I finished at precisely the same moment as Kit. She contracted around me, pulsating with quick pulses, tightening around my cock, causing me to lose it with her. And then the guilt hit. I pulled out of her and instantly came to my feet, a remorseful realization knocking the wind right out of me.
“What, Brantley?”
I pulled on my shorts, unable to reply. It wasn’t like I could tell her now. Not after she’d just confessed her love to me. “I’m just. I don’t know, Kit. I’m confused by all of this.”
“You have some time. I have five more months in Kenya.”
“Five? You said twelve, not ten,” I said, the message taken out of context.
Kit read my mind, clarifying her words. “Why does it matter? Even if you never want me like I’ve stupidly wanted you all this time, I would never take her from you. You can see her any time you want.”
I didn’t sleep with Kit that night. She stood next, taking her clothes with her and walked out to the theater bathroom, returning to Bay on the other side of the room and not me. The guilt I felt while I laid there in the dark, praying for sleep to take over the shame was almost unbearable, and I had no idea how the hell to fix the mess I had made for myself. I loved Rydell, I knew with everything in me it was true, but I also loved Kit, and the notion of this family. A mommy and a daddy for Bay.
By the time sleep finally took over, my brain was mush, overloaded and unable to take one more thought. I passed out sometime after two a.m. and slept like Bay. Dead to the world until I was woken at ten the next morning by my ringing phone. I looked around the empty room, seeing the bed on the far side made-up and no sign of Kit or Bay. My eyes shifted to Rydell’s face and I hit ignore, sending her a lying, cheating text message, unable to hear her voice yet.
Brantley—Getting Bay out of the tub. Call you in few.
Rydell—Okay, if I don’t answer, I’ll call you back. If I don’t, I’m dead. You can have my troll collection.
I blew out a puff of air, a failed attempt to laugh at her. She didn’t deserve this. She, of all people, didn’t deserve this, but then again, neither did Kit.
Using the bathroom that said men’s, I stood over a urinal, pissing while I looked around at the homemade laundry room. A washer and dryer sat in the corner, and I wondered about her and Bay living there. They really did have all they needed, and I had no right to judge anyone. I walked out in search of Kit and Bay, and then dialed Rydell when I didn’t find them. She didn’t answer.
I walked into the theater between the seats on the left side, thinking about Kit’s plan to revise the place. It wasn’t a horrible idea, but I wasn’t sure how much money she should sink into the place. What if people weren’t interested in sixty years of movies? It was a big chance. I hoisted myself to the stage, looking out to the empty seats, thinking about the theater rather than what I should have thought about. The tips of my fingers drummed off the stage between my legs, and I hummed, another attempt to keep from thinking about what I had done, and what I needed to do.
“There Daddy,” Bay called, her little feet running full force down the slanted floor.
“Good morning, baby.”
“I eat a Kiss.”
I lifted Bay to the stage and kissed her chocolate lips. “For breakfast?”
“S.”
“No, not for breakfast, you little fibber. You had pancakes at the diner.”
Bay scooted from my lap and ran behind me to the stage. “I eat pancakes diner.”
I cautiously watched Kit walk to me with a happy smile, coming to a stop right between my legs. I sure as hell wasn’t expecting her to stand on the tips of her toes to kiss me, but like the idiot that I was, I bent to her lips, and kissed her back.
“I didn’t think you were ever going to wake up. You sleep sounder than Bay.”
“Not usually. I was exhausted. Hey, I was just thinking.”
“Oh yeah? What were you thinking?”
I stood to the stage with Bay to help demonstrate better, or maybe I just needed to step away from Kit. “Okay, but hear me out before you say anything.”
“Okay, but can I tell you something?”
The way she asked me if she could tell me something took me off my game for a second, startled from the words I shared with Simon and joked with Rydell. “Tell me what?”
Her shoulders hunched up and she closed one eye while breaking the news to me. “I sort of invited your mom and Bridgett to your house for Bay’s birthday. They’re coming Wednesday.”
“Oh, great. That’s just great. Why not just shoot me in the head?”
“Oh, stop it. Bay needs one normal family.”
“It’s not mine, honey. My family is more dysfunctional than the Kardashian’s.”
Kit caught Bay, jumping from the stage, while frowning at me. “You watch the Kardashian’s?”
I refrained from telling her that Rydell watched the Kardashian’s. I got a free blowjob every Sunday night for letting her. “It’s a metaphor. Do you want to hear my idea or not?”
“Idea for what?”
An open hand waved toward the empty seats. “What if you ripped out the seats and leveled the floor.”
“Why?”
“Shhh, listen. Picture this. Tables instead of seats.”
“Tables?”
“Shush. A movie playing right here while the patrons enjoyed a dinner and a movie. Not just any dinner. I’m talking food prepared by an educated chef, something people would come for miles to see. You could sell tickets just like you would for a movie. You have enough history in this place to turn the entire lobby into a theater museum, and who knows what else we could find to add to it.” I caught the we part that had accidently fallen from my mouth, but I didn’t correct it.
Kit stared at me without words, contemplating something, I just wasn’t sure what. “That sounds like a lot of work and money, but if it weren’t, I’d love it. There’s nothing like that out there, except the guy my mother was talking about.”
“That guy doesn’t have the movies you have. What are you rights to them? Do you have to pay royalties?”
“Yes, but some of them are old and very low. That’s not really an issue. I know from my grandpa how that works. Mostly, but that would still be a job.”
“Of course it will, but so would your idea of playing old movies.”
“Yeah, but not as much as turning it into something like that. That sounds big.”
“Set go,” Bay yelled, in a full blown run to her mom.
I stared down at Kit with a great deal of confusion. “It is big. So is going to New York City alone for a movie role, and then to Nashville, and then having Bay all by yourself. Going to Kenya, you don’t think that’s big? You’ve done more big things than anyone I know.”
“Hmm, you’re right. Do you really think people would come?”
“You’re within an hour of two major cities plus whatever small towns are in between. I think a lot of people would come.”
Kit, Bay and I spent a nice morning at home. Kit and I came up with more and more ideas to bring her grandfather’s business back to life. I did my best to keep my distance from her, but truth be told, I had a lot of fun with her and Bay, until we had to get ready for a luncheon at her father’s. Of course I whined about it, not seeing the point. The guy couldn’t even stop working on his automobile to give Bay a hug, and he barely acknowledge Kit.
I dressed in jeans, a dress shirt, a leather vest, and of course cowboy boots. A pizza and an eighties movie in the theater with Bay sounded better than a meal with Kit’s heartless family. At least I didn’t have to worry about her mother. She was busy with an event in Detroit, or was that Baltimore? Then again, who cared?
My eyes darted around in search of Kit when my phone rang. I walked past the bathroom, hearing her laugh, still busy getting ready with Bay. “Hey, feel better?”
“Oh, my God, Brantley. I should have come with you. I hate Wendi.”
Not as much as you’re going to hate me.
“That bad, huh?”
“Well, I did win some money. At least it was a free drunk.”
I laughed and did my best to sound normal, feeling like a complete fucktard. “You know you’re going to do it again tonight, right?”
“I’m not. I can’t handle another night. How’s Bay? Is she with her mom?”
“Yeah, we’re heading out in the morning.”
“Yeah, I can’t wait.”
I paced the lobby area, trying to be nice. “It’s a few days, but I have more good news. My mom and sister are coming from Wednesday to Sunday, too.”
“I want a new boyfriend. They hate me.”
“They don’t hate you. They don’t know you.”
“I’m just giving you a hard time, baby. I want you to have a relationship with your family. I miss you.”
“I miss you, too. I’ll give you a call later.”
“Okay, I’m going to get more coffee and swear off alcohol for a few more hours. I love you, Brantley.”
“I love you, too, Ry. I’ll see you tomorrow if I get home early enough.”
“Bye, baby. Give Bay a kiss for me.”
“I will. Bye, love.”
“Wow. How stupid am I?”
Great… “Kit, it’s not like that.”
Kit shifted Bay on her hip and took a step toward me. “It’s not? You just told someone you loved them. God, I’m so fucking stupid. I said things to you last night, Brantley. I confessed my silly infatuation with you and you let me.”
“That a bad word, Mommy.”
“I’m sorry, baby. Can you go find your shoes? We have to go see Papaw.”
“And a Mavis and Daddy.”
“No, not Daddy. Daddy can leave. His services are no longer needed. Get the fuck out of my house,” she added in a lower tone, closer to my face.
I scowled and looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “I’m not going anywhere without Bay. We had a deal. A twelve month deal, and I have the documents to prove it. Kit, please listen to me. I didn’t know. You never told me. How was I supposed to know you felt this way?”
Kit shook her head, quickly swiping a tear with the back of her hand. “I’m going to eat with my dad. You don’t have to explain anything to me. I’m sure you fell for the right girl. Come on, Bay.”
“And Daddy.”
I knelt to Bay and held her little hands. “Daddy will stay here with Mavis. You go with Mommy and I’ll see you when you get back. Can I have a kiss?”
Bay kissed me and wrapped her little arms around my neck, leaving me feeling like even more of a snake. I hated myself, and it only intensified when Kit snatched her up, heavy tears in both her eyes.
“I’m such a fool.”
Those were the last words she spoke before leaving me for the entire day. I hung around the theater the entire day, but not bored. I watched Cleopatra on the big screen, but not the new one. I watched an old one from nineteen-sixty-three, the most powerful love triangle I’d ever seen. Of all things to pick. The rolled up box of movie posters in the back room kept my attention for at least another hour, hundreds of them. Everything from Herby the love bug, to Dirty Dancing. Some of my favorite movies. Unfortunately, just because I wasn’t bored by myself in Kit’s inherited theater, I was still an ass. I still felt like a horrible human being, and I worried what it meant for the near future. Surely Kit wouldn’t really not go back. She wouldn’t keep me from taking Bay home, surely not.
When Kit still wasn’t back after six, I walked to the little diner and had the house special for supper; amazing broccoli cheese soup with a Reuben on rye. It may have warmed my tasted buds with small town flavor, but it did absolutely nothing for my mood. I pushed the bowl away with a heavy sigh, answering Rydell’s call.
“Hey, how are you?”
“Um, you okay?”
Even I realized how depressing my tone sounded. I tried to recover it with a fake cheerful tone, but only made it worse. Now I just sounded counterfeit. “Yeah, of course. What’s up?”
“What’s up, Brantley? Something’s going on. I know you. I can hear it in your tone. Tell me.”
“It’s nothing, babe, just having an argument with Kit over Bay. I haven’t seen her all day. You still at the casino?”
“Yeah, we were just getting ready for dinner. Figured I would call while Wendi got ready. I hope you guys get over it before you have to ride in a car with her for eight hours. Is she still staying all week?”
I sure the hell hoped so, but of course I didn’t disclose that to Rydell. “I’m sure we’ll work it out. It’s one week, right?”
“Yes, and you get to see me tomorrow night. I miss you, and I love you to the moon and back.”
I did smile then, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me feel like the lying, cheating, low life that I was. “I love you, too, Rydell. I swear I do.”
Rydell took the desperation in my tone the exact way I manipulatively wanted her to. Like I missed her. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you. Have fun. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Chapter-Twenty-Nine
By the time Kit made it back with Bay, I was beside myself. “You could have at least answered one text.”
“You don’t need to worry about Bay. I’ve been taking care of her all by myself for a long time. As a matter of fact, you should leave. We’ll fly out Saturday. I’ll stay for her party and head out after that.”
I watched Kit remove Bay’s coat, her gloves, and her little cowboy boots. She slipped her out of her jeans and slid her to the pillow, covering her and Mavis way better and faster than I did. “I don’t want to do that, Kit. Let’s just stick with the plan. I want you there, besides, you invited my mom and sister; you’re not leaving me alone with them for five whole days.”
My attempt to be funny fell flat with her words. “I uninvited them. They’ll be there Saturday, too.”
“Come on, Kit. Please talk to me.”
“I want you to leave, Brantley. I’ll hold up to my end of the deal, only because I’m too deep in to bail now, but as long as things keep moving like they have been, I’ll be back to get her around the end of June rather than August.”
There was absolutely nothing I could say to change her mind. No magic words. Not one. “For whatever it’s worth, Kit, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not worth much. You can sleep on the couch and get a few hours of sleep if you want. It’s cool. I’m cool. I’m a cool fool,” she said, attempting to laugh, but it sure as hell wasn’t funny.
“I am sorry.”
“Right, guys like you,” she said, words thrown over her shoulder as she walked out of the room, taking a baby monitor with her. All I could do was watch her go.
I took a deep breath and looked to sleeping Bay, Mavis snuggled in her little arms. “Guys like me, Bay,” I softly spoke, repeating the words I understood loud and clear. Brantley Jandt didn’t do this love shit. Guys like me…
I didn’t try to sleep for the road trip ahead. What I really wanted to do was go to my vehicle and get the hell out of there. I tried to sleep to make it all stop - for a little bit of peace. Almost two hours later with no Kit, I gave up and walked out to find her. I planned to follow the expected singing and playing because that’s what I did when I had a lot weighing on my shoulders. However, that wasn’t where I found her. I found her in the main theater, sitting three rows down, watching the end of Pretty Woman with no sound.
Julia Roberts was in their shared apartment, saying goodbye to her friend. I smiled when I listened to her say Vivian’s lines for her. “You’ve got potential, Kit De Luca.”
I wanted to say it, too, make her see it was true. She did have potential, more potential than anyone I had ever met in my life. I slipped back out instead. Nothing I could say would make this any easier for her or me. I did what Brantley Jandt always did. I ran. I kissed Bay five times without a response, grabbed my duffle bag and got the hell out of there.
My SUV found its own way home. With my mind
in a constant fog, I drove the eight and a half hours in seven, silence all around me. Nothing was worked out, because I didn’t try. There was no point. I heard two lines over and over in my head. Guys like me, and you’ve got potential, Kit, the private pep talk I overheard by eavesdropping. Regardless of my lack of problem solving skills, I knew one thing for sure. I had to come clean.
Sleep came easy once I laid on my own couch with a warm sun brightly shining through the window. The news played in the background for the noise, and I drifted off, hearing something about a bridge the county neglected, residents demanding their safety be taken seriously.
I woke a few hours later with Rydell’s knee in my chest, her hair hanging around her face while she smiled down at me.
“Hey cowboy. I didn’t expect you until later in the afternoon. Where’s Bay and her mom?”
I smiled back and ran my hand up the back of her leg and tight jeans. “Hey, gorgeous. You look pretty damn hot to be dying.”
“Yeah, I’m not dying today. I was good. Wendi, on the other hand, might be getting a divorce.”
“Guess that means I don’t get your Smurf collection.”
“You never listen to me. Trolls not Smurfs.”
I pulled Rydell to me and wrapped her in my arms, relishing in her feel. I loved her. There was no doubt in my mind I loved Rydell Brinkley, and she deserved way better than me. So did Kit…
Rydell missed me, and I missed her. I also needed her to get through the week without Bay, and that is exactly what I used her for. We had amazing sex, we laughed, we played at the bar every single night, and we loved. Hard. I honestly did try to tell her about Kit, especially after Bridgette called, mad at herself for not telling Kit about Rydell. She hated me, but refused to stay home when I told her to do just that and mind her own business. Bridgette gave me her arrival time the following Saturday instead of taking my advice and staying away. I wasn’t surprised, it wasn’t like I thought for one second she would miss Bay’s birthday. I had walked over to her class during art, but she wouldn’t let me tell her. She had other plans and let me know about them when she sat on her desk and lifted her skirt for me to see. Putting it in Leman’s terms, we were definitely going to be roommates in hell. Needless to say, I missed another opportunity to explain Rydell.
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