by Natalie Ann
Her mother knew she had been fearful of Trey going into that line of work.
“He looks mighty good in gear and a uniform. I might have been wrong to think what I did.”
Her mother laughed. “Looks aren’t everything.”
“No. But I was young and silly. I guess I was afraid of being alone at night or if something happened. I’m not afraid of being alone anymore and I know anything can happen to anyone at any time.”
“That’s right to both. Again though, you need to go after what you want now.”
She didn’t think that about herself like her mother was saying. “How can you say that I don’t go after things?”
“Trey might have been the only boy you approached that I remember. Kevin made the first move on you and your father and I should have put our foot down more. He was too old for you.”
“I was eighteen,” she said.
“And you’ve always been more mature than most and knew what you wanted. I still think he played you to get what he wanted, but he had us all fooled for those first few years.”
“Let’s not go there again. He was a born salesman and I fell for it.”
“Did you love him?” her mother asked. “Be honest with me. It doesn’t matter the answer, but I just wanted to know.”
“I did. In the beginning he was great. He was sweet and treated me so well.”
“He was a rebound for you from Trey.”
“He was and they are two different people.”
“They are,” her mother said. “We knew you fell for Kevin’s charm, but none of us expected that fast of an engagement. We should have tried to talk you into waiting until you were done with college. Or least pushed for you to stay there and not transfer home after that first semester.”
“It’s in the past and there is no use rehashing it. I’m trying to put it behind me and move on.”
“Or move back with Trey?” her mother asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Is it because of the baby or Trey?” her mother asked.
She sighed. “I went there to see Trey before I knew he had a child, but now I do wonder if he might think it’s because of the baby. He knew how much I wanted to get married and have kids.”
“I think you scared him off, Whitney.”
Might as well be honest. “It was one of the things that came up when he said he needed space. You know that. I told you. Not in those words, but he said I was moving too fast. He had his career lined up and wanted to have fun and I was talking about wedding colors. It was fanciful talk from a romantic girl is all.”
“But was it?” her mother asked.
“It doesn’t matter now. It never came about and I went on to marry someone else.”
“Your father and I tried to control as much as we could even after you were married. I just didn’t have a good feeling about things.”
“Looking back it was a good thing that I couldn’t get the home loan in our name. I hadn’t realized Kevin’s credit was so bad, but he never questioned it when it went through. He didn’t ask how much the house was costing. I think he thought you guys were giving it to us or at a cheap price.”
Her mother laughed. “Which we did, but it still was a big expense that you didn’t need in college.”
She shook her head, remembering that her parents told them to live in one of the townhouses they owned for free while she was in college. She was working part time for the business and Kevin worked full time. He never had any idea of the bills or made payments. He gave her part of his check but made sure they split the bills. What a dick back then when he had so much more than her.
“He thought I was an endless money tree. Or was going to be. If I didn’t have it, he figured I’d get it from you.”
“You allowed him to think that way,” her mother said.
She wasn’t going to tell her mother about the debt Kevin racked up during their marriage and the loans she had to take out, the money she spent on him either. Not just the cars or the clothes. The jewelry he bought her on their shared credit cards she never wanted and ended up paying for. The list was endless.
“In the beginning. I put a stop to it. By doing that I never saw his charges and I wonder if that allowed him to cheat.”
“You don’t know that, Whitney. He treated you like crap almost a year into the marriage. He talked down to you all the time on top of it. He did that in front of us so I can only imagine how bad it was when people weren’t around.”
“No comment.”
“And I’m getting all worked up again thinking of this. So back to Trey.”
“There is nothing to go back to.”
“Do you want there to be?” her mother asked.
“I think I’m willing to explore it.”
“Then step out of your comfort zone and make that move.”
Her mother left after that and Whitney got back to work. But she couldn’t stop thinking of the conversation and pulled her phone out. For all she knew Trey was working so she wouldn’t call, but texting had never been her thing either.
She put her head on the desk, then took a deep breath. Texting was the easy way out. She’d call and leave a message if he didn’t answer. Making that step her mother accused her of never doing.
She hit the button and heard the phone ringing. By the third ring she was trying to figure out what to leave on the message and fighting the urge to hang up when she heard, “Hello.”
“Hi, Trey. It’s Whitney.”
“Yeah, I know. Your name came up.”
There was humor in his voice. “True. Anyway, I was thinking maybe you wouldn’t mind getting dinner some time. With Ben of course. I’m sure you don’t want to find a sitter or ask anyone, but if you want to that is fine too. I mean whatever works for you. I’m flexible. Or not.”
“Take a breath, Whitney.”
Jesus, she was doing it again. She hadn’t done this in years. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Dinner sounds good, but I’m starting my rotation tomorrow. I’ll be working Thursday and Friday days and then Saturday and Sunday night.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize that. Who watches Ben when you’re working nights?”
“Gillian. She lives upstairs from me. If she can’t, my parents will take Ben.”
“That’s nice. So that means you will work the following weekend too, right?” This was a mistake. It would be weeks at this stage before they could go on a date. Why didn’t she think of this?
“Yes,” he said. “Hang on a second.” He put the phone down and she heard muffled voices, then he came back. “Sorry, I’m working with my father right now.”
“Wasn’t your father a fireman too?”
“He was. He retired. He had a plumbing and heating business on the side back then. Now it’s his full-time job and I work it on my days off from the firehouse.”
She remembered that now and should have realized he’d take after his father completely. He even talked about going to trade school to get licensed while he waited to get into the firehouse.
Everyone said she was the planner, but he was too. That was one of the reasons she thought they’d be perfect for each other.
“So you’re working now and are busy. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I was going to reach out, but life gets away from me at times.”
“I’m sure it does. How is Ben? Still drooling?”
“He is. Had a tooth pop through yesterday so I guess you were right.”
“I bet he looks cute with that lone tooth. Hope he didn’t keep you up at night if he was in pain.”
“Nah. He had a little fever but slept through most of it. He’s a great sleeper.”
“That’s good. And I should let you get back to work.”
He laughed. “Before we can set a time for dinner?”
“Oh, you want to?”
“Sure,” he said. “If you don’t mind doing it during the week; otherwise, it’s going to be a while.”
“Why
don’t you tell me what works for you.”
“I finish my rotation Sunday night. Monday or Tuesday sound good?”
“It does,” she said. “Why don’t I cook for you and Ben?”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” he said.
“I offered. I promise the house is safe, but you can bring that detector again to double check.”
“I’m sure it’s fine. There is no way your family would let you back in the house if it wasn’t. And I even know where you live,” he said.
“Which is more than I can say about your place.”
“My place isn’t anything special,” he said quietly.
Here they went again. She remembered he had a lot of uncertainty when they were dating. Funny how Trey always worried that he didn’t measure up and Kevin took advantage when he didn’t even come close to being as worthy as Trey was.
“I’m sure your place is a wonderful home for Ben,” she said.
“Yeah. Well, I’ve got to go. I’ll be in touch.”
“Bye, Trey,” she said, hanging up and putting her phone to her chest like she did as a teen when she was done talking to him.
No, no. Not going there again. He was her first love. Her first heartbreak.
Having dinner with him and talking didn’t mean she was going to let herself get carried away again.
No way. Never again.
7
Embarrassing and Upsetting
Trey was wondering what he was doing pulling into Whitney’s driveway with Ben in the backseat playing with a toy on the short trip over.
He took a deep breath, parked and got out, then opened the back to get Ben and the diaper bag he’d packed. Mr. Mom coming up.
The front door was opened before he had a chance to knock. Whitney was standing there in jeans that fit her slim body and a T-shirt that showed off the curves she had on top. Her breasts weren’t the first he’d touched in his life, but he remembered the most about hers.
“Well hello there, Ben,” she said, reaching right for the baby. He lifted his eyebrow up and realized that was probably more what this visit was about. She’d had a thing for babies, he knew that.
He transferred his son over. “He’s a little fussy because he’s on the hungry side.”
“Dinner is all set and I hope he can eat it.”
“If he can’t I’ve got everything I need here,” he said, patting the bag on his shoulder. No frilly woman’s bag but a backpack style that was easier to carry and was more...manly. “Shit. I forgot his booster seat.”
“No problem. He can sit on my lap,” Whitney said.
He laughed, thinking maybe he wouldn’t mind having her sit on his lap again and then had to get those thoughts out of his head.
“I’m a whiz at making do,” he said.
“Why don’t we go to the kitchen and you can put your stuff down. Do you want a tour? Can Ben wait or we can do it after dinner? I mean I know you were in the house already.”
“In my gear and looking for danger. But he seems content if you want to show us around.”
“All they need is some distraction,” she said, tickling his son’s belly. “This is the kitchen, pretty open and basic.”
“High end,” he mumbled, but she did like to cook so it made sense.
“Formal dining room to the left that I don’t use often. No reason to anymore. A little breakfast nook to the right, but I usually just sit at the island.”
“I’d probably do that too.” There were four high back chairs with arms on them, not basic stools that would numb a person’s butt.
“Family room there. It’s easy to see it all. I like the open space. I’m sure you noticed the front had an office.”
He had. The dining room was off the front too, two entrances to it and it flowed well. “It’s a nice light and bright space. Exactly how you always said you wanted a home.”
Whitney paused when he said that and looked at him, holding his stare longer than necessary. “You remember well. It’s that way now.”
He took that to mean she probably made a bunch of changes when the ex left. “It’s nice. Simple. I like simple.”
“I remember that about you too,” she said.
She walked to the door leading to the basement and opened it. They made their way down and he got a better look at the finished living area with the bar. “I didn’t picture you the type to have a bar in the basement.”
“It wasn’t my first choice and this space isn’t used anymore. I come down here and dust, but that is about it. I use the gym over here.”
He peeked his head in but remembered seeing the treadmill, bike, weights and mats from the other day. “Nice.”
“There is a guest bedroom and bath in the back along with some storage. I guess this could be a small apartment for someone since there is a walkout, but it never got to be used to its full potential.”
“I’m sure it will someday,” he said, then turned to follow her up the stairs, then to another set of stairs off the front.
“Four bedrooms and three full baths up here.”
“Wow,” he said.
“One is a Jack and Jill for the two rooms, the other is a hall with just a shower, not a tub.”
“You’ve thought of it all,” he said.
“Again, not used to its full potential.”
He was glancing into the open doors. The rooms were all spacious but not over the top either. “This is nice,” he said when they got to the end with the double doors opened to the master. “I like the vaulted ceilings.”
“Thanks. I wanted the fourth bedroom over making this room any bigger. I don’t do much in here and don’t need a ton of furniture.”
“Seems like a lot of space to me.” Just reminding him again she was way out of his league. Her upstairs was probably the same size as his entire apartment. Just because he owned the home didn’t make it any less of an apartment.
Ben started to squirm in her arms. “I think someone is ready to eat,” she said.
“Yeah. It was good while it lasted. I’ll take him if you want.”
“I’ve got him. You have him all the time. But once we get to the kitchen I’ll have to pass him over.”
They made their way back down the stairs, his eyes looking at pictures on the wall. Mainly family and simple artwork. Nothing over the top or elaborate there either. The house spoke that on its own.
“How long have you lived here?”
“About ten years. Alone for four. It’s much better alone.”
She was smiling when she said it. “I’m sure though it’s a lot of space for one person.”
“It is. It can be lonely too, but it’s mine. Well, it was always mine.”
That said something else too. The Butlers kept what was theirs, not letting others in. He knew that back then when he was feeling insecure about measuring up as a teen.
His middle-class parents wouldn’t know how to relate to the Butlers even though they’d always seemed down to earth to him.
“I’m sure.”
“That was wrong of me to say. Have a seat with Ben while I get dinner on the table and I’ll explain if you want. I’m sure you’re dying to know. Or maybe I want to make sure you know the facts and not the rumors that were moving over the area.”
“I don’t have time to listen to much about other people’s lives.”
She angled her head. “You were always that way.”
He took Ben from her while she pulled dinner out of the oven. Damn, she made roast beef. She went all out. “Do you want me to cut that for you?”
She smiled at him. “I’m pretty capable of carving a piece of meat.”
“Well then,” he said.
The table was set in the breakfast nook and he moved over there with Ben’s bag and pulled out his bottle and jar of fruit. “I’ve got mashed potatoes in the warming oven with biscuits. Both soft for Ben. I know the roast beef is probably a no go, but I can put it in the blender if you want.”
“And ruin
it?” he said, laughing. “No, that is fine. I’ve got a jar of little meat sticks here he likes to pick up and eat. Gross things, but they make him happy. The mashed potatoes will work, maybe a few small pieces of the biscuits. You went to a lot of trouble. Thanks, but why?”
“I don’t get to cook for people often. I was doing it for Ryan more, but since he’s married now, it’s just me. Shannon loves to cook so it’s not like I can bring stuff over there. I could, but why bother? She’s got a houseful.”
“A houseful?” he asked.
He had Ben on his lap while Whitney moved everything to the table. He felt bad and wanted to help, but unless he put Ben on the floor where he’d take off in a crawl faster than the first lap at the Indy 500, this was the best bet.
“Shannon was a young widow. She moved here with her two kids after her husband died suddenly. She was from the West Coast and still works for her husband’s business as a finance director or something. She had been bought out by Tyler’s partner so she really doesn’t need to work, but like me, it’s just part of her.”
So not just Kaelyn marrying a millionaire, but by the sounds of it, Ryan did too. What the hell was he doing here?
“Not everyone is meant to be a stay at home mom. Even you always planned on working.”
“I did. Or do. Things don’t always go as planned.”
He snorted. “Tell me about it.”
“Shannon’s sister Zoe moved with her and lives in an apartment in their finished basement. She’s the nanny and helps Shannon out. It was nice she moved across the country here with her so she wasn’t alone.”
“Why come here?”
“No clue,” Whitney said. “I never really asked. Anyway that’s the story to Ryan. As for me, I’m divorced. We know that. I kicked Kevin’s lying cheating ass out of my house four years ago and haven’t regretted it once. I just regret it took me so long to realize the full truth.”
“That he was cheating on you?” he asked.
“Start eating. Can I get you a drink?”
“Water is good.”
She moved to the fridge and got two bottles of water while he started to get Ben set to eat, then filled his plate. He knew his son would be reaching for his food, but he could distract him enough. He’d done it plenty.