“I’ve already been mulling over a few ideas for next year’s luncheon. Maybe we should schedule a wrap-up meeting next week and brainstorm.”
Robert bristled. “Fine, but let’s make it the last meeting about the event for a while. I don’t want this one day to eat up too much of my time.”
“Sure,” I replied.
“I have a thought,” Jack interjected.
Now, I was the one squirming in my seat.
“Yeah?” Robert looked over at Jack.
“I was thinking about taking you up on your offer to play a round of golf. That is, if your invitation still stands.”
“Sure it does.” Robert grinned.
I couldn’t figure out how Jack was going to set up this golf date with Robert and include a good reason for inviting me along, too. Perhaps he thought Robert would be willing to golf and brainstorm at the same time. I knew otherwise.
“Maybe I’ll go with you two,” I said before Jack could speak.
Robert turned to look at me, his forehead wrinkling. “Why do you want to go?” His tone was cool.
“I don’t have to go.” I shrugged one shoulder in chagrin. I was going to have to navigate the rest of our conversation with care.
“Well … you don’t golf.” Robert was a tad reticent and confused.
“Maybe I could caddy for you like I used to. That’s all I was thinking.”
Robert studied me for a long moment. “Yeah? You serious?”
“Sure.” I glanced at Jack, eager to draw him back into the conversation. “I could caddy for both of you.”
“That sounds good to me,” Jack supplied as we looked back at Robert.
“Okay,” he agreed with a light tap on his desk. “Tell you what? I’ll set up the tee time for us. It’s going to be eighteen holes. Are you up for that?”
“That’s fine,” Jack said.
“It’s settled then,” Robert declared. “We’ll go later this week.”
AS I approached the front door of the Evans house with an overnight bag on one shoulder and a gift bag in the opposite hand, I smiled. Since returning to Bend, I’d felt out of place in my own home. Before seeing Jack at the office that morning, it had become imperative to fill my waking time with one small task after another. It kept me from fixating on when I could see him again. For reasons I couldn’t pinpoint, I hadn’t expected an invitation back to his house so soon after our trip. His offer gave me great joy, and it was flattering to think he was just as anxious to spend time together as I was.
Spring was in full bull bloom and summer was almost underway. I found something perfect about beginning a romance during my favorite time of year. The flowers were colorful and the days were long and full of sunshine. My senses were attuned to the vibrancy all around me, and I was experiencing true happiness.
Before I could ring the doorbell, the front door opened.
“Hello, Heide.”
“Hi, Kathleen!” The smug tone of Heide’s voice hinted she was someone with valuable information. She stepped aside to allow me entrance, and she honed in on the gift bag.
“How was your day?” I asked, pretending not to notice her interest.
“Good,” she said, swaying back and forth.
“How was school?”
“Good.”
“Are you getting excited for summer break?”
“Yep!” She offered a broad smile. “I’m going to go stay with my mom.”
Although this was the first I’d heard of Heide’s summer plans, I wasn’t surprised by them. My school holidays often involved me shuttling from one relative’s house to another. I recalled several fond memories of camping trips, treks to the cities of the Pacific Northwest and many days at one swimming hole or another.
“I bet you’re looking forward to that.”
“Yep. And I bet you’re looking forward to hanging out with my dad.” Heide’s perceptive remark took me by complete surprise.
“Uh …”
“Heide,” Jack called with perfect timing as he emerged from his bedroom. “Please close the door before Kitty Hawk runs back outside.”
“Oh, yeah!” Heide bounded over to the door.
“Hey,” Jack greeted me warmly. “Let me take your bag.” He gestured to my shoulder before kissing me on the forehead. His lips on my skin, even for that brief moment, sent my already good mood soaring.
I slid the tote off my arm without another word into his capable hands. As Jack retreated to his bedroom, I held out the gift bag in Heide’s direction.
“I got you something when I was in Portland the other day. I hope you like it.”
“Yeah!” she exclaimed. “My dad got me something, too.”
“Oh? What was it?”
“Some new books,” she said while relieving me of my package. “Since you’re staying over tonight, maybe we can read one at bedtime.”
“Wow, I’d like that.”
I hoped my response wasn’t too lame, but since she’d turned her full attention to her new gift, I doubted she heard a word.
“Awesome!” Heide yelled just as Jack returned to the living room. She pulled out the distinguishable green pair of Minecraft Creeper socks and inspected them with glee.
I’d taken a big risk purchasing a child clothing and was relieved that Heide was excited. Even so, I’d padded the package with another few items just in case the socks went over like a lead balloon.
“There are a couple of other things in there, too.” I nodded to the tipped over and forgotten gift bag.
“Really?” Heide dove back into the bag, throwing tissue sheets in several directions.
From her secured post on the arm of the sofa, Kitty Hawk pounced on one particular sheet as it floated in the cat’s general direction. The cat and tissue paper tumbled to the floor together with a loud thud.
“Awesome again!” Heide yelled, discovering several Minecraft action figures inside the gift bag. “Steve! Iron Gollum! Creeper! And … look, Dad! An ocelot!”
“I didn’t know if you had those already, but they seemed like your kind of toy.”
“I don’t have them! I mean, I do now!”
“What do you say, Heide?” her father prompted.
“Thank you, Kathleen!”
“You’re welcome.”
“Can I go play with them?” She glanced at her father.
He grinned. “Pick everything up first.”
“Okay!” She made a frenzied dash through the living room, picking up the pieces of tissue paper and sending the cat tearing down the hall ahead of her in the process.
Jack laughed as soon as Heide disappeared into her bedroom. “You scored.”
“I should have asked you ahead of time if Minecraft was appropriate.”
“They’re perfect. I appreciate you thinking of her like that. It’s sweet.” Jack leaned in for a brief kiss on the lips.
I blushed from the compliment and the contact.
“Maybe she’ll only ask to play on the computer once every twenty minutes instead of every five,” he murmured as he pulled back. “Wine?”
“Please.”
Jack took my hand, and I followed him to the kitchen. “How are you feeling about today?”
“Okay. It scared me when Robert called my office though.”
“Yeah. Sorry about that.” Jack grimaced with a touch of awkwardness. “I thought you needed to hear what he was saying. I get the impression that no one reminds him enough to speak positively.”
He studied me as he opened a cupboard and reached for our wineglasses.
“Because people are too scared to nudge him.”
Jack didn’t answer. Instead, he poured our wine and handed me my glass.
I took my first sip and asked, “Aren’t you nervous around him?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. Maybe that will change in a few days.”
I frowned and Jack cupped my cheek.
“I’m not worried about Robert. And now that we’re together, you can count on
me to keep you safe.”
“Let’s read a story together,” Heide announced a few hours later. We’d been in the living room since dinner, talking and watching television. It was enjoyable and dreamlike and the kind of family time I was unaccustomed to.
Jack shifted from his spot next to me on the sofa as if to follow Heide, but she put a halt to that. “I just meant Kathleen, Dad.”
Jack flashed a brilliant grin as he sat back against the cushions. “By all means,” he said while reaching for the remote control. “Enjoy your girl time.”
“It’s not girly girl time,” Heide emphasized this with total seriousness, looking at both of us.
“Got it,” I agreed. I followed Heide to her room and entered her space for the first time.
Her bed was chaotically made in a way that said she was in charge of keeping her room together. There were a few Minecraft posters on the walls, and her room also included a collection of soccer team photos and medals. All but two of the photographs had been taken in Maryland. When I spotted a poster of the Three Sisters and Mount Bachelor, I felt some hometown pride.
Caught up in the gravity of its familiarity, I wandered over for a closer look, dodging a few toys and shoes along the way. “Has your dad taken you up to Mount Bachelor yet?”
“Nope.” Heide had paused in the center of her room, locking her hands behind her back.
“Maybe we can plan an afternoon up there before you go to your mom’s.”
“Really?” Heide’s voice was full of excitement.
“Sure,” I answered. “There’s all kinds of stuff we can do there.”
She tilted her head. “Even though it’s summer?”
“You bet. We could take a chairlift ride and hike some trails. We can even have dinner up there at sunset if you want to.”
“Cool!”
“I’ll talk to your dad about it. I think he’ll like it there, too.”
I spotted a silver portrait frame sitting on Heide’s bedside table. Inside was a photo of a smiling woman, hugging a slightly younger Heide.
Allison.
I crossed the room and took a seat on the twin-sized mattress. “What book are we reading?” I asked, distracted by Allison’s picture.
Heide turned her attention to the bookshelf, and I took advantage to study the photograph. My memory of Allison had faded due both to the passage of time and the lack of opportunity to be around her before she left Oregon. I wanted to see if there were any physical similarities between Allison and me.
Allison had medium-length blond hair that was shorter than mine and an identical color to her daughter’s. Her complexion was neither pale nor olive, just sun kissed. Her eyes were blue and sparkled, and her overall appearance was meticulous. Allison’s makeup was well maintained and her nails were manicured. There was no denying her natural beauty, but it also was clear she was the kind of woman who wouldn’t be caught looking anything but her absolute best. I admired the woman’s polished look, having never committed to the effort to achieve that particular image myself. Allison looked to be a woman who had it all together, and it left me wondering why Jack wasn’t good enough for her.
How could Allison give up such a prize as him?
“Heide?” I said before I had a chance to think about the conversation I was initiating.
Her teasing earlier plus her father’s relaxed demeanor indicated that Jack had explained that I was his girlfriend. I wanted to know what she thought about this development. I knew how terrible it was not to like my father’s numerous girlfriends over the years. Heide’s acceptance of me was crucial if I was going to commit to a relationship with her father. There was no question that I held Heide’s opinion in high esteem.
“Yeah?” She glanced over her shoulder before turning back to her bookshelf.
I turned away from Allison’s photo and asked, “What has your dad said to you about me?” I watched for any signs of uncertainty.
She turned around to face me full as she answered, “That you are his girlfriend and that he cares about you.”
I smiled. “I care about him, too. And I care about you. I want us to be friends.”
She tilted her head slightly and her expression changed. Her eyes were soft but serious. “Will you be friends with my mom?”
Her insightful question took me by surprise, and I had to think for a few moments before responding. “Well. I’m not sure. We don’t know each other, and she lives in Baltimore and I live here. That might make it tough for us to be friends.”
“My mom’s a nice person.”
I had no reason to believe otherwise and pointed toward the picture of her mom. “I can see that in her picture. And you’re a nice person. I’m guessing you learned that from both your mom and your dad.”
“And my teachers,” Heide added with finality.
I laughed, glad for the positive release of nervousness. “I’ll bet. Of course they helped out, too.” I took a deep breath and decided to move forward. “Being your dad’s girlfriend means I’ll be spending more time with both of you.”
“Like tonight?” I was relieved to hear the levity in her voice. I expected her to have some curiosity about this news, but not much. She was too young to understand what a relationship between her father and another woman fully meant, but I was relieved that she accepted the situation.
“Yeah,” I answered. “Is that okay?”
“Sure.”
“Good. And if you ever think I’m hanging out here too much, just tell one of us you need a break.”
“Okay.”
“Promise?”
“Yep.”
“Shake hands on it?”
“Nah. Let’s fist bump.”
“Okay.”
Heide bounded over and we sealed our deal with a brief touch of our knuckles.
“Did you find a book you wanted to read?” I reminded her.
“Yes!” Heide plucked an orange paperback off her shelf and jumped onto the bed with Diary of a Wimpy Kid in her hands. She extended the book to me.
As I took the novel and opened the cover, she snuggled in close to my side. Without even thinking, I wrapped my arm around her.
In my joy of being accepted by Jack’s daughter, I soon forgot about Allison.
LESS THAN an hour after Heide had been tucked into bed by her father, I stretched my arms upward as I sat on Jack’s sofa. “I’m going to go lay down,” I announced.
Jack turned his head in my direction and furrowed his brow.
I leaned in close enough to kiss him, but miraculously restrained myself. “I’m done wearing clothes for the day,” I elaborated.
Jack grinned. “Now, there’s a sentence every man wants to hear.”
Together, we rose from the couch. Jack secured the house while I made sure to turn off the television and the lights. He took my hand as we walked down the hall toward his bedroom, but as soon as we entered, he let go and snapped his fingers.
“I forgot one thing. Give me a minute.” He turned and left me alone in his bedroom.
My eyes were drawn to the mirrored closet doors.
Allison’s closet.
I made my way to one reflective door and slowly slid it open. It was empty, and I let go of the breath I’d been holding. I ended my examination of the space and closed the door. Then I took a seat on the corner of Jack’s bed. I wasn’t exactly sure how to proceed with my bedtime routine, so I folded my hands in my lap and waited for his return.
After a couple of minutes, Jack reappeared. He carried napkins, two bottles of water, and a small bowl filled with orange slices. He set them down on his dresser across from the bed and then turned around.
“I have something to return to you,” he said.
“You do?” My brow quirked up.
Jack nodded, opened a drawer and motioned me over to look inside. I approached his side and spotted the stockings and garter belt I’d worn to his house the first time I’d spent the night with him. One hand covered my mouth to stifle my la
ughter while the other reached up and squeezed his arm.
“I forgot about them. Heide knocked on the door and asked to come in after I finished my shower. I didn’t have time to put them back on, so I just shoved them underneath the pillow.” My giggles were interrupted by a scary thought. “She wasn’t the one who found them, was she?”
Jack shook his head, and his eyes lit up with amusement. “I found them when I went to bed that night. Way better than anything the tooth fairy ever left me.”
“That was such a weird morning,” I confessed. “I’m surprised you wanted to see me again after that.”
Jack shut the dresser drawer and closed the small distance between us, sliding his arm around my waist and pulling me up against him. “It wasn’t weird. It was an emotional night for both of us. I’m glad you’re willing to give me another chance. This time, I expect you to wake up feeling very happy.”
He kissed my neck just below my ear. I closed my eyes in relaxation and massaged his scalp with my fingers as he wove an intricate pattern of kisses over my skin.
“I’ve never undressed you,” Jack whispered as his mouth passed near my ear. “May I?”
I hummed my approval and he pulled away. “Wait here, I won’t be long.”
I waited patiently as Jack circled the mattress and pulled back the covers on both sides before returning to stand between the bed and me. With measured movements, Jack removed his shirt before sitting down on the bed and reaching down to slip off his socks. He then stood back up, unbuttoning his trousers and sliding them down his muscular legs. Wearing only his black boxer briefs, he gathered his clothes and stepped toward me. I allowed him to back me up against his dresser, and he reached past my body to set the garments down on its surface.
“Your turn.” His voice was low and sensual.
I glanced down at my casual outfit and bristled.
“What is it?” he asked with a touch of worry.
“I was in a hurry to get over here after work. I didn’t stop to think about wearing anything sexy for you.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said with a smile. “I’m all too eager to get you out of whatever you have on. Knowing you, I’m sure I’ll discover a sweet surprise.” Jack took my hands and encouraged me to step away from the dresser. He then moved and stood behind me, pressing his bare chest to my back. His erection rubbed against my backside, and my body tingled in response.
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