Chapter 15

15

Usually after King spoke with his mother, it put him in a funk for days. But having Sadie nearby to talk to had given him some much-needed perspective. After hearing her story about how her father tried to sell her house right from underneath her, he'd been horrified. And had he been the one giving her advice about her father, he'd have told her to cut him off immediately and press charges if at all possible.

But why had he never done that with his mother? Why had he let that guilt keep creeping in? She hadn't done anything that had helped him in achieving success. In fact, she and his father had actively harmed him as a teen, making it even harder for him to get a start in the music business.

It was impossible to try to write songs and play music when one was fighting for food and shelter every day. And because he and Briggs had left their foster home with almost nothing, that's exactly all they'd had for a few years until they finally had stable jobs and a safe apartment. It was only then that he'd been able to concentrate on bettering his craft.

He knew it was time to break the cycle with his mother. He just hoped he was ready for the shitstorm that would follow.

"Come on," Sadie said, getting up off the couch and tugging him with her. "Let's go work on dinner. Do you think Briggs will be home soon?"

"I'm not sure," King said as he followed her to the kitchen. "Let me ask him." Just as King grabbed his phone from the table, Brigg's picture flashed on the screen with an incoming call. "Hey, brother. Are you on your way? Sadie's cooking."

"No, that's what I called about. I've got plans tonight," Briggs said, sounding distracted. "Don't be surprised if I don't make it home."

"Hot date?" King asked with a chuckle. "Or just a hookup?"

"Not sure yet. Gotta go."

The call ended, and King looked over at Sadie, who was busy pulling food out of the refrigerator. "Briggs is a no show tonight."

Sadie spun around to face him. "Really? That's too bad. I was going to make a huge lasagna, but it will be too much for just us."

King walked over to her and grabbed the cheese out of her hands. He quickly put it back in the fridge and said, "I have a better idea."

"Oh, you're cooking?" she asked, her right dimple showing as she grinned at him.

"No, but I do plan to feed you. Do you like sushi?"

"Who doesn't?" she asked as if that was a given.

"Good, cause if you're up for it, I'd like to take you on a date." King's heart was beating too fast, and he wondered if he'd ever been this nervous asking someone out before. He highly doubted it. "What do you say to a beachside dinner and a walk in the moonlight over at the coast?"

"You want to take me to the beach tonight?" Sadie asked, clearly a little shellshocked.

"Yes."

"And I don't have to cook," she said, more to herself as if she were mulling over the offer.

"Nope." Damn, he couldn't help but be amused by her.

"Okay, but I'm making lasagna tomorrow night, and you tell Briggs his presence is required. Got it?"

King gave her a mock salute. "Got it. Now go find some clothes appropriate for the beach."

Sadie grinned at him and hurried off to her room.

Twenty minutes later, after Cosmo had been taken out and fed dinner, Sadie met him at the door. "I'm ready."

"Sadie Lewis," he said as he took her hand, "I've been waiting for this for ten years."

"That was the best sushi I've ever had," Sadie declared as they walked out of the restaurant. "How did you hear about this place?"

King wrapped his hand around hers, marveling that the gesture had become almost second nature already. Every time he touched her, it just felt right. And he was starting to think their hands had magnets in them because they couldn't keep them off each other. "Briggs. We came here a few weeks ago. It's kind of a hidden gem."

"I'd say it's a lot more than kind of; it was perfect." She stopped suddenly and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.

But King wanted more from her. He pulled her in closer until their bodies were molded together and said, "Are you ready for a proper kiss?"

"Proper kiss. Hmm, sounds interesting," she said, staring at his mouth. "Don't keep me waiting, King."

"Never." He yanked her closer still and then claimed her lips, kissing her with the intention of making her head spin. She tasted of soy sauce and sake and something sweet that was unique to her. His body responded instantly, and if they hadn't been standing in front of the restaurant, he'd have shown her exactly how much he wanted her.

When he finally broke the kiss, Sadie didn't move. She just stood there, breathless as she held her fingertips to her lips.

"Sadie?" he asked with a chuckle. "You all right?"

A slow smile claimed her lips as she stared into his eyes. "Better than all right. Now take me to the beach. I'm ready to relive my teenage years."

"Good, because that's exactly what I had planned." King winked at her before leading her to the car.

The beach access parking lot was deserted except for one lone truck that was parked all the way at the end of the lot.

"Looks like we have the beach to ourselves," Sadie said as she jumped out of his white Jeep.

"I guess not a lot of people are interested at the end of October," King said, pulling a blanket and a lantern out of the back. "They aren't hardcore like we are."

Sadie snorted her amusement. "I'm not sure I'd call us hardcore. Maybe just a little sentimental."

King ran his fingers over the small box he'd put in his pocket earlier and said, "Definitely sentimental."

It wasn't nearly as cold on the beach as King had feared. They'd gotten lucky. The cloud cover had trapped some heat from the day, and there was almost no wind, a rarity for the beach.

Sadie opened her arms wide and then let out a cry of joy as she ran full speed toward the water. King had a sudden flashback of her at seventeen when she'd done the exact same thing, and all he could think about was how happy he'd been that day, watching her come alive after suffering from the pain and loss of her mother. It was the day he'd completely fallen head over heels for her.

"Come on, slowpoke!" she called. "You're missing it."

King jogged toward her, and when he got to her side, he asked, "Missing what?"

"There are a couple of seals right there. You can see their heads bobbing in the moonlight. See ‘em?"

"Sure," he lied, but only because he couldn't take his eyes off her. Sadie was radiant in the moonlight when the clouds parted. Full of wonder and life. This was what he'd missed. Their time together. The way her energy had always been infectious. She made him feel lighter and freer just by existing. He'd known it was special then, but now he knew it was something incredibly rare, and he decided he'd be damned if he ever let her go again.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked, shaking her head, though she didn't look upset.

"You would be too if you could see yourself in this moonlight."

Sadie scoffed and then chuckled to herself. "Okay, now you're just laying it on a little thick. Here's a tip, King McGrath; you don't have to try so hard with me. I already like you."

"That's good. Cause I like you, too." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and said, "Walk with me. I want to show you something."

King and Briggs had been to this beach a couple of times since King had come to town. He was a beach lover at heart. Almost all of his happiest memories had happened while at the beach. It's where he'd met Sadie and fallen for her. It was also where he and Briggs had spent a lot of their free time while in the foster home and then later when they moved to LA. The surf, sand, and sun had been free and had always calmed his nerves. It was also where he did some of his best songwriting. There was just something about the pull of the ocean that spoke to him.

"Show me something, huh? It's not your…" She glanced down at his groin and then met his eyes again.

"My what, Sadie?" he asked innocently.

"Oh, shut up. You know what I mean. Your package. Okay? You didn't bring me all the way out here just for that, did you? Because there seem to be perfectly good beds back at Briggs's house." Her eyes widened, and she clamped a hand over her mouth, clearly regretting voicing those thoughts out loud.

King threw his head back and laughed.

"Okay, that's enough laughing at me," she said. "I just meant that sand in unusual places isn't all that sexy."

"But I brought a blanket," King said innocently, blinking down at her.

"Good luck with that."

He was still chuckling when they came upon an outcropping of rocks. "This is what I wanted to show you."

Sadie stared at it and then at him. "Is there a little hidden cove on the other side?"

He nodded.

"You're kidding!" she cried and started to run again.

This time King kept pace with her, and when they rounded the largest outcropping, they both stopped suddenly, taking in the small cove. It reminded him so much of the one where they used to meet in Westhaven.

"It's perfect." Sadie stepped right in front of him and reached up with both hands, placing them to either side of his face. "You are amazing." Then she was the one kissing him within an inch of his life.

Once she pulled away, he caught his breath and then leaned his forehead against hers. "Careful, Sadie. At this rate, you really will see my package right here on the beach."

"I'm not sure that'd be a bad thing," Sadie said, fanning herself. Damn, that man was hot.

"Even with the sand issue?" he teased.

"It is a problem," Sadie agreed. "However, I'm sure that if we're creative, we can find a way to make it work."

King laid the blanket out on the sand and wished he'd thought to bring candles to make it a little bit more special. But at least he had the electric lantern. He flipped it on and decided it would do. "Care to join me?" King asked from his place on the blanket.

"I'd be happy to." Sadie took her spot on the blanket and then turned to him. "Should I be taking my shoes off?

"Only if you want to," he said.

Sadie shook her head before snuggling in next to him. "Not tonight. It's starting to get chillier."

Was it? He hadn't even noticed. He was too busy thinking about the box in his pocket.

"King, what's wrong? You look… I don't know, like maybe you ate some bad sushi."

Did he? That wasn't good. "It's not the sushi," he said as the clouds parted and the moonlight beamed down on them. "But I do have something to ask you, and I might be a tad nervous."

Sadie curled her legs up under her as she gave King her full attention.

"It's just me. You don't need to be nervous," she reassured him.

But then he pulled a small black box out of his pocket and started to open it. His hands were shaking slightly, and he was starting to feel like a fool. This was too soon. What had he been thinking? He should have given her some space and time before this .

"King? What's happening right now?" Sadie asked, suddenly sounding just as nervous as he felt.

"What should have happened ten years ago but didn't because of your father." He cleared his throat. "I've been holding onto this pendant for a decade. I bought it the day we were supposed to play at that club. The day your father made you leave Westhaven."

"Pendant?" she asked in a timid but hopeful voice.

"Yeah. Pendant," he said. "It's supposed to be blessed with luck, love, and prosperity. I wanted you to have it as a promise of what was to come in our future… together."

"Together?" she repeated. "King McGrath, is this some sort of promise pendant?"

He ran his fingertips lightly over her jawline. "It is if you want it to be."

She hesitated for a long moment and then grinned as she took the pendant out of the box and said, "Yes."