Chapter 25 #2
“I’m sorry, Adam, I’ve got something on this Sunday, and I can’t change it,” I tell him honestly.
“Please Thea,” he asks again, “It’ll only be for thirty minutes. An hour tops. And it’s taking place here, so you won’t have to travel back to Silver Lake.”
“Can you do both?” Jude asks me and this time I find myself silently cursing him for interfering.
He knows I’m going to Lacey’s party, and he also knows it doesn’t start until after lunchtime, which would give me enough time to go to this meeting in the morning and be back for the party in the afternoon.
The soft spot he used to have for Adam is clearly starting to rear its head again.
“I promise you,” Adam says, “I can have you back here in time for whatever it is you need to go to.”
I sigh as I toy with the strap on my purse, wondering how I’m going to broach this subject with Kyler.
Eventually I look back to Adam and seeing a glimpse of the boy I fell in love with all those years ago has my resolve slipping.
“Look, I can’t give you a definite yes or no now.
I need to check some timings first. Can I let you know? ”
Adam breathes a sigh of relief, his shoulders sagging from the tension I hadn’t realized was there. “Yes, of course, that would be great, thanks, Thea. I’ve changed my number; hand me your phone and I’ll update my details.”
I watch as Adam quickly updates his contact details and gives the phone back to me. “So, you’ll let me know if you can make it?”
I nod. “I’ll be in touch.”
With a quick “thank you” Adam says his goodbyes and leaves Jude and I with our thoughts and our lukewarm drinks.
“What are you going to do?” Jude finally asks me the question I assume was on the tip of his tongue.
“Speak to Kyler, I guess.”
It turns out, Kyler is more amenable to the meeting than I am, which shocks the hell out of me.
He tells me if it was the other way around, and he was asked to go to a meeting with Lacey’s dad because it would help Ally out, he’d do it in a heartbeat.
Sure, he’s not too happy with the fact Adam will be picking me up, but he knows where my loyalties lie and nothing will happen.
Besides, I highly doubt Adam will do anything untoward which will lose Austin any chance he has of being granted parole.
I send Adam a text letting me know I’ll attend, and he replies with a “thank you” and a smiling emoji and confirms he’ll pick me up on Sunday morning at nine a.m. The meeting is at nine-thirty a.m. and so I’ll be back in good enough time for the party.
Ky is extra attentive at night and takes his time as he lavishes kiss after kiss on my body.
He brings me to a precipice multiple times before bringing me back from the edge, denying me the chance to fall off into the abyss of ecstasy.
When he does finally let me lose control, it’s in tandem with his own shouts of desire and we cling to each other as we float back down to earth.
We’re yet to say those three words, but I feel it in every touch, every kiss, and every whispered word.
* * *
Before I know it, Sunday arrives and I’m ready ridiculously early.
I’m not sure whether it’s nerves or dread—or maybe a combination of both—I have to blame for getting ready at the break of dawn; but I find myself sitting in the kitchen with almost an hour to kill while I wait for Adam to pick me up.
Luckily, there’s some entertainment courtesy of my housemates as they’re attempting to wrap Lacey’s birthday present before they head off to the gym.
How many grown men does it take to wrap one pair of hockey skates?
Apparently, three of them. One to hold the wrapping paper in place; one to cut the tape; and the other to ensure it looks as perfect as possible.
Judging by the amount of swearing taking place, I’d say it’s not going too well.
It takes at least two more attempts and a lot more tape, before all three of them proudly step back and admire their masterpiece.
I congratulate them with a round of applause and tell them it’s the best wrapped present I’ve ever seen.
Spoiler alert: it isn’t, but Lacey will be super excited to open it and that’s what counts.
Ky pulls me toward him, enveloping me in a warm hug as he drops a kiss on my neck, “You think she’ll like them?”
“She’ll love them. All she wanted was hockey skates and you’re giving them to her. She’ll be the happiest girl on the planet today.”
“I asked Coach if I could bring her to the rink and give her some lessons.”
“That’s a great idea. What did he say?”
“He said maybe once or twice but not to make a habit of it. But he gave me the number of his buddy who runs some weekend classes at one of the schools near here. Said he owed him a favor and he might be able to fit Lacey in.”
“She’ll love that, Ky.”
“What time are you being picked up?” Ky deliberately doesn’t say Adam’s name. He may understand why I’m attending this meeting, but his contempt for Adam hasn’t waned. I look at my watch and realize it’s ten-after-nine and Adam should have been here by now.
“About ten minutes ago, actually.”
I open the messaging app on my phone and send a text to Adam asking for an ETA but hear nothing in response. “He’ll probably be here soon.”
Ky nods and takes a long swig from his water bottle. There’s tension in his face due Adam’s impending arrival.
“You don’t have to wait with me if you want to go with the others to the gym,” I tell him hoping to ease his mind a little. Instead, he huffs out a laugh.
“And leave you in the house alone with that douche canoe? No thanks.”
“You won’t be leaving me alone in the house. He’s picking me up and we’re going to a meeting, remember?”
“Whatever. I’ll still wait with you until he shows.”
As it turns out, Adam doesn’t show up, despite my attempts at trying to reach him. The start time for the meeting has come and gone and I’m still waiting for him in our living room. Eventually, my phone signals a new message.
Adam
Sry, change of plans. Mtg postponed.
I respond quickly and tell him I hope everything is okay but hear nothing further.
I’m a little annoyed he’s kept me waiting around, but with every cloud there’s a silver lining and with my morning now free, and Kyler still sitting on the couch with the house to ourselves, we find other ways to entertain ourselves until we need to leave for Lacey’s party.
* * *
“Look, momma, look what Uncle Ky gave me!” Lacey runs over to her mom carrying her new hockey skates.
When she opened them, she squealed so loudly it was hard not to be swallowed up by her excitement.
She wanted to put them on straightaway, but Ky managed to talk her out of it, saying the best time to try them out would be at the skating lesson he’s taking her to in a few weeks.
I think she squealed even louder when she heard that.
“They’re real nice, baby,” Ally tells her daughter, sending a look of gratitude and mouthing a “thank you” in her brother’s direction.
Even though Ally and his mom depend a lot on Kyler for various money-related matters, it’s always his choice to go the extra mile where Lacey is concerned.
It’s evident in the party he’s helped to put on for his niece.
He’s hired out a local soft play center, which has not only catered for the party but also given them party bags for the guests.
There’s even a two-tiered birthday cake, complete with a tiny little girl in a hockey uniform sitting on the top—not a princess in sight.
“She really dotes on him, you know?”
Ally’s voice sounds out before she reaches me. We haven’t officially met before now, and I’m glad for the opportunity to get to know her.
A smile forms on my lips as I watch the birthday girl and her friends on a small inflatable castle, clambering all over Kyler. To his credit he’s taking it like the sportsman he is, without any complaint.
“And he really adores her.” Turning to Ally, I take the opportunity to introduce myself to her. “I’m Thea. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you too. I’ve been bugging Kyler to introduce us when he couldn’t stop talking about you all those months ago, but he always found a reason not to. It’s good to see him happy.”
Her words stick in my mind. The fact Ky told his sister about me before we started dating is like a comforting hug of reassurance working its way through my body, especially as for those first few months, he was a closed book.
“He makes me happy too,” I admit to her. “This is a great party.”
Ally sighs, “I wish I could take the credit, but this is all Kyler. I don’t know how I’ll be able to keep this up when he’s not here to help.”
“He’ll always be here to help, Ally. You’re his family.”
A sad smile forms on Ally’s lips, as if she’s holding on to a secret she’s not yet ready to share. “I hope you’re right.”
“Right about what?” I feel Ky’s arms around me before I see him, and I wonder if he’s taken a timeout from being a human climbing frame because he’s curious about what we’re talking about.
Up to now, the only member of his family I’ve met is Lacey, and part of me can’t help but think he’s kept us at a distance because he’s worried about how his mom and sister would act around me.
“About you being the best uncle in the world,” Ally replies, quickly changing the subject, so as not to alert her brother to her worries. “I can’t believe you managed to hire this place. Lacey was beyond excited when she got here. Thank you, Ky.”
“She deserves to have what we didn’t.” My boyfriend doesn’t mince his words with his reply.
“Yes, she does. And on that note, I think it’s time to cut the cake.”
As Ally leaves us to rally up the kids, I take a hold of Ky’s hand and bring it to my mouth, lightly kissing each of his knuckles. “You know she’s right. You’re the best uncle Lacey could have. You’re definitely going to be rewarded for your efforts in your next life.”
A mischievous smile forms on his face and his other hand cusps my neck, bringing me toward him. “I’m more interested to know how I’ll be rewarded in this life.”
His lips meet mine and with a sweep of his tongue, I grant him access.
Our kiss starts off chaste, but quickly turns into something little eyes should not be witnessing in broad daylight.
Before we get too carried away, I break off and duck my head into his chest. Ky’s chuckle reverberates through me, and he plants a light kiss on the top of my head. “To be continued,” he whispers.
Before I can answer, something catches Ky’s eye and I feel his body tense as he quickly looks up toward the entrance and curses, causing me to turn around. I immediately see the reason for the change: walking toward us is Adam.
“Adam?” I ask, confusion lacing my voice. There’s no reason for him to be here. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you, I needed your help for our meeting.” His demeanor is a far cry from the one in the coffee shop during the week.
This Adam isn’t the nervous, chatty person who was asking favors.
No, in his place is a cold, sneering businessman, eyes narrowed with determination and mouth in a tense line.
“That meeting was meant to be this morning, you fucker, but you didn’t show.” The anger rolling off Kyler is palpable, and I place a hand on his chest to try and calm him—or at least stop him from lashing out. His fists are already curled at his sides, ready to take action at a moment’s notice.
To his credit, Adam doesn’t get riled by Ky’s comment and ignores him.
“Ky’s right, I waited for you this morning, but you told me the meeting had been postponed.”
“It has,” Adam tells us, “it’s taking place right now.”
I frown because surely he can’t be right. Adam knew I wasn’t available this afternoon so why would he even ask if I could attend it with him? I reiterate this to him again. “I told you I couldn’t go with you this afternoon.”
Adam laughs, a tinge of malice lacing the sound. “You really are clueless, aren’t you Thea?”
This time Ky pushes against my hand and steps forward, leaning into Adam’s space. “Watch your fucking mouth,” he tells him, lips curled and nostrils flaring. The anger is coursing through his body.
“Actually, I think it’s in your best interest to watch yours.
” Adam turns to me and continues. “You see, Thea, I really did need your help. It’s true, we have found Austin’s baby mama.
We just didn’t know what her exact location would be this weekend.
Your problem is you’re too trusting. How easily you turned your phone over to me so I could update my contact details.
And how easily I managed to turn on the Find My Friends function. ”
“And you,” Adam’s talking to Kyler now, a smirk forming on his face.
“I knew I recognized you. I’d seen your face before, and it bugged the hell out of me.
So, I dug out some of Austin’s belongings and there you are.
In the background of a photo he has of a girl who is smiling lovingly at him through the camera lens. ”
Slowly, and horrifyingly, the pieces start to fall into place: the times Adam mentioned he thought he had met Ky before, and how I dismissed him; the immediate contempt Adam felt for Ky without really knowing him; the comment Mr. Nelson said at Thanksgiving about the “trailer-park trash” and how he’s developing the mobile home park she lives in.
The realization is a stark slap in the face and my stomach drops to the floor.
“No, Adam . . .”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Kyler’s and my words clash with each other, but it’s the gasp behind us followed by the sound of plates crashing the ground, that draws our attention.
Ally’s face is as white as a sheet, but it’s the sheer terror in her eyes which has us following her line of sight back to the entrance and to Carl and Andrea Nelson who’ve just walked in.
“Th-that man,” she cries, “No, no, no . . . he promised. He can’t take her. He can’t.”
“Ally, it’s okay, we’ll make him leave,” Ky’s by her now, bringing her into a protective hug and tucking her into his body.
“No, Kyler, you don’t understand. That man?” Ally slowly raises her hand and points at Mr. Nelson. “He’s Lacey’s grandfather.”