Chapter 6
Ezra
Idon’t remember anything about the drive to the emergency room other than the tightness in my chest. Kiki’s presence was the only thing that kept me from losing my mind. I know a broken arm is not that big of a deal, but Theo sounded so scared and hurt on the phone.
As soon as I’m parked, I’m out of the truck, rushing to the emergency room desk to ask about Theo.
When the nurse tells me where I can find my son, I’m relieved to see Kiki right next to me.
No doubt this will be our last date. Not only did I maul her in a parking lot, but then I rushed her to a hospital in another town.
I’m not sure I’ll be able to salvage this.
“Daddy,” Theo says, smiling when I get to him.
Carla looks on the verge of tears. “He just had an X-ray, and his arm is broken. We’re waiting for them to put a cast on. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. Theo knows not to run in the house.” I give him a pointed look.
Kiki pulls Carla into her arms for a hug. I’m surprised when Carla hugs her back and starts crying.
“Why is Grandma so sad?” Theo asks, confused.
I give him a sad smile. “She loves you so much that when you are hurt, she feels the pain. I do too.”
He squints as if he doesn’t quite believe me. “Y’all’s arms hurt too?”
“Not our arms. More like our hearts. We don’t want you to be in pain.”
Theo nods as if that makes sense.
I look over to where Carla and Kiki are still hugging. Even though Staci and I were never involved for more than a few nights of fun, I feel guilty I brought Kiki here. I clear my throat. “Um, Carla, this is my friend Kiki.”
Carla steps back and squeezes Kiki’s arms. “I’m so sorry I cried all over your beautiful dress,” she says, showing Kiki more warmth than she’s ever shown me.
Kiki shrugs. “It’ll wash. I’m just glad everyone is okay.”
“Will you draw on my cast?” Theo asks.
Kiki looks at me, and I nod. “Sure thing.”
“So you’re the talented artist who decorated Theo’s arms?” Carla smiles as she says this. “Some washed off in his bath. He’ll be glad to get more artwork on his cast.”
Kiki blushes at the compliment.
I hug her to my side, loving how well she fits under my arm. “Kiki is a tattoo artist. She lived in Paris for a while and tattooed there, as well,” I brag.
“Paris, France?” Carla asks since she lives just outside of Paris, Texas.
Kiki nods. “Oui,” she says with a perfect French accent.
“Staci and I went to Paris for her college graduation present. It’s a beautiful city,” Carla tells her.
I didn’t know that, but I’m sure there’s a lot I didn’t know about Staci. Carla never brings her up to me, so I’m surprised at how easily she shares about her daughter with Kiki.
“Ezra told me a little about her. She sounds lovely. I’m very sorry for your loss.” Kiki looks almost on the verge of tears as she says this.
Carla smiles. “Thank you, dear.”
Leave it to Kiki to win over the woman who has barely said a complete sentence to me over the last few months. She really is amazing.
Theo sleeps the entire ride back to Dallas.
“I’m sorry I ruined our date,” I say, pulling into my driveway. It’s then that I realize I didn’t take her back to Vintage Ink. “Shit, I forgot to drive you to your car.” I would take her now, but Theo’s awake, and I can tell by his whimpering that he’s ready for another dose of ibuprofen.
She smiles reassuringly. “It’s fine. I can call a rideshare.”
“No. It’s late. You can come inside and stay here.
” She opens her mouth, but I rush to put her mind at ease.
“The guest bedroom has clean sheets. I’ll take you back to your car in the morning.
And I’ll even promise to be on my best behavior.
” I hold up the two finger Boy Scout salute as I say this, making her laugh.
She nods, agreeing to stay.
I lead her into the house, leaving her in the living room. “Once I get Theo settled, I’ll show you to the guest room.”
It doesn’t take long for me to give Theo his medicine and tuck him into bed. He’s exhausted from tonight’s excitement.
I kiss his forehead. “I love you.”
He murmurs it back, but is already drifting off to dreamland.
I give him one more kiss before going out to the living room.
“I see you met Biscoff,” I say, pointing to my brown labradoodle that’s curled up on the sofa with his head resting on Kiki’s lap.
“Biscoff?” She gives me a questioning look about the name as she pets him.
“He was Staci’s dog. Carla didn’t want to get rid of him, but he’s a little too much dog for her, so I took him. Plus, Theo was attached to the dog. I couldn’t allow him to lose anyone else.”
Kiki smiles sadly at me. “You’re a good dad.”
I sigh. “I try to be. Some days I feel like I’m failing miserably. Today is one of them.”
She pats the place on the sofa next to her, opposite where Biscoff sits. “It’s not your fault Theo got hurt any more than it is Carla’s.”
“I wish I could put him inside a plastic bubble and protect him from the world.”
She leans into me, and I put my arm around her. Biscoff whines when Kiki stops petting him, so she puts her hand back on his head. “I know tonight didn’t go as planned, but it was one of the best dates I’ve been on.”
I place my finger beneath her chin, turning her to face me. “Same,” I say before leaning down to kiss her.
Biscoff jumps off the couch and goes to the bed in the corner as Kiki moves to straddle my lap. I grip her hips to keep her from rubbing against me as I explore her mouth. The last thing I want is to come in my pants from us making out like teenagers on the sofa.
“Unless you object, I’m going to take you to my bed and kiss you everywhere,” I whisper against her lips.
She jumps off me. “Lead the way.”
Her eagerness makes me laugh, but I waste no time getting her to my bedroom. I had planned on being the perfect gentleman in hopes of Kiki wanting to see me again, but I should have known there’s nothing conventional when it comes to this woman.
Kiki is one of a kind.