by S. Moose
With a pile of pancakes on one plate, we each grab a spoon and start digging in.
It’s the best thing ever.
The day gets away from us as we move on from one great idea to the next. When Dawson breaks out the Nerf guns, I’m game for a round of battle because Dawson and I are both very competitive. Within seconds, we each have a mountain of pillows, couch cushions, and anything else we can find scattered around the living room in various places to use as secure locations, so we can have shelter from the other.
“You are going down, dude,” I say as I peek through the crack between the couch cushions turned upright. “I’m coming for you.”
“No way, Reagan,” he says. “This victory is mine.”
I rise up, shoot a dart, and miss him only by an inch before I freeze in place. Dawson takes the opportunity to reciprocate, and one single dart makes contact and bounces off my forehead just before he breaks out in laughter.
“I got you,” he says, throwing his arm in the air.
Yet, through his obvious excitement, I can only focus on the woman standing in the entryway, staring at me like I’m Satan.
“Isn’t this the cutest thing?” The words are more of a sneer as they fall from Jennifer’s lips. The look on her face matches her tone. “It isn’t enough that you’ve somehow weaseled your way into Drew’s life, convincing him you’re some kind of godsend, but you’ve made my son feel as if you are, too. How adorably sweet and conniving of you.”
I can feel my heart race as I attempt to hold back the words lingering on the tip of my tongue. Bitch being one of them because she’s a real piece of work. But Dawson doesn’t need to witness this or hear his mother and I go back and forth.
“Hey, buddy, why don’t you go to your room for a minute?” I hope Dawson will run off and allow us some adult time.
Jennifer has other ideas.
“Stay here, Dawson,” she barks. Her sharp tone even makes me jump in surprise. “You don’t have the right to send him away. I am his mother.”
“I just thought you and I could talk,” I say, still trying my best to remain cool. “Some things, I just don’t think he needs to hear.”
“What? Like the woman his father is seeing is a gold-digging whore.” She crosses her arms over her chest and gives me a look, as if to say, Take that. “You might have Drew fooled, somehow hypnotizing him into believing you are some amazing catch, but I know your type.”
“My type?” I say, unable to hold my own anger at bay any longer. “The one who actually cares about Dawson’s happiness much more than my own, you mean?”
“How dare you.” She drops her hands and steps closer to me. “You don’t know me, and you sure as hell don’t know about my relationship with my son.”
“Relationship is a stretch, don’t you think?”
This woman is going too far.
“You barely see him, and when you do, you pawn him off on your assistant or anyone else you can find. He barely knows you.”
“You bitch,” Jennifer says, taking a step toward me.
“What the hell is going on here?”
We both freeze at the sound of Drew’s booming voice as it echoes through the apartment.
Anger evident on his face, he rushes forward and shields Dawson with his own body.
My heart sinks as the reality of the situation hits me, and I see the look of fear in Dawson’s eyes as he holds on to Drew’s side.
33
Drew
“Jennifer,” I say through clenched teeth, my tone low and shallow, “I need to have a word with you.” Without looking at Reagan or Dawson, I move him from my side to Reagan’s. “Can you please take Dawson to his room while I speak with Jennifer?”
As their steps fade, I reach over and take Jennifer’s hand in mine, guiding her outside and making sure the door’s closed behind me before I let her know what she did isn’t allowed…ever again.
“Do you know what she’s doing with my son?”
“First, Dawson’s our son. Second, she’s watching him for me. I had to run into the city for an important business meeting. Dawson loves her, and she feels the same. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“She’s unstable, Drew. Why can’t you see that? Or are you blind because of her damn pussy? Is it really that good that you’d jeopardize the life of our son?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” My voice rises from calm to angry. I’m trying my best to hold on to my patience. “I’m trying to see this from your point of view and comprehend your lack of understanding when it comes to my relationship with Reagan. She’s a good person with a heart of gold. I trust her, and you should, too.”
“There’s nothing for me to understand. I don’t want her near him.”
Jennifer pushes me aside and storms into my apartment, rushing through the living area. Before she reaches the steps, I reach over and grab her arm, pulling her to my side.
“Don’t do this—”
Before I can go on, Reagan slowly comes down the stairs.
“Dawson’s really upset right now, and I can’t get him to stop crying.”
“See!” Jennifer points at Reagan.
“You’re the reason why he’s crying, Jennifer. He doesn’t understand why you’re calling me a gold-digging whore or why you’re angry. He thinks he did something wrong.”
Jennifer tries to go upstairs, but I have a tight grip on her arm.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“She’s an unstable bitch! Get her the hell away from my son!” she screams as she tries to pull away. “He’s mine, and you’ll never take him away.”
Reagan’s eyes widen. She looks at me and then to Jennifer. “I’m not trying to do anything,” Reagan stammers. “I love Dawson and Drew. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt them.”
“Then, why were you committed to a hospital for six months?”
“Jennifer, stop.”
She pulls away from me and walks toward Reagan. “Tell me now. What? Are you crazy? Mentally ill? Are you planning on killing Dawson and Drew? Tell me!”
“I went through something very traumatic and needed help. I felt alone and didn’t have anyone, so I turned to the facility to be my temporary family until I got back on my feet.”
Jennifer pulls back, and without a word, she leaves the apartment, and I don’t go after her.
After a few moments, Reagan places her hand on my chest, and I’m able to let go of the breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about when I was in rehab sooner.”
“It’s okay.” I lean down and kiss her forehead. “Please don’t allow Jennifer to hurt you. She’s…difficult to understand.”
“I know. I’m not going anywhere. Jennifer won’t scare me away from you and Dawson.”
In this moment, I can’t believe how strong my girl is. She could leave this instant and say fuck it to a life with Dawson and me. Instead, she’s comforting me when I should be the one doing it to her.
“Pack your bags. I’m taking you, Dawson, Remy, and Aimee away for a few days. I have a cabin in Grand Haven. It’s right on the lake. If we leave now, we can make it there by about nine or ten. I think a few days to unwind will be good for us.”
“Okay,” she answers without hesitation. “I’m sure I won’t have to twist Aimee’s arm to go. Let me call her, and then we can get ready.”
I kiss her forehead and nod. Once she’s upstairs, I take out my phone from my pocket and text Remy.
Me: Cabin? Let’s leave now and spend a few days away.
Remy: Now, now?
Me: Yes.
Remy: Okay, cool.
Me: Aimee’s coming, too.
Remy: Not Zoey?
Me: No. Do you think I should invite her?
Remy: Up to you.
Me: Maybe next time. Reagan wanted to double date, so this would be the perfect time for you to meet Aimee. She’s sweet. You’ll like her.
Remy: O
h, okay. Cool. See you in an hour then?
Me: Okay.
The cabin comes to view, and I gently squeeze Reagan’s arm to let her know we’re here. The five of us fit in my Tahoe, and everyone’s sleeping. I look in my rearview mirror and see Aimee leaning on Remy’s shoulder, and his head’s on hers. I’d like to see him happy, the way Reagan makes me.
My mood improves when I put the car in park. When I step out, my feet touching the smooth dirt, I look around at my five-thousand-square-feet luxurious cabin that is deep in the woods on a private beach. It’s secluded, and the closest cabin is about five miles.
“Damn, it feels good to be here.”
I turn and see Remy out of the car, and he’s helping Aimee out.
“Wow,” she says. “This is beautiful. Thank you for inviting me along.”
“No problem.” I smile and walk around the car to see Reagan putting Dawson in her arms.
“You okay?”
She nods. “Yeah. This was a great idea.”
“I hope we can relax for a few days and talk.”
She shakes her head and presses her warm hand to my cheek. “No more talking about Jennifer, okay?”
I nod.
“You can’t protect me from her.”
“Yes, I can.”
“But I don’t want you to. I can stand up for myself, and I know you’re there if I need you, but we should get him inside.”
Everyone’s settled in. Dawson’s in his room, and Remy and Aimee are in their separate rooms across the hall from each other. The two of them instantly clicked upon introduction, and I have this strange feeling things with them are going to fly into overdrive before we know it.
The four of us are in the massive living area. Reagan and Aimee are drinking wine, and Remy and I are drinking whiskey.
“Let’s play a game.” Aimee slaps the leather cushion and sits up from lying on Remy’s lap. “The game’s called Truth. It’s so easy and fun.”
“Aimee,” Reagan whines as she gives her a warning look. “Not tonight.”
She waves her off and continues with the instructions, “And if you cannot and will not answer, then you take a shot of vodka.” She pulls the bottle up from where it was placed and puts it on the coffee table. “Ready?”
“Sure. Why not?” I agree.
“Whatever,” Reagan whispers. “It’s just the four of us, so what do I truly have to fear?” She turns to look at me.
I rub her back and kiss the side of her head. “There’s nothing to worry about. Plus, I’m here, and I’ll protect you.”
“I’m going to beat all of you.” Remy laughs. “I’ll make sure the three of you are wasted and I’ll be the champion of this game.”
“I’ll start!” Aimee raises her hand and points at me. “Drew, do you like ass play?”
“No,” I immediately respond. I look at Remy. “Question goes to you, brother.”
I laugh, bringing my glass of whiskey to my lips. He won’t answer it.
“Yes, I do like a little ass play.” He smirks. “Reagan, have you done anal?”
She winces, and that grabs my attention. I place my hand on hers, and she instantly relaxes.
“Once.” Her answer is quick before she asks Remy a question, “Would you blow a guy for a million dollars?”
“Absolutely not. I’m a millionaire, babe. I wouldn’t do that for five million. Now, if it were ten, then”—he shrugs—“I’d consider it.” He turns to Aimee and smirks. “Do you think I’m hot?”
“Duh.”
Remy grabs her and pulls her in for a kiss. I can instantly tell they have obviously done it before.
He quickly lets go, and then Aimee looks at Reagan. “How big is Drew?”
Her face turns red, and she shakes her head. “Seriously?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Probably nine inches.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Remy shouts. “You’re not bigger than me. Dude, we’re comparing.”
“No, we’re fucking not.” I laugh. “Put that thing away. Your dick isn’t going near mine. Accept it, brother. I’m bigger.”
“We’ll see.”
The game goes on for an hour, and everyone’s forthcoming. We continue to play until Reagan falls asleep on my lap, and Remy’s taking Aimee upstairs.
My fingers play with Reagan’s soft hair as I listen to her even breathing and watch the fire slowly diminish.
When I feel her hands on my face, I look down to see her awake. Her green eyes seem to reach into the depths of my soul, knowing exactly what I’m feeling and what I’m thinking.
“Stop worrying so much.”
I chuckle. “Why do you think I am?”
“Because I know you.”
She pushes herself up from my lap and turns, so we’re facing one another. I extend an arm over the sofa and turn on my side in a comfortable position.
“Truth?” she asks.
“Okay.”
“What are you really afraid of when it comes to Jennifer?”
I sigh. “She’s vicious when she’s threatened. Part of me thinks she wants to get back together, and now, she’s seeing the error of her ways before we were divorced. We had a good life, but like I told you before, she changed after Dawson, and I couldn’t stand the arguing.”
“You had to do what was right for Dawson.”
I nod.
“Your turn.”
“The time you were in that facility, how’d you feel?”
“Alone. Scared. Worthless. After two months, I started feeling better. I met this woman who passed away a week after I left. Her name was Gloria, and she was there for about two years. Her husband died while hunting, and then their son suddenly passed away from some freak accident while at an amusement park. The ride had malfunctioned, and he was thrown off. The park gave her millions, but it didn’t matter to her. I was contacted by her lawyer, and she left me the money.”
“You were there for her, baby. She needed someone, and the both of you found each other.”
She wipes the tears on her cheek and takes a few calming breaths. “I gave my mom two million, so she could stop working at the diner. She’s been to so many places, meeting people and finally living her life. I donated a million to the facility, and the rest, I’ve saved. I’ve never touched it. In fact, I forget I have it, not wanting to rely on the money and letting it change me like it does most people. I don’t need the luxuries in the world. I’m complete now that I have you.”
“And Dawson.”
“And Dawson,” she repeats. “I didn’t like feeling good about losing my baby. I think about it a lot more, and realize everything happens for a reason. I knew having a baby from that evil man would have reminded me every day of the hell I’d gone through. When I walked out of the hospital, I felt relieved. I felt free. Therapy helped since I was going out of my mind. After I checked myself out, I traveled before coming to Chicago and living with Aimee.”
My fingers stroke her cheek and go back to her hand, so our fingers entwine together. “I’m glad you’re complete, and you’re here. You’ve been through hell, baby, and I want to protect you from anything that could hurt you.”
“I know, babe. I know.”
“Good.”
Reagan and I stay on the couch for a little while longer. Neither of us are talking and it’s nice to sit here in the silence.
“Oh.” I snap my fingers. “My best friend, Fin, will be here earlier than expected. He should be landing in two weeks instead of next month. You’ll love him. He’s a great guy.”
“I can’t wait. Come on, let’s go to bed. I need some love from my extremely sexy boyfriend.”
“Lead the way.”
34
Reagan
Hand in hand, Drew leads me through the living room, and as we round the corner toward the stairway, he stops so quickly, I practically run into his back.
“Aimee,” he says, sounding a little surprised.
“I was, um…”
I st
ep up to his side, causing her to stumble over her words a bit.
“Just getting a glass of water.”
She appears nervous, sad maybe, which concerns me.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She instantly looks toward the floor. It’s as if she can’t look at me, which only furthers my concern.
“What happened?” I ask, letting go of Drew’s hand to take hers instead.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, slightly shaking her head.
“Sorry?” Now, I’m confused because I have no idea what she could be sorry about.
“I should’ve figured it out. I should have somehow…” Her voice trembles. “How could I not have known that it was all related to something so horrible?”
“Aimee, you’re freaking me out,” I say, crouching enough to finally bring her face into view.
Fresh tears cover her cheeks as she tightly holds her eyes together.
“I didn’t mean to overhear your conversation with Drew. I promise, I wasn’t eavesdropping. I just came down the stairs at the wrong time, I guess.”
In that moment, it finally hits me.
“Why couldn’t you ever tell me? I would have been there for you.”
I look back at Drew, feeling my own panic rise, and the look on his face is the one I’ve seen him get often when it comes to me. That need to protect and swoop in to become my hero. I give him a look, letting him know I’m okay, and I hope he understands me. I need to handle this on my own.
I knew the day would come when I would have to share my past with Aimee. I just didn’t expect it would be because she overheard me tell someone other than her.
“Maybe we should save this conversation for another day.” Drew places his arm on my lower back. “We’ve all had a long day and—”
Again, I begin to shake my head.
“I think this conversation”—I motion between Aimee and myself—“has been a long time coming. I think it’s already waited long enough.”
I look back at Drew standing so close to me, I can feel his chest pressing against my entire right side. Hesitation is evident in his eyes and the stiffness of his shoulders. I know it’s hard for him to accept that what is about to take place will bring back a lot of hard memories, fear maybe.
