“At this very minute, the Colts are playing,” Ethan, sitting in the pew on the other side of his dad, groused.
“Shut it, bud,” Jake, sitting in the pew next to me, muttered.
Ethan didn’t “shut it.”
He declared, “We’re missing it.”
“Eath, it’s taping,” Conner, on the other side of Ethan, pointed out.
“I better not find out the score before we get home,” Ethan warned.
“Ohmigod,” boy Taylor, sitting next to Amber who was sitting on my other side, whispered excitedly. “There’s Kieran Wentworth.”
“Where?” girl Taylor’s fabulous sheath of shining black hair flew this way and that as she looked around.
“Four pews back, on the other side,” boy Taylor told her and went on to note, “He must be home from school for the weekend or something.”
I leaned into Amber and murmured, “Who’s Kieran Wentworth?”
She leaned into me and murmured in reply, “He was a junior when we were freshman. He’s so hot, he’s a legend. He’s at Boston College now. Taylor has been in love with him since forever.”
I looked over my shoulder and four pews back on the other side I spied a highly attractive young man with short-clipped dark sandy blond hair, an exceptionally square jaw and cheekbones that would be immensely photogenic.
He also had very broad shoulders.
Further, he was wearing a rather stylish dark blue tailored shirt and wearing it quite well.
I turned back and leaned back into Amber. “He’s most attractive.”
“Yep,” she agreed.
“I cannot imagine he hasn’t noted Taylor’s charms,” I remarked.
“Uh…Josie, he’s nineteen and in college. She’s sixteen. That’s not gonna happen.”
Hmm.
“Give it two years,” I stated.
“He’ll be snapped up in two years,” Amber returned.
“Not if he has something to wait for,” I told her and felt her eyes turn to me so I turned mine to her.
She was smiling.
I winked.
Her smile got bigger.
I felt Jake lean into me and I turned my attention to him when he said, “I know Taylor’s father. Don’t go there.”
I looked into his eyes then looked away and murmured, ‘Hmm.”
“Babe, the kid’s nineteen,” Jake stated something Amber had just told me.
“And?” I asked.
“He’s also in college.”
“Yes?”
He stared at me.
The choir started singing so I grinned to myself and stood with the rest of the congregation.
I did not miss it when, several minutes later, Reverend Fletcher came out, looked amongst his flock, saw me with the Spear family in our pew and he smiled at me.
Further, I absolutely did not miss it when, some time after that, Reverend Fletcher asked us all to pray for Arnold Weaver and his family as they had, just hours earlier, lost their beloved Elizabeth.
And I completely did not miss it when this was announced and Jake’s arm, already extended behind me to rest on the back of the pew, curled around me to pull me tight to his side at the same time Amber reached out and grabbed my hand.
I was devastated for Arnie and his family.
Even so, I couldn’t help but be happy for me as I’d finally found one.
Last, not too long after that, I made certain one Kieran Wentworth did not miss it when we were exiting the church and I maneuvered myself, Amber, Jake, Ethan, Conner and most especially the Taylors close to him. He was standing somewhat removed from a woman and man who must have been his parents. I then faked tripping, and as I’d done it so often in my life, I was good at faking it.
Of course, I wouldn’t have wanted to fall to the floor so I had to grab something. The something I grabbed was girl Taylor, thus swinging her with me and directly into one Kieran Wentworth.
Jake caught me.
Kieran Wentworth caught Taylor.
He blinked when he looked into the exotically beautiful face of the girl curled in his arm.
I grinned as he did it.
Jake’s arm tightened around my belly as he did it and his lips went to my ear.
“Seriously?” he asked and his tone sounded both amused and perturbed.
I had no answer to this question for I didn’t understand it as I often didn’t understand it when Jake, his children or others around us used this same word frequently. So I decided to ignore it and moved forward, pulling Jake with me.
“I’m so sorry. I’m quite clumsy,” I shared, grinning innocently (I hoped) in Kieran Wentworth’s face.
With obvious effort, he tore his gaze from girl Taylor and looked to me.
“Uh…not a problem,” he replied.
I noted he still had a hand on girl Taylor’s waist.
I nodded to him, smiled at him, pried Jake’s arm from around my belly but did it taking hold of his hand and then I dragged him away in order to let nature take its course.
“That was epic,” boy Taylor, trailing us, decreed.
“It’s Josie who’s epic,” Amber, also trailing us, contradicted.
At her words, so much warmth washed through me, I couldn’t handle it all and I tripped, genuinely this time.
Jake hauled me close and clamped an arm around me.
He said nothing but when I looked up at him, he was grinning.
We waited at the cars for a full ten minutes before girl Taylor finally joined us.
And I was delighted to see when she did, she looked dreamy.
* * * * *
In the afternoon two days later, I leaned into Arnie, my hand on his arm and touched my cheek to his.
When I had it there, I whispered, “She will be missed.”
“She will, my dear,” he replied. I leaned back and he said, “I’ll see you at the house.”
I nodded, gave his arm a squeeze and moved away. Jake moved in, shook Arnie’s hand and murmured his condolences. He did not take a great deal of time doing this and shifted away quickly to allow others to approach.
He got close to me, slid an arm around me and commandeered the umbrella I was holding, pulling me even closer and holding the big black umbrella over our heads as he moved us to his truck.
I walked through the sodden grass of the cemetery trying not to let the spike heels of my black boots sink into the turf, and failing.
They would need to be cleaned, air dried and shined and hopefully, in the end, they would not be ruined.
Jake performed somewhat of a miracle both holding the umbrella over me even as he helped me climb up in the truck, a difficult task in my black pencil skirt.
Once I was in, he closed my door, folded the umbrella, tossed it in the backseat and moved around the hood of the truck with the drizzle falling on his unguarded head and fantastic Hugo Boss suit.
Once he’d climbed in beside me, I noted, “That suit becomes you, Jake.”
“Thanks, baby,” he muttered as he turned the ignition.
He glided us out onto the lane and as we were approaching the exit to the graveyard, he said, “We don’t have to go to the open house if it’s too much for you, babe.”
“Gran would go,” I replied.
“You’re not Lydie,” he stated.
I turned my head to look at him as he stopped before taking the turn on the main road.
Even with the mist of rain in his hair and on the shoulders of his suit, he was most handsome.
“Yes I am, Jake,” I whispered.
He looked to me, studied me, his eyes warm, his face soft, then he nodded.
He looked back to the road and turned onto it. Once on our way, he reached out and took my hand, pulling it his way and holding it against his thigh.
And he continued to hold it all the way to the Weaver’s.
* * * * *
It was afternoon the day after Eliza’s funeral when I looked out the window of Jake’s office at the gym and saw him standing with one of the many boys who were there for junior boxing league.
The boy was staring up at Jake with a rapt expression on his face, like I would assume one would stare at Superman if he was real.
“Seriously?” Alyssa’s voice asked. “How does he find anything in here? I mean, his membership isn’t even computerized. It’s all on paper.”
I said nothing.
My eyes moved through the gym to Mickey, who was standing ringside, calling out to the two boys in it. They then moved to Junior, who had three boys working punching bags. Finally, I shifted my eyes back to Jake, who had his hands up in front of his face. They were curled into fists and he quickly dropped one, punching it in the air, then the other one dropped and he punched the air then he brought his right one up and jabbed it, also into the air, directly bringing his fists back up to mostly cover his face.
Then he dropped his hands and jerked his chin up to the boy.
The boy lifted his hands in front of his face, changed his stance and mimicked what Jake did.
When he finished, Jake smiled down at him and clapped him on the shoulder.
The boy beamed.
Already lost in that man, seeing all this, all he’d wrought for these kids who clearly loved it, I sent a prayer to God that He’d never let me be found.
“You need to sort his shit out, Josie. How he gets anything done is anyone’s guess. This place is a disaster zone,” Alyssa announced and I turned my eyes to her, taking in Jake’s office as I did.
It was, indeed, a disaster zone.
And the day before, when I informed Jake of this (however, I didn’t use the words “disaster zone” but instead “colossal mess”) after fully taking it in for the first time when we opened, I also informed him that I could organize it for him if he wished.
His reply was, “I am not a desk jockey, honey. You sort that shit, I’ll feed you so many tacos and give you so many orgasms, you won’t be able to move.”
Although both options (primarily the latter) sounded very good to me, I’d returned, “It’ll be difficult to sort your office if I can’t move.”
This got me a very long, very ardent kiss that was only interrupted when a member came in and shouted jovially, “Yo! Get a room!”
Thus, now I was in Jake’s office, sorting it with Alyssa who was there not only because Junior was but also because two of her sons were in the league.
“Josie?” she called when I said nothing.
“Do you think it’s possible to fall in love with a man knowing him only a few weeks?” I asked.
Her expression went from questioning to soft when she answered, “Yes.”
“I’m in love with Jake,” I announced.
“No shit?” she strangely replied.
“No shit,” I decided to answer.
Her lips curved up and she shifted so she was leaning against the desk close to where I was sitting in Jake’s rather tattered office chair.
She bent to me and shared, “Do you know how long it took me to fall in love with Junior?”
I shook my head.
“Thirty minutes,” she declared.
“Thirty minutes?” I asked, surprised for that was no time at all. In fact, that made my falling in love with Jake seem like it took years.
“He picked me up for our date, took me to The Eaves, sat across from me, and after I ordered, I looked at him and he said, straight out, that I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. That did it for me. He put that right out there. He took me to a great place. He didn’t piss around with letting me know he was happy to be there with me. I looked into his eyes, saw how he was looking at me and knew right then that that was just the beginning. We’ve been together for nineteen fan-f*cking-tastic years. So I wasn’t wrong.”
“That’s beautiful, Alyssa,” I told her.
“It totally is, Josie,” she agreed.
“I’m happy you have that,” I went on.
“And babelicious,”—she lifted a hand and cupped my cheek, bending even closer—“after your totally f*cked up life, I’m freaking thrilled you finally have it too.”
So was I.
I was delighted.
Over the moon.
Walking on air.
My eyes got watery but my lips tipped up and even with my eyes watery, I saw hers were the same.
Suddenly, she dropped her hand and pulled away, announcing, “If we lose it like big goofball girls, we’ll probably be ejected.”
She was wrong. Jake would never eject me. Even for crying in a boxing gym. And he took boxing very seriously.
I didn’t share this.
I advised, “We should deep breathe.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
We deep breathed, making very loud noises doing it.
Then we burst out giggling.
“Woman!” Junior shouted. “There’s no giggling in boxing!”
We both looked out the window to Alyssa’s man and saw him smiling at us.
He didn’t mind the giggling.
In fact, he loved it and he also didn’t mind letting that show.
Yes, I very much liked Junior.
My eyes moved to Jake and I saw he wasn’t smiling, but he was looking into the office at me and his expression was warm and sweet.
I sent a smile his way.
He smiled back.
“Right, so giggling also could get us ejected. Nothing but serious from now on,” Alyssa said, taking my attention off Jake.
I looked to her and pulled a serious face. “Nothing but serious.”
She looked at my face and burst out laughing again.
I joined her.
Junior shouted, “What’d I say?”
I didn’t know him well but I could tell his heart wasn’t in it.
And anyway, for some reason, his shout made Alyssa laugh harder.
So I laughed with her.
* * * * *
Two days later, I lay on my side in Amber’s bed watching boy Taylor, with not a small amount of skill and a great deal talent, sweep her face with a brush.
The door flew open and girl Taylor strode in.
“He’s pulling up the lane,” she announced.
“Oh boy, oh crap, oh God,” Amber started chanting.
But my heart skipped a beat and I looked to girl Taylor.
“Please tell me he didn’t arrive on a motorcycle,” I begged.
“Nope.” She shook her head. “A vintage Mustang.”
“Epic,” boy Taylor breathed.
“His dad restores classic cars for a living,” girl Taylor added. “Alexi works with him on the weekends. He’s always in some kick-butt car.”
“Totally epic,” boy Taylor semi-repeated.
Although I found it gratifying Alexi had employment, especially honoring his father by working in the family business, I couldn’t think of Alexi.
My thoughts were on Amber.
I looked to her.
She looked terrified.
After nearly two weeks of sitting together at lunch, just yesterday, Alexi Prokorov asked Amber out on a date.
We were away to Boston the next morning for the Bounce concert but we weren’t leaving early enough for her to say no to an engagement that night.
She wouldn’t have done that anyway.
She was beside herself with glee just as she was nearly shaking with nerves.
Thus, I had two situations to handle and a very short period of time to do that in. So I pushed myself off Amber’s bed, got close to her and curled my hand under her jaw, bending to get even closer.
“Listen to me and do not forget this,” I said softly. “It is not you who is the lucky one tonight, going out with Alexi Prokorov. It is he who is the lucky one that you said yes. Are you with me?”
Her eyes were big but she nodded.
“You look beautiful,” I whispered, leaned up, kissed her forehead and straightened, looking down at her. “Have a wonderful time, sweetheart.”
She smiled. It trembled a bit but it was gorgeous, filled with excitement and hope, both of which I hoped Alexi Prokorov fulfilled.
I gave a grin to the Taylors and then walked out of the room.
Once out, I hurried down the stairs and reached the bottom to see Jake opening the door for Alexi.
Luckily, I was right on time.
I noted that Alexi was much better looking in person and I was right, he was also quite tall. Not as tall as Jake but not shorter by very much.
“Mr. Spear,” he said, extending his hand to Jake after Jake closed the door behind him.
Jake looked at Alexi’s hand.
I moved close.
Jake looked to Alexi.
I slid my hand in the back pocket of Jake’s jeans and pressed my body to his side.
Jake heard my silent communication and took Alexi’s hand.
He let it go almost instantly and declared, “Her curfew is midnight.”
“I’ll have her home on time,” Alexi replied.
“I hear you got a bike,” Jake noted.
“Yeah,” Alexi confirmed.
“My daughter’s not on it,” Jake announced.
Alexi nodded and looked to me. “You’re Josie, right?”
“Ms. Malone,” Jake corrected.
Alexi’s eyes moved to him then back to me and he murmured, “Sorry. Ms. Malone.”
I smiled at him, extending my hand, saying, “Yes, Alexi. I’m Josie. Ms. Malone.”
“Amber talks about you all the time,” he said, taking my hand, gripping it firmly but briefly before letting it go.
“That’s nice to hear,” I replied but barely got it out before he looked beyond me.
It must be said, I liked how his expression changed for I knew what I’d see when I turned.
And I saw it. Leaving the Taylors behind (it wouldn’t do to let Alexi to know they were there for makeup and moral support), Amber was walking down the stairs.
No short skirt. No lady of the evening makeup. She had on a flattering pair of jeans, my blush colored cashmere sweater, her own pair of fun platform sandals that had a muted collage of pink and brown rope adorning the wedge and she had a chocolate brown suede jacket slung over her arm.
She reached the bottom of the stairs, got close to Alexi, looked up to him and smiled a very pretty, somewhat shy smile
Perfection.
“Hey,” she greeted.
“Hey,” Alexi replied. “You look awesome.”
She dipped her chin a bit, tucked some of her beautiful hair behind her ear and murmured, “Thanks.”
Sheer perfection.
I was so proud of her.
“Someone kill me,” Jake muttered, luckily so low that neither Amber nor Alexi heard him.
Or perhaps they were too into each other to hear Jake.
But I made a noise seeing as I’d swallowed my giggle but in doing so, it was a difficult endeavor.
“Midnight, Amber,” Jake said and Amber looked to him.
“Okay, Dad,” she replied, coming close and moving into his arms.
She kissed his cheek.
He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight but brief hug. “Be safe, honey. Yeah?” he asked gently when they’d separated half a foot.
“Yeah, Dad,” she replied sweetly.
He grinned at her and let her go.
Alexi leaned in and took her hand.
The instant his fingers closed around hers, her eyes shot to me and they were alight.
“Have a wonderful time,” I called.
“Thanks,” Amber called back as Alexi moved her out the door.
“Nice to meet you,” Alexi said, pulling her down the walk.
“You too,” I replied, moving with Jake to the door.
Jake did not share my sentiment and I stifled another giggle.
When they made it to the Mustang, Jake closed the door and turned to me.
I looked up at him and noted, “He seems nice.”
“I die a little every time that shit happens.”
I blinked at his words before they poured through me, an elixir so warm, so healing, I knew nothing could ever ail me again. Not if he was in my life. Thus, I moved quickly to him and pressed close, wrapping my arms around him.
He returned the gesture and added putting his lips to my hair.
“You’re such a good dad, Jake Spear,” I whispered into his chest.
He gave me a squeeze but said nothing.
“Was it awesome?” boy Taylor intruded into the moment by asking.
Jake’s arms loosened but he shifted one to wrap around my shoulders as I turned to the stairs to see the Taylors standing at the bottom of them.
“It was awesome,” I confirmed.
Boy Taylor smiled huge, jumped, clapped and high-fived girl Taylor.
Ethan walked through, pushing past them on the stairs, ascending them and mumbling, “You all are whacked.”
I grinned.
The Taylors laughed.
Jake gave my shoulders a squeeze and muttered, “Thank God I got at least six whole years before I gotta go through this shit again with Ethan.”
That was when I looked up at my man and finally let myself giggle.
* * * * *