Chapter 6

6

KASEY

A s soon as my feet touch the ground back in New York, I know I've made a terrible mistake by leaving Kenneth behind in Hawaii. My entire being feels heavy with the weight of missing him, and there's an ache in my chest that won't go away.

I try to push him out of my mind, telling myself that I barely know him, that I am being foolish, but it's no use. I can't stop thinking about him.

Telling myself these lies isn't helping. I know him, of course, I do. I know Kenneth deep in my heart, in my soul, and I might have lost him forever.

Hawaii has taught me one simple thing, and it might be the most important lesson I'll ever learn—love does not follow any rules, it makes its own. It seems crazy to be so in love after such a short time, but I'm more than sure that truly I love Kenneth like he's a part of me. I have never felt this way before—this longing, this deep connection to another person. It's a feeling I can't shake no matter how much I try.

As I walk back into my little eclectic efficiency apartment, memories of Kenneth flood my mind. The way he looks at me, the sound of his laugh, the feel of his hand in mine, and especially how it felt to have him inside me for the first time, marking both my body and my heart as his and his only.

Even the way he kissed me so softly after our last encounter, my nerve endings still firing from the mind-blowing orgasm he had given me…even that little kiss haunts me. It's all so fresh in my mind, and I know I can't let him go.

Staring out at the city, dropping my luggage at my feet, I make a decision. Kenneth came to rectify things when he learned the truth about the job interview, and now I have to be the one to reach out and make things right.

I'm determined to turn this all around, to make Kenneth know what he means to me. I don't know how exactly, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I begin to think about all the things that went wrong and what I can do to make it right. I can't believe that I let a job interview I didn't even apply for ruin things with the man I love. I feel like an absolute moron.

One thing is clear—I need to talk to Kenneth and explain everything. Most importantly, apologize for leaving like I did. I need to show him that I'm committed to our relationship, no matter how new it is. But how? I don't even know where to start.

So I do what I always do when I'm faced with a problem—I make a list. Sitting on my bed, I dig through my bedside table until I find a notebook and pen and set to work. The first draft is long and winding, full of all the things I adore about Kenneth—from his tall, sculpted body and his intense blue eyes to the way he's hard and commanding to the world around him, but sweet to me alone.

Cutting things down, I manage to make a plan of action, and if I can manage to get it all finished before Kenneth gets back to New York, then maybe I can be in his arms again before the end of the week. God, I hope so.

Step one will be completing the interview but declining the job unless it can be done remotely so I don't have to move. Step two will be writing to Kenneth to tell him exactly how I feel and promise him that I'm doing everything in my power to make sure we can try again once he gets home. And three, the only step that I'm dreading, will be to call Devin and settle things once and for all.

The interview is the easiest of the three by far. I open the email I received in Hawaii and schedule a time slot for as soon as possible. So, the same night I get home, I find myself fixing my hair and makeup in the mirror as I wait for the Zoom call to connect.

Mark Bradshaw, CEO of Bradshaw Investments, has that sharp, grating personality that some men businessmen have, and my dislike for it makes it easier for me to make my case with him. Mark laughs when I tell him that whether I get the job or not, I'll be leaving as an intern, but sobers up when he realizes I'm serious.

I tell him that I plan on going freelance so I have more time to finish school, but if he still wants me to come on board as a junior web designer, I'm thrilled to take the opportunity as long as it can be remote. Mark examines me through the screen, but eventually, he tells me they will be in contact for a second interview and ends the call.

One down, two to go.

Running off the adrenaline of completing the job interview and actually sticking up for myself, I sit down to write the email to Kenneth. I have too much to say for a mere text, and the words just keep coming and coming—from my mind to my fingers to the keyboard.

I pour my heart out on the screen. I tell him about the job offer and my thoughts on going remote versus going freelance. I confess how much I care for him and how I'm ready to set all my hesitations aside so we can be together. I almost tell him that I love him but erase the line at the last second. That is important enough that only a face-to-face confession will do.

My heart is in my throat as I hit send. Will he still feel the same way even though I flew home, basically running away scared? Will he want to be with me as much as I want to be with him? I try to push the doubts aside and remind myself to have faith in our connection. It's real. I know it is.

Once the message is sent, I sit back in my computer chair and think about the amazing days we spent together in Hawaii. The long walks on the beach, the romantic dinners, the passionate nights we shared…God, I miss him so much!

I can still feel his touch on my skin, his breath on my neck, and the warmth of his body next to mine. Except none of it is real now, only a dream.

Just as I suspected, calling Devin is the hardest part of all. He answers with a hesitant "Hello?"

"I still think you're an asshole," I start without a preamble, loving the sound of indignation he makes. "But we need to talk. I hope you're sitting down."

We talk for over an hour. Devin hangs up on me twice in the beginning, unwilling to hear that I love his father and that I plan to be with him no matter what Devin's opinion is. I let him vent about how weird it makes him feel, about how it makes him feel emasculated in front of his coworkers, but stop him when he tries to delve into why our relationship failed.

"Because it wasn't real," I tell him. "We were just passing the time, Devin. There was nothing between us, and we both know it."

He reluctantly agrees, and after some time, his anger begins to fade. He tells me he still doesn't approve of "Whatever the hell is going on between you and my Dad" but that Kenneth told him, verbatim, that I make him happy. And that he thinks the first step in fixing his own relationship with his Dad will be backing off and letting whatever happens happen.

When we hang up, I allow myself a nice long cry, ordering a huge order of Chinese food and eating it in bed with Netflix on my laptop in front of me. None of my tears are for Devi but instead, for Kenneth.

He's been betrayed by his own son, and instead of staying to comfort him, I fled and left him all alone. I miss him. I want him here so much. I just hope I've done enough to clear space for him and me to move forward together.

I wake up to the sound of a faint knock on the door, and as I rub the sleep from my eyes, I check the clock. It's just past 7 am. I wonder who could be knocking at this hour. Still in my pajamas, I make my way to the front door and pull it open, my eyes still bleary from sleep.

There, sitting on my doorstep is a large package addressed to me. My curiosity is piqued and I pick it up, bringing the heavy thing inside. I deposit it on my bed and put my hands on my hips, considering the box in front of me. It isn't until I read my name on the front a few times that I recognize the handwriting as the same that was on the flower card my first morning in Hawaii.

Kenneth.

With trembling hands, I rip open the box, and my eyes widen as I see what's inside. It's a brand new, top-of-the-line Macbook. I can't believe it. This thing must have cost a fortune. My mind races with questions. Why would he send me such an extravagant gift with no explanation?

But then, as if the universe is answering my queries, I notice that there's already a document open on the computer when I slowly open it, and my eyes are drawn to the words on the screen. It reads, This is my way of telling you what I should have all along: Congratulations on your interview. And below that, an address and a time—7:30 pm.

My heart skips a beat as I realize what this means. Kenneth wants to see me again, and that mere fact makes a smile spread across my face in a rush. It's been two days since I heard from him, and I was beginning to think that maybe he had made up his mind to never speak to me again. But this gift and the note make it clear he hasn't forgotten about me after all.

I spend the rest of the day in a daze, my mind spinning with possibilities. This is the opportunity for a new start between us, with none of the baggage that came before. I can't help but feel a mix of emotions—excitement, anxiety, and hope. I wonder what Kenneth has in mind for us, and I can't wait to find out.

As the hours tick by, I find myself checking the clock every few minutes, counting down the time until 7:30 pm. It's impossible to relax as I prepare for what could be the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

At 6:45 pm, there's another knock at my door. To my surprise, it's a private driver in a tuxedo sent here by Kenneth to bring me to him. Grabbing my things, I follow the driver downstairs and climb into the backseat of the black luxury sedan, adjusting my dress as I go. I went with a gold slip dress for tonight, one that I know sets off my hair and flatters the new tan I came back from the retreat with.

I arrive at the towering high-rise, dizzy with anticipation. Smoothing my dress down again, I check my makeup in my phone camera one final time, hoping to make a good impression on Kenneth. Maybe he will be so struck by my beauty that he'll forgive me without any words being exchanged. A girl can dream, right?

The doorman greets me and escorts me inside, leading me to the elevator. My stomach is a mess of nerves as I ride up to the penthouse level, wondering what lies ahead.

When the elevator doors open, I'm met with a dimly lit hallway that seems to stretch on forever. The doorman leaves me at Kenneth's door, and I take a deep breath before reaching out to knock. As soon as I swing the door open, my breath catches in my throat.

The penthouse is dark except for the soft glow of dozens of candles arranged on the floor in a winding path. Red rose petals are scattered everywhere, and the sweet scent of their perfume fills the air. I'm in awe of the sight before me.

I follow the path that is laid out for me in fire and petals, until finally, I see Kenneth standing on the terrace, overlooking the city. He turns to face me, and my heart races at the sight of him. He's dressed in a sleek suit, looking more handsome than ever.

There's a shadow of a beard on his jaw, telling me he hasn't shaved in a day or two, but his salt-and-pepper hair is perfectly styled and he looks every bit the business tycoon that he is.

God, I've missed him so much. Just being in his presence is a balm to my soul.

Kenneth looks me over with aching slowness until he reaches my face. We say nothing as he crooks his finger, telling me to come to him, and I do, exiting out the open glass door and onto his opulent terrace with the most stunning view of the city I've ever seen.

It's like he's cast a spell over me, and before I can blink, I'm close enough to him that I can smell the spiciness of his cologne and feel the warmth radiating from him.

Gently cupping my face, Kenneth runs his thumbs over my cheekbones, looking down at me with an emotion so deep I'm afraid to call it by its name. "Devin told me that you called him," he rumbles. "You still want me. I thought that you needed space."

"It turns out all the space I needed was the length of the plane ride, and by the time I got home, I knew I'd made a mistake." I swallow hard, putting my hands over his where they are still on my face. "I still want you and more. I need you."

"You have to be sure, Kasey. I can't take losing you a second time."

Now, I tell him everything I've done, so he knows just how sure I really am. I explain that I took the interview and made it clear I can't take the job unless it was remote. Then, how I only called his son to make sure the jerk wouldn't stand in our way anymore and to let him know in no uncertain terms that I'm laying claim to his father no matter what he thinks.

"I read your email after I spoke to Devin," Kenneth admits when I finish. "I couldn't bring myself to do it at first because I was sure it was your way of cutting things off permanently without having to face me in person. Once I talked to my son, I read it. And then read it again at least a dozen times."

He licks his lips, making me want to kiss them more than anything. "Kasey…you've went above and beyond with the work you've put in. No one has ever done anything like that for me."

I feel a surge of pride at his words, knowing that everything I did was worth it if it means we can be together. "I wanted to do whatever it takes to be with you," I whisper. "Even if it meant swallowing my pride and making nice with Devin."

Kenneth takes my hand in his, his touch sending shivers down my spine. "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you," he says, his eyes locked onto mine. "You're the most incredible woman I've ever met."

I feel myself blush at his words, feeling both embarrassed and flattered at the same time. "Kenneth, I just did what I had to do," I shrug, trying to downplay my actions.

But he shakes his head. "No, Kasey. What you did was selfless and amazing. It just confirms what I already know—what I've known since the first moment I saw you. That I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Suddenly, my heart feels like it's about to burst. I can't believe what I'm hearing. Could this really be happening? Is Kenneth about to propose to me?

And then, just as I'm lost in my thoughts, he drops down on one knee, taking my hand in his. "Kasey, will you marry me?"

The world drops out from under my feet, static buzzing in my ears as shock rolls over me like a wave. All the hours I spent agonizing over whether he would forgive, and here he is, on his knees, ready to make me his wife. It makes me realize that Kenneth forgave me the second he left my suite that night because he loves me and he wants me. All of me, flaws and uncertainties and all.

Tears start to form as I look down at Kenneth and into his ocean-deep eyes, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "Yes," I say, barely able to get the word out. "Yes, I'll marry you."

The ring is perfect, a single solitaire diamond, huge and sparkling on a gold band. Just like how Kenneth fits into my life, the ring fits onto my finger perfectly. Like it has always been meant to be there.

I take his hands and tug him to his feet, standing on my tiptoes to clear the differences in our height and crushing my mouth to his. Kissing him feels like coming home, and now the tears flow freely.

"I love you," I gasp, and he wraps his arms around me like I've been aching for.

"I love you too, Kasey. I know you're going to cause me a lifetime of trouble." I huff but he laughs, continuing, "But I'd go through that and more to have you."

Now he kisses me again, and even though I can't speak, I tell him over and over again in my mind, I love you, I love you, I love you.