by Olivia Reid
"And then you met Burt."
"The man threw a glass of Scotch in my face."
"He's charming like that." I looked around the shop. No new customers. Debbie was starting fresh coffee for the afternoon and Tom had started sweeping and cleaning tables. "Kevin…"
"I know. You need to work. I just wanted to be the one to give you that. Don't pay it any attention. It's just Burt…"
"Being Burt." I managed a half smile. "I appreciate you doing that, Kevin. I really do."
"Good. Oh and about Thanksgiving—"
"Please come. Really? Tanae will be happy to see you." And I really wanted him there in case Burt showed up.
"Will Michael be spending the holiday with your family?"
I opened my mouth to answer, then closed it, then sort of blinked up at him. This was not something I'd actually considered. Michael, the young good looking lover, in the same house with my sister, her husband and kids, Detective Kevin Taylor and…
Tanae.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and thumbed up the calendar. It was November 7th, two and a half weeks before what was becoming the dreaded event. Could I work Michael into weekly conversations with Tanae? Sort of…pre-prepare her?
Truth was I didn't even know Michael's plans for Thanksgiving. He might be planning something with his mom or his sister. Hell, being at my house might be the last thing on his mind.
"Grace?"
Oh. Crap. I'd nearly forgotten Kevin was there. I looked up at him apologetically. "To answer your question, I don't know. We haven't talked about it."
"I think for Tanae's sake, you should." He gave me a weak smile and headed out the door. Not even a goodbye.
Well, a court hearing hadn't given me a buzzkill, but talking to Kevin had. I checked my phone again for the time. 4:57 pm. Afternoon rush would start in fifteen minutes or so as people got off work. I wouldn't be off until seven.
A text from Michael slipped down over the time readout on my phone. Hey gorgeous. Want to make a pizza tonight, drink wine, eat brownies and watch a movie?
And there was my smile again. Sure. I'll grab the ingredients on the way home.
I'll bring the wine and the brownie mix. Can't wait to see you. :-*
I laughed at his little kiss emoticon and slipped the phone back into my apron. I made a little mental note to talk with Michael about the encroaching holiday before it snuck up on me and everything went to hell.
Kyle wasn't home when I pulled up and let myself in. The house still smelled of the morning's routine. Bacon, butter, toast, and coffee. I put the pizza ingredients in the fridge but kept the dough out so it would be at room temperature, then pulled out a bottle of white wine, popped the cork and poured myself a glass.
My cellphone buzzed in my back pocket. I looked at the caller's profile and smiled. "Hey baby girl."
"Mom," Tanae's voice, sounding so grown up now (weep!) answered. "You've got to stop calling me that."
"Never." I took my phone and my wine to the back deck and turned on the heater. "So, what's up?"
"I need to talk to you about Thanksgiving."
Uh oh. My heart literally dropped into my panties. "Tanae…no. Please. You have to come. I haven't seen you since May!" Then I dropped into the chair closest to the heat.
She sighed and I thought I heard a laugh in there. There were other noises behind her voice that sounded like a restaurant, or some kind of store. "No mom, that's not it. I'm not missing coming home. Trust me. I want to come home. You have no idea."
"Boy troubles?"
There was a long pause. Ooh…am I good or what? "Maybe."
"Boy there or boy…here?"
"You already know him."
That didn't mean anything. I knew a lot of her friends and she had a lot of male friends. I kicked off my shoes and realized I was still wearing my work clothes. Blech. I needed to change into comfy sweats, no bra and a loose tee-shirt. So I got up and headed into the house to my bedroom. "Can you give me a hint?"
"He's tall. Blond. Got a great smile—"
"Phil." Yep. She said great smile and I had that kid's face in my head.
"Yes! Mom, he's been sending me these really cool texts, and posting old pictures of us on Instagram…"
Instagram…not a fan. That damn little app had turned my daughter from a participant in life to a viewer. Always had her face buried in her phone. Made me wonder if that's what Jennifer had been looking into at Savage Pizza. "He going to your school?"
"No he's at Georgia Tech studying computer systems. He's thinking of transferring to MIT to study cyber security."
MIT. Boston.
Danger! Danger!
"Wait…you aren't thinking of transferring to Boston, are you?"
Her pause made me pause as I dropped my jeans and stood in my bedroom with no pants. "Well…"
"Tanae, you applied to MIT and did not get in. You want to try again?" Yeah it was harsh of me to bring up her past pain. "And besides, you're going to be an animator. Do they even have that at MIT?"
"Well, they sort of do. But there are other schools there that have great animation programs, like Northeastern University in Boston, and the Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts."
I stepped out of my jeans and yanked my dresser drawer open for sweats. "You've been doing some homework."
"Yeah. And I'm pretty sure dad'll love it. I could live with him and not have to worry about a dorm."
"And the out of state tuition? We talked about that."
"That's what I want to talk to dad about at Thanksgiving."
I pulled out a black pair and stood up straight. "Tanae, he's not going to pay for your education. He's been belligerently asinine about it. You haven't talked to him about this have you?"
"Oh hell no, mom. You know he'll be all up my butt about transferring to a new school, keeping grades up, and if he even suspected I wanted to go to Boston to be around Phil—"
"He wouldn't listen to any of it." I sat down on my bed and stared out the window at the leaves as they blustered by. It was going to storm and I couldn't wait for Michael to get there. I hadn't seen him all week. "Tanae…is this a sure thing? Meaning have you discussed this with Phil?"
"What? Us?"
"Boston. MIT. You said he was thinking of going there."
"Don't do this, mom."
"Do what?"
"Make me start doubting myself. I've been so happy about this, you can't just start in with the questions."
I sat up straight. "Young woman, I am your mother. And I can start in with the questions any time I want. You planned your career carefully. Two to three years at Georgia Southern, then get that internship at Disney in Orlando. Then transfer out to California. You've already made the contacts, you've done the work and your portfolio was gushed over. But if you suddenly transfer to…whatever those schools were, what does that do for your future?"
She didn't answer me but I could hear her breathing.
"Tanae, you can't throw things away or give up what you've worked for just for a guy."
"Really? You used to tell me all the time about how you gave up your career for dad."
My heart clenched in my chest as my own words were spit back in my face. Yeah, I deserved it. I'd taught her that, so that was my punishment. Yelling wasn't going to solve anything. "Tanae, why did you call?"
I thought she was going to hang up or make an excuse to end the conversation. Then, "I want to invite Phil to Thanksgiving."
"I thought he was already invited."
"Oh. Okay. I didn't know that. And I can still have my friends there?"
"They're already on the menu," I stopped what I was saying and backtracked. On the menu? "Uh I mean, they're on the guest list."
She laughed. It wasn't her full on giggling I always loved to hear, but it was a start. I wasn't going to drop this idea to transfer to Boston yet. I just wasn't going to argue about it now. There was no point. "That's funny. So you're not going to keep fighting about this?"
"Right now? No. You can duke it out with your dad."
"Speaking of which, you tell him not to come to Thanksgiving?"
"Yep."
"And?"
"Pretty much what you expect."
"Ooh," I could actually see her wince on the other end. "Was it epic?"
"No, but it could get that way."
Another pause and I smiled. "Mom, he just can't do it. I'll die if he embarrasses me in front of Phil."
"Talk to your dad, hon. Talk some sense into him."
"Fine. So…who's coming?"
"Well, you, Phil, your friends, your Aunt April and Brad."
"Are Pip and Harold coming?"
"I think so. Oh and Detective Kevin Tayor is coming."
"Officer Taylor is a detective now?"
I grinned with pride. And I really was proud of him. "Yes he is. It'll only be for the morning, or so I'm assuming as much since he'll have to head out to Alabama for his kids."
"Oh yeah that's right." Tanae sighed.
So did I. I thought about Michael and wondered…now? "Tanae, do you mind if I bring someone?"
"Other than Detective Taylor?"
"No. He's not coming with me. Or for me. He's coming stag, I guess you'd say. I mean would you mind if I invited someone to come."
"Who?"
"Someone I met."
The connection became muffled and I realized Tanae had put her hand over her phone. I waited patiently, my own nervousness at telling her about Michael mounting in my chest. I was afraid I would pass out. Were single moms supposed to be this nervous when talking to their children about their boyfriends? This was new territory for me.
"Hey mom, I've got to go. Our ride's here and I don't want to be rude."
My child didn't want to be rude? I looked at the phone thinking, who are you and where is my daughter? "Okay. Call me this weekend, okay?"
"Sure! Love you mom!" And she disconnected before I could say love you back.
I flopped back on the bed and let the phone fall beside me. A second later I heard the front door open and Michael's voice. "Hello?"
"In here," I called out.
I followed the sound of his foot steps as he came up the steps and down the hall. When he stepped through my bedroom door all thoughts of Tanae and Boston and some kid named Phil vanished. "Hey sexy."
Michael pulled his glasses off as a crooked grin pulled at the side of his mouth. "Wow. You're already in bed with your pants off." He dropped his bag, his coat and his glasses into a pile and shut the door. On the way to the bed he started taking off clothing. "Now that's the way to say you missed me."
It was closer to ten that night before we ever got into the kitchen.
I felt there wasn't anything I couldn't talk to Michael about, share with him, or confide in him.
Except…Tanae.
And that fact became the elephant in the room for me. I think Michael started noticing it around our fourth week together. He started asking me if something was wrong more often, and I didn't think he believed me when I said it was nothing.
I hated the hurt looks on his beautiful face but I just…I didn't know how to talk to him about Tanae, and Thanksgiving, and well…kids in general.
I had Friday the 14th off and Michael wanted to get away for the weekend, but not too far because he was technically on call at work. They had installed new equipment which Kyle said was running, but temperamentally.
It had an attitude.
Michael had to work till noon and came straight to my house afterward. I packed a bag for two nights in a backpack and he advised me to wear comfortable shoes. But he wouldn't tell me where we were going.
I was shocked when he pulled into the drive in a green Ford Ranger. When he got out he looked good enough to eat. I think I liked him best in jeans and button down shirts, and I might have mentioned that, because that was what he wore. My favorite pair of soft, worn jeans, boots, and a dark blue button down. He had his shades pushed up on his forehead and his hair, which was starting to brush his shoulders, was tucked behind his ears.
He picked me up as I ran out and kissed me right there in the open for the world to see.
"Michael!" I hissed but with a smile on my face. "We can't do that out here. What if Gerald drives up? Or someone who knows him sees us?"
"Wow Grace. Atlanta is small town, but not that small town." He draped his right arm over my shoulders as we faced the car. "You like it?"
"I love it. Whose is it?"
"Mine."
"You bought a car?"
"Nah. It's actually my friend's car. The one I'm watching the house for? We were talking on the phone the other night about the weather getting colder and he told me the bike was going to get dangerous in Atlanta ice and cold and told me to use his truck. Gave me the storage address and the combination. When he said truck I thought he meant like…truck. But this?" He reached out and patted the Ranger's front end. "This is just cool."
He was a kid with a new toy. "And the bike?"
"I left it in storage. The place is close enough to the house that we can change them out if we want a bike ride. So," He said as he leaned down and kissed my head. "You packed?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's get the house locked up and get on the road. We've got about an hour and a half drive."
I put a hand on his. "Where are we going?"
But he just winked, kissed my cheek and hustled us out the door.
We headed north and I figured out why he wanted to leave so early. Traffic on 75 N was already building and it was barely 3:00. The weather was beautiful too. Sunny skies, comfortable temperature at fifty degrees. Michael pulled over once we got further up in the mountains and found one of the few Starbucks in the area. We got coffees, treats and then back on the road.
And we talked. About everything. I asked him about the bitchy new equipment and Michael told me all about it. Not that I understood it, but he was open and honest about the job and the reality if he got called back in.
When I saw the first shadowy hint of the North Georgia Mountains and he turned off from 75N to 575N Canton my stomach twisted with butterflies. I must've looked like a little kid because he started laughing when I sat forward. "The mountains…we're going to the mountains!"
"Yep. Blue Ridge, which is one of my favorite places."
"Is it a cabin?"
The mischievous look in his eyes made me squeal. I was going to spend the weekend, in a cabin in the mountains, with a hot guy!
My life is so wonderful!
… I just had to wonder when it would come crashing down.
The cabin was called Shadows Rest, part of the rental community of Mountain Top Cabin Rentals. And after ten minutes on those tiny, rutted roads with hairpin turns and sharp drop offs—yeah I was glad he had the Ranger.
When we pulled up my jaw dropped. The cabin was the most perfect thing I'd ever seen. It sat on the left edge of a hill, to the right was a drop off that looked out over the shadowy mountains in the distance.
Michael and I got out of the Ranger and stood side by side to look at the view. He put his arm around me, yanked me to him and squeezed. "Let's look inside."
He went back to the truck to pull his phone off the charger. I went to the front door which stuck out from the rest of the place. Long, thin stones covered the wall around the door and I noticed a strange little box with numbers on it to the left side of the door frame.
Michael came up and after looking at his phone, punched in a few numbers. The box opened and revealed a key! He pulled it out and shut the box. "This has got to be the easiest check in ever." He slipped the key in the door and opened it.
The first thing I saw was a four chair table. To the right were black couches around a fireplace and a flat screen TV. Past the table was a counter and a huge kitchen with new, stainless steel appliances, and above that rose a staircase. I started running from room to room. There was a bedroom and a bathroom on the main floor just past the kitchen.
A door to the right of the counter revealed stairs to a full basement with another room with twin beds, a bathroom, TV and pool table! I looked out the windows and squealed. "There's a hot tub!"
Michael came down after me and we both went outside onto the lower deck. Two chairs and a table sat next to the covered hot tub. I could hear the soft hum of the motor.
But the thing that silenced both of us was the view. The folds of blues and grays in the distance, indicating the mountains beyond just above the rolling hills of green, orange, yellow and brown. Michael locked his fingers with mine and we looked at each other. "You like?"
I reached up and caressed his cheek. "Oh, I don't just like…I love. We have to try the hot tub out tonight—" and then it hit me. "Oh no…I don't have a suit!"
Michael's laugh made me all gushy inside. "Yes you do. I had Kyle pack it for you, so unless you emptied out your toiletries bag, you have a suit." He moved closer and faced me, his cock hard against my stomach. "But I doubt you'll wear it for long."
"Is that an invitation to break the cabin in right now?"
He kissed me. Oh damn did he kiss me. It was deep and wanting and I creamed my panties just thinking about him naked underneath me.
When he pulled his lips from mine and moved next to my ear to whisper, "We have to get some groceries. I want you to teach me how to cook," then my bubble of naked Michael popped.
I bit his ear, careful of the gold hoop and he yelled playfully as we ran back up the stairs and checked out the master bedroom on the third floor. The view from the deck in the master bedroom? Breathtaking.
"We sleep up here."
"Mmhmm," he said as he grabbed my hand again. "Let's get our things out and hit that store we saw on the way up."
It was close to six by the time we made our way back up the mountain to our cabin. The sun was just going down so I yanked the wine out of the bag, had him open it, grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and the two of us had our wine upstairs on the deck as the sun went down.
The temperature plummeted so fast my teeth chattered. We headed back in and I prepped dinner while he started the fire in the living room and turned on the evening news.