Page 18 of Kobalt

“You didn’t pay anyone to redo it for you?”

I shot a major side-eye her way and snickered. “You know me better than that, Kai.”

I eased away from the parking pad and headed down the road.

“What’s going on there?” she asked, pointing to where the older stables were located. I had a newer stable built last year to house my four horses: Honey, Patches, Rebel, and Shadow. I also built a new barn for Matilda and Noodle, the two cows I owned.

I glanced to where Kaimera was pointing. “That’s the work I’ve been doing. I’m having the old stable and barn transitioned into training facilities.”

“Training facilities for what?”

“I’ll be hosting a training camp here at the farm now that I’ve retired.”

“I heard that you had retired. I’m sorry about what happened to you guys. His behavior was inexcusable, and I only wish I had come forward sooner. Then maybe⁠—”

I reached a hand toward her and rested it on her wrist. I glanced away from the road to stare into her beautiful, soulful brown eyes. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Take on his shit. Kevin knew what the fuck he was doing. He sold out people who would’ve had his back through anything for a dollar. That was on him—not on you.”

“Yeah, but I should’ve said something the minute I learned about it.”

“I get why you didn’t. Norrell Kidd ain’t someone you fuck around with.”

She grew silent, and I wondered what that was all about, but I didn’t push her. I pushed the gas as we zoomed down the road. Kaimera’s eyes grew wide as she gripped the edges of her seat and remained silent. I kept pushing it until we reached 140 miles per hour.

Eventually, a happy shriek pealed from her lungs, and she burst into a fit of giggles that made me smile. We reached a wide open field with nothing but southern live oaks and a couple of manmade ponds.

I pulled over, and we climbed out of the car. Kaimera waited p atiently as I removed the basket that I had packed our lunch in, a blanket to sit on, and a cooler that housed our drinks and water. She took the blanket from me, and I followed her, carrying the basket and pulling the cooler.

After she spread out the blanket, we sat down, and I handed her a wrapped gyro sandwich, homemade pita chips tossed with olive oil and sea salt, and pomegranate orange water made with orange slices and ruby pomegranate seeds.

“I forgot that you were an excellent cook. This tastes so good.” She complimented me around a large bite of her gyro.

We sat in silence, taking in the beautiful mountain views and large rolling fields as we ate. I knew there was a lot we needed to talk about, and I was sure there were things on her mind too.

“Did you love him?”

She turned her lips down and stared squarely into my eyes. “I can’t say that I loved him, but I cared deeply for him.”

“You moved in with the man, sublet your townhome, and stayed with him for what—two years?”

“Damn. Niagara told you all my business, huh?”

“You and I lost touch. I just needed to know that you were okay and safe. I worried about you a lot, and she was my only connection to you anymore.”

“What all did she tell you?”

There was fear in her eyes, and I could tell that there was something she was hiding, but I wasn’t going to push her on it. She had to tell me in her own time. “Just that you had finally found a good guy, and you weren’t dating anymore but had finally settled down. She mentioned marriage might be on the horizon, and she hoped to one day have what you did.”

She laughed dryly and lifted a chip to her mouth. She bit it before she replied. “She was fucking with you. I never mentioned marriage and Kevin in the same sentence to anyone.”

“Why would she be fucking with me?”

“Your sister always told me that you liked me. No matter how hard I denied it, she insisted that you did. She said that you treated me in a way you never treated other girls when they came around, and she didn’t believe it was just because I was like a sister. I told her you weren’t my type. You were too much of a player.”

“A player? Me?”