“Aunt Mavis, why do you insist on washing your dishes before you load them in the dishwasher?” she asked, accepting the pan she’d just washed and placing it in the dishwasher.
“That thing is only good for sanitation and drying,” she declared.
“Oh...okay.” Mia shook her head.
“So, how was your date?” her aunt asked, smiling.
“It wasn’t—”
“Child, please.” Her aunt gave her the side-eye.
Mia dropped her shoulders. “Maybe it was a date. It was fine.”
“Just fine.” Mavis gave a lopsided sneer.
A smile crept across Mia’s face. “It was great. Colby had a blast.”
“Well, it’s pretty clear that he’s crazy about Colby, but I’m asking how things between the two of you are.”
“It was nice. He was sweet.” Mia bit her lip as images of the passionate kisses they’d shared and the hopeful words he’d said flooded her mind.
“Your face is flushed. That tells me your night was more than just nice and sweet. I should know. I’m always flushed after quality sexy time,” she bragged.
Mia looked over her shoulder into the family room off the kitchen to ensure they weren’t overheard by Colby. “First, eww. Second, there was no ‘sexy time’ to be had.”
“Too bad.”
Mia’s eyes widened with surprise, although she wasn’t sure why. She was used to her aunt’s unfiltered opinions. “Auntie, it was our first date.”
“Oh, please,” her aunt said, offering a nonchalant wave. “Sexy time doesn’t have to include penetration, you know.”
Mia raised her hands. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”
“Fine. When are you seeing him again?” Mavis asked, drying her hands and starting the dishwasher.
Mia checked the clock on the wall. “In about an hour and a half.”
“Really?”
“He invited us to the grand opening of his shoe pop-up shop this afternoon.”
Mavis took a seat at the kitchen table. “That’s wonderful—”
“I’m think about canceling,” she informed her, pouring herself a cup of coffee before joining her aunt at the table.
“Why in the world would you do that?”
“We’re just so different.” Mia sipped her coffee.
“Different can be good.”
“Not always. We wouldn’t even be doing whatever it is we’re doing if he hadn’t been forced to do community service by the league.”
“You don’t know that, Mia.” Her aunt reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
“Oh, but I do. You know how many events I’ve planned for his family over the years? Way too many to count, and you know how many he actually attended?”
“No.”
“Less than I could count on one hand,” she stated.
“Sweetheart, he plays in the NBA.”
“And there is that, too.”
“What does—?”
“Not to mention his obsession with helping me find my ‘Christmas mojo,’ as he puts it,” Mia said, ignoring her aunt’s shaking her head. “All because I don’t celebrate the way he thinks I should.”
“Well, you could put up a light or two...especially since yours is the only house on your block not decorated.”
Mia rose and placed her coffee cup in the sink. “Not you, too?”
“You used to love decorating for the holidays when you were a kid, even after my sister flaked.”
“That’s because you and Uncle Rudy always made it such an event.” Mia glanced over at her uncle, who was reading a Christmas story to Colby.
“And you should do the same for Colby.”
“He’s four and he doesn’t really get it. Anyway, he doesn’t like the big moving yard decorations. They scare him.”
“That’s because you haven’t explained it to him, and you don’t have to get those types of yard decorations. He seems to like our decorations and the ones at the foundation.”
“Mommy, I wanna see Keylan,” he yelled out from the living room.
Mia checked the time on her watch. “Shoot, I guess it’s too late to cancel now.”
“It would be terribly rude if you did and I certainly taught you better than that,” her aunt said with a smug look on her face.
“Funny, very funny.”
* * *
Dressed in jeans, a black button-down shirt and wearing his new black signature sneakers, Keylan walked into his kitchen to find his cousin Kristen wearing one of his T-shirts that fit her small frame like a dress. She was standing in front of his stove scrambling eggs while Bella sat at the island, still wearing his robe, flipping through her cell phone.
“Good morning, ladies.” Keylan reached into the cabinet for a coffee mug. “Kristen, I gave you a key to my place for emergencies.”
“Morning, cousin,” Kristen responded while Bella remained silent, keeping her eyes on her phone.
Keylan reached for the coffeepot and poured himself a cup. “Which one of you would like to explain what the hell happened last night?”
“There’s nothing to tell,” Kristen said as she placed eggs on three plates.
“There sure as hell is when you ditch your security, get drunk and pass out on my sofa.” His voice was hard.
“It was no big deal, Keylan,” Bella quipped, accepting the plate Kristen offered.
“It’s a very big deal, Bella,” he seethed, glaring over at her before turning his attention back to Kristen. “And you know better. So I’ll ask again. What happened last night?”
“I was...sad about breaking up with James and needed to blow off some steam,” Kristen explained.
“And I offered to cheer her up. We wanted to bar hop but couldn’t with all the security y’all travel with, so we ditched them.”
He frowned as his eyes darted between the two women before landing on his cousin. “You do know how stupid and reckless that was, right?” he asked Kristen.
“It was fine. No one recognized me. I wore a wig,” she said before biting into her food.
“A pink one,” Bella added.
“This is not fine. This is far from fine. You’re a vice president for a multibillion-dollar company that’s under siege by both known and unknown enemies. You can’t just ditch your security detail whenever you feel like it.”
“Why not? You did it all the time,” she reminded him.
“Yeah, well, we were kids. You’re not a kid anymore. This is a dangerous time for us all.”
“Don’t you think I know that!” she snapped back, rising from her seat and dropping her plate in the sink. “Between the EPA’s investigation, threats of another one coming from OSHA and maybe even the IRS, not to mention concerns of physical threats, I just needed a moment to not be a Kingsley.”
Keylan’s shoulders dropped. He knew exactly how difficult it was being a Kingsley, not to mention the toll it took on relationships. While he questioned his choice to bring Mia and her son into his world, he felt he had no real choice. He wanted them.
“I get that, but you can’t ditch your protection. I know the added level of security and all the scrutiny it brings is a pain, but until things get back to normal—”
“Whatever normal is in this family,” she grunted, her annoyance clear.
Keylan nodded. “You’ll just have to go along with these changes for now. We all do. I’m sorry about James.”
Kristen gave a nonchalant shrug. “He wasn’t The One. I just hope when and if he ever shows up, our lifestyle won’t mess things up.”
“Me, too,” he murmured, pulling her into his arms when the doorbell rang. “Can you get that, Bella? It’s Rivers and his team.”
The toaster popped.
“I guess.” She rose and headed for the door. “Don’t touch my Pop-Tarts.”
“You might want to put some clothes on, too,” he yelled after her. “That goes for you, too.” He released Kristen.
“Keylan, darling, it’s not Rivers,” Bella yelled out.
Keylan checked his watch. “Dammit!” He ran to the door.
“Mia...Colby, you’re right on time,” Keylan said, stopping short at the sight before him. Mia was standing in the doorway, her expression closed off and her complexion lacking color, while Colby held tight to his mother’s hand and waist.
Keylan was suddenly haunted by the thought that anything that he and Mia might have had could be ruined or even tainted by a misunderstanding. He knew he had to act quickly.
“Kristen, get out here...now!” he demanded; panic was setting in.
Colby squeezed his mother’s waist and hid his face in her side.
Keylan’s heart dropped.
“We should go,” Mia said.
“Please wait. I can explain all of this.” His voice had taken on a calming tone.
“What, you told me to get dressed. Oh, Mia, how are you?” Her shock at Mia’s presence was written all over his cousin’s face.
“She’s not doing well at the moment,” Keylan responded on her behalf. “Please tell her what’s going on here.”
Kristen’s brows drew together as she gave everyone the once-over, clearly assessing the situation. “Yes, of course. Mia, this is my friend Bella—”
“And Keylan’s ex-girlfriend,” Bella chimed in.
“Yes, and there hasn’t been anything between us in over three years,” Keylan explained.
“Unfortunately that’s true, too,” Bella conceded before turning to leave the room.
“Anyway, Bella and I partied a little too hard last night and ended up crashing here...on the couch.” She pointed to the supporting evidence in the sunken area of his living room.
Keylan watched as the color slowly returned to Mia’s face. His eyes darted to his cousin and he held her gaze for several seconds before dropping them down to Colby. He was hoping she could read his expression and give him the time he needed.
Kristen smiled at Colby. “Hey, little man.” She stooped down. “Remember me? I come to see you and your mother at your office from time to time.”
Colby nodded, released his mother’s hand and offered Kristen a quick wave.
“If it’s okay with your mom, how would you like some hot chocolate?”
“I like hot chocolate,” he said, stepping away from his mother. “Got marshmallows?”
“Sure do.” Kristen looked up at Mia. “Would it be okay if we go have a cup while you two talk?”
“Please, Mommy.”
Mia smiled and nodded. “Sure,” she said.
Kristen rose, took Colby’s hand and led him out of the room and into the kitchen.
“Thank you for not just taking Colby and leaving. I know it couldn’t have been easy.” Keylan took her hands and intertwined their fingers. “I can just imagine how you must’ve felt and what went through your mind when Bella opened the door dressed in my robe.”
Mia tilted her head and frowned. “Can you?”
Chapter 16
Mia’s mind took the short leap back to the last twenty minutes.
“Come on, Mommy,” Colby had said, pulling Mia’s hand and moving toward the security desk in the lobby of Keylan’s high-rise apartment building. His excitement was hard to contain.
“Good afternoon. May I help you?” the security officer had asked, putting down the newspaper he’d been reading.
“Yes, I’m here to see Keylan Kingsley. I’m Mia Ramirez.”
The security officer checked his tablet. “Yes, ma’am, follow me.” The officer had led them to a private elevator, used his access card to open the doors and gestured for them to enter. He’d hit the button marked P and said, “His apartment is P1. You’ll see it as soon as you exit the elevator.”
“Thank you,” Mia had replied. Her own excitement grew with each floor they passed. She’d checked her reflection in the mirrored walls and the corner of her mouth rose. Mia had struggled with deciding what to wear but now she was happy she selected the red-and-black formfitting dress that showed off how physically fit she was. Her red Christian Louboutin shoes gave her the extra five inches of confidence she needed.
“You’re so pretty, Mommy,” Colby said.
“Thank you, son—you’re pretty handsome yourself.” Colby had insisted on wearing his jeans and a T-shirt with Keylan’s number on it, which he’d paired with the new sneakers Keylan had given him.
The elevator door had stopped and so had Mia’s heart for about two seconds. “We’re here,” Colby yelled.
“Yes, we are,” Mia mumbled as the elevator door opened.
They exited into a brightly lit hall and, as promised, the door with P1 on it was less than ten feet away from them. They’d walked up to the door; Mia had raised her left hand to knock and suddenly she couldn’t do it. She looked down at Colby, who was squirming and trying to pull his hand free from hers, and she knew she had come too far now. She had let this man invade her life...their lives and, more importantly, their hearts. Now her only hope was that it wasn’t a mistake. Mia dropped her hand and had said, “Why don’t you ring the bell, son, just once?”
“Okay.” Colby happily complied.
The door opened and Mia’s heart had dropped. She’d looked down at the floor as if she needed to make sure it hadn’t actually left her body. Mia felt Colby squeeze her hand like he always did when he was faced with a stranger or an uncomfortable situation. The tall, beautiful woman wearing a black robe with the letters KJ monogrammed in gold on its pockets would definitely fall into the category of an uncomfortable situation.
“May I help you?” the woman had asked, her annoyance coming through loud and clear.
Mia was sure she’d interrupted something and all she’d wanted to do was make a fast exit. However, before she could get the word no past her lips, Colby had said, “I want to see Keylan.”
Mia’s eyes dropped to her son. She couldn’t believe now was the moment he’d decided to be brave and assertive. This was something else Keylan had taught him. Mia looked back at the woman but couldn’t get her mouth to work. When she’d heard the woman call out for Keylan, Mia thought she’d be sick on the spot.
She didn’t know what to do or say when Keylan appeared fully dressed with a smile that quickly morphed into something that looked like fear. The next few minutes had been a haze of emotions she’d tried to fight through. Mia heard everyone’s explanation for the presence of the woman she now knew was Bella, but she was still struggling to make her mouth work as her brain and heart were in a tug-of-war. Should she leave or stay? It was Colby’s “Please, Mommy,” that broke the tie.
“Really?” she asked Keylan now, wishing she could get those last several minutes back.
“Of course.” He brought her hands to his mouth and kissed them.
“That’s interesting,” she replied, pulling her hands from his. “Because I just experienced an explosion of emotions that I’m still struggling to understand.”
Mia tried to step away from Keylan; only he blocked her path. “Wait, what I meant was I know how I felt when I thought I might have hurt you...maybe even lost you over something that didn’t happen.”
Mia lowered her head and slowly shook it as tears stung the backs of her eyes. She whispered, “You’re not supposed to be here.”
Keylan used his right index finger to raise her head and he stared into her eyes. “Where am I not supposed to be?”
Mia took his hand and placed it over her heart. “Here.”
Keylan pulled Mia into his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips. It was the
type of kiss that demanded more, a fact that the lower part of his body was making clear to Mia.
“You’re blocking my exit,” Bella announced, her voice hard.
Mia tried to step out of Keylan’s arms but he held on to her. “Sorry,” he said, adjusting them to get out of the way.
“Whatever.” Bella sashayed through the door, slamming it on her way out.
Mia knew it wasn’t right but she felt a sense of satisfaction at her exit. “That was—”
“Something that’s been over for quite some time.”
“Excuse me, guys.” Kristen interrupted with a big smile on her face. “Colby’s almost done and, Keylan, you have to get to your soft opening.”
“Look who’s back in work mode.” Keylan checked his watch. “It’s not like they can start without me.”
“True, but do you really want to have to deal with your mother, too? She’s already going to be pissed about last night, which of course I’ll blame on you.”
“On me?” Keylan’s eyebrows came together.
“Yes, you. Who do you think I got my rebellious streak from?”
“My mother, since you certainly didn’t get it from yours,” he replied matter-of-factly.
“True, but it’s not like I can blame her for this,” she replied, laughing.
“I’m finished,” Colby announced, whipped cream all over his face.
Everyone laughed. “Let’s clean you up so we can go,” Keylan said.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea for us to be there with you?” Mia asked.
“It doesn’t matter.” Keylan cupped Mia’s face with his right hand and ran his thumb across her lips. “It’s what I want...what I need.” He then took Colby’s hand and led him back into the kitchen.
Kristen’s smile widened. “You’re in trouble now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The only time I’ve seen that look on Keylan’s face or heard him confess that he needed something was when he decided he had to go to a public high school so he could start working toward his goal of going to the NBA.”
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