I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision settle on my shoulders. I know I have to talk to him about it, to see what he thinks. Maybe we can make it work. Or maybe this will be the end of us. Either way, I have to go for it. It's too important to let go.
* * *
I’ve agonized,with no exaggeration, all day about the job offer. With Kenneth once again occupied with work, I spent the morning and afternoon enjoying the spa and exploring the grounds of the resort, using the alone time to parse through my thoughts and see if it's possible for me to come up with a conclusion that will let me have both my career and Kenneth.
His text comes in as I’m dozing by the rooftop pool of his suite in one of the plush lounge chairs, letting the evening sun kiss my skin. It reads, “I’ve got a date scheduled for us tonight. Be ready by 9 pm. See you soon baby girl.”
I let out a slow breath, any excitement I might have over a special date somewhat tempered by the news I have to tell Kenneth. He’s a logical man, so maybe there’s some way that he will understand. For some reason, though, I’m not hopeful.
Kenneth sends a light dinner of salad and buttered bread to the suite around 7 pm, but I don’t have much of an appetite. When he finally arrives around 8:30 pm, some of my stress evaporates at being able to wrap my arms around his neck as he kisses me thoroughly.
“Easy, Kasey,” he chuckles, slowly moving me back with his hands on my shoulders. “If you keep kissing me like that, we’re going to end up back in bed and the date I’ve got planned will go to waste.”
“I just missed you is all,” I tell him honestly, and his normally hard eyes soften.
“Hearing that is music to my ears, baby girl, but we’ve got to get moving if we’re going to make it on time.” His hands slide down my back to cup my asscheeks through the sundress I’ve thrown on. “But if you want to show me how much you miss me later, I won’t complain.”
As tempting as it is to stay in, we’re in paradise, and I don’t want to spend all our time indoors. Kenneth links our hands together and leads me out into the night, and we walk about fifteen minutes along a winding concrete path through the resort until we reach a smaller, more secluded building.
The air is cool and crisp, and I can see the stars shining brightly above us. Kenneth leads me up a staircase bolted onto the side of the building, and when we reach the top, I can see that the rooftop has been transformed into a stargazing oasis, with telescopes set up and blankets spread out.
In the middle of it all is a table with chilled wine and a charcuterie board. It's beautiful, and when I turn to look at Kenneth, he’s smiling down at me with a look that is full of affection. The idea of stargazing under the clear Hawaiian sky is just too romantic to ignore. I take his hand, feeling grateful that he's here with me to share this experience.
“This is amazing,” I breathe. “You planned this all yourself?”
“For the most part. The resort was more than happy to help me set it up when I told them that cost was no issue.” He smirks.
Next to the multiple telescopes, an astronomer greets us with a warm smile and guides us through how to use the machines. He shows us various constellations and tells us the fascinating myths and stories behind each one.
I'm captivated by the knowledge he's sharing, and I find myself looking at Kenneth with wonder as we learn together. Never in my life would I think a man would be creative enough to come up with something like this just to make me happy.
After a while, the astronomer departs, leaving us to stargaze on our own. Kenneth seems to take more pleasure in having me look through the telescope myself while he stands behind me, hands drifting from my shoulders, down my back, and up once more. It’s like he’s drinking in my enjoyment, and it’s more satisfying to him than participating himself.
While the stars continue to wheel above us, we lie down on one of the blankets and snuggle up close to each other, sipping wine as we gaze up at the stars. There are cushions beneath the blankets, for which I’m thankful because I could spend all night out here if given the chance. The night sky is so bright and clear, and I feel like I'm in a dream, the outline of the Milky Way stretching across the sky. I feel so small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
As we talk and soak in the comfort of each other’s touch, my inner turmoil about the job interview fades away. Kenneth has a way of making me forget about all my worries, and I'm so grateful for his presence in my life. We talk about our hopes and dreams, sharing our deepest desires with each other. It's a beautiful and intimate moment, and I feel so lucky to be experiencing it with him.
Eventually, we fall silent, just enjoying the peaceful setting and each other's company. The stars twinkle above us, and my heart overflows with love and gratitude.Love?I think quickly, surprised by the thought of being in love already, but it just feels so natural. So real.
“I’ll never forget this moment, Kenneth,” I sigh, moving closer until we’re connected at almost every available point.
“Neither will I,” he agrees, kissing my temple. “We’ll reminisce on it when we’re old and gray.”
His words cause a lump to form in my throat, and for a second, I consider just letting everything remain as is for the night and breaking the news to him about the job interview tomorrow…but that’s not fair. After all the effort he’s put in, Kenneth deserves to know.
"Kasey, are you okay?" Kenneth's voice breaks through my thoughts, and I realize that I've been quiet for too long.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Yeah, I'm fine. This is just...amazing. Thank you for this."
He smiles at me, and I feel a sense of warmth and, once more, love, radiating through my entire being. In this moment, I can't imagine leaving him, but I know I need to consider all my options.
As we lie there, gazing up at the stars, I feel conflicted. On one hand, I'm swept up in the romance of the night and the love I feel for Kenneth, despite all the things that should make our connection impossible. But on the other hand, the job interview looms over me, a reminder that I need to consider my career and my future.
I know I need to talk to Kenneth about it eventually, but for now, I want to focus on this beautiful moment we're sharing together.
He raises himself on his elbow, hovering over me, his handsome face lit only by starlight and moonlight. Our lips touch softly, and the kiss starts to deepen, but suddenly, I break away, my heart racing.
"Kenneth, I have to tell you something," I say, my voice shaking.
