A Fortunate Accident – Chapter 18

Thanks to India, I’m given a day off between plants to rest and let my system reset. At some point, Kalvin rolls over, kisses my bare shoulder, and leaves before the sun is up. I roll over and go back to sleep. I’m tired after a night of sex, and talking, and after days of being on the go. I dream of the desert, long stretches of sand as far as I can see. Kalvin is with me, and my heart hurts to see him so unwell. I wake up mumbling something and stare at the ceiling. I think I care more for him than I initially thought.

Once I’m up, I use the tiny shower, clean up, and take my sore and broken ass to the cafeteria for carbs and caffeine. Everything a growing girl needs.

But I open the door, and I’m met with all of my romantic decisions from the last week.

Saif, Kalvin, and Takemo are all having breakfast together at a table littered with plates, half-eaten food, and generous cups of coffee. They’re talking and laughing, getting along. What the hell alternate universe did I just walk into?

I almost turn around and leave. Carbs and coffee? Those are for the weak.

But no.

Don’t run, Skylar. Stop. Running.

I listen, but my feet itch with the desire to leave and avoid the awkwardness in front of me.

“Hey, look who it is,” Kalvin calls out. He jumps up from the table and approaches me. “Did you go back to sleep?” He swiftly leans in and kisses my forehead before I can stop him.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I got another two hours. Thanks. Where did you disappear to?”

“The gym,” he says with a smile. Yeah, his hair is wet. He must have showered there.

“Smart. Though I’m not sure where you found the energy for it,” I whisper. “I came for breakfast and coffee.”

“I can grab that for you.” He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “Me and the chef are already tight. He’s going to make hash browns tomorrow.”

I blink a few times. “You’ve been here a few days, and you’re already ordering around the staff?”

“Pshaw, Skylar. It was not an order. It was a mutual love of fried potatoes.”

In the background, Takemo and Saif rearrange the plates at the table and make room for me. I guess I can’t just leave.

“Well, who doesn’t love fried potatoes?” I say, trying to chase away my impending sense of doom. “Fine. Get me whatever looks good and a giant cup of coffee, okay?”

“We already have a carafe at the table.” He gently nudges me forward.

Saif stands up as I approach, and Takemo leans over to fill an empty coffee cup.

“Morning, Sky,” Saif says, pulling out a chair for me. “Sleep okay?”

“Yeah, fine, thanks.” I sit down and pull the coffee cup to me. I look around for the cream and sugar. Takemo finds both without me saying anything and puts them next to the cup. “Thanks,” I mutter, doctoring up my drink.

“It seems both of your men made it here,” Takemo says with a chuckle. “I was surprised to see Saif here this morning.”

“You weren’t around last night when he came in.” I take a sip of coffee. Oh, blessed coffee.

“Yeah, someone told me to bugger off so she could drink with India in peace.” He chuckles again. “I spent my evening, cold and alone, in bed with my quarterly reports.”

“I hate to tell you this, but there’s nothing even remotely cold about Rio.” I look up, and Kalvin is approaching with two plates. “I have not stopped sweating since we got here.”

“Correct. This place is the second circle of hell.”

“Isn’t that lust?” I ask, knowing full well the answer.

“Well, there’s plenty of stuff here to lust after,” Takemo replies, his eyes on me.

Saif nods as Kalvin sets the plates on the table. “Eggs, protein printed bacon, some kind of citrus fruit, and waffles. I got you a little of everything.” He sits down across from me.

I rearrange the plates so the waffles are front and center.

“So, I see you two made up,” Saif says with his eyes on Takemo.

“Yeah, I…” I’m not sure what to say about Takemo and me.

“I think we did.” Takemo sits back in his chair with his coffee. “I apologized for my asshole behavior, Skylar probably forgave me, and then we all ran for our lives from a stampeding pack of spiderphants. It was quite the illuminating day.”

I douse my waffles with melted butter and sugar syrup, say a quick thanks for the meal, and dig in with both fork and knife. Mmmm, the carbs hit my mouth, and my body melts with happiness.

“It was quite the terrifying day.” I hold my hand in front of my mouth while I chew. “I hope that never happens again.”

“I don’t know,” Takemo says. “It wasn’t too bad. I got a kiss out of the whole ordeal.”

I stop chewing for a moment and then resume. “I did kiss you. I must have been high.”

Kalvin chuckles and shakes his head. Saif looks away for a moment, but then his eyes meet mine.

“So, this is what it’s like,” he says, his tone matter-of-fact.

“What?” I fill my mouth with waffles again.

“Sharing someone you care about with someone else.” He nods at both Kalvin and Takemo. “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be.”

My heart hurts for Saif. He only had me to himself for a few weeks, if that. And then we ended those weeks on a negative note. Now, he is a part of an unofficial network, not a couple. Networks are always more complicated, especially in the beginning.

Takemo raises a hand. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m not a part of this network. I only got a kiss because she was in shock. She still hates me.”

I open my mouth to deny this when Takemo leans forward and grabs the citrus fruit off my plate.

“Speaking of hateful things, I have more quarterly reports I need to look at. Later.”

He saunters off, tossing the fruit in the air and catching it over and over.

“Do you want another one of those?” Saif asks, pushing back his chair.

“No. Don’t worry about it.”

But Takemo’s statement sits in my gut like one-hundred-year-old cheese. He thinks I hate him. I mean, I don’t really like him all that much because of everything he said about me. But I’ve forgiven people for worse over the years. It makes me a bit of a doormat, but I’m guilty of my own terrible temper, and I’ve said things in the heat of the moment that I have regretted. I try to give other people that grace too.

I went to war with Takemo, though. He thinks I hate him because I made his life miserable for a while. But we’ve been on good terms since we won the Bridge tournament. Still, that doesn’t erase everything that came before.

I thought he hated me, not the other way around.

Now I’m more confused than ever. I don’t know whether I’m coming or going with him. I should hate him for the part he had in my family’s demise, or the way he’s treated me, or his arrogant attitude, but I can clearly see why he made each decision he did.

Argh! Takemo. He’s so frustrating.

Forget it. This is something I’m going to worry about later. I have enough on my plate right now.

Speaking of which, I need to get back to eating. I look at both Kalvin and Saif, sitting quietly and drinking coffee.

“So, um, I’d like to have dinner with you both tonight. I’ve got stuff I have to do this afternoon. My inbox is a mess, and I have to fill out my reports for the plants we’ve already tested. Why don’t you grab us food and meet me back at my place this evening?”

“Sure,” Saif says.

“Sounds great.” Kalvin’s smile is sweet and satisfied. He’s still flying high on last night.

“Perfect. Now, why don’t you two go find something to do?” I shoo them away from the table. These two men need to figure out how they’ll be friends. I can’t have them at odds if they’re going to be in my network together.

“Sure,” Kalvin says, jerking his head at the door. “Come on, Saif. Let’s go hang out with Luca and his men. They play cards all day and swap jungle stories. I’ve been eavesdropping, and it sounds fascinating.”

Saif stands to join him, but I reach out and grab his hand. Smiling up at him, I squeeze his hand and let go.

The healing begins now.