by C. A. Harms
“Hello,” I said with a wave of my hand as I approached them. “I’m right here, ya know.” I dropped my bag to the floor and knelt in front of the stroller that held Lucas. “And for one, I’m a great driver.” I began unfastening the harness that held my nephew in. “Two, I’d never even consider being anything but cautious with this little man in the same car as me.” I lifted him up and placed him against my chest as he nuzzled closer. “And three,” I looked directly at my soon to be sister-in-law, “why you gotta be so mean? I thought we were friends.”
Natalie smiled and hip checked me softly just before Adam reached out and hooked her waist, pulling her back in his direction.
“So are you sure it’s okay that he stays here with you?” Nat asked Adam.
“Yeah, I got this,” he assured her. “I have a class in about thirty minutes, but Radley and Kole are around, and they can keep an eye on him.”
“Again, I’m right here,” I announced as I slowly swayed from side to side. Lucas rested his head in the crook of my neck, and I could hear him sucking on his fingers. He did that often; I thought it was some type of security when he was between meals or something.
I looked up to find both Natalie and Adam looking at me questionably without speaking.
“I came in two hours before my scheduled time,” I told them. “I was just going to lift for a while, but I can watch Luke while you meet with your class and private clients.”
Adam showed no reaction, not even a smile or a nod. He just continued to stare at me like I’d grown an extra head or something.
Natalie, on the other hand, looked shocked.
“You do know he won’t be like that all the time.” She pointed toward her son and his current state. “He’ll eventually cry and get pissed. And those fits usually result in a diaper change or a shirt covered in regurgitated breast milk.”
So I was okay with everything except the last part. My stomach may have twisted on that note, but I manned through it pretty well, I thought.
I shrugged as if to say whatever. “I got it,” I assured her. Her reaction was clear; she didn’t believe me at all. But Natalie, being the trooper she is, turned to her fiancé and placed her palm against his chest.
Raising up on her tip toes, she kissed his cheek. “They’re all your problem now,” she said as she spun on her heel and marched toward the door.
“Give me my kid,” Adam demanded, regaining my attention.
Of course, I wrapped my arms around Luke tighter and began backing away. “I just got him,” I protested.
I loved getting a rise out of my brother; he was so easy to irritate.
“Brock,” Adam said in warning as his nostrils flared.
“Catch ya later, dude,” I said as I lifted Lucas’s little hand and pretended to wave bye as I turned around and began walking toward the stairway.
Little man was about to help me out with an idea.
Girls loved babies, and I just so happened to be holding the cutest one.
***
“No really, I’m okay.” Charlie held her hands up in front of her, shaking her head when I asked her if she wanted to hold Luke.
I chuckled, and she scowled.
“You look terrified,” I stated, only making her narrow her eyes at me. “What? You do,” I said once again, and she cracked a smile.
“I wouldn’t say terrified, really,” she said as she looked toward Lucas, who I had spun around to face her. His back rested against my chest, his little butt placed firmly in the palm of my hand with my other wrapped securely around his midsection.
“I’ve held one baby my entire life, and that was when I was twelve. She screamed as if I pinched her, and the mother freaked and snatched her away, but not before she barfed all over my chest and the side of my neck.” She shook her head as if to clear the memory, and I did the worst thing I could have done.
I laughed.
Not a soft chuckle, nope. I broke free. Deep laughter fell from the depths, my chest and stomach shaking.
Lucas started to stir, and I spun him around once more, holding him close as I bounced him lightly.
“Nice reaction,” Charlie said, clearly annoyed.
“Honestly, babies cry, they puke, and sometimes worse.” I looked up and found her again staring at Luke with a horrified expression. And because I love to push people that one step further, I continued to dig in a little deeper. “I’ve witnessed this little dude piss while Adam was trying to change him, and it was only inches from hitting Natalie in the eye. And there was the time they just finished bathing him and picked him up to place him on the tile when he took a sh…” She reached out and placed her hand over my mouth.
Her eyes widened, and her head shook from side to side. “No,” she said, “stop right there.”
That laughter from earlier had nothing on the outbreak then. I had tears, and my ribs ached. I think if I wasn’t holding Lucas I may have hunched over to hold my midsection.
I had never in my life witnessed a woman so freaked out by babies. I came from a family of women who would use their fingers to wipe away the snot from their children’s faces without a second thought.
Hell, one time Kyle handed Kate a booger and said, “Yum.” She was in the middle of a conversation with someone paying very little attention to what he said, and you can just imagine what happened next when he demanded she eat it.
I’d save that story for another time, though, because I was sure Charlie would pull out one of her defense moves and I’d feel the pain for days.
“Give me my kid.” I spun around at the sound of Adam’s voice as he entered the studio.
He didn’t give me a chance to argue because he scooped up Luke and marched from the room, mumbling something about using him to hit on chicks.
I could feel Charlie’s eyes burning a hole in the side of my head, but I remained looking forward.
“Did you honestly just attempt to use that baby to hit on me?” she asked as she shoved my arm, and at that point I had no other choice but to look at her.
When I didn’t respond, she just shook her head.
“Friends, Brock,” she said clearly.
Still I said nothing, only smiled because damn it, the girl was fucking cute when she got all fired up. “Friends,” she repeated much more slowly this time.
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing because I knew it would only make things worse.
Only I didn’t do a very good job at hiding it, because she shook her head and walked away mumbling the word, “Unbelievable.”
It was then that I chuckled.
Charlie was a breath of fresh air with a touch of spice. It was hard to explain, but even when she was irritated with me, scowling and hell, even tossing me around like a rag doll, I found myself just happy to be in her presence.
Chapter Nine
Charlotte
“What’s this?” I asked when the girl I knew as Natalie handed me a small envelope.
“It’s an invitation to my wedding.” She smiled sweetly as she thrust it forward a little more.
It would be rude not to accept.
“Thanks.” I offered a smile of my own.
Class had just ended, and the room had already cleared out. The only two left were Natalie and me. She was a nice girl, as were the other two, Lexi and Megan.
I’d never really had many friends that were girls, not since I went through my dark phase.
Most girls distanced themselves from me after I lost my mother and sister. They all thought I was strange. I withdrew myself from everyone and everything. I became depressed.
I learned then that I couldn’t rely on others. I could only depend on me, because when I put my trust in others, I always got disappointed.
Though I appreciated the invite, I’d probably just skip out and come up with some excuse as to why I’d be unable to attend.
“Listen, I know you barely know me, well any of us really, but I’d love it if you could come. Megan and Lexi welcomed
me with open arms when I first came here.” I looked up and met her kind eyes with my own. “I know what it’s like to be in a new place, knowing very little about the people around me. I also know what it’s like to be hesitant to trust. So I wanted you to know that you’ve got a friend if you ever need one. Hell, you have three, but be prepared with the other two; they can get pretty personal without warrant.”
“Thanks,” I told her, and then a thought occurred to me. “By the way, how are Megan and the baby doing?”
I’d heard stories throughout the gym that Megan had finally had her baby. Radley had been out for a couple days celebrating his leap into fatherhood, so the rest of us were helping out a little more in certain areas to fill the void of his absence.
“Megan is great. It’s almost like she isn’t the same mouthy smartass she was before. She actually seems human.” Natalie laughed. “No, really though,” she continued. “She is happy and recovering. Little Rigley is adorable even though that boy has a set of lungs on him, bigger than his mom’s.”
We both laughed at that one as I imagined poor Radley being tormented by both his wife and his son.
“That’s good,” I said, still feeling slightly sorry for Rad.
“Maybe you could come with me sometime and meet the little fella.” The smile fell from my face, and I knew a look of panic replaced it.
Natalie laughed. “Oh, that’s right,” she said. “Babies freak you out.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to her comment, but I knew one thing. I was going to torture Brock for telling anyone about my first encounter with Adam and Natalie’s son.
“I wouldn’t say they freak me out.” I tried to backpedal my way out of this embarrassing moment. But Natalie wasn’t buying it, I could tell. She looked at me, saying not a word with one eyebrow arched in question.
“Okay,” I sighed in defeat. “They freak me out.”
“Wanna know a secret?” she said with a smile, and I nodded my head.
Why not? Really, what could it hurt?
“Megan had a panic attack when she had to change her first diaper.” She nodded for emphasis. “I’m talking bent over at the knees, deep breath, shaking hands, full-fledged panic attack. I guess I shouldn’t have shared so many stories of Luke peeing during diaper changes; I think I may have caused it all.”
It was then that I laughed.
I couldn’t imagine Ms. Badass I Can Handle Anything Megan flipping out over changing her son.
“It was great, and Lexi videoed the entire thing,” Natalie said with a smirk. “We plan to use it to torture her later.”
“Remind me never to have a breakdown in Lexi’s presence,” I stated. Pictures and video of embarrassing moments would haunt me forever.
“Or me,” Natalie said, “or Kole, Radley, heck even Brock. I think we all would jump at the chance to record that shit.”
She walked away laughing as she waved over her shoulder. “And if you don’t show up on Saturday at the wedding, I’ll send Brock to haul you in.”
She didn’t give me time to argue before she exited the room.
Apparently, I was attending a wedding this weekend.
***
“So I have a question.” I twisted my hands nervously when I entered Kole’s office.
“What’s up?” he asked, looking slightly concerned.
“Well, it’s nothing about the gym or the classes, so don’t worry.” I thought I better start with that so he could relax a little. And he did. I could actually see the tension in his shoulders and neck dwindle away.
“Natalie invited me to the wedding Saturday,” I said, looking around the room because I felt really weird asking him this, but there was no one else at the time. “And I don’t really know what kind of people they are or what they need. For one, is this a formal wedding, like heavy on the fancy, or more relaxed?” I didn’t let him answer that question before I fired off the next. “And I know they already live together and have a son, so what do you buy someone who most likely has everything they already need?”
Kole chuckled and motioned for me to take a seat in the chair opposite his.
After I was seated, he leaned forward on his desk and rested his elbows against the top, still holding that same smile that made me feel like a mumbling idiot.
“You’re overthinking it for one,” he began. “Adam and Natalie, all of us for that matter, are relaxed and by no means fancy. Yes, we’re wearing tuxes and dresses as the wedding party, but it’s an outdoor wedding on the beach. Come relaxed.”
I nodded, because at that point I regretted coming to his office in the first place, and I just wanted this humiliating conversation to end.
“Gifts,” Kole began again. “Don’t bring them anything big. Some trinket of sorts would thrill Natalie, and to be honest, Adam could care less.”
“Noted,” I said as I began to stand up, only to freeze at his next words.
“Can I ask you a question now?”
I finished standing and said, “Of course,” as I waited for him to continue.
“What is it about babies that terrifies you?”
I know my eyes must have widened to the size of saucers. “Do all of you stand around and share stories of each other’s weird moments? I mean, what the heck did Brock do, send out a bulletin?”
I turned around and walked out of the room, shaking my head as his laughter faded. I found myself wondering why I was even surprised that they all knew what conspired between Brock and me.
The guy had the biggest damn mouth.
Chapter Ten
Brock
I continued to tug on the tie that was around my neck. The damn thing was tight, and I swore it was cutting off my air supply.
What the hell was I thinking?
“Quit tugging on it.” I was lightly pushed forward from behind. The strength of the shove barely moved me. Rachel, a friend of Natalie’s and her old roommate from college, stepped up to my side and bumped me with her shoulder.
“I’m suffocating,” I complained as I once again attempted to loosen the vise that was driving me insane. Honestly, I felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack.
Bow ties. Whoever invented these things needed their ass kicked.
“It won’t be long, and then you can take it off.” Rachel stepped in front of me and started to adjust the tie. “But for now, you have to deal with it. You’ve got it all bunched up and looking awful.”
I swatted her hands away. “Knock it off, I got it.”
She laughed as she continued to fight me for control. “You got it looking like shit; that’s about all you got.”
Rachel was sassy, cute, and fun. She and I had been so close to hooking up a few months back when she and her longtime boyfriend had broken things off, but it didn’t happen. I’m thankful that we stopped things when we did, because we were still able to be friends. And now she and her boyfriend were back together.
It was much better that way.
“There,” she said, stepping back away from me and admiring her work. “Now leave it alone.”
She spun around and walked away toward the group of guests that were being seated.
I tilted my head from side to side and realized it felt looser. I rotated my neck, fighting against the urge to tug on it once more.
The ceremony was set to begin in less than fifteen minutes, and things were a little crazy at the moment. The wedding was taking place on the beach just outside a large venue my brother had rented out for the reception.
It actually looked amazing with white chairs positioned in two separate sections, his side and hers. A row down the center led out toward an arch decorated with a sheer white material that flowed in the gentle breeze coming in from the water.
People hurried around, making any last minute adjustments as the guests took their seats in preparation for the main event.
“You look like you’re lost in thought.” I looked to my left and was momentarily speechless.
Charlie stood a
t my side, but she looked so different from how I usually saw her.
Her long red hair was flowing down around her face and over her shoulders in big waves. She wore earrings, the dangling kind, and just enough makeup to highlight her beautiful green eyes.
As I continued to scan over her, inch by inch, I felt my throat tighten. The material of the dress she wore hugged every little curve of her body.
Now I’d seen her in workout clothing, tight tanks and even tighter pants, but something about seeing her bare legs spilling out from beneath the soft pink material that fanned out from around her waist made my heart race.
Thoughts of what I would find beneath that dress if I ventured past the hem made my mind go off like fireworks.
Suddenly the warmth of the afternoon sun beating down on us had nothing on the heat I felt from the overflow of attraction I felt for Charlie.
“You look amazing,” I said past the lump that had formed in my throat. “Gorgeous.”
Her cheeks reddened, and she tucked her chin inward, trying to hide her reaction to my words, but it was too late.
“Thank you,” she spoke softly.
Laughter from a group of guests gained Charlotte’s attention, and she turned her head just enough to allow me to see her from the side. And without a second thought, I lifted my hand and combed my fingers through her long hair. It was soft to the touch.
“Brock,” she said my name, and our gazes locked. “What are you doing?” She tried to keep her face void of what she was feeling, but it didn’t hide it well.
I stepped closer, and her breaths turned to slow pants, which only made her breast rise and fall at a faster speed.
My hand trailed upward and came to rest at the nape of her neck, as I now stood with only a few inches between us.
“Friends,” I whispered.
Repeating words she had said to me often over the last couple of weeks. I think it was more of a reminder to me, because just being friends was the last thing on my mind.
She nodded her head hesitantly, which only heightened the desire I felt. She was attracted to me too, I knew that, but this confirmed it.