Chapter 35
Daddy:
Good morning, sweetheart. I hope you have a beautiful day. That coffee you made me yesterday was so good, I think I need to swing by for another one.
Kai read the text message, and then read it again, warmth flooding his system.
He still couldn’t believe it was real, that yesterday had actually happened and it hadn’t been some type of fever dream or psychotic break.
Nolan was texting him like the whole past month hadn’t happened. It was fucking with his head.
Kai didn’t know what was expected of him, and the uncertainty was stealing his words.
A month ago, he would have told Nolan to come soon, teased and flirted.
He would have called him Daddy. All of that felt so out of place right now.
And underneath it all was just a little fear that if he said the wrong thing right now, whatever was happening would all go away.
He needed to have the conversation that they had postponed last night, so Nolan could tell him exactly what he was supposed to do. Maybe tonight, since it was Friday and Kai didn’t work tomorrow.
Kai kept an eagle eye on the door, his attention darting there every time the bell chimed, but, like yesterday, Nolan didn’t come until after their morning rush.
Nolan smiled the instant their eyes connected, and today, Kai couldn’t help the way his mouth curved in answer even as his brain overwhelmed him with so much oxytocin it tied his tongue yet again.
Kai punched in the order and looked at Nolan to confirm it. Nolan gave him a slight nod, and the tenderness written all over his face made Kai want to melt into him.
“I need to ask you for a favour today,” Nolan told him as he slid the coffee cup across the counter to him. Kai met his gaze curiously. “There’s something I need you to see. Can Myles pick you up when you’re finished work?”
Kai hesitated, wishing they could talk first but, right now, there wasn’t anything that Nolan could ask for that Kai wouldn’t give him if it was in his power. He nodded, and Nolan smiled again.
“What time do you finish?” He looked at Kai like he was daring him to answer. Kai blushed but didn’t look away.
“Eleven,” he answered, and the flare of pleasure in Nolan’s eyes brightened his cheeks even more.
“Alright.” Like yesterday when Nolan paid for coffee, he dropped his change into the jar.
When he picked up his cup, Kai grabbed his wrist, because he wasn’t ready for him to go just yet.
He didn’t know what to say, so he just leaned a little bit over the counter.
Nolan met him halfway. The instant that their lips met, Kai felt every cell in his body realign.
The feel of his warm, full lips on his, the scratch of his beard, his scent, pulled all of the parts of Kai that had scattered to the wind a month ago and re-centered them all on Nolan.
Kai knew then he was going to take the chance Nolan was offering him with both hands and follow his lead wherever it took him, even if he didn’t know what the future held.
The kiss was over way too soon. Kai was still reeling from the effects of it when Nolan winked at whoever was standing beside him before turning and leaving.
Kai tracked him all the way back to his car.
When he turned around, Priya, Felicity and Abigail simultaneously squealed with glee, startling him.
Abigail had her hands clasped under her chin, grinning like a maniac, same with Priya, who was making uwu eyes at him, while Felicity danced on her feet, clapping her hands.
“When did you all get here?” Kai asked, bewildered.
“Uh, as soon as he opened the door?” Priya said, looking at him like he was the one acting crazy.
“Tell us everything,” Felicity demanded.
“There’s nothing to tell,” he said, even though he was pretty sure he still had a post-kiss glow going on. The bell on the door tinkled, and Kai moved to the cash register.
“You’re really going to leave us hanging?” Priya asked incredulously.
“Ummm, he said he wants to work things out?” Kai admitted, blushing furiously when they squealed again. Kai couldn’t help but grin, still unable to believe it, but feeling a rush of pleasure just saying the words out loud.
“Oh my God, my cookies!” Abigail yelped.
“Don’t say anything else until I get back!
” She yelled over her shoulder as she rushed back into the kitchen.
There wasn’t much else for Kai to share, so they took turns grilling him about Nolan until the conversation devolved into green flags and icks.
They were all laughing at Priya, whose biggest ick was any time her partner started a sentence with “actually,” when Kai was distracted by a floppy, yellow bow in the window.
When Kai turned to face it, he saw Katie, nose pressed to the window, hands framing her pretty face.
As soon as they made eye contact, she jumped back comically and beelined up the sidewalk and out of sight.
What the hell? Kai rushed the door, bursting through it and looking up the street in the direction she’d gone.
“Katie!”
She froze, then spun around, looking at him shiftily, like he’d just caught her doing something she wasn’t supposed to do.
“Why didn’t you come in?”
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to see me,” she said in a small voice.
“Of course I want to see you! Why wouldn’t I want to see you?”
“I don’t know. Why didn’t you call?” she asked accusingly.
“I didn’t have your number until yesterday. I was going to call, I swear.”
She pattered back over to him, flinging her arms around his waist.
“I missed you!”
“I missed you too,” he said, squeezing her tight. “Come on. I’ll make you something with whipped cream.”
“I heard Nolan telling Daddy that you work here now,” she told him as he took her hand, pulling her inside. Kai wasn’t surprised that Nolan had told Chris. He was pretty sure that he didn’t want to know Chris’ reaction to the whole Liam situation.
Felicity and Priya eyed Katie curiously, their eyes descending on their linked hands simultaneously.
“Guys, this is my friend, Katie,” he said, circling the counter while Priya and Felicity introduced themselves.
“His best friend,” Katie clarified, shaking their hands formally. “I’m going to be his maid of honour one day.”
“I don’t think that was decided,” Kai interrupted as he punched in a mocha frappé and paid for it with his tips.
“And then I’ll be his favourite sister-in-law,” Katie continued, ignoring him.
Kai blushed, pleased and amused but kind of nervous about jinxing anything before Kai and Nolan were even officially back together.
“Maybe we can not talk about my hypothetical marriage?”
Priya scoffed. “Whatever. Nolan is going to wife you so hard. You should have seen them not even an hour ago.”
Katie’s eyes went wide. “Oooh, tell me,” she breathed excitedly. Okay, maybe introducing them had been a bad idea, but Kai had a hard time regretting it when Katie seemed to hit off with his work friends easily.
He led Katie over to the bar adjacent to the counter and slid her frap with extra whip and chocolate sauce across it. Katie moaned gratuitously when she took the first sip. “That’s so good. I might even forgive you for not calling.”
“You’re gonna forgive me. I’m your best friend, remember?”
“I don’t think I like it when you use that against me.”
“Cope. So? Catch me up,” he told her, which was all the incentive she needed to launch into all of her lore from the last month while Kai worked.
When he was busy, she chatted with Felicity, Priya and Abigail, who had come out to meet her.
She even took a couple of pictures that Kai was sure were going to show up on social media later, and he had to warn Abigail to prepare for the influx that Katie’s extensive social media presence would bring.
Before he knew it, Myles was striding into the cafe, looking elegant as always in a sharp black suit. Katie swiveled away with a little “oop,” putting her hand up like she was trying to hide.
“You can hide if you want to, young lady, but your Daddy already said you’re in trouble for eavesdropping,” Myles told her.
Kai barely had time to worry about how Myles might feel about him now when Myles reached across the counter to bro hug Kai.
“It’s good to see you, man,” he said, clapping him on the back.
“Same. I’m done. I just have to grab my stuff.”
“I shouldn’t be in trouble. They shouldn’t keep secrets,” Katie groused. “Especially about my friend.”
“You can take it up with him when I drop you home.”
“What are you guys going to do? I want to come,” Katie asked as they left the cafe together.
“Not today, angel.”
Katie made an affronted sound. “Why not?”
“Because you’re not allowed. It’s private,” Myles told her, opening the back door for her on his Lexus.
“Kai’s just going to tell me anyway,” she told him stubbornly.
“That’s Kai’s business. Right now, you’re going home. In the car, please.” Katie made a sound of disapproval but did as she was told. Myles nodded towards the passenger seat, slipping on his sunglasses, and Kai got in without argument.
“This is where you live?” Kai asked incredulously as they pulled up to a luxury high-rise in Yorkville.
Katie unbuckled her seatbelt and poked her head between Myles and Kai in the front seat. “For now. Daddy said he wants to move out of the city when I’m finished with my master’s next year. Text me later, okay?”
“For sure.” Kai nodded, and she kissed him on the cheek before turning to do the same to Myles and scooting out of the backseat. They waited until the doorman let her inside before pulling away.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?”
Myles cracked a grin. “You’ll know soon enough.”
Twenty minutes later, they fell onto a route that Kai had taken great pains to avoid. The closer, they got the faster his heart raced.
“What are we doing here?” Kai’s voice was hoarse when they pulled onto a street Kai hadn’t stepped foot on in eight years.