Nina
I never wanted to need someone. I thought I could do this all own my own, come here and start over. But sometimes even the strongest person needs someone to hold them up and Kyle, he lifts me up.
“Hey beautiful. You ready to go eat some carnival food and ride some rides until we get sick and come home?”
“Can we leave out the getting sick part?”
“Sure. Then we better skip that one spinning ride. It gets me every damn time.” He walks around the room, picking things up before we leave.
“You don’t have to do that.” I reach in my purse, digging out whatever makeup I can find. “I can do that as soon as I’m done putting this on.” I hold up my lip gloss and mascara.
“I made it. I clean it.” He winks. “You can thank my momma on Sunday for raising me like a gentleman.”
“Thank you.” I head to the bathroom to apply a little color.
“Do you think we should take Niki’s car back for the weekend?” I hear Kyle down the hall.
“Yeah. That’s a great idea. I’ll text her.”
Me: I’m bringing your car back for the weekend.
Niki: You don’t need it?
Me: I’m with Kyle.
Niki: Did he stay the night?
Me: You going to be home?
I avoid the question. After the other day, I thought she was beginning to warm up to the idea, but maybe not.
Niki: What are you going to do for a car all weekend?
“Are you spending the night tonight?”
“Yep.”
Me: Kyle’s spending the night.
I wait for her reaction, but nothing. Not even the dots that show someone’s typing. Just nothing.
Me: Niki, he really is a great guy.
Still nothing.
Me: We haven’t had sex.
Niki: Don’t. Not until you are ready. You got it?
Niki isn’t even being Niki, that court thing has her so worked up.
Me: <3
Niki: I <3 U2
“What time are we leaving?” I ask.
“Whenever you are ready,” he smiles back.
Me: Be there in 30.
Niki: K
Tossing the phone in my bag, I grab the car keys. “I’m going straight there. You following?”
“Sure am.” He opens the front door and we both head out.
“Hey Kyle?”
“Yeah?”
“We. Are. Going. To. A. Carnival!” I skip down the sidewalk to the car. “Shake-ups and cotton candy and tenderloins, oh my!” I continue down the path.
“You’re nuts.” He shines me his dimples, following me to the car. “I love that this makes you so happy.”
“You make me happy!” I start to open the door when I’m swung around, body pressed against the car.
“You make me happy, too!” He cups my face in his hands, breathing me in as his kiss promises more…tonight. Breaking the kiss, he says, “Now, we better get going.”
“We could just stay in.”
“Get in.” He reaches down to swat me on the butt as he walks off.
“I was trying…”
“Be safe!” He waves his keys in the air.
“Always!” I shout back.
After dropping the car off at Niki’s, Kyle got a call that someone had trespassed on one of his WilliamSon projects. Since Drew is on baby watch, Kyle volunteered to be on call for any emergencies.
“This will only take a minute.” He reaches behind the seat and grabs his hat and glasses. “I just need to make sure nothing has been touched.”
“Can I come?”
“Sure.” He reaches behind the seat again, but comes up empty-handed. “Dammit. I forgot Lee borrowed my other hat.” He grabs a camera out of the console. “Next time I’ll show you around.”
“Don’t be too long.”
“I won’t.” He shuts the door and heads toward the house.
Not knowing what to do, I flip through the radio stations, trying to find something to distract me, when his phone begins to vibrate in the center console.
I know I shouldn’t pick it up, but when I see a gorgeous blonde pop up, I can’t help but wonder who she is. If I swipe now, it will answer. If I swipe later, I’ll be invading his privacy.
I don’t want to let the war of the hearts consume me, with my past sneaking up on my present, tainting everything that is good.
Kyle’s good.
Setting the phone down, I opt to lay my seat back and relax and try to get out of my own head.
Kyle’s good.
I breath slowly, remembering everything that has happened since I met him. Kyle has always been honest.
Kyle’s good.
He’s respected my past. Never pressured me.
Kyle’s good.
His phone beeps with a text.
Kyle’s good.
I’m not going to look. I’m going to let it be.
The door swings open. “Sorry it took so long.” He hops in, throwing his hat in the back and glasses in the console.
“It’s okay. Was anything bothered?”
“Not that I can tell, but I went ahead and called the station to have a car drive by randomly.” He reaches for his phone.
“That’s good news.”
“What now?” He scans through his phone. He looks at me and holds up the phone. “My ex. She wants to talk.”
“Oh?”
Kyle’s good.
“It can wait. Today is our day.”
Kyle is good and he is mine!
Kyle
Of all days, she had to call today. I would like to say she doesn’t affect me, but for some reason there is still this pull there and I’m not sure why.
Do I want her back? No. Do I wish things would have been different? Yes.
Does it get easier the more time I spend with Nina? Hell yeah. With Nina, everything is easy. I never have to second-guess my feelings. She brings out a raw emotion in me that I didn’t even know existed.
She frees me from everything.
“I have to say, I’m really stuffed this time. If I eat another bite, I will explode.” I hand her the bag of cotton candy.
She holds up her hand, which is coated in the crystal candy. “I need to wash these.”
“Or…” I grab her wrist “I can do this.” I lick every single finger clean.
“That’s a great alternative.”
“I thought so.” I hold out my hand. “Hand hug?”
“Always.”
We stroll through the carnival, playing games here and there, never winning a damn thing.
“So, tell me, what was your favorite thing about today?” Tilting my head, I watch for her reaction.
“Tonight.” She waggles her eyebrows.
“Out of all the games, rides, food, fun, you are going with tonight? Something that hasn’t even taken place?”
“I’m hopeful.” She leans into me, putting an arm around me and holding on tight.
“Who says anything is going to happen?”
“You did.” She looks up at me through her lashes, batting them. “I’m ready.”
I pretend to look around. “Where’s the nearest exit?” I pull us around in a circle.
“Kyle…” She’s in hysterics laughing at my antics.
Finding a fence, I lean her up against it, pinning her arms above her head.
“Kyle…” Her laughing slows as her breathing speeds up.
“Tonight will be great,” I agree, leaning in slow, teasing her with the promise of what is to come.
“Kyle?” A female voice behind me causes me to turn.
Shit!
“I thought that was you.” She comes closer as Nina steps out from behind me, reaching for my hand.
“Who’s this?” She waves her hand at Nina. “I’m Tristan, the ex.” She steps forward, holding out her right hand.
Nina keeps hold of my hand, but steps forward. “I’m Nina, the girlfriend.”
“Oh really? That was fast.” Tristan can’t help herself, throwing in a little dig that I know she hopes Nina will pick up on.
“Hey babe?” My stepbrother comes around the corner, pushing a stroller. “I couldn’t find the—” He stops in his tracks, looking at the scene unfolding.
“Kyle.” He nods at me.
“Jack.”
“I heard you are coming to Trinity’s party and bringing a guest.” He pushes the stroller closer. “Is this the plus one?”
“Yes.”
“Well? Aren’t you going to introduce us?” He pushes the stroller closer still.
Nina squeezes my hand multiple times and I’m pretty sure it’s some kind of an SOS code that I’m unable to read.
“Okay, I guess not.” He holds out his hand. “I’m Jack, his stepbrother.”
Nina gasps, looking between all of us.
I can’t move, but I can hold on for dear life.
“That’s Nina, his girlfriend,” Tristian interrupts.
“That’s great.”
“Ky-ky!” Trinity sticks out her hands and as much as I don’t want to be around her, I do. She is the reason I hate the two people standing in front of me.
Forgiveness is hard, but losing a family is harder. Those two took her away from me and there is nothing I can do. She’s not mine.
Squeezing my hand, Nina steps forward. “This must be the birthday girl.” She reaches in and tickles Trinity’s side, causing the cutest giggle to escape her lips.
Pulling Nina back, I hold her in front of me. “We better get going.” I wave at Trinity. “See you soon.”
“Bye-bye.” She waves her tiny hands.
“See you Friday,” Jack says, one hand on the stroller and one on his wife.
Walking straight past them, I don’t even look back.
The family I once had is no longer mine. I just wonder how many times I’ll have to tell myself this before I believe it.