by Nora Blake
I sat on a stool next to where Aaron was tinkering with the engine he had completely taken out of the car a few days ago. I loved seeing him so excited about the tweaks he was making. I took a drink of my Coke and smiled when he looked at me.
“I love this.” I set my cup on the top of a toolbox.
“Hanging out with me or working on the racer?”
“Both. I do have some things I want to talk about, though, remember? Heavy things. I don’t want to say anything that might upset you, but I have a feeling we’re gonna work, and I want to get a few things off my chest.”
“Just tell me, Sarah. This won’t work if you hold back what you’re thinking.”
“Did you date anyone during the time you and your ex were separating?”
He shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”
“So, I’m the first girl since the separation?”
“Yes, but you’re also the only one I’ve wanted to go on a date with.”
“Does your ex know about me?”
“Not that we’re dating. She knows we’re friends. Do you want me to tell her?”
I didn’t really know how to answer that. I thought for a moment. “I guess that depends on if you think you should. I don’t know her, you do.”
“I wanted to make sure it was okay with you before I told anyone. You’re the one who is so unsure.”
I laughed. “The whole town will know by Monday, I’m sure. My parents have a big mouth, and they are really excited about the idea of us. They actually told me the entire town was rooting for us in middle school. Apparently, Aaron Brown and Sarah Stone were the talk of the town back then. I guess we hid our feelings from one another well, but everyone else could see it.”
He wiped his hands on a shop towel. “I don’t doubt it. I’m glad you’re parents are excited about us. I’m sure mine will be too when I tell them.”
“There are things to consider, though.”
“I know.”
“Was this the house you two had together?”
“Yeah. I told her she and the boys could have it, but she didn’t want it. I thought about selling it, but it’s still home to the boys so I can’t do that.”
I nodded and looked down at the floor while I gathered the rest of my thoughts. Trying not to picture their life inside those walls was hard. I also wondered if she’d come out here and help Aaron with his car like I do. None of that mattered so I needed to stop my thoughts there. I tucked my hair behind my ears and looked at him.
“I don’t want to be some rebound. I really like you, Aaron, and I don’t want to be that girl.”
He came closer to me, and his index finger moved to the bottom of my chin, tilting it upward until my eyes met his. “I need you to listen and listen good. You. Are. Not. A rebound. That I can promise.” He moved his hand to my cheek and cupped it gently. “If I thought for a second you were some chick I’d mess around with and leave one day, I wouldn’t have ever opened my mouth about how I felt. I wouldn’t do that to you. You’re too important to me.” He let his hand fall to his side.
I took his hand in mine and tangled my fingers with his. “I get that, but how can you be so sure? What if later you two realize you made a huge mistake and end up back together? Marriage is a huge deal. I don’t know how long you two were married, but you had to have gotten married because you loved each other. I just don’t know how people can fall out of love, especially when they have the bond of having kids together. How did you know? What was the moment you realized she wasn’t the one anymore?”
He squeezed my hand. I could see how honest his eyes were and that he was really thinking carefully how to answer my question. I felt like I was being unfair. His divorce was final, he was moving on, yet here I was making him relive it again.
“If you don’t want to answer, it’s okay. It’s just something weighing on my mind. I just don’t view love as something you can stop.”
“I married her after finding out she was pregnant with Keeton. I cared about her, but I was never really in love with her, Sarah.”
“Did she love you?”
“No, her parents pushed her into it.”
My forehead creased. “That’s terrible.”
“It’s life.”
“Thank you,” I said as I looked up at him. He felt too far away, even though he was standing right in front of me, holding my hand in his.
“For what?” he asked, inching closer as if he could read my mind.
“Honesty.” I looked at him through my lashes. My voice wavered, completely taken over by the tension building between us. I always wondered what this would feel like if we both entered the same wavelength. This entire week, I kept going back and forth about whether or not this was okay. But right now, my brain couldn’t focus on anything else except wanting him closer. I tugged his hand a little, convincing him to help close this space between us.
“I will always be honest with you. Never expect less from me.”
His eyes traveled away from my eyes to my lips.
I wanted him to kiss me.
No, I needed him to kiss me.
My lips parted slightly as I kept my eyes on his.
My heart raced as his head dipped, inching closer.
And closer …
Until he closed the gap between us.
The warmth and intensity of his lips was completely intoxicating. We pulled apart briefly, our breaths shallow as we stared at one another, igniting a bigger flame. I wondered if he stopped only to make sure I wasn’t going to run away screaming or if he felt the same overwhelming surge of energy I did and wanted to see if I felt it, too. Knowing we would surely burn the place down if we kissed again.
I kept my eyes on his, hoping he saw how badly I needed his mouth on mine again. Before I could take another breath, his hands were in my hair, kissing me slow and soft, comforting me in ways words never could. Invading every single one of my senses. Any insecurity I had about us melting away. When the kiss stopped, his hands rested just below my ears, his thumbs gently caressing my cheeks. I couldn’t speak. What had just transpired between us was too perfect for words.
When I realized my hands were gripping his back, I ran my fingers down his spine, pulling him closer to me so there wasn’t even the slightest gap, and hugged him tightly, resting my head against his chest. When his arms found their way around me, holding me close to him, I knew this was going to be my most favorite place in the entire world. Even more than the redwoods in California.
“I’ve waited eleven years to do that,” he said, quietly, as he played with my hair.
“And how was it?” I asked softly, still lost in the drunken daze from the kiss.
“Better than I ever imagined.”
I smiled against his shirt.
“Any more questions?” he asked.
“No more questions.” We both pulled out of the hug, and I looked up at him.
He brushed his knuckles against my cheek. “Just remember you can always ask me anything.”
“Same. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
His cell started ringing from the workbench. He reached over and grabbed it.
His face lit up. “Hey, boys. Whoa, slow down.” His smile faded completely.
I stood from the stool and took a drink of my Coke. I felt knots in my stomach the deeper his frown became.
“Let me talk to your mother.”
“Is everything okay? They aren’t hurt, are they?” I asked quietly.
He shook his head. “Melany, what would it hurt for them to come stay the night? I can keep them on their schedule.” He sighed in frustration. “Let me tell them goodnight then.” He looked at his phone in shock. “She hung up on me!”
“What’s the problem?” I wasn’t going to like this Melany chick at all.
“The boys wanted to come over and spend the night, but Melany didn’t think it was a good idea.” He ran a hand down his face. I could see anger slowly building in his eyes.
Our
night was so perfect, I hated to see it ruined.
"Does this happen a lot?" He told me she didn't know about me, so it couldn't be because I was here.
“Yeah.” He sat on a nearby stool and massaged his temples.
"Get a lawyer, Aaron."
He nodded.
"How about you take me home and then go see them? She can't keep you away from them, Aaron."
“She’ll be pissed.”
I shrugged. “So? Stop catering to her. These are your kids, too. When they want to see you they shouldn’t be told no.”
He sighed and kissed the top of my head then hugged me. “Can we go out on another date? Have a redo? This isn’t upsetting you, is it? I just feel like we’ve taken several steps forward, and I don’t want this to hold us back.”
"After that kiss? You’re golden." I grinned. “It’s okay. Your boys come first, babe. This is all a part of your life, and I want to be here for you.”
“Good.” He smiled down at me. “You have plans tomorrow?”
"Nope. I could come help you finish tweaking the engine."
“I’d like that.”
"I'll call Kait and have her come get me."
“I can take you home, Sarah.”
I shook my head. "I insist. My house is out of town, completely out of the way to see them I'm sure. I really don't mind."
“Let me know when you get home.”
“I will.” I got my phone from my pocket and sent a text to Kait.
I helped him get everything turned off, and he locked up the garage.
“Just stay in the house until she gets here.” He went inside with me, grabbed his keys, and left.
I didn't get a chance to tell him the good news about Stacey and Dirk, the owners of the vape shop, offering to sponsor him. I'd tell him as soon as everything calmed down.
I sat on his couch replaying the night in my mind. I thought for a moment about going to down to his room and snooping, but that was wrong. I wasn’t even sure what I’d be trying to find. I think it was just curiosity more than playing detective. You can learn so much about a person in their personal space. I convinced myself to stay put on the couch and scrolled through Facebook. I checked out the window every few minutes.
With every second that passed, my curiosity got the best of me, and I went to his room. I flipped on the lights and first looked at his bed. It wasn’t made, but I didn’t expect it to be. The dark navy duvet was mostly pulled to the left side. The king size pillow on the left side had an indent where his head laid. The right-side pillows, untouched. Melany probably once laid there. I heard the air conditioner kick on and wrapped my arms around myself when I got a chill.
My eyes gravitated toward the pictures on top of his dresser. A TV hung above it. I walked over and looked at the pictures of his boys, his parents and Nick, and then me and him. It was a picture my mom took of us in Dad’s garage working on a car. She made us stop working long enough for her to get a picture. Aaron’s mouth gaped open in shock as I’m cracking up and rubbing grease on his face. I could hear my mom scolding us all over again about not being able to be serious for two seconds.
I took a step back and turned out the light before leaving the room. I headed into the living room, and out of the window I saw headlights coming up the driveway. I opened the front door, locked it, then shut it. I stepped onto the porch and gave it a tug to make sure it was locked before getting in the car with Kait.
I got in and she looked pissed.
“What?” I asked as I put my seatbelt on.
“Why the abrupt end to the night? All you did was ask me to come get you with an address. Did he do something to hurt you?”
I burst into laughter. “Oh my gosh, no! His boys needed him, and his ex-wife is a bitch. I ended the night because his boys need him more than I do. They come first.”
“Oh, thank God, I was about to arrange someone to get bail money ready.”
“You’re a mess, Kait.”
“Don’t fuck with my Sarah. Shit will get real really fast.” She looked at me seriously before backing out of the driveway.
“Good to know you have my back.”
“Damn straight.” She pulled onto the road. “So, how was the date?”
I chewed on my bottom lip and felt my cheeks heat up. Even with the hiccup of Melany pissing him off, it was hands down the best date ever. “Perfect.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Aaron
I pulled up to Melany’s parents’ house and parked in the driveway. Their large suburban home was a reminder of one of the many reasons Melany and I had problems. I was never rich enough for their standards. Her dad was always trying to get me to take a high paying desk job at the Citibank a few towns over. He was the CEO and, last time I heard, he was making close to one million now. According to him, I wasn’t providing the life his daughter or grandsons needed. He didn’t like my response to his stupid desk job and where I told him he could put it. I preferred to make an honest living and not in the corrupt business that revolved around money.
I begrudgingly got out of the truck and walked to the door. I knocked a few times.
Her mom answered the door. It had been a minute since I’d seen her, and I noticed her hair graying more. I was surprised it was perfectly colored as usual. She had the same worry lines on her forehead she tried to Botox away. I wasn’t surprised that shit never worked. She always had a scowl on her face.
"Aaron," she said in shock. “What are you doing here? You know you are not allowed here uninvited.”
“I wanted to see the boys and kiss them goodnight. They called and were upset.”
"Mom, who’s here?" I heard Melany ask from inside the house.
Her mom stepped out of the way so she could see me standing there. Melany’s blonde hair was longer than two weeks ago. She was known to get extensions from time to time because her mother thought they made her look thinner. I wondered who she was trying to impress.
"What are you doing here?" She narrowed her blue eyes as she walked over. She was drying her hands on a dish rag.
“I wanted to kiss the boys goodnight. It killed me hearing them so upset.”
"I finally got them calmed down and in bed. They’re trying to fall asleep now. So, no. Go home, Aaron."
I still hadn't been invited in, but that didn’t surprise me. I was never welcome here.
“Melany, they’re my sons, too. I just want to tell them goodnight.”
"And leave them here with me crying? No, Aaron. They’ll be fine. I’ll have them call you tomorrow." She started to close the door, and I put my hand on it, pushing it back open.
Her mom stayed close to her side, narrowing her eyes even more at me.
“I only get to see them every other weekend,” I pleaded, hearing the crack in my voice. “You get to see them almost every day. I will stay until they fall asleep, so they don’t cry after I leave.”
"It is important children are with their mother the majority of the time. We've had this discussion, Aaron," her mother said sternly.
Melany looked at her and then at me, her expression softening some. "He can say goodnight and stay until they fall asleep."
“Melany—”
“He can stay for a bit,” she snapped at her mom.
Her mom walked away, mumbling under her breath.
“Thank you, Melany.”
She didn't answer or even look at me. She let me inside and we headed down the hall in complete silence. She opened the door to the room our boys shared and motioned for me to go in.
I didn’t go in right away but looked at her. “You know you and the boys can have the house. That way you have your own—”
"We're fine here. I’ll be in the living room if you need me.”
I nodded and walked into the room. I looked at both boys before walking to Kallon and kissing the top of his head.
He turned to face me, and his eyes lit up. He sat up and wrapped his arms around my neck. "Daddy! You came to get us!"
I hugged them tightly. “We’re not going to the house. I’m going to stay here with you two until you go to sleep. I thought we could camp out on the floor.”
"Can we build a fort?" Keeton asked excitedly, bouncing on his knees.
“Of course!”
We put together a fort with their comforters, and I laid down on my back with each of my sons lying next to me. I played with their hair as they snuggled against my sides. “I love you guys.”
"Love you too, daddy," they said together.
And all was perfect in my world for just a moment.
I stayed with them until I knew they were sound asleep. I stood and carefully put them back in their beds. I got their blankets, covered them, and kissed their heads. I stood at the door and watched them sleep a little longer before leaving their room, closing the door quietly behind me.
Melany stood from the couch when I walked into the living room.
“Thank you. They’re sound asleep and back in their beds.”
She nodded, keeping her head down, and walked me to the door. "Please don't come over here without letting me know. It upset my mom. If Dad wasn’t on a business trip he would’ve been upset, too."
“I won’t. I’m sorry. I really miss the boys and hearing them upset killed me.” I was irritated with myself for wasting an apology on her. Too many had been wasted over the years because they never amounted to anything. I wasn’t sorry for coming to see my kids. I owed her nothing. I had an issue always trying to be the bigger person. It was well-past exhausting with her.
"I know you do, but they're my entire life, Aaron. I don't have hobbies like you. I don't work. They are all I have."
“I understand that, which is why I didn’t fight for more time with them.”
"You said didn't. Not won't. What are you planning?" Now I had her full attention, her eyes wide with worry.
My cell dinged. When I looked at the message, I saw it was Nick.
Nick: How’s the date going? Get laid yet?
Me: The date ended early.