Kyle smiled at that. It was cute.
“… I’m serious,” she chuckled. “I’ve been rooting for you two since the moment I first saw you look at her. I mean really look at my sister in a way that I had never seen anyone look at her before. Ever since that moment, I wanted you for her. I didn’t care about what I knew about you, or your past, all I cared about was that moment because that was the moment that I knew that you loved her. And she loved you two.” She shook her head. “Everybody knew, but no one ever said a word. We just watched you two every chance we got, and made bets, trying our best to predict the moment when you two would just … get out of your heads and kiss already … Because we knew that that was all it’d take …” She smiled. “And I saw it, whenever you two kissed in the living room last week. I saw what we all knew would happen. I saw you two finally telling the truth, finally embracing love instead of fearing it, and I was so … happy …” Once again, her eyes fell. “I panicked,” she murmured. “When she told me she was getting married, that she was moving out of the house. I couldn’t even process it; I just … freaked out.” She lifted her eyes. “I’ve never lived apart from my sister before, Kyle … I’ve never really had to share her. Not like this.”
“I know,” Kyle nodded in understanding.
“And I’m not even sure I know how to be apart from her like this either …”
“You don’t have to be apart from her always, Tamara,” Kyle said softly. “Our home is your home.”
It was the Italian way. Kyle would never have a home without an extra room for family; just as he’d never cook without making extra food on the off chance that the family came over unannounced, which in his family, happened often. One had to always be prepared. That was a lesson he’d learned from his Nonna.
“There is always a place for you here, sweetheart.” He smiled. “Always a bed for you to sleep in, always a seat for you at our table. You are family, yes? Abbiamo sempre un posto per la nostra famiglia …”
Kyle had never been much of a touchy feely type person, but in this case, he made an exception and hugged the woman because she was so obviously in need of it. Hell, who the fuck was he fooling … he needed it too. Needed a quick reminder of the reality he lived in now, especially after tonight. So he hugged her, warmly, tightly, the same way he hugged his daughter whenever she needed some time in his arms. And Tamara accepted the support, almost eagerly. That made him smile …
“You’re a very lucky man, Kyle Valente,” she whispered, never pulling back from him.
Kyle nodded as he watched the numbers rise, nearly reaching his floor.
He knew that. With the family he had, his daughter, and now a soon to be wife. He was a man favored by God. He made a mental note to start going to confession regularly ...
“My sister is an amazing woman.”
“That she is,” Kyle agreed.
“She’ll be an incredible wife to you, a fantastic mother to Sofia.”
Kyle agreed with that, too. Very much.
“Well, if you are any indication of her skills in child rearing, I have to say that I very much agree.”
Damn, Kyle thought, impressed with the compliment he’d just given. He was quickly getting the hang of this ‘being kind’ thing.
He felt Tamara’s shoulders shake slightly, just as he heard her soft sniffling. “She was the best mommy a girl could ever ask for. Raised me, sacrificed everything for me. She protected me, provided for me, put me through college, and then gave me the money to start my line because she believed in my dream. She’s the reason why I am the woman I am today. Dammit. You made me cry again.”
Kyle chuckled once more. Even though he was still impressed with himself, he’d only said what he believed to be true. Tamara Pierce, just like her sister, was an amazing woman. Strong, smart, ambitious, with enough attitude to command and earn the respect she so deserved. And that was because of Reanna Pierce … And now the woman who raised the admirable woman in his arms would be raising his daughter to be just as strong …
Yes. Kyle would definitely be going to confession and mass in effort to retain this favor.
“Oh my gosh,” Tamara laughed softly, bringing Kyle from his thoughts.
“What is it?” he asked, confused by her sudden amusement.
“Look at us,” she said, holding on to him a bit tighter. “Do you realize that this is the most we’ve ever spoken in the years that I’ve known you? We’ve barely said three words to each other, and now we’re hugging each other in an elevator.” She giggled. “It’s just funny …”
A smile pulled at Kyle’s lips. Yeah. He could admit that it was kind of funny.
Laughing softly, he released her from his embrace.
“Do you feel any better?” he asked thoughtfully. “Comforting isn’t something that I do often, so I may not be that good at it …”
“I feel a lot better, thank you,” she said softly, looking up at him as she shyly wiped the stray tears from her eyes. “You’re better at it than you think.”
The elevator door opened.
“You think so, huh?”
“I do,” she nodded, then allowed Kyle to escort her off of the elevator. “I haven’t been hugged like that since … well.”
Stopping once they reached the front door, Kyle turned to face the woman when her words trailed off, finding her eyes lowered to the ground as an unreadable emotion flashed through her eyes.
Frowning, Kyle placed a concerned hand to her shoulder. “Are you alright, Tamara?”
When she lifted her eyes, Kyle was able to clearly see what emotion she’d been attempting to hide. It was subtle, but clear grief … a sadness. Not overwhelming, but still very visible.
“I’m fine,” she whispered. “You just … I haven’t been hugged like that since my father.” She smiled warmly, even as her eyes filled with unshed tears. “I should’ve expected as much, though. You have a little girl of your own so it makes sense.”
Smiling at the woman’s words, Kyle pulled his keys from his pocket and turned to the door.
“I miss my little girl,” he confessed as he pushed his key into the lock and turned it.
“How could you not?” Tamara replied. “It’s been a long weekend … even longer day.”
A long, horrible, torturous ass fucking day was a better description. But Kyle had made his peace with that. The day had started off fantastic, and it would end even better. That was all that mattered to him.
When he opened the door to his home, he was immediately met with the smell of dinner, the subtle sound of music, and the heavenly sound of laughter coming from the two most important people in his life.
“Smells so good,” Tamara said, walking through the door when Kyle step to the side to allow her entrance. “Wow, your home is lovely. And, oh my God, look at that view.”
While Tamara journeyed off to the sliding wall of windows, leading to the large balcony, Kyle followed the sweet sound of Reanna, and Sofia, talking, giggling, and singing together …
“Let’s put some more chocolate icing on the cake. I think Papa’s gonna want some more.”
“Really?” Reanna laughed softly. “Is it Papa that we think is going to want more chocolate on it, or Sofia?”
“Sofia.”
They laughed together at Sofia’s silly behavior, neither of them even aware that he was standing at the entrance of the kitchen watching them, and thinking of all the nights Sofia and Reanna had had in the past that were just like this. Nights where they’d cooked together, joked together, laughed together … Nights that he’d miss because he’d been off somewhere he hadn’t even wanted to be, somewhere he’d never should have been in the first place … He’d wanted to be here. With them. And now he was.
“Sofi. We can’t fit any more on here. If we try the whole cake will fall over, child.” Reaching around Sofia, Reanna snatch the frosting bowl from the child, bringing it back around her and setting it on the opposite side.
Gasping, Sofia poked her lip
s out in a playful pout. “But Reanna,” she feigned a whine. “We can put some on the side.” She then smiled. “Then after dinner we can lick it off the cake plate.”
Cake spatula in hand, Reanna place both fist to her ample hips, looking down a Sofia— who stood, grinning wide, on a Princess and the Frog step stool next to her— with pursed lips. “Sofia Nicole Valente. Are you telling me that you are expecting us to eat this entire cake tonight?”
Sofia nodded. “Uh huh …” she answered, turning back to face the cake. “You and Papa can cut a piece to share, and I can eat the rest all by myself.”
“All by yourself!”
“Yep,” she nodded again.
“No,” Reanna said, shaking her head as she began smoothing the icing over the cake. “Absolutely not young lady.”
“But you didn’t even think about it first.”
“I don’t need to think about it Sofia. There has to be a line here, a limit. If your papa and I let you keep eating all this cake all day and night, sooner or later, you’re going to turn into one …”
Sofia’s mouth dropped open, her eyes widening with a gasp. “I’m gonna be a piece of cake!”
“Mmmhmm,” Reanna nodded, mercilessly playing the child. “A big piece of chocolate cake.”
“But—” Sofia stuttered, shaking her head in utter horror. “But I don’t wanna be a piece of chocolate cake. I like being a princess.”
Amazingly, Reanna was able to keep from breaking. She hadn’t even cracked a smile, even in the face of Sofia’s adorable horror. It was one of the best parts of parenting, messing with one’s kids just for kicks. It was horrible, and mean as hell, but damn did Kyle love doing it. He loved seeing her reaction when he tried his best to convince her that some of the most absurd myths were in fact not myths, but true. Did he feel like an asshole every time he did it, hell yes he did, he wasn’t a monster, but, come on. The look on her face, and big belly laugh that she’d give every time his smart little girl caught on to the joke was more than worth the two or three minutes of torture …
“I know you like being a princess, baby,” Reanna sighed, looking down at the cake sadly …
By God, the woman was a natural … So perfect.
“… That’s what I’m saying. Your father and I love you being our little princess, too, and I’m afraid, Sofi, I really am …”
Sofia looked up at her. “‘fraid of what?” she asked, genuinely seeking an answer.
Still showing incredible talent, and keeping that straight face, Reanna shrugged. “I don’t know, Sofi. Your Papa and I really like cake. And you’re going to be walking around the house all day, being cake. God forbid one night I forget to make dessert.”
Sofia’s gasp was just amazing. She was so shocked, so appalled, so hilariously horrified, Kyle had to bring his hand up to cover his mouth.
“You’re gonna eat me!” she screamed.
And that had been all Reanna could take, and Kyle couldn’t blame her. Even as he stood, quietly in the entrance watching his little family stalker style, his shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.
“Oh,” Sofia slapped her hand on the counter as a big, beautiful smile spread across her face. “Reanna!”
This was Kyle’s favorite part. The part when his little Sofia caught on to the joke, the part where she covered her stunning little face with her hands to hide her burning red cheeks as she shook her head back and forth, laughing at herself.
“You and Papa are always being silly to me.”
Wrapping her arms around Sofia from behind her, Reanna leaned down and kissed her rosy cheeks. “That’s because it’s so much fun.”
She blew a raspberry against her cheek, tickling her side as she did.
“But that’s teasing,” Sofia giggled, bringing her hands down from her face to try and stop Reanna’s tickle assault. “I thought I was gonna be a chocolate cake forever!”
“You’re silly,” she tickled her again, making her laugh loud. “You know you ain’t going to be no chocolate cake.”
Kyle smiled, still stuck on the warm feeling that had filled him when Reanna had said the words ‘our little princess’. Sofia was their little princess, wasn’t she? Them, together because they were her… her parents. The two of them … Sofia had a mother now. Or perhaps— judging by how natural the two of them looked interacting with one another— she had always had one, and Kyle was just noticing it now.
“Alright, little girl,” Reanna clapped her hands, the sharp sound of it effectively bringing Kyle back to the present. “Get your chocolate hands over to that sink and get washed up for dinner. Your daddy will be home soon.”
Obeying Reanna’s order, Sofia hopped down off of her stool and scrambled to the sink and quickly washed her hands. “You think Papa’s gonna like all the food we made him?” she asked as she dried her hands on the towel sitting next to the sink.
Kyle nodded in silent response to her question. Of course he would.
“Absolutely, he will,” Reanna answered, looking as if she were about to begin cleaning their mess from the counter.
“What do you think he’ll like the best?”
“The cake, hands down,” Kyle answered before Reanna could. “I’ve been waiting for another piece of Reanna’s chocolate cake since the last time I had it …”
“Papa!”
Grinning widely when she turned from the direction of the sink and ran to him, Kyle leaned down, opening his arms wide to receive his precious little girl.
“Papa! Papa! You’re home!”
When she made it too him, and he lifted her into his arms that was it, that was enough to fully restore his equilibrium, to calm his nerves, and bring him every bit of peace he needed to keep him balanced.
“Mi bella bambina. Did you miss your, Papa again?”
“Yes.”
Kyle laughed, loving how cute her muffled words sounded while she told him how much she missed him with her face buried in his neck.
“Aww, my sweet, lady bug,” he cooed, turning his head to kiss her cheek over and over. “Papa missed you, too.”
So much.
Once she lifted her head from his shoulder, Kyle looked into her big blue eyes. So full of love, genuine, pure love that Kyle would never feel deserving of.
“You’re late, Papa. We almost ate without you cause’ I’m hungry.”
“Ate without me,” Kyle’s eyes widened in mock offense. “Have you no patience lady bug? I would have waited for days if it were you that was late.”
“No you wouldn’t,” she giggled.
“Would too,” Kyle instated with a nod.
She frowned. “But what about last year on Halloween, Papa?”
Kyle’s mouth closed, his eyes widening slightly when her brows rose in question.
“You and Reanna promised that you would wait for me to eat Halloween candy, then when I woke up you both were sleep on the couch with all the candy wrappers around you—”
“Alright,” Kyle cut her off with a raise of his hand. “You made your point munchkin.”
The sound of Reanna’s laughter caught Kyle’s attention, making him look over to where she stood. He frowned, realizing that she was not in his arms where she should have been the moment she’d seen he’d entered the kitchen. She, instead, was standing across the kitchen where she had been when he’d first arrived, watching he and Sofia with amusement brightening her warm, brown eyes.
Upset, and absolutely not enjoying the amount of distance between them, Kyle frowned. “Speaking of Reanna,” he said, taking a step forward into the kitchen. “What are you doing all the way over there, woman?”
Her smile widened at his words, but she didn’t respond.
“Get your behind over here, and greet me like you’re happy to see me,” he commanded.
And was immediately backed up by his little, Lady bug.
“Yeah, Reanna!” Sofia giggled, excitedly bouncing in Kyle’s arms. “Get your butt over here.”
Her mouth dro
pped open with a soft laugh. “You guys …”
Kyle shook his head, cutting off what he was sure was a protest, but he would here none of it. It’d been a hard day, and he was home now. He knew they still needed to tell Sofia about the shift in their relationship, and he planned to do that, as soon as possible, but right now, he just wanted both of his girls in his arms.
“Now woman,” he commanded, pointing down at the empty space on the floor directly in front of him. “I have spoken.”
And as her future husband, he expected to be obeyed. He was pretty sure there was going to be something regarding her obedience in their vows. And yes, of course he knew Reanna would protest to making such a vow, but Kyle had a plan. He’d slip it in there discreetly. Reanna wouldn’t even notice.
Once again, laughing softly, Reanna shook her head and sat the small hand towel in her hand on the counter. “Alright, alright,” she sighed exaggeratedly, bringing up her hands in lazy surrender. “If you two must have my love, then I suppose…” she shrugged. “I have no choice.”
“Damn right you don’t.”
She laughed again as she walked into his open arm. “Hi,” she whispered, placing one of her arms around Sofia, then the other around his waist.
God, he was such a lovesick sap.
“Hi,” he replied, smiling like a goofy idiot.
Mercilessly giggling at his sappy ass smile, she looked up into his eyes, her expression playfully stern once her laughter calmed. “You’re late.”
More than anything at that moment, Kyle wanted to lean forward and kiss her. Breathless. But he knew he couldn’t. He just kept reminding himself that they still needed to talk to Sofia. “I know,” he said, settling for running his fingers through her soft, silky, freshly curled hair. “I’m sorry.”
The offered apology came with a light tug of her ear, and a yet another unshakable urge to kiss her.
Dangerous Beauty: Part Four: Beautifully Broken Page 51
