Page 14 of Shooting his Shot

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I exited the bathroom, heading downstairs to look for Avani. I heard her before I saw her in the kitchen. She was cooking something that smelled good as hell. She turned around when I entered the kitchen. The smile that spread on her lips went straight to my heart.Damn, I needed to get it together.

"Hey, are you hungry?" she asked.

"I could eat," I replied, taking a seat on the stool.

"Okay, I'm not a big fan of cooking and don't cook often, but I can make a waffle with chicken."

I smirked. "So, chicken and waffles, huh?"

Akari lowered her head, trying to hide a smile. "Yes. That's one of my favorite meals. My adopted mother used to make it for me all the time."

The way Akari moved around the kitchen, you'd think she enjoyed doing it. I enjoyed watching her move, too, so gracefully. The way her body filled out her pajama set had me wondering why the hell she was still single. Plus, she was beautiful as hell.

"I still can't believe you're single. You're too beautiful," I voiced what I was thinking.

Avani turned to face me with a sheepish grin. "You didn't say that when we were younger. All you called me was ‘nappy head’ and ‘skinny minny.’"

I laughed. "Man, I was a child then. Now I'm a man. Don't confuse the two."

While she cooked, we continued to talk about each other's lives and what we wanted to accomplish.

"When do you think you'll retire?"

I held my heart. "Just the thought of retiring... I don't want to do it, not yet. Hell, I'm only thirty years old. I don't have that on my mind right now. I can go for a few more years, but I'll start thinking about retirement when I get married and my wife starts having kids."

Avani nodded. "I don't think I'll ever get married or have kids. My husband doesn't need to want kids, either. Just the thought of having kids doesn't do it for me. My history is too toxic to tell a child about."

I hated that she felt that way and wished there were a way for me to erase her feelings about kids and family. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I had to try.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." I didn't know what else to say. Then, it hit me, causing me to frown. "Wait, don't you work with kids?"

She nodded, putting on a pair of gloves. "I do, but what does that have to do with me not liking kids?"

"Do you like kids?" I questioned.

She frowned with a nod, moving to turn on the stove. "Yes, I love kids, but what does that have to do with me wanting any of my own? Telling my kids their grandmother abandoned me will crush me. No, I won't do it." Her voice cracked.

I pressed my lips together. "But your adopted mother didn't abandon you. She was there for you. You were blessed to have someone else in your life. You have to let go of the past and live in the now. It'll forever hold you back. God removed you from a situation that was bad for you and placed good in your life. Never let your past overshadow your future."

Avani gazed at me with tears in her eyes, making me get up from the stool and rush toward her.

"Aww, baby. Come here." I wrapped my arms around her waist as she buried her face in my chest. "Don't cry. I'm just trying to give you the real."

She sniffed and wrapped her arms around me tightly. "I know, and that's why I love talking to you, but you made me cry."

I caressed her back. "I'll never make you cry again. I apologize for that, but I just gotta let you know what it is, man. You have overcome everything in your childhood, which is what matters most. If you keep thinking about the past, it will hurt you each and every time. I don't want that to happen to you. You feel me?" At that moment, I felt a wave of protectiveness toward Avani. I'd do all I could to keep her safe and guard her heart from anything that caused her pain.

She nodded against my chest. "Thank you for being you. You just talked junk to me in the nicest way possible."

I threw my head back and laughed. "I'm not sorry."

She drew back and looked at me with a tiny smile. "I don't expect you to be. Thank you so much, Akari. Your words mean a lot to me."

I leaned down to kiss her lips gently. I had to feel her lips against mine. "It's all good. You don't have to thank me. Just keep your head up for me.

"I will. Now, let me get back to cooking before the food burns."

I chuckled, letting go of her. "Word. You do that." While she continued to cook, we talked.

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