by S. C. Adams
“I make really good pasta, ravioli, or really anything Italian. I make a pretty decent steak too.”
Her eyes light up.
“I’d love to try your steak.”
“Of course, sweetheart. We have all the time in the world.” Kylie goes quiet for a second, and I realize I insinuated we’re going to be together for a long time when we haven’t really talked about the future. But I stand by my words because I want to be with her. She’s amazing, and the first woman who’s made my barriers fall by the wayside.
“It’s almost done,” Kylie points to the pan. I take the final pancake and shift it to a plate, surveying my work. I made a lot more than I intended to with this giant, buttery stack of dough, but better too many than too few.
“Is this all for us?” she asks, eyes wide.
“Yeah, baby. Let’s eat.”
Kylie jumps off the counter and carefully takes the plate to the table. I get each of us a glass and pour some orange juice into each. Then, I grab the syrup from the fridge and finally take a seat across from her. Kylie seizes the syrup bottle and drizzles a generous portion on top her stack. Then she cuts into the top, stuffing her mouth until her cheeks are ballooned like a chipmunk. I laugh a bit.
“You are fantastic,” I tell her. She says something, but I can’t understand it at all because her mouth is way too full. “What was that, sweetheart?”
She holds her hand up, chewing aggressively. She swallows the food in her mouth and breathes out.
“Mmm, that was really good. It absolutely hit the spot, and I had no idea I was so hungry.”
“So glad I could help scratch that itch,” I say mischievously. “By the way, baby, what do you want to do tonight?”
Kylie scrunches her nose.
“Hmmm, we could go out to a restaurant?”
I shake my head.
“I think it’s better if we stay in, sweetheart. My broken engagement with your mom is still fresh in everyone’s mind, so it’s too soon for us to go public. Why don’t we stay in and I can make you some steak?”
She thinks and then nods.
“Okay sure, that makes sense,” she murmurs. “I’ll finally get a chance to ask you all the questions that are burning in my mind. Just so you know, I have a lot of them.”
Oh shit. Normally, this would freak me out and make me grow evasive, but with Kylie, it’s okay. I’ll just have to do my best answering them all.
“Don’t look so scared. I’ll be nice,” she teases.
“As long as I get to ask you questions too?”
The beautiful girl grins.
“Of course. Tit for tat. It’ll be fun.”
We finish breakfast, and Kylie helps me clean up. I look over at my girlfriend and contentment descends over me. It feels weird calling her my girlfriend, but also totally right. I love her, and this is my new reality. The funny part is I can’t get enough. This woman satisfies me, and completes me in a way I didn’t even know was possible.
She wipes her hands on a dishrag and then shoots me a sunny smile.
“I should probably get going, so I can get ready for our date tonight.”
“Yeah? Are you going to look special for me? Get all dolled up?”
“Yeah,” she smiles, throwing her hands around my shoulders and leaning up for a kiss. Our lips touch and fireworks go off behind my eyes, but then she breaks away.
“We’ll save that for later,” she teases before gathering her things and changing back into the clothes she came in. “What time should I come back?”
“I’ll send a car to pick you up around seven. Is that okay?”
“Perfect.” I kiss her one last time, and she leaves, waving goodbye as the elevator doors close.
As soon as she’s gone, I spring into action. I have to get everything ready for tonight. Kylie walked into my place, and it’s a pigsty. My cleaning service hasn’t come in a while because I was too depressed to call them, and as a result there are pizza boxes and ice cream containers strewn everywhere. Thankfully, Kylie didn’t say anything, but I don’t want our first date to happen as we’re surrounded by garbage.
Shit. I’m going to have to get this place clean, get food to cook for tonight, and figure out how to make everything extra special. Throwing a steak on a plate isn’t enough because she means so much to me and I want all the bells and whistles. She’s transformed me, and I’m a new man now. How do I show my appreciation for her? By pulling out all the stops because Kylie deserves the best, and as the man who loves her, I want to provide everything.
23
Kylie
I leave Tanner’s apartment and call Andrea immediately because I need to tell someone everything that just happened. I’m so jazzed up, and I don’t think I’ll ever come down from this amazing high.
I dial Andrea’s number, and she answers on the first ring.
“Kylie! I stopped by your place, but you weren’t there. Is everything good?”
I sigh. Where to start?
“Yeah, I just left Tanner’s apartment.”
“Oh, Tanner’s apartment. Was this a good visit?”
“It was a very good visit,” I giggle.
“Oh my god, I’m so happy,” Andi squeals. Her excitement plasters a smile on my face. I already feel amazing about what’s happened, but knowing my best friend is happy about this relationship makes me feel a lot more confident in my choice.
“Wait!” she squeals. “I want to get all the details in the flesh. Can I meet you at your apartment?”
“Sure thing girl. You know where I live. See you soon!” We hang up, and I call for a cab. I get home, and surprise surprise, when I open my door, Andrea is already waiting on the couch with two wine glasses on the table.
“Hey girl!” She waves at me. “I have everything ready and it’s time to dish.” I plop down next to my best friend and give her a super tight hug. She hugs me back. “I love all this loving, but I need the deets, Ky. I need to know what happened last night.”
“Okay, okay.” I break our embrace and pick up the wine she poured for me. I take sip before giving Andi the rundown.
“So last night I actually went to go see my mom.”
“Really?” Andrea makes a face. I’m well aware my best friend does not like Veronica in the slightest. She’s made that very clear multiple times.
“Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea to see how she was doing. One thing led to another, and I told her all about my affair with Tanner. She didn’t take it well, unsurprisingly.”
“Yeah,” Andrea says reflectively while sipping her wine. “So what did she do? Given how your night ended, something must have happened.”
I grimace.
“She lost her shit. But even worse, apparently, she suspected that I was in love with Tanner the entire time. Can you believe it? But she wanted his money so bad, she didn’t care. And then she said so many horrible things about our relationship, that I was really taken aback. That’s when I realized that she’s never really cared about me.”
“Oh, Kylie, I’m so sorry.” My friend rubs the back of my shoulder. “I know I’ve said some mean things about Veronica, but I also know that you loved her. You only have one mom.” I take a deep breath and wipe away the forming tear.
“Well, I’m done with Veronica. She made it abundantly clear what she thinks of me,” I mumble. “But back to the story. After talking to my mom, I went to my aunt’s house, and Jane made me realize that I’m not the one who broke up the relationship because you can’t really steal someone away.”
“That’s wonderful,” says Andi sympathetically. “I’ve always liked your Aunt Jane a million times more than Veronica. If anything, she’s more of a mom to you than your biological mom.”
I sniffle a bit but nod.
“Yeah, I’ve just begun to realize myself. But wait, oh my god, I have to tell you how Jane met her husband Gordon. Evidently, she sort-of stole him from Veronica! Can you believe it?”
Andi’s eyes go wide.
“Honestly, no. They’re so different! But not now, sweetheart. Tell me about Tanner. That’s what I want to know because he’s hot and you’re together now right?”
I laugh a little. Honestly, I have an amazing support system. I have my best friend, my aunt, my uncle, and now, Tanner. All these people worked together to get me to where I am right now. I nod while smiling.
“Right, so after Jane got my head back on right, I rushed over to Tanner’s apartment, and I told him how I feel about everything. We talked and it turns out, he’s always been afraid.”
Andi squinches her nose.
“But of what? He’s a forty-year-old man and at the top of the world. What does he have to be afraid of?”
I shrug.
“I guess he’s always been afraid of letting down the walls around his heart, and letting anyone get too close. I want to ask him more about it, but the important thing is that we worked things out.”
“And?” asks Andi expectantly while leaning forward with sparkles in her eyes. “And then?”
I grin. I know what she’s asking.
“And then we slept together.”
“Ooooo! I love it! I hope he’s amazing in bed. My girl deserves hot times in bed, and is it wrong for me to say, but I love the fact that he’s your mom’s ex.” I blush at Andi’s words.
“He’s really good in bed, I promise you that.”
“Nice,” she nods with satisfaction. “So you spent the night, and it sounds like this morning went well. Are you guys dating now? Are you an item?”
I think for a moment.
“Yeah, I think so. We didn’t officially anoint each other boyfriend and girlfriend or anything, but it definitely feels like it. We’re actually going to have our first date tonight.”
“Oh?” My friend sounds surprised.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, I just hadn’t realized you guys haven’t had a first date yet. That seems a little weird.”
Now it’s my turn to blush.
“Well, we didn’t date date before. We were always sneaking around, and we’d get up to the naughty at all these inappropriate places.”
“Like where?” asks Andi with her eyebrows raised. “You didn’t tell me this.”
I blush even more.
“At the bridal shower,” I murmur. “At the engagement party, and also when I went to Vegas for my mom’s bachelorette party.”
“Oooh girl, you are so bad, and I love it!” Andi squeals. “I mean, I knew you were hooking up with him, but at all these venues with your mom right there? I love it!”
I roll my eyes.
“Yeah, but now we’re really getting down to business. It’s not just random sexy times anymore. We’re going on a real date now.”
Andi nods.
“Good, good. That’s important. But tell me Ky – are you nervous?”
I stop.
“Should I be?”
Andrea’s getting me worried all of a sudden. I was super excited for tonight, but maybe I should be thinking about what could go wrong.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that stuff up,” she apologizes immediately.
“No, you’re always truthful with me. I want to know what you think.”
“Well,” Andi starts, “this is the first time you guys will be doing something pretty normal for a couple. The circumstances have changed, and I think that this is the test to show how compatible you guys are. A final test of sorts.”
I hadn’t thought about it like that. Tanner and I have been going about this whole thing in a weird way, obviously, but now, we’ve finally reached the point where it’s more normal. Could the spark between us disappear because of that? It’s too soon for that right? That only happens to couples who have been together for years.
Andrea sees my stricken look and speaks quickly.
“Oh shit, I’m sorry I ruined your happy mood. I should have kept my mouth shut and said nothing. I’m sorry Kylie.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m glad you told me,” I say in quiet voice. I really am because she’s given me a lot to think about. With my mom, I’ve been ignoring a lot of the bad parts of our relationship, but with Tanner, I want to keep my eyes open. That way we can always be totally true and honest with one other. It’s the only way to make love work.
“Are you busy today?” I ask.
“Nope,” she shakes her head cheerily. “Exams are over.”
I take a deep breath.
“Great, then you want to help me get ready for tonight?”
She bolts up.
“Oh my god, yes!” Andi downs the rest of her wine, and plants her glass on the table. “Where do we start?”
“Well, I should probably take a shower,” is my wry reply.
“I can’t help you with that, sweetheart,” she says. “Into the shower you go, and I’ll get some stuff ready out here.”
I down my wine and then head to my room to get some clothes. I go into the bathroom and turn on the spout. Undressing, I think about last night. Everything about it was perfect, and then this morning, it was so sweet of Tanner to make us breakfast. I can’t wait to try out that steak he was bragging about.
However, what Andrea said is now rattling around in my mind. Before I left, Tanner and I said we’d be asking one another questions tonight. It felt more like a teasing thing before, but now, it sounds serious and potentially ominous. There is a lot we don’t know about one another, and maybe he’s still trying to suss out whether we’re a fit.
Oh god, no. I thought we’d settled everything but evidently not. My heart’s racing and my throat chokes up because when I think about it, I don’t know him, not really. I don’t know his family. I don’t know a lot about what he does for a living. Aunt Jane said he worked in finance once, but that was in passing. Emotionally, I feel so connected to him, but could that be from the adrenaline that’s been rushing through my veins?
I step into the shower and wash away last night. Even if everything ends, I’ll always have the memories. Even if Tanner and I end up not working out, this whole experience with him has turned out better than I could have imagined.
I finish my shower and get dressed. When I go back to the living room, I don’t see Andrea anywhere. She’s not in the kitchen area either.
“Andi?” I call.
“I’m in the bedroom,” comes her distracted voice.
I go to my room and find Andrea has taken out a lot of my makeup.
“Okay, so I’m going to do your makeup and hair, and we can gab at the same time. This is going to be a really nice girls’ day. I’ll order us some eats too. It’ll be epic.”
Immediately, my blood pressure goes down and I smile.
“I’d like that. You can also tell me what’s going on with you. I’ve been so caught up in my problems that have no idea what’s going on in your life. I feel bad that I haven’t been the supportive friend.”
But Andrea merely giggles.
“Oh, I have some hot gossip, don’t you worry.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Why don’t you take a seat?” Andi motions to the chair in front of my vanity. I’ve barely used this thing. Veronica actually bought this for me back in middle school because she thought I’d be into what she was into, namely makeup, fashion, and gossiping about boys. Sadly, she never realized that those subjects were of little interest to me.
But I kept the vanity because it’s a reminder of better days. Once upon a time, Veronica and I got along okay. Not great, but okay, and there’s no need to excise her from my life altogether.
I sit down, and Andi starts playing with my wet strands. She purses her lips.
“What kind of style do you want?”
“I don’t know,” I shrug.
“Then I’m going to curl it!” Andrea finds my curling iron and hair dryer. She dries my hair, which is super loud, so we don’t really talk. But once all the moisture is out, she grabs the curling iron, and slowly parts it in careful sec
tions before wrapping the hair around the barrel of the iron.
“So, tell me how your life is going?” I invite.
She wrinkles her nose a little.
“Well, classes have been going well and don’t worry, I don’t need to be studying right now because I am perfectly ready to kick ass.”
“I believe you,” I say with a smile. “Anything else exciting?”
“Let me think,” she starts. “Did I tell you I met Tanner like a week ago?” I squinch my nose and she laughs. “Yeah, we were both looking for you when you did your little disappearing act, which please, never do that again. Leave a note at the very least otherwise I might have a heart attack.”
“You met him?” I ask again. So much has happened that I can’t recall.
“Yep,” she says while focusing on my hair. “I thought I mentioned this to you. Wait, I know I did. Are you sure they didn’t do electroshock therapy at that place? Anyway, Tanner has this employee named Corey who can find like anyone or anything. He found you in less than an hour. It was wild.”
“Wow, I didn’t tell anyone where I was going so this guy must be good,” I muse.
“Yeah, I had the same reaction. Anyways, Corey actually came to your apartment because Tanner wanted to talk in person. By the way, did you know Tanner is a real billionaire? There a lot of businessmen who say they are, but your guy is the real deal.”
I suspected as much, but this doesn’t matter to me.
“But Corey? You were saying?”
She nods, her eyes still stuck on my hair.
“After he came to your apartment, we happened to leave at the same time. We were walking to our cars and got to talking, and we realized we had a lot in common. He invited me to dinner, but I was busy that night, and I couldn’t.”
I stare at her. Holy cow, is a second romance in the works?
“Did you guys ever get dinner?”
Andi shakes her head.
“Not yet. I’ve been pretty busy, and then he had to go out of the country for work, so now, we’re just waiting for our schedules to sync up.”
I’m astonished. Who knew that Tanner was a matchmaker of sorts? Who knew that any good could come out of my little tragedy?
