A Lesson on Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “Are we gettin’ ready to go?” Stormy asked, sliding back and forth around the kitchen floor in her Minnie Mouse furry footies.

  “Yes, as soon as you go upstairs and get your sandals.”

  “Okay.” Her daughter took off for the stairs.

  Rayne gathered the bills from the top of the laminate countertop and stuffed them into the wicker basket that she usually kept on the top shelf of the pantry.

  She glanced around the first floor of the townhouse. Leaving San Antonio and moving to Cincinnati six months ago had been the best decision she’d made in a long time. She owed it all to her high school best friend, Charlee Fenlon. Thanks to Charlee, Rayne had landed a job at a factory and connected with the landlord of the townhome. For the first couple of months, he had given her a sizeable discount on the rent, and then recently, she had qualified for rent assistance. The subsidy was a godsend. Otherwise, there was no way she’d be able to afford the place which was located in a beautiful, safe neighborhood. But even with the financial help, some months of trying to cover past and present bills were still tough.

  “I’m done, Mommy,” Stormy called out as she came down the stairs and trotted into the kitchen. “Can I take Bunny with me?” She held up the pink stuffed animal.

  “Sure, but you’ll have to keep up with him.” Rayne grabbed her purse. “All right, kiddo. Let’s get going.”

  “Can I say hi to Jerry first? Please.”

  Rayne didn’t know what her daughter’s infatuation was with Jerry Jenkins, their next-door neighbor. Then again, yes, she did. Jerry was a charmer. It didn’t matter the age of the female, they all drooled over his good looks and captivating disposition. She and Stormy were no different. Both had fallen under his stupid spell, and that frustrated Rayne more than her attraction to him. No, it was more than an ordinary attraction. A combustible sexual tension vibrated between them whenever they were within ten feet of each other.

  Rayne wanted to believe that she wasn’t affected by the handsome man, but who was she kidding? She wanted to see him as much as Stormy did. The only difference was Rayne knew his type. There was no way she was losing herself to another player.

  “Maybe later, Stormy. Right now, we need to run some errands and then we’ll head to the library.”

  Her daughter poked out her bottom lip. “But Mommy. He—”

  “What did I say?” This was one of those days that Rayne didn’t feel like repeating herself or participating in any negotiating with a five-year-old.

  “You said maybe later,” Stormy mumbled, as she held her bunny in a choke hold.

  They silently headed to the door and stepped outside. The moment Rayne locked up, Jerry’s door swung open and his keys jingled. What were the chances they’d be leaving home at the same time?

  “Jerry!” Stormy screamed and charged toward him, dropping her bunny along the way.

  Rayne stooped down and picked up the stuff animal that was nearing its last days. One of its ears and the once fluffy tail, were barely hanging on. She stood back and watched Stormy and Jerry. Each time she saw him, she freaked out. Behaving like he was Santa Claus personally delivering her wished upon present on Christmas morning. Like usual, Jerry scooped her up and gave her a noisy kiss on the cheek.

  “How’s my ladybug?” he crooned the nickname he’d given her.

  Rayne’s heart melted a little each time she saw the two of them together. Her daughter giggled, wiggling in his arms as he placed kisses all over her face. This was how she wanted to see Stormy. Happy.

  That’s all Rayne wanted—for her daughter to be happy…and safe. She tried shielding Stormy from the dramas of their lives, but there were times when she had failed them. Times that Rayne wished she could erase. Like when they had to live in her car for a couple of months. Or like when they had to stay in a seedy hotel because her husband died and left her practically penniless.

  Rayne rubbed her chest and stared down at the ground, slowly releasing the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. There had definitely been some dark times in her life

  Then one day she ran into her high school friend, Charlee, who was visiting from Cincinnati. After that encounter, one conversation led to another, and Rayne and Stormy had eventually ended up relocating to Cincinnati.

  “And I’m going to a new school,” Stormy said, pulling Rayne back to the present.

  If Jerry hadn’t looked so genuinely interested in her daughter’s conversation, Rayne would’ve cut it off. But like usual when dealing with Stormy, he acted like he had no place he needed to be. He listened as if she was explaining the solution to world peace. Rayne had always wanted her daughter to have a positive male role model in her life, and over the last six months, Jerry was turning out to be just that.

  Since they’d moved into the neighborhood, he had gone beyond the call of duty to help them. Everything from carrying in groceries, changing a flat tire, and had even come through for her when Mrs. Addy was babysitting, but had a family emergency. That day, Jerry had looked after Stormy until Rayne was able to get home. Before moving to Cincinnati, she didn’t have many people she could depend on, but now, she could count on her friend Charlee…and Jerry.

  Despite Stormy’s incessant conversation, Jerry’s gaze found Rayne’s. Heat traveled through her body when his eyes did a slow sweep of her body from head to toe. Her nipples pebbled when his eyes stalled on her double D’s. She heard that he had a thing for full-figured women, and if his appreciative gaze was any indication, he liked what he saw. She’d been trying to lose thirty pounds since Stormy was a baby, but lately she’d had more pressing issues. Maybe it was time she just embraced her size fourteen.

  When Jerry diverted his attention back to Stormy, Rayne took in his appearance. She admired the way his tan T-shirt stretched across his wide chest and broad shoulders. The man didn’t have a lick of fat on him and his flat abs were a testament to his daily workouts. Worn, dark jeans sheathed his thick thighs and long legs, while a pair of tan Timberland boots covered his large feet.

  She had always been attracted to big, tall, dark skinned men who weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Jerry fit the bill. Well over six feet tall, he was an electrician and worked for Jenkins & Sons Construction, his family’s company. A company that was well-known all over the state of Ohio. At least that’s what her friend Charlee had told her when she found out Rayne lived next door to Jerry.

  Charlee had also filled her in on his love for women. He’d asked Rayne out more times than she could count, but the last thing she needed was to get involved with another player.

  Been there, done that.

  Her husband had been a man whore. Too bad she hadn’t known that before she married the good-looking, charming bastard and got pregnant. A couple of years after they were married, Kirk had changed. Or maybe he hadn’t changed. Maybe she had only seen what she’d wanted to see prior to saying I do.

  So many mistakes.

  Rayne had made one bad decision after another and most centered around Kirk. But in the end, he had gotten what was coming to him, but that left her to clean up his mess.

  Feeling her spirits dropping, Rayne stood straighter and pulled her shoulders back. She had come too far in life to let old memories get her down. The move to Cincinnati was a new chapter in her life, and she planned to make the most of it.

  I’ve got this.

  Chapter Three

  Jerry kept stealing glances at Rayne, noting her off and on troubled expressions. Whatever battle was warring in her head, clearly had her emotions all over the place. Something was definitely bothering her, but what?

  “And you know what else?” Stormy asked him, finally stopping her running monologue about a cartoon she’d been watching earlier. His little chatterbox was on a roll today.

  “No, what else?”

  “I saw Ms. Addy walking down the street with Kari and Rachel,” she said of the neighbor who lived on the other side of Rayne. Adeline Mulkie, a retired school teacher, had two
granddaughters who were close to Stormy’s age. She often watched Stormy on those days when school was closed.

  Jerry continued listening as Stormy told him about a book she’d read. God, he loved this little girl. From the moment he met her and she smiled at him, he’d been a goner. A cutie-pie to the nth degree, she was a sweetheart and always smelled like baby powder. But it was her smarts that really caught Jerry’s attention, discussing topics that should’ve exceeded a five-year-old’s knowledge. Not many days went by that he didn’t see or talk to her.

  Stormy was the daughter he wished he had. That was saying a lot for a man who hadn’t planned to ever get married, let alone have children. Now that he’d spent time with these two, he could actually picture himself as a family man.

  He glanced at Rayne again. At around 5’9, she was tall, thick and curvy just the way he liked. A couple of cousins gravitated toward slim women, but not Jerry. He was a big guy who preferred something to hold onto when it came to holding and loving on a woman.

  But with Rayne, more than just her physical makeup turned him on. The woman was downright gorgeous with blemished free reddish-brown skin, long, thick hair, and tempting full lips that were perfect for kissing. Add those features to her wickedly smart brain and beautiful spirit, and she was the perfect catch.

  Jerry took in her attire. Normally on the weekends, she wore oversize T-shirts and baggy pants, anything that hid her luscious curves. Not today though. Today she showed off her voluptuous body sporting a fitted V-neck T-shirt that forced his gaze to her full breasts, and jeans that molded over her rounded hips.

  Jerry’s eyes met hers and a blush painted her cheeks when she realized he was checking her out, much like when he’d caught her checking him out moments ago. He hated that she was fighting their attraction to each other.

  “Are you listening?” Stormy asked close to his ear and Jerry stifled a laugh.

  “Yeah, I’m listening, baby. So, you’re going to the library, huh?”

  She nodded, her two ponytails brushing back and forth over her shoulders.

  “I almost forgot. Did you get the results back from the test?” Rayne asked Jerry. Months earlier, during one of their conversations, he had mentioned to her that becoming a master electrician would improve his chances of moving up in the company. When the time came to prepare for the exam, Rayne quizzed him on the material, and didn’t complain when sessions went late into the night.

  “I aced it thanks to you.”

  For the first time since they’d been standing outside, she smiled. “Oh please. You knew that stuff. You didn’t need me.”

  “Yeah, actually I did. Your encouragement and support got me through those weeks of studying.”

  “Well…I’m really proud of you.”

  Her heart-felt words stabbed him in the center of his chest, and if Jerry hadn’t been crazy about her before, those words sealed it for him. Despite whatever she was currently going through, she still managed to make him feel special by asking about something that was important to him.

  “Thank you. That means a lot.”

  They stood staring at each other for the longest until Stormy placed her little hands on each side of his face. Her light brown eyes, identical to her mothers, glittered with excitement. “Guess what?”

  He laughed at the way she held firm to him, almost bringing them nose to nose while she stared into his eyes. “What?”

  “Yesterday was the last day of school, and I was the line leader in my class because I got three gold stars.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded again, her body bursting with excitement. Before he and Rayne started talking about the exam, Stormy had jumped from one topic to the other, but he treasured these moments. This little girl was like a ball of sunshine, brightening his day.

  “Can you take me to the human siety?” she asked.

  Jerry frowned and glanced at Rayne who stood a couple of feet away. She gave a slight shrug, looking as confused as him.

  “The what?” Jerry questioned.

  “The human siety. I want to get a puppy.”

  “Ohhh, the humane society?”

  She bobbed her head. “That’s what I said.”

  “What did I tell you, Stormy?” Rayne interrupted, that stern tone that only mothers could unleash crackling all around them.

  With eyes down cast, Stormy sighed and laid her head on Jerry’s shoulder, her arms sliding around his neck. He didn’t know how Rayne said no to anything this kid wanted. He fell for her cuteness at every turn.

  Rayne folded her arms across her chest, her mouth in a thin line while the stuffed bunny dangled from her fingers. “What did I tell you about getting a dog?”

  After a long hesitation, Stormy lifted her head and spoke. “You said that you can barely feed me.”

  Jerry chuckled when Rayne’s perfectly arched brows dipped into a frown.

  “What else did I tell you?”

  “That I had to wait until I was big.”

  “I told you that when you’re old enough to take care of a dog, then I’d think about it. Now come on. I’m sure Jerry has better things to do than hang out here with us.”

  He glanced at his watch, remembering he needed to drop some paperwork off at work. “I’d rather hang out with my two favorite women, but I do need to make a couple of runs. How about if I cook dinner for us tonight. What do you say?” he asked Rayne.

  Even though she wouldn’t go on a date with him, the three of them had shared a few meals together over the last couple months. She had cooked twice, and once he’d been able to show off his cooking skills. With their various interactions, they got along great, but she still refused to let their relationship go any further than friendship.

  “Can’t tonight. I picked up an extra shift at work,” she said and strolled across the small patch of grass that separated their driveways.

  Unable to help himself, Jerry admired the way her jeans hugged her fine ass as he walked slowly behind her. Sometimes he wondered if Rayne even knew how tempting she was with her beautiful face, enticing body and a toughness about her that made him curious about her past.

  She pointed the key fob at the car and unlocked the doors of the old Chevy parked in the driveway. “And Stormy will be at Mrs. Addy’s house.”

  Stormy whined. “But I don’t want to. I want to eat with Jerry.”

  “Tell you what,” Jerry said when he got closer to the vehicle, “I’ll only be out a few hours. When I get home, I’ll whip up a quick meal for all of us before you have to head to work.”

  Rayne had started to walk around to the other side of the car but stopped near the bumper. “Yeah right. You’re going to be at home on a Saturday evening…to cook for us?”

  She had good reason to be surprised. Normally, he wasn’t home much on the weekend, especially for the last few months. Since he’d been keeping a low profile and not hanging out at some of the hot spots where he used to pick up women, he spent more time at some of his cousins’ homes. Playing cards, watching sports and movies with them had become a big part of his weekends.

  “I’ll be here.”

  Rayne turned to him. “All right, but call if you get tied up.”

  “All right.” He kissed a grinning Stormy on the cheek.

  “Do you want a puppy?” Stormy whispered in his ear and Jerry burst out laughing. This kid was persistent if nothing else. Jerry didn’t know when, or how, but he’d talk Rayne into getting her a puppy. Or maybe he’d get one himself and let Stormy take care of it. Either way, Rayne would have a fit and they’d both be in the dog house.

  A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “We’ll talk about it later,” he whispered and Stormy beamed as he put her in her booster seat. He handed her the stuffed bunny before closing the door, then walked around to the other side of the vehicle. He caught Rayne before she climbed into the driver’s seat.

  “Wait. Close the door for a minute,” he said. She looked at him through narrowed eyes but did as he’d as
ked. “What’s wrong?”

  She glanced down at her hand, fiddling with her keys. “What do you mean?”

  He lifted her chin with the pad of his finger, forcing her to look at him. “I think you know what I mean. Somethin’s bothering you, and for the first time since we’ve known each other, I don’t think it’s me,” he joked.

  That got a smile out of her and Jerry zoned in on her mouth, her enticing mouth. God, he wanted to kiss her, but he wouldn’t. At least not yet. Not only was Stormy probably watching them, but he was serious about getting to know Rayne better. He didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardize the progress he was making.

  He lowered his hand from her chin and moved it to her waist, pulling her a little closer. She didn’t protest, which reinforced what he was thinking. She wasn’t herself today. Whatever was bothering her had stifled the fight that she usually used to brush him and his advances off. As a matter of fact, she’d been the same when he saw her the other day.

  “Talk to me. You doing okay?” he asked in a low voice.

  Rayne gave a slight nod. “Just a rough couple of days, but I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

  “Of course. We’re friends, right?”

  She nodded again.

  “Then what can I do to make you feel better?” Jerry hadn’t meant the question to sound suggestive, but the way she huffed out a breath and rolled her eyes meant that he’d done just that.

  She pulled out of his grasp. “Bye, Jerry.”

  “Wait.” He grabbed her elbow, stopping her from climbing into the car. Like usual, a high-voltage jolt shot through him as his hand connected with her skin. It didn’t help that the coconut scent of her hair wafted by his nose.

  “That wasn’t a line,” he hurried to say. “I’m serious. You look a little down, and I’m concerned. Nothing else.” He lifted his hands in surrender, hoping she could see his sincerity. In the few months that they’d gotten to know each other, he considered her a friend. Like any of his other friends or family, if they were troubled, he’d want to do what he could to help.