Chapter 34
LUC
Kylie slipped out of my bed early the next morning. I wanted to tell her she wouldn’t have anything to worry about with the broken condom, but I didn’t. Instead, I took one of the Jeeps out on a ride to find Plan B.
Finding Plan B had resulted in a ferry ride to St. Thomas and then back again. When I returned, Kylie had been playing cards with her mother and father. I gave her the thumbs-up sign and then snuck into her room, leaving the bag on her bed.
Me: On your bed.
Kylie: Thank God. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to find it.
Me: Oh, only a ferry ride to the big island. I would have been back earlier, but I missed the return by ten minutes.
Kylie: Don’t forget to check in for your flight.
Me: Already done. I had some spare time on the boat.
That spare time on the boat also afforded my brother Jack with plenty of time to lecture me on communication. Jack was right. I did owe it to Kylie to explain why marriage and family were off the table for me, but I was afraid that it would change everything.
I’d fallen hard for Kylie, and I wouldn’t hesitate to make our relationship permanent, but only if I knew she could be fulfilled without a family.
No, I wouldn’t push her to feel that way.
It had to be her choice. And yes, I was adamant about this because I had no choice in my future and knew just how badly it hurt to lose that control.
The last week had been an emotional rollercoaster. Spending time with Kylie’s family as an outsider made me realize how much I wanted to be part of it. Her father was the perfect ‘girl dad,’ and he’d raised all three of his daughters to be independent, work hard, and take no shit.
The relationship with her mother had seemed odd before we got to the island. Maria Colette was nothing like I had expected. She was warm and relaxed, a state of mind that she rarely enjoyed when she was back home in Boston.
As a labor and delivery nurse, she worked nights, which meant she missed a significant amount of family time. She mentioned retiring more than once, and her husband had been more than excited at the prospect.
When Kylie agreed to introduce me to her family, it finally made things seem real. We weren’t playing house anymore. Yes, her parents would know who I was by then, but knowing me as their son-in-law’s coach and knowing me as their daughter’s boyfriend were two different things.
“What are you playing?” I asked from across the room.
“Cribbage. Know how to play?” Maria asked.
“I do, but I could use a refresher.”
I watched as they finished the current game, and then we reshuffled the teams, and they dealt me in.
“Careful,” Kylie said. “Mom taught me early not to expect mercy when we played games. We don’t slow down so you can remember the rules. Your lapse is our gain.”
Thankfully, the rules of the game came back quickly, and after one minor mistake of counting my hand, I was able to play without accidentally throwing the game.
Sam and Kelsey had wandered out after sleeping in that morning. Kendra had spent the morning with Crew, but no one had major plans for the day.
“Anyone want to ride to The Windmill Bar? It’s supposed to be the best sunset on the island.” I asked.
“I’ll go,” Kylie said.
“Ooh, Sam, wanna go?” Kelsey asked.
“Your mom and I can watch Crew back here. Kenny, you should go too.” Their father offered to watch the baby without any hesitation.
“No, I have some work to do. The boys have time off, but I work year-round.”
Kendra had started to work in the corporate office late in the season.
From what I could tell, she’d made herself indispensable and caught the attention of the executives.
The Minutemen organization made great strides in changing the gender divide, from hiring more women in the C-Suite roles to their charitable foundations specifically targeted to help Boston women.
Kendra was an Assistant Director, but she had impressed the right people and would likely advance quickly.
We wrapped up the game of cribbage, and Kylie’s parents won easily.
Kylie: I’m going to take the meds. But meet me by the pool.
Me: Wear the black bikini.
Kylie: Yes, sir.
Now I had to sit by the pool and pretend I wasn’t imagining what my girlfriend looked like underneath that black bikini.