by Violet Howe
My body yearned for him, and I lifted my hips toward his hand as he pushed the silk above my thighs and slid his fingers into the wetness between them.
“You’re not wearing any panties,” he whispered as his mouth left my collarbone for his teeth to pull at my nipple through the silk gown.
“That’s very perceptive of you,” I said, gasping as his fingers found their rhythm and his tongue flicked across the sensitive peak of my breast.
“Mom?” Galen’s voice came through the door, and I shoved Dax to the side, pulling my gown over my legs and clutching the robe around me.
“Yes, dear?”
She tried the knob, and I was grateful that I had flipped the lock when I closed it.
I jumped from the bed and hastily tied the robe sash, motioning to Dax to get in the bathroom and flinging open the door once he was safely out of sight.
“Why is your door locked?” Galen said, her face scrunched together in confusion. “You never lock your door.”
“Oh, must have been an accident,” I said, stretching my arm up and along the edge of the door, effectively blocking her from entering.
“I found these bubbles, but I’m not sure which font I should use and whether or not I should do our names or our initials. I’m just thinking the names are going to be so tiny that no one will see them, you know? But if I get the initials, do I get my initials and his initials or since we’ll be married by the time they do bubbles, do I get our first initials together with the same initial for the last name? I have to order them by midnight tonight to get the customized version in time, and then we’ll have to pay expedited shipping.”
“Do first initials and same last one. Good night, honey.”
Her eyes suddenly opened wider as she looked past me into my room, and I turned to follow her gaze. Dax’s boots were laying on the floor at the foot of my bed with his belt tossed across them.
“Mom,” she whispered, her eyes and mouth both open wide. “Do you have a man in your bedroom? Ha! Oh my God. You do! You snuck your boyfriend in your bedroom! This is awesome. This is classic. What are you, trying to be Galen now? I thought I was the only one to sneak guys in the house.” She burst out laughing as hot blood rushed to my face and a flush of sweat covered me.
“Hey, you were sixteen at the time. I’m fifty. There’s a big difference.”
“Go, Mom!” She lifted her hand for a high-five, and I reluctantly gave her one. “I didn’t know old people still did stuff like this. That’s awesome!”
“Old people? Really?”
“You know what I mean. I’m not saying you’re old or anything, but this kind of gives me hope for the future. Wow.”
I put my hands on my hips and stuck my tongue out at her. “Well, now that I’ve assured you that sex doesn’t end at thirty, can I please close my door?”
She shook her head rapidly and put her hand over her eyes. “Oh, God. I’m gonna be sitting in the living room knowing that the two of you are having sex right down the hall. That’s gross. Sorry,” she said, spreading her fingers to look at me, “but that’s disgusting.”
“We’ll try not to be loud. Good night, Galen,” I said, closing the door and flipping the lock.
“I hope you’re using protection,” she shouted as she went down the hall. “I don’t need any younger siblings running around.”
“Mother Nature already took care of that!” I shouted back as I turned to watch Dax come out of the bathroom.
“So, the cat’s out of the bag?” he asked.
“I suppose.”
“You want me to go?”
“Hell, no!” I said, dropping my robe and pulling the gown over my head as I crossed the floor to put my arms around him. “She already knows you’re here now.” I tugged at his shirt until he lifted his arms for me to pull it over his head. “How about you finish what you started, cowboy?”
58 POOL PARTY
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked Dax as we stood outside my front door. Laughter and conversation from the back patio and pool was loud enough that we could hear it in front of the house.
“I already said I did,” he replied with a grin.
“I know, but it’s gonna be loud. And wild. You’ll probably get asked a million questions, and they’ll probably try to embarrass me or something. I thought it would be easier for you to meet everybody here, you know? At the rehearsal tomorrow and the wedding Saturday, there will be so much going on and so many people. Not that there’s not a lot of people here, but there will be more there. The most important people are here. The ones I want you to meet. To spend time with.”
“Maggie, I already agreed to do this. I want to do it. So, are you going to try to talk me out of it, or are you going to open the door so we can go inside?”
“Thank you. Really. I mean, you’ve already met Cabe and Tyler, and you’ve already met Galen. But my parents are here. Sandy and Hannah. Alberto. Some of my cousins. It’s a lot.”
“Maggie? It’s fine.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve never done this before. I’ve never introduced a boyfriend to everyone. I never knew it would be so nerve-wracking. Okay, I’m opening the door now.”
“That’s good. I brought ice cream, as you requested, and if you wait any longer, it’s going to be dripping all over us.”
I swung open the door and entered the chaos, hoping my family and friends would go easy on him. Not that I didn’t think Dax could handle it, but it was an odd feeling to love someone so much and want them to be accepted by the others you loved. Unfortunately, given my background, that wasn’t something I’d ever experienced.
“I thought you guys were never gonna come inside, Mom,” Galen said. “Were you making out on the porch or something?”
I ignored her dig, one of several she’d made since discovering I was a red-blooded human being who actually still had sex at the ripe old age of fifty. It was a mind-boggling concept for her.
“Here,” I said, taking the bag from Dax and giving it to Galen. “Put this ice cream in the freezer.”
Dax and I held hands as we passed through the French doors and onto the patio. Cabe and my father were at the grill cooking hot dogs and hamburgers. Tyler, Sandy, and Hannah were discussing Rome with Alberto. My mother was sitting on the side of the pool with her feet in the water, talking to my cousin Bree, who was holding her grandson Daniel as he splashed in her arms. Daniel’s dad, my cousin Danny, was playing Frisbee with Tate.
“Hey everybody! Listen up. Mom’s boyfriend is here!” Galen shouted from behind us as she came out onto the patio. I glared at her, but before I could say anything, we were surrounded by smiling faces.
I introduced him to everyone, and to his credit, he never let on if he was overwhelmed. His smile came easy, and his laugh was hearty, and before too long, he was in the yard tossing the Frisbee like he’d been part of the family all along.
“He’s a hottie,” Sandy said as we made margaritas at the pool bar. “Damn, girl. I had a mental image from all these stories you’ve been telling me, but I underestimated your descriptions.”
“He is fine,” Hannah said, gazing across the pool to the yard where Dax was jumping to catch the Frisbee. “You did good, Mags.”
“Thanks. If my lesbian friends are impressed with my boyfriend’s looks, then he must be pretty hot, huh?”
We laughed as I poured the margaritas into glasses.
Everyone seemed to snag a moment alone with Dax at some point in the evening. I’d look up to see him deep in conversation, and if he happened to catch me staring, he’d smile and give me a wink guaranteed to turn me on no matter who I was talking to.
“I must say, I’m impressed to see the two of you still together,” Alberto said as he watched me flambé Galen’s special request of Bananas Foster. “You seem very happy, Mags. Content. Peaceful.”
“I am. I don’t even know how to describe it, because it’s not something I ever felt before. I was happy before. But this is different. It’s like I didn’t know a
nything was missing, and now that he’s here, I can’t imagine how I would ever be without him.”
Alberto leaned on the counter and watched me spoon the hot caramel mixture into bowls.
“So, should I be looking for a new pool house to rent when I visit Orlando, or is there room for me out at the ranch?”
I shot him a look. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I don’t think either of us will be giving up our houses any time soon. We have talked about it—briefly, not in any depth, mind you—but we’re both happy the way things are. I have my independence. My house. My schedule. He has his. We’re together any time we can be or want to be. It’s working for us. And as long as it is, we won’t make any changes.”
“Hear, hear to the modern romance,” Alberto said, raising his wine glass to me.
“You need any help, Maggie?” Tyler asked, peeking around the French door leading to the patio.
“Yes, sweetie. As a matter of fact, if you can carry these bowls out as I get them filled, that would be great. If not, the ice cream may all be melted by the time it’s served. Alberto, grab the spoons? The dessert spoons. Third drawer down over by the desk. Ty, ask Dax if he’d rather have chocolate cake or Bananas Foster.”
Tyler took the bowls outside, and within a couple of minutes, Dax came in.
“Can I have both?” he asked, coming behind me at the counter and placing his hands on my waist.
“You certainly can. But not on the same plate. Those two flavors shouldn’t marry.”
“Ha! Mom, you said marry! And I’m getting married!” Galen shouted as she came in the house and headed down the hall to the restroom.
“Someone’s had too much wine,” Alberto said with a chuckle.
“Mr. Bill said he wants chocolate cake,” Tyler said, loading her arms with another round of bowls.
“Like I don’t know that, Dad. I made the chocolate cake specifically for him because he hates Bananas Foster.” I shook my head as I put a slice of chocolate cake on a plate with a scoop of ice cream over it.
“You need any help?” Dax asked.
“No, I’m good.” I turned in his arms and gave him a quick kiss, holding my hands out away from him so I didn’t get smudges of chocolate, ice cream, or caramel sauce on his shirt. “You having a good time?”
“I’m having a great time,” he said. “I’m gonna get in the pool after we have dessert. You want to join me?”
“She can’t. Her mad drawing skills are needed for Pictionary,” Sandy said as she came inside and grabbed a roll of paper towels. “And if anyone asks, you want to be on Maggie’s team.”
“Pictionary, huh?” Dax said as I turned back to serving dessert. “You never told me about these mad drawing skills of yours.”
“She’s amazing,” Alberto said. “She can guess from little more than a straight line with uncanny accuracy.”
Four rounds of Pictionary later, I had retained my family title of champion, and Dax proclaimed that I did indeed have mad skills.
Eventually, the party began to wind down. Bree and Danny left with Daniel. My mother helped clean the kitchen and then announced she was retiring to the pool house for a shower and bed. Cabe and Tyler left to go let Deacon out since they’d left him at home, unsure of how the crazy dog would react with so many people.
My dad moved to the living room to watch sports updates, and Galen and Tate were in the shallow end of the pool, wrapped in each other’s arms and whispering to one another.
“We’re going to head out,” Sandy said. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the rehearsal, Dax. Mags, I’ll see you in the morning for brunch.”
I hugged her and Hannah and thanked them both for coming, then turned to Alberto.
“It’s so odd for you to be in town and not be staying with me. I’m sorry I had to boot you.”
He smiled, and his blue eyes were warm as he took my hand. “Honey, your parents and your daughter take precedent for sleeping space. I get it. The hotel you put me in has room service and a fabulous spa, so I’m happy.”
“All right. I’ll call you if we’re able to do lunch tomorrow, but more than likely I’ll have to wait and see you at the rehearsal.”
“No worries. I’ll book a massage and relax by the hotel pool if you girls are busy. Dax, nice meeting you,” Alberto said, releasing my hand to shake Dax’s.
“Likewise,” Dax said. “Look forward to talking more this weekend.”
“Bye, Mags. Love you.” Alberto hugged me and followed Sandy and Hannah out the door.
“I better get going, too,” Dax said when we were alone. “Although I wish I didn’t have to. I loved watching you tonight. You looked so happy. So loved. You have this beautiful light that shines through you, Maggie Mae. I’m a very lucky man.”
I stood on tiptoes to kiss him, and he wrapped his arms around me, deepening the kiss beyond what I was comfortable with when my father or daughter might walk through the room at any time.
“Behave,” I whispered. “You’re going to get me in trouble.”
“I want you,” he said with his lips against my ear, his voice so low that I could barely hear him. “When can I have you again?”
“Two more days, love, and the wedding will be over.”
“Until then.” He smiled and released me, but took my hand and brought it to his lips. “You know I love you.”
I nodded, my heart swelling with happiness. “You know you’re loved.”
“Yes, I do,” he said, smiling as he let go of my hand. I watched him walk to the truck and drive away before going back inside.
My father was in the kitchen, helping himself to the chocolate cake.
“Another piece?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Don’t tell your mother. You know I can’t resist your chocolate cake. You make the best there is.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I took the cake server and washed it, then I replaced the lid on the cake plate.
“He’s nice,” Dad said. “I like him.”
“He is nice, isn’t he? I like him, too.” My smile beamed as I wiped down the counter.
“I never wanted you to be unhappy, Margaret. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And all the love, too.”
I turned my back to rinse my hands in the sink, fighting to swallow the emotion that had risen in my throat at his words.
“I didn’t realize I’d never told you,” he said, pausing to take a breath, “but I am incredibly proud of you. I’m proud of the mother you are, the woman you are, the way you’ve lived your life. I couldn’t be more proud. In fact, you are what I am most proud of in my life. I’m sorry you didn’t know that. You are the best thing that ever happened to your mother and me, Maggie.”
The lump wouldn’t go down, and I blinked back tears as I turned to throw my arms around his neck. He hugged me tight and patted my back.
“Thanks, Dad.”
He pulled back and looked at me, his own eyes misty. “If you love this fellow, then you have my full support. Be happy, Maggie.”
I nodded. “I will, Dad. I love you.”
I hugged him again, and he squeezed his arms around me. “I love you, too, baby girl.”
59 WE ARE FAMILY
Galen and Tyler had both told me the resemblance between Jeffrey and Cabe was startling, but when I saw him at the wedding rehearsal, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like my son had a twin I’d never known. They shared the same facial structure, the same eyes, nose, and mouth. Jeffrey didn’t have a beard, and his hair was darker, but they were of equal height and the overall similarities were downright eerie.
I couldn’t stop staring at him, and when he’d noticed for the fourth time, I smiled and apologized.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I know I keep staring at you, but I can’t get over how much the two of you look alike.”
He smiled. “I think it catches everyone off guard. We’ve gotten used to being asked if we’re twins when we go places together.”
I nodded, wondering how often the tw
o of them had been doing things together. I made a mental note to ask Cabe once the wedding weekend was over.
Julie was delightful, but it was bizarre to see her and Galen share such closeness. In fact, the four of them—Cabe, Jeffrey, Julie, and Galen—all interacted with such ease and camaraderie that I felt like I was the outsider with my own children at times.
It was surreal.
When I had first learned of Jeffrey and Julie’s existence, they were daggers who pierced my heart and rendered it unable to keep beating at any regular pace. Knowing there were children in his marriage was the final painful nail that sealed the coffin on anything Gerry could have said to me, and it had set in motion the path that would leave my children without a father.
But these two adults who stood before me and laughed in unison with my own children were blameless in my painful journey. It was impossible to hold the past against them in any way, no matter how awkward it was to accept their presence as normal.
The day had been splendid so far. We’d enjoyed a ladies brunch with Galen and her bridesmaids as well as Tyler, Sandy, Hannah, Julie, and my mom, after which we all went for manicures.
The rest of the afternoon had been a blur of last-minute preparations with my house filled with female chatter.
The fact that Gerry would be at the rehearsal had been in my thoughts the entire day, and though I dreaded seeing him, I was anxious to get the whole event underway.
“Any sign of Galen’s father?” Dax asked as we stood on the back porch of the house at Silver Creek and watched Bronwyn line up the wedding party under the oak tree.
“No. Evidently, he texted Galen that he was running late. It looks like they’re almost done here, so with any luck, he won’t make it before it’s over.”
“Hmm. Did you find out if he’s planning on being at the rehearsal dinner?”
I turned to look up at Dax. “Galen said no. Do you want to go ahead and head over there? Bronwyn already told me where I sit and when I walk down the aisle, so I don’t need to be here.”
“Sure. Whatever you want to do,” Dax said.