Page 12 of Kobalt

In usual Kaimera fashion, she had bolted the first opportunity she had. She was probably hidden in her room, because I hadn’t been able to find her in any of the other rooms. All I wanted was a few minutes with her to talk. For the longest time, I believed that we still had unfinished business between us.

All night and all morning, I couldn’t get Kaimera out of my head. Thoughts of how fine she looked in her bikini popped into my mind, which made me recall memories of the two of us together. I loved being with Kaimera because of how loyal, gracious, and private she could be. Yet, those same qualities about her drove me crazy because she applied that to every area of her life.

The doorbell rang, and I checked my watch after I rinsed my empty coffee mug. I headed to the front door where Royal King waited on the front porch.

“My man, wassup?” I asked, dapping him up.

“Nothing much, man. Ready to put in this work.”

“I can’t tell. Looking like ya pretty boy ass just stepped fresh out the salon,” I teased.

He ran his hands over his freshly braided hair. “Nah, Imperial hooked ya boy up last night when I stopped by her braid shop. Don’t hate.” He smirked.

I laughed. His sister was always hooking him up, but I knew that he took good care of her too.

“No hate this way, my nigga. You ready?” I asked, waving my hand at the expanse of land.

“Yeah, show me the way. I saw the stable you referenced on my way up the road. It looks like it’s in decent condition, but I’d like to check out the flooring and rafters first.”

“That’s what I called you in for. If we need a complete overhaul, name the price, and you can get started today if you want.”

I led the way off the porch, and we hopped in my truck and drove around the grounds.

He laughed. “Nah, I gotta whip up my crew, get the material list and the materials, and then a few other things. I could start within a couple of days depending on what needs to be done,” he stated.

“That sounds like a plan to me.”

“You’ve got some nice property out here, man. Quiet, serene, and beautiful.”

“Thanks. I love this place, and I’m blessed to share it with others.”

When we arrived at the barn, I showed him the inside and all around so that he could take measurements, assessments, and anything else he needed to do. While he assessed the property, I explained to him what I wanted to do. Royal King owned King Construction, which he inherited from his father, Solomon King, who had retired after having a heart attack.

“How’s the old man?” I asked after a while.

“Living his best life. Him and Moms are doing great. Traveling, taking it easy, and living the life he was designed to live.”

“A life fit for a king?” I asked, making a pun of their last name.

He smiled. “You already know it.”

“That’s wassup. Tell Mr. Solomon and Mrs. Empress I said hello.”

“You got it. You know they’re gonna be hollering about when you’ll come visit for dinner again.”

“I promise to make time when I’m in town again.”

“A’ight. I’ma hold you at your word.”

I had no intentions of returning to town until after Kaimera left the farm. Being in her presence for as long as possible was what I desired and making her my woman was my ultimate goal. Something was bothering her, though, and I needed to figure out what it was. She needed to come to me on her own; I didn’t want to force her or ask Niagara about it.

We talked about the plans and what all we would have to do to get the barn and surrounding area ready to become a training facility. When we finished, we hopped in my truck and headed back to the house where he was parked.

On the way, I spotted Kaimera sitting under a magnolia tree, for which the farm was named. She had a sketch pad resting on her knees, and she stared out at the pond in front of her. She looked delicious in a pair of fitted jeans that I wanted to peel from her body and a crop top.

“You heard me?” Royal asked.

“Uh, no. What was said?”