The women in the crowd let out a sigh in unison, and it echoes in the room.
"Dumbest mistake of my life. I kept running into you. I don't doubt it's fate intervening. Then, when you texted me your results, I was so happy but also scared."
"Why? It's what we wanted." He doesn't need to be afraid.
"I care for you in a way I've never cared for anyone before." He reaches me and takes my hands. While mine are clammy, his are shaking. "As scared as I am, I've never felt more alone than when you aren't with me. I never want to feel that way again."
God, I hope he doesn't propose. I know I'm falling in love with him, but he hasn't even met James. I'm not ready to make that step yet. He'll be so embarrassed when I say no.
"Chelsea Wyatt," he begins.
Oh no. Here it is. I can't stop him. I'm frozen.
"Will you be my exclusive running partner?"
The words take a moment to register in my brain. He didn't propose, but, I think, he just asked me to be his girlfriend. Again. The world around me disappears and I skip between his eyes and his lips and I'm floating on air. The answer is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't speak. I'm in awe over what's happening. This is so romantic and my dreams are coming true. "I ..." I'm trying to reply, and finally I find it. "Yes! All the time yes, Jay."
He lets go of my hands, and my arms fall to my sides as he wraps his hand behind my neck and pulls me in. Our lips touch, and the entire room bursts into applause. I don't care everyone is watching; I'm lost in our tangle of a kiss, our bodies pressing against each other. In what seems to be too soon, we release from our kiss but don't lose our stare. This is an event to remember.
chapter thirty-six
One Month Later
After the scrapbook event, I found out Clint snapped the picture of me and worked secretly with Jay. I'm lucky my friends are so great, and now I'm blessed with such an incredible boyfriend, too. I'm not ready to introduce Jay to James yet, so we text each other a lot and go on "dates" via FaceTime. I want things to work out, but I'm taking my time bringing him into my son's life.
Life is still on shaky ground when it comes to custody. My lawyer helped me draft up a few proposals to Daniel and his attorney, but they rejected them both. After much arguing with Mr. Ellis and my parents, they agree to let Daniel and I meet to discuss this face-to-face.
This time I tell Jay about the meeting, learning from our past. I'm grateful he's open to it and understanding about everything. In fact, he even coaches me and lets me sample the conversation with him in case it takes many different turns. Daniel and I decide to meet on a Thursday evening after work at the coffee shop.
When Daniel arrives, I'm already sipping on my latte. He's dressed very nicely and is clean-shaven, which is a rarity over the past few months. I barely recognize him.
"Hi, Daniel. You look good."
"Thanks. You too."
I accept the compliment. I'll never forget what he said to me, but I can be civil. He orders a sandwich, and we skip the chitchat and go straight to the topic at hand.
"I don't know why you reject every proposal I make regarding James. I think we've been more than reasonable." I swirl my cup in the air.
"You think seeing him one day during the week and allowing him to sleep over one weekend a month is enough?"
"That's one weekend a month once you find a permanent place to live. Unless you and Lauren worked things out." When he wasn't sleeping at my house, he crashed on his friend's couches. I'm not putting my child in that situation.
I struck a nerve. "We're not going to. We're still moving forward with the divorce and working on a custody agreement for the twins as well. She's letting me take them two times a week and twice a month they get to sleep over."
"I'm not Lauren." I think about how to spin this. "If they stay with you two times a week and James visits on a different day, do you realize what that's going to do to your social life? Especially on the weekends when they sleep over?" Daniel will not be happy with the prospect of no ladies in his life.
"Chelsea, I'm not that guy anymore. I told you that before. I just came from a job interview and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get it. It's more pay, better benefits, and regular hours. Consistent hours, too. I plan on finding an apartment as soon as I can. I know I messed up majorly in the past and treated you like crap, and I wasn't as involved with James as I should have been. When it comes to him, though, I'm getting it right this time. I don't care if I never go on a date again. I haven't been able to find anyone I can be faithful with."
"To."
"What?" He's confused.
"Faithful with implies that myself and Lauren cheated on you, too."
He bites his lower lip and looks up at the ceiling.
I realize now he wasn't the only unfaithful one in their relationship. "I'm sorry Daniel, but I was faithful to you."
"Either way. That's beside the point. My dad wasn't around my whole life and I don't want that for my kids. I don't want to miss out on their lives because I'm too busy screwing around with every girl I see. I want to have James two days a week just like I have my other kids, and, until they are older, I want to keep those separate days. In a few years, I want the opportunity for them to come on the same days sometimes so they can grow up together. "
"I-"
"I'm not done." The waitress slides his plate on the table as he holds his hand in the air towards me. He thanks her and continues on with me. "In addition to the two days a week, I'm okay with the one weekend day and sleep over, but I would like a full week in the summer and in the winter. The amount of child support you asked I pay I'm comfortable with. I'm only challenging the visitation."
Daniel took the time to figure this all out. I'm hesitant to agree to this and want to assume he's feeding me half-truths. That seems to be the story of his life, covered in lies from head to toe since the day I met him. Why should I believe him now? I lock eyes with him as I digest everything he says, trying to make sense of it and separate the truth from fiction. The care in his eyes is apparent and I conclude there probably isn't any fiction to what he says and if there is, he doesn't realize it. He wants to accept responsibility for his children and my heart isn't sure how to process this change. The idea of letting James spend time with someone other than me, even if it's his father, isn't going to be easy. When he first starts going to Daniel's place alone, I'll be worried, scared, and on edge. After awhile, though, I'll get used to the arrangement. They need to be in each other's lives. James can make the decision as he gets older whether or not spending time with his dad is worth it.
"I'll ask my lawyer to draft something up."
"What?"
"I'll agree to all of this. I want some sort of clause in there, though, that if you start to screw this up, you'll lose the privileges." I don't even know if that's possible, but hopefully he considers it as a threat.
"I understand, Chelsea, and thank you."
Maybe we're both growing up.
•••
The hospital Jay works at is so close to my office, I can walk. I don't, though, because of my strict thirty-minute lunch, and I don't want to use up my time getting to his office. I like that the days we both work, we're able to enjoy a meal together. Dating with a toddler is difficult. Our dates consist of these little lunch rendezvous and runs. Yes, I'm running. Full-fledged running. Jay is sweet enough to go at my pace so I don't keel over. We even signed up for a few more 5K events, and I hope one day we can tackle a marathon. He even joined Clint's class at the gym with me.
"You eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day, don't you?" Jay asks me as I pull my meal out of the brown paper bag.
"Yes. I do. I don't have a lot of time in the morning and this is easy. I'm not eating the food here."
"The cafeteria food? It's really not that bad."
"Then why don't you eat it?"
"Good point."
Every lunch date he brings something a little different. He seems to love wraps, from c
hicken to steak, he eats anything. I'm not too creative with my lunches. The PB&J, some grapes, and a banana or yogurt, and a bottled water to drink.
"How's work going for you?" He takes a bite of his wrap while waiting for my response.
"Okay, I guess. I like my position, but I don't love what I do. I wish I could find something else." The money is a plus. I got a promotion, which is awesome. More cash to put aside for a house, and I'm spoiling James with a lot of Mickey Mouse toys. As a supervisor, I'm sometimes overwhelmed. I don't work a ton of overtime, but I find I don't even get a moment to breathe on most days.
"Then why don't you?"
"Huh? Like what?"
"Your scrapbooking."
"What about it? My sales are still going okay on my website, and if I keep at the pace I'm going, I can make about two hundred dollars a month, three if I'm lucky. I can't imagine making a career of it, though."
"When we first met you told me how much you love it. And at your scrapbook thing, it was obvious how much it means to you. Why not work more on your store? Maybe you can sell your kits to some of the craft stores around town."
"How? I can't make a living off selling those."
"Well, have you tried?"
If only it were so simple. I would love more than anything to focus on my crafts, but let's be realistic. "No, I haven't, and I probably won't."
"Why not? This is your dream, Chelsea."
"Yeah. So what? Dreams aren't meant to always come true."
"Says who?"
"Says me."
"Stop putting yourself down. You're talented and you know that. I believe in you like you believe in me. Take a chance on yourself."
Is he on to something? I didn't think having someone have so much faith in me could feel so damn good. Jay cares for me and he takes me for who I am. He wants me to better myself, not because he doesn't like who I am, but because he knows deep down I want to and deserve to.
He scoots his chair closer to me. "I think now is the perfect time to tell you I love you."
I drop my sandwich on my bag. "You what?"
He smiles wide. "I love you, Chelsea."
I can't hide how I feel about him, and my smile proves it. "I love you, too, Jay."
And I do. I love this man more than I can ever imagine. I didn't think I deserved anyone like him, and by chance, he came into my life. He's perfect for me in every way. Over the past months, I found myself and my way, and this man's support pushed me along. It's time.
"Jay, would you like to meet my son?"
The End
About the Author
Tracy's love of writing began at nine years old. She wrote stories about aliens at school, machines that did homework for you, and penguins. Now she pens books and short stories about romance. She loves to read a great book, whether it be romance or science fiction, or any genre in between, or pop popcorn and catch up on her favorite TV shows or movies. She's been known to crush a candy or two as well. Her first romance novel, Pieces of it All, released in May 2014 followed in December with Caching In, a romance mixed with the hobby of geocaching. She also has written several short stories.
Thank you so much for reading JAY WALKING. If you liked this book, consider my other works. You can get purchase information by visiting my website, http://www.tracykrimmer.com/books/.
Novels
CACHING IN (Pastime Pursuits Book)
Can a compass lead you to love?
Broken-hearted Ally Couper has had enough with her ridiculous life. Her job at the bank is going nowhere, and her love life might as well be non-existent.
Determined to try something new, Ally becomes absorbed in the world of geocaching. The high-tech driven scavenger hunt introduces her to Seth, and she realizes the game isn't the only thrilling part.
Ally's bad luck may finally be changing, until the past threatens to halt her future with Seth. Can they find happiness together, or is love the one cache Ally can't find?
PIECES OF IT ALL
An alcoholic. A scarred man. A thief.
Harvey, a twenty-two-year-old high school drop-out arrives home, a brief stint in rehab behind him and ready to start his life again. Then he meets Beth and her innocence and her desire to have it all capture him completely.
A girl on the cusp of womanhood. Determined. A bright future.
Beth, a recent high school graduate among the top in her class, can't wait to get to college and fulfill her dreams. Then she meets Harvey and with his mysterious past, he stirs feelings in her she can't ignore.
The chemistry between them is unmistakable but Harvey doesn't trust easily and refuses to divulge his past to Beth though she wants to be a part of his future.
The pieces of their lives lie broken all around them, but can Harvey put his life back together and win Beth over before she begins her new life without him? And can Beth find the strength to become the woman she wants to be without sacrificing her integrity?
Short Stories
THE RIGHT EQUATION
Penny and high school never got along. She attends her fifteen year reunion costume party on Halloween and hopes her high school crush Will shows up. When the lights go out and Will finds her, can their sparks turn the lights back on?
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
Francie excels at her job as a party planner, but can't say the same about love. When an obnoxious, but handsome, man approaches her in line at a Thanksgiving sale, she pushes him away like she always does. Can Francie put her fears aside and nab an early bird special, or is she destined to plan every wedding but her own?
MIXTAPES AND ROLLER SKATES (coming late Summer 2015)
Angie was a 90s girl with it all figured out, but after a disastrous marriage, she's not sure she knows how--or where--to find the right guy. A crash while roller skating lands her in the arms of Owen, a sweet and handsome forty-something widow. As the soundtrack of her high school years plays in the background, flirtation leads to what feels like a real connection. Can Angie trust her heart enough to move on and make a new soundtrack to her life?
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Thank you so much!
CACHING IN: A GEOCACHING ROMANCE
Can a compass lead you to love?
Broken-hearted Ally Couper has had enough with her ridiculous life. Her job at the bank is going nowhere, and her love life might as well be non-existent.
Determined to try something new, Ally becomes absorbed in the world of geocaching. The high-tech driven scavenger hunt introduces her to Seth, and she realizes the game isn't the only thrilling part.
Ally's bad luck may finally be changing, until the past threatens to halt her future with Seth. Can they find happiness together, or is love the one cache Ally can't find?
The first chapter of Caching In: A Geocaching Romance follows on the next page...
Caching In
Chapter One
My ass was going to be hurting tomorrow. I stared at the hill in front of me, covered in patchy grass and footprints cemented in mud after the week of almost endless rain, and I filled with regret. The only good thing about making my way up to the top, was that going down would be easy. Hell, maybe I'd curl up and roll down. With my luck, I'd crash right into a boulder and cut my damn head open. At least I wouldn't need to worry about this promotion anymore.
I opted for the yoga pants. Why? Apparently my brain didn't work. My thighs burned from the hike, and the fabric managed to stick to my skin. I glanced around to be sure no one could see me, and pulled at the crotch, loosening the fabric as best I could. No use. The sweat from my underwear sucked the fabric right back up, and I bet I had a severe case of camel toe. Ally
Couper couldn't be sexier.
Sexy wasn't a word I used to describe myself much, anyway. I didn't label myself as a dog, but I sure didn't fit on the same scale as Jennifer Lawrence. My whole life guys described as "not bad to look at." Now, if someone explained to me exactly what that meant, that'd be great. I dated a few guys, and even had an ex-fiance, but he could go screw himself and every other girl in town, seeing he already did. I still considered myself somewhat of a catch. Taking into account Josh's need to hop into bed with anything that moved, thus ending our practically decade-long relationship, perhaps I'm not, who knows.
All I knew, in that moment when the enormous hill rose in front of me, was I planned on climbing that beast. When I got to the top, I intended on beating on my chest like the Hulk or King Kong, because dammit, I deserved to toot my own horn if these thunder thighs managed their way up to the top.
I placed one foot on the upward slope, dug my shoe into the mud and attempted to get a grip on the ground as though by doing so I would catapult myself higher up the hill. Latching my hands around the straps of my backpack, which contained a bottled water and my iPad to take pictures at the top, I pushed forward my first few steps. Even though the temperature reached a comfortable sixty degrees this day in May, the sun beating down on my face brought more exhaustion. I committed myself to this. A failed engagement, a deceased father, and newly dating mother, and not enough credit to stop renting my duplex and buy a house, tied me down way too long. I needed a win. Not a Charlie Sheen win. An Ally Couper win.
Jay Walking (Pastime Pursuits #2) Page 19
