A Better Place

by Jennifer Van Wyk

  “Carly,” he moans, seconds before slamming his lips to mine. His arms wrap around my waist, bringing our centers together.

  My arms hold tight around his neck. This kiss is so much more than simply endorphins firing. This is healing our hurts, overcoming our pasts. He’s somehow familiar, as if my heart has been beating his name all along, even before I stumbled into him and we locked eyes for the first time.

  He’s warm and safe and strong and fierce — and every single thing I didn’t know I needed or wanted to have in my life again. But he is all of that and so much more. I want to crawl into him, become one and never let him go.

  I feel his hardness press against my core, and I whimper into his mouth. His responding groan sends a rush of heat straight to my center. My stomach dips, and I fight for breath but never release my hold on my new forever.

  James lifts his head from mine, and I protest by chasing him, pressing my lips to his once again and begging for entry. His tongue battles with mine, loving, caressing, rebuilding all those walls he tore down. But this time it’s for him, because no one else can ever get in. My heart is now restored… for him.

  Slowly we part, both breathless, lips swollen and eyes glazed over.

  “I plan on doing that for the next fifty years of our lives,” he tells me.

  “I’m good with that plan,” I say, tears springing to my eyes.

  “Took Harper to school,” he murmurs, his eyes still darting between mine.

  “Yeah,” I agree, but his statement confuses me. “Wait. What?”

  “Something that shouldn’t have changed my life forever, taking Harper to school. Is it bad if I say I’m so damn glad she broke her arm that night?”

  A bubble of happiness pops in my soul, exploding like a firecracker of color. I cover my mouth with my hand and press my lips together. “Not bad.” I shake my head, trying not to laugh.

  “What did I tell y’all about making out in my shooting range?” I hear Will shout, laughter filling his voice.

  “Sorry, man. Couldn’t help myself,” James says, eyes still on me.

  “Warned you!”

  “Some things happen without warning,” he says quietly, but Will still hears him.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come here when you’re cooled off, lover boy. I need to ask you something,” he says as he makes his way back into the front office.

  “Ready to get out of here?”

  “Not really,” I admit.

  Obviously pleased by my response to the first part of the date, he stands up straight and puffs out his chest. “I did good?”

  “Oh yeah, Captain. You did real good.”

  “Want to shoot some more?”

  “Absolutely.”

  For the next thirty minutes, we shoot James’s gun. The first few shots of mine don’t even come close, but by the end of our time, I’ve successfully hit the target more often than not.

  “Let’s get a move on to the second part. See if it’s as good as the first.”

  “I don’t know if I can handle a second part.” I wink then walk slowly in front of him, trailing my fingertips down his arm as I pass.

  “I’m rethinking the second part of this date,” James groans, making me giggle. He reaches out and jerks on my arm until we’re once again pressed tightly to each other. He brings me in for another scorching kiss before informing me, mouth still close to mine, his breath caressing my lips, “Next time we’re grabbing takeout.”

  “Mmm. Good plan.” I reach up to kiss him softly on the mouth. “I’m gonna use the restroom while you’re chatting with Will.”

  As I’m walking past him, he reaches over and swats me on the butt. And my insides shoot off like bottle rockets.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  James

  “What’s up, man?” I ask Will as I watch Carly walk into the restroom, not being able to tear my eyes away from her ass. She looks so damn gorgeous, her skin flushed from shooting… and our other extracurricular activity. Several times throughout the past hour I had to seriously wonder if I was going to embarrass myself in front of her. I’ve never readjusted myself so much in my life.

  “I take it the date is going well?” he asks, a smirk covering his face.

  “Oh yeah,” I reply.

  “Hey, I need to ask you something,” he says, his voice suddenly low and serious.

  The tone of his voice sets me on edge immediately, and I stand straighter. “Uh-oh.”

  “I don’t know if it’s anything, but I want you to know.”

  “There really is an uh-oh?”

  He shrugs. “‘Fraid so, man. I guess I don’t know for certain, but I think you need to know.”

  “What’s up, man? You’re kind of freaking me out.”

  He leans his elbows on the countertop and speaks lowly. “Sorry. Okay, so the other night I was out with Tate and our wives at Red Sam’s, that bar and grill a few towns over. There was this guy in there. He was acting like a total ass. The kind of punk that not only looks like a complete douche but behaves like one as well? Like he peaked in high school, but he’s the only one that doesn’t know. Anyway, he kept talking about this wife who kidnapped his kid, which I’m still confused about. How she was nothing without him. She was this total waste. I didn’t really know what to think about it all. But the way he talked, it just seemed like a bunch of bullshit, you know? We tried to ignore him, but the guy just wouldn’t shut up. Then he pulled out this picture and started passing it around. Asking if anyone had seen her and his kid. Tate and I ignored him, but then he walked up to our booth and slammed the picture down on the table.”

  “Get to the point, man,” I tell him, my heart threatening to jump through my throat. I stuff my hands in my jeans pockets to stop them from shaking.

  “I can’t be sure because I didn’t look that close, but Tate…”

  “Tate what?”

  “Tate told him he didn’t know her. Had never seen her. But I could tell that wasn’t exactly the truth. He took one look at the picture, and his eyes just… shifted. I don’t know, man. I’ve been close with him for a lot of years. I know him well, and what he saw when he looked at the picture and back to this guy who was rambling to us about a whole lotta shit that didn’t make a damn bit of sense, it gave him enough pause to not dismiss it.”

  “Was it…” I trail off, not even wanting to complete the sentence.

  He nods his head once and shifts his eyes over to the restroom door to make sure it’s still closed. “It was. It was definitely Carly. I called Tate while you guys were in back. I knew there was something familiar about her. but I couldn’t place it. I asked him if he remembered the guy and the picture, and he said, ‘What the fuck happened,’ simple as that.” Will shakes his head, his arms stretched wide against the countertop of his desk. He lowers his voice before continuing. “It was like he had been waiting for something to come of that guy walking around with the picture he had been carrying.”

  I scrub my hand over my face in frustration. “I knew it. Dammit! I knew it was something…” I begin to pace in front of him. “She ran. She didn’t kidnap her kid, Will. I know that. She ran from some asshat who caused enough trauma in their lives that they ran, never looked back. Jack? Her kid… he’s sixteen now. He was scared enough from whatever happened in their past that he took her to Tate’s gym to learn self-defense.”

  “Yeah, he kind of mentioned that. I didn’t realize Jack was her kid. He’s a bud to my son. And Tate… he didn’t go into detail. Doesn’t sound like he knows everything either. But James, man. This dude? He’s not here searching for her to give her some lost mail. He’s definitely not fucking around. He’s trouble.”

  “Fu-u-uck.” I utter a word that rarely escapes my lips. “Dammit! Son of a bitch!” I pace in front of the counter like a caged tiger, feeling like my world may implode at any moment.

  “That about sums it up,” he says.

  I stop pacing and turn to face him, my voice still quiet, much to my own amazement. I pl
ace my hands on my hips and take a couple deep breaths, praying it will calm my racing heart. “Don’t tell Carly, you hear me? After we leave, call Tate. Tell him that I’ll get in touch with him tomorrow. I don’t want her worrying… or running away.”

  “Got it.”

  “You get a name out of him?”

  “Tate remembered. Said his name was Vince Taylor.”

  “Taylor? Not Hanson?”

  “Nope. You thinking what I’m thinking?”

  “That she left, changed her name, hoping to never be found?”

  “Yup.”

  My stomach is in a thousand knots. The thought of Carly being in a situation that caused her to change her name, move across the country and hide out makes me feel as though I could throw up. Everything I’ve learned about Carly and Jack over these several weeks — the fact that neither of them have any sort of social media presence, the fact that I can’t find any information about Carly Hanson —all comes crashing down on me like a wrecking ball. “Shit.”

  “Yup.”

  “Thanks for telling me.”

  “Sorry to ruin your night,” he says. “I just… I felt like you needed to know. Since Nicole left, you haven’t really… and Carly? She seems…”

  “She is. She’s it for me. She’s everything. No doubt about it. And I’ll protect her with every last breath I have in me if I have to.”

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Listen. When you have a plan with Tate? Let me know. I’m here, man. If he did what I’m assuming he did to her, to make her run, move to a strange place and all that… I’m here for you. Got me?”

  “I got you,” I say, reaching out a fist to bump his. “Thanks again. I appreciate you telling me what’s up.”

  “Not a problem. Hated to be the one, but I knew you had to know. Try and forget about it tonight. Go enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  “I’ll try.” I swallow hard and give him a single nod just as Carly emerges from the restroom. Her soft smile tells me she didn’t overhear any of our conversation, for which I’m grateful. I’ll tell her. I just have to figure out the when and how.

  “Ready?” her sweet voice drifts over me, giving me back a piece of the calm I felt before talking with Will.

  “Sure am,” I tell her, swallowing down the fear that is threatening to take over. I take her hand in mine and pull her close, letting her nearness soothe the growing ache in my heart.

  “Talk soon, Will. Thanks again.”

  “Anytime, man. Have a good night, you two! Keep it clean!” he shouts as we make our way toward the door, thankfully lightening the mood for me.

  Now, if I can only figure out how to manage the rest of the evening without crawling out of my skin. The not knowing when this dipshit of an ex is going to sling his venom back onto my girl is likely to drive me insane.

  Everything at the shore went off without a hitch. Harrison had our table set up and waiting for us. The moonlight glistened off the lake, giving it a soft glow against the black of the water. The meal was spectacular, and I got to watch Carly damn near climax eating the tiramisu chocolate truffles. I had to readjust myself so I wouldn’t stand up after our dinner and embarrass myself.

  Thankfully, I was able to put the ex-husband thing out of my mind, at least mildly. Knowing I was here by her side, able to defend her, made that much easier. Realizing she would be going home where Jack was there also made me feel a little better also. But it’s not like I can tell Jack what’s happening. No way do I want that on his shoulders. He already carries enough of that burden. However, until I know for certain that this asshole’s gone for good, I don’t think I’ll ever feel completely settled. Unfortunately, the only way I see him being out of the picture forever is for him to be in the picture for a very short period of time. None of that is appealing at all.

  “Do you want to come inside?” Carly’s voice pulls me out of the funk I had quickly let myself get into. Damn Vince. And now that I have a name, it’s all I can think about.

  “I’m not sure yet,” I say, blowing out a breath.

  “James?” her voice is timid, nervous.

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “Is everything okay?” she asks, wringing her hands together in her lap.

  I sigh and relax back into the seat. I turn my head toward her and reach over to caress her cheek. “Everything is great, beautiful. Just thinking.”

  “About?” She leans into my hand and worries her bottom lip. I slide my hand that’s on her cheek and release her lip with my thumb.

  “How amazing you are. How I don’t want to lose you,” I tell her honestly. I don’t tell her I’m afraid of losing her to a force that is potentially bigger than both of us.

  “Not possible,” she promises as she twists her head, giving me a gentle kiss to the palm of my hand. I’ve never wanted a promise to be fulfilled so badly in my entire life.

  “I’m falling, baby. Hard.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I am. You feeling any of that?”

  “All of that,” she tells me, her voice trembling.

  “I’m really glad.”

  “I’m sorry for making you question that. I’m sorry for making you wait.”

  “Worth every single moment of wait, Carly. Every single one.”

  “You really are all kinds of wonderful. You know that?”

  “You make it easy.”

  “James…”

  I catch whatever she’s about to say with a kiss. A kiss meant to quiet the vicious lies her dick of an ex-husband could have possibly told her. A kiss meant to promise her a future that looks nothing like her past.

  My fingers thread through her hair; my teeth nip at her bottom lip. Her breath hitches; her moan is quiet. I wish I could rip the damn center console out so we aren’t separated by it.

  “Coming inside?” she asks me when we finally pull apart, resting her forehead against mine.

  “For a bit. Not to stay.”

  Her eyes take on a hint of sadness and look away. I take her face in my hand and turn her back to face me. “Hey. It’s not that I don’t want to stay. You have no idea how badly I want to stay. But I’m a gentleman. Don’t you know this?” I tease, and it hits the mark I want it to.

  She smiles gently.

  “You needed to take this slow. And Jack’s inside. One day we’ll get there, together. At a pace we’re both comfortable with, yeah?”

  “Maybe Lauren’s right. I am a hussy,” she says as she widens her eyes.

  “Two things very wrong with that sentence. But never — and I mean never — start anything by saying Lauren’s right.”

  She laughs lightly. “She’s not so bad.”

  “No? Who thought of the idea of margarita madness?”

  “Point taken.”

  “And you’re the furthest thing from a hussy.”

  I slide out of the driver’s seat, walk around and open her door. I take her hand in mine as we walk toward the house. I look around, my senses now on high alert at all times wondering if Vince the dick will be lurking in the shadows. I’ve never held hatred for a man I’ve never met before. Admittedly, I don’t know the whole story. But I know my Carly. And that’s enough for me.

  “I appreciate you getting her home before curfew,” Jack says, opening the door widely and crossing his arms over his chest, stance wide.

  I reach out and pull him to me by the neck, giving him a playful side hug. “Punk.”

  “You love it,” he tells me.

  He’s not wrong.

  We all walk to the living room. Jack sits on the oversized chair while Carly and I take the couch.

  “So, what’d you two lovebirds do tonight?”

  “James took me to a shooting range!” Carly shouts excitedly, arms up in the air as if she just won a gold medal, and bounces up and down, making the cushion of the couch move with her.

  He jerks his head in my direction. “No way. That’s so cool. You shot an actual gun?” he asks her.

  As opposed t
o what… a Nerf gun?

  “I did! It was so cool. We’re definitely going back.”

  “I’m comin’ with,” he tells me with raised eyebrows. I have a feeling he’s challenging me to argue.

  “Works for me, kid. Anytime.”

  “So cool. What else did you do? Eat anywhere?”

  Of course he’s interested in our dinner plans.

  “We went to The Shore.”

  “Nuh-uh.”

  “We did. James worked with the owner a few years ago. Jack, you would love it. The calamari?” she moans, and I almost come unglued. “And I had this filet and scallops — holy crap, kid — melted in my mouth. You would not have believed the dessert, either. We’re going there again, too.”

  “I find it a little creepy that I’m this jealous of your date tonight,” he tells her.

  She giggles. “You should be. It was fantastic.”

  “At least I got a gift,” he says, reminding me of the black box I have in my jacket pocket.

  “Actually,” I say, gaining both their attention. “Carly has a gift, too.”

  She gasps when I pull out the small black velvet box from my pocket and place it on the coffee table. Her eyes are trained on the box, but she hasn’t made a move to pick it up. “James! You didn’t need to do that!” she says, pointing to it.

  “Shh. Don’t you know it’s rude to not graciously accept a gift? Come on, it’s not gonna bite ya. Go on.”

  “Dude, that’s the only thing I had on her tonight,” he says, shaking his head.

  I look over to see Jack curiously watching. It’s obviously a jewelry box. For a brief moment, I panic that maybe it’s too soon for me to be giving her jewelry. But it’s not that kind of jewelry. Yet.

  “Go on,” I repeat, nudging her with my knee.

  She timidly reaches out and picks up the box. Her eyes flit to Jack who smiles reassuringly at her. Then she shifts her gaze on me. I nod toward the box, encouraging her.

  “Open it,” I tell her quietly.

  I hear the subtle squeak of the box and watch as her eyes shift downward. Nestled inside is a simple gold necklace with an arrow pendant sitting horizontal. The arrow is similar to the ones I saw hanging on the wall in her bedroom.