by Rose, Kristi
Because she’s still standing slightly below me, I’m able to kick her. Which I do. Right in the shoulder.
“Ow.” She looks at me over her shoulder, but she’s not scowling. She’s smiling. “I should leave so you two can hash this out. I can take Tyler with me to give you plenty of time.” She turns to face me and winks. Then mouths “go for it” as she’s backing up.
She asks, “Am I taking Tyler?” She gestures to the house.
I shake my head. “Doug wants to take him to a flag football event at the local park. Against my better judgement, I agreed.”
She gives me two thumbs-up. As she walks by Dax, she pats his back. I’m sure she says something too, but I can’t make it out. Then she gets in her car and drives away.
I climb down the ladder then face him, waiting for him to say whatever it is that made him come back.
He blows out a breath. “That call was from my agent. I have a couple offers on the table, but nothing really appealing. So on Saturday I asked him to put some feelers out. See if maybe there might be another opportunity we didn’t consider before.”
“Do you really think telling me this might jinx whatever opportunity your agent brought you?”
He gives a boyish shrug. “You can take the boy out of the locker room, but you can’t take the locker room superstition out of the boy. I’ve been this way since Pop Warner football in first grade.”
“Fair enough. Then your agent called because…?”
“Because something new popped up, and he wanted me to meet and have a casual conversation with the interested team.”
I wag my brows. “Ooohh, so it was a team. Ah ha. A clue. You’d better stop there. You’re telling me too much.”
He gives me a light shove. “Stop making fun of me.”
“Dax, the good things that happen to you aren’t because you wear the same socks four days in a row, or whatever. It’s because you’re good at what you do.”
“Is this a right step in the direction of friendship?”
I nod. “You have to understand that letting you in is hard for me, too. Letting anyone in is.”
He swipes a hand down his face. “Since leaving the NFL, I’ve floated around, trying to figure out what’s next. And for three months now, I haven’t come up with one single thing of interest. Until I saw you. I can’t stop thinking about you, Heather. When I think of how I want to spend my day, I think of spending it with you.”
His declaration warms me to my core. And scares me, too. Being with Dax is easy. It feels natural and right. Which is why I fight him so hard. To lose a connection like this again, I just don’t know if I could take it. All these years later, what haunts me the most about our previous time together is the loss of our easy relationship.
I open my mouth to speak, but he puts up a hand to stop me.
He says, “I understand your concern for Tyler. I don’t take his part in this lightly. I’m not out to hurt him.”
“Promise me you won’t just vanish from his life. It will hurt him.”
“With today’s technology, I can’t imagine suddenly disappearing. No matter where I am, I can talk with him. Still be his friend. I’m not saying this to be mean, but I’m not like his dad. I value time with him. I value time with you, and with all the people I care about, like my sister and her kids. The people in my life are important to me. I want you both in my life, however that may look. I have no idea what lies ahead for me. I thought I’d still be playing in the NFL. But here I am. And don’t take that wrong because I like being here.”
Dax approaches and stops right in front of me. He stares at me, searching my face. Then he strokes my cheek. Witless, once again overruled by my body, I go loosey-goosey, barely hanging on to the tool in my hand.
I say, “Bleacher Report has you taking a job with your dad’s team.”
His lips quirk, making his lopsided smile. “Can you imagine being fired by your dad? That would make Christmas awkward. Besides, you know how difficult my dad is. Does that sound like a good career move to you?”
I move to stand by Justin’s work table. Not that he ever used it. And set the screwdriver down. “But you’d be back in the game. You love the game.”
He nods. “Yeah, but I love being healthy, too. That’s why I quit before I had to. I love not always being stressed out. Working for my dad would be a layer of stress I’m not sure I want.”
“Then you aren’t going to work for the Tampa team?”
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
“This is good,” I say as I lean against the counter. “A real conversation between friends.”
“Who have sex,” he adds as he moves closer.
I lean forward enough to lightly punch him in the stomach.
He doubles over in pretend agony. When he looks up at me, his smile big, he says, “Heather, if I had one wish right now, it would be for another day with you.”
I want to say yes so desperately I can’t think of any more arguments for no.
Chapter 15
Tuesday Afternoon
“Okay,” I say. “Stay.”
He’s next to me in a flash and backs me up to the table. “I was gearing up for strong resistance.”
“I can give you some if you want.” My backside is pressed against the hard wood. “But I wasn’t saying okay to hanky-panky.”
“But you’re not saying no.”
Dax lifts me so I’m sitting on the counter. He steps between my legs. I wrap them around him.
“I was hoping for a fight so we could have crazy make-up sex,” he says.
He lowers his head to my neck where his lips brush against the sensitive spot below my ear. I run my hands up his chest and circle around his neck, bringing him in closer.
“Wow, that’s really presumptive. Assuming I’ll jump in bed with you anywhere, anytime,” I tease.
He pushes away and steps back. “You’re right. You’re right.” He rubs a hand down his face. “And with Tyler in the house, too.”
I hold up my hands in surprise. “I was kidding.”
He shakes his head. “Nope, you’re right.” He watches me closely as he leans forward then slowly slides the screwdriver off the counter. A smile twitches on his lips.
He says, “I’ll just fix this up, and then we can go inside and figure out something to do. Or just hang out.”
He moves to the ladder and, in a flash, is three rungs up and has the cover of the door opener removed. He messes with a few cables and lines, or whatever they’re called, then gives me his attention. “You got the remote on you?”
I nod and take it from where I clipped it on the side of my jeans.
“Give it a press,” he says.
I click the button, and the garage door closes. Thankfully, the high row of twelve by twelve widows on my east-facing wall lets in copious amounts of light so we’re not left in the dark.
I squeal in delight. “That’s awesome. Don’t tell me how easy it was, please. I’m just gonna sit here and enjoy the fact that it works.”
He hops off the ladder and strolls over to me with a cowboy’s swagger. He flips the screwdriver once in the air, catches it, then slides it in his front pocket like a gun going into a holster.
“Fixing that dohickey there was complicated man’s work, little lady,” he says with a drawl.
I laugh. “How ever will I repay you?” I use my best southern accent and pretend to fan myself.
“Well, ma’am. I could never take any of your money….” He tips his pretend cowboy hat.
Our goofy exchange makes me hot. Maybe it's because he’s so willing to be silly. Or the fact that he just made coming home safer for me and Tyler since we’ll now be able to park in our garage.
I go right for what I want. No more playing this game or any other. “How about a quickie in the garage?” I propose. I strip off my T-shirt.
His eyes go wide. He whips the screwdriver from his pants and drops it on the ground. “Yes, please,” he says and rushes me.
He draws me in close, sliding his hands under my butt. I’m pressed against him, and everything feels like it should.
He blazes a path of kisses down my neck and up again before he stops to nuzzle my collarbone, his lips spread wide in what I know is a smile. “Everything about you feels right.”
I was thinking the same thing. I kiss him under his chin, knowing this spot is his favorite.
He groans. “What about Tyler?”
And I love that he thinks about my kid.
“He’s deep into Ninja Turtles.” I glance at my watch. “We have about fifteen minutes before they end and he comes looking for more food.”
“Fifteen, got it.”
Dax’s hands go to the waist of my jean shorts. He pauses. “Is this okay? Out here?”
My answer is to undo his jeans and lower the zipper.
“We need a blanket,” he says.
To the side is a shelf where I store a picnic blanket. I point to it, and Dax grabs it and with my help, lays it out on the workbench surface. He lifts me and sets me on the blanket.
We’re fast and to the point, though some might not find it romantic that his pants are down to his knees and mine are on the floor. But his touch is gentle and caring, his kisses are warm and lingering. And when I roll on the condom, we stare into each other’s eyes breathing fast and heavy because one second feels like an eternity and we need be connected now. I feel like the center of the universe as he loves me right over the edge into a blissful release, and I hold on to him with all I have. Never wanting to let go.
Chapter 16
Tuesday Evening
Tyler is over the moon that Dax is hanging out at our house. And that the microwave has a working light so he can now watch the popcorn bag get bigger and bigger as it pops.
Kids and their simple pleasures.
I’m over the moon that after our tryst in the garage, Dax cleaned out my gutter. No more water pooling. I thought I had a roof leak, but it turned out to be something simpler and easier to fix.
And I don’t overthink the fact that a pro football dude stands in my kitchen making all of us grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner while cracking fart jokes with Tyler. Because to me, it’s just Dax. We’ve slipped right back into how we used to be together. Only this time, it’s better.
“We should go to the beach,” Dax says and flips the sandwich by tossing it in the air and catching it in the pan.
Tyler’s in awe. “Can’t,” he says, staring at Dax like he’s a magician. “Uncle Doug is taking me to a flag football game down at the park. It’s for kids my age, and Mom says I can play.”
Dax nods and smiles. “That’s right. Your mom said something about that. Then dude, we should totally not go to the beach. Football is way more important.”
Tyler nods in agreement. I snort to show I disagree.
Dax asks me, “Are you going, too?”
I shake my head. “I think I might kill the fun vibe if I was there.”
Dax slides a sandwich onto Tyler’s plate.
Tyler says, “She worries a lot.”
“Yes, she does,” Dax agrees.
I put chips on Tyler’s plate. “I worry because I love you.”
But Ty’s forgotten about me. He’s cramming the sandwich in his mouth like a man with his last meal.
I put a hand on his shoulder. “Slow down. You have time.”
Dax tosses a second sandwich in the air and says to me, “What are you going to do with the boys gone?”
“You’re going?” I kinda figured he’d stay with me and we’d play NFL player and naughty cheerleader. I’d even let him be the NFL player if he wanted.
“If Tyler will let me.”
“Yeah!” Food particles fly out of Tyler’s mouth in his haste to assure Dax that he’s welcome.
“Maybe after football, we can all go get ice cream?” Dax says. He meets my gaze over Tyler’s head and raises a brow asking if his offer is okay. But too late now.
Tyler gives Dax two thumbs-up. “Can we go to that place where you put the ice cream in a cup and add your own toppings? We only do that on special occasions.”
Dax ruffles Tyler’s hair. “That’s what this is. A special occasion. You’re getting to play football today.”
Tyler pumps his fist and then looks at me with uncertainty. “It’s still okay, right?”
I nod and smile. Even though I want to say no. I’d rather he build Legos or do his homework. Something safer. “We won’t be able to stay out too late. It’s a school night.”
He rushes to hug me, and I fold him into my arms and hold tight.
“What are you going to do while the men are out playing sports?” Dax asks as he sits at the table, all the sandwiches done.
I release Tyler and move to put chips on our plates. “I heard back from my college advisor. To switch my degree to be a child life specialist, I need only two more classes, so I want to register for those. I need to get ready for finals in May.”
Tyler makes a face. “School at night. No way.”
I chuckle. “I kinda like it. And I can get it done today without any interruptions,” I tease and poke him in the belly.
We talk about Tyler’s dream of making a grand play, and Dax shares how he thought he was going to make one in a big game and tripped over his own feet. His message to Tyler being that there’s always another day to do something grand.
To which Tyler replies, “I might only have today.” And punctuates it with a sad look filled with dreams unachieved.
“I make no promises, but if today goes well,” I say, “then we can talk about next week, too.”
Tyler and Dax pound fists and Tyler runs off to get his football stuff together. ‘Stuff’ being a flag football belt he wore when he and my brother played in the back yard.
“You’re a good mom,” Dax says between shoving chips in his face.
“Maybe. Maybe being overprotective will have negative consequences I can’t foresee.”
“Maybe. But doubtful. Doug and I’ll will make sure he’s okay.”
“I know,” I say. Trouble is, I’m just the right amount of a control freak that I believe only I can make sure Tyler’s okay to the degree I need him to be.
Doug arrives thirty minutes later. He’s only mildly surprised to see Dax. Probably because my mom already filled him in on Dax showing up the other day.
My brother and I didn’t go to the same college, so Doug only knew Dax from brief exchanges when he would come down to my university to watch games.
“Where’s your van?” he asks me as he’s shaking Dax’s hand.
“In the garage.”
“Dax fixed the opener,” Tyler says.
Doug says to Dax, “I didn’t even know it wasn’t working.”
As if it should matter that Doug needed to explain to Dax why he hadn’t fixed everything in my house.
I roll my eyes.
“I wouldn’t have known it wasn’t working either if her friends hadn’t mentioned it.” Dax places a hand on my shoulder. The gesture makes a statement, whether it be that our relationship is familiar or he’s being possessive. Unnecessary, yet neither feels wrong. “It’s not like she asks for help.”
Doug nods. “She gets her stubborn streak from our dad.”
Our dad is not the most warm and loving father. He works from the premise that if he rules like an authoritarian, then we’ll be good little subjects and do everything by the book. Guess I proved him wrong on that.
Tyler tugs at Doug’s hand. “Is it time to go?”
“In five minutes, Bubba. We need to get some water for you and sunscreen and—”
I hand him a backpack tha was leaning against the wall. “It’s all in here. Even his doctor’s emergency numbers. If something—”
Doug puts a hand up to stop me. “I know. We’ve been through this one thousand times. I’m prepared. I know the drill. I’ll take really good care of him.”
And he will. Because my brother has been wanti
ng his own child for several years and keeps meeting a brick wall. He loves Tyler and would never be careless or neglectful.
“I trust you,” I say. “One day you’ll be a great dad because you’re an amazing uncle.”
Doug smiles. “I’m not supposed to say anything. Kenley wants to tell you and the girls, but there’s a young woman, seventeen, who is having a baby and wants to do an open adoption. She liked our bios and has selected us. This is the one time having an interracial marriage has worked to our benefit.”
Tears of joy spring to my eyes. “Doug, that’s fantastic!” I fan my face to keep the tears from falling. “I’m so happy for you two.”
He points to my face. “Make sure you have that reaction when she tells you.”
I wrap him in a hug. “I love you, and I can’t wait to give you a hard time about all those sleepless nights coming. It’ll be awesome.”
Doug groans and pushes me away, moisture in his eyes. “C’mon Tyler. Let’s go play some football.”
Tyler gives me a quick hug and is out the door, followed by Doug with the backpack.
Dax pauses before exiting. “Enjoy your quiet. We got this.” He winks and steps out.
It takes a good thirty minutes before I can focus on my To Do list. I register for the classes, organize my class notes, and make a few flashcards, which I use to help me study, so I can be ready for finals.
An hour later, I’m painting my toenails when my cell rings. Doug’s name shows up on the screen.
My first words are, “So, how was it? Everything he expected and more? Though I’ll admit I hope he kinda hated it.”
“Heather,” Doug says in a tone that makes me sit up straight.
“Oh my god, what’s happened?”
“There’s nothing to freak out about. Everyone’s okay. We’re at Halifax Medical Center in the emergency room—”
Simultaneously, I disconnect and spring up. There's no point in hearing whatever it is Doug has to say. Because I'll only be able to deal with it once I see it for myself.
Sliding my feet in flip-flops and not caring about the wet polish, I grab my purse and dash outside. Only my van’s in the garage and the remote is inside. I cuss Dax and his handyman skills and, with fumbling hands, get the front door unlocked. I dash through the kitchen and out the door to the garage, slamming my palm against the wall-mounted clicker that opens the door.