Welcome to Forever

by Annie Rains

  There. She’d taken another tiny step forward.

  Val cleared her throat, standing back in Kat’s doorway with an expectant look.

  “Still not talking,” Kat said.

  Val crossed her arms. “That’s not why I’m back. Mrs. Burroughs wanted me to ask if the Friendship Club is meeting this afternoon.”

  Kat furrowed her brow. “Of course we are. We meet every afternoon. Why? And why didn’t she come ask me herself?”

  Val shrugged, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. “She said she was hoping to meet with you alone to discuss school matters.”

  School matters, my ass. “What’s wrong with right now? I’m free for the next hour or so.”

  Val lowered her voice. “That won’t work for our lovely assistant principal. She’s busy. And administrators are supposed to meet after school, you know? The school hours are for assisting students,” Val said in a mocking tone.

  “I’m the last one to leave every night. My door is always open. And we just met last week.”

  Val held her hands out to her sides. “So I should tell her yes, the club is meeting this afternoon and she can just kiss your—”

  Now Kat’s hands flew out in front of her. “No. No, don’t tell her that.” Dora Burroughs was an old-school administrator. She had ideas of how things should be run and Kat understood that. Kind of. “Tell her I’ll meet with her right after the bell today. You can help Micah get the group started for the first fifteen minutes, right?”

  Val dug a finger into her own chest. “Me?”

  “I did give you that comfy office job. Even though you’re not all that people-friendly. School secretaries are supposed to be nice.”

  Val frowned. “I am nice. Just misunderstood…Fine. I’ll tell her. And I’ll watch the little rug rats for you, because I’m so sweet. For fifteen minutes only, though. I’m timing it.”

  Kat steepled her hands in front of her. “Thank you.”

  In response, Val pointed a finger at her. “But I expect a full, detailed report on the wild sex you’re having with Micah later.”

  Kat’s mouth fell open. She hurried to the doorway and searched around the front office for anyone who might have overheard. Dora Burroughs stood at the end of the hall with her back to them. Kat really hoped her assistant principal hadn’t heard that comment. Turning, she frowned at her friend and lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. “If you weren’t my best friend, I’d fire you right now. You know that?”

  “So you keep saying. The fact of the matter is, I’ll always be your best friend, so you’re stuck with me.” Val’s smile deepened. Then her gaze caught on the diamond engagement ring on Kat’s necklace. She looked at Kat’s hand and back up. “That’s progress. Maybe you’re having more than sex.”

  Kat’s hand instinctively fidgeted with the chain as she laughed lightly. “How many times do I have to tell you? We’re just friends.”

  Val nodded, with a knowing grin stamped on her face. “Okay. We’ll continue this conversation later.” She gave a little wave and headed down the hall toward Mrs. Burroughs’s office.

  Well, hell. Kat returned to her desk and plopped in her chair. Val didn’t know what

  she was talking about. What she had with Micah was just sex. Hot, mind-blowing, multiple orgasmic sex.

  She nodded to herself as her hand went to the ring dangling off her necklace. Because anything more than that would put a damper on things. A big damper.

  —

  “So you asked her out on a pre-ball date? And you’ve been having sex with her ever since?” Lawson grabbed a soda from Micah’s fridge and sat down.

  Micah felt his eyes widen as he scanned the room. “Lower your voice, man. Ben’s down the hall doing homework.”

  Lawson laughed. “You did, didn’t you? I can see it all over your face. Was it good?”

  Micah glowered at him from the hot stove. “If you keep being such an asshole, I’ll stop letting you come over for dinner every week. Then what will you do?”

  “A man needs a home-cooked meal at least once a week,” Lawson agreed. “I guess then I’d have to settle down and find a good woman.” He shook his head and took a long drink of his Coke. “She’d have to be a good cook. Otherwise, I’d starve.”

  “You wouldn’t starve. You could live off junk food for another decade or two before it caught up to you,” Micah said. “Or you could just live at your sister’s house.”

  Lawson scratched his chin, a look of heavy concentration weighing down his features as he considered this. “I feel like I practically live there as it is. If I ever see Beth’s jerk of an ex, I’m going to introduce him to my fist. Who up and leaves their wife and little girl?”

  “I don’t know. Jessica didn’t have any problems leaving her husband and son.”

  Lawson shook his head. “After I introduce Beth’s ex to my fist, I’ll introduce him to Jessica. A perfect match.”

  “Anyway, I’m not discussing my love life with you.”

  “Love life?” Lawson was grinning again.

  Micah let out a deep growl. “Just cut it out with the s-word, all right? I don’t want Ben to hear you.”

  “What s-word?” Ben asked, walking down the hall while keeping one hand on the wall to stabilize himself.

  Micah startled at his son’s voice, then nearly burnt his hand on the stove when he saw Ben standing. “Where’s your chair?” His voice seemed to boom in the small kitchen.

  “In my room. I can still walk, you know.” Ben waved at Lawson, and Micah immediately understood why his chair had been left behind. It was another reason Lawson would be invited over no matter what he said or did. Ben loved him. He was the uncle that Ben didn’t have by blood. Blood didn’t matter, though. Micah knew that well enough. Family was made through the time people spent together.

  “What s-word?” Ben asked Lawson.

  Lawson’s face turned serious. “Top-secret military stuff that can’t be spoken in front of young ears.”

  Ben didn’t buy it. He continued to take slow, deliberate steps to the table. “Hopefully we’re not eating Dad’s spaghetti again.”

  Micah’s head dipped in mock insult as he turned to watch him. “What’s wrong with my spaghetti?”

  Ben made a face. “Green noodles are weird.”

  “They’re spinach.” Micah looked at Lawson to help him out.

  “I agree with the kid. It’s weird,” his pal said with a shrug.

  Micah pretended to brood as he brought the plates he’d prepared to the table. “Manwiches.” He smiled proudly at his son and friend. “Dinner of men. Let’s eat.”

  Micah and Lawson lifted the oozing buns to their mouths as Ben watched. “Dad, can we say grace?”

  Micah’s Manwich hovered in front of him. Clearing his throat, he set it down. “Grace?” He hadn’t considered praying before a meal since his mother had passed away. She’d always insisted they bless the food before eating. “Who taught you about saying grace?”

  Ben looked at the table. “There’s a girl at school that says it before her lunch. I thought, you know, it might be time for me to get to know the big guy…so he’ll protect Mom for me while she’s in the war.” Ben’s gaze hung on his plate. “Never mind. It’s not important.”

  “Sure it is, little buddy.” Lawson folded his hands in front of him and cast a convincing look in Micah’s direction. Micah was too stunned to think. If there wasn’t enough for his little guy to worry about, now he was concerned about his mother dying, too.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?” Lawson asked, halfway into the meal.

  Micah shook his head. “Not hungry.”

  “Too worried about your big night out,” Lawson asked, knowing good and well that wasn’t it. “How do you feel about that, little buddy?” he asked Ben. “Your dad taking your principal to the ball? Kind of gross, huh?”

  Ben shook his head with a large, heart-gripping grin. “All I want is for my dad to find someone who makes him happy.”

  We
ll, damn if the kid doesn’t sound like a little adult.

  “You make me happy,” Micah said, getting up and clearing the plates. “And we’re just friends,” he protested. “She’s my boss.”

  His objections were ignored.

  “Well, what if they make each other miserable?” Lawson asked, passing his dish up to Micah.

  Ben shook his head. “Scientifically impossible.”

  “There’s science behind this, huh?” Lawson asked.

  Ben grinned. “Just like magnets. Dad and Principal Chandler are polar opposites of each other. I have a list. Wanna see it?”

  Lawson glanced in Micah’s direction. “Sure, buddy. I’d love to see your list.”

  Micah dried his hands on a dishtowel and headed toward the table. He wanted to see this scientific evidence, too.

  Ben walked slowly to his room, returning in his wheelchair with a handwritten list a few minutes later. He placed it in front of Lawson, who held it up and read it aloud.

  “Dad likes trucks. Principal Chandler likes cars.” Lawson’s gaze slid toward Ben beside him. “That’s a huge polar opposite.”

  “It gets better.” Ben tapped the paper with his right arm.

  “Dad is tall. Principal Chandler is short. Dad has black hair. Principal Chandler has blond hair. Dad is a Marine. Principal Chandler is a teacher. Kind of.” Lawson chuckled under his breath. “Dad’s wife left. Principal Chandler is alone, too.”

  Ben pointed at the list. “That’s not really opposite, but it’s important. They’re both lonely for different reasons. Principal Chandler used to wear a ring, but now she doesn’t. I’m not sure why, but it means she’s available. And they both love me. So they have to love each other, too. Right?”

  Micah swallowed. He could almost see the logic behind his son’s rationale. “Why does it matter if I ever fall in love again, son?”

  Ben took the list out of Lawson’s hand. “It just does. It’s my wish.”

  Micah stared at him.

  “I know I can’t make you fall in love by wishing, but if you spend time with Principal Chandler, it’s going to happen. I know it will.”

  “Because of science,” Lawson said, nodding his head agreeably.

  Ben’s smile was back, revealing a crooked top tooth. “Exactly.”

  —

  Micah stood at the entrance of the school’s courtyard and watched Kat with the group of after-school kids a few days later. He’d been running late today due to some smart-ass Marine who needed to understand the value of doing a job right the first time.

  Unfortunately, that added work to his own plate, and subtracted time from his son. And the Friendship Club.

  Ben was at the picnic table with Kimberly again. They’d sat together a lot lately and, as much as he didn’t want to, Micah liked her. She had spunk. And it wasn’t her fault that her father was a complete jackass of a mayor.

  Kat turned and caught his eye, giving him a quizzical look.

  “Sorry I’m late. Work ran over,” he said.

  She nodded and looked away. Kat never wanted to talk about his day job. He knew she didn’t like the fact that he was a Marine. She hadn’t said as much, but he knew it. He’d connected the pieces of information he’d been allowed about her ex and understood. Marines went to war. Some didn’t come home. He knew that all too well. Getting involved with a Marine was a risk that cost too many wives, or in Kat’s case, fiancées, their happily ever after.

  “It’s okay,” she said.

  Micah scanned the new group of kids. “Looks like they’re all sitting down on the job. What’s going on?”

  Kat chuckled. “Your son is giving them another science lesson this afternoon.”

  Now, Micah was the one giving the quizzical look.

  “Did you know that you could change the color of a plant by adding food coloring to the water?”

  He dropped his head in his hands. “Yes,” he groaned.

  “Don’t worry, the kids are into it. They’ve been listening to him more than they do their own teachers.”

  Micah looked around. Kat was right. The kids weren’t making fun of Ben. They were listening. “How the heck did he do that?”

  Kat lifted one shoulder. “He’s got a talent for science. And teaching. He even showed them pictures. Said his seedlings are bigger than yours because he reads to them.”

  “Already showing up his dad. My plants are some of the best in these parts, I’ll have these kids know.”

  “And that’s why it’s so amazing that Ben’s are twice as good. It’s scientific proof,” she said, sounding just like Ben.

  Micah laughed. “I don’t even want to tell you what other scientific proof Ben’s been coming up with these days.”

  Her forehead wrinkled as she looked at him.

  “Apparently, Ben is proving that you and I are the perfect match. He’s got a list.”

  This made her laugh.

  “Hey. Don’t act like it’s so funny. The list is pretty damn convincing,” Micah said.

  “Yeah?” Her gaze locked on his, and suddenly there was heat radiating between them. By the look in her eyes, he could tell she felt it, too.

  “Yeah,” he said. His gaze slid to her hand and hung on the barren ring finger.

  She pulled a gold chain with the ring dangling from it from under her blouse. “Baby steps. It’s not because of you, though,” she said quickly. Then she cleared her throat. “Or it is a little, but don’t worry. No strings attached.”

  “Right.” And he hadn’t been able to think of anything other than what the strings weren’t attached to for the past ten days. Sex. Mind-blowing, wake-up-in-the-morning-with-a-full-blown-hard-on sex. He resisted the urge to pull her to him and run his hands down her body. This wasn’t the time or the place.

  His attention on her broke at the sound of screaming children.

  “Fight!” Ben pointed in the direction of Sam, one of the newest members of the club, and Jacob.

  Micah took off running and threw himself between them, pushing them apart with his hands. “What do you guys think you’re doing?”

  “He called me a wuss!” Sam screamed.

  “No, I didn’t!” the other kid, Jacob, insisted, his face red and dirty from the near fight.

  Micah looked at Kat, who was standing beside him now, and then back to the boys. “All right. What exactly did you say?” he asked Jacob. “Not that it matters. Fighting is never the way to solve your problems.”

  “I said he was acting like a wuss. I didn’t say he was one.”

  “You see!” Sam said. “He’s not my friend.”

  Kat stepped up beside them. “We’re all friends here.”

  Even to Micah, it sounded like a movie-of-the-week line. “You don’t have to like each other, but you can’t call each other names. And no more fighting. That’s what got you here in the first place.”

  Sam stared at his feet. “What’s wrong with here? I like staying after school and working in the garden.”

  Micah frowned. “This is supposed to be punishment.”

  “You could just beat him. That’s how my dad punishes me.” Now, Jacob was looking at the ground.

  Micah exchanged another look with Kat. She’d be calling the school’s social worker later about that comment, no doubt. “Well, then how about this? You can keep coming and helping out after school as long as you want. But if you call each other names or start another fight with anyone, I’ll have to put you back in that classroom with Mrs. Burroughs, writing sentences on the blackboard.”

  The boys groaned.

  “All right, you two,” Kat said. “Apologize to one another.”

  Sam shrugged. “I’m sorry if you are,” he told Jacob.

  “I’m sorry if you are, too,” Jacob said.

  Micah nodded. Fair enough. “Back to work, boys. Fifteen minutes until your parents get here.”

  Sam started to walk away, then turned back to Micah. “Did you mean it when you said we could keep coming? Even
when our time is up?”

  Micah nodded. “I’d hate for you to feel like you had to cause trouble just to get yourself back in the group.”

  Sam’s face brightened. “Thanks.”

  Kat touched Micah’s arm softly when the kids had gone back to their tasks. “I think you missed your calling, Sergeant Peterson. You’re awesome with these kids.”

  “Not to brag, but I’m pretty awesome at all my jobs.” It was supposed to be charming, but her body stiffened, and her shoulders were suddenly tense.

  Yeah. She hated the fact that he was a Marine. He could only imagine how she’d look at him on Saturday when he took her to the Marine Corps ball. She’d be surrounded by uniforms. Every place she turned, she’d be faced with a reminder of what she’d lost. So far, she’d only seen him in uniform once. Most of the time they were together, he wore holey jeans and a white T-shirt while riding a lawnmower.

  Or he wore nothing while she was riding him.

  Things would probably change between them after Saturday’s date.

  He swallowed. He wasn’t supposed to care. They’d agreed to no strings attached. But the more time he spent with her, the more a newfound hope began to bristle up inside him where there’d only been an empty, robotic existence over these last few years, working full-time and being a single father to a child with special needs.

  He felt like he was coming alive again, living for something other than his responsibilities. He was beginning to need Kat, and that felt really good. And really terrifying at the same time.

  Chapter 16

  Kat sat on her bed and stared at her reflection across the room. Why in the world had she agreed to go to the Marine Corps ball with Micah? She felt like shoving the silky black dress back in the closet and feigning sickness. She’d be surrounded by Marines. Memories of the events she’d attended with John would be everywhere.

  “You okay?” Julie stood in the doorway, watching her.

  Kat attempted a smile, but it fell flat. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve never been any good at getting dolled up.”

  Julie took a step inside. “Well, the first step is hair and makeup. Then you put the dress on.” She lifted the dress from Kat’s lap and hung it on the back of the closet door.