One Simple Step (Journey Series)

by Williams, C. A.

  “Believe it or not, Danny helped me. We put up all of the lights last night, and he came over while I was at work and set everything else up. Were you surprised?”

  “Very, especially that Danny helped.” Something like this wasn’t really his thing. I took a sip of wine, and Nick stood up, heading towards the patio door.

  “I hope you’re hungry,” he called over his shoulder. “I made just about every Italian dish you could think of, and then some. Sit tight, I’ll be out in a minute.”

  Nick had done exactly as he promised. His Italian heritage came from his mom’s side of the family, and since she didn’t have a daughter, she taught Nick every recipe she knew while he was growing up. He started the night off with salads, bruschetta, and minestrone. I was pretty much stuffed after that, but I knew how hard he worked on everything, so I had to eat everything, or at least try everything.

  “When did you find the time to make all of this?” I asked in between bites of homemade ravioli. I was seriously ready to marry this man on the spot. Chase had nothing on him, when it came to a guy knowing how to cook. “They’re all so good, but this one has to be my favorite.”

  He shrugged his shoulders, smiling as he watched me eat another bite. “I’ve been getting everything ready the past couple of days, and putting it in the fridge so I just had to heat it all up. Are you ready for dessert yet?”

  “Well, depends on what it is. My stomach’s saying no, but my head’s telling me yes.”

  He laughed as he stood up and grabbed our now empty plates. “We can wait until later, then. Be right back.”

  We spent most of the night just talking and laughing while sipping on wine, and listening to the sounds of the ocean. It was so peaceful here. I could just sit in silence with him by my side and be happy.

  “You ready for dessert now?” he asked, wrapping his arms around me from behind, and brushing his lips against my ear, the stubble on his face tickling me. “I have cannoli and panna cotta. I figured I’d skip the tiramisu since I know you’re not a fan of coffee.” Always so thoughtful.

  I groaned, letting my body lean back against his warm body. “That sounds delicious, but I still don’t think I have room for anything else yet.” The song changed, and I grabbed onto his hand. “Let’s dance, maybe that’ll help me make some room.”

  “Nu-uh.” He pulled his hand backwards, but I didn’t let go. “Me and dancing don’t go together. It’s not a guy thing, Al.”

  “Um…do you not recall your cousin’s wedding? You wouldn’t even let me sit down.”

  He smirked at me as I looked over my shoulder at him. “That’s because I didn’t want any of my uncles or cousins to get ahold of you. Plus, they’re family, I don’t care if I make an ass out of myself in front of them.”

  So, that’s why I ended up with sore feet. It had totally been worth it. “Oh please, there’s no one else here but you and me. I promise, I won’t laugh…too hard,” I added as I walked towards the small cleared area of the deck and turned my body around, placing his reluctant hands onto my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder as we slowly swayed to the music. “See, it’s not so bad, right?”

  “Right,” he said, pressing his lips against mine before burying his nose in my hair. I squeezed my eyes shut and let myself get lost in his warmth. The breeze coming in from the ocean was starting to get a little cool so late at night, but I didn’t notice it too much while in Nick’s embrace.

  One arm slipped from my waist as the song transitioned into the next, and he dipped me backwards, his forehead coming down to meet mine. “Don’t know how to dance, huh?” I said, giggling as he flipped me back up and twirled me around in a circle by my hand.

  “I never said I didn’t know how to dance, I just don’t do it. I was my mom’s favorite dance partner when I was younger. She used to teach me things for hours. It was so embarrassing.”

  I smiled, picturing Kelly teaching Nick how to dance when he was a little boy. It was definitely something I could see her doing.

  He wrapped his arms back around me, pulling me tight into his body as he backed me up against the railing of the deck. He reached up to tuck a piece of hair back that had escaped my tight bun. “So, you ready for dessert yet?”

  I scrunched my nose, shaking my head. “No, are you trying to fatten me up or something?” I poked my stomach, guessing I had gained at least five pounds from what I had already eaten.

  He brushed his lips against mine, and I could feel his smile against my lips. “Of course not. I’m ready for dessert, though.” He dropped back, scooping my body up into his arms, and I clung to his neck as he made his way through the patio door and into the house.

  “The fridge is back there.” I pushed my thumb towards the direction of the kitchen he had just passed. He flashed a dimple at me, bouncing me once in his arms, before darting his tongue out to lick the side of my neck.

  “I have my dessert right here.”

  Chapter 22

  Nick

  I squinted my eyes at the rays of sun that were coming in between the blinds as I slammed my hand down on my alarm. I shouldn’t have stayed up so late last night when I knew I had to get up for work early, but it was worth every second.

  The night turned out exactly as I wanted. Ally had been in love with all of the lights that took me and Danny forever to string up, she ate as much as she possibly could, and I even enjoyed the dancing. Holding her body in my arms, how couldn’t I?

  Then after I had my dessert, she flipped roles on me, pushing me back as she wedged her body in between my knees. Her head bobbing up and down over my length as her tongue darted out, creating a liquid fire everywhere it touched. I held her hair back as I moaned out her name, pulling up slightly so I could feel her warmness surround me as I finished. The exact ending needed for our perfect night.

  I reached out a hand to feel the spot next to me, though I could already sense she wasn’t there. She always ended up sleeping with her body wrapped around mine the entire night. I normally had to pry her off of me in the morning, even though I hated to.

  I slid on a pair of boxers, and followed the scent of bacon into the kitchen. There was Ally, in nothing but my black shirt, her blonde hair piled into a messy bun on top of her head, and her bare legs going on for miles. I would love to wake up to this sight every morning.

  “Morning,” I whispered into her ear, sliding my hands along her bare thighs until they crept underneath her shirt. Yup, just as I suspected, no underwear. What was this girl trying to do to me?

  She swatted at my hands before twisting around and kissing the corner of my mouth. “I’m trying to make you breakfast before you leave. Think you can keep your hands to yourself?” She quirked a brow, while waving the spatula at me, and I backed up with my hands in the air.

  “I can try.” I walked to the other side of the counter and slid out one of the barstools as she pushed a cup of coffee towards me, humming a song and swaying her hips. Yup, I wouldn’t mind it one bit. Who wouldn’t want to have this before going to work every day? “Since when are you a morning person?”

  She shook her head as she set two plates down and sat next to me. “I’m still not a morning person, I just wanted to do something nice for you to thank you for last night.” She popped a piece of bacon into her mouth as I sipped on my black coffee. “I had to set my alarm so I could get up before you, and I think I ended up hitting the snooze button twice. You didn’t budge once. I think I tired you out.”

  “Oh, trust me, I still have plenty of energy left for you…anytime…anywhere.” I rubbed my hand across the countertop, and she giggled.

  “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but I don’t think it would be good if you showed up late, since you run the place and all.”

  “They wouldn’t even notice.” I spun her chair towards mine, and reached out, popping the top button open on my shirt that she had on. “So, I think I’ll just—”

  “No way, Nicholas Bennett.”
She stopped my hand from working its way down to the next button. “I have stuff to do today, and you need to get to work.” She stood up, grabbing her plate, and setting it in the sink. “So, finish up, we can pick this up later after Clammy’s tonight if you’re a good boy.” She ran a hand through my hair as she passed me, and padded down the hallway. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  Hell yeah.

  “Alone,” she added over her shoulder and I sat back down. She knew me way too well.

  Ally

  “Alright, Throw-down Thursday is on. Remy, you in?” Danny held up a shot glass for her, setting it down when she nodded her head, eyeing the small amount of liquor.

  “Don’t worry, after a while I just start adding water to ‘em. You should see the look on his face when he actually thinks I’m keeping up with him.”

  Remy laughed, picking up the shot and tossing her head back as she drained it. “I’ve got to see that, I can’t believe he hasn’t figured it out yet.”

  “Figured what out?” Danny asked placing an arm around each of our shoulders.

  “Oh, nothing,” I replied in a singsong voice, smiling when I saw Nick walk through the front entrance.

  “Shit, are you two gonna be all sappy now that he’s here?” Danny knocked his fist against Nick’s and dropped back into his seat as Nick took his next to me.

  “Hey, babe, you look amazing as always.” He placed a kiss behind my ear, and then scooped up the glass that Danny had slid across the table to him as soon as he sat down. “What’s going on, dude? Grant and Riley showing up tonight?”

  “Who knows?” Danny shrugged his shoulders, not tearing his eyes away from the game that was on. “Those two losers found chicks that make ‘em stay at home, and don’t let ‘em come out to play. Ally, on the other hand, is one in a million. You’re lucky, buddy.”

  “Trust me, I know.” Nick flicked his blue eyes towards me, and I could see all of the love that he had for me just in that one simple glance. He reached over and wrapped my hands in his as he talked to Danny about all of the different games that were being played, and Remy and I caught up on things that had been going on.

  I was surprised to hear that Ben was coming down for a two week visit, and Remy had taken vacation from work, so they could spend as much time as possible together. She wasn’t really sure where their relationship was going, especially since it was so long distance, but she was hoping that after spending some time together they would be able to figure things out.

  I was glad that they both seemed to be so happy. I was secretly already thinking about Remy being my sister in law and I loved the idea. Now, she and Ben just needed to actually get to that point and figure out what they were doing and where things were going. I looked forward to, hopefully, being able to spend a little bit of time with my big brother, too.

  “Alright, everyone.” I heard a microphone squeak, and my eyes were drawn to the small stage that sat next to the bar. In all of the times that I had been to Clammy’s, I had never seen it actually used. I recognized one of the waitresses with the microphone in her hand, and once the roar seemed to quiet down a bit, she gave everyone a wave. “I’m really excited that I get to be the one to announce this. We have a real big treat for y’all night.” She bounced excitedly a few times on the stage, and let out a tiny little giggle. “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I’m actually getting to say this, I’m a hu-ge fan. We have some very special guests in the house tonight. Please, give it up for the Major Hoosiers!”

  The restaurant exploded with clapping, whistling, and even some catcalls, I’m sure from many of the female patrons. And I’m pretty sure my jaw came unhinged with how far it had dropped. This could not be happening.

  I glanced over at Remy, her creamy skin turning a shade paler than usual. Her green eyes were wide as she stared back at me and mouthed “what the hell” to me. My exact thoughts.

  I knew Teddy was in town but I didn’t think he would go this far. This was no coincidence. Nope, I knew better than that. He knew I would be here, and he had set this whole thing up because of that.

  Nick leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Did you know about this?” he asked, shifting in his seat. I could tell he was uncomfortable. Who wouldn’t be when their girlfriend’s ex-husband just randomly shows up?

  I shook my head, my throat too dry to say anything. I wasn’t lying, I had no clue, but I had also failed to mention to Nick how Teddy was trying to win me back. It wasn’t happening. I didn’t think that it would affect our relationship at all, so I didn’t bother telling him. And now he’s here. Awkward much?

  I groaned when Teddy took the microphone from the waitress, who looked about ready to pass out when his hand grazed hers. He whispered something in her ear, causing her to tip back slightly on her feet, and then she sidestepped off the stage, her eyes never leaving his. Could she be more obvious? I just did not get the whole star-struck thing.

  Teddy looked exactly the part, though, with his ripped jeans, and tight plain t-shirt showing off the array of colorful tattoos that covered each of his arms. His shaggy hair hung over his brown eyes slightly, and he gripped his guitar in his arms, pulling his lip ring between his teeth as he scanned the crowd, finally stopping when he reached our table.

  I buried my head in my hands when he pointed towards me and started talking into the microphone. This couldn’t be happening. “This one’s for my girl over there.” He emphasized the ‘my’ and I heard Nick snort loudly, and mutter something under his breath. “It’s something new I’ve been working on just for her, hope you like it Ally-Cat.”

  “Oh my God, I can’t believe he’s doing this,” Remy hissed next to my ear. “We seriously need to get out of here. You don’t need to deal with him, and I definitely don’t want to see Mark. Nick looks pissed by the way, can’t really blame him, though.” She sat back in her chair, and I finally looked over at Nick.

  I could see his jaw twitching as he glared up at the stage, watching the guys set up their equipment. I squeezed his hand, not looking up at the stage once, trying to reassure him that I was there with him, not Teddy.

  “This one’s called Never Giving Up,” Teddy said as he set his microphone into the stand and started strumming his guitar. Seriously, could he be any more obvious? He started singing but I tried to ignore him as best as I could.

  “So,” I said shakily, licking my lips as I turned to Nick. “How was work?”

  He squinted his eyes at me, shaking his head slightly. “You’re not even gonna listen to your song? Most girls would be pretty impressed by that.” He tipped his head towards the stage, but I didn’t let my eyes leave his.

  “I swear I didn’t know he was going to do this. You’re not mad at me, are you?” I asked, whispering the last part. I could tell how tense he was, and really, who wouldn’t be upset? If he knew that Teddy had been in contact with me before this, I wasn’t even sure what his reaction would be, and the guilt was seeping in.

  “Ally.” He let out a loud sigh, but then gave me a small smile. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m not exactly happy about the whole situation. In fact, it pisses me off. I know it’s not your fault that the dude just shows up out of nowhere, or that he won’t let you move on with your life after treating you like shit for so long.”

  “Well,” I dragged out, and felt the muscles in his arm tighten. “This actually isn’t the first time. He’s been in town for a while now, and he’s been sending me things, trying to win me back or something.” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, and finally craned my neck back to look over at Nick.

  His jaw was rigid and I could feel his fingers gripping my sides tightly. “And when were you gonna share the fact that your ex-husband was back in the picture? Don’t you think I should’ve known?”

  I hated the look that I had put on his face by not telling him the truth. And the fact that Teddy was driving a wedge in the middle of our relationship, probably just like he wanted to. “Nick, I didn’t mean to not tell you, but I didn’t think
it was necessary. I love you, and only you. Teddy’s my past, and you’re my future. He can try all he wants, but he’s not going to change my mind.” I felt my body relax when his jaw finally unclenched, and his grip loosened.

  “Come here.” He tugged at my waist, pulling me onto his lap as the table started up their conversations again, a little awkwardly at first. “I’m sorry,” he whispered against my neck before pulling away and answering a question Danny had asked.

  I tried to pay attention to them, but I did end up hearing parts of the song that was apparently for me. It talked about making a mistake, and asking for forgiveness, not giving up till the day he died. Yeah, it was pretty incredible that Teddy had written those lyrics for me, but it didn’t matter.

  After the song finished, the restaurant exploded into another round of applause. “Thanks guys, that’s all for tonight, we appreciate it.” Teddy hopped off the stage, and I could tell he was heading in our direction. He really had some balls, I would give him that.

  I felt Nick stiffen behind me as Teddy approached our table, so I pushed my body back into his, trying to reassure him.

  “Hey, Ally-Cat.”

  I heard Danny mutter something about me apparently being a stray cat or something, and I stifled a laugh with my hand before pressing my lips into a straight line, tipping my chin towards him, and crossing my arms over my chest. “Teddy, how nice of you to show up,” I replied in a sarcastic tone.

  I saw him falter for just a second, his nerves coming through as his brown eyes darted between Nick and me. “I figured you would like it. Think we could have some time alone for a minute?”

  “Nope, I don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”

  “C’mon, Al. Please?”