I knew Vaughn wanted to get to know him, he’d told me as much, but every time I invited Dean to do something with us, go out on the boat, or cook out, it was always maybe next time.
It kind of shocked me, when I was telling him about Aaron helping Vaughn with the roof, how Dean was the one who chimed in that he’d be willing to help.
Things at the shop had been good, but a little tense. My dad was still slacking on office things, and Dean and I were picking up extra duties we’d never been responsible for in the past.
It was like my dad was kind of silently handing things over, but he never came out and said why. We didn’t know if it was intentional or by accident, and it was getting to a point where I needed to talk to him. I simply didn’t know how. The time was never right.
Dean even agreed that something was up. Things were changing all over the place.
When I dropped off some food and tea around lunchtime, everything seemed like it was going okay. Like they were getting along.
The old roof was stripped off and they were already putting the paper down. Undeniably, they, too, worked well together.
I didn’t kiss Vaughn in front of them, even though I really wanted to. Instead I asked him to look at something in his kitchen and pushed him up against the refrigerator for a quick kiss before I left.
“What is wrong with me that I can’t go without kissing for too long?” I asked as he grabbed my ass and pulled me harder to him. He was sweaty and dirty and so fucking hot I wanted to strip his clothes off and lick him clean myself.
A full-on Vaughn smile pierced my heart as he said, “I don’t know, but I think I’ve got a little bit of that too?” Then he playfully bit my bottom lip.
“Stop,” I demanded, but wanted no such thing. “I need to go. I just wanted a quick kiss.”
“Hannah, there’s no such thing as a quick kiss when you walk in here with those shorts on, slinging roast beef on rye at me.” His spoke into my neck before attacking me with his mouth. The delicious scratch of his stubble made me declare those jean shorts my most prized possession.
It went on a little longer than it should and we had to stop before it got wickedly out of hand.
Seeing them getting along made me happy. Dean was my family, and I didn’t like wondering if it would ever get to a point where they would spend time together.
My dad, Dean, and Vaughn.
My dad. My friend. And my boyfriend.
I thought about a lot as I blew through the lures and flies on the order sheets that were coming almost every day at my dad’s shop. I didn’t even have time to make more to display there, always trying to get through the ones people wanted special for themselves.
Later that evening, I was surprised when Vaughn hadn’t come over or called when I thought they’d be finished, but I just kept working, happy with my progress.
Then it happened, and I knew the second that I’d done it.
Just like Vaughn told me a hundred times. I was going to break my tooth. And I did.
I broke the shit out of it.
Trying to get this one stubborn band tight around this specific piece, my tooth gave out and I bit down hard as it cracked.
I sat there having one of those did that just really happen moments when you hope your mind is playing tricks on you.
My mind did no such thing.
Untricked and chipped, I needed to call my dentist.
He answered, “Hey, I was just about to hop in the shower. What are you doing for dinner? Want to run up and split a tenderloin?”
That had become something we did about once a week. Then, we’d usually get a piece of pie for later and eat it in bed.
Half a tenderloin and bed pie sounded a whole lot better than anything this conversation was leading towards.
“Well, depends.”
“Okay, depends on what?” he retorted as I heard him turn on the shower. He was probably naked. Yum.
“Depends on if you want to be seen out with me sporting a chipped up tooth?”
“Tell me you didn’t.” The sound of the water stopped, like he’d turned it off to listen.
“I did.”
Vaughn would never yell or shout at me, I knew this for a fact, but he was going to tell me how careless I’d been. He would have been right to do so. But instead, he didn’t do any of that because he asked, “Are you okay? Does it hurt?”
I was okay, but, also, it did kind of hurt. I hoped it was because I’d bitten down so hard, and not because I’d done some real damage.
“It hurts a little, not too bad, but I did a pretty good number on it.”
“I’ll shower then I’ll run out there and look at it. Hannah, if it’s throbbing, tell me.”
My mouth wasn’t throbbing, it was only if I pressed my teeth together that it was slightly tender.
“No, I’m okay. I’ll be in my garage.”
I heard the slide of his shower curtain along the metal bar and the shower came back to life. I looked down at the sliver of tooth in my hand and thought about driving like a bat out of hell to catch him in the shower instead.
“What? You just chipped your tooth.”
“It’s still going to be chipped in the house and I’m almost done with this one. I might as well finish before you get here and distract me anymore.”