“Kimba,” Mona calls from the other side of the yard, looking between us. “Can you come help me with that thing in the kitchen?”
“What thing?” I murmur for Kimba’s ears only.
“That thing that will put me somewhere other than standing beside you.”
“Hey.” I grasp her elbow and bend my head to whisper in her ear. “Don’t forget to stick around.”
“Ezra.”
“Just give me a chance, Tru.”
“A chance for what?” She looks up at me, her smooth face crinkled into a frown. “I don’t think—”
“Hear me out for old time’s sake? If our pact ever meant anything to you, give me a chance to explain.”
“That’s not fair.”
“I know, but this is just like chess. You are the most powerful piece on this board. All the power is in your hands.”
“I don’t feel like I have all the power.”
“How do you feel?”
“Honestly—” She breathes out a short laugh. “A little helpless.”
I know what she means. The pull between us is alive, is burning beneath my fingertips on her
skin. Even surrounded by friends and colleagues who know I’ve been with Aiko for a decade, who know I would never cheat on her, who don’t know we aren’t together anymore and would judge me…even knowing the necessity of discretion, I can barely keep my hands off Kimba.
“Can I tell you something and you believe me?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“I’ve never cheated on Aiko, and I never would.” I dip my head to catch her eyes with mine. “Please trust me.”
She searches my face for several heartbeats and then gives a slow nod. “Okay. I trust you.”
“Kimba!” Mona’s tone is just shy of strident. “Please.”
“I better go,” Kimba says, starting off. She pauses and looks at me over her shoulder. “I’ll wait around, but only for a few minutes, Ezra. I don’t…I can’t…”
She shakes her head and walks away.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kimba
“If this was Noah’s party at nine,” Mona says, “can you imagine this kid’s sweet sixteen?”
I laugh and scoop the last of the candy debris from Noah’s piñata out of the grass. “We’ll be that kid’s entourage by the time he’s sixteen.”
Mona glances around Ezra’s backyard and heaves a long sigh. “All done. Food’s put away. Place is clean. Everyone’s gone home. Ezra’s making sure four third-graders don’t kill each other and go to sleep.”
“Ezra’s lucky to have you.” I sit on the edge of the trampoline. “You’re like part of the family.”
Mona gives me a measured look before sitting beside me, the net enclosure at our backs. “Aiko, too. They’re all like family to me.”
“Well then, they’re all lucky to have you.”