I lower my head to claim her lips when the clearing of a throat stops me.
Calvin stands at the door, helping Kirian with his backpack. As soon as the little man sees me, he abandons his father and storms towards me to hug my leg. “Xan!”
Kim blushes like a sack of tomatoes as she untangles herself from around me.
“Hey, Superman.” I give him a fist and he blows it.
“Are we going in your car? Are we?”
“Of course.” I throw him the key.
“Yes! I don’t want Kimmy’s car.”
“Hey!” she scolds. “What’s wrong with my car, Monkey?”
“It’s not cool.” He hides behind my leg and gives her a face.
“I’m going to tickle you to death. Here comes the gorilla for the monkey.”
“Nooo!”
She starts chasing him around me while he shrieks and asks me for help.
While I would’ve under different circumstances, I just can’t seem to look away from Calvin.
He’s still there, carrying Kirian’s bag and smiling with warmth at the scene in front of me.
That man is my father. My biological one, at least. Despite all my talk earlier, it’s weird to imagine anyone but Lewis as my father.
Besides, Calvin has always been Kim’s father, and the parent she needs in her life.
Despite his absentee status, he’s always looked at his children as if they’re the only ones who matter. Not like Dad, who only looked back when his family was causing some sort of problem for his career.
Calvin’s gaze meets mine, and his smile doesn’t falter or change. It’s the same warmth, the same care.
I shake my head. I must be imagining things because I didn’t get my usual dose of alcohol.
Calvin is the last thing on my mind, and while I didn’t admit it to Dad, he’s right about how fragile Kim is during this period. We should focus on her, not on any other clusterfuck.
I pick up Kirian and he squeals with delight as I place him over my shoulders.
Kim tries to jump, but she can’t reach him. “Hey! That’s cheating.”
“Team Superman!” he shouts. “Xan, wrestle Kimmy like the other time.”
“Shut up, Kir.” She blushes, voice low.
“But you said it was special wrestling.” He stares at Calvin. “What does special wrestling mean, Dad?”
“No idea, Kir.” Calvin’s smile doesn’t change, hiding his reaction perfectly.
Fuck me. This little man will be the reason for the explosion in Kim’s cheeks.
She snatches the keys from Kirian’s hands and runs to the car. “I’ll start the car up.”
She leaves me alone with Calvin. Perfect. Not awkward at all.
He passes me Kirian’s bag