by Sierra Rose
I quickly grabbed his python of an arm. “I meant no, I don’t think you’re rusty.” Just a tad nervous.
“Well, I get a little nervous around...beautiful women,” he said, looking me up and down.
I smiled, and now it was my turn to blush. “Well, to answer your other question, yes, I’d love to go out with you.”
“Really? I-I haven’t dated much since my wife died five years ago.”
“I haven’t been out myself, not in, uh...years. If anyone’s gonna have to apologize for being rusty, it’s gonna be me.”
“Let’s take some pressure off then,” he said. “Instead of a date, let’s just call it...two friends going out for some laughs.”
I grinned. “I like that. We can even put some rules into play.”
“Such as?”
“Hmm. Rule number one, we’ll save the ex files for another time,” I said, as I had no intention of bring up Tom, the ultimate buzz-kill. I didn’t even have the guts to tell him I was still married, if only on paper.
“The ex files?” he said, grinning. “That’s hilarious.”
“Rule number two, no sex, no kissing, and no getting smashed so we end up passing out in bed together. I think we need to spend some time getting to know each other—like friends, like you said.”
“No drunk hookups? Got it,” he said. “But just for the record, sober sex can feel Jack Daniels crazy too.”
“So...no drunk fucking,” a male colleague clarified as he walked past, wearing a wolf-like smile.
“Mike!” I said.
“What? I was just warnin’ the poor guy. If you ever do decide to get your drink on, though, make sure to throw a little porn in for inspiration,” he said, winking at me and walking off.
I looked at my sexy mailman and suddenly realized I didn’t even know his name. “Sorry about that. Mike’s...well, he’s just Mike.”
“It’s okay. I know how some guys can be.”
“Do you even know my name?” I asked.
He winked. “Of course, I do, Megan. You sign for those packages every day.”
I smiled, too smitten to correct him. After all, I couldn’t blame him for my horrible handwriting. Still, I laughed inwardly.
He ripped off a piece of paper and jotted down his name and number.
I glanced at it and smiled as I read “Forrest Gregory.” I shook his hand and grinned. “It’s nice to meet you...well, officially.”
“I’ve gotta go,” he said. “Call me, and we’ll fine tune the details.”
“Will do.”
Chapter 8
I opened the door and went to clock in. I felt like I was walking on air. No man had shown me that kind of attention in years. I felt like a schoolgirl, being asked out by the quarterback. I wondered if it was wrong to feel so good, so happy on the very day when I planned to leave my husband. I didn’t know quite what to make of the unexpected surprise. Maybe fate is finally paying me back for all the bullshit I’ve put up with over the last few years, I thought.
A short while later, our boss came out and surprised me even more. “Girls,” he said, “I’m gonna have to send you home for the day. I’ve got a bit of a...family emergency, so I’m closin’ up shop.”
Happy for the time off, we all headed up to the bar where my sister worked. My circle of friends mostly consisted of my sister, Alexis, and the three girls I’d grown up with, Sophie, Juliet, and Lori. I got married and had kids, while the rest of them just went on to college. Even though I was working full time, I did get to see them sometimes in the few classes I could squeeze in, and they were a great bunch of gals.
Sophie had an eye for fashion and beauty, and she seemed to see the good in everyone. She would go out of her way to help anyone. Juliet was somewhat of a dreamer. Sometimes her judgment was clouded by her heart. She had a huge crush on our childhood friend, Kyle, a handsome guy but definitely a heartbreaker. He was sexy as hell, with all that bad-boy persona: tattoos, guitar, and motorcycle included. I thought it too bad that she hadn’t fallen for his brother Jasper, the sweetest guy in the world. He and his girlfriend had just broken up, but Juliet only had eyes for Kyle. Lori had a colder edge to her and was far more cynical when it came to men. She swore she’d never fall in love, and she was happy with casual dating. There was also Erin. I’d met her on campus, and we had become fast friends. We all hung out together when we could. I had the family life going on, but I tried to catch up with them as often as I could between all the demands of work, motherhood, marriage, and classes.
Art came over and said hello.
“Hi Art,” I said.
“Hey, ladies, what’s up?”
“What’s up?” I said.
“Alexis is coming over to get your drink orders but I wanted to say hi to everyone.”
“I hope that girl is treating you good,” Lori said.
Alexis wrapped her arm around him. “I am.”
He grinned. “Yeah, I couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend.”
She slapped his butt. “Damn straight.”
He smiled and walked off to take care of some customers at the bar. My sister and Art made the cutest couple. I was so glad everything worked out between them.
Alexis came to my table and sat next to me. “Well? How did Tom take it?” she asked.
“Very...nonchalantly.”
“Go figure. An ass acting like one. He’s been ignoring you all these years, so it really should come as no surprise.”
“When he loses me, maybe he’ll see that,” I said.
“Damn straight.” Her gaze darted to all of us. “Ladies, the first round of drinks is on me.”
“Woo-hoo!” I said. “Free drinks and the rest of the day off. What more could a girl want?”
Sophie nudged me. “Tell Alexis about Mr. Special Delivery, the one you’re going on a date with.”
“Yeah. From what I heard, he’s got one hell of a package to deliver,” Lori said.
My sister smiled. “Yeah, I heard about this guy over lunch. Tell me more, Morgan.”
“It’s Megan.” Erin laughed. “Her name has been officially changed.”
Alexis cocked a brow. “And why’s that?”
“The hot delivery guy thinks that’s her name.”
“And why would he think that?” my sister asked, obviously confused.
“Because of my sloppy-ass handwriting,” I answered. “You know how it is, now that everyone types everything these days.”
“You shoulda been a doctor, sis.”
I laughed.
She continued, “Why didn’t you correct him?”
I cringed. “Because...well, he’s just so hot. I kinda froze and didn’t have the nerve.”
“Blinded by his beauty, huh?” Sophie asked.
“We’re talking Greek god beauty,” I said. “I’m talking Adonis-hot.”
“So my sister is finally going to get some,” Alexis said with a big smile.
“We’re just friends.”
“But it’s a date,” Erin said.
“Yeah, I believe we all got that text.” Sophie laughed.
I sipped my drink. “It’s not what you think.”
“Let’s see,” Lori said. “You fantasized about ripping his clothes off in the rain when you ran into him, so please tell me how you’re just gonna be friends when you two are alone together. I’d love to hear how you’re gonna pull that off.”
“Yeah, I think we all know what she’s gonna pull off,” Sophie chimed in, still laughing.
“You’re right. I can’t just be friends with somebody like him. But I’m still married, and I shouldn’t even be going on this date.”
“Yes you should,” Erin said. “Your marriage ended ages ago. You need to quit grieving the loss of something that’s already dead. It’s not like this is a fresh wound. Technically, the mailman’s not even a rebound guy.”
Sophie, always the more compassionate one, looked at me and mugged out her bottom lip in a pout. “Aw. Look, things mighta been over with Tom a l
ong time ago, but it still hurts, huh?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s hard breaking up a family. I feel like a hundred different emotions are running through me,” I said.
“So, anyway, what’s this new guy’s name?” Alexis asked curiously.
I grinned. “Forrest.”
“As in...Forrest Gump?”
I slugged her. “No! Far from that. Think more along the lines of Hercules, all that cool, crisp, long, loose hair blowing in the wind.”
Lori glanced down at her iPad. “Do you know the first ancient Greek translation of forest was ‘large penis.’”?
We all burst into laughter.
“I’d love to get into his forest,” Lori said. “Suck his dick like a candy cane on Christmas morning and give ‘im some real porn-worthy head. Mm-hmm. I’d like to get into his box of chocolates!”
“You did not just say that,” I said.
“I can’t help it. How often is a guy like that even available?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t get past his name,” Alexis said. “You need to snap a picture of him, while you’re at work or something, just so I can make sure he doesn’t look like Tom Hanks in that weird little suit.”
“And look like a total stalker? I don’t think so.”
“Are you gonna call him tonight?” she asked.
“And look totally desperate?” I retorted.
“Why not? You kinda are, sis,” she teased.
I laughed. “Okay, maybe I am, but I have a lot on my plate right now. I mean, tonight, I have to get my things and the girls out. In fact, I think I’m gonna cancel the date and see if we can hook up in a few months, when things settle down. I need to be there for my kids during this confusing time. I guess I just got swept up in the moment of a good-looking guy showing me some attention.”
“What!? You can’t just toss a fish like that back in the ocean, girl,” Erin said. “You might never see him again. Some other girl’ll snag him right up.”
I sighed. “If it was meant to be, then it will be.”
“I’ll tell you one thing,” Juliet said. “It’s definitely an ego booster to snag a hottie. Where can I get some arm candy like that? Maybe a guy like that would make Kyle jealous enough to—”
“Oh, my goodness,” Erin interrupted. “With a boyfriend like that, why would you need Kyle?” Then she looked over at me. “If you’re on the arm of a guy who looks like that, you’ll get the VIP treatment wherever you go.”
Juliet laughed. “Yeah, but on the flipside, Morgan will turn into a jealous, territorial, possessive lunatic. I mean, who wouldn’t, with every woman checking out his gorgeous body?”
“I think you guys are getting a little ahead of yourselves,” I said.
“He’s the perfect guy to date after a bad divorce,” Lori said. She then cleared her throat. “No, scratch that. Let me rephrase. He’s the perfect guy to fuck after a bad divorce.”
I playfully slugged her.
“So, tell me more about this Forrest. For starters, he wasn’t ever on leg braces was he? And are you sure he’s not already in love with some girl named Jenny?”
“Not that I know of,” I said with a smile.
“He’s so masculine, yet he has these, Bambi-like eyelashes and these gorgeous blue eyes,” Sophie said, as if she’d memorized his every feature as well as I had.
“His face looks like it was chiseled by some Italian sculptor,” I added.
Sophie smiled. “Yeah, and he’s got that mouth, those full lips, perfect for smooching the night away.”
I laughed. “He has a sweet, boyish, charming grin with a perfect movie star smile.”
“He’s six-two, with broad shoulders and muscles galore,” Juliet said.
“Hmm. I’m definitely not thinking Forrest Gump anymore,” Alexis said.
“Think Ian Somerhalder, with a dash of Brad Pitt, Bradley Cooper, and Robert Pattinson.”
My sister’s eyes brightened. “Wow. He does sound like a hottie. I’ll come over and do your hair and makeup before the big date.”
I slugged her. “You just want to meet Forrest.”
“Everyone has met this mystery man but me, so yes.”
“No interrogations,” I said.
“I’m not Mom.”
I laughed, then guzzled down my drink. “Listen, I’ve gotta go. I’ve got to get my stuff over to your house before I pick up the kids from school.”
“You’ve got my spare key, right?”
“Yep. Thanks, sis.”
“No problem...and don’t forget to bring Harvey. I love that dog!”
“The kids will be so happy you’re letting him come. And listen, I can give you some rent next week.”
“What? No way. Mom’s letting me live there for free. She decided not to sell it, and she’s gonna let me keep it till I get through school. I mean, it’s right next to Belmont, so it works out well. But what are you gonna do with your house? Give it to Tom?”
“I can’t afford it.”
“That’s what child support is for.”
“We still have a lot to discuss,” I said, then turned to face the rest of my friends. “Thanks for the fun and laughs. It’s been fun, but I know I’ve got no right to go out with that mailman, no matter how hot he is. I’ve gotta do the right thing, so I’ll call him and cancel tomorrow.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re not ready, Morg. Maybe it’s better to wait a while,” Sophie said. “But still, it was fun to fantasize.”
“Don’t take it as slow as Juliet is taking the Kyle situation,” Erin laughed.
“Hey!” Juliet said, slapping her on the arm. “Getting your best friend to fall in love with you takes a lot of patience and hard work. But I promise I’ll snag him before I turn eighty. I don’t think he’ll find me very sexy in Depends.”
Chapter 9
I went back to the house and picked up the things I’d already packed, then hurried to pick the kids up from school. The girls were thrilled to stay at their aunt’s house for a while, and they thought of it like a mini-vacation. They didn’t know the truth, and I didn’t have the heart to explain everything to them.
A short while later, Juliet came over to watch them for me while I went back over to hash things out with Tom.
“You stayed with me because it was easy. You got comfortable, and you hate change, but we both know whatever we had died a long time ago,” I said. “Why would you even want me to stick around? So I can be a nanny, a cook, a housewife, a friend? Do you just want a roommate to pal around with? Am I just here to cover half the bills, since we both know that mortgage would sink you on your own? Tell me, Tom, why I’m really here. I’ve got plenty of reasons to leave, but I can’t think of one reason to stay.”
“Morgan, you know much I care about you. Please think about what you’re doing, and reconsider. You need to stay. We need to work this out.”
“I have one life to live, Tom, and I don’t want to spend it in misery. I thought after I left the first time, you might really think about what it was like not to have me in your life. I thought things would change, that you’d treat me different, but nothing has changed. We’re right back at square one, the same old rut we started out in. I can’t live like this. I want to feel special in somebody’s life.”
“So what do you want me to do?” he questioned.
“I can’t believe you even have to ask. I’m tired of living on autopilot. I’m so lonely and miserable.”
He placed his hands on his hips. “What do you want from me, Morgan?”
I gazed deeply into his eyes. “I just want you to love me with the intensity of a thousand suns. I just want to feel like I’m the only woman in the world.”
He rolled his eyes. “Romance flicks again, huh? Or maybe you’ve picked up some of those cheesy paperbacks from the checkout lane. Look, Morgan, those Fabio-like, perfect guys on the cover of those stupid books don’t exist. It’s just fantasy, a bunch of bullshit. You’re expecting me to be some Prince Charming, som
e kinda hero, when there’s really no such thing.”
“I don’t need a hero, Tom. I just need a husband, someone who is a companion and really shares my life—somebody who smiles at me, laughs at my jokes, and holds my hand when we walk down the street.”
He pondered my words and shifted his stance. “So let’s go to counseling again.”
“That won’t be enough. We’re so far gone it’s not even funny. How can you even expect me to stay married to you? You’re emotionally unavailable. I’ve been unhappy for years, and it’s sad that it’s come to this, but I’m afraid there’s no fixing it now. We can’t just put a Band-aid on a shark bite and look the other way.”
He looked at me like I was the most evil, vile person in the world. “I can’t believe you’re willing to tear this family apart.”
“Don’t try to send me on a guilt trip. It won’t work anymore. We can and will still give the kids a good life. My sister only lives a street away. She has a huge house and can’t afford the bills, so it will help her out if we move in. I won’t ask for child support, because I don’t want your money. I won’t backtalk you or say anything bad about you to our children. I encourage you to keep the relationship you have with them, because you’re a damn good father. You can come see them anytime you want. I won’t be a bitter ex-wife. I want us to remain friends, to stay on good terms. I don’t hate you, Tom. You’re still my best friend, and I hope we can have an amicable split.”
“Amicable? You’re ruining everything we worked so hard for!” he said.
“No, you did that. There is discord in our relationship, a real disconnect, and it started a long time ago. For so long, I was too blind to face the facts. It’s so obvious that you dumped me a long time ago. We share a house, bills, kids, a room, a toilet, a fridge, and even our last name, but we’re still nothing more than roommates. I can’t believe this is such a surprise to you. I may as well have joined a convent over the last few years.”
He threw his hands up in the air. “How is this going to look to all our friends and neighbors? A divorce will stain and tarnish my good reputation.”
“Oh my gosh! Is that all your worried about? How it will look to everyone? What about my needs?” I stared at him hard. “You’ve not touched me for years. Tell me, Tom, who have you been touching?”
