Chapter 23 #2
A few hours later, I’m lying in my bed, trying to get a head start on my homework in preparation for Monday’s class.
It turns out Millie was equally as happy as the others were about mine and Kyler’s relationship status and was just putting on an act by pretending she was annoyed.
Apparently, the four of them concocted this morning’s little charade together, but as Millie so eloquently told me, the consensus is, thank fuck they don’t have to put up with the sexual tension between us anymore.
I happen to agree with them. It may feel like a small thing but having my closest friends and my brother’s approval means the world to me.
Of course, it also means we no longer have to sneak around, because apparently, we weren’t doing a very good job of it, by all accounts.
A soft knock sounds on the door, and I look up just as Kyler walks in, still wearing his sexy-as-fuck sweatpants. He lies down beside me, and I close my textbook and turn on my side to face him.
“You and Millie okay?” he asks, picking up a lock of my hair and playing with it. The leather band I gave him at Christmas is tied around his wrist. He admitted a few days ago he doesn’t take it off and it’s the most meaningful gift he’s ever received which, in turn, made my heart bloom.
“Yeah, we’re good. She’s happy for us.”
“I’m happy for us too. They took it pretty well, huh?”
“Honestly? I’m surprised at Jude’s reaction. I’d have thought he’d have more to say.” Kyler sits up a little, and I guess he knows more than he’s letting on.
“Oh, trust me, Jude and I had a separate talk. Don’t be mad at him, Thea. He has every right to be worried. But we said what we had to say, and it’s all good.”
“Am I allowed to know what he said?” I ask, curiosity taking over.
“All you need to know is we have his blessing. And it means a lot to me.”
“Me too.” I lean over and kiss Ky, and as is the way with us, it quickly escalates to something a lot deeper. Before long, we’re entwined with each other and breathless from our kissing marathon.
“So, I was thinking,” Kyler says, his hand running up and down my side, gently tickling me. I don’t mind, though, because having his attention solely on me is the best feeling in the world. “How would you feel about coming with me to see Lacey tomorrow?”
I sit up quickly, turning to look at him.
“Seriously? You want me to meet your niece?”
“Yeah. I do. You’re both important to me, and I’d really like it if you met her.”
“Ky . . . I’d be honored. Thank you.” If I thought my heart was full before, it’s positively overflowing now. Meeting Lacey is huge, and for Kyler to suggest it means he’s serious about us, which is just as well because I know for a fact I’m falling for him.
* * *
I arrive at the Boardwalk a few minutes early.
I offered to go with Kyler to pick up Lacey, but he said it would be easier if he went by himself, and I didn’t push him as I know the subject of his family is a sensitive one.
Even though he’s been opening up and has become more relaxed since we’ve been together, I’m still somewhat surprised he suggested I join him on his “Lacey date,” as he calls it.
He’s not exactly an open book about family matters, and I know introducing me to her is a huge step.
I only hope she likes me. Kids can be very upfront and don’t have a filter, and I know if I’m not up to par, Lacey will almost definitely make it known.
So, I admit to being nervous. She’s the most important person in Kyler’s life.
If she decides she doesn’t like me, I’m screwed.
Gianni’s Gelato sits in the middle of the Boardwalk and is in a prime location for tourists and locals.
According to Millie, it’s the best ice cream parlor in town due to its range of flavors and topping combinations being hard to beat.
Kyler, however, said it’s overrated and overpriced, and there are better ones elsewhere.
But Gianni’s is his niece’s favorite, which is why we’re meeting here.
Luckily, it’s fairly empty inside, given its winter and not tourist season, so I pick a table near the window and sit and wait.
Ten minutes turn into twenty, and I begin to think he’s changed his mind when the door bursts open, and Kyler appears holding the hand of his tiny mini-me.
He spots me immediately, and they make their way over to where I’m sitting.
Lacey is excitedly reeling off all the flavors of ice cream she plans on eating today, and I can’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.
“Sorry we’re late,” Ky says as he leans down and places a kiss on my cheek.
“No worries,” I reply with a smile before turning my attention to the adorable little girl next to him. She’s dressed exactly like her uncle, in jeans, a hoodie and a beanie, only hers has a huge fluffy bobble on the top. “Hi! You must be Lacey. I’m really excited to meet you.”
“Lacey, this is my friend, Thea,” Kyler tells her as he helps her climb up into a seat.
“Hi, Miss Thea!” Lacey says to me in the loud, enthusiastic way kids tend to talk in, and my heart swells at the pure adorableness of the little girl sitting opposite me. Her face is speckled with purple and pink glitter, and the reason why is being slid across the table to me.
“I made you a picture!” she announces proudly with a toothy grin.
The paper in front of me has a stick figure drawn on it with long brown hair, a big wide smile, and a very glittery dress. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever received.
“Wow, Lacey, this is amazing. I love it, thank you so much.”
“She spent all morning on it, didn’t you, Lacey-Bear?
” Kyler informs me, and holy crap, someone needs to save me from melting on the spot at the term of endearment he uses.
Forget his prowess on the ice or the brooding heartthrob look he’s got going on.
The way he is with his niece is hands-down the sexiest thing about Kyler Rose.
Lacey nods at Ky’s statement, “I wasn’t sure what your favorite colors are but mine are pink and purple, so I thought you might like them too, so I made your dress pink and purple and then added glitter because you’re a girl like me and I like glitter because glitter makes everything pretty.”
The sentence comes out in one long, rushed breath, her words falling into each other, and I can’t help smiling at the sheer cuteness of this little five-year-old sitting in front of me.
“Well, I love pink and purple and glitter, so you did a great job. Thank you.”
I quickly glance at Kyler and notice he’s watching me with an amused smile. But it’s the way his eyes seem to have lost the tension which often appears around them that makes me realize how much this meeting means to him as well as me.
“Uncle Kyler, are we having ice cream?” Lacey asks as she pulls at his arm, bringing his attention back to her.
“Of course. Have you decided what flavor you’d like?”
“Chocolate and bubble gum and peanut butter and strawberry!”
This time I’m the one with the amused smile because, yikes, it’s a flavor combination even the hardiest ice cream enthusiast would find challenging to eat. But Kyler handles his niece’s demands like a pro.
“I don’t know, Lacey,” he says playfully as he gently tugs on one of her pigtails, “those are pretty epic flavors. What if I get them all for you, and you turn even sweeter and cuter than you already are?”
“You’re silly, Uncle Ky. Ice cream can’t do that!” she giggles, and the sound is so infectious, I can’t help but join in.
“Okay, but just so I can be sure, maybe you should stick to two flavors this time?”
Lacey sighs dramatically, almost as if she’s smart enough to realize Kyler is attempting to tone down her sugar intake, so I offer a compromise.
“Hey Lacey, how about I get chocolate and peanut butter, and you get bubble gum and strawberry, and we can share?” She lights up immediately at my suggestion and turns to Ky.
“Can I, Uncle Kyler? Can I? Pleaaassseeeee?”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Kyler asks me.
“Perfectly sure. Chocolate and peanut butter is my favorite combination.”
“Okay, well, that’s settled. Do you want sprinkles as well, Lacey?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Okay, I’ll go place our order.”
After Kyler returns from the counter, we chat about Lacey’s school and how Miss Peterson is her favorite teacher.
She tells me her best friends are Poppy, Ezra and Kehlani, and Miss Peterson sometimes has to make them sit at separate tables because they’re always talking.
She says Kehlani already knows what she wants to be when she grows up (a princess) and Poppy and Ezra think she’s silly because there are no real-life princesses.
“But I know it’s not true ‘cos Miss Meghan married a prince, and they live happily ever after,” Lacey tells me with finality. To be fair, she has a point.
“Do you want to be a princess too?” I ask her, wondering which prince can be a likely candidate to match Lacey’s effervescent personality.
Lacey shakes her head vigorously in response. “Nope! I wanna play ice hockey like my Uncle Kyler.”
My eyes shoot to Ky’s who’s looking at his niece in wonder. I can tell by the shock on his face this is news to him, and Lacey hasn’t mentioned this before.
“You do?” I continue, prompting her to tell us why she’s decided this.
“Uh-huh. I asked my momma for ice skates for my birthday, but I don’t know whether I’ll get them because she says we can’t accord them.”
Kyler furrows his brow as he looks at his niece. “She said you can’t afford them?” he asks, correcting the mix-up in her words.
“Uh-huh.”
“Goddammit!” Ky mutters under his breath, aware there are little ears around.
Lacey’s comment has annoyed him, and it doesn’t take a genius to work out why.
Money is an issue in the Rose household, and Kyler hates that his niece suffers as a result.
Nevertheless, he’ll no doubt do everything he can to ensure Lacey gets her wish, and one of her presents she’ll open on her birthday will be the ice skates she so desperately wants.
“She said I can have a hockey shirt instead, but I wanna learn to skate, so I can be as good as Uncle Kyler is,” Lacey continues as if she hasn’t just dropped the money bomb on her uncle’s lap.
“He is a great ice skater for sure,” I agree with her.
It’s an understatement. Kyler is an exceptional ice skater and hockey player.
I’ve no doubt he’ll be drafted and will be able to move on to big and better things.
More importantly, he’ll be able to care for his family without the pressure he’s under now.
“He’s the bestest!” Lacey beams her toothy smile at her uncle, and my heart melts a little bit more. After eating some more of her ice cream, she looks up at me with those big puppy-dog eyes kids like to use when they’re about to ask you for something they want. “Miss Thea?”
“Yes, Little Miss Lacey?”
“Please will you come to my birthday party?”
And now I’m a puddle of goo on the floor.
In the short amount of time I’ve known her, Lacey Rose has not only managed to win me over completely, but she’s also cemented her place as one of my favorite people ever.
It’s no wonder Kyler absolutely dotes on her.
But I also know he is very particular about who is around his family, so before replying to Lacey, I look at him for a hint of how he feels about Lacey’s question.
If it’s clear he’s not ready for me to meet the rest of his family yet, I’ll say no, even though it will hurt my heart to do so.
But he gives me the slightest of nods, and in that moment, I know he’s not only agreeing to me going to the party, but he’s giving me one of the things most important to him—his trust.
“I’d love to come to your party, Lacey. Thank you for inviting me.”
“That’s okay. Wanna swap ice creams?”
I laugh as I switch bowls with her because the attention span of a five-year-old means the monumental conversation which has just occurred has completely passed her by, even though it will stay with me for quite some time.