“Sir, have you seen Kara?”
His eyes widened as he ran his hand over his brown and blond hair. “No, she’s not. Who did you get into a fight with? I’ll grab an ice pack.”
“I’m fine, Mr. Riley. Eric and the other guys who have a thing for Kara approached me at the bar.” I swiped my hat off my head.
“I was in my first bar brawl.” My first in the U.S. The other happened in Dublin, Ireland.
“Have a seat.”
I sat on the sofa across from him. He sat on the arm of the chair, wearing flannel pjs.
“Kara was upset. Said a few choice words and left the bar without a coat or a phone. Her truck is still in the bar parking lot.”
“Kara, knows not to stand out in the elements too long without outerwear.
Her house is too far.” He rubbed his brow.
“She’s somewhere warm near the bar.”
“I checked the diner. She wasn’t there.”
“I’ll change. I think I know where she is.”
“Ok.”
Twenty minutes later, he unlocked the front door of his shop. He flipped on a low beam light. “Follow me,” he whispered.
We strolled down a long hall into an office.
He grabbed his heart. “There’s my baby.”
I exhaled. “Thank God,” I stated, in a low voice.
My beautiful Kara was in a deep slumber, almost buried under her blanket, only her closed eyes poked out.
He patted my shoulder and motioned for me to follow as he closed the office door.
“She must’ve had her keys on her. Kara’s a smart woman.”
“You truly raised her well, Mr. Riley.”
“Have a seat, Collin. Would you like a bottle of water or coffee?”
“Coffee would be great.”
He tinkered with the thermostat. “There. Not sure why she didn’t turn on the heat.” He shook his head.
“Kara said you had something to tell me.”
I removed my coat, then leaned forward. “Yes. I’ve asked Kara to move to L.A. with me. She doesn’t believe I want to be with her long term. I overheard her tell Michelle and Chrissy earlier, she’d only be in L.A. for two weeks. She thinks I’ll change my mind and break up with her. And I suppose she’s trying to save face by telling her friends she’s going on vacation.”
He poured the freshly brewed coffee into a brown mug.
“Kara’s trying to protect her heart. She told me you asked her to move to L.A., but it would be more like a two-week vacation.”
I chuckled, but my heart hurt. It hurt because Kara didn’t believe in us. When we first met, she mentioned all the bachelors flirted with her on their vacation. I wasn’t any of those men. I was her man.
Frank placed the mug in my hand.
“Your daughter isn’t going on vacation, sir. It’s permanent.”
He clutched his mug and sat beside me. “You’ve fallen for her hard, son. I can see it in your eyes you’re in love with her. It worries me how people will react to you and my daughter being together. Will your family accept her? The only reason she didn’t experience that much racism here is because I shut it down. No one will treat my daughter with disrespect. I told her if she doesn’t feel safe in California to call me,” he scowled.
“I understand your concern. Honestly, I don’t care who doesn’t accept us. She’s an extension of me now. We’ve only known each other for two weeks, but it feels like years. They’ve been the best two weeks of my life. One day, I hope to come back here and ask you for her hand in marriage. I know we’re doing things backwards. There’s no way I can be away from her. A long-distance relationship wouldn’t work. She’s concerned I’d fall back to my old ways. I don’t want any doubt in her mind. Kara can visit you anytime she wants. All she has to do is call the pilot. The jet will be fueled up and ready to go.”
He laughed. “You have your own jet? That’s why you didn’t flinch when I mentioned you wrecking my truck.”
“Yeah,” I smiled.
“Son, maybe you should take a page from her book. Take it slow. If your relationship is running smoothly, then give it another two weeks.” He circled his hand.
“You know what I mean?”
Kara was going on a forever vacation with me in California. That was final. “I do. This works two ways. If you’d like a little vacay and want to visit, let Kara know and we’ll send the jet for you.”
He gripped my shoulder. “Thanks.”
I sipped the scalding hot