by Kimi Flores
The happy little girl handed me a flower and offered a toothy grin. “Nice to meet you too, Miss Abby.” She motioned to someone standing by her side. “This is my daddy. We play in the ocean all the time and watch hockey a lot. Oh and my daddy gives the bestest butterfly kisses.”
I blinked. Daddy? I gazed up to see an incredibly handsome, tall man next to Madison. His prominent brows shadowed his eyes from the sunlight, making it difficult to determine the color. It took a moment to realize I was still squatting while I gawked at him.
Madison let out a giggle as he stared back, probably contemplating whether it was a good idea to leave his daughter with me.
Self-conscious, I stood up on wobbly legs and looked directly at his broad chest. Focusing on the hockey team’s logo displayed on his t-shirt, I forced myself to bring my eyes back up to his face.
With a chuckle, he extended his large hand. The skin on his palm was smooth and uncallused. This man did not do manual labor. “It’s very nice to meet you, Miss Abby. I’m Caleb.”
I turned several shades of red after hearing his deep voice. He was probably used to women gawking at him, though. How can he not be?
Flustered, I finally managed to mumble, “It’s nice to meet you, as well.” I glanced at Grace, who had an eyebrow lifted and a smirk on her lips. I couldn’t believe it was barely eight a.m. and I’d already managed to embarrass myself. “If you’ll excused me.”
I spun around to give out nametags while greeting other kids and their parents. Unable to help myself, I shyly glanced back at Caleb every so often. I caught his eye once and quickly turned away, only to feel the blood drain from my face. The Zuckerman twins, Blaine and Tiffany, were squeezing through the crowd. Their youngest brother, Peter, had been my boyfriend in high school.
Crap!
It was unsettling, but I wasn’t surprised. When I’d received my class roster, I’d spotted their last name.
My heart pounded anxiously as I faked a smile and continued to hand out name tags. When I gathered enough nerve to make eye contact with Blaine, he lifted the corner of his mouth, then looked down at the blonde boy beside him.
Blaine was as handsome as ever, with his surfer sandy blond hair and beaming blue eyes. He was a couple years older than me and had been the captain of our high school lacrosse team. Back then, every girl wanted him, and he had a reputation of not being overly picky. Rumor was he made sure to spread his love around. Blaine always seemed to accept Peter and my relationship, but his twin sister and their parents were a whole other story. They didn’t think I was good enough for their precious Peter. Little did they know what a jackass he’d turned out to be.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I wondered why both Blaine and Tiffany were here to drop off one child. As long as the younger Zuckerman brother was absent, I honestly couldn’t care less.
I caught Caleb’s eye one more time. He gave me a concerned look, which meant I was doing a crappy job at hiding my emotions. Taking a deep breath, I put on a smile and announced that the families could come into the classroom for a brief orientation and Q&A, while the kids were being supervised on the playground. The Zuckerman boy, Justin, ducked out to the playground as Blaine and Tiffany seemed to be arguing. They headed back toward the parking lot, and I wasn’t disappointed in the least.
My co-teacher, Melissa, got my attention on the way into the classroom and asked about my interaction with that drop dead gorgeous dad.
I blushed again. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I mentally shook my head.
What a way to start the day.
⁂
The bell rang, signaling the end of our first day of school. After making sure all the kids grabbed their backpacks, sweaters, and lunch boxes out of their cubbies, I walked them out to the gate, where excited parents waited to greet them. I was relieved that Justin Zuckerman waited for his ride in the valet line so I wouldn’t have to see his mom or dad. I still didn’t know if Justin was Tiffany or Blaine’s son.
Unable to help myself, I scanned the crowd for Caleb but was a little disappointed when I found him. He only had eyes for his little girl. Madison ran out of the gate, into his waiting arms. Giving her an enormous smile, kiss, and hug, he carried her on his hip to the parking lot. I had to bite back a sigh. He was so swoon-worthy. Who wouldn’t enjoy watching a gorgeous man carry his child so lovingly?
After dismissing everyone, I spotted my best friend, Leah, over by a brick planter. Holding a large bouquet of flowers, she strolled toward me. “Congratulations on another successful first day, my friend.” She handed me the large bundle and leaned in for a hug and cheek kiss.
“Thank you, but you don’t know if it was a success or not.” I pursed my lips.
She glanced around as a grin appeared on her tanned face. “You don’t have any stragglers, and I didn’t hear any parents yell at you, so I assume it was a good day.”
Smiling back, I had to agree that I did indeed have a fantastic day, despite seeing my past flash in front of me.
“What do you say about Antonio’s for dinner tonight to celebrate?” She rubbed her palms together before intertwining her fingers in a pleading gesture.
“I say we go there too often to call it a celebration dinner.” I grinned. “But yes, I would love to go.”
“Good. I’m starving already. I’ll pick you up at five-thirty after I finish making my deliveries.” Her long dark hair bounced against her shoulders as she waved and strutted quickly toward her white delivery van parked in front of the school.
“Sounds good to me,” I called out. “I’ll catch you later. Oh, and thanks for this.” I pointed to the beautiful arrangement. “You outdid yourself, as usual.”
I was so proud of Leah and the success of her flower shop. It didn’t seem that long ago when we’d been sitting in our dorm room at Berkeley. Leah had been a business major, and she’d glowingly talk about the flower shop she’d own someday. I had been such an emotional mess at the time that it had taken me an additional two years to figure out what career path I’d wanted to take. I envied my best friend for always knowing what she wanted and not letting anything stand in her way.
⁂
As usual, Leah got to my house a few minutes late. She’d always joked, saying it was a Hispanic tradition to be fashionably late. I saw through my half-Salvadorian, half-Mexican best friend’s façade, though. It was an excuse, but it didn’t bother me. Most of the time.
After grabbing my things, I ran out the door and jumped into the waiting minivan that doubled as Leah’s work delivery van. “You know, you aren’t going to find a hot guy driving around in this soccer mom mobile, right?” We loved to tease each other.
“Well, until I make enough money to buy a car that matches the hot guy you think I’m going to snag, my delivery van will have to do.” She smiled sarcastically before crinkling her nose. I loved how close we’d become over the years and always looked forward to our daily banter.
We pulled up to Antonio’s a few minutes later, got out and passed the short, wrought iron fence that surrounded several tables on the outdoor patio. There was a reason this restaurant was our favorite. It was full of charm. The interior lighting had the slightest tint of red to it, bathing the room in a warm glow and creating an intimate atmosphere. White linen tablecloths adorned the wooden tables, and the bar on the left side of the restaurant had an old world charm to it. The aroma of Italian food floated through the air, making my stomach growl.
I wondered how different this place would feel if I ever came with a date. So far, that hadn’t happened, and there weren’t any potential suitors anyway.
My eyes scanned the room while the hostess led us to our usual section toward the back. We loved this area because it gave us the best people-watching perimeter.
After placing our food and drink orders, I noticed a couple that also frequented Antonio’s. “Of all the crappy luck, look who else is here tonight.” I motioned over to the older pair sitting even farther back in the room.
“Your beef isn’t with them, Abby,” Leah pointed out, well aware of who they were.
“I know, but it’s still uncomfortable. Especially now that their grandson is in my class this year. I saw Blaine and Tiffany today at drop-off and it was awful. I don’t think Peter ever told his family why we broke up. One moment we were inseparable and the next we were no longer together.” I sighed, placing my elbow on the table and my jaw in the palm of my hand.
Right on cue, as if they knew we were talking about them, Mrs. Zuckerman gazed over, giving a knowing look and a not so sympathetic smile.
“Or maybe he did,” corrected my best friend.
I was so frustrated and tempted to suggest we leave—until I got a whiff of garlic buttered rolls. We weren’t going anywhere until I had a few of those bad boys.
“I just don’t understand how relationships work,” I huffed as I drew imaginary circles on the table. “How can you go from being with someone every day, for over a year,” leaning in closer to Leah, I whispered, “have sex with them, and then not speak at all? Peter literally turned his back on me when I needed him the most.”
“Abby, you guys were kids, and he’s attempted to make amends. You’re just too stubborn to listen.”
Although I appreciated Leah’s no nonsense, ‘keep it real’ attitude most of the time, I wasn’t in the mood for it right now. “He’s only trying to do that so he doesn’t feel guilty anymore. But I’ll never forget what I’ve done.”
Leah’s eyes glossed over as she grabbed my hand. She knew how much it bothered me when this subject came up. “It’s not your fault you lost the baby, Abby. You had no control. You have to figure out how to get past this, or you’ll never find happiness. It kills me to see you so hurt.”
“Why do you put up with me?” I asked with a somber, defeated expression.
“Because I love you, and you make the most amazing lasagna I’ve ever tasted.” And there it was—the tension breaking line that I needed.
I gave Leah a small smile. “Can we talk about something else? This is supposed to be a celebratory dinner.”
Once our food came, we put all thoughts of my high school sweetheart, his family, and the past aside, while we enjoyed each other’s company and shared the delicious pasta served in warm pewter dishes.
I was completely exhausted by the time I arrived home. I flicked on the lights and headed to my bedroom. Pulling my pink and green quilt back, regret filled my mind. I should’ve been the bigger person and gone over to the Zuckerman’s table. After all, it wasn’t their fault that their son was a total idiot. Then again, they’d never really been particularly pleasant to me, either.
Oh well.
That window of opportunity had passed and it couldn’t be changed now. I put on my pajamas and pulled my hair into a ponytail. It was time to get some sleep so I’d be up to whatever challenges tomorrow brought.
Chapter Two
Things Can Only Get Better
Caleb
After dropping Madison off at school, I headed to my favorite place to clear my mind. I’d fallen behind schedule on my latest novel because my thoughts kept drifting to a certain hazel-eyed, auburn-headed kindergarten teacher. No other woman had caught my attention since I’d first met Rene, and the overwhelming feeling of disloyalty to her memory was eating me alive. As if the guilt alone wasn’t enough, now my publishers were riding my ass. It was time to shake these thoughts away and get back to business.
Pulling into the open parking space, I leaned against the steering wheel and stared at the majestic sea. All the stress left my body and my chest filled with excitement.
Getting out of my car, I unloaded my gear and squeezed into my wetsuit. Anticipation built up as I pictured myself hitting the waves. It had been a couple of weeks since Madison had started kindergarten, and I’d had my mornings to myself. I was so thankful to have my in-laws available in case I was out in the water and there was an emergency. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t appreciate how lucky I was to have them. Being a single parent was difficult enough, I couldn’t imagine not having them around.
After waxing my board, I headed to the white foamy waterfront. Standing at the shoreline, board in hand, I gazed out into the horizon, wiggling my toes in the wet sand. The ocean’s spray sprinkled my face with drops of salt water. It was cold, as usual, but something about that sticky salt water hitting my face made me feel so free and rejuvenated.
A therapeutic sense of calm washed over me as I breathed in the sea air. “Be still and listen. Take it all in,” I whispered to myself.
I’d been here many times during the summer, but that had been Madison’s time. Bringing her out on my board was the highlight of every summer. I loved watching her bright eyes open wide when the dolphins joined in on the fun and she tried to communicate with them. I snickered, remembering how cute she’d sounded making those silly squeaking and clicking noises, then interpreting what the dolphins were telling her. My heart became full just thinking about her and what an incredible blessing she was in my life.
There was a time when I’d believed I wouldn’t be able to raise her on my own. If it hadn’t been for Grace and Robert, I wouldn’t have survived these past few years with my sanity intact. They were such a strong part of Madison’s and my life.
The loss they experienced was different from mine, but just as intense. It was extremely difficult even trying to get out of bed during my dark period, and their devotion had helped me to move forward. I admired them for that. I still had times of mourning, but once I’d accepted Rene’s death, my days began to get a little easier. Now my life was focused on our daughter, the proof of the love I’d once shared with my wife. I couldn’t believe it had already been four years since her death.
Focusing on my surroundings, I swam out just past the breaking point, feeling at ease. I was in my element out on the ocean. Although, there would be better waves later in the fall, I couldn’t complain about today’s surf. There were a few other guys out on their boards, but nobody that I knew.
Thoughtfully, I replayed something I’d heard a famous surfer once say: “One of the biggest lessons you learn about surfing is how to operate in the present. That’s really what the foundation of the entire surfing experience is.”
I added my own whispered words, “And the foundation of life.”
After a couple of hours in the water, something clicked, and I had that missing piece needed to keep my story going. Grabbing my surfboard, I headed to my SUV and strapped it to the roof. Discreetly removing the wetsuit under a towel, I pulled on some board shorts, then opened the hatch on the back, picked-up my laptop, and sat in the open trunk, typing away.
I continued to breathe in the comforting, salty air and was glad I’d already arranged for Grace to pick Madison up from school. I was on a roll and wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. Through experience, I knew this was how I worked best and was thankful I’d also thought to pack a lunch.
It was after six p.m. when I realized I’d been on my laptop for the past seven hours. The computer battery had already died once, and I hoped the adapter I’d plugged in hadn’t drained my car battery. I was starving and couldn’t wait to go pick up my munchkin.
After packing everything into my SUV, I called Grace. “Hi, Mom. I’m just leaving the beach.”
“Okay, son, bring your appetite. I made something special that I saw on the cooking channel today.”
“Will do,” I said with a warm smile as my stomach began to growl.
Grace was a fantastic cook, but Rene hadn’t taken after her mother. I’d learned to cook early on in our marriage, once I’d grown tired of eating the only thing she could make—spaghetti. I started my car and took off, eager to eat a homecooked meal.
After parking on the brick driveway, I headed inside. It was unlocked, as usual. No matter how many times I lectured them about the dangers, Grace and Robert insisted they lived in a safe neighborhood and didn’t need to lock their neighbors ou
t. I stopped arguing a long time ago.
I loved this home and the memories here. They sure beat the hell out of the ones I had while growing up with my dysfunctional family in Chicago.
A delicious smell welcomed me as my sweet girl ran into my arms. We exchanged butterfly kisses, and she announced, “Daddy, I set the table for you. Come and eat.”
We walked into the dining room where a plate of pasta, side salad and drink waited, as well as a bright yellow construction paper place setting that simply read: Daddy. Just like her mom had, Madison loved to add small handmade touches like that to make me feel special.
I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Thank you, pumpkin.”
“You’re welcome.” Her proud smile did me in every time.
Greeting and embracing my in-laws, I said, “Wow, that smells incredible, Mom. What is it?”
She grinned. “Bite-sized Chicken Picata and sauce, tossed in angel hair pasta. I also mixed a baby spinach salad together, with your favorites: cranberries, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese, and raspberry dressing. I already poured some berry mineral water for you, unless you want something else to drink.”
Looking around the room suspiciously, then at Robert, I asked, “What’s the occasion?”
Robert turned toward Grace, raising his eyebrows.
She brushed him off. “No occasion. Can’t a mother take care of her favorite son?”
“Sure, but I kinda feel like I’m being buttered up for something.” I pulled my chair back and sat down.
“Nonsense. Enjoy your dinner,” she insisted as everyone took a seat at the round dining table.
Madison played with her bangs and shared the happenings of her day. “Daddy, a boy in my class named Justin wasn’t very nice to me today.”
“Oh, yeah? What did he do?” I took a second bite of the mouthwatering chicken smothered in the wine, butter, and caper sauce. My taste buds were on overload.