by Alayna Scott
“The kitchen and living room are finished, and so are the bathrooms. I got a call today that they’ve finished installing the floors throughout the house. I’m just waiting for the bedrooms, and my office to be completed and I can return home. I’ll try to go there tomorrow to take a look.”
“Well, you must be thinking of starting a new family.”
“Uh, why’d you say that?” he asked, scratching the back of his neck.
“All that space in that house? I thought with four bedrooms, and all those bathrooms you must surely be thinking about marrying again and having some children,” Aunt Nancy pointed out.
Lauryn didn’t realize that she had been holding her breath in anticipation of his response until after he answered.
“No, ma’am. I just fell in love with the house when I was looking with my realtor.”
Lauryn noticed the dejected tone of his voice and wished she could save him. But that was the thing about the women in her family. Once they jumped on a subject, they would not let go until they bled it dry.
Lauryn toned out the rest of the conversation, as she lost herself in thoughts about her own future. She wanted a family of her own someday. But she wasn’t sure if that future would be with Harry. Lately, she had begun to question if she even loved him. Or if he loved her.
The more time passed, the more it seemed as if Harry had ulterior motives for being in a relationship with her. And while she had ignored the little red flags, this trip home was making her rethink everything.
Lauryn finished chopping the vegetables and went to the sink to wash her hands. The conversation had finally turned away from Oakley’s future once he left the house. The women began to discuss what everyone thought about the new mayor. A smile slipped on her lips as she eased out of the back door. Some things would never change. Her family loved to gossip.
“Lauryn, honey, it’s a bit nippy outside. Grab your hat and scarf,” her mother called.
Lauryn smiled as she did exactly what her mother said, tugging the hat over her long dark hair. Although she was thirty-three, her mother still regarded her as a child in some ways.
She made her way to the rear of the family’s property. A short path through the woods led her down to the lake. It was always beautiful here this time of year. The golden and red leaves shone on the lake’s surface.
A family of ducks swam peacefully in the still of the afternoon, as the wind rustled the leaves on the trees above her. A serene feeling washed over Lauryn as she looked at the fluffy tufts of white clouds floating by overhead.
Her gaze turned away from the beauty of nature to the beautiful specimen sitting on a bench several feet away from her. She stopped for just a moment, rethinking her decision to invade his private moment.
Within seconds, she could hear his chuckle as he patted the bench beside him. “You always were intuitive, and a pretty darned good listener.”
Lauryn smiled as she closed the distance between them. Sitting on the bench beside Oakley, she waited patiently until he was ready to talk.
“Have you ever thought you knew exactly what you wanted, and one tiny factor comes along to change all of that in the blink of an eye?”
“Yes,” she breathed softly. She knew exactly what that felt like because she was experiencing that this weekend.
“It seems I’ve been plodding along in life, always knowing what I wanted. Mapping out the distances, measuring out the steps it would take to accomplish those goals. I’ve always been confident about my choices.”
He paused for a moment, and Lauryn felt like it was just like old times once more. She relished the days when Chase was busy with one girl or another, and she would hang out with Oakley. He pushed off the bench and headed towards the dock, and she followed him.
They stood in the cool breeze for a while, just staring out at the water before he broke the silence.
“When Rianne left me, I began to question every decision I have ever made. The decision to marry her, the decision to move to Portsmouth, and the decision to start my own business. But the one thing I knew was that I couldn’t turn back. I had to keep moving forward and just finish those things I’d started. It took a while before I decided to commit to buying this house. But I did it, and I can’t go back on that either.”
Lauryn turned to stare at him for a moment. Oakley’s head turned slowly, and his eyes swept over hers. They had taken on a slightly stormy look, the ocean blues surrounded by a thin, lighter blue ring. He turned away, breaking eye contact.
“I sense that you’re at a path of indecision about something else in your life,” Lauryn said, breaking the silence after several moments.
Once again, Oakley turned his head her way, and the look in his eyes took her breath away.
“I am because that tiny factor has risen up,” he said in a low voice.
She drew in a deep breath when his hand lifted to cup the back of her head. Firm lips softly brushed against hers in a soft, sensual sweep. Lauryn’s heart thudded in her chest, and while she knew she should turn away, she could not.
This was something she had desired for years. To be kissed by Oakley Lowe. His soft, inquisitive nature turned from permission seeking to slightly more demanding as he pressed his lips against hers.
His fingers pulled lightly at her knitted cap, tugging it off her head and intertwined in the silken strands of her hair. She stood on tiptoe and leaned further into the kiss. She could not deny herself what she had been seeking for so long. Lauryn’s lips slightly parted in a soft cry, and Oakley seemed to take advantage of it, deepening the kiss.
Oh, this man. This beautiful, magnificent man. Oakley was the most kind-hearted, loving person she knew. How she would love to start a relationship with him. But her life was just not at a stage that would accept that. There were too many factors set against them. And the fact that he was friends with Chase and she was in a relationship with Harry was not the least of those issues.
Sucking her breath in, Lauryn pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss. Oakley’s fingers relaxed against the back of her head. He lowered his forehead and pressed it against hers. Their eyes remained closed.
“Lauryn...”
“Yes?” she managed to squeeze out over the lump in her throat.
“You’re that tiny factor for me.”
CHAPTER 6 - OAKLEY
In between running errands, Oakley had been looking for Lauryn throughout the morning to no avail. He did not want to face Chase until he had a chance to talk to Lauryn about their kiss. But there had been no shortage of errands Mr. and Mrs. Alexander needed him to run, as they prepared for the recognition ceremony.
After leaving his house to check on the renovations, he had passed by the Meadowlark Inn, a quaint little bed and breakfast on the outskirts of town. Oakley had considered going there to stay for a couple of nights until Lauryn left town. It had been run by the Meadows family, but their daughter Rachel had inherited it when they had both been killed unexpectedly in a car accident.
Yet, he knew that staying at the inn would not deter the feelings that had been stirred up within him for Lauryn. He knew how protective his best friend had always been over his little sister. He had felt the same way towards Lauryn until her junior year in high school. As a senior in high school, his life had been hectic and busy, but Lauryn was always there. An old friend, a listening ear, and a fresh breath of air was what she had been.
There had always been a certain closeness between the two of them, and there had been a few times in the earlier years that he had wondered if there could be more. But he would always return to reality, remembering that Lauryn was Chase’s sister, and she was two years his junior.
At the time, that had been a significant age difference. And then there had been Rianne. He had become infatuated with her, tricking himself into believing she was a good diversion from the change in feelings he was experiencing towards Lauryn. Then Lauryn had moved to the west coast, and given him the space he so desperately needed. Now she h
ad returned. More beautiful and intelligent than ever.
He had just showered after running errands and was returning to the kitchen.
“Oakley! Can Lauryn ride into town with you? Stan and I will be driven in a chauffeured convertible for the festivities, and Chase is already in town. He had an early morning meeting at the department since the force will be on duty during the festivities,” Elaine Alexander added as an aside.
“Uh, sure, I can take Lauryn,” Oakley said. He turned quickly away from Elaine, not wanting her to see the guilt that was creeping upon him. All he could think about all day was the kiss he shared with Lauryn. Not to mention how he wanted a repeat of it.
Her soft, pouty lips were so sweet and tender underneath his own. They had not had another conversation since the kiss. Not long after she broke off the kiss, he heard footsteps coming through the trees. Lauryn had walked away, announcing she needed to get back to the house. Once she left, the neighbors from two houses down broke through the clearing.
“There you are, darling,” Elaine announced, looking behind him and pulling Oakley from his thoughts. “Oakley will be able to take you into town.”
“Umm, I’ll be fine, Mom. I can drive you or Dad’s car into town. There’s no reason to put Oakley out of his way,” Lauryn said.
“Honey, it only makes sense if you’re both leaving and returning here to ride together. I’m sure Oakley doesn’t mind; do you, Oakley?”
Both sets of eyes turned his way. He sensed Lauryn was sending a pleading look for him to side with her. But he could never deny Mrs. Alexander anything she wanted. She had always been that second mother to him.
“No, ma’am. It’s not a problem at all.”
He watched Lauryn’s shoulders sag as her mother said, “Fine. Then it’s all settled. I’ll see you two in town. Your dad and the driver’s out front waiting for me.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him on his cheek, and in a flurry of kisses and sweet perfume, Mrs. Alexander was gone from the kitchen, leaving a glaring Lauryn in her wake.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized with a shrug. “I’ve never been able to say no to your mother. Besides, it isn’t a problem for you to ride with me.”
Lauryn blew out a breath and turned on her heels. “I’ll go get my purse and be right back.”
Oakley grabbed his keys off the hook, where the others were posted and headed out to his car.
“Why do I get the sense you’ve been avoiding me?” he asked Lauryn as they drove out of the neighborhood.
“I just needed some time to think through yesterday.”
“What about it?”
“Honestly, Oakley, I was caught off guard. I never...you never...I mean, we’ve been friends for a long time. But that kiss wasn’t the kiss that happens between old friends. Someone you consider ‘kiddo’ or ‘a little sister.’”
He cringed inwardly, thinking about the number of times he had used those exact words to describe her or introduce her to someone. In the later years, he used it more frequently to convince himself of the truthfulness of those words.
“You’re right. It wasn’t.”
“So, what did that kiss mean, Oakley?”
He could detect the frustration and confusion in her voice.
“You’re very special to me, Lauryn. More special than most. I haven’t found a friend like you in the decade that you’ve been gone.”
“But...that kiss. It said so much more. I’ve been thinking about you. And me.”
“And what conclusions did you come to?”
“I couldn’t come to any, because I really don’t understand what’s happening here. What was that all about?” she demanded.
“It was about acting on something that I’ve wanted to do for such a long time. We used to be close before you left. We had a beautiful friendship, Lauryn.”
“And I don’t want to ruin that, Oakley. Besides, I live almost three thousand miles away. I don’t want to have a long-distance relationship with anyone.”
How had the conversation turned so awkward? Oakley knew he still carried heartache within and did not want to pass that off to someone else, but he did want to explore these feelings with Lauryn.
“I’m not asking that of you, Lauryn. It was a kiss.”
“A kiss, and I belong to someone else.”
“That didn’t seem to matter to you last night.”
“You kissed me!” she balked.
“And you didn’t pull away,” he pointed out, casting a sidelong glance at her.
Lauryn dropped her head against the headrest and closed her eyes.
He glanced at her profile, her long elegant neck, the oval-shaped curve of her jaw, and those full pouty lips. Turning away to look back at the road, he stifled a groan. Why was he provoking her? He didn’t want to make her angry. He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to taste her just once more.
Oakley chided himself because he knew he had lied to Lauryn. It was more than just a kiss. And he wanted more than just one more kiss. He wanted all of Lauryn, but he wasn’t sure he was equipped to give her what she needed.
He understood that he was not whole, and in no position to be for Lauryn what he knew she needed. But that did not stop him from wanting to be.
She turned her head sideways and glanced at him. “What are you thinking about?”
He did not dare tell her the truth. Oakley knew that would only scare her away. “About the parade and the upcoming ceremony,” he lied. “I’m happy for your dad. He deserves all the recognition they’re prepared to give him today, for all that he has done for Lake Cresthaven.”
She smiled sweetly at him, and he wanted to be able to put that smile on her lips all the time. “Yes, he does, doesn’t he?”
Oakley reached out his hand and grabbed her hand. He squeezed lightly before letting go. “Let’s just enjoy today. No heavy stuff between us. We don’t have to discuss the kiss. At least not for today. But we will discuss it and what it means. I’m not willing to let it go so easily, Lauryn. But today’s your dad’s day. It’s a time for your family, so we’ll have tonight to talk about you and me. But right now, let’s make a pact that we’ll put away what happened last night, and return to being the friends we’ve always been for the remainder of today. Okay?”
She smiled and replied, “Okay.”
CHAPTER 7 - LAURYN
The agreement to leave the kiss in a field of obscurity was the perfect arrangement for Lauryn. Except it wasn’t. Her lips had said, “okay,” but her heart didn’t mean it, her mind couldn’t forget it, and her lips wanted more.
As they made their way through throngs of people lining up to find the perfect spot for viewing the parade, she thought about it. When he began to eat the ice cream cone he had purchased, she visualized his lips on hers, the way his lips devoured the ice cream. And each time his fingertips accidentally brushed hers, or his arm touched her, she recalled the kiss.
There was no way she could escape it no matter how much she wanted to. And the truth was, she did not want to. Once they crossed over the line, there was no going back.
That simple, primal act of relinquishing themselves to their most base desires had awakened feelings within Lauryn that had lied dormant for over a decade. Her need to feel Oakley’s arms wrapped around her was very real. When he smiled down at her with that beautiful mouth, as her mother and father passed by waving in the convertible, she wanted to reach up on tiptoes and re-enact the scene from the night before, but she could not.
There were times throughout the day that she thought he wanted the same thing. It was in the way his gaze lingered on her lips, or the way he would stare at her mid-sentence. Or when he would bite down on his bottom lip and slowly lick it while his heavily lidded eyes slowly strolled down her face.
Yet, at this very moment, she wanted it more than she could want anything else. But for all the wrong reasons. The reason Lauryn wanted to kiss Oakley now was simple jealousy.
She wanted, no scratch that, she nee
ded to stake a claim that was not hers. She had not expected that Rianne would show up at the festival, sans new boyfriend. Her formerly long curly red hair had been chopped short just above the shoulders in a bob style that suited her perfectly. She batted her green eyes at Oakley from underneath long lashes, and a smattering of freckles on her nose managed to somehow look more sexy than cute.
Lauryn despised her. She hated what she had done to Oakley. She hated that she had taken him away from her in the first place. Their friendship had changed drastically after Rianne entered the picture. Oakley seemed to not have much time for Lauryn after he started dating Rianne. She hated that she dared to pop up just when she was trying to sort through her feelings for Oakley. And what she hated most of all was that she was downright beautiful and sexy, which made Lauryn feel a bit too put together and polished.
Lauryn didn’t miss how Rianne’s long legs went on and on in a pair of white denim cutoff shorts. Nor, how busty she was wearing a yellow, criss-cross waist, crop top. Peach tinted lips puckered up to kiss Oakley on the lips in greeting. Lauryn swallowed back the temporary satisfaction she experienced when he turned his head, causing Rianne’s lips to meet his cheek instead.
“Oakley! I didn’t expect to see you here,” Rianne purred, resting a hand against his chest as she smiled adoringly up at him.
“Funny. I’m the one that lives here, I wouldn’t have expected you to return.”
“Well, my family is still here. Just because I moved doesn’t mean I can’t come back. Besides, I’ve been thinking about coming back. How’d you like that?”
Lauryn marveled at the audacity of this woman.
Oakley cleared his throat and replied, “I don’t see how that has anything to do with me, Rianne.”
“Well, I was hoping we could work something out. Talk about what happened and maybe try to patch things up. But we can talk later,” Rianne murmured, looping her arm through Oakley’s.
Staring pointedly at Lauryn, as though she had just recognized her presence, she said, “Oh! It’s little Lauryn. I see you’ve come back. Is it temporary for your father’s ceremony?”