by AJ Alexander
“Lucy isn’t yours, remember? Neither of them are.” Colton grips my shoulder, pulling my attention to him. “You left her for four years without a word. I don’t know how you thought she would wait for you after only a short voicemail left on her answering machine.”
“Don’t you think I fucking know that, but I can’t help how I feel. I love that woman with every fiber of my being. If I could take the last four years and do them over again, I would in a heartbeat.”
“You need to tell her. It’s the only way she will understand why you did what you did. Only then will you two be able to put the past behind you and start over again as a family.” Colton releases my shoulder before striding toward the door.
He stops just short of the door before tossing more words of wisdom over his shoulder. “The truth will set you free.”
I watch as my friend walks out with not a care in the world. He has the woman of his dreams on his arm and everything he has ever dreamed of.
“Lucky bastard,” I growl toward the direction he went in before I remember all the things Colton had to go through to convince Rylee he was worth taking a chance on. Although my past with Lucy is an entirely different animal, the idea is the same. I need to convince Lucy that I love her with every fiber of my being, and that includes her son.
Now to decide the best way to win over a single mother, with the memory of deserting her four years ago. The task isn’t impossible, but it is far from easy. I have a Colt-sized idea up my sleeve.
I smile to myself as I pull my hand out of the sink and dry them on a nearby shop towel. With nothing but thoughts of having Lucy in my arms again, I reach into my pocket and dial Rylee, the only person in the world that can help me get the girl.
Chapter Twelve
Lucy
It’s been almost a week since I’ve seen Tyler. We’ve exchanged text messages and a few emails about the auction but nothing personal.
This is how I wanted it right?
“Earth to Lucy,” Rylee chirps next to my desk. “Having daydreams about a night with Tyler?”
My cheeks instantly pink as I wave my hand in front of my face. “No, unlike some people I have work to do,” I mumble. Rylee has been popping up around the office more and more recently. I mean she works here, but her passion is being at The House with all the boys.
“I am working. Working on getting you and Tyler back together.” She smiles before taking a seat on the edge of my desk. “I have it on good authority that you have a half day today.”
“I wonder whose authority that might be, especially since you are my boss.” I smile as I shut down my computer. If Rylee wants me to leave work early, I won’t complain. Although I have other projects that I’m working on, the auction is the biggest event at this time of year. They have passed all the other projects off to other people until I can give them my complete focus again.
“I’m glad that you see things my way. Let’s grab Colt and head to The House. The boys miss seeing him all the time. Apparently, someone is so busy at the office they never stop by anymore.”
“I was just there last week,” I roll my eyes as I grab the few things I need and shove them into my bag. “Those boys just like to cause trouble.” I shake my head remembering my time at The House.
I had no official training as a counselor, but Kellan and Rylee let me come by and help with anything I could, whether it be playing games with the boys or helping out with chores.
“Whatever they have to do to get you to come see them, they will do it. Besides, Kellan is a built-in babysitter. We can chat while the boys get some energy out.”
“Now there is the real reason you want me to come with you.” I shake my head and give her a knowing smile. “Nothing has happened between Tyler and I other than the occasional work email.”
“I just want to spend time with my friend, is that a crime?” Rylee raises her eyebrow at me before pushing her bottom lip out in a pout. I giggle as I thread my arm through hers and head for the exit.
“Okay, okay. I’ve just been busy with the fundraiser and organizing the auction.” I place a wet kiss on her cheek with a smack. “I’m so sorry you’re feeling neglected.”
Rylee gives me a bright smile. “I accept your apology, but I know how much work this fundraiser is. I used to be in your place, you know.”
“Yes and it led you to the man of your dreams,” I whisper. I don’t fault my friend for her happiness, but not having someone to call my own is hard too. I tried dating for a short period about a year ago, but nothing felt right. No one measures up to Tyler, not just because he is my son’s father. The love I have for Tyler can’t be measured and only rivals the love I feel for our son.
“It can help you get yours back if you let it.” She winks before hitting the call button for the elevator. “Let’s go get Colt and then you can fill me in on everything that’s been going on between you and Tyler. I’m sure you are overthinking everything instead of going with the flow.”
As the elevator chimes, I step inside and respond, “It’s not just my heart on the line this time. I have Colt to worry about. Tyler is his father, but who is to say he won’t just up and disappear again. I can’t risk my little boy’s heart like that.”
Rylee places a gentle hand on my shoulder. “You haven’t given him a chance to prove you wrong. He may not know how to be a father, but he doesn’t even know he has a son. Tell him, he may surprise you.”
As the door closes, I think about what Rylee said. Can I take that chance or is it better to just let things happen? I have no idea.
I’ve spent the last two hours here at The House watching Colt play with the other boys. Rylee has been relentlessly asking me questions and dissecting each part of the conversations I’ve had with Tyler since he came back, neither one of us coming up with any idea of what his intentions are.
“I say just out right ask him,” Haddie chimes in from beside me on the couch. Haddie and I aren’t particularly close. I mean we get along, but she is more Rylee’s friend than mine. I think she just puts up with me because of Rylee.
“How do you suppose I should do that, Had? Just call him up and ask him why he left so suddenly four years ago without a word? Oh, by the way Colt is your son, dumbass.” I lean all the way back on the couch and close my eyes.
Rylee filled me in on the entire conversation between Colton and Tyler about Colt. Yeah, I guess Colt looks a little like Colton, but how could he think so little of me, not to mention of someone he calls his best friend.
“He can claim temporary insanity about a lot of things, but I can’t believe he hasn’t figured that out on his own,” Rylee chimes in as she plops down in the armchair across from us, shoving a mouthful of popcorn into her mouth.
“I thought that was for all of us?” I question, as I lean toward her swiping the bowl from her grasp and placing it between Haddie and me.
“It is, but there is no space over there.” I chuck a handful of popcorn at Rylee. “You know you are cleaning that up, right?”
We all have a good laugh before Rylee brings us back to reality.“What I can’t believe is how you skirted the issues for this long. Anyone with eyes knows that man wants you something fierce.”
“He has asked, plenty of times. I just give him vague answers.”
Haddie and Rylee both shoot to their feet. “What!”
I look back and forth between them. “He never came out and asked me if he was Colt’s dad or not. It’s not like I’m lying to him.”
“You are lying to that man,” Haddie says before grabbing a throw pillow off the couch and smacking me in the face with it. “I’m sure you tell Colt not telling the whole truth is still a lie.”
“You can’t let your fear turn you into a liar, Lucy. You’re better than that.” Rylee turns and heads back into the kitchen. Her disappointment in me is clear in her words.
“I get what you two are saying, but I need to protect Colt from being hurt. It would break his little heart to find out Tyler
is his father and then he just takes off.”
“Are you sure this is for Colt and not you? He’s not the only one who would be heartbroken if Tyler ran away again, not that he ran.”
“What do you mean he didn’t run? He left me with a vague voicemail and then nothing for the last four years. If that isn’t running from someone…” My words trail off as I remember something Rylee said to me. “Ry, do you know where Tyler has been for the last four years.”
I wait a few moments for her to answer, but when I hear nothing, I turn in the direction she went. Rylee is leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest and a pained expression on her face. “Rylee?” I ask again.
“You’re not the only one who has a secret to tell. Tyler has his own reasons for being gone for so long. I suggest you ask him what they are.” I open my mouth to question her again, but she holds up her hand silencing me. “I promised him just like I promised you. The time you spent apart and the reasons why are his and his alone. If you want to know, ask him.”
“I will have to. I need to know his reasons, no matter what they are if I will ever let him go.” I grab another handful of popcorn before turning forward in my seat. “I thought we were watching a movie? I know we can’t have any wine but a good old-fashioned chick flick is what I need right now. Then I can get back to reality.”
Changing the subject so quickly must give them whiplash, but the idea of facing off with Tyler makes me feel nauseous. I know that when I ask Tyler questions about our time apart, he will dig deeper into figuring out who Colt’s father is. That is definitely a conversation I’m not ready to have.
Haddie and Rylee are silent for a few moments before one of them says, “Give me some Jake Ryan any day.” Rylee flops down on the couch on the other side of me and grips the remote. “Sixteen Candles solves all the world problems.”
I smile at my two friends before turning toward the television and watching the opening credits. I want to pretend for just a little while longer, pretend that everything in my life is perfect before I bring it all crumbling to the ground.
Chapter Thirteen
Tyler
“This back and forth with Lucy is for the birds. You need to man up and just tell her why you were gone for the last four years. I doubt she will hold your desire to make a better life for the two of you against you,” Kellan says as he dribbles in for a layup.
Coming to shoot hoops with Kellan and the boys at The House is the best way to blow off steam at the end of a long day. It helps that Rylee sent me a text telling me her and Lu were here for a miniature girl’s night. I’m sure Haddie is in there too.
“It’s not so simple, man.” Kellan throws the ball in my direction before I hand it off to Colt. “Alright, little man, I want you to aim for the basket.”
“I not big enuff.” Sadness fills his eyes as he pushes the ball back in my direction.
I bend down to his height and wink. “Just close your eyes and aim for the basket,” I whisper to him as I watch him turn back toward the basket and close his eyes. He pulls his little arms up behind his head, ready to throw the ball with all his might in the direction of the basket.
Before he lets the ball go, I lift him up and on to my shoulders. “Open your eyes, Colt,” I shout as I jog slowly toward the basket. Peals of laughter fill the air as Colt gets closer to the basket and lets the ball fly. It swirls around the hoop twice before dropping through the net. “I did it!” he shouts, throwing both arms up in the air in triumph.
“I told you,” I smile before pulling him off my shoulders and placing him back on the ground. He gives me a bright smile before grabbing the ball and taking off toward the other boys, all of them hooting and shouting their congratulations for their friend.
“You’re good with him.” I turn toward Kellan listening to what he’s saying. “He has had no one constant in his life other than Lucy. I think he may have taken a liking to you.”
I reach back and rub my neck. “You think? I know if I’m ever going to get back into Lucy’s good graces, I need to have Colt on my side. It’s obvious he is her entire world.”
“That he is.” I turn and notice Lucy strolling toward us with a bright smile on her face. I remember when she used to smile at me like that. Her entire face would light up whenever I walked into a room. What I wouldn’t give for her to only have eyes for me once again.
“Momma, I scored a basket,” Colt shouts jumping up and down while pointing toward the net at the opposite end of the court. “Tywer told me to close my eyes and then I was flying! Just like the guys on TV. It was awesome!”
I smile down at Colt as I rub my hands through his blond hair. “You can do anything you put your mind to, little man, anything at all.”
“Anything?” he questions as his head swivels between his mother and me.
“That’s right, little man. You just need to set your mind to it and make it happen.”
“I want to be a race car driver like Colton,” he shouts before running off toward the other boys. They chant in agreement about how awesome it would be to be just like Colton.
“Not what I was expecting, but it could be worse,” I mumble to myself before smiling at Lucy, “There are worse professions than a race car driver.”
“I was hoping he would want to do something a little less dangerous. Like maybe a doctor or something like that.”
“You never know,” I respond before taking a few steps closer to her. “How have you been lately? I haven’t checked in with you in a few days. You need any help with putting the finishing touches on the benefit and auction?”
“Everything is running smoothly thankfully. Thanks again for getting the guys to agree to being a part of the auction. Hopefully, we can raise a lot of money for Corporate Cares.” She looks over at Colt as he climbs onto the jungle gym they have in the yard. “I just need to find someone to watch Colt so I can go shopping for a dress. He hates dress shopping.”
“I can watch him. All I have to do is get fitted for a monkey suit.” I jump at the chance to spend more time with the two of them.
“I couldn’t ask you to do that. I’m sure you are busy working on getting Colton ready for the upcoming race.”
“Nah, he has other people to do that. I really don’t know what my position is on the team anymore. The only reason I even have a job is because of the promise he made me before I left.”
“A promise?” She turns in my direction. “Colton promised you would have a job when you finally came back?”
I sigh, not wanting to have this conversation. “Colton promised me I would have a job when I finished taking care of my business. I was the one that stayed away for so long, but I had things to take care of before I came back.”
“Are you being vague on purpose?”
“Yes, this isn’t a conversation I’m prepared to have right now. But let me babysit Colt and take you to dinner. I can explain everything then?”
Lucy stares at me for a few moments before she sighs. “Okay, you win. Can you watch him some time this weekend? After I finish shopping, I can ask Rylee to watch Colt and we can go to dinner.”
I give myself an internal fist bump before responding, “Great! Just tell me when to be there. Colt and I will have a blast.” I hear Kellan laugh quickly covering it with a cough. I turn, pinning him in place with a stare.
“I’ll talk with Rylee and then text you the information,” Lucy giggles before calling Colt telling him it’s time to head home. Colt says his goodbyes to his friends before running over to me and hugging my legs.
“I’ll see you this weekend, little man. You need to think of some cool things for us to do while your momma is shopping with Rylee.”
His face lights up with a bright smile before he gives my legs another tight squeeze and heading toward his momma. “I’ll see you later, Tywer.”
“See you later, little man.” I wave at them as they head toward the parking lot.
“Are you going to tell her everything?” K
ellan says from besides me as he places a hand on my shoulder, “Lucy seems like an all or nothing type of girl. There is no half assing things when it comes to her. If you don’t plan on telling her the entire truth, you may as well throw in the towel now.”
“That woman means everything to me. I promised myself when I came back that I would do whatever I could to make her mine again and I plan to do just that.”
Kellan gives my shoulder a squeeze before rounding the boys up and heading back inside. There are so many other questions I would love to ask Lu, but it’s time for me to come clean about the last four years. Maybe after that I can find out if there can be anything romantic between the two of us again, but first I need to tell her the truth.
Chapter Fourteen
Lucy
“This is a bad idea. I should have never agreed to let him watch Colt,” I mumble to myself for the millionth time.
“It’s the perfect idea. Who better to watch Colt than Tyler? You don’t even like leaving him with me, calm down. You just need to let loose and give Tyler a chance,” Rylee chimes in from beside me in the car.
“I don’t mind leaving him with you. I honestly don’t want to leave him at all. I still have issues leaving him in the preschool at the office.”
As promised, I talked to Rylee about going shopping for the fundraiser and she jumped at the chance, immediately setting up an appointment for the two of us at her favorite dress shop in town.
“Right, like that statement isn’t going to scare me even more. Tyler could barely take care of himself when we were together. Now I left him with my three-year-old son,” I sigh. “I just hope he is in one piece when I get home.”
Haddie cackles in the backseat, enjoying my misery just a little too much. “You need to chill out, Lucy. Think of it this way. You will know if he is father material before you even decide to get back with him.”