch a baking sheet for premade bread dough. Next, I fill a pot with water, set it on a burner, and light the element for pasta. Returning to my spot beside Tucker, I load the dough onto the pan and sprinkle herbs on top. Waiting on the oven, I chop the first of the vegetables.
And every time I peek in Kaya’s direction, her eyes are on me. Captivated. Ravenous.
It scorches my skin and makes me hard.
With the dough in the oven and pasta in the boiling water, I slice and dice my remaining ingredients with swift, precise rocks of the knife. Beef filet is the only item I leave as is.
The next time I glance at Kaya, her eyes are on my hands. Curious. Spellbound. Starved. It’s an instant dopamine shot to my bloodstream. An incomparable rush. Infinitely better than peer or online feedback.
Because Kaya matters. She’s… more .
When I don’t move on to the next task, her gaze lifts and locks onto mine. Lust and fire shimmer in her coppery-brown irises. A hunger that makes me want to cross the room, frame her face in my hands, and devour her.
With an arch of my brow and smirk on my lips, I wink and get back to work.
In a bowl, I whip up an oil and vinegar dressing with herbs and spices. Straining the pasta, I toss the noodles in the bowl with the dressing, coat them thoroughly, and set it aside to soak up the flavors. I add julienned carrots, diced cucumber and red onion, rough-chopped artichoke hearts and tomato, fresh mozzarella balls, and sliced olives. With several practiced flicks of my wrist, I mix the ingredients and coat everything with the dressing.
“How’s it going, T-Man?” I check in with Tucker.
He sets down his knife and brushes the hair out of his face. “Almost done.”
I sidle up to him and make a show of inspecting his work. “Looks perfect.” I kiss the top of his head. “Good work, bud.”
Once the bread is out of the oven, I heat a pan on the burner, add a large chunk of garlic and herb butter, and let it melt. Sizzling echoes through the kitchen when the filet hits the pan, my mouth watering as the umami aroma fills the air. Perfectly cooked, I transfer the filet to my cutting board to rest before slicing.
Abandoning my workstation, I kiss the top of Kaya’s head as I pass her. “Grabbing some take-out boxes. Be right back.”
I return with a variety of box sizes and set them out in front of me and Tucker. Pointing to each one, I tell him what we’ll put in them. And it’s the cutest thing to watch my little man delicately fill the boxes so his charcuterie ingredients stay neat. While he packs boxes, I slice the steak and bread.
With everything loaded in one of the walk-in baskets, I clean the kitchen in record time, grab a tablecloth, dishware and cutlery, and a bottle of sparkling water.
Ticking items off on his fingers, Tucker tells Kaya all the things he cut and that it’s his best work yet.
“Can’t wait to taste it all,” she tells him.
The pride in his voice eases an ever-present ache in my chest, and I pause to revel in it. My vision blurs, a subtle sting behind my eyes as I listen to him excitedly share with Kaya. Tell her things he deems important or special. The entire time, she gives him her undivided attention, absorbs every word, then praises his work.
The ground quakes beneath my feet, an irrepressible tremor rattling my hands. The sting in my eyes burns hotter as saliva pools in my mouth. I swallow, blink, and inhale a few steadying breaths.
From the start, Tucker and Kaya have had this easy connection. An effortless bond. An uncomplicated relationship I never envisioned Tucker having with a woman in my life.
I want to relish it, bask in the obvious love they share, but I’m… afraid to. Scared it won’t last.
Rising from her seat, Kaya returns the chair from where I got it, takes Tucker’s hand in hers, and asks him what fireworks his favorites are as we head for the back door.
As we step into the fading daylight, I slip my hand into hers and close my eyes for one, two, three strides, breathing in the balmy summer air and reveling in the woman at my side. Right now, everything feels right. Perfect. Exactly as it should be. I cast my fears aside and decide to live in the moment. Capture mental snapshots of the day and store them in my memory for safekeeping. Then I send out a silent wish for many more in the future. Pray I don’t forget a single minute along the way.
Winding through the trees on a foot-worn path, a table with benches comes into view, a dim light shining overhead. Waves crash against the rock face below, a hint of brine in the air as a panoramic view of the bay greets us.
When I need a mental reset during a long shift, I come out here and ignore the world for ten minutes.
“Wow,” Kaya whispers, her grip on my hand tightening. “It’s perfect.”
My thumb strokes the length of hers, my gaze locked on her profile as the sunset dances over her skin. “Flawless.” Just as I get lost in the sight of her, Tucker speaks up and snaps me out of my trance.
“Come on, Dad. Let’s set everything up. I don’t want to miss the fireworks.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him it’s impossible to miss them with nothing between us and the bay. But I bite back the comment and head for the table. “Lead the way, T-Man.”
Our picnic spread on the table, I fill glasses with water, hand out plates and cutlery, and take the seat next to Kaya, Tucker on the other side of her. We fill our plates with cheeses, meats, pasta salad, and bread and dine like royalty as fireworks light up the sky. Tucker oohs and awes with each explosion, saving his applause for the grand finale.
“Home for dessert?” I propose, then drop my voice as I lean closer to Kaya. “And a sleepover?”
In a heartbeat, she swivels her head and pins me with her fiery irises. Deep lines mar her brow as she silently questions my sanity, especially after her last visit. Discreetly, she tips her head toward Tucker. “You’re sure it’s a good idea?” A sliver of hurt edges her tone.
“Yes.” I nod. “Last time, he wasn’t awake for me to explain.”
She swallows. “And you want to now?” Her voice softer, shaky.
Eyes locked on hers, I rest a hand on her thigh and give a reassuring squeeze. “Absolutely.”
Countless emotions flit across her face as she digests this and mulls over what happens next.
A serpent coils around my heart and constricts while I wait for her next move, for her to say something. Anything. I fight the urge to beg, to insist. Saying yes is her choice, and I deserve her indecision.
She nibbles her bottom lip and inches closer. “Tucker won’t freak out?”
I shrug, lean forward, and peek around Kaya. “T-Man?”
Tucker pops a grape in his mouth. “Yeah.”
“Would it be weird if we had a sleepover with Kaya?”
Tucker’s eyes go wide as he swallows. “For real?”
I school my expression and nod.
“That’s dope.” His hazel eyes shift to Kaya. “We can stay up super late and watch another movie.”
Bless his enthusiasm and innocent mind. “Sounds fun. What do you think?”
Kaya purses her lips. “I think you just put me on the spot and used your son to manipulate me into saying yes.”
A smirk curves my lips. She isn’t wrong. “Did it work?”
She narrows her eyes. “Maybe.” Her knee bumps my thigh as she twists to face me. “Do you really want me to stay over? Or is this because of a certain doctor?”
An audible growl vibrates my chest. “Yes, I want you to stay.” Dropping my gaze, I take her hand and trace the lines on her soft skin. “I wanted you to stay before.” My eyes sting and I swallow past the sudden emotion clogging my throat. I lift my glassy gaze to hers. “Navigating this won’t be easy, but I want to try. For you. If you’ll let me.”
She brings a hand to my cheek, her thumb stroking my stubble. “I want to say yes.”
“Then say it.”
Brows pinched, she blinks a few times. “You hurt me.”
Her admission stings as much as the first time.
“I understand this”—she gestures between us—“is new and different. But if we’re going to do this, I need you to promise what happened before won’t happen again.” She rests her forehead on mine. “You don’t need to hide. Not from me. When you have doubts, talk to me. Tell me where your head is at. But please, don’t run away.”
My stomach flips. I suck in a sharp breath and nod woodenly. “I promise.” And I mean it with every shred of my soul. “I’ll probably do a shitty job, say the wrong thing, come off too harsh when I’m unsure, but I promise not to hide.” I toy with the length of her hair. “Never from you. Not anymore.”
A subtle smile graces her lips. “Then, yes”—she closes the distance between us and kisses me chastely—“I’ll stay.”