The Path To Us: A Single Parent Romance

by Jennifer Van Wyk

  Addy starts marching toward Lizzy like she’s about to pounce on her but I pull her back. “Doesn’t matter. Seems to me it’s been going on for some time now. Tell me I’m wrong. Lie to me, just as you’ve both been doing for… how long? Admit that you’ve been deceiving me, double crossing me.” My voice is calm, unlike my heart that’s threatening to pound right out of my chest. My body feels tight, pulse beating hard in my neck as I grit my teeth against the desire to pummel my friend. It’s hard for me not to beat the absolute shit out of him right now. I’ve always had a short temper, quick to use my size and strength if needed. Or, sometimes, wanted. Never did I imagine I’d want to turn that onto Tyson

  “Beau, man… I’m sorry. I have no excuse.”

  “You’re right, Tyson. You don’t,” I bark. Addy places a hand on my back and something in me calms. I take a deep breath and look down at her. Down at my friend who’s been by my side and makes me laugh and has never wavered in her friendship. Her brown eyes soften, even in the darkness that surrounds us. I swallow hard and turn back to the two people I once trusted with my life. “But neither does Lizzy. It makes no difference whether or not you’re sorry. I can’t even look at you. Either of you. Get the fuck out of my face.”

  I thread my fingers together on top of my head and feel the muscles in my arms protest, aching to throw a punch. “Fuck! Years. YEARS! Years of friendship. No, fuck that. Of brotherhood. Gone. Because you couldn’t keep your dick out of my girlfriend?” I drop my hands and shake my head. “And you…” I turn to face Lizzy whose tears are streaking down her cheeks as she holds her hands to her chest. I suck in a breath as I stare at the girl I gave all my firsts to. Was blindly in love with. Whether it’s because her parents just got divorced or not, there’s no excuse. “You’re nothing but a cheating bitch.”

  I spin around and storm away, shrugging off Tyson who tries to stop me with a hand on my shoulder. I ignore the way he shouts out my name. I ignore Lizzy’s cries to stop walking away. I ignore her pleas to come back to them and listen. I ignore the looks of everyone as I push through the crowd around the fire and climb into my pickup. I start it up with a satisfying roar, take a breath, and close my eyes for a moment to gather my thoughts.

  How could I miss this?

  How could I have been so blind to the fact that the friend I consider as much a brother than my own two had been sleeping with my girlfriend?

  The passenger door opens and Addy climbs in.

  “Drive.”

  “Addy…”

  “Just drive. You need this.”

  She’s right. Whenever I need time to think, I do it best behind the wheel of my pickup.

  Putting my truck in reverse, I tear out of my spot at the edge of the field, switch to drive, and do just that. I drive. Addy in the passenger seat, sitting quietly with one leg tucked under the other, her elbow resting on the console.

  Out of the corner of my eye I see her flip open her ringing phone and slam it shut, shoving it in one of the empty cupholders.

  I grunt, knowing that Lizzy was just trying to call her.

  “You didn’t know?”

  “No. I didn’t.”

  I nod, knowing that she’s telling the truth. She’s a terrible liar. She can’t manage to sit still, rather fidgets and winces because it goes against her nature.

  “I have no idea what she was thinking.”

  “Are you surprised?” I ask in a whisper and hold my breath for her answer. I don’t know what answer I’m hoping for because part of me wants her to be just as surprised as I am. That I’m not the only one who was an idiot.

  “No,” she says just as quietly, shaking her head back and forth while looking down at her lap. Timid. Shy. Pained. Her slender fingers slide across the console and grip my forearm. “There is something wrong that I can’t put my finger on but she’s been off since just before prom.”

  “Probably because she was trying to hide the fact that she was screwing Tyson behind my back.”

  “Maybe. Maybe it’s something else? I don’t know but I wish… I guess I wish things were different.”

  I sigh and relax into my seat. Still driving. Letting the purr of the engine and low music coming through the speakers calm me. “Me, too.”

  We’ve been driving around for a couple hours, letting the music coming through the speakers speak for us when Addy’s phone rings again. She reaches down for it, flipping it open and sighing heavily. This time answering, “Hi, Mom.”

  I glance over at the clock and wince when I realize it’s way past her curfew. She squeezes my arm and I bite back a laugh when her eyes widen comically.

  “Sorry, sorry. I know. It’s late.” She pauses as her mom no doubt yells on the other end. Suzie’s a single mom and incredibly protective. “I’m with Beau. Something happened tonight and we’re just driving around.” Another pause and she looks at me, our eyes meeting for a second before I turn my attention back on the gravel road before us. “Okay. Yeah. I get it, Mom. I promise I’ll be home soon.” She hangs up and places it back in the cupholder.

  “Mama Suzie on a war path?”

  “Oh, yeah. She’s pissed.” She laughs and makes an eek face. “But when I told her who I was with she seemed to relax a little bit. I’ll be grounded for sure but whatever.”

  “I’m sorry. My bad. I’ll get you home,” I tell her but make no move to change the direction of the pickup. Continuing down the quiet dusty gravel road, past old farmhouses and barns. I love driving these back roads. I’ve always felt more at home surrounded by nothingness.

  “No!” she shouts and I chuckle at her outburst. “No. She said I could stay out another hour.”

  I turn right and glance at Addy. “Suzie’s being generous tonight?”

  “Apparently,” she murmurs.

  We drive in silence until it’s time to bring her home. Neither of us needing to speak. Content to think and move forward from the shit storm that occurred tonight.

  I pull into Addy’s driveway and park.

  “Thank you, Addy.”

  “You’re welcome, Beau. You know I’m always here for you.”

  “I know. Besides my family and Tyson, you’ve been the only constant in my life. I can’t wrap my head around this.” And that’s the bitch of it. Most of my favorite childhood memories revolved around Tyson and Addy. For a long time, it was the three of us. Then Lizzy came along.

  She shifts so her knee is resting against the back of the seat. “Can I tell you something?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m not surprised about him, either.”

  “Why?” I ask her, voice calm despite the fact that I’m angrier than I’ve ever been.

  “I always got this feeling that he was jealous of you.”

  “Of me? Why? He’s got everything.”

  She shakes her head. “No. He doesn’t. He doesn’t have this,” she says quietly as she places a hand over my heart. “You have the best heart of anyone I’ve ever met, Beau Aikin.”

  “No, I don’t. I’m like a live wire, always looking for a fight. At least, that’s what the principal reminded my parents of any chance he got.”

  “You were never looking for a fight. You were always standing up for someone. You just chose to use your hands to get your point across instead of words.”

  There’s major truth to that statement but still, Tyson has had everything a teenage boy could dream of his entire life. Always the best clothes and shoes, vacations all over the world, a brand new truck when he turned sixteen, always the latest video games. His grades might not have been straight A’s but he managed B’s and C’s just fine. In every sport he played, he was the star of the team. An endless string of girls trailed after him.

  “He had everything. Why did he have to take what was mine?”

  “No. He didn’t. His parents might have a ton of money and he might be a great athlete, but none of that matters if what’s inside is filled with resentment.”

  “Who does he resent?”
/>
  She gives me a pointed look and then points at me.

  I pull a face and shake my head. “What does he have to resent me for? That makes no sense, Addy.”

  “If you think about it, it’ll come to you.” She starts to climb out but I stop her.

  “What do you mean?”

  “There’s one thing you always had that he wanted. Even if you didn’t know you had it, it’s been yours all along.”

  “Huh?”

  “Get some sleep, Beau. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She jumps down out of my pickup and moves to shut the door.

  “Addy, wait.”

  “What is it?” she asks, turning to face me.

  “Thank you, again. For being there for me.”

  “Always, Beau. Always.”

  Chapter One

  Beau

  Fifteen years later

  I stretch my arms over my head and twist my back, hearing a satisfying crack that not only relieves the tension in my mind, but in my body, too. I’ve been sweating my ass off, baking in the hot summer sun. I work for a roofing company which means summer is my busiest season. By the time the sun sets at night, my body is completely exhausted but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

  Well, maybe being the owner and having a group of employees that answer to me alone at the end of the day. As it is, I’m second in command, run my own crew, as well as basically the entire company because the owner, Grant, has all but officially retired to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Can’t say that I blame him, though. While he spends most of his time here in the summers, he doesn’t do it on top of a roof.

  “I’m heading out, Beau,” Alden says. He’s been working here for about eight years, starting right out of high school because college wasn’t his thing. Which works well for us, considering he’s one of the hardest working men I know. So hard working, in fact, that he also runs his own crew and the men who report to him respect the hell out of him.

  “Sounds good. See you on Monday.”

  “You got it,” he says, giving me a mock salute. “Plans for the weekend?”

  I shake my head. “Nothing major. You?”

  He grins. “Yeah, me and Hannah are going camping.”

  “Oh, yeah? Just the two of you?” Hannah is Alden’s girlfriend of a few years, I believe, and things seem serious. “Or your whole crew joining you?”

  “Not this weekend. Got a ring and planning to propose.”

  I stand up from behind my desk where I was filling out some invoices on the jobs we completed this week. “No shit? That’s great, man. Congratulations.”

  He presses the bill of his ball cap a little tighter and shrugs. “She hasn’t said yes yet, but thanks.”

  “She will. No worries.”

  He doesn’t look nervous but still says, “Let’s hope.”

  “Text me and let me know.”

  “I will.”

  I finish closing up the office and lock the doors before I make my way to my company pickup. A few years ago Grant was frustrated at losing employees after the busy season so we decided to change schedules up and only work every other Saturday, instead of six days a week through the entire summer. We knew it was a risk considering that it meant our clients might be a little frustrated, however, it made for much happier employees.

  Having two full days to recover from five straight days of baking in the hot summer sun puts everyone in a good mood and happier to return on Monday.

  Deciding I don’t feel like cooking anything for myself tonight, I hit a drive-thru on the way home and pick up a double roast beef and cheddar sandwich and curly fries. It’s supposed to rain tonight and it’s been a long week. I’m ready to get home, shower, and kick back in my recliner for a few hours watching some TV… maybe some Ghost Adventures or First 48.

  Exhaustion has settled into my bones, so it feels good to have a night to relax. Single and in my thirties, one would think I’d be eager to go on dates or at least mingle at a bar but my heart isn’t in it. Hasn’t been for a long time. The song “The One That Got Away”? I could have written it. It’s basically my anthem.

  Around eleven I go to bed and don’t even mind the fact that it’s alone. I don’t want just anyone to warm my bed at night. I want her. The only woman who has ever captured my heart. Too bad I ruined any chance that I had with her years ago. And now she’s off-limits.

  Saturday morning I wake up early, my body conditioned to be up with the sun. I throw on a pair of basketball shorts and sneakers and go to the kitchen. After a protein heavy breakfast, I make my way to the third stall of my garage and work out. Physically, I’m in the best shape of my life. It helps that aside from work, I don’t have a lot going on.

  Over an hour later, I’m a sweaty mess and look at my phone, hoping I have enough time to shower before going to my niece’s T-ball game. I missed her game last week and still feel like a jerk about it. But the thunder roaring outside tells me that the game this morning might not be happening.

  Just in case, I take a quick shower but when I get out, I’m greeted by a text from my brother.

  Chris: Game is cancelled.

  Me: Bummer. I was planning to come. Can I FaceTime with my girl later?

  Chris: She’s at her mom’s this weekend so you’d have to ask her but I’m sure she’d like that.

  I wince knowing that’s not about to happen. I don’t have the balls to make that phone call but Chris doesn’t know that. He never will, either. He’s head over heels in love with the mother of his child. Just so happens, so am I.

  Chris: Wanted to talk to you about something, though. Might be easier to call, you available?

  Rather than answering through text, I pick up the phone.

  “Morning, brother.”

  “Hey. What’d you need?”

  “Wow,” he chuckles, “no small talk, huh?”

  “You know how much I hate talking on the phone,” I remind him.

  “Yeah, unless it’s with my little girl, that is.”

  He’s got me there. I’ll talk for hours on the phone or FaceTime with my niece but that’s about the extent of my list of people I enjoy talking to on the phone. Why talk when we can text or send voice messages? It’s so much easier and far less annoying.

  “Anyway, what’s up?”

  “You think you’d be willing to coach her T-ball team?”

  “Why? Don’t you already have a coach?”

  “We do but he’s a jerk. He yells at the kids all the time. They’re four and five year olds, and he’s acting like we’re preparing them for the major leagues. Not to mention how often he flips out if one of them gets distracted by anything.”

  Which happens often. I chuckle, remembering my niece’s soccer games where kids, including her, would get distracted just by chasing a butterfly around the field, which caused the rest of the teammates as well as the kids on the opposing team to also lose focus and soon they were just running in circles. I can’t imagine that T-ball would be much different. But that’s part of the fun. The innocence at that age is undeniably addictive to be around. They aren’t competitive and just want to have fun.

  Chris laughs with me and then says, “Right? I mean they’re kids. Who cares this much? We need someone with more patience and understanding that this is just supposed to be about having fun.”

  “And let me guess, you nominated me.”

  “I did,” he admits, unapologetically.

  “Why not you? Or one of the other parents?”

  “Because you love your niece and the game and don’t have shit else to do. We also want someone who’s not going to play favorites with their own kids.”

  “Favorites? What the hell are you talking about? First off, I’m definitely going to favor Squirt,” I tell him, using the nickname I have for his daughter. “Second, what is there to play favorites about? The kids are supposed to take turns at all the positions and at bat, right?”

  “Of course, but that’s not the way a lot of people look at it. And you might favor her any oth
er time but I know you well enough that you’d take this seriously. Anyway, we’re about to kick the dad out as coach. You in?”

  “How’s he going to react?”

  “Don’t know. Don’t care. But Wednesday night was their first game and he yelled at my girl for not running fast enough to third base. She cried the whole way home and said she didn’t want to play anymore.”

  “What?” I barely stop myself from roaring, immediately feeling the urge to track this guy down and give him a piece of my fist. I’ve learned to control my temper physically, until someone I love is hurt. Especially Squirt. I need to talk myself down so as not to fall back into my old habits of allowing my anger to get the best of me.

  “Figured that’d get you to commit. He’s an asshole and I’m not saying that to make you say yes. He really is.”

  “What’s his name?” I growl.

  “Oh, no. You’re not going to do your thing. We’re letting the little league committee or whatever it’s called know that he’s done. I’m sure he’ll be pissed, but he can kiss my ass. There’s no reason for him to scream at children who are just trying to have fun.”

  I don’t even have to think about my answer. “I’ll do it. Just so long as he’s never at a game or practice.”

  “Thank you, man. I mean it.”

  I live in the neighboring town which is only about twenty minutes away, so making the drive to help coach my adorable niece is absolutely something I’d love to do, whether she has a jerk of a coach currently or not.

  “Bummed to miss the game today. Felt awful for missing Wednesday’s, but it sounds like it’s a good thing I wasn’t there.”

  He snorts. “That’s no shit. I had a hard enough time controlling my own temper, let alone if you’d have been there.”

  “So what’s your plan for today then?” I ask, hearing more thunder and the rain start to pelt my windows.

  “Not much anymore. I needed to mow lawn and clean the pool, but that’s out. Probably just doing some shit around the house and kicking back. You?”

  “About the same. Minus the pool, obviously.”

  Chris set up a permanent above ground pool last summer so that he could teach his daughter to swim without having to go to the public pool. It’s nothing fancy, but they seem to be having fun with it.