Page 44 of Hers to Kiss
“It’s the kids,” Keke said quickly. “Always yelling, running around. Rug rats. Never going to have any myself.”
Kat smiled. “You say that today, but you’re only twenty-two. Of course you don’t want kids. Give it a few years after you’re living in your California mansion by the Pacific Ocean and you have a huge backyard and no rug rats to run around in it.” She winked. “And you’ve met and married the guy of your dreams.”
Keke coughed and beat her chest with a fist. “Went down the wrong pipe,” she said, blaming the tea.
“You’re going to want a couple of mini-mes to carry on the dynasty the two of you will build.”
Keke set the cup down on a saucer and leaned back in the chair. She let her eyes wander around the room, ignoring her sister’s perceptive gaze.
A dynasty, huh?That sounded incredibly far off in the future. She couldn’t fathom marrying any time soon let alone have kids. She could dance for the next fifteen years, if she took really good care of her body.
That meant no kids.
“Who is he?” Kat asked bluntly.
“Hmm?” Keke played with a curly strand of hair she left dangling to one side of her face. Kat was also a mind reader.
“Don’t play coy. It’s not cute. Who’s the guy?”
Keke sighed. “There is no guy, at least…there can’t be one.”
“Why? Is it because you’re moving?”
“Not exactly, but that’s a big part of it.”
Kat got a dreamy, romantic look in her eyes. The kind that told Keke she was about to step through the looking glass into the world of Jane Austen.
“Oh, I dunno,” Kat said in a hopeful voice. “I think if it’s meant to be, then the two of you will find a way.”
“What if it shouldn’t be meant to be?”
Kat’s brows smashed together. “Huh? Why shouldn’t it be?”
Because it would literally break her best friend’s heart to be lied to, and Keke didn’t want to be the reason Pete didn’t pursue his dream of being an app developer—or going to college. Whichever one he would finally decide to do.
“Maybe the people aren’t right for each other, no matter how much they may want it,” Keke said absentmindedly.Oops.She wasn’t supposed to let that slip.
Kat smiled knowingly, and Keke braced herself for another inspirationally romantic sentence. “Well, all I know is that if it’ll be, it’ll be. You just have to trust fate and let yourself be open to the idea. Don’t close your heart, Keke.”
“You sound like a commercial I’ve seen…” Keke preferred to ignore her heart. It wouldn’t serve her well. She needed her brains and her talent to get anywhere in life. Having a heart meant it could be broken. And that would be soul-crushing. Her father had already tried sucking it out of her, and he didn’t succeed.
After a life with Mr. Kaye and his downright emotionally abusive parenting style, Keke preferred to be as cool and aloof as she possibly could. She never could win her father’s approval. Now that he was dead, she told herself she didn’t need it.
Validation was too close to being a heart issue, involving feelings of acceptance. A chance to be rejected. Her father rejected her and her goals. Said dancing was practically stripping, and as the prettiest of the Kaye sisters, she had a greater propensity to sexualize herself. That pronouncement over Keke’s life made her vomit.
It also killed any trust she’d have in men.
Until Petey.
The doorbell rang.
“She’s here!” Kat jumped up and went to the door.
Who?Their sister Kori was supposed to be halfway across the world right now. Keke couldn’t wait to see—
Mom walked in, her face brightening when her eyes landed on Keke. “Oh, Keighly! It’s so good to see you.”
Keke’s attitude immediately soured. Her mother quickly embraced Keke, who fought to keep her arms down by her sides. Mom didn’t seem to notice. Keke shot her sister a “what gives?” look over their mother’s shoulder.
