Kane (Face-Off 2)

Taking her small palm in mine, I peek over at her and smile as I raise her hand to my lips. “I’m not going to apologize when I fall in love with you.”

“You love me?” Her voice reaches a higher octave, and her tone indicates a question.

“I think so. Trust me when I say that this is more than just sex for me. You are the real deal, Ken.”

She grins so wide it reaches up to her eyes. “The feeling is mutual.”

I pull up out from of the Hudsons house with a few minutes to spare before my parents and Payton arrive, smiling like an idiot. With Kennedy, I am ready to move on.

Chapter Fifteen

KENNEDY

When his parents arrive, followed by Payton and her family, the nerves intensify and creep up the back of my throat, choking me. I am terrified they will not like me, especially when Payton has the ear of his parents, even after all these years. The neighborhood reminds me of something from a novel—white picket fences, manicured lawns, everything in place.

I lived in an area like this as a child. It’s the ideal location to raise a child, so I can see why Tyler and Payton thought the Hudsons would be a good fit for Blake.

My ass is stuck to the leather seat of Tyler’s BMW race car, my body not responding to Tyler as he tells me it’s time to get out and meet his parents. Today is a big deal for me and for us as a couple.

While I never had an issue with my boyfriend’s parents before, this is not your regular meet-and-greet, sit down dinner with the family. I have every reason to be nervous.

“C’mon, babe.” Tyler tugs at my cardigan to get my attention. “You have nothing to be afraid of. I promise they don’t bite…but I’ll bite you later if you want.” He says the last part with a wink before slipping out of the car.

He walks around to my door and pulls it open, holding out his hand to help me out of the car.

Before I even have a second to straighten my dress and compose myself, Tyler’s dad is on our side with his mother. But they are not the people who capture my attention. A beautiful woman, who reminds me of a blonde version of Sydney, polished to perfection and without a hair on her head out of place walks toward us. To her left is a tall and muscular man around the same age as Tyler with dark cropped hair. She’s gorgeous, so it’s no surprise that her husband is attractive and unblemished. Their little boy skips along the pavement next to his father, singing a song to himself.

This entire scenario feels so surreal. Tyler looks about as uncomfortable as a person can be in their own skin as if he’s ready to bolt down the street at any moment. I cannot even imagine how hard this must be for him, forced to see his ex girlfriend with her new family every month, a constant reminder of what he could’ve had with her combined with the loss of his son.

I feel for him, my heart wrenching along with my gut, clenching as if his anxiety has somehow transferred to me. Tyler’s face twists in disgust when he locks eyes with Payton’s husband. I’m not even sure of his name since he has never spoken about him, only their son who plays with Blake.

“Hi,” Tyler’s mother says in a singsong voice, cheerful and with a big smile that reveals her gums. “You must be Kennedy. Tyler has told me so much about you, sweetie.

Apparently, Tyler gets his looks from his mother, because even at her age, somewhere in her late fifties, she is stunning. Long blonde hair falls over her shoulders. Her high cheekbones and sculpted eyebrows cause her blue eyes to jump from her face. For an older woman, either she has good genes, or she has kept up with her beauty regimen.

She pulls me into her arms, wrapping herself around me like a blanket, her sweet perfume filling my nostrils. My mom is the opposite of warm

th, more like cold and insane, and never without at least a half full wine glass.

“I’m Tania Kane. It’s so nice to meet you,” she says, releasing me from her death grip. “You are such a natural beauty. Tyler did not do you justice over the phone.”

“Aww thank you, Mrs. Kane. I appreciate you saying that. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You know,” she lowers her voice to a register I can hear, “it’s so sweet of you to come along with my Tyler. This hasn’t been easy on him.”

“I’m here to support him.” I flash a tiny smile, the nerves kicking up a notch as she takes a step back from me to make room for her husband.

“Carl Kane,” his father says, extending his hand to me.

Unlike his wife, there’s a professional tone to in his voice, no hugging or loving embrace just a handshake.

I shake his hand with a tiny smile. “Kennedy Lockwood. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Kane.”

“Same here. My son tells us that you’re a sports reporter.”

“Yes, Sir. I own Sports Buzz, it’s a small—”

“That little online paper that writes articles about Alex Parker all the time?” He asks, cutting me off, his words tearing through me and making this conversation awkward.