14. Yara
Yara
" H ave a good day at work, babe," I murmured against Casey's lips, a few mornings later. His hand lingered on my waist for a moment longer before he pulled back, his blue eyes twinkling with adoration.
"Thanks, love," he said, brushing a stray curl from my face. "I'll see you tonight."
"Don't miss me too much," I teased, giving him a playful wink. He chuckled, that low rumble that always made me feel flushed all over.
"I'll try," he said before turning to grab his keys and wallet off of the dresser. "How long are you staying, Kai?"
Kai was still snuggled under the covers beside me. He let out a dramatic moan. "It's so early. Can we snuggle more? I don't have to be in until later. Faculty meeting at eleven. Semester starts next week," he drawled, his voice thick with sleep. He nuzzled closer, his body radiating heat through the sheets.
Casey paused, a grin spreading across his face. "You two enjoy yourselves in my absence," he said, his tone light but his eyes serious. "In any way you please."
"Are you sure?" I asked. The idea of enjoying Kai without worrying about Casey felt both thrilling and uncertain.
"Yes, I'm sure." Casey's gaze softened as he looked between us. "I had a little fun with Kai in his office. It's your turn today. Why don't we discuss any hard and fast rules over dinner?"
I reached for his hand and thanked him, feeling a wave of gratitude and affection for this incredible man I married.
Casey's lips pressed against mine one last time, soft and lingering. "Wish I didn't have that damn 9 a.m. meeting," he said, his breath warm against my skin. "I'd snuggle you both."
"Us, too."
He turned to Kai, giving him a quick but tender kiss on the lips. "You two enjoy yourselves," he said with a wink, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. And just like that, he was out the door, leaving a void in the room.
"Now, where were we?" Kai's voice was a smooth purr as he pulled me closer, his body warm and inviting.
"Right here." I closed the distance between us. But before we could get too lost in each other, something stabbed into my left foot.
I screamed and shot up into a seated position, spotting the orange cat. "Bruce! No! Ouch!"
He jumped towards Kai's foot, and Kai yelped and curled his feet in close. Bruce seemed determined to play a game of pounce-the-feet-under-the-sheets. The damn cat had terrible timing.
Kai's phone buzzed on the nightstand, and he reached for it, the moment shattered completely.
"What's up?" I asked, noticing the frown creasing his forehead as he read the message.
"Topher Calloway," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's another professor at the university. He says he wants to meet at the Green Bean to discuss something serious."
"Serious?" My worry spiked, wondering what could be so urgent. "Do you want me to come with you? My friend is a barista there. I can grab coffee and chat with her, be ready to kick his ass at a moment's notice."
"I'm pretty sure he won't need an ass kicking. But I'd appreciate the offer." He looked up at me, his eyes filled with anxiety.
"Of course. I wouldn't let you deal with Professor Stick-Up-His-Ass alone."
"Yara, you're the best." He gave me a grateful smile that made my heart flutter.
"Well, someone has to keep you out of trouble," I teased, throwing off the covers and swinging my legs out of bed. Bruce the cat gave an indignant yowl as he was displaced from his perch at my feet, but I ignored him, too focused on getting dressed. I tossed Kai his jeans, which he caught with a raised eyebrow.
"You're really coming?" he asked, slipping them on.
"Absolutely." I pulled on a pair of leggings and a loose sweater. "Now let's go before I change my mind and decide to pull you back into bed."
"Tempting," Kai chuckled, but he grabbed his keys instead.
In the car, I noticed how Kai's fingers drummed nervously against the steering wheel. His usually calm demeanor was cracking, and it tugged at something deep inside me.
"Hey," I said softly, placing my hand over his. "Don't worry about it. If this professor turns out to be an ass, we can just have Rowan kick him out."
"Rowan?" Kai glanced over at me, a small smile playing at his lips. "She's still working at that coffee shop? I thought she was going back to school."
"She seems happy where she's at," I said vaguely, though the truth was Rowan often complained that she was stuck, but that was a conversation for another day.
"Thanks, Yara," he said, his voice softening. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
We drove in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the town of Greendale slowly coming into view. The crisp pine scent mixed with the aroma of fresh coffee as we parked near the Green Bean, a cute little coffee shop tucked in amongst the western-style buildings of the historic Green Street.
Inside the shop, the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around us like a comforting blanket. I immediately spotted Rowan behind the counter, her bright red hair pulled back into a messy bun. My friend Autumn was there too, lounging against the pickup counter, sipping on a decadent-looking coffee drink.
"Hey, Rowan! Hey, Autumn!" I waved to my friends, feeling a little burst of comfort from seeing familiar faces. They both waved us over, and Kai followed me, greeting them with a smile.
"Kai! Did you get hotter since you left for the east coast?" Rowan called out, waving a hand covered in a sleeve of tattoos. Rowan was bold and outspoken, full of warmth and humor. Her smile was infectious, and the tension in Kai's shoulders seemed to ease a bit at the sight of our friends.
"Morning, you two," Autumn chimed in, lifting her cup in a mock toast.
"Where's your cute husband?" Rowan asked.
"Off to work, unfortunately," I said with a shrug. "But we're here on a bit of a mission."
"Ooh, a mission!" Rowan grinned, leaning in.
"Kai has a meeting. Long story," I said with a wink, nudging Kai gently. "Do you see him?"
"Over there," Kai said, pointing to a tall, lean man sitting at a corner table, his posture rigid, hands clasped in front of him. He had a severe look about him—dark hair perfectly styled, and a face that could have been chiseled from stone. I gave Kai a gentle shove. "Wish me luck!" Kai blew out a breath and gave me a little wave before approacing the professor alone. I tried not to eavesdrop too obviously, but I wanted to hear.
"Professor Calloway," Kai greeted stiffly, pausing just short of the table.
"Doctor Calloway," he corrected, his tone icy.
"You wanted to see me?" Kai asked.
I shot Kai a reassuring smile before turning back towards the counter where Autumn and Rowan were perched.
"Hey, how are you guys?" I asked, forcing cheerfulness into my voice as I approached them.
"Good, just the usual morning chaos at the hotel. I needed a break." Autumn's eyes flicked briefly to where Kai and Topher were talking.
"What's going on over there?" Rowan moved around behind the coffee counter as she spoke to us, and we paused while she took an order from a customer.
When the customer walked away, I gave them the rough details of what I knew about Topher Calloway, including what Casey had said about him, unable to mask the worry in my voice. I glanced back at Kai, watching as his face tightened with every word Topher spoke.
"That guy looks like he's got a stick up his ass," Rowan observed, her voice low but laced with humor. "You know what they say. Those who can't do, teach."
A laugh escaped before I could stop myself. Topher shot us a glare, his irritation palpable even from where we stood.
"Rowan!" I elbowed her playfully. "You're gonna get us in trouble."
"Please, like I care about some uptight professor," Rowan scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Shh," Autumn hissed, though there was a grin tugging at her lips. "Let's not make this harder for Kai. He's Yara's best friend."
"Best male friend, anyway," I said, grinning at both of them.
I glanced back toward Kai just as he sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping slightly. He made his way over to us, his expression a cocktail of frustration and weariness. "I'll take a black coffee, please," he said to Rowan, his voice tinged with resignation.
"What's up?" I asked softly, reaching out to touch his arm. The contact was meant to be comforting, but it also sent a familiar, electrifying jolt through me.
"Professor Calloway... or should I say Doctor Calloway," Kai began, rolling his eyes, "cautioned me to be less promiscuous about my sexual conquests. Apparently, I have a reputation to keep up, and dalliances with married men are not acceptable."
"Seriously? What a dick," Rowan scoffed, handing him his coffee.
"Wait, which married men?" Autumn gasped, and I felt my cheeks heat.
"Honestly, it's not worth getting into," Kai said, taking a sip from his cup. His eyes flickered to mine, and I could see the conflict there—the tension of holding something back.
"Are you sure? We're all friends here," I ventured, my heart pounding. A part of me wondered if now was the time to admit what was really going on with us three.
"Calloway just heard Casey saying something ridiculous." Kai sidestepped the truth with a quick glance at me. "It was a joke."
"Ugh, professors," Rowan muttered, shaking her head. "Not you, obviously, Kai. But being so close to the university I deal with my fair share of guys like that."
"Tell me about it," Kai agreed, though his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
As much as I appreciated Kai's attempt to downplay the situation, a small part of me wished he had been more open—wished he'd said we were all dating. I wasn't sure if he was minimizing what we'd all been feeling for each other, or hiding the truth to protect us, and I didn't like that feeling. I took a deep breath, pushing down my disappointment that Kai hadn't immediately told everyone we were his boyfriend and girlfriend.
Because that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? It had only been a few weeks.
"Well, whatever Calloway thinks, it's clear he's not the right mentor for you," I said, squeezing Kai's hand.
Kai laughed, shaking his head. "It's too bad, too, because in his books he's so lovely and insightful."
"And in person, he's so abrasive," Rowan said, giggling. Again, Calloway looked up, and I shoved her shoulder, hoping he hadn't heard. "What? He wasn't nice at the coffee counter."