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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."
