“A bold statement.”
“I’m a bold guy. Now hand me that lens, please.” I held out my hand and Kiara picked up the lens handing it to me. Her fingers grazed my hand and lingered in a suggestive way that made me imagine her smooth fingers and neatly trimmed nails scoring something else. I heaved out a breath fully aware she was giving me right back what I deserved. I’d get even later, but for now I’d enjoy the non-sexual company.
“So when did you start stargazing?” She stood next to me as I tweaked the view finder and I got a whiff of her scent on the night breeze and I felt the rush of being close to her.
“One year for Christmas, my dad purchased a telescope for my brother and I. Andy didn’t seem nearly as interested as I did so it became something for my dad and I to share. We’d go hiking in the summer to different spots and chart the stars.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun.”
“Growing up, sure. It was helpful in the military. It passed the time charting the sky where ever I was stationed.” It also saved my life when we were ambushed and had to retreat twenty miles back from our rendezvous point, but I don’t share that. It’s still unsettling to think about that time.
“This is nice.” She hummed and I stood next to her, my arm slowly wrapping around her. She didn’t move, back away, or deflect my arm and I took it as a positive sign to lead into my next move.
I turned her around and se
t her up to look in the telescope.
“What this?” She asked peeking through the lens.
“I’ve positioned it so you’ll see the field where the comet comes through. There’s the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper is a spoon off to the side.” I watch her eyes squint as she tries to see it. “Check again.” I encourage her as she bends over again. I adjusted the scope slipping in a special cover over the lens. I hear her gasp and know she’s read the message on it.
I love you.
“David.” Her eyes tear up and I’m pulling her into my arms.
“I love you, Kiara. No matter what.” I hauled her up in my arms and kissed her soundly on the field made of dreams. I had no idea I’d play countless hours on this turf, winning, losing, and learning about life. Nothing could have prepared me for meeting this woman and falling hard for her in a matter of weeks.
Our lips parted briefly and she rested her head against my chest squeezing me tight. I tipped her chin up and she gazed into my eyes like I hung the fucking moon just for her.
“I love you, David Easton.” Her lips trembled and paused, so why did I feel but coming crashing down like Armageddon?
28
Kiara
“David, I have to tell you something.” The words that no one wants to hear and the words I want to say even less a second time around. One boy left me shortly after hearing me say I had cancer. I was terrified David might leave me after hearing I needed to go in and have more blood work done, more tests, more biopsies. Cancer was a terrifying prospect, but I’d beaten it once. I would do it again if need be.
“You’re scaring me, sweetheart. What is it? Tell me.” He cupped my face and kissed my nose, cheek, lips, anywhere he could reach. Comets were forgotten.
“I have to go in for a round of tests. My last set of labs were inconclusive and I’d honestly been ignoring everything to get my girls across the finish line.”
David backed up a second.
“Are you telling me you put your health at risk for a trophy?”
“It was Sectionals, and then Regionals. These girls are amazing and they deserve it. I want them to have what I didn’t.” His look of complete shock and disappointment was breaking me.
“When are the tests happening them?” He asked. There was a tightness in his face and an edge to his words.
“I haven’t scheduled them yet. I wanted to wait until we got back from Albany. It’s only two weeks.”
“No. It’s not.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe he was going to argue with me.
“I want you to schedule them for as soon as possible.” He demanded and I bristled at feeling like he suddenly had a right to order me to do anything.
“No.”