by Karen Booth
“Hey, Tyler. Do you think you can be in charge of the orange juice?” David asked.
“Okay.” Tyler hopped off the bed and hurried out of the room.
David knocked on the doorframe with a knuckle. “May I come in?”
Alex’s face flushed with heat from the potent combination of David, his bed head, and the question. “Of course.” She straightened her tank top as he perched on the edge of the mattress.
“How are we feeling this morning?”
An unpleasant gurgle emanated from her stomach. “Embarrassed.”
“I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal about it.”
She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “It’s complicated.”
“Why?”
She avoided eye contact, rocking slightly. “Uh, well…” She dropped her forehead to her knees. “This is going to sound really stupid, but you’re the first guy I’ve ever said that to. I know that’s ridiculous. I’m thirty-three years old.”
“How is that possible?”
She sighed and sat back. “You know how shy I was in school. Whenever I had a crush on a guy, I never said anything. Ever. I would just suffer in silence. I was always too scared to say what I was really thinking. So, when Glenn asked me out…you know…” She cocked her head and bulged her eyes at him.
“No, I don’t know. What?”
“Do you have any idea how juvenile I feel talking about this? Look, Glenn was the only boyfriend I ever had. I didn’t have a crush on him when he asked me out. You were my crush. So, that’s why I feel stupid about last night. It was like I was in high school all over again. And obviously I made you uncomfortable and it was a million years ago.” She dropped her shoulders, struggling again to make sense of David’s reaction, a mix of confusion and shock.
Tyler ran back into the room. “I poured the juice. Oh, and the timer’s beeping. I was going to tell you right away, but I spilled some juice and Page was talking on his phone.”
“Okay, then.” David hopped up from the bed. “I hope we can finish this later.” His hand brushed her knee before he ushered Tyler from the room. “Let’s see if breakfast is still salvageable.”
Alex sank back against the upholstered headboard. “Or we could just forget about it,” she muttered, throwing back the comforter to go find a sweatshirt.
The aroma of cinnamon and vanilla filled the kitchen. Alex poured herself a cup of coffee and accepted David’s invitation to have a seat at the table. She took three scoops of sugar from the white ceramic bowl before she noticed the glasses of juice. “Tyler, honey, why did you pour seven glasses?”
“Just in case anybody wanted a refill.”
“Good thinking.” David set down a platter of French toast. “A few more dishes to do, but I like the idea.”
“Wow, I’m impressed.” Alex surveyed the spread, complete with both sausage and bacon.
“Thanks.” He shook his head as Tyler heaped several servings onto his plate. “You just make it in the oven. Julia used to cook this for me all the time.”
Julia, David’s ex-wife, had lasted longer than any woman. Nearly four years if memory served. They met right before Alex and Glenn were married, and they shocked and surprised everyone when they eloped two weeks after the wedding. Glenn was sure that it was David trying to steal his thunder, that he couldn’t stand it when he was the center of attention.
Alex had liked Julia. She was sweet and smart, albeit a bit of a wimp. She doted on David but often went overboard, and it eventually got to the point where he said that she was more like his mom than his wife. Julia had confided in Alex that their sex life died and took the marriage with it, a concept Alex found difficult to believe.
“Thank you for breakfast.” Alex took another bite. The French toast had a caramelized, crispy crust and was soft and fluffy on the inside. “Mmm. This is so good. You’ll have to teach me how to make it.” She set her napkin on the table and fetched the coffee carafe from the center island. “Another cup?”
“Please.”
She wanted to know what David was thinking and lost count as she put sugar in her mug. He smiled when she looked at him, but he seemed distracted. She sipped her coffee and grimaced—too sweet, even for her.
“Hey, Page,” David began. “When do you want to go downstairs into the studio and play some guitar?”
Page looked up—he’d spent the last few minutes thumbing through the keyboard of his phone, reading and sending text messages. Alex had banned cell phones from the dinner table but loosened the rules at breakfast.
“Whenever. I have a paper to finish for school tomorrow, but it’s almost done. I just need to proofread it and do the cover page.”
“Do you want me to proofread for you?” Alex asked.
“Really?” His face showed a glimmer of gratitude. “That would be awesome.”
“I’m happy to do it.” Alex felt as though she should pinch herself—day two of Page not hating her. Sometimes she wondered why adolescent girls got such a bad rap. Boys could be just as moody. “Tyler and I will clean up. You two go do your guitar stuff.”
“I gotta go throw on some clothes first, but I’ll help you clear the table,” David said.
Alex loaded the dishwasher with glasses and silverware while David brought plates to the counter and began putting them in from the opposite side.
“You can go get dressed if you want,” she said. “Ty and I can manage.”
“I know, but I like cleaning the kitchen with you.”
“Oh, right. Because it’s so thrilling to load the dishwasher?”
He cleared his throat. “It’s fun with you.”
Alex shut off the water in the sink and shied away, hand washing one of the serving plates. He’s trying to make me feel better about yesterday. “That’s nice of you to say.”
David didn’t move and Alex tried to see what he was doing without directly looking at him, an impossible task. He moved into her periphery and she heard him close the dishwasher. She sensed him now, behind her. Her pulse ran wild.
“Mommy, can I go now?” Tyler asked.
Alex swallowed. “Sure, honey.” She pulled the plug from the drain and dried her hands, wondering if David would say or do something now that Tyler was gone.
His hand pressed her lower back and he leaned over to speak in her ear. “Are you up for another swim after the boys go to bed tonight? Or we could watch a movie.”
Alex exhaled, relieved he hadn’t launched into anything more serious. “Sure.”
****
After dinner that night, Alex sat on the end of the bed in Page’s room going over his paper with him. “Do you see what you did here? If you move this sentence to the beginning of the paragraph, it makes your argument much stronger.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t just agree with me, honey. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Page grumbled. “Yes, I get it.”
Alex raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, not really.”
Alex explained it again. Ten minutes later, he’d made the changes on his laptop and they took it to David’s office. As the printer chugged out the pages, she decided this was as good a time as any to broach the subject she’d been avoiding.
“How’s school these days? You never say much in the car when I pick you up.”
“Fine. I still hate the new science teacher.” He flipped open a binder for his paper.
“What’s up with Scott and Ryan? You’re probably due for a sleepover one of these weekends.”
“Scott and I hang out at lunch. Ryan has a girlfriend now, so that’s kinda weird.”
Alex tried to play it cool, running a finger along the cording on the sofa arm. “Well, that’s going to happen more and more as you get older. Are there any girls you’re interested in?”
Page blushed and he turned away, staring at the printer. “I don’t know.”
Alex considered another approach, not coming up with
much. “There must be somebody who’s caught your eye.”
“Not really.”
“Nobody? What about that cute blonde who’s always there when I pick you up? I saw you talking to her the other day.”
He turned another shade of crimson. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”
“Okay. I just want to make sure you don’t have any questions about any of this. You know, girls and dating and sex.”
“Mom, please.”
“No, honey. I don’t know what Dad told you, but he’s not here right now and I don’t want you to feel like you can’t come to me with your questions.”
“Don’t remind me that Dad isn’t here.” His stare dropped to the floor. “I was just starting to get used to it.”
“I know I’m not a guy, but I’m a good listener. I promise. You can tell me whatever you want and I won’t say anything until you finish. I’ll just sit here.”
Silent moments passed as Alex chewed on her thumbnail, less confident about her parenting skills with every tick of the clock. Page tapped a pencil on the desk, avoiding eye contact. “Um, no offense, but I think I’d rather talk to Uncle David about this.”
“Talk to me about what?” David strode into the room and plopped down on the sofa next to Alex, making her pop up on the other end of the cushions.
“We were talking about girls,” Alex said. “And sex.”
“Mom.”
“Well, we were trying. And it’s fine if you want to talk to Uncle David. That’s totally cool with me. Is it okay with you?” she asked David.
“Huh?” His eyes darted between Page and Alex. “Yeah, of course. I’m your guy.”
Chapter Fourteen
“What’s up with Harry Potter tonight?” David asked.
Alex took a seat at the other end of the living room couch. “Oh, the usual. Sneaking around the castle, getting caught by Snape.”
“Sounds fun. Although I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Alex swung her bare feet up onto the cushion, facing David. “They’re such great books. Tyler loves them. He probably won’t let me read to him at bedtime too much longer. I’m going to be really sad when he finally tells me that he only wants to read by himself.” She pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin. “I think it’s a little chilly for a swim tonight.”
“Do you want to watch a movie?” His voice cracked, hoping she wouldn’t say she was going to go to bed early.
“Sure.”
David flipped on the flat-screen above the fireplace. “Let’s see what we can find.” He went to the on-demand channels, scrolling through the listings. “Suggestions?”
“Uh, you pick. Nothing too serious.”
David was glad it was his job to set the tone, although the pressure was already getting to him. “Twilight?”
Alex looked at him, her eyes wide. “Feeling girly tonight?”
“What?” He furrowed his brow. “No. I’m curious. And I like to stay in touch with my feminine side.”
Alex unleashed her goofy, musical laugh. It always started with the crescendo bursting out of her before fading to a soft titter. “Why don’t you hold on a minute and I’ll get us something to drink. Do you want popcorn for girl’s night?”
“What girl doesn’t want popcorn?” He smiled and when she returned the favor, his chest tightened. “I’ll help.”
They made their way to the kitchen and David felt a wave of relief. That exchange in the living room had been the first comfortable moment they’d shared since their miscommunication-laden swim the night before.
With a beer for David, a Coke for Alex, and an enormous bowl of fluffy, buttered popcorn, made on the stove by Alex, they returned to the living room. Alex set the drinks down on the coffee table before taking her spot on the couch.
“What are you doing all the way down there? I’m not giving up the popcorn.” He took a handful and popped a few pieces into his mouth.
She glared at him, so hot that he wanted to toss the popcorn to the floor and flatten her against the pillows. “You’d do that, wouldn’t you? Hog the popcorn.”
“Just sit next to me. I don’t bite.” Not unless you want me to.
“Is that a vampire joke?” She grabbed the blanket that was folded over the back of the sofa and bending a leg underneath her, sat next to him.
She angled herself toward the TV, looking over her shoulder at him as she did it. David flashed back to his shower fantasy. He shifted in his seat to make sure she was comfortable and put his arm across the back of the couch. He would have paid good money to have her lean back against him, set her head on his chest. This was the most couple-like situation they’d ever been in, so much better than going out to lunch, maybe even better than hanging out in the pool together. He could see more of her when she was reclined on a pool float, but he could smell her and feel her body heat when they were like this.
“Do you want some of the blanket?” she asked.
He felt as if his breath was being dragged out of him. No one had ever managed to say the word “blanket” in such a sexual way. “Sure. It’s a little cold in here, isn’t it?”
He lifted the popcorn and she spread the blanket across his lap, a move that was more than a bit of a turn-on.
The movie was different than he’d thought it would be—not much in the way of blood and gore, more a love story, full of I-can’t-stay-away-from-you sexual tension. He was shocked he’d managed to notice anything at all; the sights and smells of Alex were so distracting. She twirled a strand of her hair around her fingers, overwhelming him with a waft of her sweet smell every time. It sent his well-tuned imagination off on a detour that usually ended with her and him naked.
David glanced at his watch—11:10 p.m. How long is this movie? He’d lost interest after the fight scene in the ballet studio and had wondered what Alex would want to do after the movie was over. Maybe she’d want to snuggle on the couch and discuss the finer points of sexual tension. If nothing else, he might be able to find a way to bring up the crush confession. It made him nervous to think about what she would do or say when he finally had the balls to make the same admission. Would she throw herself into his arms? Or would she say she’d made a terrible mistake? It’s all on me now, for sure.
The credits rolled and David turned off the TV with a click of the remote. Alex began to scoot away and his heartbeat wavered until she turned and faced him.
She reached in and flicked aside old maids in the bowl that sat nestled in his lap. She found a single piece of popcorn and popped it into her mouth, licking the salt from her thumb. It felt as though there was a yo-yo in his chest, dipping deep into his stomach at regular intervals.
“What did you think?” she asked.
“The movie? It was decent, I guess. No sex though. That was kind of a letdown.”
“I know, right? A little too wholesome for me.”
David’s pulse raced again, as he mulled over the possibilities, curious where Alex drew the line between wholesome and hot. “I don’t really get what the big deal is with that Robert Parkinson guy. He’s not that good looking.”
“It’s Robert Pattinson. And you aren’t exactly his target market.” She fanned herself with her hand. “He makes me a little flustered.” She grinned.
Yeah, you make me a little flustered. “So, I wanted to tell you, Page and I finally had our talk. You know, the sex talk.”
Alex’s eyes grew larger. “How was that?”
“It was good. He’s figuring stuff out, I mean, he’s figuring it out in his own head. It doesn’t sound like there’s a girl he’s interested in right now, just a few he doesn’t mind looking at.”
She smiled and her shoulders seemed to relax. “That’s good.” She gnawed on her fingernail. “Did you talk about the condoms?”
“We did. He was practicing and I guess it was only twice. He and his friend Ryan shared a box of twelve.”
“Oh, okay.” She nodded. “That makes sense.” She counted o
n her fingers. “Thank you for talking to him about that. I didn’t want to embarrass him. I was worried I might put him in a tough spot if I asked about it.”
“That was a good guess. He’s definitely embarrassed.”
“I’m sure this isn’t your preferred topic of conversation, but this is really good for me to be able to have a grown-up to hang out with and talk about the boys. Glenn and I haven’t done anything like this in years. He’s always out in the studio and I’m with the boys or volunteering or doing some school project.” The corners of her mouth turned down and her eyes grew sad. “Wow. I just realized how pathetic that sounds.” Her voice became breathy. “You know, I couldn’t even tell you the last time Glenn and I did something as a couple. Maybe it’s been over for a long time and I just didn’t want to see it. That’s probably why he cheated. He wasn’t getting what he wanted from me.”
David moved the popcorn bowl to the coffee table and reached for her. “Come here.” He pulled her close and she sagged into him, resting the side of her head on his shoulder. “I don’t care what the reason is. Nobody deserves to be cheated on.”
Alex was quiet, making him wonder what she was thinking. “But isn’t that just part of the deal? Rock stars cheat. Like NBA players and actors.”
“Uh, no. That’s just a bad stereotype.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve never cheated on a woman, ever.”
She jerked back, but held on to his arm. “No way.” Her brows pinched together. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Look, my dad used to cheat on my mom before they got divorced. He was never around. I had to take care of things because my mom was a wreck.” His eyes met hers. “Don’t make excuses for Glenn. There’s no excuse for the way he has treated you.”
“I never knew that about your dad. I love your mom. That stinks.” She frowned, curling back into his embrace as he caressed her back and set his chin on top of her head. It felt impossibly good when she needed him, especially when she was this close. He wanted to throttle Glenn for leaving Alex and the boys, even when he knew he wouldn’t have had this time with them if it’d never happened.