by Shelly Davis
***
Before I knew it, we were preparing the haulers for another race. It was hard to talk to Harlan when we were both busy ten hours out of each day, and I never wanted to take away from her spending time with Dillon. He needed his momma a whole hell of a lot more than I needed to talk to her. But I missed them both. I missed what was starting, with me being around and playing with Dil and spending time with Harlan.
Tonight, was the night that I was going to show her that I wasn’t going anywhere, friends or more. I quickly packed for the weekend, then drove to Harlan’s house and got to work.
Before she stopped talking to me, Dil kept asking to go camping. He wanted to sleep in a sleeping bag, inside a tent, and eat food cooked on a fire. His four-year-old mind had it all planned, and I was going to make it come true. Hopefully, Harlan wouldn’t fight me on this.
I set to work in Harlan’s backyard. The tent took up a considerable space in the field behind her house. I started building a fire pit and a fire, and prepared hotdogs and items to make s’mores. Then I waited. About thirty minutes later I heard the crunch of gravel under tires in the parking lot just on the other side of the small house. The sweet sound of Dillon’s voice traveled easily through the valley, echoing between the buildings.
“Momma, Cade’s bike is here. Is Cade here?”
“He’s probably just visiting Bobby, Dillon. Come on, we need to eat dinner.”
Keys jingled, then silence fell once again. I assumed they had entered the house. This played out exactly as I hoped. I wanted them to go into the house before discovering my surprise.
I heard distant thuds of what I assumed was Dillon running through the small house. About two minutes later, a tap on the window got my attention as his smiling face peered out the window.
“Momma!” Dillon shouted. His voice traveled through the window as if it wasn’t there. “There’s a tent and a fire, and Cade’s outside!” He thundered through the house.
Dillon burst outside, grinning ear to ear. “Cade?”
“Hey, buddy,” I said as Dillon ran over and hugged me. “I promised you a campout, so here I am.”
“Momma, we’re sleeping outside tonight!” Dil announced.
I glanced up to find Harlan coming out the back door, behind Dillon. Stopping dead in her tracks, she looked at me, the tent, and the fire. Her cautious gaze bounced around taking in all I had spread out
“What are you doing here?”
“I promised Dil we’d camp out,” I explained, simply. “I’m here to fulfill my promise.”
Her eyes widened, and her perfect lips opened as she took in a quick breath. Before she had a chance to put a stop to my plans, I picked Dillon up and placed him on my knee. With a long skewer in hand, I showed him how to cook his first hotdog on the fire. The sizzling meat and smell of the burning wood, brought back so many memories from my childhood, camping with my family. I loved that I could share this with Dillon.
“Now, you can’t get any closer than this line.” I planned and placed a rope around the fire pit, so Dillon knew where he could go. He jumped from my lap and stood just outside the circle, reaching his hotdog into the flames.
After a few moments, I dared to look up to where Harlan stood. She hadn’t moved a single inch since I handed Dillon his hotdog. I held a skewer out toward her and gestured at the chair next to me. “Come on and eat.”
She moved cautiously to the chair, took the hotdog, and placed it into the flames. Her eyes wide with wonder, she seemed dumbstruck. Almost like she didn’t know how to handle all this. She stared at Dillon, who stood so still outside of the rope circle. Her eyes held so many questions, or maybe she was trying to formulate her argument.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him stand so still,” Harlan said with amazement.
I chuckled. “Yeah, it’s amazing what giving a little instruction and responsibility does to a kid.” All I had to do was explain how he would get hurt if he crossed the circle and Dillon listened. When I spoke to my mother about my plans and asked her how she got three active four-year-olds to stay still enough to cook over a fire when we were young, she explained. She, dad, and Toni’s dad were always near, but she explained the danger in a way we would understand. I wouldn’t trust him alone, but I talked to him in a way that made him comprehend that he could get hurt.
“Cade, is my hotdog done yet?” Dillon asked, hopping between his mother and me, his eyes lit with excitement.
“Looks good, little man. You want a bun and ketchup?” Dillon nodded and jumped around away from the fire while I prepared his plate with his hotdog and some roasted vegetables. I placed his food on the blanket, next to his mother and handed him a juice box.
“Cade, this is amazing,” Harlan finally said. She glanced at her son, chomping down on his hotdog. He had an excited glint in his eyes. When she turned back to me, she beamed warmly. “I can’t believe you did all this. It’s too much.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” I said with a smirk.
Once dinner was complete, and the food was cleaned up, I pulled out the marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
Dillon ran up next to me and stared wide-eyed at the contents in front of me. “What’s that?” he asked, confused.
“We’re gonna make some s’mores. Have you ever had one before?”
Dillon shook his head. “No, what is it.”
I shot my gaze over to Harlan. “This boy has never had a s’more?”
She shook her head. “We’ve never cooked on a fire before. This isn’t something my family ever did. This is all new for both of us.”
“Well then, let’s get started. Y’all are in for a treat.”
Harlan and Dillon stood by the fire together. Mother and son, experiencing something new together. The sweet smell of roasted marshmallows filled the air, paired with the sweet sound of happy murmurs when they took the first bites of their treats. The best part was watching Harlan and Dillon explore something they’d never experienced before. I was excited to have the ability to introduce something new to them both.
We talked and sang songs until darkness settled in. Then, we explored with flashlights, told stories around the fire, and roasted more marshmallows. After a while Dillon repeatedly yawned, while insisting he wasn’t ready for bed.
“Come on, little man,” I said. “Take a look inside the tent; it’s cool.” I handed him a flashlight.
Beams of light bobbed around the tent as his giggles surrounded us. His chubby little hand twittered about as he bounced around, excitedly. “There are sleeping bags,” Dillon announced. “I want to sleep in a sleeping bag.”
“Go ahead,” I said. “Pick the one you want, and climb inside.” Dillon did what I said and climbed into the sleeping bag in the middle. He sighed, contentedly as his drowsy eyes fluttered. In a matter of moments, he was sleeping.
“He was tired,” I said to Harlan. “Does he always fall asleep that quickly?”
“He’s had a long day. The daycare took them to the playground today.” She sat back and relaxed. “He’s always fallen asleep quickly. His little body knows when it’s bedtime. It doesn’t matter where he is, he will fall right to sleep.”
While she talked, I sat back in my chair and started poking at the fire. I pulled two beers from the cooler with the juice boxes. She drank her beer and sat contentedly, staring at the flames.
Chapter Fifteen
Harlan
This man was amazing. With every surprise and every new experience, he proved just how wonderful he was. I had no idea what I was thinking, or why I pushed him away.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Cade said. I was beginning to love that phrase.
“I just can’t believe you did all this for Dil. He’s going to talk about this for the next month.”
“Well,” he said, his voice husky and deep, “I’d never promise to do something with him and not follow through.”
God, he couldn’t possibly be this perfect, could he?
>
“You made his day. Thank you so much, it was a wonderful surprise.”
“Thank you, for letting me,” he said, still poking at the fire. “I was worried you wouldn’t want him to try all of this. I know cooking over a fire can be intimidating.”
I grinned. “I’m not going to lie, I was worried, and I watched him like a hawk. But I trust you not to do something that would hurt him.”
He was quiet for a few long moments. “I guess we should get ready for bed too.”
“Won’t you need to go home to pack?” I asked. “We have an early flight.”
“No,” he said, standing. “I brought everything I need. We can just wake in the morning and go.”
I looked at the tent and then to Cade. Butterflies filled my gut. I knew I wasn’t sleeping with him alone. But the thought of waking up with him, of getting ready in the morning, and going to the airport together made me strangely giddy.
I stood, and gathered the rest of the food. Crouching down, I placed it in the bag Cade brought with him. When I turned, I ran right into Cade. His chest was like a brick wall, solid and unyielding. I stumbled, but before I could fall, he wrapped his arms around my waist, steadying me. My hands shot to his chest, and all I could think about was how it felt to have his arms around me. He didn’t say anything, but I felt his gaze devour me.
“You okay there, darlin’?” Cade whispered.
When I finally glanced up at him, I was lost in his deep blue depths. Two things occurred to me in that moment, the first was that Cade was amazing. He’d done so much for my son, and for me, and never expected anything in return. He was a great guy with a heart of gold. The second was, I was an idiot.
I couldn’t let one more moment pass. I reached up, put my arms around his neck, and brought Cade’s lips down to meet mine. He responded instantly, sliding one of his hands into my hair while his other arm pulled me tighter against his chest. Cade kissed me slowly, taking his time. He slid his tongue between my lips, tasting me and igniting a fire in my gut. I knew I’d never be able to quench the inferno that was starting inside me. I let out a soft, feminine moan, pulling him tighter and lacing my fingers into his short, soft hair. We moved perfectly together, kissing like we’d been together for years. I was lost in him, in the feeling, and in the perfect night.
“Momma? Where are you?” The moment instantly lost with Dillon’s sweet voice.
I pulled my lips away from Cade’s, breathing deeply. I looked toward the tent. The flashlight was on, dancing around inside.
“I’m coming, baby,” I said, loud enough for Dillon to hear.
“Okay, momma.” Dillon didn’t come out of the tent, he just moved the circle of light around.
I buried my face in Cade’s chest and breathed deeply. He smelled of fire and the outdoors, it was intoxicating. His strong arms tightened around my waist, pulling me tighter to his body. The thud of his heart pulsed under my cheek, belying his usual reserved behavior. Nothing appeared to get to him, but the pounding of his heart told me that perhaps I had, and I loved the courage that gave me.
“Guess we should get to bed,” Cade said, that confident, sexy smirk crossing his incredible lips. The lips that made me feel more than I ever had before.
“Um, yes. We should,” I whispered.
I couldn’t read him, didn’t know what the hell he was thinking. I got the hint when he took my hand, kissed my palm, and said, “Let’s go.”
Cade held the flap of the tent open for me to climb inside. He climbed in just behind me and settled on the opposite side of Dillon, facing the two of us.
Dillon popped up just a bit from his sleeping bag and grinned. “Hi, momma,” he said tiredly.
“Hi, baby. Let’s go to sleep.”
A huge yawn escaped the little boy before he turned toward me and snuggled into his pillow. His brown eyes drooped just a bit as he watched me kick off my shoes and climb into my sleeping bag. He pulled one arm out and reached out, taking my hand.
“Night, night, momma.”
“Goodnight, baby.”
My gaze found Cade. He laid on top of his sleeping bag, watching us. He didn’t say a word, just held my gaze. His crooked grin displayed the dimple that I loved so much. Contentedness filled me fully. I loved how he made me feel, but it scared me to death. All I knew was I’d never felt the way Cade made me feel. And I wanted more.
***
Every chance he had, Cade touched me in some sweet, innocent way. In the airport, he placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me through the throngs of people waiting for security. He sat next to me on the plane and discretely laced his fingers with mine between us where no one else could see.
He did that a lot, but he never allowed anyone into our private world. He only allowed the briefest touches and passing kisses. That went on for weeks. We snuck moments together, as often as we could, but it was becoming harder and harder to stay away. So, when I found him standing inside my motorhome in Sonoma, I didn’t stop myself. I launched at him, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Hey, sweetheart. I’m happy to see you too.” He leaned down and kissed me briefly.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, gazing up into his sapphire eyes. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”
“Thought we could have dinner together.”
“Momma,” Dil shouted, running from the back room of the motorhome. “Cade got pizza.”
“I didn’t have time to cook anythin’,” he said. “I just got done in the garage a little while ago. Pizza seemed easiest.”
I looked at Dillon and Cade confused. “Where’s Margie? How’d you get Dillon?” My grandfather couldn’t make it this trip because of problems with his business, which had become a regular issue. He wasn’t ready to completely step back, and I respected that. Thank goodness Margie volunteered to watch Dillon at the tracks.
“I picked Dil up after I was done in the garage.” Cade’s tone became slightly defensive, he appeared worried. “We thought we’d surprise you with dinner.”
“I helped,” Dil announced proudly. “I paid the pizza man.”
Cade pulled a huge box out of the oven and opened it, releasing the delicious smells of cheese, sauce, and pepperoni. My stomach suddenly rumbled loudly, announcing just how hungry I was.
Cade chuckled. “Sounds like someone is hungry.” Then his grin flattened just a bit. “Seriously, was this okay? I don’t want to overstep.”
I gazed between the happiness in my little boy and the amazing man who had stolen my heart and found I wasn’t upset or worried at all. “It was more than okay,” I said. “I’m thrilled to spend the evening with you and have dinner. Besides, I haven’t eaten all day. Pass the breadsticks.”
Cade prepared a slice of pizza for Dillon and placed him at the table with me. I got an overwhelming sense of happiness as I took in the sight before me. My two guys, seated together, enjoying dinner. This all just felt right—perfect. We ate, talked, and laughed together. It felt like a real family, like the meals I shared with my parents before I lost them.
“I have an idea,” Cade said when everything was cleaned up and put away. “Let’s take a ride.”
“Do you have a car?” I asked. I haven’t left any of the tracks we’ve been to since I started with Turner Racing.
He chuckled again. “Yeah, I rented a car when I got here. Didn’t want to be stranded,” he explained. “I even included a car seat in the rental.”
I quickly changed into shorts and a green tank top while Cade put shoes on Dillon. When I came out of the bedroom area, Cade stood by the door, holding Dil in his arms. The feeling of complete contentment washed over me, making my heart swell. My smile stretched as two words came to mind. My guys.
***
“I want rainbow jimmies,” Dillon announced, giggling and bouncing around in front of the counter as we ordered.
“Okay, baby. Calm down, you can get rainbow jimmies on your ice cream.”
Cade ordered, and we sa
t at one of the picnic benches surrounding the outdoor ice cream stand next to a playground. Dillon devoured his cone and ran off to play as Cade and I watched.
“How was your day?” I asked.
“You know, race prep is always the same. I’m just hopin’ nothin’ crazy happens at the race. I think I spend more time worryin’ about fallin’ or something than about the actual job.”
“Yes, I always worry myself into a tizzy before a race. I worry about causing a wreck, or getting caught up in one. It’s nerve-wracking.”
He took a bite of his ice cream before continuing. “You’ll be fine. You can’t control other drivers, you can only control yourself.”
I sighed, “Yes. I know.” I turned my attention to Dillon sitting on the swing, trying to make it go.
“He’s such a cool kid,” Cade said. “I’m glad we could do this tonight.”
“Thank you,” I said, sipping on my milkshake. “He’s having so much fun.”
Cade took my hand and squeezed it. “It’s my pleasure. I enjoy spendin’ time with you and Dil.” He paused for a moment and looked out toward Dillon moving his legs in opposite directions on the swing. “Just do me a favor, don’t shut me out again. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that I wanna give this a shot with you.” He glanced over at me and stared in my eyes. “Both of you.”
“Cade, come push me,” Dillon shouted from the swings.
“Duty calls,” he said with that sexy smirk.
Cade pushed Dillon higher and higher on the swing. Dillon’s giggles and squeals with each thrust made my heart expand to almost bursting. My two loves. The thought caught me off guard for but a moment as the realization hit me. I was falling in love with Cade. It had only been a couple months, but there was no doubt in my mind that I had started to fall in love with him. It terrified and thrilled me. What if he didn’t feel the same? He obviously was interested, but love?
Could someone fall in love that quickly? I’d heard of love at first sight, but never once believed it. You couldn’t fall in love with someone you didn’t know, but I knew Cade. I knew his heart and his kindness. I also knew his passion and loyalty. Realization hit me hard. I wasn’t falling in love, I was in love with Cade.