Fates' Destiny (16 page)

“Oh,” Her tone softened as if she was bothered by his homecoming. “That’s good. The kids will be excited.”

“I’m not mad at you.” He just blurted it out.

“You’re not?” She
asked, her voice so small.

“No.
” He assured her. “I just have a lot on my mind.”

She was silent
for a second and then she asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

He couldn’t stop the smile that took form. His heart swelled at the fact that she was concerned about what was on his mind.

“Maybe tomorrow after I get home. For now, I just want you to know that I’m very happy your there and that you’ll be there when I get back.”

“Thank you.”

He could hear her smile in her words and it made him feel so good to know that he was the one that caused it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Ok?” He asked for his own assurance.

“Of course.” She laughed. “I’ll be here.”

He told her goodnight but didn’t lower his phone until she hung up. When he heard her laugh he knew she was still there.

“Are you going to hang up?” She asked him.

“Not until you do.” He replied playfully.

“Well, I’m not hanging up till you do.” She countered.

“Ok,” He laughed, enjoying the hell out of this little game. “I’ll count to three and we can hang up at the same time.”

She agreed and he started to count.

“1…2…3…”

He didn’t lower his phone and when she laughed again he knew she hadn’t either.

“This will go on all night.” She told him and to be honest, he wanted it to.

“Ok. I’m hanging up now but know that it is not because I want to but because you need to get some rest. I’m sure you’re still sore.”

“A little.
But I’ll live. And your reason is noted.”

“Alright.
Goodnight Destiny.”

“Goodnight Adam.”

This time he lowered his phone and disconnected the call.

“That has to be the cheesiest conversation I’ve ever heard you have.” Luke chuckled from his side.

Adam wanted to tell him to go to hell but at the moment he felt too good to ruin it. Instead he turned to his brother and said,

“I know.”

~
              ~              ~

Destiny smiled as she lowered her phone and sat it on the coffee table. He’s not mad at her. That’s a relief.

She let out a sigh of contentment as she stretched back out on the couch and returned to her book.

Now she couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

The atmosphere in the Fates’ home was chipper. The children had begged Destiny to let them stay home from school and after
about an hour of it she caved on the condition that they would help her and Dela straighten up the house. Hopefully Adam would understand.

It was about 9 when Kenna showed up at the house to wait for Luke. She’d taken the day off just for their homecoming and Destiny didn’t think she’d ever seen her so excited.

After the house was clean everyone gathered in the living room. Time ticked by so slowly. What seemed like a half hour had only been 5 minutes. This sitting around and waiting was getting tedious and Destiny couldn’t take it anymore. They had to do something, anything, to pass the time away faster. Almost instantly an idea popped in her head.

“Hey guys.” She gained the attention of everyone in the living room. “Why don’t we go for a swim?”
She’d to yet try the pool.

“S
weet.” Jason agreed and jumped up off the loveseat.

“Yea!
Swimming!” Anna cheered from her place at the coffee table.

Ali agreed with a nod, her eyes on her phone.

“Swimming?” Kenna asked. “Where?”

“There’s a pool in the basement.”
Destiny explained.

“You’re
shitting me?” Kenna asked wide eyed and Destiny shook her head.

“Come on.” She r
ose up off the sofa. “You can borrow one of my suits.”

Soon everyone ran to their rooms to change.

~
              ~              ~

Adam rushed through the front door, his excitement uncontainable. He was a little disappointed she wasn’t in the living room.

“Hello!
Destiny!” He yelled as he made his way to the kitchen.

She wasn’t in there either
. He turned and headed for the stairs.

“Where are they?” Luke asked as he followed him up the stairs.

“Her room.”

The door was open so he should’ve at least heard them talking.
When he looked in, no one.
Huh? Where could they be?

They
checked each bedroom, bathroom, and even the balconies. Then they went back downstairs and checked the backyard.

When they didn’t see anyone they exchanged a glance of confusion.

“Destiny’s car is in the drive. As is Kenna’s.” Luke pointed out the obvious.

“I can’t find
Dela either.” Richard walked into the kitchen from the living room. “She’s not home.”

Adam racked his brain for where they could be and then it dawned on him.

“Pool.” He told the two guys as he passed them and headed for the door that led to his office and the pool.

As he descended the stairs he could hear laughter coming from the
other side of the door at the end of the stairs.
Found em’.
He thought excitedly.

He opened the door
and was a little surprised to see Jason taking a dive off the diving board, Ali relaxing on an inflatable chair without her phone, and Anna being held atop the water by Destiny kicking her little legs and paddling her arms.

Dela
and another woman who could’ve only been Kenna sat on the edge of the pool with their legs dangling in the water.

“Daddy!”
Anna alerted them to his presence.

Destiny helped her to the edge of the pool and then lifted her out. She darted for him. He’d barely gotten to one knee before she slammed into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, her wet body soaking the front of his white t-shirt.

“Hey Sweetheart.” He held her tight. “Did you miss me?”

“Yep.”
She pulled back. “Did you bring me a present?”

“I sure did and I’ll give it to you in a little while.”

After Adam hugged his other two children he turned his attention to the woman who had her arms folded on the concrete wall, watching him with a smile.

“Hey. What’s going on here?”

She straightened as he squatted in front of her. “I let the kids stay home today after they begged me for like an hour. I figured you’d be ok with it. We got bored and decided to have a little pool party.”

“I
wanna join in.”

Destiny and Adam both turned to see Luke standing in front of Kenna and looking a
t them.

“I got a suit in the changing room.” He told Destiny and Adam then turned to Kenna. “Be right back.”

Destiny laughed softly when she saw Kenna’s eyes widen after Luke gave her a soft peck on the lips and darted to the other end of the massive room.

“Oh Adam, that’s
Kenna.” She pointed at her friend. “Kenna, this is Adam.”

He rose up and offered his hand. “It’s nice to meet you Kenna. I’ve heard a lot about you and not from Destiny.”

Kenna’s cheeks pinked as she giggled. “I’ve heard a lot about you too Adam and not from Luke.”

“No you haven’t!” Destiny slammed her hand into the water splashing not only Kenna’s legs but Adam’s too.

“She’s so mean.” Adam joked and Kenna laughed. “Oh you have no idea.” And then she walked back to her place next to Dela to wait on Luke.

“I like her.” Adam said as he lowered back in front of her.

“I do too…” She frowned in mock anger in her friend’s direction. “Most of the time.” Then her smile and attention to him returned. “So, how was your flight?”

“Long.” He sighed. “I hate flying.”

“Me too.” Destiny told him.

“Why don’t you change and join us?” She asked him.

He looked out over the pool to the kids who were playing just behind Destiny. Ali held Anna atop the water as Jason showed her how to move her arms to swim.

“I really shouldn’t.” He hated to say it. “I have a few things I need to do in my office.”

“Awe, come on Dad.” Jason urged. “You just got back. It can wait.”

He just wasn’t sure. He’d been gone for three days and really need to make sure everything at the office was running smoothly.

He was just about to tell them that when all of a sudden Destiny made a quick jump to the side and he felt a hard shove from behind. He tried and failed to catch himself and the next thing he knew he was coming up from under the water.

“You can hang out with your kids for a little while.” Luke informed him, standing in the spot he once occupied, grinning.

Laughter echoed all through the room but Adam didn’t find this funny at all.

“Luke! You asshole! I had my damn cell phone in my pocket.”

He dug his phone out of the pocket of his dark cargo pants and sighed as the water drained out of it. There was no way it would work after this no matter what he did.

“Oh calm down.” Luke rolled his eyes. “If someone needs you they’ll call me. You can buy a new one tomorrow.” Then he took a few steps back, yelled “Cannon Ball!” and jumped right next to Adam.

~
              ~              ~

Destiny knew he wasn’t mad at his brother anymore when Luke came up from his cannon ball and Adam pounced on him. She really didn’t care if he was mad or not. The look on his face when Luke shoved him into the pool was hilarious.

He dunked his
brother and when Luke came back up he tried to take Adam down. Luke was clearly out matched considering Adam had him by a few inches in both height and width.

After the two calmed down Luke swam to the edge where Kenna sat, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her into the pool. Destiny wasn’t too sure about the relationship brewing between the two before but now when she seen the way Luke looked at her she knew that what they had he was taking seriously.

“Daddy.”

Anna pulled Destiny’s attention back to Adam.

“Destiny’s been teaching me to swim. I want to swim to you.”

“Ok Baby. Just give me a second.”

He reached behind him and the moment he pulled his shirt over his head Destiny lost her breath. Flawless, sun kissed skin stretched over perfectly sculpted muscles. Her mouth went dry as she watched him squat down and slip his shoes and socks off one by one and throw them out of the pool. He was perfection, a masterpiece, and in that moment she yearned to run her fingers over every inch of him.

“Destiny?”
Anna’s soft voice pulled her from her gaze. She glanced down to see her standing in front of her. “You ready?”

Destiny took a secon
d to compose herself and then nodded. “Yes Anna. I’m ready.” She lifted the little girl to rest on her outstretched arms. “Now, remember what I told you. Slow and steady. Don’t panic. I’m right here.”

“Ok.” She didn’t look the least bit frightened.

Adam was on his knees a few feet away from them.

“Ok Sweetheart.” He held his arms out. “Swim to me.”

Anna started paddling and as soon as Destiny was sure she had it she lowered her arms from under her. Anna continued to her dad, water splashing everywhere, and when she was close enough he enclosed his arms around her and pulled her to him.

“I did it!” She cheered.

“You sure did Baby.” He praised her. “I’m so proud.”

Applause filled the room as everyone clapped for Anna.

“Uncle Luke.” She turned to her uncle who was next to Kenna. “I wanna swim to you.”

“Ok Midget.”

He held out his hands as she swam away from her dad.

Destiny sat down on the top step, her bottom half submerged, and watched as everyone enjoyed their time together.

The kids splashed and played. Kenna and Luke talked and every once in a while she would see Kenna laugh and playfully swat water at him. Dela and Richard sat next to each other watching everyone and laughing when Ali and Jason attacked them with a continuous assault of splashes.

“Isolating
yourself Destiny?” Adam asked as he lowered next to her.

“No.” She smiled at him
. “Just watching everyone have fun.” Then she turned back to the others.

He
propped his elbows on his knees and laced his fingers together in front of him.

“It is nice isn’t it?” He asked as he watched everyone. “I haven’t seen my kids have this much fun in a long time.
Thank you.”

She glanced over at him and locked his mesmerizing dark eyes.

“I didn’t do anything.” She felt her cheeks flush.

“Oh you have no idea what you’ve done Destiny.”

She stared at him for a moment trying to figure out what he meant by that but his eyes gave nothing away.

“Come here.” He said as he pushed off the steps and stood in front of her.

“What?” Her brow drew together.

He held out his hand to her with the sweetest smile she’d ever seen. “I want to show you something.”

Ok.
Curiosity pushed her to take his hand. Well, that and the fact that she just wanted to touch him… Any part of him.

He led her to the middle of the shallow end and turned her to face the deep end.

“Ok, stand right here.” He said from behind her, with his hands on her shoulders.

“Why?” What in the world was he doing?

“You’ll see.” He said gently. “Just don’t move.”

His hands slid
off her shoulders and softly down her arms. Her eyes almost closed at the miraculous sensation his touch sent through her.

T
hen before she could take a breath she felt his hands grab her just above her knees and she was hoisted into the air.

She barely got his name out before she landed in the deep in and went under. When she came back up laughter was echoing through the massive room.

Once she cleared the water from her face she turned to see him standing in the shallow end, the water barely reaching the waist of his shorts.

“Oh, you’re a jerk.”

She swam to him and swatted the water at him. He laughed and splashed her back. Before she knew it they were in a full fledge water war.

“Ok, ok.” She submitted once the assault had become blinding and exhausting.
“Stop!”

He did as commanded and stepped to her.

“Awe, I’m sorry.”

He surprised her when he wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders and held her against his bare chest. For a moment she’d stopped breathing altogether but then she relaxed against him, resting her head on his thick chest.

Had she ever felt something so incredible in her life? She asked herself as she wrapped her arms around his waist, closed her eyes, and reveled in the beautiful feeling warming her heart. No, she hadn’t. She was almost certain of it.

As he held her the world melted away. Nothing else existed. Not the pool, not the kids, not hi
s brother and Kenna, not Dela and Richard. Nothing. Just him and her.