by Asrai Devin
He wasn't prepared for that kind of contact now. He still had to assimilate the aspect of 'Mandy had a kid'. Where was his father in all this? Was there a relationship there?
Kip clicked back to the previous message. It said she lived with her son Colton. No mention of any man. She didn't say 'single mom' specifically. But all her words pointed to it.
That put a new spin on the dynamic of getting her back or getting over her. He couldn't jump into this. If nothing else, a third person was involved in the relationship whether he liked it or not.
Kip clicked reply.
I'm out on the road again. I will get in contact with you when I get home. You aren't alone in being a little nervous about this renewed contact. I'll talk to you soon. KT
He read her messages again before turning off his computer. He smiled seeing her initials at the bottom of them. Some things didn't change and for once, he was glad about that.
Chapter 4
Mandy marked papers while she helped Colton with his homework three days before Christmas holidays began. This year they would stay in Red Deer. Mandy's car was far too unreliable to make the trip to Saskatchewan. Her parents would arrive three days after Christmas and planned to stay for three days.
It wouldn't be the two of them on Christmas Day, thankfully. Two sets of friends, who weren't able to visit with their families either, had agreed to all get together for the day and split the cooking amongst them. Colton wasn't as thrilled with the arrangement.
It had also been five days since she had sent Kip her phone number. She had spent the week not watching the games that were televised, but only when Kip played, and not counting the days until he was due to return to Calgary. She had also not been hoping that he would call the moment he walked in his front door.
The phone rang, breaking into the silence between muted conversation when Colton had a question. Colton jumped to answer it. "I'll get it," he announced, looking over his shoulder for her consent.
Mandy nodded and he pushed the talk button. "Hello?" Mandy watched him as he nodded, pressing the receiver against his ear. "Yeah, that's me. Oh okay, she's here. Mo-om, it's for you. It's some guy." He held out the phone for her.
Her heart leapt into her throat and her stomach fell a few feet. She knew who phoned. She looked at his schedule so frequently she should have it memorized.
Her legs shook as she stood. She took a few steps toward Colton. Her fingers trembled when she reached for the phone. "Thank you." She pressed the phone to her ear and spoke, "Hold on a moment please." She drew the phone away from her ear before she could hear the reply. His voice would make it real and she hadn't prepared herself for that.
Mandy looked at Colton, who was looking at her with expectations. Who was on the phone for her? "Colton, go get your pajamas on please. Then get yourself a snack. We'll finish your homework when I'm done."
Colton trotted off to do her bidding. Mandy pushed her hair back in a nervous gesture. Her heart was thundering blood through her veins and her body shook. She took a deep breath. "Sorry about that. Hi." She sounded breathless.
She could hear his smile through the phone. "Hi. Is this a good time?"
"Yeah, no. I mean, it's fine. Just caught me a little off guard."
"I'm sorry. I should have messaged you first. Asked when a good time to call was. Let you call me." He paused. Mandy couldn't think of anything to say to that. All she could do was revel in the warmth of his voice. His voice was deeper, she thought perhaps. At least from what she remembered. She tried to think about his voice on television, but she'd been so focused on his image she hadn't heard his words.
"How are you?" he said, breaking her erroneous train of thought. Good grief, she was dropping the conversational ball. It was Kip. She had talked to Kip for hundreds, millions of hours on the telephone and in person. She had coexisted with him the same house for a year. Why was she feeling as jumpy as the first day he'd approached her?
"Good. Finishing homework before bed. The whole routine. How are you? I've been kind of watching the standings and whatnot. You're having a good year."
"So far. I haven't played much yet, being the new guy on the team."
Mandy nodded. He couldn't hear that. Was he calling to make small talk? Or had he called to ask if they could meet? Could she blurt that out? Why are you calling me Kip?
"I'm coming up on days off. Christmas time and whatnot. Are you going home for the holidays?"
"No. My car it's unreliable. I made plans with friends here." Did he plan to ask her to come home with him? Or did he want to get together back there? That would have been too creepy. "You?"
"Everyone is coming here. Then catching a game."
Okay, this was not leading to getting together. It was small talk. Mandy relaxed a little. Getting together was a stressful thought. She had to find a sitter and have an extra evening away from Colton. She didn't like the thought. And what did get together mean?
"That sounds like fun."
"Not really. But they are family."
"That's true. My parents are coming here the twenty-seventh until the thirtieth as well. You play New Year's right?"
"Yeah, then I'm off for a few days."
"Me too," she said.
"Maybe," he sounded nervous, which wasn't like her Kip. One of the things she loved about him was his confidence. "Maybe, we could make plans for New Year's Day. They never make us practice then. I could drive. We could have dinner."
Mandy's nervousness turned into full-blown panic. "I'd have to see if someone could watch Colton first. Otherwise, I think that would be," it would be what? Great, marvelous? "Nice," she finished with; anything else would have been too eager.
"Oh, right." He'd forgotten her son, or he thought she'd bring him along. She didn't need to clarify. "That's fine. Why don't you take my number? And you can let me know later if that works for you."
Mandy swallowed hard. That meant she'd have to phone Kip. She'd always had trouble calling him. His parents weren't particularly fond of her. They looked down on her as the shy, fat loser and wondered why their popular, sports fanatic son would hook up with a girl like her. She was always on edge, hoping they wouldn't answer the phone. Let it be Kip or his younger sister, Maggie. "Sure, I could do that. I can find someone."
"His dad maybe?"
That took her by surprise. It shouldn't have. Kip would want to know where she stood with the father of her child. "He doesn't live in town. I have some friends to ask. I'll let you know when and where we can meet, if the date works out for me."
"That's great."
Mandy rubbed her hand over the place her heart was pounding against her ribs. It was Kip, good old Kip. The man she loved once, with all her heart. Because shed been with him for two years, which made all her dreams come true, didn't mean she wanted to get back together. Right?
It wasn't a real date anyway. She hadn't dated in six months, but it was Kip. It didn't count. She didn't need to worry about making small talk. He knew all the details of her life, except the past decade.
"Okay, give me your phone number. And your cell, in case I forget to get it later and something comes up. Things always come up when you don't plan ahead."
"Sure."
"I'll give you mine, as well. You know. Just in case." She repeated herself like an idiot now. She needed to end the conversation. "I'd love to talk and catch up, but I have to get Colton to finish his homework. I will let you know by the end of the month."
"Sure. Hey," he said. "Can I call you Christmas Day? To wish you a good holiday." His voice was husky and full of raw emotion. She barely knew who the thirty-year-old Kip was, but he seemed as nice as the twenty-year-old Kip. If that held true, she could fall for him once more.
"Yeah. I'd like that," she said. She couldn't refuse such a sweet request. She was melting into a puddle. Time to hang up, Mandy.
"Thanks. I'll talk to you soon."
"Thanks for calling. Bye." She hung up the phone. She was a puddle on the floor
over a phone conversation. How would she handle dinner with him?
* * * *
An early January date was the exact opposite time of year that Kip's first date with Mandy had been.
It had been a warm Saturday in June, when Kip drove to Mandy's and picked her up after lunchtime. It was a bit of a habit they'd gotten into.
She came out of the house in jeans and a T-shirt. He looked at his shorts. The unusually warm June temperature made shorts a necessity. It was silly for her to cover herself.
He crossed his arms as she stepped onto the porch where he waited. "Where are your shorts?" he demanded.
Mandy blinked up at him for a moment. Then she looked at her chosen outfit, which he had to admit she looked darned pretty in. "No one wants to see me in shorts, Kip." She started to move around him.
"It's far too hot for jeans, Mandy. And you are gorgeous, showing some skin won't hurt my image of you." He stopped her in front of him with two hands on her folded arms. He gazed into her brown eyes, which had hidden depths and had to admit he was a bit enamored.
She bit her bottom lip. "I'm not going back into change now. Let's go. I will wear shorts next time it's warm."
He shook his head, but let go of her arms. He threw his arm over her shoulder. She shied away a little from his touch, it was less each time. "Let's go. I have an idea." She didn't ask what his idea was as they walked to the car. He opened the passenger door for her and closed it after she was in, his red mustang, his prize when he made the provincial team the previous year.
He got in the driver's seat and headed for downtown. "Where are we going?" Mandy finally asked.
"I thought you'd never ask. But I will not tell you." He winked at her and she blushed, which made her look even prettier than usual.
He was at the point of pathetic longing for this girl. He planned to wait for her to feel at ease around him, but it seemed she would never relax in the way he hoped for. Time to make a move.
He found an empty parking space and pulled her out of the car. "Come on. We're going shopping."
"We are what?" Too stunned by shy, she let him pull her body close to his as they walked down the street.
"Shopping. Don't worry I have a great sense of fashion." He squeezed her against him. With a hold on his self-control, he kept from kissing her cheek.
He pulled her into the one shop that sold clothes for their age-group that were remotely trendy. It had nothing on a city, but it would do in a pinch.
He walked into the shop, his arm around her. He felt her tense when she saw two girls from his crowd standing in the shop. Kip lifted his hand in greeting, held tightly to Mandy.
It wasn't easy to find things in her size in this shop. He felt annoyance as he searched through the racks trying to find the size Mandy had given him with great reluctance. He managed to find two pairs of shorts and three shirts that he liked in the correct size. He pushed her toward the dressing rooms.
She crossed her arms and attempted to stare him down. "Mandy, if I have to, I'll drag you in there and put the clothes on you myself. Go try them on. If you like it, you can show me. Okay?"
She huffed but grabbed the clothes from his waiting hands. "Fine." She slammed the door shut behind her. Kip smiled.
"You're adorable when you're mad. It's a nice change from your usual shyness," he said, raising his voice to be heard in the dressing room.
She didn't reply. He heard the sound of rustling clothes. He could see her clothing on the floor under the door. The door squeaked open. She opened it enough to stick her face out. "I'm changed. You sure you want to see?"
Kip nodded. The anger dissipated, and her guard was still down. Perfect. "Open it enough for me to see."
She eased the door back. Kip moved so he could see. The shorts were long and slightly baggy around her legs. The shirt conforming and sleeveless. He could see a definition in her waist that hadn't been there before.
He stepped forward and pushed open the door. Taking her hands in his, he pulled her out. He stood her in front of the mirror and stood behind her. He stood only a few inches taller. He rested his chin on her shoulder. He kept her from crossing her arms across her chest. "Mandy look at yourself. Do you see how beautiful you are?"
She looked at her feet. At his urging she lifted her face to look at her image in the mirror. She chewed her bottom lip. "No," she finally whispered.
He put his hands on her hips. He ran his fingertips up her sides, feeling her body under the clothing. He met her eyes in the mirror for a moment before she dropped her gaze again. "You have curves. Sexy, beautiful curves. It makes you stand out. You think you should hide them, when you should really show them off."
She glanced up. She wore a shy smile on her face. He let go of her and she started to move back to the dressing room. He grabbed her again. "Hold on," he murmured, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She stopped mid-step and turned her head. He moved in front of her and framed her face with his hands. He tipped her head to the side a little then he went for it. He pressed his mouth over her lips.
She went rigid then limp against him. He let himself dive into her lush body. He opened his lips and she responded in kind. His tongue delved into the heated depths of her, tasting her for the first time. He moved his hands from her face down to her ample hips and held her against him.
He realized he was holding his breath, waiting for her to push him away. But she didn't, she kissed him back, her hands gripped his shoulders.
He eased her away, half-gasping for breath. He stared into her eyes; she blinked back at him, as stunned as he was. He hadn't meant for their first kiss to be quite so public. He let go of her reluctantly, swallowing hard. "Why don't you get changed into your things?" he suggested.
She nodded and scurried back into the dressing room. She came out in her own clothing again, not holding the clothes she tried on. He went around her into the dressing room and grabbed all the clothes.
Without speaking to her, he went to the cashier. His friend Matt's girlfriend, Shanna, was behind the cash register. She glanced from Kip to Mandy then back again. He rolled his eyes. "How are you Shanna?" he asked. She snapped her mouth closed. Stupid girl.
"Uh, good. You?"
"Really well, thank you."
Mandy stood behind him and he reached back, his arm around her waist. "I can't afford to buy all that," Mandy hissed.
He put his chin on her shoulder and replied in a whisper. "Consider it my first present to you."
She swallowed, but didn't argue. Probably because Shanna stood there. After he paid for the items, and Shanna handed them the bag, he propelled Mandy out of the store.
"I'm sorry," they said at the same time.
He wrinkled his nose. "Why are you sorry?"
"For embarrassing you in front of your friend."
"I'm hardly embarrassed. I didn't mean for our first kiss to be quite so public though. That's why I'm sorry."
She blushed deeply and buried her head in her hands. Then she spread her fingers. "First?"
Kip pulled her hands away from her face. "I meant to ask you to dinner first then kiss you on your front porch before saying good night." He kissed her nose. He couldn't help it. Now that he touched her, he refused to stop.
"You were going to ask me out?"
"Should I take you home so you can get ready for our first date? Or does this count as our first date and tonight is our second?" He cocked his head as he wondered out loud.
Mandy laughed and relaxed. She put her head on his shoulder. He hugged her tightly.
He chuckled, feeling it rumble in his unusually tight chest. "I guess I should ask you first. Mandy do you want to go to dinner with me this evening?" He forced his voice into a super serious tone.
She laughed again. When she lifted her head, her eyes were shining behind her glasses. Kip pushed them onto her nose. "Yes." She looked as if she had something more to say, but at the last moment she held back.
"What?" he whispered, nudg
ing his nose against hers. She shook her head. "Mandy, you can tell me anything." He could see the fear in her eyes. "Tell me."
Her voice was barely audible, but he could only make out the words, "if you kiss me again."
"With pleasure." He pressed his mouth to hers. She instantly opened, her tongue swept forward to tangle with his.
He let her take the lead with this one. And it was only moments later that she pulled away from him. He held her loosely, slightly afraid in the post-kiss haze that she would run. When she made no move to leave, he removed his hands
He unlocked his car and put her in the passenger seat. He placed the bag of clothes on her lap. "These are yours."
He shut the door and went around the car, whistling and jingling his keys. Despite the bad choice to kiss her in front of the Saturday staff of the store, all of whom were at least acquaintances of his, things were going his way.
Chapter 5
Mandy blinked herself awake on Christmas morning. Colton shouted from the living room. She squinted at the clock through the darkness. It was after seven, at least. She wrapped her robe around her body and went out to the living room.
Colton had the contents of his stocking dumped on the floor, and he was holding his Santa present high above his head while he cheered.
"Wow, what a racket," Mandy said. Colton stopped bouncing and hugged her hard. "Good morning." She kissed the top of his head.
"Is it time is it time?"
"Let me find the camera. And turn on the light."
Mandy sat on the sofa and snapped pictures of her son as he tore open his presents. Hours of wrapping came off in about twenty minutes, and Colton was left sitting amid a pile of torn paper and boxes. He received a set of clothes from both sets of grandparents. Santa brought a new video game for his hand-held gaming system, that was glued to his hand. Eric had sent money.
Kip had also sent them each something, she didn't know how he'd found the time. Colton had received a puck, which had a note saying it was from his first game with the Flames. A transformer topped it all off.
