Page 19 of Other Side Of Never
A low, pained sound came from Kian’s locked throat.
Aaron’s eyes flew to his face.Whatever he saw there tightened the muscle in his jaw, and he set Isaiah down.
“See you later, buddy.”He turned without saying another word, taking Nadine’s hand firmly in his.
“Bye, Aaron,” I said quietly but firmly.
“Don’t,” Kian murmured across the table.“It’ll only do more harm.”
Without turning around, Aaron lifted his hand in a wave.
Nadine glanced back, an apologetic smile on her pretty face, and waved.
“You know what, Dad?”Isaiah commented, ambling over to stand beside his dad.He laid his hand on Kian’s muscled forearm.“I think you should hug Aaron.You don’t hug him like you hug me.Maybe he needs one.”
I jumped in to redirect a potentially disastrous conversation.“How do you feel about going to Krippy’s Chippy for lunch tomorrow?”
Isaiah cocked his head to the side and considered me.“Krippy’s Chippy?”
I let my jaw drop in mock shock as I touched my fingers to my chest.“Are you telling me you haven’t been to Krippy’s Chippy yet?”
“Is it helffy?Dad says we have to eat helffy.”
“It’s good for you soul,” I replied earnestly.
Isaiah tipped his head back, his little mouth pursing.“Can we go to the beach, too?”
“You’re in luck.Krippy’s Chippy is right on the beach.”
“Is that the French fry place, Dad?”
Kian nodded and smiled though his eyes remained vacant.
Isaiah shifted from one foot to the other, looking at his dad with a furrowed brow, then slanted a glance my way, his blue eyes huge in his small face.“Can we go to the park, too?”
I lifted my chin toward Kian.“Ask Daddy.”
I wrinkled my nose as I met Kian’s eyes, knowing full well I’d pushed him into an outing he probably didn’t want.
An ember of warmth returned to his eyes as he offered me a wry but grateful smile.“We’ll meet you down at the beach at ten.Isaiah and I will take you to Krippy’s Chippy for lunch.If we have time, we’ll go to the park as well.”
Isaiah shot his tiny fist in the air so hard he spun himself around.
Kian eased out of the booth, picked him up, and tossed him over his shoulder.Isaiah screamed with laughter as Kian carted him across the restaurant with a wave in my direction.
Planted in place, I watched them leave, that tall, strong man locking down his shattered heart to play with his small son.
Gary had put his own interests second to no one.
And there was no escape from his moods.
The stricken look on Kian’s face, that pained sound in his throat, the relief in his eyes when I saved him from Isaiah’s questions, and that small smile played on a loop in my brain.
Missing Dylan’s birthday party no longer seemed like the worst thing that could happen to a girl.
Because I was exactly where I needed to be.
I just had to remember, as nice as he was to look at, Kian wasn’t mine to hold.
