by Jacob Chance
“Where’s the ceremony taking place?” I ask.
“There’s a small church not far from the cabin. When I saw it, I knew it was the perfect place to get married.”
I press my palms together in a prayerful pose. “Please tell me it’s a white church.”
Dani laughs. “It is. Why does that matter?”
“Because it’s perfect. Small New Hampshire town, quaint, white church, snow-covered mountains all around. Ooh, how about a horse-drawn sleigh ride as part of the reception?”
“That sounds fun,” Vi jumps in. “I keep picturing a huge Christmas tree by the large front windows at the cabin.”
“Me too,” Dani agrees. “I can’t wait to decorate that place for Christmas. Rex and I are going to bring Ruby there for part of her school break.”
“Wait. You never said where you’re having the reception.” I say. “Don’t leave us hanging any longer.”
“Oh, sorry. There’s a beautiful hotel not too far from the church. We’ll have the reception there. And the few guests we’ll have can stay over. It’ll be convenient, and they agreed to give us a special room rate.”
She looks so blissfully happy, I can’t help but smile. I can’t think of another person who deserves good fortune more than Dani. “It sounds perfect,” I tell her.
“When are we going dress shopping?” Vi asks. “You know how fast the time is going to pass by.”
“It’s only August now,” Dani reminds Vi.
“I know, but once Halloween hits, the rest of the holidays fly by. Your wedding will be here in a flash.”
Dani grimaces.
“Are you nervous about getting married?” I inquire.
She shakes her head. “Not in the way you’re probably imaging. This will be my second marriage, and I want this one to last for the long haul.”
“Why wouldn’t it?” Vi asks.
“Well, my ex and I grew apart, and I don’t want that to happen again.”
I reassuringly place a hand on Dani’s forearm. “It won’t. I’m saying this with complete confidence. Rex is madly in love with you. He’s never going to let distance come between you two. No way, no how.”
Dani’s mouth parts in a full smile. “Thanks for reminding me. Sometimes our relationship seems too good to be true. I keep waiting for something to go wrong.”
“Maybe you should focus on all the right that’s happening. You deserve every bit of it,” I point out.
“So do you. Let’s get back to discussing you and Adam,” Dani suggests.
My stomach does a little flip at the mention of his name. For a strong, independent woman who’s always been the first to speak up and say that I don’t need a man, I’ve sure got it bad for him.
I woke up before my alarm clock went off and couldn’t get back to sleep. Doubt-filled thoughts about Adam danced around in my head, taunting me. Rather than submit to the craziness, I headed into the office early, and it paid off. I’ve been immensely productive so far.
Although, I’m kicking myself for not grabbing coffee on the way in like usual. Glancing at my watch, I note the time. Maybe a quick break is in order. I can run to the cafe.
Enjoying the silence enveloping me, I decide to answer a few more emails first before leaving. Not that our offices are ever too noisy, but with no one else here, I could hear a pin drop instead of the sound of Lisa’s fingers continuously hitting the computer keys.
With the main door to Manfax open, I’m able to hear the low hum of the elevator doors opening on this floor. Footsteps scuff along the low pile rug, and I call out, “Good morning, Lisa.”
“Morning,” Adam greets me, slipping inside my office. His lips crook upward on one side, and his dimple winks at me.
I can’t hold back my smile. I’m surprised but so happy to see him. I’m tempted to jump out of my leather chair and throw my arms around him. But I don’t.
“Hey, Rocky. I brought some breakfast and coffee for us.” Nudging my door closed with his elbow, he walks over, setting down the drink tray and paper bag.
“You just made my morning. I was about to go grab something. I’ve been here since six.”
“Damn, that’s early. Is everything okay?” he looks concerned.
“Everything’s fine. I woke and couldn’t seem to fall back to sleep and figured I might as well put the time to use.”
“And did you?” he asks.
“I did. I’m glad I came in.”
“You look as beautiful as ever. I can’t tell you were short on sleep.” He hands me one of the cups and removes one for himself.
“Thank you. This coffee will help, for sure.”
“This is for Lisa. Where should I put it?”
“You bought her coffee?”
“You said you grab one for her every day. I figured I’d help out.”
“That’s so sweet. You can set it on my file cabinet. She’ll come see me as soon as she arrives. Are you a mind reader?” Looking perplexed at my question, he shakes his head. “For the first time in ages, I didn’t grab coffee on the way in, so it’s perfect that you did.”
“I guess we’re in sync,” he offers. “Here, don’t forget your breakfast.” He pushes the bag forward until I snatch it up, peering inside.
“Oh, yum. I love powdered jelly donuts.” Plucking it from the bag, I bite into the outer edge. “Mmm.” I close my eyes. “I can feel my ass expanding already.” He chuckles, and I take another bite. Licking the white substance from my lips, my eyes pop open to find him studying my chest. Glancing down, I see powder all over my green shirt. Brushing the sugar away with an embarrassed giggle, I glance up, our eyes connecting. “I’m a mess.”
“A beautiful mess,” he replies, provoking a fluttering in my stomach that could rival the speed of a hummingbird’s wings.
Rising from my seat, I roll my chair backward with the back of my legs. Stepping around the side of my desk, I stop when I’m in front of Adam. My hands creep up his chest, grazing his hard pecs, and pause to grip his wide, sculpted shoulders. “Thank you for bringing me breakfast and coffee.” My voice sounds unusually breathy.
“Welcome,” he husks, his large, strong hands settling low on my hips. It’s clear both of us are equally affected by our close proximity. Our breaths sync, picking up speed, like a car shifting through the gears. Sexual tension crackles between us until we can’t withstand the need any longer.
Giving in, we meet in a fiery crush of lips, tongues, and teeth. Wet and frantic, Adam’s mouth devours mine. Every possible inch of our bodies is pressed together, but we still can’t get close enough.
Keys jingle before clunking down on Lisa’s desk in the reception area, alerting me we’re no longer alone.
My palms slip downward, pressing on his chest with urgency. Adam draws back, his green irises still clouded with passion. Neither of us wants to step away and end our contact, but I force my trembling legs to move. Retracing my steps around my desk, I sink down less than gracefully onto my chair just prior to Lisa appearing in the doorway.
She greets me with a smile. “Hey.” Her gaze swings over to Adam, and her lips flatten, forming a straight, thoughtful line. She’s wondering what he’s doing here. Yesterday, I filled her in on what went down on our date. She was excited for me but disappointed I hadn’t heard from him since. With how protective of me she can be, I’m hoping she waits to talk with me before dressing him down.
“Good morning.” I make my smile as full as possible, hoping she’ll take it as a sign that things are good.
“How’s it going?” Adam asks.
“Good, thanks. How about you?” She looks him over.
“I’m here talking to two of the most beautiful women in this city. My day’s looking fantastic.”
“Don’t lay it on too thick,” Lisa advises.
“Adam brought us both coffee. Isn’t that sweet?”
Her brows bounce upward with surprise. “Thank you. That’s thoughtful and totally unexpected.”
“W
hy do I get the sense that you’re as surprised by my gesture as Roxanne was? Do I come off as some asshole or something?”
“Or something,” Lisa mumbles under her breath. If I could reach her, I’d kick her into silence. Adam and I are just starting to find our way together, and I don’t need her making him suspicious. At some point, I’ll need to confess about the Manfax reports, but today is not the time. I’m not sure when we’ll have that discussion, but I’ve no doubt I’ll know when the moment is right.
23
Adam
Starting my truck, I pause, rubbing my hand over my short beard. “Before we start on our way toward our destination, I want to tell you what we’re doing.”
“Okay. Why do you seem nervous? You’re not going to spring some other woman on me and try to get me to have a three way are you?”
A quick laugh flies from my mouth. I shouldn’t be surprised that Rocky’s question isn’t remotely predictable. I meet her gaze directly and shake my head. “No three ways, I promise.”
“Good. I don’t eat pussy, and I don’t plan on starting.”
“Christ, Rocky.” I push down on my cock, adjusting it through my jeans.
“Men,” she grouses. “Mention some girl on girl action and you all pop boners like teenagers.”
“That’s not what happened at all. I didn’t think about you with another woman. You made my dick hard just saying the word pussy, and all I can think about is what you’ll taste like when I bury my mouth between your thighs.”
Glancing at me from under her thick lashes, she visibly swallows. “When exactly do you plan on doing that?”
“The first fucking chance I get.”
“Oh.” Her pink tongue slips out, dampening her bottom lip.
I clear my throat. Get a grip, man. “I started to tell you about our plans before you distracted me with your dirty talk.” I back my truck to the end of her driveway.
“I can do much better than that,” she promises, making my cock react again.
“I can’t wait to experience all of your oral talents.” I wink. Reversing into the road, I shift into drive and start on our way. “I want to explain where I’m taking you and who we’ll be with.”
“We’re meeting up with someone?” she sounds unsure.
“Yes, with some friends of mine.”
“You’re introducing me to your friends? Isn’t that kind of premature?” Now she sounds panicked.
“You’re about to meet some of my favorite people in the world.”
“Where are we going?” she questions.
“We’re going bowling.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. Do you have something against handling large balls?”
“No. I’m just surprised at your choice of date locations.”
“It’s not the ideal choice for our second date, but I promised my friend Randy that I’d be there.”
“Are you sure I’m welcome?”
“Absolutely.” I rake a hand through my hair, a nervous tell of mine. “I should fill you in on the backstory. I’ve been volunteering at a group home for a few years now.”
“Group home?” she repeats questioningly.
“It’s a house for adults with special needs. There are disability service providers who maintain and control the house. They also arrange for the residents to take part in special programs and activities, like how we’re going bowling tonight. Randy, the friend I mentioned, is one of the residents who lives there.”
“And you’re one hundred percent sure I can be there?” she asks again.
“Yes, it’s not a problem. If you were going to volunteer at the house they’d have to run a thorough background check on you first to make sure you have a clean criminal record. But since the bowling alley is a public place, there’s some wiggle room.”
“How did you and Randy meet?”
“First, let me say he’s like another little brother to me. We met through Bonnie, who is a lifelong friend of mine—our moms are friends. Anyway, Bonnie is the director at the home, and she reached out to me. She needed some small repairs done, and since the budget is tight, I volunteered to do the work for free.”
“That was nice of you. I’m sure your time is valuable.”
I shrug. “It seemed like the right thing at the time, and in hindsight, now I know it was.”
“Tell me more about Randy.” Roxanne’s genuine interest makes her more attractive to me, if that’s possible.
“He was born with Down Syndrome, and I met him the first day I was working at the house. His happiness was infectious, and for some reason, he immediately latched on to me. He even became my helper on the repairs.”
“I bet he loved that.”
“He was dangerous with a hammer at first, but he sure enjoyed banging those nails in.” I grin at the memory. “Randy is high-functioning, but he has some coordination issues. His slower speech pattern is noticeable, and he can be awkward in social situations. Sometimes he blurts out things he shouldn’t, but hell, so do I.” I chuckle.
“Every week you visit him?”
“Yep. We hang out. We always shoot some hoops, and sometimes we might work on a building project or watch movies.”
“How old is he?”
“Twenty-three. He had recently moved in when I first met him.”
“So, you’re like a big brother to him as well.”
“I am. And he’s an only child, so I take that role seriously.”
Putting my signal on, I pull into the bowling alley and park my truck. I glance over at Roxanne and find her worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “Don’t be nervous. This is supposed to be fun.”
She turns toward me. “I’m not.”
I’m pretty sure she’s not being truthful, but I know once we’re inside and she sees how cool everyone is her nerves will be forgotten.
Holding her hand, I lead her inside to the shoe rental where she exchanges the sexy-as-fuck heels she’s partial to for a pair of not-so-sexy tri-colored bowling shoes. I switch out my sneakers for a similar looking pair and then we set off in search of familiar faces. I catch a glimpse of Bonnie’s white-blonde hair and move in that direction.
I gently squeeze Roxanne’s hand. “Relax. No one’s going to bite you—at least not until we get back to your place.”
“Is that a promise?” she asks, throwing down the challenge.
“If you’re game, I sure as fuck am.”
We come upon my friends before either of us can say more. I introduce Roxanne to everyone and she instantly seems relieved.
Bonnie immediately pulls me to the side. “Did you tell Randy to watch The Big Lebowski to get ready for bowling tonight?” She doesn’t look happy. “Put this on.” She hands me a worn bathrobe, and before I ask, I understand why.
“Adam, is this your girlfriend?” Randy steps into view. He’s dressed in all purple with a hairnet on, just like the Jesus character from the movie.
“Hey, buddy.” I throw the robe on and glance down at Roxanne beside me. “Not yet, but I want her to be. She needs some convincing, though. Maybe you can tell her I’m not a bad guy.”
“You’re the best guy,” he exclaims.
“Thanks for the endorsement, buddy. But don’t think this means that I’m not gonna kick your ass bowling.”
“I’m gonna kick your ass.” Randy points at me. “And do you know why?” He smiles and doesn’t wait for me to respond before quoting the movie. The line he says mentions two words that don’t go together—fucks and Jesus. I’m pretty sure Bonnie is about to have a breakdown over it. Randy repeats it two more times for good measure.
“Okay, gentlemen, let’s watch our language,” Bonnie scolds us. “I hope you’re happy. He’s been saying it pretty much nonstop since we arrived.”
“Come on, Adam, let’s show the ladies how it’s done.” Randy saves me from a lecture.
I lean over and press a kiss on Roxanne’s cheek, right in front of her ear. “I’m going to play a quick
game with him and then you can show me your moves.”
She smiles before I brush a brief kiss on her lips. “Don’t go too hard on him, Randy,” she says.
“Oh, I’m gonna kick his ass,” Randy yells excitedly. “Because nobody—” I cover his mouth before he can shout the rest.
Bonnie rolls her eyes at me. “It’s a good thing I like you so much.”
“You’d be lost without me.” I turn to Randy and place my hand on his shoulder. “Come on, shit talker. We’ve got a game to play.”
“Yeah, but I’m still gonna kick your ass,” he insists.
“Well, that’s just like, your opinion, maaan.” I give him my best impression of The Dude.
“All rigghht.” Randy looks even happier now that I’ve joined in his fun.
We spend the next forty-five minutes bowling only a single game. Randy does a continuous imitation of The Jesus, dancing along the lane and quoting the movie for everyone around every time he rolls the ball.
Each time his ball pops through the return, he places it in a towel between his legs, crouches down, and polishes it vigorously just like in the movie. It’s borderline inappropriate and absolutely hysterical.
By the time we finish our game the entire alley is gathered around and cheering us on.
Randy’s commitment to the impersonation has won over the entire crowd, including the people who were annoyed only moments ago.
He takes a victory lap, running along the top of the lanes with his arms extended like an airplane. “Nobody fucks with—”
“No, no, no,” I shout to block out Randy’s escalating tone.
24
Roxanne
“And this is why I adore Adam. I’m so thankful he’s part of our program. He’s made such a difference in Randy. As much as I’d love to get after him for telling Randy to watch that movie, I can’t. Look at Randy’s face. Have you ever seen such pure unadulterated joy?”
I grin. “I can’t say I have. So, Adam told me you guys have been friends forever.”
She smiles. “We have. Our moms are close friends, so we had no choice.”
