by E. L. Todd
He nodded, a slight smile on his lips. “About a week ago.”
“What made you do that?”
He shrugged. “He’s my family. He should live with me.”
It was an incredibly sweet thing to do. I admired him more for it. “You think you can handle it?”
“I’ve been doing okay so far,” he said. “And besides, I’ll have help.” His hand moved up my back, and he brought me closer to him. “I have a sexy teacher who can give me some pointers about teenagers.”
If he’d told me this beforehand, I probably would have warned him about the responsibility. Being the guardian of a child was much different than tutoring him for an hour a day. But since everything had already been said and done, there was nothing left to do but be supportive. “I’m sure you don’t need my help.”
“I don’t agree with that. Clay never had a mom around. He needs a mother figure in his life.”
“And you think I’m the best candidate for the job?”
“Yep.” He pulled me closer to his chest. “You’re the only candidate for the job.”
“Well, I’d be honored.”
“And maybe we’ll make a few of our own.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
“That sounds like fun.” I tried to treasure this moment as much as possible. Last night, I slept alone in my bed and tried not to cry. Now, I had my life back. I had Volt back. Somehow, it was sweeter than it ever was before. Somehow, it was more beautiful. I appreciated it more when I didn’t have it. And now that I did, I would never let go. “You want to practice now?”
His eyes lightened in excitement. “My moves have been getting rusty. We should probably test everything out.”
Was that his way of telling me he didn’t sleep with anyone else? Because if he didn’t, it would just make things a million times better. But if he did, I didn’t want to know about it. I didn’t want to hear a single word about it.
Volt read the hesitation in my eyes. “Only you.”
“Yeah?” My breath escaped my chest as a heave. I’d been holding my breath with dread, unprepared to hear the answer to a question I never asked.
“Yeah. I met this woman in a bar, and she wanted to hook up but…I didn’t want to. So I just went home. I was so mad I thought I could do it. But my body still belonged to you—even if my mind was too pissed to understand that.”
Music to my ears.
He saw the relief in my eyes. “I’m stuck on you, Taylor. You never have to worry about me looking for something else. Because I’m so hopelessly obsessed with you. I’ve been obsessed with you since the first time I looked at you. And I think I’ve been in love with you even longer.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Volt
Taylor and I walked into the apartment, her bag of stuff over my shoulder. “Clay, I’m home.” The TV was on in the living room, and I distinctly heard the sound of cars racing. He must be playing a video game.
“Hey.”
“It’s almost ten, Clay. You should be in bed.” I held Taylor’s hand as we walked into the living room.
His back was to us as he sat on the couch. “Fine. Whatever.” He hit a few buttons on the controller and turned it off. “I was hoping you would be home later.” He rose from the couch and walked around to greet me. “Oh, wow.” He looked at Taylor with wide eyes. “You’re back.”
“I am.” Taylor squeezed my hand.
“I took your advice, kid. I went out and got my girl,” I said.
“Good,” Clay said. “I was sick of you moping around all the time.” He walked up to Taylor and gave her a hug. It was long and lingered for several seconds before he finally pulled away. “I’m glad you’re back. It wasn’t the same without you.”
“Aww,” Taylor whispered. “I’m happy to be back—with both of you.”
“She’s going to be staying with us for a while,” I said. “Are you okay with that?” I was the adult and could do whatever I wanted, but this was Clay’s home too. I wanted him to feel comfortable.
“Yeah, of course,” he said. “I’m glad my room is on the other side of the apartment.” He laughed then walked back into the sitting area. He put away his controller and cleaned up his area, returning it to how it looked before he used it.
“Wow,” Taylor whispered. “You trained him well.”
“Actually, I didn’t do anything.” He just did it on his own.
“Well, I’m going to get ready for bed.” Taylor took the bag off my shoulder. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.”
She gave me a kiss before she walked down the hall.
I watched her go, grateful she wasn’t a ghost from a memory.
When the bedroom door shut, I turned to Clay. “Thanks for the advice.”
He shrugged. “I’m wise beyond my years. What can I say?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I guess you are.”
He put his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. All his clothes were new, and I couldn’t get over how different he looked. A new wardrobe, a shower, and a haircut made him a new person.
“How would you feel about her living here?”
“Like, forever?”
I nodded. “Would you be more comfortable if it’s just us for a while?”
“Volt, it’s your apartment. Do what you want.”
“It’s our apartment, Clay. You get a say in everything now.”
His eyes softened even though he tried to hide it.
“What do you think?”
“I like Taylor. I don’t mind having her around.”
“You’re sure about that?” I asked. “Because I’m going to ask her to move in. If you aren’t ready, that’s totally fine.”
“No, I want her here.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded.
“Okay. Then I’m going to ask her.”
“I think it’s a good idea. She cooks, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Is that why you want her to move in? Because I cook for you.”
“But I can’t eat grilled cheese every day. I’ll never poop.”
Now I actually laughed. “Yeah, she’s definitely a better cook.”
“Then have her move in tomorrow.”
“Alright. I’ll ask.”
He nodded then walked away. “I’m happy for you, Volt. You deserve it.”
My heart ached when he said that. “Thanks…”
“I’ll see you in the morning.” He nodded to me then walked into his bedroom.
I listened to his door shut before I went back into the bedroom where Taylor waited for me. She was already dressed in one of my t-shirts with just her panties underneath. She was thinner than before, but just as sexy.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I stripped down to my boxers and crawled into bed beside her. Our legs wrapped around each other, and our arms latched on to anything we could hold. We were tangled together, glued. Now that I had her, I intended to make love to her every night. I intended to cherish her and never let go. I intended to live happily ever after. “I asked him if it would be okay if you moved in with us.”
She flinched in my arms, surprised and excited. “And what did he say?”
“He said he loved the idea. Then he asked if you cook.”
She chuckled. “I know my way around the kitchen.”
“I think we both need you—but for very different reasons.”
She stared at me, her face pressed close to mine. She waited for me to ask her in words, to make it official.
“Baby, will you move in with me?”
Instead of smiling like I expected, her eyes watered. A loud sniff escaped her throat and she turned to mush beside me. Unable to answer, she just nodded.
Without realizing it, I felt my eyes water too. I felt guilty for putting her through hell. And I felt like shit for going through hell myself. “It’s us from now on. It’s you and me.”
She nodded, her eyes still full of tears. “You and me.”
Clay lifted a box from the floor and groaned. “Holy shit. What’s in here?”
“Clay,” I snapped.
“I mean, holy guacamole. What’s in here?” He rolled his eyes at being berated for cussing.
Taylor chuckled. “Shoes. It says it right on the side of the box.”
Clay shifted the box against his chest, using his core to support it. “Where does it go?”
“Put it in the office,” Taylor said.
“What?” I asked. “Your shoes are going in my office?”
“Well, they’re going in your office closet,” she said.
My man cave was slowly turning into a women’s clothing store.
“Or I can put them in our room,” she said. “But I’ll have to make room.”
And then my stuff would be shoved under the bed or something. “Yeah, put them in the office.”
“Alright.” Clay carried the box down the hall.
“Baby, you have so much shit.”
“Shh!” She placed her forefinger over her lips. “Clay will hear you cuss.”
“I heard that!” Clay shouted down the hall.
“Dammit,” I whispered.
“I heard that too,” Clay snapped.
I rolled my eyes. “That kid can hear crickets at night.”
Taylor laughed then grabbed the next box in the pile. She examined the sides for a label, unsure what was inside.
I remained quiet and watched her.
“What’s in here?” She lifted the box and realized it was light.
“I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “You packed it.”
“I labeled all my stuff. So I didn’t pack it.”
“Well, don’t look at me,” I said. “I didn’t bring that in here.”
She ripped open the lid and tore through the tape. She had to use her muscles to tear it open because it was compacted so tightly. When she finally broke through, she stared at the Styrofoam inside. “Maybe it’s just extra packaging material.”
I watched her.
She stuck her hand inside and felt around until she grabbed something. “No. There is something in here. What the hell is it? Maybe I packed it a long time ago and just forgot.” She pulled out the small black box, the exact box I’d given to her once before.
She held it in her hand and fell silent as she looked at it. Her hand shook silently before she supported the box with her other palm. She stared at it in shock, unable to process exactly what was happening.
She looked at me with realization on her face. Her eyes knew what it was. She knew exactly what was happening. Her eyes watered right on cue as the moment hit her.
I kneeled beside her and took the box from her hand. They were still shaking with tremors.
“Oh my god…” She covered her mouth. “Oh my fucking god.”
I positioned the box and flipped the lid open, showing her the diamond ring I bought for her months ago. It was perfect for her, plain and simple but classy. My hand didn’t shake as I held it out to her. The moment felt right. In fact, it felt out of place. I should have done this a long time ago. “Taylor Thomas, will you marry me?”
“Ahh!” She screamed into her hands, her face changing with a flood of emotions.
Without waiting for her to say yes, I pulled the ring out and grabbed her left hand.
“Yes.” She sobbed as I placed the ring on her finger. “Yes. I’ll marry you. Of course, I’ll marry you.”
It fit perfectly on her ring finger, nice and snug. The diamond sparkled in the light, showing a prism of color. Every time she moved, it dazzled. It looked perfect on her. It would look perfect on her for the rest of her life.
She extended her hand and stared at it. “Oh my god, it’s beautiful. I love it.” Her eyes lit up like glinting treasure and the light that radiated there couldn’t be blocked out by any shadow. It was pure happiness, the same feeling that echoed deep in my heart.
“I’m glad.”
She finally turned her gaze on me, so consumed with her ring I took a backseat. “I can’t believe this…”
It was the perfect plan. Since I’d told her how I was going to propose when we broke up, I knew she wouldn’t expect me to do it. But I wanted to do it like that anyway. Nothing else was more perfect.
“I love you.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me.
“I love you too, baby.”
She hugged me tightly, squeezing me with her limited strength. She started to cry again, sobbing into my chest. “I can’t wait to spend my life with you, Muriel Rosenthal.”
Despite the seriousness of the moment, I laughed. “Let’s stick with Volt.”
“Whatever you want, fiancé.”
I kissed her forehead and felt her shake against me. This was the beginning of a happy life together. I would never forget what she said to me when we first met. She saw right through my playboy act, saw that I was hurting deep down inside. “You’ve made me so happy that I’ve forgotten what it was like to feel anything less.”
She pulled away and looked into my eyes, recognizing her own words.
“And that’s how I knew you were the one.”
A new wave of tears emerged.
I never knew crying could be so beautiful. I always thought it was just annoying. But when she did it, it meant so much. When she cried in joy, it made me happy.
Clay stood there with my phone in his hand. He recorded the whole thing without her knowing about it. “Wait, hold on. Your real name is Muriel?”
My look of joy turned to one of irritation. I directed it on Taylor.
A guilty grin stretched across her face. “Whoops.”
Epilogue
Volt
A crowd of five thousand people sat in the lines of chairs that faced the platform in front of the university. Students walked by, flipped their tassel, and then received their degree from the president of the university.
“Clay Rosenthal.”
We jumped to our feet from the front row and clapped. Dad put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. Mom dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. “My grandson…”
Taylor clapped harder than anyone. “Go Clay!” Her parents stood beside her, cheering him on just as hard as she did.
Clay shook hands with the president and received his diploma. Then he pulled his tassel over, officially becoming a graduate. He found me in the office and waved, a smile on his face.
And then it hit me.
I wasn’t an emotional guy.
But I got mushy.
My eyes sprang with tears because I was so immensely proud. He started off at the bottom and excelled to the top. Now he was walking across the stage with an honors cord around his neck.
Keep it together, man.
He walked off the stage and joined the other graduates.
We sat down and watched the other students receive their diplomas, but I wasn’t paying attention to any of them. I was thinking about the day Clay left for college and how hard it was for me. I waited until he left to allow the tears to fall. And now here I was again, getting choked up.
“Aww…” Taylor caught the moisture in my eyes. “So proud.”
“The sun is hurting my eyes.”
“Whatever you say, babe.” She patted my thigh.
***
After the ceremony was over, we located Clay in the chaotic crowd. He was standing near the pond, at the outreaches of the university so we could track him down.
When I spotted him, I felt the emotion creep up all over again. But I kept the reaction back, not wanting to act like my own parents. “Hey, graduate.”
Clay walked over, as tall as me. He filled out as an adult, his arms bulging with muscle and his shoulders wide. When people saw us together, they thought we were brothers. “I did it. I finally graduated.”
Finally? It seemed to pass in a blur.
I gripped both of his shoulders and looked him in the eye. “I can’t tell you how proud I am.”
&n
bsp; Clay searched my expression, and the same look came into his eyes. He was vulnerable, everything pouring out. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Yes, you could’ve. But I’m glad I made it easier for you.” I squeezed his shoulders, feeling my heart ache with the love I had for this kid. He was my family. He may not be of my blood, but he was as good as.
“I wouldn’t be here with you.”
I pulled him in for a hug and felt my chest cave with emotion. “I love you so much…”
He squeezed me harder. “I love you too, Dad.”
He’d never called me that before. I wasn’t even sure if I heard it right. I pulled away, searching his expression for confirmation.
“You’re my dad,” he answered. “Can I call you that?”
Now I couldn’t stop my eyes from watering. I couldn’t stop the emotion that choked me from deep inside. And I wasn’t even ashamed. “Of course. If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
I hugged him again, feeling like the proudest man in the world. He was a full-grown adult, but I hugged him like a child. I never knew him in his youth, but I felt like I’d known him his whole life. I was too young to feel this type of parental love. But I felt it nonetheless.
“Stop hogging him,” Mom said. “We want a picture with our grandson.”
I blinked my eyes quickly and pulled away. “You’re right. He’s all yours.”
Taylor moved in next. Her pregnant belly was so big she was uncomfortable. I brought an umbrella for her so she could be in the shade at all times. Despite her enormous belly, she looked as beautiful as ever. In fact, she looked even more beautiful. “So proud of you, Clay.” She had to turn her body so her belly wouldn’t smash into him.
“Thanks.”
“Your baby brother is proud of you too.” She placed her hand on her stomach.
He did the same. “I’m sure he is. I can feel him kicking.”
She kissed his cheek and gave him another squeeze. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
Her eyes watered when he called her that. It was the first time she’d ever heard it. “We’re both so happy for you, son.” She patted his shoulder before she stepped away, her hand immediately moving under her belly because it was more comfortable for her.