Swimming Naked
Laura Branchflower
Copyright 2019 Laura Branchflower
All rights reserved
ISBN: 97809991752-6-2
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No Part of this book may be reproduced with written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, photocopying, recording, or other—without written permission from the publisher.
This novel is dedicated to Katie, Deighj, Tracie, Janet, and Ann (my blog sisters).
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Epilogue
Chapter One
“Dadda…Dadda…up…up.”
“Just a second, buddy.” Phil was at the sink, screwing the top onto a baby bottle.
Lina watched Liam’s small hands yank at Phil’s pant leg, his demands to be picked up increasingly persistent. She rubbed her hand across her forehead. “I think I’m going to go upstairs.”
“What?” Phil scooped up his son, handing him the bottle he’d just prepared as he turned to Lina.
“I have a headache. I’m going to go lie down for a minute.” Her eyes were on the almost-one-year-old sucking on a bottle as his head rested on her husband’s chest. She swallowed down the lump in her throat.
“Do you need me to get you anything?”
“No. I just…I can’t,” Lina whispered before rushing from the room.
“Katie?” Phil called out as he walked toward the family room. “Katie?”
“What?” Katie paused the television.
“I need you to watch Liam.” He set him on the couch beside her.
“What?” Katie retreated to the corner of the couch, her eyes widening. “No way. I’m not watching him.”
“I’m not asking.”
“You said it wouldn’t affect us if you brought him here. I don’t want to be a babysitter. I don’t even like kids.”
“Watch him,” he said firmly, pointing at Liam. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Lina was sitting on the edge of the bed when she heard the bedroom door open. “I can’t do it,” she said. “I thought I could, but I can’t. I’m sorry.”
The mattress shifted as Phil sat down beside her. “It hasn’t even been an hour.”
“I can’t look at him. I know it’s not his fault, but he’s the result of what you did—a living, breathing reminder.”
“Lina.” Phil stroked his hand up her back. “It’ll get easier. Once you get to know him, you—”
“I don’t want to know him.” She came to her feet and headed toward her wardrobe. “I’ll go to Adele’s or my mom’s for the night.”
Phil cursed softly, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees as he gripped his head. “You said you would try. Forty-five minutes isn’t trying.”
Lina finished packing a small bag with pajamas and clothes for the following day before leaving the wardrobe and crossing to the bathroom. “I tried,” she said when she felt Phil’s presence in the doorway. “You have no idea how hard.” She began to toss toiletries into the bag.
“One night. All I’m asking for is one night.”
“I can’t.” Lina shook her head. She’d thought she could. She’d even picked out a crib and decorated a nursery for Phil’s son, but the reality of him was so different from the imagined.
“I’ll leave,” he said, his voice sounding defeated. “I’ll take him to a hotel.”
“No. All his things are here. It’ll be easier if I just go to Adele’s.” Lina lifted the bag and turned from the sink.
“You shouldn’t be the one leaving.”
“This is the best solution, Phil. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Chapter Two
Six months earlier
Phil Hunter stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He was home. His wife was asleep in the next room. If he was dreaming, he didn’t want to wake up.
“Phil?” Lina called out.
“Yeah, baby?”
“It’s almost five.” Lina was getting out of bed when he stepped out of the bathroom.
His gaze slowly traveled the length of her naked body, which, thanks to almost daily trips to the local yoga studio and her running routine, was still lean and fit at forty-one. “I could look at you forever.”
“Stop.” She didn’t like being complimented for her physical appearance, even by him. It was one of the hundreds of things he’d missed about her. It was as if she was embarrassed by her beauty. And she was beautiful. Her thick brown hair, almost the exact shade as his, fell to her shoulders. Her chestnut-colored eyes were large and had an almost imperceptible slant, giving her an exotic look. There was elegance to her, a refinement that enveloped her whether she was in the garden in cutoff jean shorts and a tank top or at a black-tie event in a floor-length gown with diamond earrings dangling from her ears.
“Stop staring at me,” she laughed as she donned a robe.
“I can’t help it.” He slipped one of his hands inside her robe before she could close it, hauling her body into his. “I missed you. It was never right, us being apart.”
“I know.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as she tilted her head back, meeting his eyes.
He felt a stab of guilt for what he’d put her through. “Lina—”
“Don’t,” she interrupted. “You don’t have to say anything. It’s a fresh start. I forgive you.”
“I want you to know, I would never—”
“I know,” she again interrupted. “Last week when you took me to dinner, you asked me to consider something, remember?”
His eyes narrowed as he tried to recall what she was referring to. He’d said a lot of different things that night as he’d tried to convince her to take him back. “Are you talking about when I asked who you wanted to swim naked with when you were old and gray?”
“No, although it’s the same thing. I’m referring to when you asked me to consider whether a flawed version of you is better for me than a perfect version of anyone else.”
He felt humbled by the love he could see shining in her eyes as she stared up at him. “I remember.”
“It is. I don’t want to be with anyone else. On
ly you.”
He covered her mouth with his, kissing her deeply as he led her back toward the bed.
“I need to go pick up some of my clothes,” Phil said about thirty minutes later. He pressed his lips into Lina’s shoulder. “I won’t be long. I’ll take Logan over later in the week to get whatever I can’t carry tonight.”
“We need to tell them,” Lina said. She pushed herself up on her elbows, watching him as he began to dress.
“Don’t you think they know? My car’s in the driveway and my shoes and jacket are in the family room.” He pulled up the zipper of his jeans.
“We still need to talk to them,” Lina said.
“I think I left my shirt downstairs.” They’d been in the family room when she’d told him she wanted him to come home, and they were already half undressed by the time they’d reached the bedroom.”
“My clothes are down there.” Lina scrambled from the bed. “You took all my clothes off down there. Oh my God. I’m sure they’ve seen them. What could they be thinking?”
“That I’m back.” Phil headed toward the door. “I’m going to borrow one of Logan’s shirts.”
“No!” Lina cried. “You can’t just go out there like that. It will confuse them. We need to talk to them first.”
She was being ridiculous, but he wasn’t going to argue with her, especially when she was wearing her worry frown. God he’d missed her expressions.
“I need a shirt,” he said.
“Let me get dressed and then I’ll get it.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed, savoring the simple act of watching her put on a pair of jeans and a top. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
“Stop it.”
***
Lina took a deep breath as she left the master suite and headed down the hallway toward Logan’s room. She was worried about his reaction to his father moving back in. Of their three children, he’d been the most unforgiving of Phil’s infidelity. She found him in the den outside his room, sitting in front of the television playing a video game, his brow furrowed in concentration.
She felt like she was the child and he was the parent. “I need to borrow a T-shirt for your dad. Do you have something you think might fit him?” At six foot three, Phil was only an inch taller but considerably broader than his lanky son.
“You can look in my drawer,” he answered absently, continuing to play his game.
She went into his room and crossed to his dresser, shuffling through the contents of his middle drawer, where she put his nicer T-shirts. She settled on one her oldest child, Megan, had brought him back from UVA when she came for her winter break from college.
“Is he back?” Logan asked when she began to walk past him. “I mean, is he moving back?” He pushed his wavy dark hair back from his eyes. He seemed to be changing more every day. At fifteen, her once cute boy with the ready smile and dimples was looking more like a man every day.
“He is. Are you okay with that?” It was an unfair question, considering his opinion had no bearing on her decision, but she wanted to know.
“I guess.” He shrugged before returning his attention to the television screen.
Lina was headed back toward her bedroom when she was confronted by sixteen-year-old Katie who had just ascended the stairs. “You and Dad have been in your bedroom all day,” Katie said in an accusatory tone. At barely five feet tall, Katie definitely took after Lina’s side of the family and in particular Lina’s sister, Adele. Not only were they both petite, barely weighing one hundred pounds, but they had the same dark, straight hair and ivory complexion. If it weren’t for Katie’s light-blue eyes, the exact same color as Phil’s, Lina would say she hadn’t inherited any of the Hunters’ physical traits.
Lina again felt like a child instead of the mother as her daughter looked suspiciously at her. “We were tired.”
“Your clothes are all over the family room. I shouldn’t have to come home to that.”
“I have to get this to your father.” Lina held up Logan’s T-shirt.
“Dad knows things have changed, right? He can’t expect to come back and start telling us what to do again.”
“He is your father.”
“But we’ve been fine without him living here, so he can’t come back unless he agrees not to be so bossy.”
Lina raised an eyebrow, listening to Katie recite her demands before she’d agree to her father returning home. They included not questioning her when she was leaving or arriving home, unlimited visits from her boyfriend, Matt, and no demands of any type. “Also, he can’t control the remote. If we’re downstairs watching something, he can’t just come in and tell us to change the channel.”
“That seems a little unreasonable, considering you have the den up here with a television.”
“He has a television in his bedroom,” Katie countered.
If she didn’t look so serious, Lina would have laughed. “I’ll take it under advisement,” she said instead as she began to walk down the hall to her bedroom.
“The Matt part is nonnegotiable,” Katie called after her.
“They know,” Lina told Phil as she entered the bedroom.
“Good.” Phil began to tug the UVA T-shirt over his head. It was snug, accentuating the width of his shoulders and the muscles in his upper arms. A former college lacrosse player, his hobby was now competing in triathlons, and his training was evident in his fit, athletic body.
Lina crossed to her dresser and took out a shirt she hadn’t planned to admit she had. “His is too small for you.”
He looked down at the faded T-shirt she’d handed him. It was the only original remaining from his time at Georgetown Law School. “I thought I lost it.” He lifted his eyes to hers.
“No. You left it here.” And I kept it, she thought but didn’t say. On particularly lonely nights she would wear it so she could feel closer to him. Lina watched him peel off the tighter shirt, her eyes lingering on his muscled chest. She’d missed him so much.
“Should I keep it off?” he teased, catching her watching him.
“Don’t be cocky.”
“Come here.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s late. I have to make dinner and you have to go to the Farside house to get clothes.”
“Just one touch.”
She couldn’t resist him. She crossed to him, sliding her hands up his warm chest. “I need to get dinner ready.”
“I know.” He dropped his mouth to her neck and clasped her hips in his hands, dragging his lips over her sensitive skin. “But I need to be inside you one more time first.”
***
An hour later, after picking up enough clothes from his rental house to last him a few days, Phil walked across the empty parking lot toward his church. The doors were unlocked, as he’d known they would be. He made his way to his familiar pew, knelt down, and brought his hands together. Instead of asking God to bring Lina back to him, as he had done daily for the past six months, he thanked Him for answering his prayers.
It was almost seven when Phil left the church and returned home. He came out of the mudroom, pausing just inside the kitchen. Lina’s back was to him as she stood at the stove. He’d dreamed of the exact scene so many times over the past months, being home with his family for dinner. He crossed to her, cupping her hips as he pulled her back in to his body. “I love you,” he whispered against her ear.
She leaned back in to him, sliding her hands over the top of one of his. “I didn’t hear the garage door. Do you want a beer? Adele left some in the refrigerator the other day.”
“I want you,” he said.
“That will have to wait.”
“I forgot how fucking good you smelled. I may spend the rest of the night just smelling you.”
“Is dinner ready?”
The sound of Logan’s voice had Lina slipping out of Phil’s arms. “Yes. Grab yourself a drink and tell Katie it’s time to eat.”
Moments later Phil was twisting the cap off his beer as he watched Logan begin to take a seat at the head of the table. Logan caught himself before he sat down and shifted to the seat he used to occupy before Phil moved out.
“You don’t have to pretend to be Dad anymore,” Katie said.
“I didn’t,” Logan mumbled.
“Katie, don’t tease him,” Lina said.
“I’m not. He totally acted like he was Dad. He sat in his spot at the table. He sets the house alarm.”
“Someone had to,” Logan said.
“The only reason Matt isn’t here is because he had band practice,” Katie told Phil as he joined them at the table. “He comes for dinner a lot.”
An image of Katie’s tattooed boyfriend flashed in Phil’s mind. He’d met him a few times. He was two years older than Katie and had no plans to go to college, instead focusing on making it as a musician. Phil wasn’t impressed.
“Dig in, everyone,” Lina said as she joined them.
Logan was uncharacteristically quiet at dinner, only speaking if he was asked a direct question. As soon as he finished eating, he excused himself and went upstairs.
Phil followed him. “Everything okay?” he asked, pausing in Logan’s bedroom doorway.
“Yeah.” Logan was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring down at his clasped hands.
“You don’t seem okay. Is this about me moving home?”
Logan lifted his gaze to his father’s. “I thought you were getting a divorce. It’s kind of weird. I didn’t know you were thinking about getting back together.”
“I never wanted to move out. You knew that.”
“Mom used to cry,” Logan said. “At night, when she thought we were sleeping, I could hear her through her door. She’d pretend to be okay, but she wasn’t.”
Phil walked farther into the room, lowering himself down onto the bed beside Logan. “I hurt her. I know that. But she’s forgiven me. I’m going to do everything in my power to make it up to her. Okay?”
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