by Aria Grace
I leaned against the kitchen window watching that gorgeous ass crossing the road and rounding the corner. That’s that, then. After soaking the sweatpants and shirt, I took a shower and got ready for the day ahead. But as I headed to the spare bedroom that was my home office during the day, the phone rang. No, not the phone. A phone.
Shit. He left it here. Too late. It was at least 20 minutes since he’d left. Unless he was hanging around the park because his remote didn’t work, he was at home. Nothing I could do until he either stopped by or called his number.
It occurred to me Todd may have done this on purpose. An excuse to come back and pester me. But while he was sexy as fuck and I would love to take him to my bed, the younger omega slipped in and out of my thoughts.
As I clasped the phone in one hand and stared at the display, a message popped up, Avery, it’s Todd.
The next second it rang, and I answered. “Yeah.”
“Sorry about the phone. No time to collect it before my meeting. Can I come after work?”
“Fine.”
“How was your conference call?”
“My what?” Oh shit, I forgot about that little fib.
9
Todd
“Are you sure you don’t want to drop me at home before you collect your phone?” Jamie asked.
I kept my eyes on the road, though my fingers were clenched around the steering wheel. “I’m good. It’s not often I have you staying with me, and I plan on cooking dinner and enjoying your company this evening.” Jamie’s apartment was being painted so he was staying in my spare room for a few days.
“Okay.” He shrugged and gave me what I recognized as a knowing grin before glancing out the window.
“This is it. Won’t be a minute.”
I raced up the path and rang the bell while admiring Avery’s garden. He’s got a green thumb. Interesting.
Avery opened the door and my eyes lingered on his body clad in jeans, a white T-shirt that had seen better days, and a leather jacket as his scent washed over me. The scruff on his chin had my pulse racing, and I wanted to sniff him.
“Hi.” He leaned against the doorway and reminded me of a 1950s heartthrob.
“Hi, Avery.” I pointed at the flowers swaying in the breeze. “Nice garden.”
“Thanks.”
“Today’s been a nightmare without my phone.”
He made a face as he held it out. “Yeah, it dinged every minute or so. Drove me nuts.” But then he withdrew his hand. “Before I give it to you, I have a question.”
“Shoot.” I was happy to keep the conversation going, though I didn't expect Jamie to hang around indefinitely.
“Did you leave it here on purpose?”
I furrowed my brow. “No. Why would you think that?”
What I took to be surprise and then embarrassment registered on his face as he nibbled his lower lip. “My mistake. Forget I said anything.”
“Now I’m curious.”
“It’s nothing.” That gorgeous pink flush I’d first noticed at the park on the day we met crept over his cheeks.
Something clicked and I replied, “Oh, did you think I was coming on to you?”
“No. Don’t be ridiculous.”
The car beeped, and we both stared in its direction. Jamie mouthed, “Sorry.” Avery’s shoulders sank. “You’d better go. Your little friend is getting impatient.”
The phone dinged, and he slapped it in my palm. “You’d better hurry. I think he’s jealous.”
“Of what?” I genuinely had no clue what he was talking about as I scanned Jamie’s message that read, I can call a cab if you want to stay.
Avery gripped the door with one hand while the other was on his hip. “Look, I’m not into playing games. You seem like a nice guy, but I had my heart broken not so long ago, and I’m not prepared to cause anyone pain.” He jerked his head at Jamie.
“Maybe I’m getting old and senile, but I’ve obviously missed something here.” I thought back to what Avery had said. Little friend? “Are you talking about Jamie? My Jamie? The guy in the car?”
“Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.”
“Now I’m offended.”
“Seriously?” He waggled his finger at me. “Don’t pretend to not know what I’m talking about. You flaunt your relationship, and yet I’m pretty sure you were flirting with me at the park on Sunday.” He stamped his foot. “And don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Sex appeal is oozing out of your pores and one eye is half closed.”
“I don’t know where to begin, but you got one thing right. I was flirting with you. How do you like them apples?” I folded my arms and lifted my chin as if daring him to continue.
He opened and closed his mouth and then opened it again. “You’d better go.”
“I haven’t finished.”
“Oh, we’re done here.” He made to close the door.
“Jamie, the one who’s patiently waiting while I burble on, is a great guy who I love more than anything. I’d lay down my life for him.”
Avery exhaled and his face softened. “You’re so lucky to have found that. Many people don’t. Or think they do but it’s life playing tricks.”
I thought back to what life had done to me. “Yeah. You never know what’s gonna happen. I get that.”
We stood in silence, me lost in thoughts of my past and the faraway look in Avery’s eyes told he was probably doing the same. “I’m sorry someone caused you pain. But I’m not being a dick. Well, other than my usual dickishness.” I emphasized the last word. “But Jamie happens to be my son.”
His mouth fell open. A bright pink spot appeared on each cheek and he rubbed his brow. “Your son,” he whispered.
“Yes.”
“And you’re not…?”
“I’m single.”
“I see.” He inspected his feet. “I owe you an apology. Turns out I was the one being a dick.”
“Forget it.” I grinned. “But if we’re done discussing our dicks.”
“We weren’t.” His face was even redder. He’s so cute. “And you know we weren’t. You just want to say the word.”
I closed one eye and tapped my forehead. “Which particular word are you talking about?”
“Oh my God, stop it.”
“Was it dick?”
He giggled and I joined him. I gave him my phone, and he raised a brow. “Would you do me the honor of adding your phone number?”
“Sure. Why not?” He gave it back and I called him. The phone buzzed in his hip pocket.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” I asked
“Might be a wrong number.”
“Possibly,” I agreed.
“Or a telemarketer?” He tapped a finger on his lips as his eyes lit up.
“Could be.”
“Or a scammer?”
“Yeah. Or perhaps it’s someone who’d love to get to know you and wants to take you out to dinner.”
“Really?” His voice was little more than a whisper. “I’m kinda damaged.”
“As am I. Look, Avery, I don’t want to push you into anything. It’s just dinner. That’s it. But if you’re not ready, you can let me know when you are.”
He took a deep breath. “How about we start with messaging and go from there?”
I grinned. “I think we can do that.”
“Great.”
“I gotta go. Jamie’s staying with me for a few days.”
“That’s nice.”
“It is.” I waved. “Talk soon.”
10
Avery
Morning.
Hi, I replied.
Todd and I had gotten into the habit of messaging one another before work. And again in the evening. He was right when he said he wouldn’t pressure me. There’d been no more talk of any D words, meaning dinner or, God forbid, dating.
We discussed our day and what podcasts we’d listened to and recommended TV programs and books. It was
easy and I looked forward to our chats. Part of me was still grieving the loss of my partner—though loss wasn’t the correct word. He didn’t die or run away. He cheated and ripped out part of my heart when I discovered it.
And while I was still broken, I had begun to heal, and I could see that one day, I could be happy by myself or with a new partner. I wished I could speed up the process, but I guess time had other ideas.
I’m going jogging in the park.
The phone weighed heavy in my hand as I read and reread the message and waited for him to ask if I wanted to go too. But as I glanced out the window at the trees swaying in the breeze, I took a deep breath. I hadn’t been running for a few days, and what was the harm in going with Todd.
Would you like company? I pushed send before I could change my mind.
He answered with, That’d be great. Meet you in the parking lot in ten.
I brushed my teeth and threw on my running gear as my heart pounded like it did after a run. I was warming up when Todd arrived. Tension prickled over my skin as I waved and pretended to be retying a shoelace while I took a peek at that gorgeous ass.
As Todd bent and stretched, I looked away, fearing I’d drool and betray my feelings. Which are what? We hardly knew one another, though my brain mapped every inch of his body.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yeah. Wanna go around the lake?”
“Why not? Let’s live dangerously.” A smile flickered over his face and made my heart flutter as he took off along the path. I raced after him, and we jogged in silence while negotiating the twists and turns. As it was early, there were very few people around, and apart from the ducks, we finished our run in silence.
But it took all my strength not to fall back and watch his athletic body as he pounded over the path. His sinewy arms pumping back and forth with each step and the sweat dripping over his chin made my knees wobble as they had on the first day.
We both collapsed on the grass and lay panting. Todd mumbled, “That feels so good.”
“Yeah. It’s nice to have someone to run with.”
“We should do it more often.” Todd got up on one elbow and leaned over me. For the first time, I noticed hazel flecks in his eyes. “If you want. No pressure.”
A droplet of sweat trickled over his forehead, along his nose, and plopped onto my chest. It was a nothing thing. And yet it felt so intimate. His sweat mingling with mine was a turn-on. I studied his expression, trying to fathom what he was thinking. But his eyes clouded over and he jerked his head at the coffee truck.
“Americano?” The spell was broken, and I blinked away a vision of Todd kissing me.
“Sure.”
He leaped up as though something was chasing him and raced over the grass. Was he that eager to get away from me? Did I stink that badly? I sniffed under one armpit. I couldn’t describe it as funky but then he wasn’t smelling of roses.
I half closed my eyes but peeked at Todd through my lashes as he chatted to the truck owner and laughed at something she said. He had such an easygoing manner while I tended to stand back and observe the world.
“Avery?” His voice bounced over the grass, startling a pair of ducks pecking for worms. “Sugar?”
Everyone waiting for their coffee stared at me. Did they think we were together? One omega scowled at me, and I puffed out my chest as I gave him my best smile and yelled, “No thanks.”
I was tempted to add, “You’re the only sugar I need,” just to make that omega’s day worse than it already was. Or stick my fingers in my ears, poke out my tongue and shout, “Na. Na. Na. Na. Na.” I’m a horrible mean person. But I didn’t care as a frisson of pleasure took hold of me.
I’m having fun. During the past six months, that hadn’t happened much. Of course, as Todd headed toward me trying not to spill the coffee, a thought hit me. If we had been in a relationship, he would have known I didn’t take sugar. I glanced over my shoulder at the omega staring at us intently and allowed my fingers to linger on Todd’s as I took the coffee. “Thanks.”
He gave me an odd look before sitting cross-legged beside me and sipping his hot drink. “God, I needed this.”
“Me too. Nothing better than the first coffee of the day. No matter how many others I have, they’re never as good as the first.”
“Good company helps.” He side-eyed me, but the ducks quacked and interrupted my thoughts.
“Yeah, they agree. We’ve been discussing how to eat worms while you were gone. I prefer them stir-fried with garlic but they lean toward raw.”
“Do you always do that?”
“Do what?” I kept my eyes on the ducks as they waddled toward the lake.
“Avoidance.”
How was I supposed to answer that? But Todd didn’t wait for me to respond. “I was trying to say that I enjoyed spending time with you.”
I gathered my courage and looked him in the eye. “I’d like to run with you more often. I’ve enjoyed this.”
“Great. Same time tomorrow?”
“It’s a date.”
The words slipped out of mouth before I realized what I’d said, but Todd saved me. “A running date.”
I exhaled. “Yeah.”
“As long as you don’t run away.”
There didn’t seem to be a suitable answer to that, so we sat in silence and finished our drinks.
During the day as I typed and answered calls, my thoughts calculated the hours until I saw Todd again.
11
Todd
Instead of hitting snooze umpteen times, I now leaped out of bed Monday to Friday and was in the car headed to the park ten minutes later. Even though Avery lived close by, I usually beat him there and I teased him about being a sleepyhead.
He was a much faster runner than I was. I still hadn’t confessed that I rarely jogged until that day I fell in the lake. And Avery hadn’t asked. But I got used to his quirks, such as there was no talking during the jog, he preferred to run a little behind me, which I loved ‘cause I imagined he was admiring my ass, and he used his phone to measure his steps while I didn’t give a damn how far I’d gone.
We seemed to be getting on well. He laughed at my jokes and listened to stories about being a single father to Jamie. We hadn’t really discussed my late mate’s death, though I’d mentioned it in passing.
So, we were both damaged, though Avery’s hurt was much more recent than mine. And his had an added sting in that his partner had been unfaithful.
After I brushed my teeth and searched for my sneakers, the phone beeped. Sorry can’t make it today. Got a message late last night about a conference call.
Meeting Avery in the mornings made every day better. After being with him, I was ready to tackle whatever upsets happened at work. So, as I read his text, disappointment curled its fingers around me. Okay. No problem, I replied.
Not seeing Avery’s face and hearing about the perils of working from home, not sitting on the lawn near the coffee truck enjoying the sweaty downtime after our run had me wondering if this was an excuse which would turn into a permanent thing.
But after racking my brain and going over our last conversation, I couldn’t pinpoint anything that would suggest Avery wasn’t happy with our friendship.
His next text had me pause. But I have an idea.
My stabby fingers furiously replied, only to have the message be full of typos, which I had to delete and type again. Oh, yeah. What’s that? Did my neediness seep into the words?
I think we should share something more than coffee.
Luckily, he couldn't see my face. I inspected my rumpled bed and sniffed the sheets, half expecting Avery to bound through the door, waggling his dick.
If you’re free this evening, come to my place and share a pizza.
Okay, it wasn’t exactly a roll in the hay but what did I expect. The man said he wanted to go slow and that’s what we’d been doing. And not only would we be eating a meal together, we’d be at Avery’s home.
A neu
tral place such as the park was safe. There was nothing personal about it, no memories lurking in a corner or photos shoved into a drawer, no sitting in his former partner’s favorite chair.
I’d love to. Thanks.
I have to warn you about something.
Shit! There were rules for a pizza dinner. Okay.
If you’re a pizza with pineapple kinda guy, you’ll have to sit outside, he told me.
I shook my head and laughed. I wasn’t going to admit I didn’t mind a fruity pizza, but this wasn’t the time for truthfulness. We’re good.
After discussing the all-important topic of pizza toppings, he said, See you at seven.
And now I had the whole day stretching in front of me, while I planned what to wear and what to take. Jeans with buttoned-down shirt or tee? Red wine or box of donuts from the new shop down the street? Decisions. Decisions.
At 6.45p.m., I sat in my car. The drive to Avery’s place was three minutes. I’d timed it that first evening when Jamie was with me. I could have walked or run but didn’t want to arrive gross and sweaty.
Clutching a bottle of red wine in one hand, I rang the doorbell as the pizza delivery guy arrived. I paid and tipped him before Avery opened the door.
“You’re new,” he quipped. “My usual delivery guy has a mop of curly hair.”
“At your service, sir.”
Avery took the box and the wine and added, “Don’t expect a tip,” before grinning and heading inside. After grabbing glasses and a bottle opener, he walked into the living room and poured us both a glass of wine.
My stomach grumbled as I sat beside him and took a slice. “Someone’s hungry,” Avery said as he took a bite of pizza. My eyes were fixed on his mouth as he chewed the pepperoni, cheese, and crust. He wiped his greasy lips with a paper napkin and asked, “Something wrong, Todd?”
“Just wondering why the change of heart. About dinner as opposed to keeping our distance.”
Avery paused mid-chew. “I was tired of bad memories invading my space. This used to be a happy home, and I refuse to allow someone else’s behavior to ruin the place I live and work. I wanted to banish the bad by doing something different.”