Lovebird Café Box Set

by Dylann Crush

  “I’ve developed a sudden affinity for adorable, kind, caring, sensitive nerds.”

  “Is that so?” His lips cracked into a smile.

  “Yeah, go figure. Especially ones who are that dedicated to my, um, oral pleasure.”

  Nose to nose, he met my gaze. “Well, in that case, I’m your guy.”

  My guy. I wrapped my legs around his back and pulled him into me while that phrase rolled around in my brain. My guy. My guy. It was about time I let myself have a guy. A guy who was as crazy about me as I was for him. A guy who could accept me for who I was, the good, the bad and the crazy.

  “Do you want to be my guy, Theo?” I asked on a whim, bracing myself for his answer.

  “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  “Do you want to be my girl?” He leaned in, rubbing his nose against mine, close enough our foreheads touched.

  I gave a little nod. As outdated as that notion seemed, kind of like “going together” back in junior high, I did want to be Theo’s gal. At least as long as it could last. He might change his mind once the reality of dating a single mom set in. Or once he realized I wasn’t nearly as funny, sexy, adorable, insert whatever relevant adjective I was missing, as he thought I was.

  “Good. It’s settled then.”

  “What?” I whispered.

  “I think we’re going together now.”

  “Going together? Like in junior high?”

  “Exactly like that. I want you to know, those are trademarked moves. Reserved for my gal so it’s a good thing you agreed.”

  “Or else, what? You’d take back my orgasm?” I did laugh at that idea.

  “No. But I’d withhold others until you agreed.”

  “That’s just mean.” I reached between us and undid the button of his jeans. “Good thing you agreed to be my guy, then, too.”

  His hands joined mine, pushing his jeans down far enough for him to kick them off the edge of the bed. “Oh yeah, why’s that?”

  I reached into my nightstand and pulled out one of the condoms I’d picked up on a run into Nevada earlier in the week. My just-in-case stash. I unrolled it onto his dick and aligned the tip against my core.

  “If you weren’t my guy, I probably wouldn’t be interested in doing this.” With my legs clasped around his hips, I pulled him into me, opening up for him.

  He nudged in, biting his lip. Bracing himself, his palms on the mattress next to me, he lifted up. I moved one leg, risking a hell of a cramp, and hitched it over his shoulder. His eyes crinkled at the edges as he waited for me to move the other. Damn, where had the flexibility of my teens gone? I used to be able to do the splits. Now it seemed like I might split in two as I hitched the other leg over his shoulder.

  “You sure this is going to work?” he asked.

  “I’ll let you know in a few minutes, okay?” I put my arms over my head, bracing myself to not send my own skull into the headboard.

  Theo lowered himself onto me, filling me. My thighs shook just a tiny bit, warning me to proceed with caution. I nodded, providing the encouragement he needed.

  He pulled back, sliding into me again, farther this time, the angle providing just the right amount of friction on a certain spot I’d been missing out on for far too long. I clenched around him as he repeated the rhythmic strokes, sending me spiraling into a whole new realm. One where nothing else mattered but the way Theo’s dick plunged into me, over and over again.

  “Come on, Scarlett. Don’t let me get there without you.” There was something primal in the way he groaned. It made me want to rush to meet him, to join him in the freefall that waited for us both.

  His head dipped down, kissing along my ear, my cheek, my neck. Like a butterfly unfurling its wings for the first time, my release uncoiled, then spread. As I began to moan, a deep, low noise that came from some part of me I didn’t recognize, he thrust faster, harder, deeper. My fingers scrambled to hold onto him as my fall began. I could feel him right behind me, joining me.

  He paused, taut, every muscle in his body straining for that final moment of pleasure. I tried to clench around him one last time but my body was useless. Limbs of jelly couldn’t tighten around him. Not anymore.

  Slowly, he relaxed, lowering himself down onto me. Still inside me, he cradled me in his arms. I didn’t have words for the way I felt in that moment. Cherished. Valued. Adored. None of those came close. I didn’t need words though. All I needed was to bottle up the feelings and save them. Because if I’d learned one thing in my thirty-three years, it was that something this good couldn’t last.

  31

  Theo

  I followed Scarlett around the next morning like the fucking lovesick nerd I was turning out to be. My dad and the team weren’t due until Friday, so I had nothing but time on my hands until they arrived. If Rodney was surprised to find me sleeping in the guest room, he didn’t act like it. Sharing a quick breakfast around the cozy kitchen table seemed downright domestic. I could picture myself doing the very same thing tomorrow. And maybe even the day after that and the day after that.

  Scarlett pushed back from the table, her thermal mug of coffee in hand. “Come on, Rodney. You’re going to make me late for work if we don’t get a move on.”

  “Hey, I can take him if that’ll help,” I offered.

  “You sure?” She tossed her yogurt container in the trash and paused by the coffee pot to top off her mug.

  “I don’t mind at all. Is that okay with you, Rodney?”

  He looked up from his bowl of cereal and grunted approval.

  “That would be great. Thanks so much.” Scarlett ruffled Rodney’s hair as she passed him. “Your hair’s getting long, hon. Want me to cut it for you this weekend?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “I’ll bring my clippers home with me then. Big game against Wharton tomorrow night, do you have a late practice tonight?”

  Rodney glanced up again. “No. We get done at normal time.”

  “Oh.” Scarlett cocked a hip against the counter. “You want to wait around for me, and I’ll bring you home after my last client?”

  “Nah. Coach wants to talk to me after, said he could give me a ride home.”

  Scarlett bristled. I could only imagine the thoughts going through her head. She shot me a worried glance and it seemed like a good time for me to step in. “I can come get you. Maybe then we can meet up with your mom. I’ve been craving that chicken fried steak at the Lovebird Café. Are they open for dinner?”

  “Sure. Sounds good.” Rodney let his spoon clatter against his empty cereal bowl.

  I’d lost track, but he had to have gone through at least three or four full bowls of Lucky Charms. Those were the days when I could eat like that and work it off during twice-a-day practices.

  I reached out to catch Scarlett’s hand. “Sound good? Dinner at the Lovebird? My treat?”

  She moved closer and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “That sounds fabulous. Thank you so much. You sure you know where you’re going today?”

  “Yeah. I’ll just drop Rodney off at school and then I was going to run by the cave and make sure it hasn’t been disturbed.”

  “Key’s under the front mat if you want to come back and get cleaned up. My last client’s at five so I should be able to meet you at six. Is that okay?”

  “That’s perfect.” I wanted to dip her low and give her a proper kiss goodbye. The kind of kiss that would make her lips swollen and set her heart on fire. But that didn’t seem like such a good idea in front of her man-child of a son. I settled for squeezing her hand and giving her a smile that I hoped would convey how much I’d be thinking of her today.

  “All right. Bye guys. Have a great day, and Rodney?”

  “Yeah?” He picked up his bowl and took it over to the sink.

  “I love you. Good luck on your geography quiz.” She blew him a kiss and disappeared through the door leading into the attached single car garage.

  “Love you, too,” he ye
lled after her. Then he rinsed his bowl in the sink and put it in the dishwasher.

  With Scarlett gone, I felt like a bit of an intruder. “When do we need to leave?”

  “Ten minutes?” It sounded more like a question than an answer.

  “Great. I’ll just grab another cup of coffee. Ready to head out whenever you’re ready.”

  He didn’t reply, just headed down the hall.

  I should know how to talk to a fifteen-year-old kid. That was me, once. Although, at that age I had both parents at home, an older brother, and a pretty cushy spot on the starting lineup of the varsity football team. Even though my dad was considered crazy by most peoples’ standards, he and my mom provided a somewhat stable home life. And when Mom wasn’t off caving with Dad, she cooked and took care of things at home. I was lucky in a lot of ways.

  While I waited for Rodney, I tossed the crusts of my toast in the trash and put my plate in the dishwasher. Scarlett left the coffee on for me so I drained the carafe and rinsed it out before setting it in the dish drainer to dry.

  My apartment lacked the homespun personality of Scarlett’s place. I’d never gotten around to painting walls or adding any kind of decor, while her home appeared to be steeped in personal touches. From the bright curtain over the kitchen sink to the hallway lined with family photos, it was obvious a lot of care had gone into making this house a home.

  By the time Rodney came out of the front door, backpack slung over one shoulder, I was waiting on the porch, sitting on the wicker love seat Scarlett and I had shared the night before. Was it only last night that Judd and April had been right here on this porch? Seemed like weeks ago.

  “You ready?” I stood and pushed the key fob to unlock my truck.

  “Let’s go.” Rodney led the way down the steps.

  Figuring football would be a safe topic for the short ride to school, I climbed behind the wheel and fired up the engine. “So, what are your odds against Wharton?”

  Rodney took the bait. “Fair. They’ve got a solid offensive line, but I think we can hold them. Their running game is tight though. It might be close.”

  “Have you been watching any game footage?” That used to be my coach’s favorite thing to do. Seemed like he spent hours running video from our opponents, trying to figure out what weakness we could exploit to give us an advantage.

  “Yeah. Coach wants me to see a few things after practice today. I hate sitting through those clips. Seems like it would be a better use of my time if I was out there running through plays, not watching TV.”

  I remember feeling the exact same way. “It’s good to take a look. Is he keeping the whole line after?”

  Rodney shrugged. “I don’t know. I think just me.”

  Red flags popped up and waved in warning. Judd wouldn’t dare talk to Rodney about their relationship without Scarlett’s permission. He’d set up this meeting before last night. Hadn’t he?

  “Do you always stay after to go through video the day before a game?” For Scarlett’s sake, I just wanted to hear him confirm it.

  “No. He sent me a text this morning. No big deal, though.” Rodney unbuckled as I slowed to turn into the parking lot of the high school. “You can just let me out here. Thanks for the ride.”

  “Hey, hold up.”

  By that time he was already halfway out the door. “No offense, but I don’t want my friends seeing me getting dropped off by my mom’s new boyfriend, okay?”

  “Yeah, okay. But I’d be happy to review video with you later. Want me to pick you up? Maybe there’s something I can see as a former player. Something that might give you an edge over Wharton in the game tomorrow.”

  Rodney hesitated. “Yeah, sure. Coach’s office is just outside the locker room. We’ll be done with practice around five. See you then?”

  “See you then.” I gave a slight wave as he shut the door. Judd wouldn’t say anything with me there, I was sure of that. But Scarlett needed to figure out how she wanted to handle things. It would only be a matter of time before Judd broke the news to Rodney. I couldn’t afford to follow him around all day long every day and, as much as I could see Scarlett’s side of things, in my opinion, the kid did have a right to know about his dad.

  As I pulled away from the curb, I thought about my own dad. He’d be so excited to see the bats I’d discovered. Maybe this time it would be me standing on a stage next to him accepting an award. Maybe he’d write up an acknowledgment about my contributions to the Alliance in the next newsletter. It was petty as hell but, even after the football awards and the championship trophies, a small part of me still hungered for his approval in an area he valued.

  Father-son relationships were a complicated thing. As I pondered that deep thought, my phone rang. Dad’s number came up on my screen.

  “Dad, hey.”

  “Theo. I heard your schedule opened up and you’re available today.” Curt, sharp and to the point. That’s what you got with my dad.

  “Um, yeah. But I’m over in Swallow Springs. I came in a day early just to make sure things are set, and—”

  He cleared his throat. “Where should we meet you?”

  “What do you mean? I’ve got you booked at the motel over in Clinton, the one—”

  “We’re here. The team drove in this morning. Where’s this cave?” That was Dad. Direct. No need for small talk.

  “The cave. You want to go today? Haven’t you been on the road for a while?”

  “I’m rested and eager to confirm or deny your suspicions. Now, please give me the coordinates of where we need to meet you. We’re wasting time, son.”

  “Okay.” So what if this wasn’t how I imagined the great discovery going? I rattled off the coordinates so he could plug them into his phone and agreed to meet him there in a half hour. That barely gave me enough time to stop by Scarlett’s and grab my gear.

  32

  Scarlett

  It had been a long day by the time my five o’clock was due to show up. She was a new client, which meant she’d either be testing me out and it would just be a quick trim, or she was one of those who never committed to a stylist and only got her hair cut once a year and I’d be there forever. With the anticipation of seeing my two favorite guys in just over an hour, I was eager to wrap up and be on my way.

  I’d been so busy throughout the day that I hadn’t had a chance to dwell on Judd and April’s visit last night. With Rodney sure to be exhausted by the time we got home tonight, I was hoping Theo would be up for letting me bend his ear again. This time without all of the hot, heavy, sweaty distractions. The way he’d been there for me last night, ready and willing to take my mind off of the shit show my life had become, had been much appreciated. Very much, repeatedly appreciated. But tonight I needed to process and, unfortunately, that meant verbally, not orally.

  The bell over the door jangled, and I glanced up from where I’d been prepping my station. April walked in. She looked like shit, even with the dark glasses trying to cover up her eyes. I didn’t have time for this. My five o’clock would be arriving any minute.

  “Hey.” I walked toward the check-in counter. The other two stylists had left for the day so it was just me and Moriah holding down the fort. “I don’t have time to chat right now. I’ve got a five o’clock appointment so we’ll have to find another time.”

  April slid the sunglasses off her face revealing dark smudges under red-rimmed eyes. “It’s okay. I’m your five o’clock.”

  My stomach dropped. No, not again. “I just did your roots last week. You don’t need a hair appointment.”

  “I know. But I figured you wouldn’t want to see me if I just invited you out for coffee.”

  Good point. Any chatting between April and me would need to be fueled by something more than caffeine. “What do you want?”

  “I wanted to apologize.”

  My ears perked. An apology? From April Waite? Had hell frozen over? Had pigs sprouted wings? “For what?”

  Moriah came out of the stoc
kroom at that moment. She knew about my history with April. Everyone within a twenty-five mile, maybe even fifty-mile, radius of Swallow Springs was well aware of the animosity we shared. I gave her a slight shrug and she disappeared behind the colorful pink curtain again.

  April took a seat in one of the chairs in the small waiting area. “I’m sorry for intruding last night. When Judd told me about Rodney, I didn’t know what to do or where to go.” She pulled a lacy hanky out of her purse and dabbed at her eyes.

  I slunk into the chair across from her. A low table covered with hairstyle magazines separated us. “I’m sure it came as a bit of a shock.”

  “You have no idea.” She pressed her hand to her heart, very southern bell-ish of her.

  “Thanks for your apology. If that’s all you needed—”

  “Wait.” She reached out and grabbed my arm.

  I cringed, wanting nothing more than to jerk my limb away from her. But the look in her eyes made me pause. “What do you want, April?”

  She relaxed her grip and let her hand fall back down into her lap. “I’m sorry for last night, but I’m also sorry for the way I’ve treated you.”

  This was new. “What do you mean?”

  “All these years, I’ve been so mean to you.”

  I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She’d finally done it. April Waite had rendered me speechless.

  “At first I was jealous. I knew Judd only invited you to Homecoming our senior year because we’d broken up.”

  “Obviously. The idea that someone might have actually been interested in me is probably too difficult to comprehend.”

  “That’s not what I meant. He knew how jealous I was of you, and—”

  “Me? You were jealous of me?” Could she hear how ridiculous she sounded? “Homecoming queen, head cheerleader, jealous of me, why?”

  April wrung her hands together and glanced at something across the room. “You used to bring out the best in me. Remember how much fun we used to have? I can remember making ice cream together, picking fresh strawberries from your mama’s strawberry patch, and going swimming in the creek all summer long.”