Until Us

by Cristin Cooper

  “This is one of my favorite restaurants...” He cringed before he finished his comment. He searched through his mind for anything to talk about and this was the best he could come up with? He wasn’t sure if it said more about him or her.

  She responded with an “Uh huh” as she checked her phone again. He was pretty sure he could’ve said her hair was on fire and he would’ve received the same response.

  “Will you excuse me? I need to use the ladies room.” To be courteous, he stood up with her, which resulted in an eye roll and her grumbling something under her breath. Slumping into his chair, he was half relieved he wouldn’t have to think of something to say while simultaneously wishing he were anywhere but there.

  He took a sip of his drink and checked his phone for messages. He had felt his phone vibrate just after getting seated, but he hadn’t wanted to be rude and check his phone in front of his date.

  It was a text from Katie. He shouldn’t get so much pleasure from it, but he did. He had wanted to talk to her from the moment Vanessa complained about him opening the door for her.

  Katie: How’s the date going? Don’t answer if she’s sitting in front of you.

  He wished Vanessa were sitting in front of him. It was hard to try to save their date when this was the second time in less than an hour she got up from the table to use the restroom. He was tempted to ask her if she were okay, but he didn’t want to risk embarrassing her. She either had a small bladder, bowel issues, or was figuring out a way to escape.

  Tyler: I’m waiting for her to get an emergency call from a friend, so she has a reason to leave.

  Katie: It can’t be that bad.

  Tyler: I’m boring.

  Katie: No you’re not!

  Tyler: She yawned.

  Katie: She could be tired.

  Tyler: She said I was nice.

  Katie: You are!

  Tyler: Twice.

  Katie: Ouch.

  Tyler: …

  Good Guy Syndrome strikes again.

  Katie: Sorry. :-( How did you meet this one?

  Tyler: I took a shift in the emergency room. She came in with a cut on her hand and left with my number. I didn’t think she would call, but she did.

  Tyler: Got to go. She’s coming back.

  He slid his phone into his pocket and smiled up at his date. “I’m sorry. I have to go.” She pointed behind her toward the entrance of the restaurant. “I just got a call from my friend. She got into a fight with her boyfriend and she needs me.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. It stung being right.

  He stood and shook her hand. “It was nice seeing you again.” And thank you for insisting on meeting at the restaurant so we wouldn’t have to suffer through another twenty minutes of awkward silence.

  After paying the check, he got into his car, put his phone on speaker and dialed.

  “You’re calling? This can’t be good,” Katie said without a hello.

  “It ended early,” he said with humor in his voice that he wasn’t quite feeling.

  “I’m sorry. I wish you were here. We could get chocolate shakes and complain about…what was her name?”

  “Vanessa.”

  “Right. We could complain about Vanessa and how you dodged a bullet because she was too stupid to see how awesome you are.”

  “She wasn’t that bad…just not interested in me.” His stomach clenched saying it out loud. Whether he liked the person or not, rejection was rejection.

  “Tyler, someday you’re going to meet someone who prefers the Captain America’s of the world over the Iron Man’s.”

  “What?” he asked, now laughing.

  “Oh,” she laughed nervously. “Umm, Alexis and I call you Captain American when you aren’t around.”

  He lifted a brow and stared down at his phone. “Is that a good thing?”

  “Definitely. Have you seen Captain America? He’s not only a good guy but he’s hot!” His grip on the steering wheel loosened and his shoulder relaxed.

  “Do you prefer Captain America?” His body tensed again waiting for her reply.

  “Oh yeah,” she said a little breathy. “Ever since Alexis made me watch The Avengers, I’ve had a crush on him.”

  He pulled his car over and ran this hands down his face. When she said he smelled good at Alexis party, he though his head would explode but this… Her admittance made him feel hope. That was a dangerous thing. It gave him ideas. Ideas that left a guilt brick in the pit of his stomach.

  He needed to change the subject. He pulled back onto the road and asked, “Where are you?”

  “I’m in my bedroom at Dad’s house. Not writing a paper and not studying. Woohoo!” His stomach twisted imagining her smiling.

  “I almost forgot. How did your last final go this morning?”

  “I think I did well, but honestly right now I don’t care. I’m going to enjoy my Winter Break.”

  “Did you have a chance to talk to Phillip?” After her adoption confession, she told him she was thinking of talking to Phillip. He practiced Family Law, and though he personally didn’t deal with adoptions, his partner did.

  Tyler was doing his best to be supportive of whatever she decided but held out hope she would keep the baby. He couldn’t imagine having his friend’s child out in the world and not be able to be a part of its life. And Katie…she was scared, but he honestly believed she would make a great mother.

  “No. Right after I got here, Jenny and Kayla took me shopping for a dress for the party, then we got manicures and pedicures. If that wasn’t enough, they forced me to get a massage too. Can you believe them? The nerve.” She sounded exasperated but didn’t hide her laugh.

  “I’m glad you were able to muscle through it.”

  “Me too,” she said with a giggle. “Anyway, I’m planning on talking to him tomorrow morning.”

  “Will you let me know how it goes?”

  “Of course. Who else would I tell?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  December 2015

  Katie

  Violin music echoed down the hallway, getting louder the closer she came to Phillips office. Katie loved being at her Dad’s house when Jenny practiced. She had played with the Oregon Symphony but was now a member of a quartet that toured a few months out of the year and played for weddings and parties on occasion.

  The way she played, Katie could physically feel the emotions of the music and it often reflected Jenny’s mood. Today it was light and happy. She wished she could feel that way. Instead, her nerves were getting the best of her. She couldn’t stop fidgeting and pacing. As much as she wanted to avoid this conversation, she needed to talk to her dad about her options.

  She found him in his office, leaning back in his desk chair with his feet up and eyes closed. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he was asleep, but he did this every time he was home and Jenny was playing. They had adjoining offices and the door between the rooms was open so he could listen.

  He had told Katie once that it was the sound of her playing that drew him to her. She didn’t know much about how they met, but he had hinted they were both broken people when they met.

  Her hands shook as she knocked on his already open door. “Hey, old man. Happy Birthday. How does it feel to be the big four-oh?”

  He sat up, dropped his feet to the floor and smiled. “I swear it was only yesterday I was a teenager and now here I am looking at my beautiful nineteen-year-old daughter. Don’t blink because the next thing you know, you’ll be looking at your own teenager.”

  She tried to smile, but it wasn’t working. She wasn’t so sure she would ever see her child as a teenager or if she really wanted to. Her tongue became thick when she asked, “You ready for your party?”

  He stood, quietly closing the door, then came around his desk and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Did you come to ask me about the party or is there something else?” His eyes narrowed as he ran his hands down her arms. “What’s wrong?” His voice was soft and co
mforting.

  The words got stuck in her throat.

  He took her hand and guided her to the couch. Taking the seat right next to him, she leaned her head on his shoulder. “What is it, Katie?”

  “I need to talk to you about something, but you can’t tell Mom.” His body stiffened next to hers. “Katie, my relationship with your mother is still very delicate. I can’t keep things from her especially when it pertains to you. I’m sorry.”

  “I understand.” She lifted her head and moved so she could face him. “But what if I need legal advice. Could we have like an attorney-client privilege?”

  He took her hand and, with barely contained worry, he asked, “What happened?”

  “Nothing happened. I need advice for… I’m thinking about putting the baby up for adoption.” He blinked and blew out a deep breath. “I know you don’t deal with adoptions, but your firm does. I need some advice or options I could look into.” She bit her lower lip, wanting to avoid bring up their past but needing to. “I also hoped you could give me parental advice too. You know what it’s like to give up a child.”

  He ran his hands through his hair, messing up his gelled hair, then down his face. “You’re asking for advice about something I regret more than anything. I’m not sure I could be neutral on the subject, plus what I did was abandonment. It is not the same thing as giving up a child for adoption. What I did was selfish.”

  “You did what was best for you.”

  “No, I didn’t. Abandoning both of you tore me up inside and it still weighs heavily on me.”

  He leaned on his forearms, his hands still running through his hair. His voice was rough and she could tell he was trying to hold it together. “If you want an unbiased opinion than you need to do what is best for you. Not for me, not your mother, and not for Eric’s family. In the end, it’s your life and responsibility.”

  He looked at her with tear-filled eyes. “If this is about money or support, you’re not alone. I’m here. I’ll do whatever I can for you and the baby, but if this is about not wanting a baby or not being ready to be a mother, then I’ll help you find a family for your child.”

  He took her hand in his and leaned back in the couch. “Whatever you decide will not change how much I love you. I know the same goes for Bridget. Though, I do think you should talk to her.”

  “I can’t. She never questioned keeping me. She was sixteen and had no support. I’m just being selfish.”

  “You’re not selfish and she was probably too naïve to realize how hard it would be and she did have support; she had Billy. Thank God,” he mumbled.

  “Still…”

  He tugged on her hand. “Just think about it.”

  “Fine.” She would, but she didn’t think she would change her mind. There was no need to upset her mother until she made a final decision.

  “I’ll talk to my partner tonight. He’ll be at the party and I’ll see if we can meet with him tomorrow morning before I take you to the airport. He currently has a portfolio of clients waiting to adopt, so he might even be able to set up meetings with potential families when you return from Flagstaff.”

  “Thank you, Dad. I appreciate it.” She leaned into him and kissed his cheek. She stood to leave, but he tugged on her hand.

  “Hold on. I have something for you. If you don’t want them, it’s okay, but…” He went to his desk and pulled out a large envelope and handed it to her. She opened it and out slid several photos. Taking a closer look, she realized they were of her parents when they were younger.

  She smiled as she flipped through each picture. There were a few of them kissing, but most of them he had his arms around her or she was sitting in his lap. In every single one of them, they were smiling.

  Phillip leaned over her shoulder with a small smile on his lips. “That one is my favorite memory of your mother. It was the Fourth of July.” He and her mother were sitting on beach towels next to a pool, leaning into each other. They were looking into each other’s eyes with huge grins.

  “You guys look happy.”

  “We were.” He took the photo from her hand and stared at it with pain in his eyes. “Without a doubt Jenny is my soulmate, but I want you to know that I loved your mother. I needed her.” It touched her that he would share something so personal with her especially since he and her mother were still struggling to create a new relationship. He blew out a breath and handed the photo back to her. Wiping at his eyes, he said, “I’m not sure why I held on to them, but I’m glad I did.”

  “Me too.” She slid them back into the envelope and held them against her chest. “I love you and thank you.”

  He leaned into her and kissed the top of her head. “Love you.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  New Year’s Eve 2015

  Tyler

  “Come on in!” A glammed up Alexis in a short shimmery dressed waved him into their condo.

  “Wowza! You look fantastic.” She grinned ear-to-ear and spun around. The everyday Alexis was beautiful, but when she put effort into her appearance, the girl was jaw dropping gorgeous. He had a bad feeling he was going to be fighting men off of her all night.

  “Thank you. You’re looking pretty fantastic yourself!” He gave her a quick hug then followed her into the kitchen, taking the offered bottled water. “You need to hydrate. We’re going to be dancing our tushies off?”

  He chuckled at her wording. “Tushies?” he asked with a raised brow.

  Rolling her eyes, she said, “I’ve been volunteering at an afterschool science program for grade school kids. I can’t use naughty words around them, so I’m cleaning up my vocabulary. Don’t make fun.”

  “Where’s Katie?” His drive from Bend to Portland felt longer than it should because he couldn’t wait to set his eyes on her.

  “She’s on the phone with her mom, but she should be ready to go in a few minutes.” She took a sip of her water then pointed to something behind him. “Speak of the devil.”

  Tyler turned around and lost all ability speak. Katie walked toward him wearing a form-fitting black dress that showed off every single curve including her expanding belly.

  Stunning.

  He looked down and noticed her high heels. He had a feeling he was going to be carrying them before the night was over.

  Her normally curly brown hair was tamed into waves down her back. Her makeup enhanced her enchanting blue eyes. It was going to be difficult not to stare at her all night.

  Her smile brightened when she noticed him. Walking up to him with the phone pressed to her ear, she gave him a side hug.

  “Yup.” She nodded even though her mother couldn’t see her. “I’ll talk to you later. Love you,” she said right before hanging up.

  Katie placed her phone into a tiny purse that hung from her wrist just as Alexis clapped her hands. “Are you two ready to party?”

  Katie snorted. “Sure.”

  “Oh come on. It’ll be fun. You can dance your little heart out and I was told there will be a lot of hot guys.”

  Katie snorted again and pointed to her stomach. “Did you forget? I’m bringing guy repellant.” Tyler chuckled while pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

  It had been over a month since he last saw her and her stomach. He was fascinated by how much the baby had grown in such a short time. She was a day away from being twenty weeks and looking cuter every day.

  “You don’t want to go out?” he asked.

  “It’s not that. I’m just partied out and I’m tired. But I’m always tired so…” She shrugged. “Hey,” she looked around then pinched her brows together, “Where’s your date?” she asked Alexis.

  “You have a date?” When he talked to her earlier in the week to solidify their plans, she hadn’t said a word about a date. Not that he cared, but the way she suddenly avoided eye contact he wondered why she didn’t mention it.

  “Um… He’s going to meet me there.” He had to lean into hear her.

  “I can’t wait to finally meet t
his guy you’ve been gushing about.”

  Alexis’s cheeks reddened and she began to fidget with the zipper on her purse. “Me too” he thought he heard her mumble.

  By the time they had finished dinner and arrived at the party in a warehouse downtown, it was wall-to-wall people. And not just people, but beautiful people. He had wrongly assumed the invitation was from one of her nerdy friends, but apparently it was being thrown by some of her model friends.

  Alexis held his hand and he held Katie’s as they pushed their way through the crowded room to the bar. With a girly drink in hand, Alexis leaned into him and Katie and said, “I’m going to go find my date. I’ll meet up with you when I find him.”

  “You know the rules. Never take a drink from anyone but the bartender and don’t leave your drink unattended.” He lifted his phone. “Call me if you have any problems.”

  “I know. I know.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Have fun.” He watched her disappear into the crowd, tempted to follow her to make sure guys left her alone. But he wasn’t about to leave Katie by herself and he didn’t want to drag her around the room.

  “I’ve never felt so short and frumpy in my life.” He swung his head back to Katie, wanting to shake those negative thoughts out of her head, but she was smiling. Her eyes met his. “We’re in a room full of Alexises and male versions of her. It’s kind of intimidating.”

  He agreed and wondered why Alexis chose to come to this party. She didn’t normally hang out with this crowd. He leaned into Katie, who hadn’t let go of his hand since he took it when they entered. “Why this party?”

  She shook her head and shrugged. “I was wondering that myself. Maybe it’s for the guy she’s meeting. Who knows?”

  “What do you know about him?”

  “Not much. All I know is they talk almost every night and she says he’s very sweet.”

  “Hmmm.” His instincts told him she was fine, but his brotherly affection for her wanted to make sure this guy was good enough.