“How about we wash and cook for each other?”
“Maybe,” he said, smiling. He turned and she followed him to the second bedroom, which had been converted to an office. A desk sat with a computer on it, and a small couch stood against one wall. The remaining walls were flanked with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, where a set of law books stood in silent sentry alone on one shelf. “For all those books you love to read,” he said. “There is a bathroom through that door.”
“Very nice,” she said approvingly.
“Now for the most important room in the house, or at least my favorite room now that you’re here,” he said, towing her back quickly through the living room and through a door that held the master bedroom. It was large, with the same king-size bed from his old apartment in Austin. There were floor-to-ceiling windows in here as well. He stood by the door and watched her look over the room. She walked to gaze out of the windows before moving to stand in front of one of the nightstands, where a picture of them sat. She picked it up, recognizing it immediately from the second game played between their teams. In the picture they both looked happy, playful, and in tune with each other. As she looked over the picture he came to stand behind her, putting his arms around her waist, laying his head in the crook of her shoulder, looking at the picture with her.
“You kept this?” she asked. “I wondered what happened to it.”
“Yep.”
“I meant a lot to you, huh?”
“You have no idea, but yeah, you did. It just took me a while to see it. I left you, knowing that I cared about you, but not sure that it was love. Did I learn different. That was a hard six months for me, here without you. I hadn’t told you about that time, have I?”
“No,” she said, continuing to stare at the picture.
“I partied and drank mostly, trying to appease the hurt, but that didn’t work. I bought this apartment because I couldn’t stand being around anyone, especially my mom, who I considered responsible for my breakup with you. I’d distanced myself from my friends and slept around quite a bit.”
“You were unhappy, huh? Good, I wasn’t alone,” she said and smiled.
“Nope, I was there, too. Anyway, after a loud argument with my mom and a talk with my dad, I began to realize that I was the sole person responsible for our breakup. But honestly, Reye, I didn’t realize until later that you’d come to mean so much to me. I’d never been in love before, so I didn’t know until you weren’t there that it was love that I’d felt.”
He was quiet, holding her, leaning his head on her shoulder as they continued to look at the picture of them. “I’d take that picture out when I started to really miss you. Like some lovesick kid, which I guess I was.”
She turned in his arms to face him, tears in her eyes. His hand moved to capture her face. “I love you so much it scares me sometimes, but I guess you know all about that,” he said.
She put the picture down, turned to him again, and kissed him, her tears falling from her eyes.
“I’m glad you came back for me.”
“Me, too.”
* * *
“Are you ready?” He was holding her hand in his as they sat in his car outside of what appeared to be a expensive and exclusive restaurant in the city. He and Reye were to meet his parents here for dinner. He was dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and blue tie, and she in a black halter dress that cinched at the waist and flowed outward. She looked both hot and elegant. At least that was how Stephen had described her as she stepped out of the bedroom, black sandals gracing her feet. She was more than a little apprehensive about this dinner, but they needed to put it behind them.
“I’m ready,” she responded, looking over at the face and body she needed as much as she needed air.
“Let’s go,” he said, both of them climbed from his car. He walked around and took her hand in his, leading her to the front entry. They were met by the hostess, a willowy blonde who ran her eyes fondly over Stephen and a little less so over Reye. “How can I help you?”
“We are meeting the Stuart party for dinner,” Stephen replied.
She looked down the list on the podium that sat before her to confirm the reservation.
“They’ve arrived. Follow me, please, and I’ll take you to them.” She gave Stephen another smile. By now, Reye had gotten used to women and their admiration of him. She understood its source and was neither annoyed nor worried by it. She was confident in his desire and love for her. They trailed along behind her, and Reye took a moment to admire the restaurant. This was apparently where the prominent and elite were served. Being a part of his life meant she would have to get used to places like this. There were beautiful white tablecloths gracing tables filled with sparkling and shining silver and glass. The patrons sat, coifed, expensively dressed, and looking beautiful around tables that were well spaced, allowing for privacy.
They reached the table where the elder Stuart stood, having spotted them entering. He was impressed by Stephen’s choice in Reye. She was beautiful, and he didn’t think she had any idea of her beauty, which was refreshing. He was proud of his son and his choices, from following the law to picking his bride.
They reached the table. “Reye, you remember my dad?”
“Yes, hello, Mr. Stuart,” she said, extending her hand for him to shake, which he dismissed by pulling her in for a hug. Stephen’s mother stood beside her husband, a smile fixed on her face.
“You remember my mother?” Reye stepped back from the senior Stuart and extended her hand to his mother, which she accepted. “Please call me Claire,” she said as they all took their seats.
“How was your drive from Austin?” Claire asked. “It was fine.”
“I hope Stephen didn’t drive his usual fast speed with you in the car,” she continued.
“No, he was fine,” Reye answered, smiling.
The wine steward appeared at the table to take their wine request. Mr. Stuart made the selections and then turned his attention to Reye. “So, Stephen tells me that you’ve purchased a house in Austin to serve as the site of your new aftercare and summer programs. Is that right?”
“Yes, sir. I’m not sure how much Stephen has told you about the program.”
“He’s told me that it was not your typical program.”
“That’s right, sir. I’ve spent this summer developing an idea that came from my mother. I’m the only girl and the baby of five children, and I can always remember her being around, picking us up after school, overseeing our homework, trotting us around to our sports practices and other extra-curricular activities. In the summers it was track.”
“It sounds like what Claire did for Stephen as he grew up. Isn’t that right, Claire?”
“Yes, it’s what parents do for their children,” she said.
“Purchasing the house was part of my decision to take the summer program in a different direction, away from a center setting, to mimic more of a home setting environment for the children. I want them to have something like the ones Stephen and I grew up in.”
“It sounds like you appreciate your mother.”
“I didn’t always, but working with the kids has helped me to see her in a different light. I think I understand her better, and I certainly appreciate her more. I understand now why she pushed us so hard. Although we still disagree on many things, I know that she only wanted the best in life for me, and pushing us was her way of insuring our success. She gave us the kind of care that I’m trying to give to my students when they are away from their parents.”
The waiter interrupted her, and they stopped to place their dinner orders.
“So that’s more than you probably wanted to know about my program,” she said and smiled, reaching for her wine glass.
“You know, Reye, it’s hard for children to recognize why their parents do what they do. It’s innate that we want more for our children, that we want them to bypass all of our old hurts and live differently. So I appreciate that you understand your mother’s
desire. It’s what we mothers do, even if sometimes very badly, very ineptly,” she concluded, giving Reye a tentative smile.
Was that a peace offering? Reye decided to interpret it as such, she returned his mother’s smile.
The food arrived and they got down to the business of eating it, all of them continuing to discuss their respective lives.
She looked over to Stephen, who gave her a smile. She loved this man, and as scary as that was, she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here with him, braving his mother and anyone else who had a problem with them.
He found and squeezed her hand under the table.
They finished dinner, followed by dessert and coffee.
“Thank you for a wonderful evening,” Reye said, giving a hug again to the elder Stuart. They were all standing in the foyer, preparing to leave. She turned and was taken in to the arms of his mother.
“It was nice meeting you, and I look forward to getting to know you better,” Claire said.
“Me, too,” she said.
She and Stephen left the restaurant and walked to his car, her hand in his. Before she could get in, he tugged her into his arms, leaning in to give her a soft, thorough kiss. “Not too bad?”
“Nope,” she said against his lips.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime,” she said and kissed him again.
* * *
It was Saturday night, the last night in Dallas as Stephen would deliver Reye back to Austin tomorrow. She would miss him, had gotten used to seeing him again every day, touching him, talking to him whenever she wanted. They lay on his couch now, he on his back, minus a shirt, in just his jeans, while she stretched out on top. It was dark in the room except for the lights of the city through the windows of his living room. She so got his fondness for floor-to-ceiling windows now; it was beautiful at night. A thousand tiny lights twinkled back at her, and it was relaxing, soothing, and comforting. She dreaded having to leave tomorrow. Everything had gone perfectly here; seeing his parents again was more than she hoped it would be. She just had one remaining question burning a hole in her head. Where would they live after they married? What would she have to give up? She’d just gotten to the place where she felt like she was supposed to be, needed to be. She didn’t want to give that up, but she wasn’t giving up him, either. They’d set a wedding date for August.
“Stephen, I’ve been thinking,” she said, looking into his face as he laid there with his eyes closed. He was one fine man. Opening one eye, he looked at her.
“Yeah,” he answered distractedly, his hands that had been resting quietly at her back started to roam.
“Have you given any thought to where we would live after we get married?”
“Why don’t you tell me what you think we should do and I’ll let you know if I like it,” he said, his hands now having moved on from her back to trail lower.
“Be serious.”
“I’m very serious,” he said, his lips finding her neck, placing small kisses there. He turned her over onto her back before his lips started their downward descent to her breasts. She continued talking, trying not to focus on his hands and mouth.
“I know how important your family is to you, but I was thinking that since I’m just starting the center, you could find a job at a law firm in Austin, work there for a while until I get the program off the ground. Then when we start to have babies, I’d be willing to move back here to live while you work with your family’s firm. Your dad is still fairly young, right? He wouldn’t need you for a while yet.”
“Lift your hips,” he said, sliding her shorts and underwear down her legs.
“Stephen, are you even listening to me?” She was slowly losing her focus, succumbing to the ministrations of his hands and mouth.
“I hear you loud and clear. Do you want my answer now?” He was opening the button of his jeans, lowering the zipper, lifting himself away from her to push them and his boxers down his legs and off. He grabbed her around the waist, rolling them off the couch and onto the floor. He took the brunt of the fall with his body when they landed, before turning her, so he was now back on top.
“Have I told you lately that I love you?” He was wearing that wicked smile of his, her favorite, while pushing her legs apart, settling between them.
She clamped her legs around his thighs, holding him in place until his eyes found hers. “What?”
“Before you go any further, tell me what you think of my solution.”
He reached behind his back to unlock her legs, moving them further up to surround his waist. Then his hands moved to cup her hips, lifting her as he pushed into her body.
He paused until her slightly unfocused eyes opened to his. “I think I like your idea, Ms. Jackson. I’m happy wherever you are, and don’t you ever forget that,” he said, his breath catching, as he pulled out of her only to slowly push back in, hard, just like she liked it.
She moaned.
“Reye,” he said, sliding out and pushing back into her again. Harder.
“Stephen,” she said pleadingly.
He stopped moving, waited until her eyes found his. He said now, all seriousness, “I like your plan, had already come to a similar conclusion myself, and talked to my dad about it. We’ll make it work, I promise,” he said, slowly pulling out of her body, but not completely withdrawing, “Okay, babe, are we good now?” She nodded while he pushed back in to her body.
“Yes . . . okay . . . stop talking . . . please,” she murmured, pulling his mouth down to hers.
“Please what, Reye?” he whispered against her lips, remembering when he’d first posed that question to her a long time ago. He smiled against her mouth, content to be here, wherever she was, forever.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ruthie resides in Austin, Texas with her husband and two teenage children. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Clark College and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Texas in Austin. She worked for more than a decade in the banking industry before turning her love for writing into a second career.
Ruthie enjoys being a mom, gardening, traveling, and reading. Reye’s Gold is her debut novel.
Reye's Gold (Indigo) Page 24