Forever Starts Tonight

by Barbara Freethy

  "But I was better than her tonight," Brandon boasted.

  "It's not about being better than someone else. It's just about doing your best," she said, knowing that her words were probably falling on deaf ears. Brandon was too caught up in his own success to see the bigger picture, so she'd let him have his moment.

  "Can we get ice cream?" Brandon asked. "My friends are going to Sweet Treats."

  "It will be packed, honey," she said. Not only did she want to avoid the crowd, she preferred to avoid questions about Reid from some of her fellow teachers and the parents of her students.

  "But I want ice cream," Brandon complained. "You said Reid was going to take us to get some."

  "How about this?" Reid interrupted. "I'll go by the store on the way to your house and pick up whatever ice cream you want, along with hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, nuts, cherries, bananas, and we can go crazy making sundaes at your house."

  "Okay," Brandon said happily.

  Reid's gaze swung to hers. "All right with you, Jess?"

  "Sure," she said. "I can't say no to ice cream sundaes." Actually, she couldn't say no to him, but it was probably best not to tell him that.

  "I'll see you both in a few minutes."

  As Reid left, Brandon slipped his hand into hers as they walked to the car.

  "I like Reid," Brandon said.

  "Me, too," she murmured.

  "Do you think he likes me?"

  "Of course he does. He wouldn't have come to your concert if he didn't." She opened the back door of her car.

  As Brandon hopped inside, he said, "Does Reid have a girlfriend?"

  "I don't think so."

  "Maybe you could be his girlfriend. He likes you, too, I can tell."

  "Reid and I are just friends. That's all," she said, pretty sure that was the first lie she'd ever told her son.

  * * *

  Jessica liked whipped cream as much as Brandon did, Reid thought, smiling to himself as Jessica wiped the tip of her nose and gave a guilty laugh.

  While Brandon's sundae had been kept fairly simple, for Jessica and himself he'd made two magnificently decadent sundaes with multiple scoops of ice cream, hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry on top, and Jessica had eaten every bit of hers. He liked seeing her laugh and be spontaneous and ignore the fact that she'd just swallowed thousands of calories. She could be serious and worry about far too many things, but he wondered if that was because she had so much on her own shoulders.

  What if someone stepped up and took some of that burden away?

  But was he that someone? He certainly hadn't been in the past.

  "I haven't indulged like this in a while," Jessica said, sitting back in her seat. "I cannot believe I ate all that."

  "It's good to let loose once in a—" He was interrupted by a crash. He looked past the kitchen island to the family room, where Brandon and a barking Wiley had just knocked over a lamp.

  "Sorry, Mommy," Brandon said quickly.

  Jessica got up to right the lamp. "It's okay, but you and Wiley need to settle down," she added. "Why don't you go upstairs, brush your teeth, and get into your pajamas?"

  "Will you read stories with me again, Reid?" Brandon asked.

  "Sure," Reid said.

  "Maybe one," she interjected. "It's getting late."

  "Pick out whatever book you want," he said. "I'll be up in a few minutes."

  "Okay," Brandon replied, running out of the room with a barking Wiley at his heels.

  "So the kid is a little pumped up on sugar," he said with a grin.

  "You think? I knew the sundaes were a bad idea." She got up and took her empty bowl to the sink.

  "But they were good," he said, following her to the counter.

  "They were," she agreed. "A lot of bad ideas are good for the short-term but bad for the long-term."

  "I don't think we're talking about ice cream anymore."

  As she turned, he put his hands on either side of her, trapping her between the counter and him.

  "I have another bad idea," he murmured, inhaling the sweet scent of her skin.

  He lifted a hand and ran his fingers through the thick waves of her hair, cupping the side of her face, his thumb drifting down her cheek.

  Her eyes darkened, and he heard a catch in her breath. Her lips parted, and it was just too sweet of an invitation to resist. He lowered his head, taking his time, wanting to savor every second, because he didn't know how many seconds he'd have. The touch of her mouth under his tightened every muscle in his body and jolted every nerve.

  She tasted like chocolate and cream, her lips soft and yielding. She might fight him with her words, but she wasn’t fighting now. She was kissing him back with a sensual, tentative shyness that grew bolder as her tongue tangled with his. Her arms came around his back, and he rejoiced in the feel of her body moving even closer.

  She tilted her head one way, then the other. When he thought about stopping, she pulled him back in. When she thought about stopping, he did the same.

  It wasn't enough to just kiss her. He wanted his hands on the curvy breasts he could feel against his chest. He wanted his fingers on her bare skin. He wanted to feel the curve of her hips under his. He wanted…so much…

  "Reid," she said breathlessly, breaking the kiss. "I…" She looked into his eyes.

  "Me, too," he said, seeing the desire there.

  "I don't know what to do."

  "Neither do I," he said softly, liking that they were on the same page for at least a moment.

  And then Brandon's sharp voice cut into the moment, reminding him that with Jessica, it was never going to just be about the two of them.

  "Mommy, Reid," Brandon yelled. "I'm ready for my story."

  Jessica slipped away from him, walking over to the door and yelling back, "We'll be there in a minute. Get in bed."

  He drew in a breath, trying to get his head back in the game. Then he turned to face Jessica.

  She folded her arms across her chest, as if she needed the barrier between them. "You don't have to read to him. I can do it."

  "I said I would. I keep my promises."

  "You've already gone above and beyond, Reid. Just going to the concert meant a lot to him."

  "I had a good time." He walked across the room. "I had a better time a few seconds ago."

  Her eyes sparkled with his words. "I did, too."

  "I know you did. So how about a third date?"

  "You're pushing your luck."

  "I didn't hear a no."

  "I should say no," she murmured.

  "But you're going to say yes."

  "I'm still thinking."

  "Think about how you felt a few minutes ago. I'm going to read Brandon his story." He'd no sooner finished speaking when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, surprised when he saw the number for the police department. "I have to get this," he said. "Hello?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "This doesn't sound right. Tara doesn't do things like this." He paused, forced to listen again. "Okay, I'll be right there."

  Jessica gave him a questioning look. "Who was that?"

  "The police department. My sister Tara has been arrested."

  "What? Why?"

  "I don't know exactly. Something about drinking and vandalism. I have to go down there."

  "Of course you do."

  His lips tightened as Brandon let out another impatient call from upstairs. "I'm sorry, Jess, I can't—"

  "Don't even worry about it."

  "I don't want to disappoint him."

  "He'll be fine. Go. Take care of your sister. And let me know if you need anything."

  Eleven

  "I need to lay down," Tara said, as she flopped onto Reid's couch.

  "You need a hell of a lot more than that," he retorted. "I can't believe you, Tara. What were you thinking?"

  She gave him a pained, teary look, her mascara streaked across her face, her skin pale from multiple episodes of vomiting. Curled up on his couc
h, she looked a lot younger than her almost eighteen years of age. In fact, right now she reminded him of when she'd been seven and sick with the flu and he'd been watching her while their mom was at a party. He'd felt really bad for her then, wanting to make her feel better. He felt bad for her now, too, but he was also angry.

  "Well?" he demanded, sitting on the edge of the recliner next to the couch. "What made you think shooting tequila, running around downtown, and trying to steal a stop sign was a good idea?"

  "We were just fooling around," she muttered. "Can you yell at me tomorrow? I don't feel good."

  "Oh, believe me, I'll be yelling at you for a while—tonight, tomorrow, next week. I don't think you understand how serious this is. You were not only drinking and underage—you were arrested for vandalizing public property."

  "It wasn't my idea. Tawny said since we couldn't get the sign down, we should just change it."

  "Who bought the spray paint?"

  "Doug."

  "Whose idea was it to write on the sign?"

  "I don't know." She put a hand to her mouth. "I think I'm going to be sick again."

  "You know where the bathroom is. I'd try to make sure you aim well, because you'll be cleaning it up."

  "Why are you being so mean? Like you never did anything wrong?"

  "I didn't do anything this stupid. You have college waiting for you. They could rescind your acceptance because of this."

  She shrugged. "Whatever. It doesn't matter."

  "Of course it matters. You told me you were excited to go to San Diego State." He paused. "This is about Mom, isn't it? Did you think she might come home if she found out you were arrested?"

  "I'm not stupid enough to think that. I was just partying with my friends. The sign was a bad idea, but it was a joke."

  He let out a sigh, happy in a small way that her rebellious night hadn't ended up on a worse note. His friends at the police department had told him that she and her friends would have to pay a fine and do some community service, but her crime wouldn't have a long-lasting consequence. He hoped not, because he knew this wasn't the kind of stuff his sister normally did. She was just hurting.

  "Did you tell Mom what I did?" Tara asked.

  He shook his head. "I'm going to let you do that. You can text her."

  "I don't want to do it now."

  "Why not? She might come home. This dose of hard reality might shake her out of her romantic dazed stupor."

  "I don't want her to come home because she has to. She should want to be here with me. I'm her kid. She's supposed to take care of me until I graduate from high school."

  "I agree, Tara, but Mom just doesn't follow the rule book. She loves you, but she doesn't show it the way she should. She's the kind of person who's distracted by shiny new objects. She can't seem to stop chasing them. But that doesn't mean she doesn't care about you or me."

  "You always make excuses for her. Your words used to make me feel better, but I'm not a kid anymore, Reid. I don't believe in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy or Mom's good intentions."

  "I know. But along with your maturity, I hope you can find some way to forgive her. Because being angry at Mom doesn't hurt her; it hurts you. I don't want you to be hurt anymore."

  "How did you stop being mad?"

  He thought about her question. "I realized that you needed a brother, and being mad at Mom wouldn't have allowed us to have a relationship, so I had to put my anger on the back burner. Not that she still doesn't drive me crazy, but I try to accept that that's just who she is." He paused. "You're going to have a great life, Tara. You have everything ahead of you—college, new friends, probably boyfriends I'm going to hate."

  She made a face at him.

  "And then you'll graduate," he continued. "You'll find a career for yourself. You'll travel. You'll get married one day. It's all going to be good. Mom is always going to be Mom. But you can be whoever you want to be. Don't let her hold you back. Let her be what drives you forward."

  Tara stared back at him, her eyes thoughtful. "You're right. I can't let her hold me back, not when she's moving on with her own life."

  "I think one reason why she's gotten caught up in the yoga and the meditation and this new man is because she's afraid of being alone when you're gone."

  "She's barely with me now."

  "But you're there. You're in the house when she's around. And she's never been good at good-byes or being alone. But whatever happens with her and this guy, it's not going to affect the rest of your life. You're not going to let it, are you?"

  "No." She licked her lips. "I'm sorry, Reid. I was stupid."

  "You were, and you're still going to tell Mom what you did."

  She snuggled down into the couch and closed her eyes. "In the morning."

  He got up and grabbed a blanket from the closet and put it over her, then went into his room. He took out his phone, then hesitated when he saw it was after eleven. It was too late to call Jessica. He'd have to talk to her tomorrow.

  He'd no sooner set his phone down on the bed when it pinged. His heart lightened when her name popped up in his text messages.

  Everything okay? she asked. How's your sister?

  Fine. Going to have a hell of a hangover. She deserves it.

  Tough love, huh?

  She was stupid tonight.

  Teenagers are often stupid. Glad I have some time before Brandon turns into one.

  You'll be ready. So when do I get a third date?

  We'll see.

  He put his phone away. She hadn't said no; he'd take that as a win. He didn't know what was going to happen between them, but he definitely wanted to find out.

  * * *

  She'd missed him. How ridiculous was that? It had only been two and a half days since she'd seen Reid, but it felt much longer than that. And when she walked into the high school for her second and final community emergency prep class Friday night, she felt her heart beating a little faster at the thought of seeing him again.

  They'd texted a few times, but between his job and her job, and Brandon's activities, there hadn't been time for anything more. He'd mentioned getting together on the weekend, but they'd made no definite plans, mostly because she still hadn't committed to seeing him again, even though, of course, she wanted to.

  When she turned the corner, she saw Reid in the hall outside the gym, talking to one of the other students, and nervous butterflies in her stomach went into a free fall. He was even more handsome in his uniform, if that were possible.

  When he finished his conversation and turned his gaze on her, he gave her what felt like a very personal and intimate smile that was just for her.

  Every time he looked at her like that, she felt the hard wall she'd built around her heart begin to crack. She was letting him into her life, into Brandon's life, one date at a time. It was risky, but she couldn't seem to stop herself from saying yes to him. She kept telling herself one more time, one more night, one more date, but at some point, she had to end it, didn't she?

  But that wasn't going to be tonight. Tonight she had to be here. It was part of her job.

  "Hi," he said, coming down the hall to greet her. He took a quick look around and then gave her a quick kiss.

  She flushed a little. "You're not supposed to kiss your students."

  "Good thing I'm not a real teacher. I missed you, Jess."

  Her stomach clenched. "It hasn't been that long."

  "Hasn't it? Who's staying with Brandon tonight?"

  "Hayley from across the street."

  "Do you have time for coffee after class?"

  "Unfortunately, no. I promised Hayley I'd be back by ten. She's going to New York tomorrow with her parents and their flight leaves at seven a.m."

  "That's early. So, tonight doesn't work, but we have the weekend coming up. You said you'd think about a third date. What are you doing tomorrow?"

  "Well, here's the thing," she began.

  He smiled. "Okay, I'm listening."

  "My co
llege friends, the ones I told you about, have an annual pizza-making competition every year. I haven't been able to go in years, because I was too far away, so they pretty much made me promise to come tomorrow. It's in San Francisco. I'm taking Brandon and a friend of his, so he has someone to play with." She paused, hoping she wasn't making a big mistake. "If you want to come with me, we could do that. But if you don't, I completely understand."

  "I can handle pizza and meeting your friends."

  "Really? I have to warn you that they'll probably grill you about dating me."

  "As long as you now acknowledge that we're dating, I can handle it."

  She frowned, realizing she'd tripped herself up.

  He laughed. "Don't worry. It will be fine. We'll tell your friends whatever you want. What time?"

  "It starts around five. It takes an hour to get there—so four?"

  "Perfect. I'll pick you up then."

  "Okay. We better head inside. You can't be late for your own class."

  "Good point."

  She followed Reid into the gym and saw Paula sitting in the third row of the stands. She sat down next to her and they chatted for a few moments as Reid, Bill, and two police officers set up their presentation. For the next three hours, her attention was focused solely on becoming a good citizen responder in a number of intense emergency situations.

  At the first class, she hadn't known Reid well enough to appreciate how good he was at his job, but tonight she saw him in full-on serious mode. There was no trace of the happy-go-lucky surfer who liked to take life as it came. He took his job seriously and he impressed upon them the need to do the same.

  It was interesting to see another side of him. Unfortunately, it only made her like him more. She was supposed to be looking for reasons not to see him again, not the other way around.

  When the class was over, she debated between waiting for everyone to leave so she could have another minute or two with Reid or head on out. He was in a conversation with one of the city council members, which could take a long time, and she did only have about fifteen minutes before she had to get home.

  As she was debating, Bill Carlton came over to her. "How's it going?"