Page 47 of Cloudless

RIGHT THING

KAM

There’s glitter on me. I can practically see it floating in the air as I settle in my seat. I’m not sure I’ll ever be free from it again.

Shrill giggles and fake personalities assault me from all sides as I realize I really don’t belong here. There’s only one person who could convince me to sit in this waiting room, and there’s five minutes until her class is over and I can get the hell out of this place.

Classical music drifts through the air as little girls in ballerina outfits swarm the room like bees would their hive.

Jasper’s leg brushes mine as he tries to avoid the snotty toddler in the seat next to him. Maybe if her mom wasn’t glued to her phone, the poor kid wouldn’t have snot stains all over her shirt.

Loud chewing draws my attention to the blonde coming to a stop in front of me.

Her eyes roam over my body as a massive, pink bubble blocks half her face, only to pop all over her lips.

Her hand lands on her hip as she pushes her chest toward me.

My eyes never stray from her face, even though her low cut top is directly in my eyeline.

“Hi, there! Can I help you? I’m pretty sure I would have remembered seeing your face around here. ”

I have to fight to keep a neutral expression on my face since she apparently never learned to chew with her mouth closed. “No thanks. We’re all good here.”

She inches toward me until the tip of her shoe touches the tip of my sneakers. A predatory gleam shines in her eyes as she extends a hand for a handshake I have no intention of giving. “Well, I’m Molly. Are you here for something specific? I’d love to show you around the studio.”

I clear my throat to disguise the movement of me tucking my feet under the seat where they’ll be safe. Her hand stays suspended in the air as I use Jasper as my scapegoat. “That’s alright. We’re just waiting for Posey to get out of class. Isn’t that right, Tank?”

He nods his head. “Yep! She’ll be done soon. Then we’re going to our birthday party!”

Molly shuffles even closer to me without a single mention of Jasper’s birthday.

What kind of monster do you have to be to not even wish a kid a happy birthday?

“So you’re the reason Lila hasn’t needed me to watch Jasper while Posey’s been in class?

” Her aggravation at losing an easy twenty-bucks slips from her eyes as she says, “Are you Lila’s brother or something? ”

“Kam!” Posey pushes right past Molly to launch herself into my arms.

My laugh breaks free as Molly’s face turns a satisfying shade of red. “Happy birthday, Rosie Posey!”

“And who do we have here?” A tall, wiry woman in her mid-twenties stops just behind Molly. Her auburn hair is pulled back in a severe bun that rests at the nape of her neck.

Taking advantage of the space between us, I stand from my seat. Their eyes widen to a comical level as they take in my full height. I can barely hide the smile from my face as they try to hide their interest. My eyes turn to Molly. “Thank you for the offer of a tour, but we’ve got to get going.”

The wiry woman steps around Molly with an outstretched hand that I intend to avoid like the plague. “Wait just a second. You can’t just take one of my students without me knowing who you are.”

I raise my brows. “My name is Kam Stryker. Lila added me to Posey’s checkout list a few weeks ago.”

Posey’s fingers dig into the hem of my sweatshirt. “Kam is our friend, Miss Emma.”

Normally, I would be all for her making sure Posey was leaving with the right person, but the look in Emma’s eyes betrays her true intentions. My seat groans under my weight as I sit back down. “We don’t mind waiting while you check your records.”

Emma’s eyes never leave mine as she waves over her shoulder at Molly. “Go check the records, Molly. I’ll keep Kam company while he waits.”

I take Posey’s dance bag from where she dropped it by her feet and place it in the empty seat next to me. Her nose scrunches as she follows my movements. I keep a friendly smile on my face. “I’m sure the process would be quicker if you helped Molly look through your records.”

My eye twitches as she waves away my concern. “It’s alright. She’s capable of looking through the files herself.” A flirty smile pulls at her lips that makes my dick shrivel in my pants. “So, Kam, you play for Summit University, right?”

I nod my head as I cross my arms. “That’s right.”

“Well, I hardly ever miss a game. Maybe we could catch dinner after your next one? I know this great place?—”

My voice is as sharp as my eyes as I cut her off. “No, thank you. I prefer celebrating a win with my girlfriend.”

Posey and Jasper’s voices overlap as they both say, “And with us, too!”

A smile pulls at my lips as I look down at them. “Of course!”

Her brows crease as she opens her mouth for a reply that I’m sure to hate as Molly appears over her shoulder with a file folder. My muscles don’t relax despite the relief that flows through me with her appearance.

“What is your date of birth and phone number, Kam?” Molly’s eyes move over the paper as I rattle off the answers to her questions. With a sigh, she says, “That matches your information on file. You’re free to take Posey with you.”

“If you’ll excuse us, we have a birthday party to get to.” I would normally say it was nice meeting someone after our first introductions, but in this case, I would be lying.

Posey’s dance bag is light on my shoulder compared to the weight of that conversation as we leave the dance studio.

I’m thankful for the cool air that helps cool my aggravation with every step we take away from the building.

The twins don’t utter a word as we file into my Tahoe. Jasper’s sharp eyes connect with mine in the rearview mirror. “I don’t think I like Molly and Miss Emma anymore, Kam.”

My smirk blooms as I back out of the parking spot. “That’s alright, Tank. I don’t like them, either.”

He tilts his head, and I can practically see the gears turning in his head. “My teacher at school says it’s not nice to say you don’t like someone.”

Well, shit.

My mind screams, abort! I’m not prepared for this! This is adult stuff and I’m not ready to be the adult in the room.

It’s not like I have a good example to look back on for things like this. My mom and dad let us figure out everything for ourselves. That resulted in me never feeling like I knew how to handle situations on my own.

What would Lila say?

Then it clicks. “Well, did I say anything mean to Miss Emma and Molly?”

He straightens in his seat. “No.”

My voice rings with certainty I’m not sure I feel. “Well, that means I was still being nice, right?”

A smile takes over his face that is nearly blinding in the rearview mirror. “Right!”

I relax into my seat, feeling like I just won the lottery. I replay my words over in my head, just hoping I’ve said the right thing as another thought pops into my head. “But you can always tell me or Lila when you don’t like someone, okay?”

A surprising flash of hope enters his eyes. “I can?”

His blue eyes search mine in the mirror as we approach their house. “Of course you can, Tank.”

He nods as his eyes move to look out the window. His shoulders deflate and a calmness takes over his face.

Please let that be the right thing to say.