He grinned sheepishly. “Well since you’re going back, we might just visit in your wedding.”
“You might wait for a very long time.”
“Not when you said yes to me this moment.”
Her eyes widened, Robin smiled at her, standing back to give them space.
“I don’t have the ring yet, but I will claim you now before anyone else does.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is this about Robin again?”
“No, it’s about you, sunshine. It’s all about you.”
Her eyes began tearing. This was so unexpected.
He pulled her into his arms, running his hand behind her back.
“Moments like this made me want to get married again.”
“Mom!”
King shook from laughter, infecting her.
“I’m just saying. I’m sure someone out there might find me cute.”
“Trust me, ma’am. There’s a lot of men who wouldn’t think twice to court you.”
“Stay out of this, man. You already take away my Kiara, not to mention that you always leave her crying. You can’t take away my mom too!”
He said solely to her, “I will make up for that tears, sunshine. I’m going to make your worthwhile.”
She pressed her nose deep in his shirt, “You better.”
*
The flight back was quiet. King was staring out the window, holding her hands.
They didn’t call home to pick them up to prolong the inevitable instead they took a taxi on the way home. King was holding her hand and from time to time, it clenched and unclenched.
Kiara didn’t know what was going on in his mind right now but somehow, she knew that this morning’s phone call had to do with it.
“We’re here.”
Both of them was snapped by their own private thoughts, reality seeping in again.
King looked at her, reassuring her wordlessly that everything would be alright by squeezing her hand. He paid for the taxi and take her carry-on.
Carl met them at the gate as if expecting their arrival. He took the bag from King and went ahead.
King turned to her, his expression giving nothing away.
“You go ahead, Marc’s not home, he’ll probably be back tomorrow. I’ll just deal with something important.”
“You’ll be fine?”
For a second, the harsh line in his mouth softened to a smile although it never reached his eyes.
“I’ll be back before Marc does. We’ll face him together.” With that, he gave her a peck in the head, urging her to go in.
Only after she was inside done he get in his car and drove off.
Somehow, Kiara had a bad feeling about the phone call he received. It got him acting weird all morning. Anyhow, Kiara didn’t want to cramp his space. If he wanted to deal with his problem on his on, for now, she could always wait for him to come around later. This marriage wouldn’t work out if one of them couldn’t open to one another. She just hoped that King knew that he confides in her, not a child to keep innocent while he dealt with the ugly.
*
King couldn’t be quick enough to get to Kimberly. He got a phone call from her mom that she was in the hospital, fighting for her life.
He should’ve known better than to break the news to her through the phone. It was a coward of him to do but he didn’t think that he could break it to her face. He still had feelings for her but it wasn’t as strong as it had been. Kiara weighed to him more now and he didn’t know why it took him this long to realize that. A part of him knew that he dated women left and right was because unconsciously, Kiara was beyond his reach. Also, there was Marc to look out. Again, an asshole way to do. Had he been true to himself, this wouldn’t have happened.
Strung, he ran his fingers through his hair which he had been doing for a while now. It was unfair of him to be thinking about Kimberly when Kiara was worrying about him.
When he came home, he would make it up to her and for the future to come.
To his will to get to the hospital as soon as possible, he didn’t stop in the red light, missing an oncoming car. The driver beeped at him angrily.
“Let Kimberly be okay,” he muttered to himself as he got out of the car.
Her parents greeted him in the counter, letting the nurse know that he’s with them.
“How is she?”
“I don’t even know anymore,” Mrs. Clinton sobbed, making him feel the world’s biggest asshole.
“Let’s just get there, son.”
King followed them in silence, his mind all over the place right now. The thought of Kiara laughing made it a little better for him.
*
King didn’t come home the next morning neither did he beat Marc.
On the plus side, Faith looked radiant, shockingly tan. There was no denying the glimmer in Marc’s eyes either.
When they found her home, they immediately ask for King which she had to cover up for.
Later that night, Faith pulled her to her room and told her about the great time her brother and Faith had. She crooned about him endlessly until she forgot about King. When it was her turn to ask her, Kiara told her about what happened, leaving the intimate part.
“So when is the date of your wedding?” Faith gushed.
“We haven’t thought of that far yet.”
“It has to be soon!”
“I don’t want him to feel rush about this, Fee. The last thing I want is forcing him into something he didn’t feel.”
“What are you saying, my friend? Is King being an asshole again?”
“No, nothing like that. I just want him to like us being together as much as I do.”
“And where is he now?”
“I told you, he had to deal with something important.”
For her sake, Faith changed the subject into a cheerful subject which she was thankful for. She didn’t know how much more she would be able to take. It was bad enough that she was thinking the worse of him.
“When is your wedding?” she cut in through Faith’s ranting.
“When is yours?”
“We’re not sure yet, remember?”
“Well, we’re going to have a double wedding!” Faith announced. Kiara was just teasing her; she didn’t know that it was really true. But then again, the two had been acting like an old couple ever since meeting each other when they were kids. It’s about time they hit it off.
“I’m so happy for you both,” she smiled, hugging her friend. “Keep him in line, Fee. Only you can do that.”
They giggled.
*
It’s been a week since King went and she hadn’t heard from him. Even Marc thought that it wasn’t likely of him to do, adding up to her worry.
He offered to check up on him but she convinced that it wasn’t necessary. Marc didn’t say anything but nevertheless respected her choice.
Then one afternoon, Kiara thought of coming over to his apartment to see how he was doing. He might be sick and stranded in his apartment and he just couldn’t call.
“Yes, that might be it.”
Faith tried to make her change her mind but Kiara wouldn’t be stopped.
With that in mind, she got ready and got Carl to drive for her.
“Want me to come with you?.”
“Don’t worry, Carl. Everything will be alright.”
“If that’s so, I’ll be waiting in the car then.”
They were parked outside King’s apartment which was so much luxurious than she had.
With her heart in her throat, she reluctant drag herself upstairs, each step making her think that maybe she called first. When she was finally standing outside his door, she was thinking of turning back.
Too late for that.
She raised her fist to knock when the door opened. King looked like a rabbit who had been caught in the headlight then he smiled. She didn’t miss the redness in his jaw like he had been in a fist fight.
“I was just about to pick you up, su
nshine.”
She laughed dryly, “What made you think I’m coming with you?”
A week of waiting of waiting for him without a word from him took a toll from her. And now he had the decency to smile at her?
“Come on, sunshine. Don’t be angry now.”
He tried to reach for her but she just back off.
“Why don’t we come in, it’s going to rain soon.” He looked up in emphasis.
Carl was behind her all of a sudden and he urged her to go in.
His apartment looked every bit manly. Everything was dark and silver.
He led her into the living room and what happened next made her knees turn to jelly.
“Happy birthday, sunshine!”
People came out behind the sofa and inside the rooms. Faith was beaming to her with Marc beside her.
Kiara turned to him, torn between punching him cold or kissing him senseless. Neither happened, she burst into tears in his arms, making him laugh.
“I hate you.”
“I love you too, sunshine. I’m so sorry it took you to come here instead of me picking you up at home. I got tied up dealing with Kimberly which I’ll explain later.” He added the last part quickly.
“For now, enjoy your birthday. It’s not every day you’re nineteen, my love.”
People came to her in a rush, pulling her to a conversation then the next thing she knew she was with a new group. They congratulated her on her oncoming wedding and baby which she returned with polite thanks.
By the time the people were leaving she was exhausted.
King pulled her in his room which looked like a house itself already. She didn’t notice that the apartment wasn’t apartment but a big condo. His room was set in black theme.
He pulled her for a long, searing, breathtaking kiss making her gasp when they pulled away.
“Am I forgiven?”
“Not until you tell me about the Kimberly ordeal.”
He didn’t miss a beat. “Let’s sit down first.”
He led her to his bed and then once they were seated, he faced her.
“Kimberly tried to kill herself.”
Kiara gasped.
“But now she’s okay. She’s under rehab.”
“It’s because of me isn’t it?”
“None of it was your fault, sunshine. Kimberly and I are over long before I come to you in your apartment. I ended everything with her when I caught her with another man. I’m ashamed to say that it took me that long to wake up from the lies I had myself believe. It was you who I wanted, needed all along, sunshine.”
Kiara was speechless, everything turned out to be unexpected for her.
“What happened to your jaw?”
He massaged it in thought, “Marc punched me the moment I got here.”
“He didn’t.”
“Don’t worry, I deserve it.”
“Still…”
He silenced her worry with a kiss, then said, “I want to marry you tomorrow.”
Sports Romance: Feeling The Heat Page 146
