Page 132 of Almost Ours
She let out a short laugh, shaking her head as she scribbled down our orders. “And you must be Kyle. You’ve got a bit of a reputation around here.”
Kyle put a hand to his chest, feigning innocence, and for some reason, when he spoke again, there was a lazy southern twang in his voice. “A reputation? Me? Now that just breaks my heart. I swear, it’s all vicious lies. I’m nothing but a perfect gentleman.”
“Sure you are,” Jess teased, her eyes sparkling as she turned to walk away. “I’ll get your orders in.”
I nearly choked on my water. “What the hell was that?”
“What?” he asked, all wide-eyed innocence.
“That… accent,” I said, pointing at him. “You’ve never sounded like that in your life.”
He just grinned, leaning back in his chair. “Gotta keep things fresh, Barzal. Works every time.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Hey, life’s too short not to charm a pretty lady when you can.” He shrugged, completely unapologetic, before taking a sip of his beer. “Besides, it’d be a crime to deprive the world of this smile.”
When Jess returned with our drinks, Kyle was right back at it–laying on the charm, cracking jokes, and making her laugh like she’d known him forever. I just shook my head, sipping my beer as I watched the show. Kyle might be in a wheelchair, but that didn’t stop him from owning any room he entered.
After Jess left us alone to eat, Kyle shifted gears, his grin turning sly. “So… how’s Harper?”
I paused mid-bite, giving him a side-eye. “You been keeping tabs on me, or did you just guess?”
Kyle smirked. “Nah, man. You’ve barely stopped smiling since you sat down. That’s not just good beer and greasy food–there’s a woman behind that.”
I huffed a quiet laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah, well. She’s good. So is Connor.” Just saying their names out loud made something warm settle in my chest.
Kyle raised a brow. “Connor? That her kid?”
I nodded. “Yeah. He’s ten. Great kid.”
Something in Kyle’s expression shifted–softer, maybe a little more thoughtful–he didn’t poke at it, though. “Damn. Didn’t see you as the instant family type.”
“Me neither.” I took a sip of my beer, rolling the bottle between my hands. “But it doesn’t feel instant, you know? It feels right.”
Kyle grinned. “Look at you. Soft as hell.”
I flipped him off, and he just laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Nah, I think it’s great. You’ve got someone now. About time.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, taking another bite of my burger, though I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
The conversation flowed easily from there. Kyle filled me in on the new team–new recruits, a kid who’d just joined from three hours away, and another who was being scouted for the national program. The pride in his voice was unmistakable, and I felt it too.
As Jess came by to clear our plates, Kyle flashed her another grin. “Thanks, Jess. You’ve been amazing tonight. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “I’ll try to remember that. You two have a good night.”
Kyle waited until she was out of earshot before turning back to me with a satisfied look. “See? Totally charmed.”
“You’re impossible,” I said, laughing despite myself.
The mood shifted, though, when Kyle glanced at me, his tone softening. “You seem happy, man. Really happy. And I’m really glad for you. You deserve it.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. Happy? Did I seem happy? I was happy–more than I’d been in years. Harper andConnor had brought so much light into my life, but Kyle’s words unearthed the guilt that always lurked under the surface.
I forced a nod and a small smile but didn’t say anything. The rest of dinner passed in a blur, Kyle doing most of the talking while I wrestled with the weight of his words.
When we got backto Kyle’s place, I was still stuck in my own head. I dropped my jacket over the arm of the couch and sank into the seat, staring out at the dark stretch of land beyond the window.
