51. Tyler

Jamie and Alex came to the house for a weekend bonding, throw some red meat on the grill and enjoying some beers with me at the outdoor kitchen. This is our first get together right after we lose our last game of the season.

"How's the life being a dad Segs?" Alex asks chugging his beer looking at me.

"Awesome." I replied.

I wanted Keya and Sky to come here and join us but she refused since the whole week Sky was staying at me while she's at work and by the time Keya comes back from work and pick Sky he is already asleep.

Keya have been so busy this week and been coming out of work late, she says that it's currently her midterms at graduate school, she's busy with her dissertation and at the same time she's busy making grades for her students. She's a really hardworking woman, and I totally admire her for that. But if I were to be followed, I will surely tell her to quit her job.

"By the way, they're not coming here to join us?" Jamie asks.

"No. Keya wants the weekend to be solely just for the two of them." I answered.

"Its good to know that you and Keya are in good terms now." Jamie commented.

"Any chance you'll be tapping her again?" Radulov asks stupidly. "Or maybe you already have?"

I threw him the nearest red bell pepper that I have found just to wake him back to his senses. "Shut the fuck up Rad! I'm not the guy you used to know, and if I were still... I will never do that to Keya. I respect that woman too much!"

I do, really do. I disrespected her way too much before and refused to see every little inch of her amazing personality. I began to appreciate her when she left, because that is how huge of an asshole I was. I wasted my chance to be with a perfect woman!

And now that she is slowly giving me the chance to prove myself to her, I will never going to waste any second of it!

I knew that I have been liking her since she started living with me, I was just blinded by my ex-girlfriend causing me to deny my feelings on her. I was stupid!

But then again, I thought. She might not be that interested with me anymore, few days ago when I picked her up at the university. I saw her with that guy Thomas, the way he looks at Keya makes me feel on edge! In fact I despise the idea of seeing her with that guy.

I couldn't help but release a loud sigh. "I guess she got her eye on some douchebag."

"How d'you know?" Rad asks. "Are they together?"

I shrugged. "Not that I know of, but I guess not... Not yet!"

"Well then move fast!" Jamie suggested. "I'm sure you're interested with Keya that way right?"

"Of course I am but--" I said. "But it is still up to Keya."

Alex nods. "But if you really want to, sometimes you have to double your efforts, persuade her and do all the shit you have to do just to get her."

"Rad is right." Jamie says patting my back. "You're a hockey player dude you fight for what you want even if it means bruising yourself. Shoot your shot!"

--

Later that day, I went to Keya's apartment to go visit them and surprise them for a homemade dinner!

I knocked on Keya's door, and she was indeed surprised when she saw me standing outside.

"Hi!" I said plastering a quick smile. "Surprised?"

"You should have texted me." Keya says opening the door wide for me. "I didn't expect someone to come by, the apartment is pretty messy!"

As I enter her place, it's kind of messy but not that much. Random toys are on the floor in the small living room, and papers, stacks of books are spread out on the couch and coffee table. Her place is quite too small, I would even say that her study room at my house is way bigger than her current place.

"Working on a weekend?" I asks.

She sighed brushing her hair, she looks pretty exhausted I noticed as I observe her picking some papers to arrange.

"Yeah, by the way. Why did you come here?" She asks.

"I brought some homemade dinner." I said showing off the paperbags containing some food I bought at a steak house on the way here.

"Homemade? Is the price tag homemade too?" She said sarcastically.

"Daddy!" I heard my son scream coming out from the bedroom and ran to me. I drop the paper bag I am holding and carried Sky right away kissing him on his cheeks.

"I missed you!" I announced.

"I miss you too Daddy!" Sky says.

"How have you been doing?" I ask while looking at Keya who picks up the paper bag and started to prepare it at the small dining table good for two. Ever since I knew her, I noticed that she is kind of a food-motivated person.

"I am bored." Sky honestly says playing on my hat. "Mommy and I didn't go out."

Keya looks at me, so I smiled. "Kids don't lie."

"I didn't say anything." She replied. "I have to work, I have way too many deadlines. I even have to pull an all-nighter tonight to finish it all."

"I can stay for the night." I immediately offered.

To my surprise Keya agreed for the very first time. "I know, I was actually planning to call and ask you about that. Good thing you came! I really need some help these days."

"Know that I will always free my time when it comes to you and our son." I said.

"Thanks." Keya says. "Dinner's ready. Let's eat? I'm starving!"

I giggled. "If I didn't come here and bring some food what would you and Sky eat?"

"Probably some instant food." She replies and let Sky settle on the small chair giving him food.

I sighed. "You better stop relying too much on instant food from now on."

"Says the man who only knows grilled cheese and french toasts." Keya rebuts murdering a slice of a steak on her plate stuffing it all on her mouth.

I chuckled, she still remembers my go to food and I totally like the way she doesn't care if she looks bad or not when eating in front of me.

"For your information, I have already learned how to cook some other recipe." I said.

"Really?" Keya says smirking. "Like what?"

"Spaghetti."

She nods. "Mmm-hmm what else?"

"And I do know how to grill some meat. Cooking is just basic, I just don't have time for it because of my busy schedule during game season."

Still smirking she nods again. "Well then impress me with your cooking skills when we visit."

"You'll be impressed."

"We'll see about that." Keya replied grinning, totally not convinced about what I am saying.

After we ate dinner, Keya immediately focused on finishing her work at the living room while Sky and I head to the bedroom to prepare for bed. An hour later, I successfully get Sky to sleep early and left him to go help Keya on the living room.

"Hey." I called closing the bedroom door slowly behind me.

"Is he asleep already?" She asks without looking at me.

"Yeah." I said sitting on the floor looking at Keya who is at the couch facing her laptop across from me. "You need some help with these many papers? Are you checking these?"

She nodded. "That's already done. I am now currently finalizing my student's grades. You should go back in there and sleep next to him."

"Are you sure? You don't need any help or maybe just a company?"

She chuckles. "I'm good Seguin. Sleeping next to Sky is already helping, now go you're disturbing me."

"Okay..."

And so I did, I laid on the bed next to my son watching him sleep peacefully. Sleepiness then took over making me forget the whole world.

I was then awaken without any reason at all, I just opened my eyes in all instantly. As I watch the clock on Keya's night stand, it is already almost two and Keya is still not laying next to Sky.

I slowly get out of the bed to avoid waking my son up and head to the living room only to see Keya sleeping on the couch. She fell asleep while doing something on her laptop that is currently sitting on her stomach

I came to her removing the laptop before it falls on the floor and tried to wake her up gently.

"Keya?"

"Hmmm."

"Keya? You better go to bed now."

"Hmmm." She response not opening her eyes and murmurs something I don't understand, she's still probably asleep.

I laughed. "Don't wear yourself too much! Come on, before I decide to carry you out."

She groaned in complete frustration. "Mm-kay!"

She get up on a sitting position and grumpily looks at me. "I was fine sleeping out here."

"No, you're not." I insisted and guides him to her bedroom.

"I'll sleep on the couch." I announced.

"No. You sleep on the bed too. Sky might wake up and you're not around if he does." She said laying on the bed next to Sky.

She made a space for me next to her since Sky is asleep on the right side of the bed. It surprises me that she's letting me sleep absolutely right next to her, I fucking want it! But at the same time I am hesitant because I don't want her to think that I am taking any advantage of her.

"What are you still doing in there?" She asks.

"Are you sure you want me to sleep next to you?"

"No big deal Tyler, we made a baby few years ago! And we slept on the same bed too just two weeks ago." She answers still with her eyes closed. "I know you're not a gentleman so stop being nice."

I couldn't help but laugh on how straightforward she is as I crawl in bed and cozied myself next to her. The bed is quite small but the three of us still fits with an enough space to move.

Her sweet smell lingers, although her back is facing me currently I still felt her warmth and I bloody want to wrap my arms around her.

Damn! I am using the word bloody now. Who am I kidding?

But then again, I respect her so much that even slightly brushing my arms just around her back accidentally when I try to move feels like a sin. However, the bed is quite small so for sure when we wake up first thing tomorrow I am expecting an awkward positions later on...

But as of now, I am just grateful at how Keya and I seems to act normal around each other already and slowly removing the gaps and walls she built because of our past together.

I hope things will get better than this soon!

Only I can hope...