Page 70 of Kane's Awakening
Chapter Twenty
Ryker
Kane changed his mind about meeting the twins. I had sprung it up on him last minute, so I didn’t blame him for backing out. It was too soon for him, and I understood that. We’d almost been out the door, when he had stopped and told me he couldn’t go.
My main concern had been leaving him alone. He seemed like he was in good spirits, but that worry was still there in the back of my mind that he’d do something stupid.
“Call me if you need something,” I told him, cupping the side of his neck. “Doesn’t matter what it is.”
“Rye, I’m fine,” he said with a humored scoff. “Now, go before I throw your ass out of my house.”
I smiled as my heart picked up pace. “You called me Rye. No one ever calls me that except for Anna.”
He furrowed his brow and leaned against the door. “Guess I’ll need to come up with something else. Can’t have your baby mama showing me up.”
“No, I like it,” I said, squeezing his hand before letting go and stepping back. “Talk to you later, Kane.”
He stayed in the doorway and watched as I got in my car and pulled out of the driveway before going back inside.
The day was warmer than it had been but still a little chilly, and I was happy to know winter was nearly over. In a little over a month it’d be spring, my favorite season.
After picking up Izzy and Theo, I took them to Denny’s for a late breakfast.
Theo ordered way more food than most people ate in a day, but that kid was still able to eat the majority of it, leaving only crumbs and a few bites on his plate. While he stuffed his face, Izzy talked about school—more like how much she hated it and wished she could just be homeschooled.
I’d never met a child who hated school more than her. The only thing she liked was seeing her friends every day. I hoped she’d outgrow it eventually.
Once we’d eaten, we went to the movie theater to see a new Disney film. I bought the large bucket of popcorn and Theo confiscated it not even fifteen minutes into the movie. How he was still hungry, I had no idea.
“Daddy, make him share,” Izzy whined, trying to grab the bucket.
Theo grinned and moved it out of her reach. She lurched across the seat and he moved it again, laughing at her.
“Theodore Daniel, share that popcorn with your sister.” I hated having to use mydadvoice, but sometimes it was necessary.
“Ugh, fine,” he said, switching it to his other arm and angling it toward her.
When she reached for it, he jolted the bucket and sent the popcorn flying at her face.
“Daddy!”
God help me.
“If you two don’t stop fighting, we’re leaving,” I whispered, sounding as stern as possible. “Now, knock it off.”
Luckily, we were the only ones in the theater, apart from a lady with a noisy toddler on the top row. They were great kids, but they had their bratty moments just like all children. Them being twins only made it worse.
“Sorry, Dad,” Theo said, peering up at me with big, blue eyes. He knew how adorable he was, and he used it to his advantage to get out of trouble. The dimple in his left cheek didn’t help either. I’d yell at him sometimes, and he’d flash that dimple and it’d be nearly impossible to discipline him. “Won’t happen again.”
“Suck up,” Izzy said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed a handful of popcorn and started munching, focusing back on the movie.
When I dropped them back off at Anna’s, I went inside to visit for a while longer. I wanted to talk to Anna and tell her about Kane. He’d said he wanted to try for more with me, but I was afraid he’d retract inside his shell and back out the minute things started getting serious again.
“He’s so back and forth with what he wants,” I told her as we sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. “I don’t think he means to be, though. Earlier, he said he has issues that go all the way back to high school. He tried telling me, but he’s not ready yet.”
Anna was wearing the sweater I’d gotten her for Christmas—an emerald green that set off her dark hair and hazel eyes—and she smelled like cinnamon from the apple pie she’d made and stuck in the oven.
“Do you think he had a shitty, loser boyfriend?” she asked, holding the mug in her hands and inhaling the coffee before taking a sip. “You remember the jerks I went through in high school. Before you said yes to dating me.”
