Match Me Up

by Parker, Weston

  “I’m feeling great.”

  “You’re okay with last night?” I questioned.

  She was quiet for a second before she jolted up. “Oh my gosh!”

  “What’s wrong?” I asked with alarm.

  “I’m so sorry!”

  “About?” My palms were suddenly sweaty. She was going to realize she made a mistake and declare we couldn’t be together. Again.

  “I didn’t say it.”

  “What didn’t you say?”

  She smiled and pushed the blankets back before climbing over me. I didn’t know what she forgot to say but I liked where this was going. I ran my hands up her thighs and then over her hips. I pulled her hips and rubbed her over the erection that had sprung to life.

  She laughed softly and moved away from the erection that was suddenly very eager for the morning. “I love you,” she said.

  I couldn’t believe I heard the words. My eyes met hers. “You love me?”

  She smiled and bobbed her head up and down. “I do. I love you. I’m sorry I didn’t say it last night. I was caught up in this magical moment and the words didn’t come.”

  I sat up and kissed her. My arms wrapped around her and held her close as we sealed the sweetest words I ever heard. One thing led to another, and before we knew it, we were late for Christmas.

  “Thomas.” She said my name with so much emotion, I immediately stopped walking toward the car and turned to look at her. She had stopped walking.

  “What is it?”

  “Do you think we can take a slight detour before we go to your parents’ house?”

  “Whatever you need.”

  “I’d like to go by my dad’s house,” she said. “I got him a gift. Nothing big, but I’d like to give it to him. I don’t even know if he’ll be there, but I don’t want him to think I don’t care.”

  “I think that’s a good idea.”

  She looked up the address she had for him. After his wife died and the drinking took hold, the man lost everything, including her childhood home. We drove to a sketchy part of town and found the address he’d given her.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” I asked.

  “If you don’t mind,” she said. “I’m not sure what kind of mood he’s going to be in.”

  I got out of the car and held her hand as we approached the door. She took a deep breath. “We can leave it on the stoop if you want,” I offered.

  She shook her head. “No, I need to do this.”

  She knocked on the door and we both waited. A hundred different scenarios played through my mind. I hoped the guy wasn’t violent. I would not let him hurt her physically or emotionally. He was her father, but he hadn’t been her dad in a long time. She had every right to cut him from her life if she wanted and I would support that decision.

  The door opened. A round woman with red hair pulled back looked at us. She was wearing an apron and there was the smell of bacon coming from within the house. I immediately assumed we had the wrong address. My arm went around Lily to try and shield her from the pain of not knowing where her father was.

  The woman looked at Lily, then me, then back at Lily. “Hello, hon,” she said. “You’re Lily.”

  That was unexpected. “You know me?” Lily asked.

  “I know of you,” the woman answered. “I’m Layla. Come on in. We were just getting ready to have breakfast. Your father is in his chair.”

  Lily didn’t move. She was just as stunned as I was. “Do you want to go in?” I asked her.

  She looked at me with total surprise. “I think I have to.”

  Layla opened the door and we stepped inside the tiny, rundown home. “Bob, you have company,” Layla announced.

  Lily took a few steps inside, and sure enough, her father was sitting in an old recliner with his feet up. A remote was in his hand. He took one look at Lily and dropped the remote. He flipped the footrest down and was out of the chair faster than an Olympian.

  “Lily!” he exclaimed and wrapped his arms around her. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

  “Dad?” she questioned.

  “You look good,” he said. “You’re so pretty. I’ve missed you.”

  “I don’t understand,” Lily said. “You’re sober.”

  The man’s shoulders drooped. “I am. I’m trying anyway. Me and Layla are helping each other.”

  I could feel her hurt and pain. I didn’t know how to prevent it. Seeing her dad healthy and alive was obviously difficult. I knew they had not spoken in a long time. He had moved on with his life and left Lily to figure it out on her own.

  “I didn’t mean to bother you,” Lily said. “I thought, well, I didn’t know what I thought.”

  “Sit down, please,” her father said. “I need to explain and apologize.”

  I waited for Lily to make a move. We sat down and waited.

  “I was in a bad way for a long time,” her father started. “I couldn’t find my way out. I know I mistreated you and I’m sorry for that. I can’t tell you how awful I feel about what I did to you. I’m kind of glad I was so drunk I don’t remember a lot, but I know it was bad.”

  “Why haven’t you called me?” Lily asked.

  “I was ashamed,” he said with his head hung low. “I heard you moved to Austin and I figured you were moving on with your life. You didn’t need me dragging you down.”

  “I got you a Christmas card,” Layla said. “We didn’t have your address though. Your daddy lost his wallet and phone a couple of months back. Some guys found him passed out and mugged him after they beat him up real good. I tried finding your number but he didn’t know who to ask.”

  “You were hurt?” Lily asked.

  Her father chuckled. “I think they beat some sense into me. After that night, I spent a few days in the hospital. A good doctor got me into a rehab place. Layla and me are both ninety-two days sober. She kicked my butt into gear. I’ve been looking for a job and we’re going to get a nice house again. Layla is an accountant. She’s been looking for a job too.”

  “Dad, I’m so proud of you,” Lily said. “Layla, thank you for taking care of him.”

  “Oh, honey, he’s been taking care of me too. We were two lost souls who found each other in the gutter. It could have gone either way. When I got the call from the police that morning about your father being in the hospital, it was the wakeup call I needed. Like your daddy, I lost my husband. We never had any kids. I was lost for a long time but not anymore.”

  I didn’t want to point out the obvious, but I was pretty damn sure we were witnessing a Christmas miracle. Lily wiped her eyes. “I’m so happy for the two of you. Thomas needs to get to his family’s house, but I’d like to come by before we head back to Austin.”

  “Who is this young man?” her father asked.

  “This is Thomas,” Lily answered. “Tamlyn’s brother. Do you remember Tamlyn?”

  “I do.”

  “Thomas is my boyfriend,” Lily announced. “We live together in Austin. I’m going to school to get my master’s.”

  “Good for you,” her father said before looking at me. “Thank you for taking care of my little girl when I couldn’t.”

  “My pleasure,” I said and meant it.

  “I brought you a gift,” Lily said and handed the small box to her father. “I’m going to come back tomorrow before we leave. Okay?”

  “We’d love to have you,” Layla said. “Let me get your number and I promise I won’t let him lose it.”

  On our way to my parents’ house, Lily was very quiet. “Are you okay?” I asked her.

  “I am. I’m stunned. I really thought he’d be dead or close to it. I never expected to see him picking up the pieces of his life after he destroyed it. I’m happy for him. I’m not going to jump right into the miracle camp because I know this is a hard journey. Either one of them could slip and pull the other one down. I’ll be there as much as I can, but I need to remember my own happiness.”

  “I think you are a pretty a
mazing woman,” I said. “You’re a bigger person than most. I think you’re doing the right thing. I believe it’s called cautiously optimistic.”

  “Something like that.” She grinned. “Now to face the next hurdle of the day.”

  “Tamlyn,” I said.

  “Yep. We’ll see if she’s ever going to talk to me again.”

  “She will. I have no doubt in my mind she will.”

  When we got to the house, I wasn’t quite so sure that was going to happen. Tamlyn was giving Lily the cold shoulder. She was avoiding her at all costs. When Lily gave her the gift she bought, Tamlyn barely managed to say thank you. I was going to have a talk with her and set her straight.

  Lily went into the kitchen to help my mom and the others with dinner and I took my opportunity to corner my sister. “Come outside with me,” I said.

  “No.”

  “Tamlyn, quit acting like a spoiled brat and get your ass outside.”

  “I don’t want to talk to you.”

  “Too fucking bad, get outside before I drag you out there,” I hissed.

  “Don’t act like you’re tougher than me because you’re bigger,” she snapped.

  “Wanna find out?”

  She huffed and puffed and stomped out the back door. She had her arms folded across her chest and glared at me. “What do you want?”

  “Why are you acting like this?”

  “Like what?”

  “Tamlyn, you’re acting like a jealous ex,” I said bluntly.

  “She’s my best friend, Thomas!”

  I nodded. “Yes, she is, which is why it’s pretty shitty you’re treating her like this,” I said.

  “You’re hooking up with my best friend,” she growled. “We always said we would never go after one another’s friends. You broke the rule.”

  “I’m not hooking up with her,” I said. “I love her. We’re together. It’s not a casual thing.”

  She curled her lip. “Gross. I don’t want to hear that.”

  “Too bad. It’s true. It’s happening. You need to figure out how to accept it.”

  “I don’t have to do anything,” she said. “I sent her to live with you because she needed help. You weren’t supposed to take advantage of her.”

  “I did not take advantage of her,” I stated firmly. “Lily and I are serious. We want to be together.”

  “She needed a place to stay and you took advantage of that.”

  “I did no such thing. We both went into this with eyes wide open.”

  “Whatever,” she said. “I’m pissed at both of you.”

  She always had to have the last word and stomped back in the house before I could argue my point of view. There was nothing I could do about it. Tamlyn wanted to dig her heels in and that was that. She could be pissed. Lily and I were in love, and we were going to be together. Period.

  39

  Lily

  “You and Thomas make a great couple,” his mother said as I helped her in the kitchen.

  “Thank you.”

  “I had no idea the two of you were together. How long has that been a thing?”

  This was a tricky question. “We were kind of seeing each other before Thanksgiving but put the brakes on for a few weeks.”

  She started laughing, which surprised me. “I can’t believe he was right!”

  “Who was right?”

  “That husband of mine. He said I made you uncomfortable that night we were eating pie. When me and Mom were talking about babies and what not. My husband said you turned white and looked like you were going to run back to Austin. I thought he was crazy. I freaked you out, didn’t I?”

  I smiled, unable to deny it. “It was a little shocking.”

  “I’m sorry, hon. I would never pressure you into having babies before you’re ready. My son on the other hand? Well, I’ve been putting the screws to him since he hit puberty. I know Tamlyn isn’t going to be ready anytime soon.”

  “It’s fine,” I told her.

  “You have another year of school?”

  “Year and a half,” I said.

  “You take your time. I can see you make Thomas very happy. That’s all I really care about.”

  “Thank you. And thank you for letting me crash your Christmas.”

  “You’re family,” she said. “Almost officially now!”

  The woman moved fast. I smiled, nodded, and carried the mashed potatoes to the table. At dinner, Tamlyn wouldn’t look at me. It was killing me to have her so pissed at me. I had to try and make things right.

  “Are you ready to head to the hotel?” Thomas asked.

  “Give me ten minutes,” I said when I saw Tamlyn go upstairs. I was going to corner her and make her talk to me.

  “Good luck,” he warned. “She is worse than a rabid animal. Dad’s got a shotgun around here somewhere if I need it.”

  I gave him a quick kiss. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  I jogged upstairs and walked into her bedroom without invitation. She looked at me. “Excuse me,” she said and tried to get around me.

  I stepped in front of her. “Hear me out.”

  “I have nothing to say to you.”

  “Tamlyn, I love him,” I blurted out. “And he loves me. You can’t be mad about that.”

  “He’s my brother, Lily.”

  “I know, and trust me, I didn’t think this would happen. I tried to avoid it, but damn it, I fell in love with him.”

  “How do you know you love him?” she asked. “What if this is some version of Stockholm Syndrome?”

  “Uh, he didn’t kidnap me,” I said.

  “No, but you were in a bad place and you needed help. He took advantage.”

  I shook my head. “No, he didn’t. He was nothing but a perfect gentleman. This thing between us grew over weeks. It wasn’t anything fast. I can’t explain it, but we get along so well. He feels like my other half. I feel so good when I’m with him. He makes me happy. I make him happy. I know it’s not ideal for you, but can’t you be happy for us?”

  “How long has it been going on?” she asked.

  This was dangerous territory. “A couple of months,” I confessed.

  Her mouth dropped open. “A couple of months! Were you two fucking around when I was there?”

  “We’re not fucking around,” I said. “And no. I did have feelings for him back then, but I didn’t act on them. I didn’t know how to tell you.”

  “Thanksgiving?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “Wow. I talked to you and asked you point blank if you were seeing anyone!”

  “I know,” I groaned. “I wanted to tell you, but Thomas and I weren’t sure if things were going to work out. We didn’t want to have a breakup and things get messy. We wanted some time to figure things out on our own first.”

  “You should have told me,” she said.

  “I know. I wish I would have. Just know I love him. You did a good thing when you put us together. I never knew I felt that way about him. I never knew I could feel that way about anyone. You’re a matchmaker.”

  “Don’t get cute,” she snapped. “I’m not sure I’m happy about this.”

  “You’re the one that always said we were alike. Turns out likes attract just as much as opposites do.”

  “So, are you guys going to be all touchy-feely and stuff?” she asked with a scowl.

  “If it makes you uncomfortable, I’m sure we can contain ourselves,” I said with a smile.

  “This isn’t fair, you know.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Because you fall into the perfect guy with no effort,” she said. “I have to kiss all the frogs to find my perfect guy. I hate you.”

  I grinned and hugged her. “I love you.”

  “And apparently you love my brother. This feels very incestual.”

  “Gross.” I laughed. “And it is definitely not that.”

  “Now we can’t talk about sex,” she pouted.

  “Why?” />
  She looked at me with horror. “Because it’s my brother! I do not want to know any of that about him!”

  “Good point. That would be weird. But I can still talk to you, right?”

  She sighed with a great deal of exaggeration. “Yes, but now you’re going to be one of the old married ladies. I’m the single friend.”

  “You’ll find your prince soon enough,” I said. “There can’t be that many frogs in Texas.”

  “You’d be surprised,” she muttered.

  I gave her another hug and we said our goodbyes with the promise she would visit soon. “Don’t use the key,” I warned her. “I cannot be responsible for what you might walk in on.”

  “Gross!”

  We stopped for a visit with my father and Layla again on the way out of town then Thomas and I headed home. Our home.

  “Do you feel like everything is settled with Tamlyn?” he asked.

  “Yes. She was angry, but I think it was more about us not telling her. I guess we should have been honest from the beginning.”

  “And then she would have done everything she could to keep us apart,” he said.

  “True. What’s done is done. I’m looking forward to the future.”

  “Speaking of, does this mean we can share a bed now?” he asked with a laugh. “I’m good with a few nights a week, but I really want you in my bed.”

  “I think that sounds like a very good idea. Your bed, I assume?”

  “My bed is bigger and, let’s be honest, a lot better than yours.”

  “My bed is almost as old as I am,” I said with a laugh. “I am not ashamed to admit yours is better.”

  “What about the stuff in your room?” he asked. “We could get a new bed in there and use it as a guest bedroom.”

  “If we have a guest bedroom, Tamlyn is going to park her ass for good,” I warned. “She’s just looking for an excuse to move to Austin. She needs a bigger pond. She’s run out of frogs.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing, but I think that sounds like a good idea,” I said.

  “Actually, maybe we could make it into your home office,” he suggested. “It’ll give you a quiet place to go and study.”