Page 121 of Resist Me

I’d gotten myself into this mess, so I guess I’d have to roll with the punches. Ideally, that would become less literal as time went on, but I didn’t have high hopes.

*****

Kai’s parents were the most wholesome people I’d ever met. It was shocking, to be honest. Mine were amazing people and I’d always considered them the best in the world. They still held that title, but damn his were incredible.

It was sad to learn about his dad’s Alzheimer’s. I’d lost my parents at seventeen, but to watch your idol slowly deteriorate for your entire life was something entirely different. It made me respect Kai more, if I was being honest. He was just like them and even though I saw the pain when he was around them, he retained his spark and spread positivity everywhere he went. Unless you messed with someone he loved. Then, he was a force to be reckoned with. If me and West ever broke up- god forbid- I’d probably have to go into witness protection.

Eli came up to me in the kitchen and I smiled at him. He nodded toward the beer in my hand.

“That one’s my favorite.”

“Is it?” I asked. “West thinks it tastes like armpits.”

The way his eyes lit up when he laughed reminded me of his son. It was clear that he cared about West like he was his own child too. The way he interacted with them was beautiful to see.

West warmed up to my grandparents quickly and was currently waving his hands through the air while he told them a very exaggerated story about the game when his ribs got bruised. I was pretty sure he accused me of breaking them, but whatever. He could embellish it if he wanted to.

“I thought that one would be alone forever,” Eli noted.

Bringing the beer to my lips, I smiled. “Well, he’s a bit of a problem child.”

“That damn father of his.” He shook his head. “I hit him once.”

“Really? Should’ve done it a few more times.”

“You’re right. I like you, Lincoln. Will you play football with West when you go to college?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I’m gonna kick his ass at every practice.”

“Everyone loves him. I know he’ll do great when he graduates.” He blew out a breath and shook his head. “It’ll be good for him to get out of his dad’s house. Will you help Kai take care of him? My son has a tendency to give too much of himself to make sure everyone else is okay. I’m afraid he got that from me. When he moves, I won’t be able to keep an eye on him.”

“I’ll make sure they both take care of themselves and each other.”

“Good, good. I love it about him, but I know from experience that being the fixer can wear you down. I don’t want him to lose that light.”

“We may have just met, but I can tell that you’re an incredible role model. I think he’s like you because he wants to be.”

He watched Kai kiss Sen with a smile. “He’ll do good out there in the world.”

After a minute, his brow furrowed. There was a look of confusion on his face. Savannah seemed to notice and came over to take his hand. I excused myself and slipped out the front door. It was dumb that my eyes were stinging right now.

I told West that I wasn’t a grief person. That was true to a point. Maybe it was my impending performance tomorrow or the overflow of familial love inside that apartment right now. The way Kai’s dad spoke about him made it hard not to think about my parents. I knew they’d be proud. I knew it with all of my heart, but to experience it…

The door opened behind me and I sniffed, trying to erase the evidence of my emotions. West wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed the side of my neck.

“Why are you acting like a bitch?” he asked.

I laughed and cursed myself when a tear came free from my eye. “It’s stupid. After everything that happened tonight, I have no right to throw a pity party for myself.”

“Sounds like some toxic masculinity bullshit. Be sad, don’t be sad. It’s allowed.”

“Says the one who tried to fight me in a playground earlier.”

“I’m above the law. I claim parental trauma.”

He was already joking about it. This guy would drop something disturbing about his childhood like it was funny all while eating a gallon of ice cream. The way he could do that was both insane and endearing in its own way.

“I don’t want you to go home,” he murmured in my ear.

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