“Mhm,” she says as sauce drips down her face. She uses the back of her hand to wipe it away and then licks her fingertips,savoring every last decadent drop. I didn’t know eating could be sexy. But I guess very little isn’t sexy when it comes to her. Getting up, I take her hands and start pulling her to her feet and towards my chair.
“Kai, what are you doing?”
“I missed you. You weren’t close enough,” I explain, planting her on my lap. She tucks her head into my neck and the soft curls of her hair provide me with a much needed pillow.
“You’re right. This is much better,” she decides. I hum in agreement. “Akio would have loved that short rib. It was so good,” she says curling into my chest.
“Yeah?” I wonder, realizing there’s still so much I don’t know about my son. “I don’t know many toddlers who would eat short rib.”
“He can be picky but lately he has been into short rib, meatloaf, and steak. But it has to be slathered in something,” she chuckles.
“That makes sense; he’s a kid after my own heart.”
“I can’t believe you remembered all my yapping about my dream dates when we were in undergrad. That’s impressive, Kai, and really sweet,” she admits happily.
“There’s very little I could forget about you. Speaking of old memories, do you remember the pact we made in high school?” I ask.
“Of course,” she smiles. “Why?” she asks, staring up at me.
“I think we should make a pact again.”
“I think we’re a little past that, don't you think?” she scoffs.
“I don’t mean a virginity pact. I mean we decide not to have sex until we’ve figured things out, worked on this. Until we trust each other more. Besides, sex was never our issue, if you recall,” I say, burying my nose in her hair.God, she smells good.
“Okay, yeah, maybe you’re right. We were pretty good at that aspect of our relationship. Sex complicates things and we needto try to uncomplicate things.” She’s taking this better than I thought she would.
“But what about hooking up, doing other things…is that allowed for the duration of this pact?” she wonders, her hazel eyes gleaming with mischief.
“I think everything else aside from fucking is on the table. What do you think?”
“Let’s do it.”
It’s either one of the smartest decisions or the dumbest decisions I’ve ever made, I can’t tell. I suppose there’s still time for it to be both.
The rest of our date goes smoothly. Kendall seems happier, lighter, like some weight has been lifted after our conversations. We spend the next two hours laughing and talking about nothing and everything. She curls up next to me with her arms full of books and a grin plastered on her face and I’m certain that I want to make all her dream dates come true. No matter how ridiculous or outlandish they might seem. Because seeing her this happy, making her smile is a drug I’ll never be able to quit.
Chapter 29
Kai
2011
Justasshereachesfor my float again, I pull her hand closer, wrap my arm around her waist, and bring her in for a hug. I missed having her this close to me all summer. I hold her against my chest as she wriggles and laughs and I realize I will never get tired of that sound—her laughing. She unsuccessfully tries to free herself but I eventually let her perch on the end of my float. She stares at me, head cocked to the side.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask.
“I don’t know, you seem different,” she shrugs.
“Different how?”
“I don’t know. More mature maybe, or older?” Not at all what I expected her to say.
“Oh okay.”
She continues to stare at me silently as she kicks her feet in the murky water. She giggles and pulls her feet out to avoid the minnows.
“Listen, Ken, I’m sorry I was being weird before about camp. I was embarrassed and I just wanted to not have to think about it anymore.”
