Alistair looked over at Luke and extended his hand. “Alistair Johnson.”
“Luke Dixon,” Luke said, shaking his hand. My father-in-law reached out and grasped his shoulder in an approving sort of way—almost as if he supported my relationship with Luke.
“Do we have an update from the doctors?” Sue said coldly, and then looked over at Luke. She eyed him warily. She opened her mouth to say something else, but I interrupted her.
“No,” I sniffled back. “He’s having a scan done, and when he’s in his room, they’ll let me know.” I sat back down.
“All right.” Alistair nodded. He looked down at me and scratched the side of his head. “Have you eaten?” he asked, and I assumed he was contemplating how to keep Sue from making a remark that would offend me. A distraction would keep her occupied.
“I had coffee.” The thought of food caused hunger pains to erupt in my stomach.
“Coffee isn’t dinner.” He rested his hand on my shoulder. “We’ll go down to the cafeteria and grab you something to eat.” I nodded as my stomach began to growl. “Would you like something?” Alistair said looking at Luke.
“No, thank you, sir,” he responded, and Alistair nodded before leading his wife toward the long, narrow hallway.
“See?” Luke said when they were out of sight. “Having them around isn’t so bad.” He draped his arm over my shoulder and kissed my hair.
“Maybe you’re right,” I sighed.
* * *
“I need to apologize,” Sue said, walking over to me, her face clouded with uneasiness.
AJ had been moved to his room, and I was sitting on the recliner near his bed. My hand was laced with his as he slept peacefully. I swallowed back, unable to form words. What was she apologizing for?
“I shouldn’t blame you for Bruce’s death,” she said softly, her eyes narrowing on AJ. “I understand now why you left.” She paused and swallowed hard. I could only imagine what was running through her mind. “I see that it was something you had to do for yourself and not because you wanted to punish me.” Her eyes glassed over, and I knew how much pain she was in.
“Thank you,” I whispered, and reached out to grab her hand.
“And I’m truly sorry that I’ve continually harassed you on his birthday.” Her voice was a broken whisper. “My drinking has gotten worse over the last few years, but what Luke said to me resonated deep inside.” She bent her head and studied my hand in hers. “I do need to let go and focus on what is right in front of me.” She cupped my hand in her slender fingers. “I keep missing out on things because I’m stubborn. You and AJ should be my priority.”
“Sue . . .” Words failed me for a brief moment. “All I want is for you to love your grandson.” I shrugged. “I didn’t move as a way to hurt you. I was lost, and I’m now finally at a place where I don’t cry all the time,” I said, my voice fragile and shaken.
She placed her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll spend the rest of my life apologizing to you. What I’ve done is unforgivable.”
I grabbed a tissue off the table and wiped away a tear. “We both made mistakes. Let’s leave them in the past and focus on AJ.”
“Can I ask you something personal?” Sue added.
“Sure.” I sucked in my lower lip and bit down. We had just cleared the air. What else could she want to know?
“You and Luke.” She paused and lowered her voice. “Did you know him prior to Bruce?” My eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t mean to pry, and it’s none of my business, but he looks very familiar, and I know I’ve seen his name before.”
I rubbed my eyes as a wave of exhaustion hit me. “No, I didn’t meet Luke until I returned to town. He’s actually AJ’s pediatrician, and he works in the ER a few days a week. He grew up here so maybe you’ve crossed paths before? Maybe he went to the same school as Bruce?” I tried to make some sense of it.
“Maybe.” She nodded. “Does he make you happy?”
“Very.” I swallowed back. “And he’s great with AJ.”
“That’s all that matters.” She smiled as she gripped my shoulder and nodded. A tear rolled down her face. We had the same goal. We both wanted to love AJ and make sure Bruce was never forgotten. With our differences set aside, we could focus on having a healthy relationship.
* * *
Sue and Alistair stayed until visiting hours were over before Luke walked them out. I sat in the recliner with my hand still wrapped around AJ’s. They had given him medication to sleep since his brain needed time to rest.
“Can I get you anything?” Luke asked, appearing at the door.
He looked drained, and I assumed it was the same look I had on my face. “Coffee,” I said. “Extra strong and black.”
“Coming right up.” He left and returned a few minutes later with a Styrofoam cup in his hand.
“Thank you.” I held the warm cup between my hands. I brought it to my lips and instantly pulled it away. “This isn’t coffee.” My face scrunched in distaste.
“I know,” Luke said, tapping the side of my leg so I would scoot over. The recliner was small, but we managed to both sit in it. “It’s chamomile tea. Drink it and get some rest.”
“But I need—” I opened my mouth to protest, but Luke placed two fingers on my lips.
“Shh. You need to be strong and well-rested.” He wrapped his arm around me, and I nuzzled into his chest. “AJ will be going home tomorrow, and there’s no point in being exhausted and unable to take care of him.” He kissed the top of my head. “Drink your tea and sleep. I’ll stay here and watch over him.”
“Yeah?” My voice cracked, and tears blurred my vision. I was mentally drained, but Luke staying by our side would put my heart at ease.
“Of course.” A nurse had left a blanket for me on the bed, and he spread it over my legs. “You can sleep here.” He smiled a tender, caring smile. “Doctor’s order.”
After I drank my tea, I curled up in the chair. My head rested on his chest and I let his gentle heartbeat lull me to sleep. As sleep was about to take over my body, in those last few seconds of consciousness, I looked up at Luke and whispered the three little words that scared me more than anything else in this world.
“I love you.” It was barely a whisper, but he heard it.
His arms coiled around me and he kissed my forehead. “I love you, too.”
It was funny how three little words, eight little letters, could fill you with happiness and at the same moment blanket your world with fear. Luke loved me, and I loved him, but it also meant that if I lost him, I would lose my faith in humanity.
13
Present
Kids are resilient.
Within ten days—an overnight stay at the hospital that took ten years off my life and a full round of antibiotics—AJ was back to his old self. I was more of a helicopter mom than ever before. Even with Luke by my side, reassuring me every time I panicked, I still watched AJ like a hawk.
It was Saturday morning, and AJ was up early, excited for his baseball game. Though he had one every week, this one was unlike any of the others. This was the first game his grandparents would be attending.
I’d extended the invitation after my conversation with Sue at the hospital. Our relationship wouldn’t be fixed overnight, but we were both making an effort. She stopped by during the week after AJ was released from the hospital to drop off dinner, and she texted a few times to make sure he was well and to see if I needed anything. Everything was looking perfect again.
The way we cheered for AJ when he hit a double would make anyone think he was in the World Series playing against the New York Yankees. My hands were red, and my throat was hoarse, but AJ’s smile was infectious. He stood on second base and looked over at us cheering in the stands. He waved his little hand, and I watched as his eyes moved over to Luke. His wave changed, and instead, he gave Luke a thumbs up. They’d been practicing his swing.
“He got it,” Luke said without pulling his gaze from AJ.
My h
eart swelled as I took note of his tone. He was proud. Proud that he had taken the time to teach AJ how to perfectly connect the bat with the ball. I cleared my throat, not from the tender muscle, but to fight back the emotions that coursed through my body. I loved Luke, but knowing that he also loved my son tripled my affection for him.
It was everything I wanted, everything I’d hoped for since accepting Bruce’s death. I took a step back and looked over at Sue and Alistair. The smiles on their faces were comforting. Alistair had always been kind to me, much like my own father. He kept his distance but managed to let me know he was still there.
Sue dug in her purse and pulled out a wallet-sized picture. She pressed it to her heart before turning it around for me to see. I felt a smile grow on my face as I took the picture in my hand. It was a picture of a young Bruce holding a baseball bat. The photo was old and discolored, but the little boy in that photo looked so much like AJ.
“Can I keep this? I asked. She nodded, and like Sue, I pressed the picture to my chest. Luke glanced over at me and smiled. “Is that your husband?” he asked. I never understood how he dealt with dating a widow who, at times, clearly still missed her husband.
I pulled the picture from my chest and showed it to him. “Yes.”
“Wow, AJ looks so much like him.” Luke added.
“He really does.” I leaned my head on his shoulder and he brushed a kiss across the top.
There had been a point in my life when I didn’t want to live another day. There were times, before the accident, when I wished I could have disappeared. That maybe if I drove away, Bruce and AJ would be better off. I went through hell when I lost Bruce, but I came out the other side stronger and determined to conquer the world. AJ made me fight to be better.
I now knew what I wanted. I knew the happiness I deserved. At that moment, watching AJ play, knowing that I had made peace with my in-laws, and being in the arms of the man I loved, I was truly at peace. I was truly happy.
* * *
"Come away with me,” Luke said as he leaned against the bedroom doorframe. His towel was laced around his abdomen, the water dripping down his skin. He had spent the last twenty minutes in the shower while I was curled up under his covers trying to finish a chapter of a book I’d promised Laura I’d read with her.
"I can’t," I said, lowering the book to my chest. My gaze locked on his abs and I fought the urge to bite down on my lower lip.
Luke took a step forward. “We can take AJ.”
"It's not that." I ran my hands through my loose hair. Luke looked delectable while I had stolen a T-shirt from his dresser and had a beehive growing on my head.
“Then what is it?" He looked away from me and pulled open his dresser drawer.
“I'm scared." I bit back a laugh before covering my face with my bare hands.
"Of me?" I heard him ask.
I peeked through my fingers. Luke slid a T-shirt over his body. "Yes!" I admitted, and he laughed. Hating that his laugh caused my face to burn, I tossed a pillow at him. "You usually get to see me in my natural state,” I blurted out while my hand demonstrated the monstrosity that was my hair, “but what if you don't like me after a weekend together? What if I’m annoying?" I teased, but there was truth laced in my words. Luke and I spent our alone time in small increments. They were broken down to when AJ was hanging out with Scott or with Sue and Alistair.
Luke grabbed the pillow from the floor and tossed it at me, but I moved out of the way. Unsatisfied with his miss, he dove onto the bed. I squealed as his fingers curled around my ribs tickling me until I couldn’t breathe.
“I don't think I can get sick of you in forty-eight hours. Seventy-two, however, might be pushing it." He laughed.
I slapped his chest and kicked out from underneath him. My cheeks ached from the laughter, and I tried to catch a breath.
“Let me take you away?” he asked, running his large hands up my ribs.
I fought back the need to say no and nodded. “Fine,” I said, admitting defeat.
Luke pulled his hands away from my ribs and rested his elbows on the side of my head. “Will AJ be joining us?” he asked, and I shook my head.
"Just me and you."
"I know the perfect place for us to go,” Luke said with a wide smile.
Reality sank in, and my heart sounded like a hummingbird in my chest I was going to spend forty-eight beautiful hours with Luke. Forty-eight hours with him between my legs.
* * *
I told Laura that Luke had asked me to go away with him, and she clapped with too much enthusiasm. “I can help you find the perfect outfit,” she said, and her eyes widened. “Oh, and AJ can stay with me.”
“I've asked Alastair and Sue if he can stay there for a few days.” I shrugged and took a sip of my lemonade. At first, I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure if Sue would appreciate the fact that I was looking forward to spending a weekend with my boyfriend, or if AJ would be all right for the two days without me, but they had been thrilled when I asked if AJ could spend a weekend.
“You know,” Laura said, and her lips pursed. “You can always just pack lingerie for the entire weekend.” She bit her lower lip and dropped the tone of her voice. “This way you only need travel clothes. The rest of the time you’ll be naked in bed.”
“I need to have some kind of a relationship with him that doesn’t involve us lying in bed all day,” I retorted, keeping my voice as low as a whisper. “I don’t think he asked me to go away so we could have sex. We do that already. I think he wants to get away with me to enjoy some one-on-one time without distractions.”
“True.” Laura nodded and took a sip of her drink. “But you still need to pack some sexy lingerie because even if you guys are out hiking, fishing, snorkeling, or meditating, I’m sure when the lights go down, something else is going to go up.” She tossed her head back and laughed at her own inappropriate joke.
I bunched up my napkin and tossed it at her. “You know the kids can hear you, right?”
“Meh.” Laura swatted the air as if it was no big deal. “I’m sure Scott has heard worse coming out of his father’s mouth.” Her eyes widened again, and I knew a new idea had popped into her head. I pressed on my temples as I anticipated what was about to come out of her mouth.
“You know what would be fun?” I shook my head. “Ryan has a week off at the end of July. We should set up a trip and go away together. I know I’ve had you guys over for dinner, but it would be nice to actually get away with the kids. Usually, we go up north and rent a beach house.”
“I think it’d be a lot of fun,” I said, imagining a family vacation. “But first let me go away with Luke for forty-eight hours before we plan a week-long vacation. I have to make sure we can handle it.”
“What if he’s one of those guys that leaves his dirty clothes all over the place?”
“I’ve been to his house. He is very clean,” I reassured her.
“Well, then why are we wasting our time on his cleanliness? Let’s get you dressed for your hot weekend with the doctor.”
* * *
Luke and I said goodbye to AJ as he waved from the porch of his grandparents’ house. My relationship with them was growing stronger every day, and I’d like to think if Bruce were looking down on us he would be happy to know that AJ was surrounded by people who loved him.
When Luke turned away from the driveway, I lowered the volume on the radio. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” He coiled his fingers with mine and brought the back of my hand to his mouth. His lips lingered on my skin a little bit longer than usual, and the anticipation of what the weekend held for us made the butterflies in my stomach go crazy.
Luke drove out to Savannah and into rural Georgia while I played with the playlist I’d downloaded for our trip. We headed west passing through large farms that were filled with animals, small towns with little shops, and beautiful landscapes. We’d stop when we’d spot a store that had signs that claimed ‘Best
Pie in the South’, and we had lunch at a charming restaurant that was perched on the corner of a river bend.
My favorite stop was the lavender farm. I danced around in circles, covered up to my shoulders in beautiful lavender bushes. The fragrance was captivating, and I felt like I was swimming in a sea of purple. Luke entwined his arms around my body and brought my lips to his. I was lost in him. At peace and in love with the man in front of me, the world around me stood still.
“We should get going,” he said brushing back my hair. I gazed into his deep blue eyes, and I could see the love that resonated deep inside of them.
“Okay,” I whispered and kissed him once more.
Luke had planned a beautiful weekend together. We checked into the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort late in the afternoon. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange hue in the sky.
“Do you want to go up to our room?” Luke asked, looking over at me, and I shook my head.
My lips parted, and I smiled. “I want to drink copious amounts of wine,” I said laughing.
The French-style chateau hotel was in the middle of thirty-five hundred acres of picturesque grounds. Exploring the resort, we walked out to the main terrace and grabbed a drink at the bar. A large pool sat in the middle of the courtyard and restaurants surrounded the pool.
“This place is gorgeous,” I said. My cheeks ached from smiling as I tried to capture every second
“Come on,” Luke said taking my hand in his. “Let’s see if we can start the wine tasting now.”
I was on my third glass of wine when our waiter brought out our appetizers. “Did I ever tell you that my sister-in-law owns a wine bar?” I said as I brought the glass to my nose and inhaled its fragrant scent. It was a Pinot Grigio that our waiter had suggested paired well with the crispy Brussels sprouts.
“No, I didn’t know that.”
The Perfect Life Page 14
