Page 54 of Laws of Love
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“Where are we going?” Aiva asked from the passenger seat, and Knox glanced over at her.
It was Sunday afternoon, and he had an entire day planned for them. His parents had picked up Yasmine that morning to make the four-and-a-half-hour drive to visit family since his father couldn’t fly. So, they’d kept their original date time of around lunch.
“To a park of sorts.”
“Of sorts?” Aiva questioned.
“If I tell you exactly, it’ll give away the surprise. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Knox saw her nod from the corner of his eye before turning his full attention back to the road. True to his word, they pulled into the parking lot of the trails barely five minutes later. He got out, going to the passenger side to open the door for her.
“Are we walking the trail?” she asked, and Knox shook his head as he saw the truck pull into the parking lot and the nearest spot. “Wait right here for me?”
When she nodded, he walked over to the truck, and the driver greeted him. The older man unloaded the rental and asked Knox for an autograph before telling him he’d be back in two hours, which Knox felt was more than enough time.
He walked back to Aiva, pushing the rental beside him, and a smile bloomed across her face. That smile, he was sure, could bring a man to his knees.
“We’re going on a tandem bike ride.” It wasn’t a question, but he answered anyway.
“Yes, I remember you saying on our first date that you and Meila went when you were kids. I thought it might be fun.”
Aiva placed her hands on his chest and rose on her tiptoes. He leaned down to meet her, and she kissed him softly.
“I didn’t think you’d remember that.”
Knox stole another kiss. “That would mean I wasn’t listening, and that’s far from the truth.”
They went to one of the trails, Aiva opting for the backseat, and headed into the trees. Several trails branched off from where they were. Some went exclusively through nature, and others only went along the river. The one he’d chosen would give them a bit of both as it veered off toward the river after a while.
Their ride was leisurely, taking in the passing greenery, squirrels, and birds that scurried and flitted about. A comfortable silence sat between them, and when they were about two miles in, the trail redirected, and the river ran beside them several yards later.
There were other people along the trail. Some were walking, and others were sitting on a couple of benches. The weather was excellent, and the breeze off the river only added to that effect, so he wasn’t surprised there were so many people out enjoying it.
They rode for about a mile. When they came to an empty bench, they pulled over, and Knox steadied the bike as she got off. He moved it off the trail and put both kickstands down, sitting beside her.
“I couldn’t tell you the last time I went on a bike ride. I feel like it was probably in my early twenties,” Aiva stated, turning to him.
“That’s no good. Yas and I go a couple of times a month when the weather’s nice at the park a couple of blocks from the condo. You should come with us one day.”
“It’s sweet of you to offer, but I wouldn’t want to impose on your time with her. I also know she’s still adjusting, and I know me being around, especially right now, might confuse her or stall her adjustment.”
Knox couldn’t help but smile. It never ceased to amaze him how she took his daughter into account. Even when planning dates, she didn’t want him to be away on a night Yasmine had school the following day. She always asked about her when they spoke or saw one another. Hell, she’d done that even before they started dating.
The fact that she took his daughter into account would always be something Knox would be grateful for. He knew that wasn’t always the case. Even though they hadn’t been dating long, just a little over a month, he got the feeling that wouldn’t change.
“We imposed on your outing with your sister. It’s the least we could do to make it up. Besides, I think Yas would enjoy it. She kept asking me when we got home after the movie, the next time we would see you again.”
For over an hour, once they’d gotten home, his daughter asked him how he and Aiva became friends, how long they’d been friends, and if Kaley was really her little sister and not her daughter. She asked if they were all going to go on another playdate together. She’d even told him he and Aiva should go on an adult playdate like the one he and her grandmother had spoken about several weeks ago, because he would have fun. That had been amusing to him because she didn’t know Aiva was who he’d gone out with, but kids had an uncanny way of speaking facts even when they didn’t know it.
“If you’re sure.”
“I am,” Knox assured.
They sat and talked, and Knox told her about his journey to being drafted when she asked. He rarely brought up his NFL career. Not because it was bittersweet or anything like that, but it was just a job he’d liked that afforded him a good life. However, he didn’t mind discussing it and answering her questions. She was honest with him and told him she wasn’t the biggest sports fan, but she listened to him relay the moment he was chosen in the first round and how he felt about it with a smile on her face. Almost as if she was reliving the moment with him, if that were possible.
After a while, they got back on the bike and headed back to the parking area. They arrived just as the truck was pulling into the parking lot. Knox gave Aiva his keys so she could get in the car, and he returned the bike to the delivery man. He thanked him for dropping it off and made a mental note to give them an excellent review online.
