Page 48 of The Rich One

Running a hand through my short hair, I sigh then meet her gaze. “I broke it off Friday night.”

Her face lights up like a fucking Fourth of July celebration as she kneels on the carpeted floor and brings her steepled hands to her mouth. “Oh my Gods, this means you and Kai—”

“Stop right there.” Again with the palm to face. “We are not doing the Kai talk. I need to have a serious sit-down conversation with him first and if anything comes of it, we’ll keep you in the loop.”

Once the Kai subject is put to rest we chat about Manhattan, how expensive everything is getting, and I tell her about my “life coaching” job.

“I think it’s neat that you teach people how to release stress, take in the positive and expel the negative. I truly believe if we can all do this it will bring us true peace one day.” Oh, to be young and full of dreams.

“Maybe.” Who am I to burst her bubble? I mean, I didn’t technically lie to her. Officially, that’s my job and I pay taxes on said life lessons. I do teach men how to relax and expel their negativity through the form of really powerful orgasms.

Which reminds me that I have a new client and this guy is going to be full of unexpected kink. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be fun.

The rest of the day is spent finishing the batch of soap that will now sit for about six weeks. Then we took a long walk in Allison Park. We brought our yoga mats for a little relaxation and sat for a bit of meditation.

I honestly had fun today, centering and truly listening to my “self” gave me the perspective and courage to face some of my demons. I think I even found a beginning of forgiveness or understanding when it comes to Kai and Freya.

Most importantly, I decided it was time to be completely honest with Kai. Time to come clean and admit my feelings, which hehasto already know, and tell him I’m ready. I’ll even talk about my job and we can figure out a way to make it work. I could truly become a life coach. In fact, I could do anything I want with him by my side.

We return home just as the sun begins to set and I feel a new purpose in my very core. My belly flutters when we reach their street and Kai’s truck comes into view.

He’s here.

Fuck, I’m nervous.

What if he’s still mad? What if he doesn’t feel the same?

What if—

No. I refuse to question my decision. I’ve done my soul-searching and I am ready. Kai and I are like the moon and the sun, never in the same place at the same time, but tonight, we will meet in the middle, for our own private eclipse.

“Kai’s here, hope that's okay…” Petal speaks softly as though she’s afraid to disrupt this moment. Or maybe she’s afraid I’ll bolt.

“No, it’s great. We should talk anyway.” I grin at the prospect and by the time I reach the front door and hear my brother’s booming voice, I’m already running into the living room and about to declare my love for Kai.

“Hey! I wan—” My feet freeze at the entrance, the sight in front of me making my heart sink like a plane going down before it crashes and burns.

It’s not Kai I see first.

It’s Freya. All smiles and tears and fire and her eyes. My gaze darts to Everest, who’s handing Kai a beer and a glass of home-made bubbly to Freya. I know it’s homemade because Petal explained the process to me today while we made soap.

Then my gaze lands on Kai and we just stare. At first, his honey irises dare me to say something. A split second later, all I can see is a wall that makes every single resolution from today crumble like a house of cards.

“Oh! Hello.” Petal is as surprised as I am, except she moves past me and wraps an arm around Everest. I’m too chicken shit to walk all the way in so I just stand at the archway like a fucking creeper.

“River, we didn’t think you’d be here.” I want to remind Freya that technically this is my house so she can fucking shut her mouth, but then I think of my parents, who believed anger was the vessel of hurt, so I push it all down and smile. Also like a creeper.

“Some fucked up shit happened last night, so she’s staying with us for a bit.” Everest, ever the poet.

Kai’s eyes dart immediately to me, the concern there, then gone. It’s like he’s actively trying not to feel anything. Dammit, he’s still mad about Tyler. I’ll explain later when Freya is gone.

“Oh, well, maybe the news will cheer you up, then.” Freya is practically holding herself back from yelling, her excitement a little too potent for my tired mind. I am hoping she just got a job clear across the fucking country. I hear California’s nice all year round.

Crossing my arms and leaning against the wall, I look straight at Kai and wait for whatever it is that’s so amazing that she had to come over tonight to announce it.

I think my body knows before my mind can even catch up. It’s the setting sun streaming in through the windows at the perfect angle. The rise of her arm. The way she stares at me the whole fucking time as she utters the three most excruciating words I’ve ever heard—excluding the night the doctors announced my parents’ deaths. No, this isn’t macabre. This isn’t death. Quite the contrary, it’s a new life together.

It’s my worst nightmare.

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