Disengaged (Terms of Engagement Book 3)

by Melissa R. L. Simonin

  “Come in,” she said, and gave him a second look. “Wow. You look nice.”

  “Thanks,” he smiled, and glanced at her appreciatively as he stepped inside. “So do you.”

  “Thank you,” she smiled back. They hugged, and Amber nearly swooned. “Good grief, you smell good! I love your cologne.”

  “Thanks again,” Erik couldn’t help laughing a little. “And… not to be a broken record or anything, but so do you.”

  “Thanks,” she said. She allowed herself one more deep breath, then tore herself away from him reluctantly. She reached for her coat, and Erik helped her into it.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Ready,” she replied, and locked the door behind them.

  They took the elevator to the lobby, the parking lot, and Erik’s SUV. He followed Amber’s directions, and before long, they were outside the city limits.

  Fields, white in the moonlight, spanned both sides of the road. The lights of a farmhouse sparkled in the distance, and stars blanketed the night sky.

  Trees appeared, their thick branches reaching up into the heavens, and houses took the place of fields, their lit windows and porchlights shining cheerily.

  “That’s it,” Amber said, and pointed.

  Up ahead, cottonwood trees graced the front of the white stucco church. The sharply pitched roof was covered in shingles the color of terra cotta tile, as was the modest bell tower with the steeple on top. Below, stood the covered entrance. Stained-glass windows, tall, arched, and lit from within, graced the walls on each side, their counterparts evenly spaced all along the sides of the building.

  A steady stream of parishioners made their way from the parking lot to the building just behind the church. Erik found a vacant space, then he and Amber carefully followed after them. In spite of the treated sidewalk, the going was treacherous in places, now that the sun was down. The snow that melted so readily in its warmth, was now just as determined to turn to ice in the cold night air.

  Amber’s boots weren’t nearly as suited to traveling icy walkways as Erik’s, but he managed to keep them both on their feet. He brought her safely to the door of the church’s recreation center, and they stepped inside.

  Warmth and the cheerful chatter of voices met them, along with the aroma of turkey and pumpkin pie. Colorful strings of leaves and other autumn themed décor, festooned the walls and the rows of tables laden with food.

  “Come on, we’ll claim our seats, then get in line,” Amber said.

  “Lead the way,” Erik replied, and he followed her to one of the festive, cloth covered dining tables. She greeted the few people seated there, but most of the chairs were empty of all but the jackets of those waiting to fill their plates.

  “I’ll introduce you to everyone when we get back,” she said, and Erik nodded. They left their coats draped over the backs of two seats, and took their places in the food line.

  “So tell me, Erik,” Amber said. “Which local church do you call home?”

  “As surprising as it may sound, I’m still looking,” Erik replied. “With my opportunities to visit limited to one congregation per week, it can be a long, drawn out process.”

  “You haven’t visited here,” she pointed out.

  “Not unless you count tonight,” he said.

  “This doesn’t count,” she replied, waving away that thought. “You should come with me on Sunday.”

  “Alright. I will,” he agreed, and she looked pleased. She also tilted her chin, and gave him a sideways glance.

  “I’ll even take you to youth group.”

  Erik laughed.

  “Sure, Amber. If that’s what you want.”

  “If you think I’m taking you into the singles’ group, you can forget it,” she retorted.

  “Why is that?” he wondered.

  “Are you kidding?” she raised an eyebrow. “The women in there would tear you apart.”

  Erik gave her a strange look, and managed not to laugh out loud.

  “You appear to be serious, so I’ll take your word for it. How about we compromise, and go to your class?”

  “Alright, if you—” her words were cut off as a guy’s triumphant laugh rang out, and she was grabbed roughly from behind. Erik spun, Amber nailed the guilty party in the shin with the heel of her boot, and the young college-age guy winced, and lost his hold. Erik caught Amber and shoved her behind him, his blood boiling, as he grabbed the guy by the front of the shirt.

  “Thank you, Erik,” Amber said quickly, gripping his right arm with both of hers. It wasn’t concern for the guy in front of them that prompted her intervention. A good pounding would probably do him a world of good. But, Erik already busted his knuckles defending her just the night before. She didn’t want him doing it again, and with that look in his eyes, he just might. She kept one arm wrapped tightly around his, and rubbed his shoulder soothingly.

  “Do you know this guy?” Erik asked grimly, and reluctantly released him.

  “Yes. Erik, this is Reggie. I’ve known him since elementary school. He’s in the college group, and has almost as little sense as he does manners. Reggie, this is Erik. My hero.”

  “Geez, I was just playing around,” Reggie complained, straightening his shirt, and rubbing his shin.

  “It’s assault, no matter what you call it, and no way to treat a lady,” Erik said firmly.

  “Erik’s right,” Amber said, with a tilt of her chin. “Stop complaining, and consider yourself lucky. He beat up the last guy that gave me a hard time.”

  “Better quit while you’re still ahead,” said a guy with longish, sandy-blond hair and blue-green eyes, as he clapped his hand on Reggie’s back, nearly knocking him over. “Or before you’re any further behind, anyway.”

  “Come on, man,” a second guy said, grabbing Reggie by the arm, and pulling him away.

  Erik put his arm around Amber protectively, as they watched the second guy walk away with a shame-faced Reggie. They joined several other college students.

  “I thought you were kidding about the singles group. Now I’m not so sure the college group is any better,” Erik said quietly, and Amber laughed.

  “It’ll be fine. You’ve got my back, and I’ve got yours,” she said, and turned to the guy with sandy-blond hair. Erik thought he might be Rob’s age. “Erik, this is Gabriel Thomas. Gabriel, this is my friend, Erik Davison.”

  “It’s good to meet you,” Gabriel said.

  “You too,” Erik replied, and the two shook hands. Then he put his arm back around Amber. Underneath his cool exterior, his blood was still boiling. The protectiveness he felt for her was no surprise, but the possessiveness was. Later, he’d take time to examine that feeling and figure out the cause. All he knew for now, was that if any guy tried touching her again, he’d have Erik to contend with.

  “Are you new in town?” Gabriel asked.

  “Sort of,” Erik replied. “I live in Ashland, but for the past several months, I’ve been in Ocotillo. My brother and I are responsible for the Pine Mountain development.”

  “Cool,” Gabriel said, even though he already knew that. He also knew Samantha, and why Amber was posing as her nephew’s mother. So he played along. “How’s the weather up there? I heard it’s bad.”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” Erik acknowledged. “The storm wasn’t predicted in the weather forecast, and neither is the end of it.”

  They continued to talk as they reached the front of the line, then made their selections from the many available dishes, and carried their plates back to their table. Several others were already seated there, enjoying their own meals. They looked up as Erik pulled out a chair for Amber, and then took his own.

  “Hi everyone,” Amber said. “This is Erik Davison, he’s visiting from out of town. Erik, this is Evan and Patrice Thompson.”

  “Welcome to Ocotillo,” said Evan, the dark-haired guy with the deep blue eyes, on the other side of the table.

  “We’re glad you could join us this evening,
” added Patrice, the dark blond, green-eyed girl beside him.

  “It’s great to meet you both,” Erik replied, as he and Evan shook hands.

  “And this is Justin and Laney Reeves,” Amber introduced the guy with light brown hair and eyes, and his blond-haired, blue-eyed wife.

  “It’s great to meet you,” Justin said, as he and Erik shook hands.

  “You too,” Erik replied. If he had to guess, he’d say Laney wasn’t any older than Amber.

  “Laney and I aren’t twins, if you’re wondering,” Amber said, and Laney laughed.

  “Even though we’re the same age, and have almost the same color hair and eyes,” Laney smiled.

  “Yeah, and uh… you’re both young mothers, so I hear,” said a guy at the other end of the table. He looked amused by something.

  “That’s Kent,” Amber said. And otherwise ignored him.

  “Our baby is three months old,” Laney smiled proudly, resting her hand on her stomach.

  “And in another six, I’ll finally get a chance to hold him,” Justin smiled back at her.

  “Speaking of holding…” Erik heard Amber’s dad say, and glanced over his shoulder.

  Her father held a smiling Caleb. The toddler clapped his hands, then reached for Erik and jabbered something. Erik smiled, and her dad handed him off.

  “What do you think, Caleb? Do you want to hang out with us?” Erik asked. Whatever the little boy said in response, it was enthusiastic.

  “He insists,” her dad said wryly.

  “Just make sure not to leave without him, since you’ve got the car seat,” Amber said, giving Caleb a piece of her roll.

  “We’ll collect him before we go,” her dad replied. He returned to his wife, and his place at another table, without pointing out that the car seat could easily be transferred to Erik’s vehicle. Erik didn’t point that out, either. If Amber was Caleb’s mother, he would. But she wasn’t. So he didn’t.

  “Oh! There’s Joshua,” Laney said, and she smiled and waved excitedly.

  A well-built black guy smiled and waved back, then joined them at their table.

  “This is my brother, Joshua,” Laney made the introductions. “And this is Erik Davison, Amber’s friend.”

  “Good to meet you,” Joshua smiled, and the two shook hands.

  “You too,” Erik replied.

  Gabriel raised an eyebrow, as he looked from one to the other.

  “You don’t look surprised. At all,” he said flatly. “You did hear her say he’s her brother… right?”

  Erik smiled, and shrugged.

  “I heard. I don’t look much like my brother, either,” he replied, and Amber laughed.

  “That’s very true,” she noted.

  “Speaking of look-alikes,” Kent said, a gleam of amusement in his eyes, as he looked from Caleb to Erik, and back again. “How long have you and Amber known each other?”

  “Amber and I met five years ago, when she was thirteen, and I was eighteen,” Erik replied, as if he was entirely oblivious to what Trent was implying, and to the glare Amber gave the guy. If he didn’t know everyone there knew Caleb was his brother’s, the guy’s insinuation would probably make him uncomfortable. But, he did know. And that, gave him the upper hand.

  “Wow. That young, huh?” Gabriel whistled.

  “It didn’t feel that way at the time,” Erik replied.

  “No it didn’t,” Amber agreed, with a tilt of her chin.

  “I’m glad we have the chance to reconnect,” Erik glanced at Amber, and smiled.

  “I’ll bet,” Reggie said shortly, with a pointed look at the toddler Erik held, as he and several others had a seat at the other end of the table.

  “Did you know about the baby? Or was that a surprise?” another guy inquired, a gleam of amusement in his eyes.

  “Until this week, I had no idea,” Erik replied. Caleb finished his roll, so Erik gave him another piece. Caleb accepted it enthusiastically.

  “You and Caleb look so much alike, you could be related. Closely,” Trent noted.

  “Amber and I look an awful lot alike, and we aren’t related at all,” Laney said, giving the college boys a warning look. “Unless you go all the way back to Noah, anyway.”

  “That’s right, and Laney and me are brother and sister,” Joshua smiled. “And we don’t look a thing alike.”

  Laney laughed, and so did Justin, Evan, Patrice, Gabriel, and Amber. Erik smiled, but quickly resumed an expression of thoughtfulness.

  “You’re right though, Caleb does look like me. And he doesn’t have a father,” Erik said, although he hoped his brother would soon take his rightful place in that role. “He needs one. I’ve given it a lot of thought over the past few days, and I’ve decided to fill that gap.”

  Amber stared at Erik in surprise. He enjoyed the look in her eyes, but more of his attention was on the dead-silence at the other end of the table. He glanced around and realized everyone else seated there, was just as speechless.

  “What do you think, Amber?” Erik asked.

  “I… I…” she said faintly.

  “What about you, Caleb?” Erik wondered, and the toddler bounced enthusiastically.

  Gabriel looked at Reggie out of the corner of his eye. The kid looked positively sour. Gabriel smiled.

  “Caleb isn’t the only one who needs someone,” he pointed out.

  “That’s right,” Evan said with a straight face, although there was an amused gleam in his eyes. “He and Amber both do.”

  Trent laughed.

  “Why do things halfway? Get married, why don’t you. Better late, than never.”

  Erik nodded thoughtfully.

  “I think you may be onto something. What do you say, Amber?”

  “Okay,” she swiftly replied.

  Patrice’s eyes popped, and Laney’s lit with excitement. Evan and Justin looked a little concerned. Joshua seemed surprised, and Gabriel appeared to be fighting the urge to laugh. Trent and the other guys, looked startled. Reggie spluttered.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he snapped, as he glared.

  “Are you sure about that?” Erik replied evenly.

  “Yes, I’m sure! You’re not marrying her!”

  “That’s not up to you, is it?” Amber fired back.

  “That’s not even your kid!” Reggie spat at her.

  “Yes. I know,” Erik replied calmly, as if those words were directed at him.

  Reggie looked at Erik sharply, then took in the warning looks from Joshua, Gabriel, and the rest of Amber’s and Samantha’s friends.

  Reggie glared for several more seconds, then shot Amber another scorching look, and left the table abruptly. His friends followed after him.

  “Uh, Amber—a word?” Patrice said pointedly.

  “I’m going too,” Laney told Justin, as she scrambled from her chair.

  “I’ll be back,” Amber said to Erik, as Patrice assisted her in rising from her seat.

  Patrice and Laney escorted Amber a short distance away. Patrice glanced over her shoulder at the guys, then raised an eyebrow at Amber.

  “He’s awfully cute,” Laney said, her blue eyes sparkling. “He seems nice. Is he nice?”

  “He is, he’s completely wonderful,” Amber nearly swooned, as she pressed her hands to her cheeks. “I’ve been in love with him since the day we met.”

  Laney beamed excitedly.

  Patrice looked as though she felt a headache coming on.

  “You do know when Samantha gets down off that mountain, she’s going to want her baby back,” she felt the need to inform both girls.

  Amber’s shoulders slumped, and desperation filled her eyes.

  “But he’s so cute. And so sweet. And I’m so in love with him! Maybe I can play along, just for a while,” she bargained.

  “No,” Patrice said flatly.

  “But maybe he’s in love with her, too,” Laney suggested.

  For just a moment, Amber looked hopeful. Then she sighed, and shook her
head.

  “No. He isn’t. I know he isn’t,” she said. If he was, then when she kissed him the night before, he would’ve kissed her in response. Instead, he gave her a brotherly talking-to.

  Laney clasped her hands to her heart, which felt ready to break over this tragedy.

  “But you’d be so perfect together,” she lamented.

  “Yes. A perfect mess, with a huge lie as its foundation,” Patrice said firmly.

  Laney grimaced, then sighed in resignation.

  “She’s right. One thing I’ve learned, is that it’s very important in a relationship to be completely forthcoming.”

  “I know, I know you’re right,” Amber lamented. “But I am so in love with him. I’ve been in love with him since I was thirteen. And now, after spending the past few days together, I realize he’s even more wonderful than I thought he would be. He’s amazing, and… he’s way too good for me.”

  Patrice saw the insecurity in Amber’s eyes as she deflated, and felt sympathy. She also felt annoyance.

  “Why?” she retorted. “What in the world makes you think that? Is he made of gold, or he comes from royalty?”

  “He may be a son of the King, but you’re just as much His daughter,” Laney reminded her.

  “I make dumb mistakes all the time,” Amber despaired. “Erik is so smart, and responsible. I’m trying to catch up, but I don’t think I can. He’s too good for me.”

  “You have him on a pedestal,” Laney said knowingly. “That’s very dangerous. Right now, you think he’s too good for you. But if you don’t stop this, then when he makes a mistake, you’ll think he’s no good at all.”

  “But Erik is so perfect,” Amber argued.

  “Jesus is perfect,” Patrice retorted.

  “That’s right, only Jesus is perfect,” Laney agreed. “Erik is human. So is Jesus, He’s fully God, and fully man, but Erik is just human. He’s a believer, so he has the Holy Spirit living in him too, but—so do you.”

  “Erik does a better job listening,” Amber replied.

  “Then that needs to change, because Jesus loves you, and you love Him,” Laney admonished her.

  “Yes, exactly,” Patrice jumped in. “Not because you think you’re not good enough for some guy.”

  “You’re already good enough for Jesus,” Laney pointed out. “He sacrificed His life to save yours, and that was while we were still His enemies.”