I don’t respond right away. Instead, I push my eggs around my plate, taking in his words and trying to figure out the best way to move forward.
“I’ll give it a go. I mean, why not, right?”
“There she is. I thought I lost her for a moment. Welcome back, Jules,” he says before popping a bite in his mouth.
“Smartass,” is the only thing I can think of saying. He’s right though. I did get lost for a moment, but I can tell he might be the one to pull me back in when I go outside the lines again.
22
Lenny
I was shocked when Jules agreed to come to dinner with me at my parents tonight. But I wasn’t shocked that Sophia wouldn’t be joining us. I remember when I was fifteen going on thirty. The last thing I wanted to do was hang out with my parents. If given the opportunity, I was out of the house faster than my mother could blink.
Pulling into Jules’ parents’ driveway, I cut the engine and sit here for just a moment. I’ve not brought up the whole house hunting thing again to Jules since I showed her the last batch of houses. I’ve also not asked why she doesn’t want to move out. You’d think that she would be on a massive house hunt, but it’s just the opposite. I’m not complaining. I mean, in a way I guess I am, but then if I want Jules, she’s welcome in my bed any night of the week. It’s not like I would sleep over at her house with Sophia there unless… Unless, what, Lenny? I wonder if this is how this works. Is there a rule book that hands out the do’s and don’ts for dating a single mother? This is new territory. One that I’ve never walked before. If I’m being honest, this whole type of dating is new.
It’s already been said that I don’t do the whole sleepover, date, cook, and hang out with you when not fucking you. So yes, this is new, and if there is a book, I need it ASAP.
Quickly, I exit my vehicle and make my way up to the door, ringing the doorbell as I wait for someone to answer.
“Lenny, it’s so good to see you, dear.” Jules’ mother greets me, welcoming me in just as Jules begins to walk down the staircase. I watch her, unable to respond to Mrs. Baxter. Jules is mesmerizing as she holds onto the railing, taking each step one by one, the way her hips move from side to side in the process. When her feet hit the wooden floors before me, I cock a smile before saying, “You look amazing.”
Her cheeks redden from the compliment, and it’s become one of the many things that I love about her. Jules is beautiful, but she doesn’t know it, or rather, she doesn’t believe it. So when you give her a compliment, she blushes just like a teenage girl.
“Thank you,” she replies before hugging her mother goodbye.
“You two have fun, and I won’t wait up for you,” her mother announces, making us both chuckle. Yes, this might be the weirdest pick up for a date in the history of my dating.
I guide Jules out to the car, opening her door and waiting for her to climb in before I shut it and walk to my side. Once I’m safely inside, I lean over and lift her chin to me. Smiling, I slowly move in, placing a quick kiss upon her lips before I pull away and crank the engine.
“How was your day? Do anything fun and exciting?” Jules asks, making me laugh at how she words her question. It’s not funny, it’s just straightforward and bland.
“It was good, just got a whole lot better though.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You, Jules. You’re in my car, going to dinner with me at my parents’ house.”
“I know, I hope I’m dressed okay. I swear I changed a million times,” she says, and I catch her smoothing down her dress over her legs from the corner of my eyes.
“You’re perfect. You could’ve worn jeans and you would’ve been perfect.”
“That’s sweet, Lenny, but I know your parents, and I’m shocked you’re in jeans.”
“I’m always in jeans unless I’m forced to wear a suit, and then I’m coming out of it the moment I can. That’s the one thing I always fought my parents on. I refused to be some suit and tie kind of guy. I like what I like.”
“Lucky for you. My parents made sure I dressed to their approval. I think that’s why I allow Sophia to have her own sense of style. I wasn’t allowed growing up.” She shrugs it off like it’s nothing major, but I can tell it bothers her a little.
“I think you’re a great mother, and you have an amazing style. I like you in everything you wear, even when you allow me to see you naked.”
“Starting early, aren’t we?”
“Just speaking the facts. I won’t ever lie to you, Jules. There will be times that I might hurt your feelings, but it’s because I won’t lie. I believe in the truth and when I say you’re hot and gorgeous, know that I fucking mean it.”
Jules clams up, not responding to my statement. I wonder why the change since last night or this morning. She’s free to be with me or anyone else for that matter. But I can tell she’s still fighting this. Fighting us and the chemistry that we have. I’ve had to learn to be patient with her; forcing her hand at anything will only push her away. That’s something I don’t want to happen. It’s already difficult when I think about working with her, but it’s also an excuse to have her close to me.
“Are you coming to the office Monday?”
“I think so. I have a meeting at mine, and then I have another appointment at the model home in Windsor. I’ll make an appearance when I’m done with that.” Jules’ voice is flat, and it cracks as she finishes.
“Jules, you sure you’re okay? I mean, we don’t have to do this.”
“I’m fine, Lenny. Just nervous and… it’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“No, tell me. Let me help.”
“It’s just all of this. You, me, work, and our parents…I just don’t know what I’m doing.”
“Let me help with that. You and I are figuring things out. Work is work; we’re partners, not boss and employee. Our parents happen to know each other, and that’s a good thing since we don’t have to do the whole introduction thing.”
“You don’t get it, Lenny. As much as I like you, this is difficult for me. I’m about to be divorced, and I have a teenage daughter who’s turning sixteen in a few weeks. I have baggage that you don’t need to deal with.”
“I’m strong, you know. I don’t mind carrying the bags for you.”
“See, that right there. You shouldn’t be expected to carry it. You should be out there finding someone who is ready to give you everything you need or want.”
We’re pulling into my parents’ driveway, and I want this conversation to be over before we enter the house. The moment we walk through that door; my mother will sense something’s off.
“Jules, let’s table this. Right now, I need you to know you are the only person I want next to me, and for the record—I don’t bring women to dinner with my parents.” I’m short with her as I feel like this is a broken record on repeat and I’m done hashing it out. I’ve explained how I feel about her; hell, for that matter I’m pretty sure I’ve shown her. Pushing my thoughts down, I open the door and gesture for her to exit. Taking her hand in mine, I pull her close to my chest and stare down at her for a little longer than I should. Part of me feels like this might be the last time I hold Jules in my arms. My chest tightens as I kiss the top of her head before letting her go. Jules drops my hand the second we reach the front door, and it opens with my parents greeting us.
“Jules, it’s great to see you. Come on in,” my mother says as she leads Jules in.
“Thank you for having me. Your home is lovely.”
“Thank you, let me show you around,” my mother replies and takes Jules by the elbow as my father and I share a look.
The second the ladies are gone, my father motions for me to join him in his study.
“Here, you look like you need this,” my father says as he hands me a glass of bourbon.
“You could say that again, I might need a double,” I respond as I take the glass and sit. Crossing my leg over my knee, I sip my drink, and my father mirrors my ac
tions.
“What’s on your mind, son?”
“I don’t know…everything.”
“That’s no help. I can’t offer any fatherly wisdom to just everything.”
“Jules,” I say softly as I rest the crystal glass on my knee.
“What about her? She seems fine to me.” It’s not a question that’s asked; it’s more of a statement from his mouth. He wants me to spill it instead of him guessing the problem.
“I don’t know how to explain it, Dad. Last night and this morning things were great. Well, until the talk about labels and dinner tonight. She thinks she has too much baggage for me. She’s pulling away.”
He lets out a low laugh before taking another sip of his bourbon. “Son, let me tell you something. Jules is special. I see the way you two look at each other, so let me remind you about the way you acted toward David the other night. I never thought I’d see the day when you’d fight for the love of another person. Yes, she has some baggage, but what person doesn’t?”
“How do I explain to her that I don’t care about her past?”
“You don’t tell a woman like Jules, you have to show them. Give her a little space, she’ll figure this out and know that you’re standing right next to her.”
“Was it like this with Mom? I know I’ve heard stories of her parents not liking you and thinking you were a mistake. How did you get through to them?”
“The problem here isn’t the parents, Lenny. The problem here is that Jules isn’t sure what to do. But for the record, I didn’t care what your mother’s family thought. I loved her, and that was the only thing that mattered. As I suspect, you love Jules, and it’s too soon to let that slip out, so you should tread carefully. It’s important that you take a step back and look at her life. She trusts you, but she’s also worried about getting hurt again. That ex-husband of hers did a number on her.”
Knock… Knock… Knock…
“Excuse me, Mrs. Ward asked me to fetch you two as dinner is ready to be served,” Jules announces to the room, avoiding my eyes. She heard our conversation. If she wasn’t scared before, the look of panic that’s written all over her face tells me without her saying a word.
“Thank you, Jules. Please let my wife know that we will be there in just a moment,” my father states.
“Yes, sir,” Jules responds.
“See,” I say like I’m a ten-year-old boy angry that someone just took a Hot Wheel from me.
“You have your work cut out for you, but if it’s meant to be, son, it’ll work out. Have some faith. Give her a little time.” We both stand, finishing our drinks before joining the ladies in the formal dining room. Entering, I notice that Jules still won’t make eye contact with me. She appears to be lost in one of my mother’s stories. Walking over to Jules, I place my hand on the dip of her back and immediately she stiffens. Quickly I remove my hand and gesture for her to take a seat. With my mother and father at both ends of the table, Jules and I take the two chairs to the left as we wait for the staff to bring out dinner. My mother might have prepared most of this, but she always hires a private catering company to serve for dinner parties. I’ve never understood this. If it was just me, they wouldn’t be here. The moment it turns into more than the three of us, there’s staff on speed dial. Once before I invited Blake and his wife to dinner as a surprise. My mother lost her top for the fact that she had to set the table and exchange out the meals. The whole time I sat back and smirked. It wasn’t to be mean. It was a test of how far her social status would bend. Yes, the next day I heard about it, but she also heard me out on the matter. Since then she’s accepted that I prefer a more intimate setting, but I’ll bend to her rules and let her know when I plan to bring someone to dinner. This doesn’t happen often, but from time to time I need a person there to act as a buffer. Over the years, that person has been Blake. Tonight, it’s Jules. Right now, I’d like another buffer between Jules and me.
Small talk roams around the room. My parents ask Jules a million questions about her design business, how her parents are doing. My mother even goes as far as trying to plan a BBQ with our families. Jules nods and smiles at each, but I know she’s only agreeing to be polite. Jules offers to help my mother in the kitchen, but her hand gets swatted away.
“Nonsense, Jules. This is my house, and you are a guest.”
I’ll admit that I’ve watched the way Jules has interacted with my parents this evening. She’s different. The person sitting next to me is like a robot. One who’s been programmed with the finest ethics. Not once did she falter to pick up the correct silverware or drink from the proper glass. I mean right down to quietly cutting the chicken on her plate. Was this programmed in her from a young age, or was this David? Jules doesn’t even ask questions. She’s only spoken to when directly asked. It pisses me off, making my blood boil the longer we sit here. I want answers to the where my soft-spoken but sassy Jules went. This person at dinner tonight is not the same person I was with last night.
“It was a pleasure to see you both again. Thank you for dinner,” Jules says to both my parents as we’re walking out.
“Pleasure was ours. Please join us again, and next time bring your daughter,” my mother states, and a pang hits my chest as I know Jules is pulling away. She smiles and nods before looking over at me.
“Good night,” I say as I hug my mother and turn to shake my father’s hand. It doesn’t take us long to pull out of the drive. I’m halfway out of the development when I ask Jules, “Where to?”
“Home, please,” she states and as much as I want to take her back to my place I turn right and toward her parents' house. The car is silent; so silent that all you can hear is our even breathing, each echoing the others.
Putting the car in park, I sit here a little longer than I intend before I turn in my seat and look at Jules. Her eyes are focused straight ahead on the house, not at me.
“Jules, what happened tonight?”
She shifts in her seat, squaring her shoulders in my direction. With her chin held high, she takes in my eyes before speaking. “Lenny, what did you say or do to David?”
It’s now that I have to come clean. I didn’t technically do anything wrong, other than protect the person that I’m falling in love with.
23
Jules
Mrs. Ward escorts me around her home, showing me the different rooms, pictures that hang across the walls of a much younger Lenny. I wonder what the future might be like with him. As much as I want to fight it, I know I have deep feelings for Lenny. Do I love him? I’m not sure. Does he scare me? Yes, in more ways than I ever thought was possible. He’s different. He’s nothing like David, and that’s a good thing. Yes, Lenny comes from money, but his is different than what I married into. David is what I’d call a trust-fund baby. He works, but his money comes from his family. Always has and always will. My family is a lot like the Wards. They’ve worked for what they have. They’ve created a name for themselves despite the way they were brought up. My marriage was a reprint of life. You know, a mass production of a painting. It wasn’t real, and now that I look back over the years it never was. It didn’t suddenly become a fake painting. It was a way of life. We were matched to be a family. To make it appear that we were the real thing. Behind closed doors, it wasn’t all smiles and good times. In the public’s eye we were perfect. I was the perfect wife who knew how to behave. How to respect the man that she was standing next to. Lenny… He’s nothing like David. He might have money and status, but he rebels against it. Here I am walking through his family's home dressed in heels and a nice dress while his mother is wearing slacks. Not that I would judge her, but I’d have never shown up at David’s parents in slacks; I’d have been asked to change. Dinner was formal. Dinner was not a time for small talk.
“Dear, would you be so kind as to rescue my boys? Dinner will be served soon,” Mrs. Ward asks, and I nod. She’d already shown me where the study was, so it’s easy to turn right and head down the hallway. When I get clo
ser, I hear the sounds of Lenny and his father talking… about me… I know it’s rude to eavesdrop, but is it really that rude when it’s about you?
“Son, let me tell you something. Jules is special. I see the way you two look at each other, and let me remind you, the way you acted toward David the other night. I never thought I’d see the day when you’d fight for the love of another person. Yes, she has some baggage, but what person doesn’t?”
“How do I explain to her that I don’t care about her past?”
“You don’t tell a woman like Jules, you have to show her. Give her a little space, she’ll figure this out and know that you’re standing right next to her.”
“Was it like this with Mom? I know I’ve heard stories of her parents not liking you and thinking you were a mistake. How did you get through to them?”
“The problem here isn’t the parents, Lenny. The problem here is that Jules isn’t sure what to do. But for the record, I didn’t care what your mother’s family thought. I loved her and that was the only thing that mattered. As I suspect, you love Jules and it’s too soon to let that slip out. But you have to tread carefully with that one. Sit back, take a look at her life. She trusts you, but she’s also worried about getting hurt again. That ex-husband of hers did a number on her.”
I want to run from this house. I want to run as far as my feet will allow me to. I’m confused by what they mean about the David situation. But most of all, does Lenny really love me? It’s too soon for us to drop the L word. It doesn’t stop my heart from racing. I’m pretty sure that if he said those words to me, I’d respond with an, ‘I love you too.’ Yes, way too quick, but my heart doesn’t lie. That’s why I have to protect it. I can’t rush into another relationship like this. The ink on the papers of my divorce isn’t even dry yet, and here I am ready to profess my love to another man. To a man who’s not my daughter’s father. If he broke my heart, it would ruin me forever.
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