“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she quipped, feeling a trickle of sweat slide down the middle of her back.
She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the lips, then led him towards the frosted glass doors. As Lana raised her hand to knock on the door, it swung open, and her father stood in the frame, a smile on his face.
“Well, it took you long enough,” Rupert greeted, as he stepped to the side and allowed them in.
Kayden stopped in front of him and held his hand out to Rupert. Lana froze, not sure what her father would do. Then he took Kayden’s hand and shook.
“Thank you for inviting me to your home, Mr. McKenzie,” Kayden said as he stepped into the house.
He scanned the small home and could tell they took pride in the way they presented it. A lovely smell wafted from the kitchen, right off the dining room. Pots and pans banged about and reminded him of the busy diner back home. Rupert made his way towards the Florida room in the rear and waved Kayden over to follow him as Lana reluctantly went into the kitchen. As he passed by, Kayden stuck his head in quickly to greet Veronica.
“Mrs. McKenzie, it’s nice to meet you under different circumstances, finally.”
He held his hand out to her, and she took it, smiling.
“Yes, I have to say I very much agree,” she responded sincerely.
“Come on back here, young man, let’s have a chat,” Rupert called out from the den, causing Lana to roll her eyes.
She shot her mother a nervous look, and Kayden smiled sheepishly, ready for the grilling that should have happened months ago. He turned on his heel and walked into the room where Rupert sat with a drink that looked to be vodka and cranberry. He was leaning back in a recliner next to a wall ofwindows and a huge flat screen TV, playing an action movie Kayden couldn’t place.
“Yeah, come in, have a seat, would you like a drink?” Rupert asked.
“No, thank you. At least not alcohol, I’m still taking medication for my hand,” Kayden stated, nervously as he sat next to the man who fathered the love of his life.
In the kitchen, Lana helped her mother retrieve the macaroni and cheese from the oven, then placed the pan on top of the stove. She turned to Veronica, who was stirring a pot of her delicious chicken meal.
“Mom, please tell me he’s not going to badger him about Kim all night?” Lana asked.
“No, I think he just wants to get to know him,” Veronica replied, putting the lid on the pot, turning to her daughter. “He has to be special if, after all you went through, you still want to be with him.”
Veronica returned to her duty on the stove and made herself busy with her peas and rice.
“All I want you guys to do is give him a chance—a real one. I love him, that’s not going to change,” Lana picked the China up off the counter and escorted them into the dining room, which was right in front of the open Florida room.
As she came into view, Kayden and Rupert were flipping television channels, talking amongst themselves about different cable providers and how bad they were. Lana knew Kayden was in trouble because that’s how her dad started every conversation. His tactic included distracting you with idle talk, then catching you off guard with a random question. Before she set the first plate on the table, she heard her father say, “So, what’s up with that crazy ex-girlfriend of yours?”
Lana sighed, her shoulders slumped forward, and she fled back into the kitchen with her mother.
“Well, she and I dated back in college for a little while and a little afterward. It was after my accident when I was in the hospital that we finally broke up.”
Kayden took a breath as Rupert watched him intently, swirling his cranberry drink around in the short glass tumbler. He continued.
“My mother thought it would be a good idea for us to reconcile, and when that didn’t work, Kim basically lost her mind,” Kayden blurted out the words so fast that he was unsure Rupert had heard everything.
“Yeah, son, she tried to kill you and my baby girl with you. She is very unstable, and to be honest, I’m not so sure that she’s going to leave you and my daughter alone. What happens when she gets done with this house arrest?”
Kayden sighed, understanding the concern. It was a real one any parent would harbor. He could only hope that he could convince Rupert that he had his daughter’s best interest at heart somehow.
“When she gets out of her house arrest, she will be escorted back to New York with a full five-year restraining order for both of us, our properties, and associates, Mr. McKenzie. There is nothing more important to me than making sure that Lana is one hundred percent safe at all times. And I will do anything and everything to make sure that happens.”
Rupert took a swig of his drink, never removing his eyes from Kayden’s the entire time. He believed that he loved his daughter and would protect her. It wasn’t just the words but the look in his eyes. A man afraid of losing someone they loved all had the same look, and he knew it personally. Rupert took a breath before finally speaking.
“Okay, son. I’m going to take your word for it. But if anything happens to her, you’re gonna have to deal with me,” Rupert’seyes narrowed to make sure that Kayden understood the threat and the promise was a real one.
Kayden picked up on it immediately. It was the same one he gave Sam the night before. Veronica carried the main dish over to the dining table as Lana got the place settings ready.
