cleared her throat again. “You won’t let me get you home?”
“No,” he said, knowing he was being stubborn, but still determined to sort out his own messes.
“Fine. Can you get here on your own?”
“Yeah,” he told her, thinking of one of the only people he’d trust to help him out of this mess. He hated to ask, but he needed to man up. “Yeah, I can get there.”
“Good,” Gia said, her tone relaxed. “When?”
“I’ll leave tonight.”
Kai watched the ocean slap against the surf outside his window and closed his eyes, wondering if there was a place in New Orleans that would ever give him the same kind of peace that Oahu did.
“Then I’ll see you in the morning.” He was about to hang up when he heard Gia call his name. “You get three strikes with me. Don’t use up anymore.”
“G…” she exhaled and Kai amended his words. “Miss Jilani, I’ll get myself together.”
“Good,” she told him. “I’m a good friend to have if you don’t piss me off.”
“What…happens if I do?”
She laughed, but the humor didn’t sound amused. “Take my advice, Mr. Pukui and never risk finding out.”
3.
KAI
THE SEA, sand, and ocean breeze seemed to be written into Kai’s DNA. When he was home, something about all three came over him, wrapped around him like an embrace. That place, Oahu, had been where he’d settled, where he and Nalani had found the roots that sprouted wings.
Kai hated leaving.
But on the lush green field, in a city that had a spirit he felt the second he stepped onto her streets, Kai realized those roots could be replanted. He liked to think how he felt about New Orleans had a lot to do with his teammates—those brothers who lifted him up, who laughed with him like no others ever had before. They didn’t want a thing from him but for Kai to do the same hard work they’d committed to. And, for him to play wingman when and if he was needed. But, he rarely was. They were good men. They were solid, but they were also opportunistic.
Like that asshole Anthony Pérez, who seemed incapable of not thinking with his dick. Like he was when Kai stepped out of the stadium building and onto the field to find the tight end leaning against the railings as he watched their new placekicker, Reese Noble, run drills with Coach Ricks.
“Don’t even think about it, buggah,” he told the man, flicking Pérez’s ear when he came up behind him.
“Coño, you bastard. You’re back.” His friend greeted him, grabbing Kai’s hand for a half shake, half hug that Kai happily accepted.
Kai nodded toward the field, watching Noble move through a line of balls, with Wilkens trailing behind her. She was faster than the punter and her kicks were more solid. “Hell of a leg on her.”
“And a perfect fucking ass.”
“You say that about Baker too?” Kai heard, turning to see Kenya Wilson approach. The look he gave Pérez cut deep, the muscles fierce and Kai knew why. Of all of them, Wilson hated when players were shit starters. Having a woman on their team meant they’d catch shit from every other asshole in the league who wanted to mess with all of them. Wilson could see a disaster before it came.
Pérez flirting with Noble would be a Titanic-sized disaster.
“Calm your balls, pendejo. I’m only looking, si?”
“That’s the problem,” Wilson continued, greeting Kai with a slap of his hand to Kai’s. “You looking at females tend to get their attention.” The three men stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their focus out on that field, watching as Ricks talked to Noble. “And she might be a baller as kicker, but she’s still a woman.”
“You mean she’ll be unable to resist me?” Pérez’s laugh was loud, obnoxious. Kai had missed hearing it.
“I’m saying, motherfucker, lay off and let her do her job.”
“Dang, she’s hot…” another voice said, and all three men turned. Kai grinned at Miles Baker, giving the offensive lineman a fist bump before the man stood at his side.
“Here goes another one,” Wilson complained. “The hell is wrong with y’all?”
“I’m just appreciating,” Baker said, forgetting Noble for a second to move his chin at Kai. “You have a good visit with your girl?
“I did. She’s getting big.”
“They do that,” Wilson offered, moving his head up to get Noble’s attention when she turned toward them. “One minute they can’t keep their heads up to feed themselves. The next you’re chasing some little fucker out of your sister’s house with a