Page 46 of Kobalt

I turned to find Frost walking in our direction. He wore a frustrated look of dismay on his face as he looked from her to me. “What do you want, Frost? I’m trying to teach this chile a lesson about a good man,” GiGi stated.

“What did Autumn and Winter tell you about behaving? They told you the next time you wouldn’t go out with them anywhere else. I told you that I can’t keep going to bat for you, GiGi. You gotta behave,” Frost explained.

“I am. You need to listen. I told you I’m trying to teach this child a lesson.”

“Come on, GiGi. You weren’t even supposed to be up here anyway. You’re supposed to be down the way in our area. That’s why they didn’t want you out here roaming. Talking about you just wanna see the sights, and you’re out here starting fights. They sent me to find you. My bad, Kobe,” he apologized, looping his arm through GiGi’s.

“It’s all good, man.”

“Is this the beautiful one?” he asked, bobbing his head at Kaimera.

“She’s the one. Kai, baby, this is Frost, Royal’s cousin, and Frost, this is my baby, Kaimera.”

“It’s nice to meet you, beautiful. Your man is crazy about you, and just know that you’ve got a legion of angels all around you.”

She beamed brightly and replied, “Thank you. It’s good to know that.”

GiGi stated, “I was trying to be an angel, but her hardheaded self didn’t wanna listen. Keep talking fly to me, though, she’s about to be an angel.”

Kai gave GiGi a mean side-eye in response, but she remained quiet.

Frost jerked his head toward his mother-in-law. “A’ight, GiGi. We’re about to head out. Kobe, you did good. Keep doing what you’re doing and keep her protected.”

“That’s all I know how to do, man,” I replied.

He dapped me up, and I laughed as the two of them walked out of the area we were in.

“Who was that?” Kaimera asked.

“GiGi. That was Frost’s grandmother-in-law. She’s quite a lady, but she can be a handful,” I admitted.

“She was about to get these hands,” she declared, lifting her fists.

I laughed. “Girl, come on. You know that you can’t fight. That’s why you got me.”

“Whatever. I know how to fight. You and Niagara are gonna quit underestimating me,” she argued.

After we finished the game, we headed back to the locker rooms to get the autographs of quarterback Palmer Jones, running back Kyree Anderson, and tight end Lovett Ames, before we headed home.

“Thank you, baby. You couldn’t have planned a better surprise for me; I enjoyed my day,” I pronounced as I steered onto my street.

“Seeing as how you paid for it . . .”

“Aht-aht. Don’t start that. You planned it, you paid for it, and you gifted me with it. I simply reimbursed you because I don’t want you to be out there spending that kind of money needlessly.”

“It wasn’t needlessly. If this is because you’re worried I can’t afford to pay my bills, then don’t. I’m fine on that front.”

“I’m sure you are. You were always good with math and money. If you’re ever in need of anything, I would hope that you felt comfortable enough to come and ask me for something.”

“I mean, I don’t know. Maybe I would be, and maybe I wouldn’t be. I’d have to cross that bridge when I came to it.”

“Can I feel comfortable coming to you for anything?”

“Yeah. What you need, baby? Twenty dollars? Fifty? A hundred?” she teased, smiling.

“No. I want to ask you to move in with me.”

She released a gasp and turned sideways in her seat. “Baby, don’t you think it’s too soon?”