“Being with Michael and Carrie is like watching a reality television show,” Brooke said to her mother as she headed to the coffee pot to help herself. “This is much better than the argument stuff they usually do.”
“They’re still in the honeymoon phase,” Jessica said. “It will wear off soon enough.”
Brooke laughed. “Like the cooing you and Will do isn’t just as bad?” She looked at Shane and Michael. “Will was sighing over his instant coffee this morning and she promised him she’d buy him a coffee pot today. He kissed her so long I thought they would both run out of air and pass out before they broke apart.”
“Brooke April Daniels—that’s quite enough,” Jessica said in warning, trying not to grin.
“Unbelievable,” Brook said seriously, studying her mother’s pink face. “All those men and Will Larson is the only one that ever made you blush. You better marry him soon, Mom.”
Michael, Shane, and Carrie all laughed at Jessica’s swearing.
“I can’t get them to set a date,” Brooke said, handing Carrie the cup of coffee she poured for her.
“Do you want me to make you some tea,
Mom
?” Michael asked.
Shane laughed from his end of the table, and Brooke sent him a look that teased him about why it had been Michael who ended up doing it in front of her.
Surprising them all, Jessica walked to Michael and framed his face in her hands. “You are my favorite child,” she cooed. “You never harass me or make fun. You just offer me tea.”
She bent and kissed his cheek, eliciting a sigh from him.
“Please set a date soon,” Michael said. “I don’t want to lose you.”
Jessica laughed. “I couldn’t be more committed to your father than I already am, but I know it’s important to him to get married. We’ll set a date when he’s ready. So you three will just have to start harassing him instead of me. I’d drive to Jellico tomorrow and be done with it if it were my choice.”
“That’s not romantic,” Brooke said caustically. “You and Will need to have a real wedding like Michael and Carrie had.”
Thinking of the tortuous day she had endured to get married, Carrie immediately starting choking on her coffee. She’d hoped never to have to talk about it.
Laughing, Michael got up and walked to her to pat his wife on the back. She ended up laughing into his face.
“What do you think, honey? Should Jessica and Dad have a wedding likes ours?” he teased, rubbing Carrie’s back as she laughed.
If he had it to do over, Michael still would have wanted the kind of wedding they had, but he knew Carrie considered it the wedding from hell. Michael supposed that was true, but it was also a day neither of them would forget—just like he would never forget she told him she loved him on their wedding night. He doubted his Dad and Jessica would have as much drama on their big day.
Carrie looked at Jessica, back at Michael, and then at Jessica again. “You can borrow my car to drive to Tennessee, Jessica. It gets great mileage.”
Shane and Brooke burst out laughing, and then Shane looked at the clock. It read eight forty-five.
“Damn it. I’m late now,” he said. “See you all later.”
Running, he slammed the door behind him, and a minute later the motorcycle roared to life and off.
“Where’s Shane going in such a hurry?” Brooke asked.
“Hot date,” Michael said snidely, topping off his coffee. “Little mamma can’t date normally. He can only see her in the mornings.”
Carrie smacked his arm. “Why can’t you even try to understand? He’s in love with her, Michael. Reesa is a perfectly wonderful person with unfortunate circumstances. How many people have a perfect life anyway?”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I like her too,” Michael admitted. “I’m just—worried about Shane I guess.”
“We all have our journeys,” Jessica said. “Shane is obviously on his.”
“Well I want to be next,” Brooke said fiercely. “All these family love vibes are driving me crazy. I want my own special guy now, or I’m going to have to start trolling bars and picking up men.”
Jessica reached over and patted her hand. “I have a feeling it won’t be long. You’ve had that plan of yours in your head so long, the universe is bound to start delivering on it soon. So, Carrie, how soon will you be ready to go?”
Carrie shrugged. “I’m awake now. I’ll grab a yogurt bar from the freezer for breakfast and I’m ready when you are.”
“I’m going to try to finish the welds while you’re gone,” Michael said.
“Okay,” Carrie said, hugging him. “We’re just window shopping today. If I like it, we’ll go back so you can take a look.”
“Whatever suits you will suit me,” Michael said. “I’m going to see that you have five pieces when you open.”
Carrie hugged him tightly again and kissed him soundly. Knowing he had such faith in her was a gift her husband gave her every day.
“I think this is going to be more than just window shopping,” Jessica said. “You should see how perfect this place is. I don’t think chances like this happen often.”
Brooke smiled. “Want me to see if Dr. Barrymore can meet us there? He’s actually the one that recommended it to me.”
“Great idea. You have his number?” Jessica asked.
“I know more about the man than his own mother does,” Brooke joked, rolling through the previously dialed numbers in her phone. “I did an Internet search on him right after I got the email back from him. His paintings are very good—if you’re into nudes.”
“Nudes?” Jessica said. “Sounds fun. Is he single?”
“Yes, but he’s old, Mom. He’s forty-two and divorced,” Brooke told her. “That’s way out of my range, though I have to admit his school website picture was very attractive. He’s got long hair like Michael’s, just with more gray.”
“You and your
forty is old
attitude,” Jessica said, shaking her head. “Forty is not old. One day that ageist mentality is going to bite you on the butt, girl.”
“Well speaking of that, I didn’t say I wouldn’t let him bite me on the butt if the offer ever was extended. I just think he’s too old for a real relationship,” Brooke said, laughing.
“Sometimes I wish I had set a better example for you,” Jessica said, patting her daughter’s hand. “But most of the time, I’m just proud.”
“Okay, I’m starting to get excited now. Coffee is working. Let’s go,” Carrie said.
Chapter 7
Reesa laid her head on the kitchen table next to her half drank, rapidly cooling coffee. Sara had cried for almost two hours last night, but had climbed out of bed this morning chattering about shoes like nothing had happened at all. It was always Reesa that paid the biggest price for the midnight crying jags when the little girl missed her mother and father. It was always Reesa who wanted to cry all the next day.
The doorbell ringing madly made her sigh and raise her head tiredly.
She could just ignore it. She probably ought to go back to bed for an hour or two, grab a nap before tackling the chores today. Laundry had accumulated again and she needed to shop for a new backpack for Brian. Then there was Sara’s dance recital costume fitting this afternoon.
The doorbell rang again, interrupting her mental list.
“I’m coming,” she yelled, trudging to the door in her sweats and tank top.
Reesa yanked open the door to see Shane standing on her doorstep. She closed her eyes, so not up to dealing with him today.
“Shane—this is not a good day. It’s even worse than yesterday. I was just on my way back to bed,” Reesa told him. “Sara had a bad night, though you’d never know it by the way she ran off to school this morning.”
Shane pulled open the thin screen door between them and put his arms around Reesa for a hug. “You look like hell, baby.”
“Thank you for the flowery compliments. Now go home, Shane,” she said. “I don’t have time to play.”
“I don’t think so,” he said, moving past her to drop his helmet and jacket on a chair. “Were you seriously going back to bed?”
“I always say what I mean,” Reesa said, giving him as stern as look as she could manage.
“Fine,” he said, shelving his original intention of seducing her. “Let me tuck you in and I’ll hit the road.”
“That’s not a good idea and you know it,” Reesa said. “I have like zero resistance right now, but I wouldn’t even get to enjoy it as tired as I am.”
“Well, I’m a tad more in control of myself than you give me credit for and I want to comfort you. I can feel your stress without even touching you,” Shane said. “Can I carry you?”
“No—why would you carry me?” she said, wrinkling her forehead in confusion. “I can walk just fine.”
“Silly, Reesa,” Shane said, coming over and scooping her up while she protested. “Shush, I want to feel useful to you. Which room?”
“Last one on the right down the hall,” she said, giving up and laying her head on his shoulder.
Shane was carrying her like she carried Sara. It was not a great moment of pride for her. If he thought the gesture was romantic, it was lost on her this morning.
“Holy shit—that’s a freaking giant bed,” Shane said, looking at it. “Is it custom?”
“No, just a California king with a big wooden frame. I bought new sheets when—never mind. It’s a normal bed. Put me down Shane,” Reesa ordered.
Shane carried her to the bed, put one knee on it and laid her down with her head on the pillows. He deftly flipped the covers over her and tucked them down the side of her. Despite her tired, sour mood, his actions had her laughing. “Where in the world did you learn to tuck people in?”
“Mom first—then I studied it in school. It has the effect of communicating security. You looked like you needed to be tucked in securely,” he told her. “Do you care if I lay down beside you for a minute and just talk? I promise I’ll stay outside the covers so we won’t be tempted.”
Reesa snorted. “You could dance naked with an erection the size of these bedposts and I wouldn’t be tempted this morning.”
“I don’t think we’ll test that theory. I am a guy after all,” Shane said, making her laugh again.
Experimentally, he put his hand on her tummy and rubbed. When her legs stretched out, he ran his hand down one thigh and heard her groan. He could feel her tight muscles. “You’re holding a ton of tension in your body.”
“I know,” Reesa said, groaning gratefully when his hand moved to the other leg. “That feels really good. You have great hands and a pleasant bedside manner Dr. Larson, but it’s hard to sleep with you beside me.”
“I’m leaving soon. I just want to know you’re okay,” Shane told her, amazed to find it was true. He wanted her, could feel himself growing hard for her as he touched her, but over that was a need to relieve her tension and just make her feel better.
“How often does this happen—the Sara thing?” he asked, clarifying what he wanted to know. He rubbed one leg and then the other, softening his strokes as he felt her relax a little more.
“I guess a couple times a week now. It used to be more. I tell myself she’s getting better,” Reesa said, the words floating a little in her brain.
“I’m sure she’s getting better,” Shane said, try to validate all the love and caring she gave. “You’re doing a great job with the kids, Reesa. Keep trusting your instincts.”
“My instincts aren’t working about you,” Reesa said sadly, letting her head roll to the side as Shane brought his hand back to her tummy and rubbed. “I want to send you away, but then I can’t. I don’t even know why. I’m a weak, wimpy woman.”
Shane laughed and brought a hand to her hair, stroking it back from her face. “You are definitely not a wimp or weak, but you are a woman—a very hot woman—a fact I am grateful for every time I see you. I’m looking forward to making you grateful too.”
“Yeah—I’m just the hottest thing that ever walked. That’s me—Teresa Callahan, the five foot hottie.” Her words fell off, and Reesa felt the darkness fall as Shane’s hand continued to stroke her.
Long after she had ceased moving and talking, Shane lay beside her, stroking back her hair. “You are definitely a hot woman,” he told her completely quiet form, bending to kiss the corner of her mouth. She turned in her sleep and slid her lips under his. Instead of deepening the contact, Shane reluctantly lifted his head from her mouth and sighed.
“And you know I’m here, even in your sleep. I don’t know how the dweeb ever gave you up.”
Shane kissed Reesa’s forehead and made himself climb off the bed before he became any more tempted to take her mouth for real. He wanted nothing more than to start the process of making her want him inside her again. The power to do it was there, calling to him to forget his noble intentions, but he fought it back.
She needed rest right now more than she needed him.
He walked back to the living room and picked up his helmet, and then he set it back down. Regardless of his diminishing chances on spending any one-on-one time with Reesa, he still didn’t want to leave and go back to his empty apartment.
He didn’t understand it completely yet, but it was pretty much that simple. He wanted to be here when Reesa woke up even if all he did was get to say good-bye before she had to run errands.
Looking around the living room as he tried to decide what to do, Shane saw a box of printer paper under a desk. He went over to it and pulled some sheets from the open ream. Taking them to the kitchen table, he sat and pulled out his drawing pen that he always carried with him.