by Jo Michaels
His touch always calmed her, and she found herself getting lost in the depths of his eyes—until the door slammed and her mother started yelling, asking if anyone was home. That snapped Simone out of her daze, and she rounded the end of the bar, grabbing her mom in a hug.
“Well, hello to you, too!” Yvette said as she returned the embrace. “Something smells divine.” She gasped. “What’s that mess all over my floor?”
Tristan chuckled and went for the paper towels. “My bad, Ms. B. I got it.”
“How was your day, Mom?”
“It was fantastic! Let me go change into some comfortable clothes, and I’ll tell you all about it while we eat.” Mom turned and sauntered down the hall toward her room, her heels making no noise on the plush carpet.
“Sounds great!” Tristan grinned and winked at Simone. “She almost caught us.”
“Close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades.”
They shared another quick kiss and fell into a rhythm, finishing dinner.
By the time Yvette returned, the table was laden with heaping plates of food and sliced bread, butter dripping down the sides, the green herbs standing out in stark contrast to the golden yellow bed they lay upon. She spread her arms wide before putting them on her hips and nodding. “You two make a good-looking table.”
As they ate, she shared her big news about getting another bonus and the huge client she’d landed with a four-year contract for her design firm.
Turned out, it was the business belonging to the man she’d been seeing for a while that signed the prolonged contract. The couple congratulated her, and they made a toast to her continued success with their cokes. Not once did she ask what they’d been up to, and Simone was grateful for the reprieve of a nosey parent for a change.
After the dishes were cleared, Yvette said goodnight and went to her room, and Simone turned toward Tristan, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “So, you staying again?”
“Not tonight. I need some alone time to work through some stuff in my head. You seem okay, so I feel good about going home. I’ll be back in the morning to pick you up.”
Her heart spasmed. As much as they’d been through together, she was still afraid he was going to decide it was all too much and walk out the door for good. Swallowing the lump growing in her throat, she nodded, squeezed him one more time, and released her hold on him.
He kissed her at the door and left, telling her he hoped she slept well.
She watched him until the night swallowed his silhouette, and then she shut the door, went to her room, and buried herself under the covers. It was hours before she finally managed to fall asleep. Agony over whether he’d actually return the next day kept her brain from shutting down for a long time.
A blaring alarm jolted her out of a sound sleep, and she sat up, her head twisting from side to side as she tried to locate the offensive noise. Finally, she slammed her finger on the button on her phone to shut the damned thing up, rolled over, and pulled the covers back over her head.
She couldn’t recall setting an alarm. All she wanted to do was sleep. Just as she started to drift back to lala land, someone knocked on the door. “Really!” she screamed into the blanket. “Why?”
In another moment, Tristan was grinning at her, a box of donuts in one hand and a vanilla latte in the other. “Good morning,” he said as he kissed her cheek. “Brought you breakfast.”
Her stomach growled deep and low in response.
“Sounds like your tummy is grateful, anyway.” He winked.
“How the hell are you so damned cheery? And thank you.” Snagging the coffee, she pulled the door open the rest of the way and took a long pull of the God-like nectar. It warmed her insides as it made its cheery path to her stomach, and the smell of donuts had her salivating.
Box on the table, lid open, donut in mouth. Those were her next three moves. As the sugary chocolate melted over her tongue and the sprinkles crunched between her teeth, she moaned aloud.
“Yeah, they’re good, huh?”
Around a mouthful, she agreed, and when he chuckled, she tapped his leg with her toe in a pretend kick. “Don mafe fun.”
“I’m not. It’s just funny. So, I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you.”
“I’m not laffin’.”
“Get dressed! We need to get rolling. It’s after ten already.”
She couldn’t believe she’d slept that late, but his words had the desired effect, and she sprinted to her room and threw on jeans and a tank top. It wasn’t long until they were in their disguises and in the truck, rolling toward the Jones’s house. She wondered if Kelly was any better than the day before but squashed the hope. It wouldn’t do to get prematurely excited only to be let down.
Mrs. Jones answered, but unlike the previous day, she had a huge smile on her face. “Good morning!” As light as her words were, she probably could’ve flown away on them.
“I’m guessing she had a much better night.” Simone grinned.
“She did. She was even up and playing in the living room a little bit earlier. You should’a seen it. I haven’t seen her like that in a long time.”
“Where is she now?”
“Back in the bed. I think her romp took a lot outta her.” Mrs. Jones winked. “But five minutes of feeling fine is more than she’s had in a long time.” She stepped forward and grabbed Simone in a bear hug. “Thank you.”
“I’m not done yet, Mrs. Jones. Thank me when the time is right.”
“How will I know?” The woman pulled away and swiped at a stray tear.
“You’ll know.”
Tristan cleared his throat. “Um, can we get to work now? I know you’re excited and all, but we’ve got to get started.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry. Go on ahead!” She pulled the door open the rest of the way and backed up to make room for the couple to enter.
They made a beeline for Kelly’s room.
When Simone opened the door, she smiled. “Hey there, kiddo! I heard you’re feeling a lot better today.”
Squeals erupted from the child’s mouth, and she leapt off the bed, squeezing Simone around the knees, and then turning to Tristan and doing the same to him.
His jaw was swinging, and his eyes were huge.
With a wink, Simone made her way to the chair and got comfortable. “Okay, sweetie. Are you ready to get started today?”
Kelly hiked her blue, lace-trimmed nightgown high enough so she could jump back on the bed, curled her legs under her, and nodded, her eyes bright and eager. “Is the girl gonna get to kiss the Prince today?”
“We’ll see. You know, kissing is for after you get married.” Simone chuckled, love flooding her heart for Kelly already.
“Oh. Yeah. I know. I was just askin’.”
“Settle down. Let’s read.”
Nodding, she got under the covers and pillowed her hands under her cheek, teddy bear firmly tucked into her belly.
Words came, and Simone read until they quit flowing over the page. She looked up to find Kelly and Tristan snoring. “Guess that’s it for today.” After packing up, Simone leaned down and gently kissed him on the lips. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”
A squeal had her wincing.
“You said kissing was for after you get married!” Kelly was wide awake and grinning from ear to ear.
“Yes, yes I did. You little faker!” Face scalding hot, Simone turned back to find Tristan with a carbon copy of the grin on his face.
He tipped his chin at the little girl. “Good memory, kiddo.”
They both laughed as Simone blustered and hefted her bag over her shoulder. With false annoyance, she walked out the door, the sound of Tristan’s and Kelly’s laughter trailing behind.
“How did it go?” Mrs. Jones asked.
“As it always does. Keep an eye on her. She may get really tired after a little while. Not sure if she overdid it because she felt better today.”
“I’ll do that.”
“See you tomorrow.” Si
mone and Tristan left, hand-in-hand, and once they were at the truck, he turned her around and kissed her firmly. “What was that for?” she asked.
“Because you’re a beautiful, special young woman, and I’m proud to call you mine.”
His words made her warm from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head, and she was positive her face was flaming red, but she smiled and ducked a little, tucking into his arms.
“Let’s go. We still have some time before your mom gets home.”
There was brightness in his eyes she hadn’t seen before, and she wondered if he’d decided it was time. Aghast that she hadn’t thought to shave her legs in a couple of days or put on pretty underwear, she sincerely hoped that wasn’t it. They held hands as he drove, slowly and surely, back to the apartment, never letting go except when they exited the vehicle, and coming back together as soon as they could reach one another again.
She unlocked the door with shaky hands and stepped over the threshold.
Immediately, he pressed himself to her back, pulling her hips into his own, before spinning her around and pulling her lips to his, teasing her mouth open with his tongue.
Everything in her body caught fire, and she groaned as his hands tangled in her hair. Unshaven legs and granny panties forgotten, she leaned into him, allowing him to maneuver her down the hallway toward her room. It was time, and she was ready. Her insides burned with a feeling she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
His lips released hers and moved to her ear. After a few kisses up her neck to her earlobe, he whispered, “I want you, Simone. I love you, and I want to make love with you until we’re both drowning in the sensation of one another, struggling for air, fighting to keep our balance on the surface of the Earth.”
Those words made her adrenaline spike, and nausea flooded her. She pushed him away, covering her mouth, grappling with his hands until he finally understood and stepped back, allowing her to bolt for the toilet. Vanilla latte burned her sinuses with its sweet aroma as it returned mixed with acidic stomach liquids, and she gagged on the cloying combination.
Tristan was at her side in a moment, pulling off the wig and putting a band around her hair so it wouldn’t get gore on it. He rubbed her back. “Sorry.”
She rested her cheek on the seat and closed her eyes, breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth. “Nothing to be sorry for.” Nausea ebbed, and she breathed more deeply.
Circles he was trailing on her back with his palm paused, and he shuffled around to kneel behind her. Both hands moved to her shoulders, massaging the muscles there with gentle kneads.
“Mmm. That feels so good,” she mumbled.
His chest pressed to her back, and he kissed the nape of her neck. “It was too much all at once, huh?”
“I think so.”
As his hands worked, the tension all over her body loosened, and she was finally able to sit up, flush, rinse out her mouth, and brush her teeth.
“At least I’m getting pro-boyfriend points for holding back your hair while you puke.”
“You mean fiancé, right?” Though there was no ring, they’d committed, so that was how she thought of him.
His cheeks fluffed as he smiled. “Yes. Absolutely.”
“Are we gonna set a date, have a proposal moment? Do the whole ‘white dress so I look like the Abominable Snowman’ thing?” Air quotes were even involved in the statement.
“Do you wanna talk to your dad about walking you down the aisle or meeting me?”
That notion nearly caused her to get sick again, and she shook her head, spit, and widened her eyes at him. “No.”
“Then why don’t we just get you a nice dress and go to the justice of the peace? It’ll be quick and painless.”
It sounded good in theory, but she knew everyone would be super upset with her if that were to happen. Instead, she hit on an idea. “What if we do it at Lilian’s house? Out by the pool. I’ll wear something simple, and we can still have a small ceremony with friends and maybe some family members. I’d love it if your mom and dad would come.”
He wrapped his arms around her once she’d put her toothbrush away and rinsed her mouth a second time. “That would be amazing. We have time, so let’s not rush into anything, okay?”
How she’d managed to fall into someone as amazing as Tristan, she didn’t know, but she said a silent prayer of thanks to whichever power brought him into her path. After a moment’s consideration, she also gave thanks to the bar at Tuck’s Diner for nearly knocking her out and making her look weak and clumsy. It had probably been endearing.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“When we first met. You called me a cavewoman.”
In mock astonishment, he put his hand to his chest and leaned back, mouth wide open. “Me? I believe I said you went all cavewoman on me, not that you were a cavewoman.”
“Same difference.” She gave his shoulder a playful shove, and her heart bounced when he caught her hand and pulled her back to him, kissing her gently but passionately on the mouth. Heat radiated between them, warming the very air that circulated in the bathroom.
When they finally parted, he winked. “You can go all cavewoman on me anytime.”
Amid their laughter, the front door opened and Yvette’s voice carried in, a man answering.
Simone peeked out around the jamb.
Tristan poked his head out of the bathroom door behind her and whistled. “Looks like your mom finally thinks it’s time you met her man.”
“Looks like it.” She took a deep breath and blew it out through pursed lips. “Thank God you’re here. Not sure I’d survive this without you.” Clasping his hand, she pulled him down the hall to the living room and stopped.
Yvette was nearly undressed, and her arms were wound around the man’s neck, her legs around his waist, ankles locked at the small of his back.
“Ahem.” Simone cleared her throat. “Hi, Mom. Welcome home.”
Shrieking, Yvette released her lover and sprang from the counter, smoothly landing on her feet and straightening her shirt at the same time. “You’re home! Oh my God! I thought you two would still be out!”
Tristan was doubled over, and it was all Simone could do not to join him. Instead, she held in her laughter and pressed the back of one hand to her mouth, her lips squeezed together, shoulders shaking.
After everyone got control of themselves—lover boy had to spend some time on the opposite side of the counter while his face returned to a more natural shade—introductions were made.
Waymon Shaw seemed like a jolly kind of fellow, round eyes and open good humor on his face, and Simone liked him instantly. She smiled at Tristan as he shook hands and proceeded to ask a million questions about occupation, age, and children statuses.
As Waymon fumbled to answer the rapid-fire questions, she took in everything he said about himself. Two kids, both grown young women, one in her final year of college, the other recently married and pregnant. He was just forty-five, but he’d started his family young, and he’d been working toward owning a business his whole life. There were no expectations of either of his daughters ever taking over, though his youngest was going to school for the same thing as Tristan: business management. She was supposed to graduate soon.
Having potential sisters wasn’t anything Simone had ever thought about, but she found herself warming to the idea the more she listened to the man speak. It would be wonderful to have someone to share her secrets and inner-thoughts with that could relate to her on both a gender and age level.
Lilian was great, but she wasn’t a sister. Simone caught herself and shook her head. She was totally jumping the gun on the relationship. They probably weren’t even considering marriage. Still, it was a lovely thought while it lasted.
Yvette hurried down the hall and changed while everyone else talked, and when she returned, she started dragging things out of the fridge for dinner.
Tristan jumped right in, and it wasn’t long until
the two of them were cooking alongside one another like they’d been doing it for centuries. Waymon observed a little while and then slapped his leg and chuckled. “You know, if I wasn’t aware he was half your age and seeing your daughter, I might be a little jealous right now at how easily working together in the kitchen comes for you two.”
Her face turned a beautiful shade of pink. “We worked together at the diner Tristan’s parents own. It’s something that stemmed from doing this for a couple of months.”
“Would you like to take my place?” Tristan held out the spatula he was using to turn the hamburgers.
“Are you kidding?” Waymon was off his chair a moment later, dragging off his tie, moving into the space like he was a pro.
Once the baton had been passed, Tristan came back around the counter and sat at the bar with Simone in the spot that had just been vacated.
Their hands found one another, and their fingers intertwined as they shared a smile.
Yvette looked happier than her daughter had seen in months. She watched the interaction between her mom and Waymon, noting how they orbited around one another, using every excuse, it seemed, to touch in some way. He even stole a peck or two.
Dinner was declared ready, and Simone’s mouth watered as the cheesy hamburger patties, lettuce and tomato plate, and condiments were set on the table. She wasted no time diving in. Conversation flowed easily around the space, and everyone was set to laughing more than once at some joke or story that Waymon told. Because of all the hospitals and doctors, it had been a long time since Simone and her mother had a sit-down dinner with people other than themselves in a long time. Sure, Tristan had been there often, but having a father figure sitting with them made everything feel a bit more like a family, like Tristan’s house had. Tears welled in her eyes as happiness and anguish flooded her at once. She’d missed it so much, and she hadn’t even realized it had been something she’d wanted until it returned.
Waymon spent the night, but if he and Yvette got up to any kind of hanky-panky, they were very quiet about it. Tristan and Simone didn’t attempt anything else. She was still too freaked out about what had happened earlier in the day, and he seemed to sense that she wasn’t quite ready or well enough to continue.