The Prince Charming Groom_Texas Titan Romances_The Lost Loves

by Taylor Hart

  Kyle grinned at her and helped her to the bench. “I found this place a couple of months ago on a ride.” He stopped by the bench and pointed to the words engraved on it.

  Kennedy read them: “‘To the woman who stole my heart fifty years ago. I miss you, but I always find you here.’” She put her hand to her mouth. “Aw.”

  Kyle knew she would like that. “Let’s sit, and you can prop your ankle on my lap.” He positioned her on one end and sat at the other, gingerly taking her leg and putting her ankle on his lap.

  For a while, she watched him.

  “What?” he asked, gently caressing her leg. She’d worn shorts, and he couldn’t help tracing his hand over her bare legs.

  She closed her eyes. “How come when you touch me, I can’t seem to focus on anything else?”

  Of course, he loved hearing this, because the woman drove him to distraction. Surrendering his hands, he pointed to the falls. “Let’s focus on the scenery.”

  She grinned and leaned back, seeming to relax. “This place is unreal.”

  Kyle gently put his hands back down on her legs, but he didn’t caress them. He turned to her. “Yeah, it is unreal.”

  Their eyes met, and he knew that she knew what he was talking about.

  She reached her hand out to him, and he took it. “How did I end up sitting on a bench above a beautiful waterfall with Kyle Bones?” She said his name like a radio announcer would. “Ex-Navy SEAL, owner of Bones Gyms, and the guy who is starting up the Sparring for Vets program in Miami.”

  He smiled, thinking of Ray Ray. “The guy is funny, isn’t he?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Is that what you really want to do, work at the radio station?” he asked.

  “Yes. Sure. I mean …” She shrugged and looked at the falls. “I would love to buy out my surf shop and use it as a landing spot to give surf lessons full time to kids with injuries like mine—” She held up her missing hand. “—or other injuries. I was lucky to meet little Ben and have his mom ask me if I would teach him. That would be my dream. But I gotta finish this last year of school and then get a job, buy a life, ya know? I need the money.”

  Kyle nodded, thinking things he never would have thought before about her and the future. They lapsed back into peaceful silence.

  She squeezed his hand. “Kyle.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I want you to know I’ve been thinking about what you said about God yesterday. That maybe he does have a plan.”

  “Really?”

  “Maybe we were supposed to meet.”

  There was vulnerability in her voice, and he wanted to reassure her. He squeezed her hand. “Of course we were.”

  “How come you always sound so certain about things?”

  Carefully, he held up her leg and scooted closer to her, letting her ankle fall on the bench beside him. “Why wouldn’t God have wanted us to meet?”

  She let out a sigh. “Never mind.”

  Her lemony fragrance encircled him. He brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. “What do you want to say, surf girl?”

  She smiled at him and searched his eyes, then put her leg down and scooted closer to him. “I don’t know. I just feel like maybe you and I—maybe everything in our lives somehow led us to this moment. Do you think that’s right?”

  Kyle reminded himself to take it slow. “All I know about God is that sometimes you can’t see the plan.” He cleared his throat. “It’s like any mission. Sometimes you get sent on one mission and stuff happens and crap goes down, but usually, through the muck of it all, if you’re trying to see the good that came out of the bad, it’s there. It’s always there.”

  She ran her hand gently across his face. “Is that the official word from Prince Charming? There’s always a silver lining to any dark cloud?”

  It made him smile that she called him that, especially since she’d had such severe opinions about those Disney characters. “That’s the official word.”

  They smiled at each other. Then her bottom lip pushed out. “I have another confession.”

  “Alright.” Kyle watched her, apprehensive.

  “I don’t want to go back to Florida by myself tomorrow.”

  He hugged her to him and held tight. “I know. I …”

  “You said Russell said you ran away by working. Are you going to do that to me?”

  Wow, it had just gotten real. “I have the next month scheduled for work, but then I’m coming back and …”

  “Then what?”

  “I want to get to know you better.”

  Their lips touched, and she pulled back, smiling. “I like it.”

  He kissed her again and tickled her beneath the chin.

  She giggled, but kept her lips against his.

  “Oh, and also, the girl that calls said guy Prince Charming becomes his princess, you know.”

  Their eyes held, and a nice blush washed over her features. “Oh really?”

  Warmth filled him. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her into his chest. “Yep, because one day, after fifty years, I might have to replace this bench with a bench for us.”

  Dreamily, she stared up into his eyes. “You’re the first man I’ve ever thought I could be a princess for.”

  Chapter 20

  Later that night, as Kennedy sat on Kyle’s porch swing, staring at the sunset, she felt sad. The weekend was coming to an end, and everything in her world had changed.

  Pulling out her phone, she took a picture of the sunset, then turned the camera and took a selfie of herself sitting on the porch swing.

  Just then, Kyle came out of the sliding doors. “Hey, I want in on the selfies. I told you that.” He set down two glasses of lemonade and moved behind her, putting his head to hers.

  She laughed and took a picture, sticking her tongue out. He did a silly face as she took another picture. She giggled. He kissed her, and she took a picture of that too.

  He put her glass on a table right next to her and then sat by her feet, taking her legs and putting them across his lap, scooting toward her.

  Kennedy snapped a close-up of Kyle. Man, that jawline got to her every time. His green eyes popped in the picture against his bleach-blond hair. He was seriously gorgeous; he could easily be on a magazine cover.

  Kyle scrunched up his face for a few silly pictures, then dug into his pocket for his phone. “Fair is fair, princess.” He started snapping pictures of her while she made silly faces, and he laughed. “Come to me. I want you in some selfies too.”

  She scooted over to him, and they put their heads together. Truthfully, a small part of her thought they were a cute couple. She smooshed her cheek against his, loving the feel of his stubble.

  Before long, all the picture-taking turned into kissing.

  Kyle laughed and cupped her face with his hand. His other hand was in her hair. He kissed her down her jawline. “I keep telling myself to take it slow with you, surf girl, but I don’t want to take it slow.” He deepened the kiss, and she felt herself feeling like she always felt when he kissed her, like she was flying over the waves on the ocean.

  Pulling back, she kept her hand on his face, loving the way his hair pricked her hand when she rubbed it. “Slow is how you’re going to have to take it, Bones.”

  He hesitated, taking her hand and pressing his forehead to hers. “What if I’m tired of taking things slow? I’ve paid dues my whole life. What if I’m ready for the fast-track plan?”

  Adrenaline shot through her. What was he saying? She gestured to the sunset, trying to be casual. “The sun is setting, and the ball will be over soon. I’ll be turning into a pumpkin on the plane ride home without you.”

  “Oh, no. This is not the end. No pumpkins.” He paused, then reached out and twirled a strand of her hair. “What if I don’t think I’m falling for you? What if I fell for you clear back on that beach, the first day I saw that determination on your face?”

  She hummed in contentment. “Kyle …”

 
“What if we got married?” he blurted out.

  That was it. Everything she’d been thinking all day, if she were truthful. How it would feel to be with him all the time? To live in this house? To not be in her own set of rooms, but to be in his rooms, wrapped in his arms? “What? Kyle—”

  “I love you.” His voice broke, and raked a hand through his hair. “Don’t give me some line about this being fake, because that’s what Disney Prince Charmings would do.”

  Kennedy’s heart was so full that she could barely breathe. “I think I love you too,” she admitted, and felt tears in her eyes.

  Kyle laughed and gently caressed her face. “Who knew, surf girl?”

  Every part of her was freaking out, but at the same time, she felt so sure about this. She laughed. “I can’t believe it.”

  He wagged his finger at her. “Believe it. This is not some fairy tale.”

  They laughed again, and he pulled her into another kiss. She was lost with this man, in complete love.

  He pulled back. “It’s not over at midnight. I’ll be back to Florida in a month. Then things will really go fast.”

  Kennedy ruefully gestured to her ankle. “Hey, I guess you did deliver on the whole sweeping me off my feet thing.”

  “Not what I had been planning, but I guess I did.” He leaned in and kissed her once more. “Before I really propose, there will be lots more of the sweeping off of feet and less of the pain.”

  She grinned. “You promise?”

  Taking her into his arms, he held her tighter. “I promise forever with you, Cassidy. Forever.”

  And just like that, the moment shattered.

  Jolting, she pulled back from him. “Did you just call me Cassidy?”

  Chapter 21

  Kennedy sat in Kyle’s Jeep on the way to the airport the next morning and ignored him.

  “Kennedy, will you please just listen to me?” he implored for the umpteenth time.

  Unwanted tears raced down her cheeks, and she didn’t even turn to look at him. “The trip is over. That’s all it was. A trip.”

  Kennedy thought about how, after Kyle’s major faux pas, she’d gotten off the swing and limped up to her room, refusing help. Refusing his words. Refusing everything.

  She’d tossed and turned all night, thinking about the way Kyle had held Cassidy at the all-stars event. Sure, maybe it had been a mistake, but how had she been blind enough to think they could fall in love in one weekend? That they were seriously talking about getting married after one weekend?

  Maybe it had just been a slip, but was anything really a slip? Wasn’t everything a sign of something in your subconscious? She’d taken a psychology class one semester; wasn’t that classic Freud?

  After pulling through the security gates, Kyle drove straight to the plane that was waiting. This had been the first time Kennedy had actually been glad Kyle wasn’t coming back to Florida right now. He stopped, but didn’t get out of the Jeep.

  Kennedy opened the door and was careful to put most of her weight on her good ankle. Kyle hovered at her side, trying to support her, but she yanked away. “I’m fine. Please, just go.”

  When they reached the plane, they met the same pilot as before, Griff. “Hey, Kyle,” he said.

  Kyle nodded. “Hey, Griff. Would you mind getting the lady’s luggage out of the Jeep?”

  Without looking at him, she climbed into the plane without turning back. Of course, he followed her. She went to the seat she’d first sat in on the ride over.

  He sat across from her. “Kennedy, would you please listen to me.”

  Looking at his beautiful face now was painful. She’d do better to feel empty inside. “All of that was a mistake, Kyle. You’re not Prince Charming, and I’m not a princess. It was one weekend.”

  His eyes were bloodshot, and she noted his hands were trembling a bit. He let out a long breath. “I made a mistake, Kennedy. And yeah, it was a big one.”

  “Nothing ever should have happened between us.” She already felt all the walls she’d let down on this trip between her and Kyle were back up again. How could she have thought they were actually falling in love?

  “It was real, Kennedy. I don’t love Cassidy anymore. I did at one time, but I don’t now. I haven’t for a long time.” He tried to reach out for her hand, but she wouldn’t give it to him. “I want to be with you, Kennedy.”

  Kennedy decided to tell him the conclusion she’d come to at two o’clock in the morning. “See, I thought you were just a cookie-cutter Prince Charming. But what I didn’t realize was that I was the cookie-cutter princess. I was just filling in.”

  Looking baffled, he shook his head. “No.”

  “Yes,” she said more sternly.

  “You weren’t just filling in.”

  “I saw the way she hugged you.”

  “Sorry to interrupt,” the pilot said, prompting them both to fall silent. “But we’re taking off now. Did you want to fly back with us?”

  Her heart pounded rapidly, but she didn’t look up.

  Kyle stood, letting out a long sigh. “No, I’m getting off, Griff.”

  Kennedy watched him walk toward the exit and then turn back before descending the steps. She couldn’t meet his eyes, and instead looked out the window. “Goodbye, Kyle,” she said.

  As he left, she heard him say, “Goodbye, Kennedy.”

  Pain stabbed the center of her chest like a knife in her heart. She burst into tears, knowing she would hate Kyle Bones for the rest of her life.

  Chapter 22

  Three days later, Kyle sat in front of his computer in his house in Jackson and tuned in to The Ray Ray Show. Ray Ray did all of his introductions, then turned the time over to Kennedy to talk about how the trip to the all-stars event had been. This was the only reason Kyle was listening.

  “Okay, folks,” Ray Ray said. “Let’s talk to our newest intern for the summer, the one lucky enough to get an internship and then win a trip to Jackson on top of it. Kennedy Dawson!”

  There was fake applause.

  “Hey, Ray Ray! Hey Miami!” Kennedy said in her radio voice.

  Kyle straightened a little. He’d been texting her and trying to call her since the plane left, but she hadn’t responded, and he’d almost given up on hearing her voice again.

  “Tell us about the trip to Jackson.”

  “Well,” she said with a teasing lilt to her tone, “it was amazing! Jackson was amazing. Kyle Bones’s digs are amazing. He took me on a helicopter ride and a hike and up to these amazing falls. It’s beautiful.”

  She’d left out all the important parts, Kyle noted.

  “Awesome!” Ray Ray honked into the microphone. “Seriously, Kennedy, you have to get real with us and the listeners and tell us about meeting Anthony and Cassidy Kincaid. As you pointed out last time you were on the show, Cassidy left Kyle for Anthony. So what happened?”

  Raking a hand over his face, Kyle muttered some choice words. Luckily, the press hadn’t gotten wind of the fight, but of course Ray Ray would want some drama.

  “Ya know, I found Cassidy and Anthony Kincaid to be delightful. Good people with amazing hearts. It was exciting because Cassidy is pregnant, and she just looks radiant, ya know? Has that pregnancy glow.” Kennedy’s voice had turned shriller, more fake.

  Ray Ray laughed. “Maybe I should start telling people I am pregnant and that’s why I’m glowing.”

  Kennedy laughed too. “We had a great time meeting them and Scar Walker, who is in charge of the whole Sparring for Vets program. All great people.”

  “Cool, cool.”

  Kyle could tell Ray Ray was backing off. Maybe this wouldn’t end in disaster.

  “One last question, Kennedy. I mean, you know I have to ask it.”

  “Okay,” Kennedy said slowly.

  “So, you don’t have to tell us, but … was there a spark? Was there anything between the two of you?”

  There was a brief pause before Kennedy laughed. “All I’ll say is the man is truly
a prince. Right out of a Disney movie—for all of you available women out there, he’s more than available.”

  The bottle of water Kyle was holding inside his hand was crushed as he clenched his fist. She’d insulted him without publically insulting him.

  Ray Ray laughed and moved on to other themes of the show.

  Kyle turned the show down and wondered how he would ever make this right.

  Barely ten seconds had passed before Russell called him. Kyle tried to answer, but Russell was already talking. “Ya know, I guess she isn’t captured by your spell. Dang, I’m impressed—a girl who has been with you for a weekend and doesn’t kiss your feet.”

  “Not in the mood, Russell.”

  “Oh, man, there has to be a story here.”

  Even though Kyle didn’t want to, it would be stupid to resist Russell in psychologist mode. Reluctantly, Kyle told Russell about the weekend and about how they had fallen hard and fast in love. He’d finished by telling him how he’d mistakenly called her Cassidy.

  “You did not call her your ex-fiancée’s name as you were semi-proposing!”

  Kyle rubbed a hand down his face. “I know.”

  Russell let out a long breath. “And the girl already has issues about her ex feeling like he pretended to like her.”

  “How do you know this?” Kyle demanded.

  “Oh brother. If I didn’t know that, you should just shoot me and put me out of all my schooling pain.”

  What would he ever be able to do to show Kennedy he hadn’t meant it? To show that Cassidy really was over for him?

  “So what is the plan?” Russell asked.

  “Exactly,” Kyle said. “I got no freaking plan, Russell. Help me out here.”

  “I think it’s going to be a couple of things. I think it’s going to be time. I think it’s you being here, in Miami. With her. Showing her that you aren’t cookie-cutter. Getting to know her, being with her, proving that you want to spend your time with her. But Kyle, can you do that?”

  “What do you mean, can I do that?” Of course he could do that.

  Russell sighed. “Dude, I like living with you because you’re hardly ever in Miami. The past year, you’ve been living in Jackson, Park City, Utah, and Los Angeles.”