Chapter 4 The Engagement
Kaia’s foot slammed down on Keaton’s, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“What?” Tobias asked, eyebrow raised.
Russell leaned in, all ears.
Keaton was dying to spill Kaia’s secret, but her glare could’ve stopped traffic.
He coughed. “Uh, she’s my future daughter-in-law, that’s who! I picked her myself. You’re 27, man, and acting like she’s the problem? She’s not complaining about you being an old dude chasing young blood, and you’re throwing shade? Apologize. Now.”
Tobias’s lips thinned as he stood, facing Kaia. “Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I’m just being real.”
Kaia popped an orange slice in her mouth, her lazy gaze locking onto him. “No need. You said what I was thinking. You’re solid, but next to me? You’re out of your depth. Right back at ya—you don’t cut it.”
The room went dead quiet.
Tobias’s cool eyes flickered, sizing Kaia up with new interest.
Russell, eating up the drama, thought, ‘This girl’s got guts! Talk about a plot twist.’
“Alright, enough!” Keaton groaned, half-amused, half-fed-up. “You two acting like I’m just some old coot to ignore!”
He pointed at Kaia. “You told me yourself—when I saved you and your family, you’d do whatever I asked. I’m cashing that in.”
Kaia’s brows twitched, but she stayed quiet.
“And you,” Keaton jabbed at Tobias, “your parents rode you hard to skip chess and join the family biz. If I hadn’t backed you, you’d never have played chess or hit those tournaments.
“You swore you’d owe me. Gonna bail now?”
Tobias opened his mouth, then shut it. Checkmate.
The room fell silent, tension thick.
Keaton broke the quiet. “I’m not forcing a bad match. Here’s the deal: get engaged, give it a shot. If it flops, we’re done.”
Kaia tilted her head. “Fine, but I want a deadline.”
“Ten years,” Keaton said. “If you’re still not clicking, I’ll back off.”
Kaia shot him a really? look. “You’re kidding me. Why not fifty?”
Keaton grinned, slapping his thigh. “Fifty? Done!”
Kaia rolled her eyes. “You’re messing with me.”
“One month,” she said, voice like ice. “That’s it. Then we’re through.”
“A month?” Keaton yelped. “That’s nothing! Tobias, talk some sense into her!”
Tobias’s face didn’t budge. “A month works.”
“Deal,” Kaia said.
“No take-backs,” Tobias shot back.
They were weirdly in sync.
Keaton sighed dramatically. “Fine, you stubborn kids. I’ll pick a date for the engagement.”
“Cool,” Kaia said, checking her phone. She stood. “It’s late. I’m out.”
“Stay for dinner,” Keaton urged. “Or crash here.”
“Nah, I’ve been gone for days. My folks’ll have my head.”
Keaton let it go.
As Kaia walked out, Russell muttered, “Days away? She’s a student, right? Doesn’t look sick.
“Bet she’s just skipping class. Mr. Moreno, you sure about her? She’s trouble waiting to happen.”
“You don’t know squat!” Keaton barked, his mustache twitching.
Russell zipped it, not daring to push further.
“Oh, wait!” Russell perked up, turning to Tobias. “Big news—I tracked down that chess master, Queen K.”
“No way!” Tobias’s stone-cold face lit up, his eyes practically sparkling. “You’re not pulling my leg, right?”
Russell smirked. “Only chess gets you this pumped. Look at you, acting like a lively twenty-something instead of a grumpy grandpa.”
“Cut the chatter,” Tobias said. “When’d you reach her? She down for a match?”
“Didn’t talk to her directly,” Russell said. “Got someone close to her. She’s swamped but they’ll pass the message when she’s free.”
“Fine,” Tobias said, fist clenched to hide his excitement. “I’ll wait.”
*****
The Bennett household was quiet until the butler came barreling in, nearly tripping over his own feet.”Ma’am! Miss Bennett—she’s back!”
“What? She’s back?” Ruth froze mid-bite at the dinner table, her fork hovering as she shot a look at her husband, Lincoln.
The two shared a glance, totally thrown.
Before they could wrap their heads around it, Kaia strutted into the foyer, kicking off her beat-up sneakers and sliding into some comfy slippers.
Ruth dropped her fork with a clatter and hurried over to Kaia.”Hold up—weren’t you dragged off by the cops? How’re you back already?
“Oh my God, don’t tell me you broke out!”
Ruth’s voice cracked at the thought, and Lincoln’s face went ashen, his eyes narrowing at Kaia.
“You didn’t actually escape, did you?” he asked, his tone dead serious. “I’m your dad, Kaia, but I’m not about to cover for you. You gotta turn yourself in. If you don’t, I’m calling the cops myself—for your own good, kid.”
Kaia just raised an eyebrow, cool as ever. “Y’all need to chill. I didn’t break any laws, and I’m definitely not some fugitive.”
Lincoln’s expression hardened. “You sure you wanna stick with that story?”
Kaia gave a lazy shrug, clearly over the whole drama.
Fed up with her attitude, Lincoln snatched his phone and jabbed at the screen, dialing 9-1-1.
“Hey, yeah, I need to report something,” he began. “My daughter got picked up by the police two days ago, and now she’s back, acting all sneaky.
“I told her to turn herself in, but she’s not listening. I’m reporting her!”
