Page 38 of Fallynn West

Taking her hand, I kissed her palm and placed it back on my face. “Just be here.”

“There’s no place I’d rather be.”

And I believed her.

I laid my head on Colony’s shoulder and closed my eyes. Life had just become far more complicated than I ever thought it would be. All I could do was pray about it and hope God would give me guidance, because if I followed my own path, nothing would end well. I had too much to lose, so I’d take it a day at a time.

Demetria would hear from me whenever I received confirmation on what to do. Until then, she could continue the self-work she said she’d been doing, because she damn sure needed it.

It was her.

The woman I’d seen at the outlet that day was Demetria. She’d looked familiar to me because Kehlani heavily favored her. There were a few traces of Keondra in that pretty little face of hers, but other than that, she was her mother.

A week had passed since she unexpectedly showed up, and it was deeply affecting Keondra. He was doing his best to navigate through his emotions, but I could tell it was taking a toll on him. Whenever we were together, he wasn’t as present. He’d get a far-off look in his eyes, and if I was telling him something, I’d have to repeat myself. The only time he seemed normal was when we were with Kehlani. He put on a strong face for her, and I admired that.

Praying for him and being there as he asked were the only things I could do. The mental and emotional distance was bothering me. I wasn’t quite sure what to do because I wanted to offer advice, but I also didn’t want to overstep. The decision was up to him. He would always make the best decision for Kehlani.

Even though Keondra had been down, he offered to come with me to visit my parents. I wanted to check in and make sure they were okay. The last time I’d seen them was after Daddy’s surgery, but I talked to them often throughout the week.

“The roles have reversed, huh?” I half-joked when Keondra rubbed his hands over his shorts when we pulled into my parents’ driveway. Like I expected, the garage was open, and my father was working on one of his cars. When he saw us, he wiped his hands on his towel and waved for us to get out.

“They have.” Keondra agreed, chuckling. He glanced at a sleeping Kehlani in the back seat, and I saw a wave of sadness flash over his eyes.

“Hey.” I rubbed his arm, trying to keep my mind from wandering to dirty thoughts. We had a quickie before we hit the road, and my nails dug into those thick arms of his. Shaking off my thoughts, I went to say something, but Keondra winked at me.

“Better get your mind right before we go talk to your father. I know what you’re thinking.”

I smacked my lips and waved him off. “Oh, whatever. You ready? We better get out before he comes over here.”

“Let’s go.”

Even though I’d driven, I waited for Keondra to get Kehlani out the back seat before he came over to open my door for me. Hand in hand, we walked up to my father. When we were only a few feet away, I couldn’t stop myself from dropping Keondra’s hand and crashing into Daddy’s arms.

“Hey, old man.”

Daddy kissed my temple and squeezed me tighter. “Hey, baby. I needed this hug.”

“Me too.” I stepped back with his hands in mine and studied him. “You’re looking good. You’ve lost some weight, huh?”

“Because of that damn mama of yours. She only lets me eat the good stuff twice a week. I’m so tired of her shoving healthy food down my throat, but I won’t say anything. I know it’s all out of love, and I don’t want anyone else loving me.”

“See, exactly. It’s also benefitting you, so there’s no need to complain.” Glancing over my shoulder, I reached my hand back for Keondra, and he stepped up. “Daddy, this is my boyfriend, Keondra, and his daughter, Kehlani. Babe, this is my father, Martin Miles.”

Keondra and Daddy shook hands before Daddy walked around to peer at a sleeping Kehlani. Smiling, he gently ran his hand over her hair like he used to do me and Serenity when we were younger. Immediately, I could see the love forming in his eyes. It was a love I knew all too well. A love I could never live without.

“She’s beautiful, Keondra,” Daddy complimented.

“Thank you. Don’t let the cute face fool you. She’s a handful.”

I jokingly gasped. “No, she’s not. Don’t do my girl like that because she’s asleep.”

Daddy patted Keondra’s shoulder. “I raised two girls, so I’m on your side.”

They shared a laugh and started up their own conversation. It was too hot for Kehlani to be sleeping on her father’s shoulder, so I took her from him and headed inside to find my mama. She was sitting in the living room, watching one of her shows while knitting.

“Hey, Colony. Oh! Is that Kehlani?”

I nodded. “Yes, with her little heavy self.”