“Would anyone like anything else? Steak sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, maybe some horseradish?” Ann asked politely.
I looked down at my New York Strip, which was already smothered with black garlic and blue cheese cream and paired with truffle scalloped potatoes, and said, “I’m good.”
“Mine is perfect, thanks,” Faith agreed, so Ann told us to “Enjoy” and left us to dig in.
“Mom’s doing great,” I said, answering Faith’s previous question. “She actually recently started dating Mr. Lock … er, Sam.”
“Our algebra teacher?” she asked with a disbelieving laugh.
“The very one,” I answered.
It was weird for me to think of my mom dating at all, but with the man who used to call me out in algebra for passing notes to Faith … well, that was like some kind of strange karma.
“He was sorta cute, for an older man,” Faith said with a half shrug.
“If you say so … anyway, she seems happy. And like I said, they’ve only been a couple dates.”
“That’s really sweet.”
“Speaking of parents. Your dad called me his guy earlier. Isn’t that funny? I mean, the man used to threaten me with his shotgun every time I picked you up for a date.”
Faith had just taken a bite, so she simply nodded and then answered once she swallowed.
“Yeah, both my parents are very team Mitch. Especially since the festival. They aren’t even sneaky about it; they just keep singing your praises and telling me I should stake my claim before someone else does.”
“Really?” I asked with a grin.
“You don’t have to look so pleased about it,” she joked dryly.
“Sure, I do. It’s nice to know Mr. and Mrs. Evans, or should I say Grace and Richard, since your father informed me we are all adults now, have my back and think we’d be a good fit.”
“I’m not sure your mother would feel the same way,” she said, her statement sounding more like a question.
I put down my fork and looked her in the eyes.
“Yeah, my mom was pretty upset when you left, mostly because I was, but it’s been a long time and you know she’s not one to hold a grudge. She may be a little reserved at first, but she’ll come around. She always loved you, you know that.”
Thinking about my mom now made me wonder why I hadn’t heard from her as soon as the rumors of me and Faith started.
Huh. Strange.
“I know, and I’ll make a point to go and talk to her … apologize.”
“She’d love that. Thanks,” I said, sincerely pleased that she’d make the effort. “How’s the bulgogi?”
“So delicious. I didn’t think I’d be able to eat it all, but they’d have to pry it from my dead hands at this point.”
I took a bite of my potatoes as I searched for the guts to say what I needed to.
Once I found them, I said, “I’m glad we’re talking about our families and our past and everything that’s transpired over the years, because I want to be completely honest with you. And I hope you will be with me as well.”
“Of course,” she replied, her expression curious.
“The past is the past, and I don’t want to relive it, but I’d be lying if I said these last few weeks haven’t been the best I’ve had in the last decade. I realize we have to get to know each other now, and you have Hope to consider, but I need you to know how I feel, what my intentions are.”
“Okay…”
“What I don’t want to do is freak you out, put pressure on you, or turn you off.”
“You won’t,” Faith assured me.
“I want to take you on more dates,” I told her, my palms beginning to sweat. “I want to get to know who you are now … to get to know Hope. I’m not seeing anyone else, and I haven’t in a long time. I have no desire to. I won’t move too fast by saying I want you to exclusively see me, but if I’m being honest, I won’t be seeing anyone else. I’ll leave it there for now and I hope I haven’t already said too much. But, Faith, now that you’re back in my life, I really want to keep you there.”
When she didn’t say anything and instead took a long drink of wine, I worried I’d come on too strong.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly.
“Yeah,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I’m not having an attack or anything. I’m a little surprised, is all. I guess I never imagined we’d be able to get back to this place with everything that’s happened.”
“I didn’t either,” I admitted with a sharp laugh.
“But I’m so happy we did,” Faith said, her face opening up. “I’d love to date you, Mitch, and get to know the man you are now.”
“Really?” I asked.
She nodded and said, “Absolutely. And Hope already thinks you’re the best thing ever.”
“I think she’s amazing.”
“Thank you, that means the world to me. And Mitch? There’s no one else I’m interested in seeing either.”
And just like that, it was the new best night of my life.
19
Faith
My stomach was full, and I had a little buzz from the wine, so staying awake during the ride home was a struggle.
Mitch singing I Kissed a Girl at the top of his lungs helped.
By the time his truck parked at the curb of my parents’ house, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
“Your Katy Perry impression is pretty good,” I told him as I took my seatbelt off and shifted to face him.
“Thanks, my girlfriend in high school was a big fan, so I got a lot of practice,” he joked, turning toward me.
“I had a really great time tonight.”
“Me, too. Thanks for agreeing to go out with me. I honestly wasn’t sure you ever would,” Mitch said, shifting a little closer.
“Neither was I,” I admitted, leaning in slightly.
Mitch lifted his hand slowly, as if giving me time to tell him to stop. When I didn’t, he caressed my cheek with his thumb and cupped my chin. Then, still moving ever so slowly, his eyes watching my expression, he dipped his head down and brushed his lips over mine.
The first touch was magnetic. My entire body seemed to hum and come to life from that simple connection.
His scent unfurled around me, all spicy and subtle, and I found myself inching even closer and tilting my head to deepen the kiss. Mitch caught my drift, because his arms came around me and he held me tight as his tongue delved between my lips.
It was glorious.
Sexy, and getting more heated with each second, yet familiar.
I pushed my hand into his hair while winding the other around to grab on to the back of his shirt.
Someone moaned, I think it was Mitch, and we began making out with everything we had. Our hands and mouths seemed to be everywhere at once, exploring once-familiar landscape. I don’t know how much time passed, that’s how caught up in each other we were, but eventually a tapping sound broke through our lust-filled haze, and we pulled apart.
“Did you hear something?” Mitch asked.
“Mm, I think so,” I replied through swollen lips.
“Shit … it’s your dad.”
“What?” I cried, turning my head to see the outline of a large man through the window.
I rolled it down and lamely said, “Hey, Dad.”
“I appreciate your quick work, Mitch, but we’ve got neighbors and neighbors talk, so I’m gonna have to ask you to move along,” he said, his voice tinged with humor. “Come on, Faith, stop fogging up the windows and get inside before you give Hope ideas.”
“Oh my God,” I whispered, wishing I could disappear. I quickly rolled up the window and said, “I’ll be right out,” before turning to Mitch with wide eyes.
He looked like he was choking back laughter.
“Are you laughing right now?” I asked, slapping him on the arm. “I feel like a teenager again getting caught by my dad. This is so humiliating. I’d better get out of the car before someone does see. I don’t
want to be in the Scoop tomorrow.”
Some laughter escaped his lips and that was all it took, Mitch started laughing so hard he had tears beading up at the corner of his eyes.
His laughter was contagious, and a giggle escaped me against my will, but I got a handle on it before I could end up in a fit like Mitch.
“Get a hold of yourself,” I said lightly, leaning in to kiss his cheek before saying, “Call me and drive safe.”
Mitch could only nod, so I gave him a small wave and opened the door to join my father, who was still waiting on the curb.
“Did you have a good time?” my dad asked when I hooked my arm through his and we started up the walkway.
“Yeah. Dinner was delicious and Mitch and I got on great. It was as if we’d never been apart.”
“Where did you end up going?”
“Walkers in Billings, have you been? You and Mom would love it.”
He opened the door and held it so I could walk in.
“Not yet, but I’ve heard good things. Maybe I should make a reservation for her birthday.”
“You totally should,” I agreed.
“You may as well crash in your old room tonight. Hope has been dead to the world for hours now, no use disrupting her sleep.”
“Sounds good,” I replied, thinking how much nicer it would be to climb upstairs and crawl in bed than get Hope to go to our house. “Thanks, Dad. Good night.”
“Night, princess.”
Once I was in my childhood bedroom, I closed the door and moved to the dresser. Both Hope and I kept clothes here just in case, so I pulled out a nightdress and changed into it, before hanging the dress I’d been wearing in the closet.
I walked around the room, my gaze going from the pictures I’d taped to my vanity, to the trophies and certificates lining the shelves. The room was pretty much how I’d left it after graduation, right down to the poster of Robert Pattinson I had hanging on the back of my door.
I’d been a huge Twilight fan.
I turned on the lamp on my side table before turning off the light, then put my phone on the charger and got into bed.
Before putting the room into complete darkness to go to sleep, I glanced at the framed photo of Mitch and me at prom. We looked so innocent and happy. Mitch had no idea in a few short weeks I’d leave him. Heck, at that point, I hadn’t even known.
Leave the past in the past, I thought, then switched off the light and turned my thoughts to everything that had transpired that night.
It really had been perfect, and I was happy to realize that thought didn’t scare me.
20
Mitch
“Mom, you home?” I called as I entered the small one-bedroom home she’d moved into a few years back.
After years of trying to maintain the house I’d grown up in and hold on to the memories of my dad in that house, I’d finally talked her into selling and moving into something that made more sense. Not just financially, but she didn’t need to kill herself trying to keep a three-thousand square-foot house, especially after I’d moved out and she was living there alone.
This house was much more manageable and was only a few houses down from one of her best friends, so she was really happy living here.
When I didn’t hear her reply, I wandered into the kitchen. Usually, if she wasn’t in the living room watching her shows, she was either in the kitchen baking something or in the backyard gardening.
The kitchen was empty, so I looked out the back door, only to find it empty as well.
“What in the world?” I muttered, starting to get worried.
Thinking she was sick or worse, I rushed down the hall to her bedroom and opened the door.
I was not prepared for what I stumbled upon.
“Holy shit! What the hell?” I managed before I brought my hands up to cover my eyes and spun around.
My mother and Mr. Locke were in her bed. Together.
“Oh, calm down, Mitchell. We’re decent,” my mother said, but all I could think was, Yeah, now…
“I’m going to go to the kitchen … make some tea,” I said a touch too loudly and got out of the room as if I was being chased by ghosts.
I thought I may have heard some laughter following me down the hall, but I did my best to pretend nothing existed in the house beyond the kitchen.
Once the tea kettle was on the stove, I grabbed the box filled with assorted tea bags out of the pantry and placed it on the counter. That’s when my mother came in, tying her robe and shaking her head.
“Really, Mitchell, you act as if you’ve never seen two people share a bed before.”
“In my defense, I’ve never seen those two people … er … you and anyone other than Dad, share a bed before,” I replied. “I thought you two just started seeing each other.”
“It’s been a few months now and we actually just got back from a trip to the hot springs. It was really lovely, you should go sometime … very relaxing,” she said, giving me a look that said I needed to relax.
“Wait, you went on a trip with him and didn’t even tell me?” I asked, completely taken aback.
“I didn’t realize I needed your permission,” my normally sweet, non-sarcastic mother said dryly.
“That’s not what I meant. Of course you don’t … I’m just in a little shock here.”
“I’ll make you some chamomile, that’ll help calm your nerves,” she said, moving to grab the cups off of the hanging rack I’d build into the wall.
“I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from you … you were out of town and preoccupied with Mr. Locke.”
She sighed and said, “Call him Sam. He’s not your teacher anymore and I’d like you two to get to know each other better.”
I thought about the fact she’d been alone since my father passed. Sam was the first man she’d shown any interest in, so I pushed my feelings to the side. Sure, the thought of my mother having sex with my algebra teacher gave me the willies, but I did want her to be happy. I simply needed to not think about them in that way.
In my mind their relationship would remain strictly PG.
“Okay, Mom, sure … you bet,” I said, accepting the mug she offered. “Speaking of relationships, have you heard anything about me and Faith?”
Her head shot up and she asked, “No, should I have? I wasn’t aware there was a you and Faith any longer.”
I couldn’t quite gauge her tone, so I treaded lightly.
After clearing my throat, I said, “Well, we ran into each other a few weeks back. Then again. And she came by my place with her daughter to pick out one of the kittens I told you about. Things kind of progressed organically from there … I bid on her basket at the festival and won, and then last night we went out on our first official date.”
“Wow,” she said, putting down her cup a little too forcefully. “I hadn’t realized … I honestly thought you were still upset with her and had been avoiding her since she came back.”
“I was,” I agreed. “But we talked and hashed through all of that, and I decided to leave the past in the past and see what happens now.”
“With Faith,” she surmised.
“Yes. With Faith and Hope,” I amended. “And I know it may take you a while to be okay with us seeing each other again, but I hope you’ll give her another shot.”
She took a sip and glanced at me thoughtfully.
“She really hurt you.”
“I know, but she had her reasons. I hope you’ll let her tell you about them one day.”
“You’re sure this is what you want?” she asked.
I nodded and said, “I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about her. That hasn’t changed. I thought it would have, with everything that happened, but it hasn’t. We both want to get to know the people we are now and see what happens.”
“Hmmm,” was all she said.
“Can you do that? Please?” I asked, taking her hand in mine.
“I can, if you’ll do the same with Sam,” she replie
d, and I couldn’t help but wonder when my mother had gotten so devious. “In fact, he’d like to take you golfing.”
“Wow, that’s how you’re going to play this? Blackmail?”
“Whatever works, sweetheart. Whatever works.”
21
Faith
“Good afternoon, Ms. Jackson,” I said as I walked down Town Square.
“Afternoon, Faith. How’s your darling girl?” she asked.
“Hope’s wonderful, thanks for asking.”
I kept walking, enjoying the sun on my face as I came to my destination. Queen’s Unmentionables, Liv’s lingerie shop.
“Hello, hello,” I called out when I walked inside.
“Faith?” a voice asked from the back room.
“The one and only,” I replied, walking over to the mannequin on display to feel the silkiness of the lingerie it wore.
“Someone sounds chipper today,” Liv said, coming out of the back with a box in her arms.
“Can’t complain,” I said, moving to look inside the box. “New inventory?”
“Yup, just came in. You want first dibs?” she asked, placing the box on the counter by the register.
“You know it,” I said eagerly, sticking my hands in like a kid at Christmas. “Oh, this is gorgeous.”
It was lavender silk with a lace bodice and cutout back.
“I bet I know a certain someone who would fall over if he saw you in that.”
I held the lingerie up against me and looked at her.
“Well, we’re not quite at that level yet, but yeah … I think Mitch would enjoy this. Until then, it’ll be a treat just for me.”
“Atta girl.”
I put the piece to the side and kept digging.
“How are things with you and Ryder? Any closer to finalizing the divorce?” I asked.
They’d been legally separated almost a year but could not come to an agreement over custody of their parrot, Kiwi. I knew how hard it had been on Olivia, and I had to wonder if this divorce was what she really wanted. Still, she was my best friend, so I was there for her in any capacity she needed.
Perfect Summer: Mason Creek, book 7 Page 7