“Nah, I am getting up early to help decorate the gym for prom.”
“Guess you are bummed Kai won’t be taking you,” he says.
“I don’t mind. He has a good reason. I’m going to go stag with Raven.”
“Have fun with that,” he says with a snort, rolling his eyes. On that note, he leaves me alone with the cupcakes, and I eat way too many of them, feeling sorry for myself, and thinking about my mom, if she even is my mom…
Bloated and sad, I crawl into my bed and cry missing Kai, missing his arms holding me tight, making everything else disappear.
I pull out my phone and send him a text.
Me: Killing me Kai <3
Kai: Want you so bad Kat <3
A FaceTime call comes through a few minutes later from Kai. “I wish I was there with you, Kat. Do you know what I would be doing?”
“What’s that” I ask and try to smile.
“I’d be eating all of your cupcakes.” He laughs.
“Too late, I already did that. Thank you for everything today. Kai, you made this my best birthday ever, even if I didn’t get to spend it with you. You are the most amazing boyfriend in the universe.”
“Wow, the whole universe huh, you sure think a lot of me.” His dimples are popping out. Then Vance sticks his bare ass next to Kai’s face and farts, ruining the moment. “Motherfucker,” Kai shouts, dropping his phone. I can’t help but laugh until I cry, hearing Kai punch him.
Vance is shouting “Uncle,” in the background.
Hunter picks Kai’s phone up. “Guess Kai will call you back after he kills Vance. Happy Birthday, Katie.”
“Thanks, Hunter.” I end the call and go to bed with a smile on my face.
Chapter 25
Kirk was right. Prom without Kai is a total shit time. Penny is eyeballing Aaron and his freshman date all night, giving me an earful of their every move. Raven is pissed over a picture showing up online of Jake and some chick from an all-female band that is going on tour with Cooper’s Religion.
“Don’t that bother you, Katie? Kai is there too, doing whatever Jake is doing,” she says, puffing her cheeks out.
“I trust Kai. He wouldn’t hurt me like that.” He wouldn’t, I just know it. We have been playing phone tag all night. He is at some party for his record label. He already warned me that the label wants shots of the two groups hanging out to be leaked for publicity. I’m not worried. I told Kai to do what he has to do…within reason.
I don’t have to like it, but I am going to be supportive of my boyfriend, even if the world doesn’t know he is mine…I do.
Two weeks later though, I no longer feel like being so supportive. Now that Kai is being thrust into the public eye, reporters have been sniffing around our town trying to dig up gossip on the band. Kai told me to avoid any and all questions, only answering with a no comment. The label doesn’t want it known Kai has a girlfriend. Of course they don’t. They want the public to think Kai is getting cozy with Lena Lovelace, the lead singer of Ashes & Roses—that all girl band.
The only good thing is Kai is coming home this weekend for Khloe’s birthday and my graduation. I have been so busy getting ready for graduation and Khloe’s party I haven’t had much time for
anything else. I tried to track down my mom, but Nancy Francis, has disappeared from the planet.
I try to put all the craziness out of my head. Tomorrow is my graduation and my boyfriend will be here any minute now. I have only seen him through FaceTime the past few months, and I cannot wait to kiss his face, lick those dimples, and run my fingers through his hair.
His single is dropping next week. He wants to fly me to LA for the release party. He said he refused to have anyone else be his date. He also says he has a surprise for me when I come to LA. I don’t know what he has planned, but I am so flipping excited. Penny is waiting in the driveway with me. I don’t know if she is more excited to see Vance or Hunter. Raven is coming to the party tomorrow, reluctantly. She said she is only coming for Khloe. Jake has been getting hot and heavy with Gina Lux the chick who plays the drums for Ashes & Roses. Kai told me he is bringing her with him this weekend. I can’t blame Raven for not wanting it flaunted in her face.
It would kill me to see Kai with someone else. I think I would actually die.
Finally, Kent pulls up in his wife’s Escalade. He left early this morning to get Kai from the airport, but they had a delay and are getting home, now three hours late. The vehicle has barely been shifted into park when Kai flings his door open and charges me. His hands are on my butt, his mouth on my neck hot, fast and needy. My fingers are in his brown shaggy hair I have missed feeling so much. He hasn’t shaven and now has a goatee and mustache thing going on. It makes him look so much older.
“Killing me, Kat,” he growls in my ear. “Want you so bad,” he says, as I kiss his dimples.
I look over Kai’s shoulder and laugh as Penny is trying to decide whom to hug first…Vance or Hunter. They both look ready to eat her alive. Jake and his new girl get out last, after Kent. He walks past Kai and me shaking his head. Guess he knows his son is totally getting laid—soon.