The Sidelined Wife

by Jennifer Peel

  Then it happened. I was placing the perfectly shaped apple in the appropriate green produce bag when Reed walked behind me and, in passing, said, “Fancy meeting you here.”

  I smiled before I turned to meet him, but he had already passed and was looking at the bananas not too far away. He gave me a sly grin from across the way. I finished picking out my apples and moved on to tomatoes.

  “Excuse me, ma’am.” Reed had moved on to grapes. He held up two bags. “Green or red grapes?”

  I barely paused. “Red.”

  “Those are my favorite, too.” His grin was now more seductive. I should mention it looked like he upped his grocery shopping wardrobe too. He wore some nice jeans and a blue button-up that enhanced his eyes.

  I went from tomatoes to pears. One of my favorite snacks was dehydrated pears, and my dehydrator at home was prepped and ready to go.

  Reed was getting bolder as we went. He pulled his cart next to mine and waited for the woman next to us to pass by. “Does your preference for red grapes mean you prefer red wine?” His tone was hushed and he didn’t look at me.

  “Yes.” I focused on the pears.

  “Good to know.” He moved on.

  We played that game all through the produce section. It wasn’t a bad way to shop.

  I moved on to the bakery while he hit the floral section. I got a series of texts. He had taken pictures of several different bouquets.

  Which one do you like best?

  I scrolled through my phone while I waited for the bakery to slice the multi-grain bread that was a fan favorite at our house. You don’t need to buy me flowers.

  There you go being selfish again. Think of the bees and florists.

  I laughed out loud to the stares of my fellow shoppers and bakery workers. I focused back on my phone. You choose. They were all lovely.

  If I must. Meet me in greeting cards in five minutes.

  Okay. I found his request to be odd, but I was rolling with it.

  I took the five minutes to load up on milk. Cody could easily drink a gallon every two days. I also got eggs and cheese while I was at it, all before making my way to the greeting cards. I thought maybe he needed help picking one out, but I was learning not to underestimate this man. And yes, I saw him as a man.

  Reed was standing at the end of the aisle thumbing through a magazine from the rack across from the cards. He was the only shopper there. He glanced up as I neared, but went back to his People magazine. I had to stop myself from laughing at the scene. Or smiling at the beautiful bouquet of red lilies, orange roses, and greenery. It was the one I loved the most out of all the pictures he had sent me.

  “You should check out the Thinking of You section.” He continued to thumb through the magazine.

  I did as directed. I swore I felt his eyes on me. I scanned the section and midway down found a pink envelope with my name on it. I gingerly reached for it, feeling like we were doing something wrong, but excited to see what it said. I opened the unsealed envelope and pulled out the vintage card with a little girl kissing a little boy on the cheek. I peeked a glance at Reed. His eyes were on me, all of me; his head flick said to continue.

  My pulse raced as I opened the card and began to read what he wrote.

  1. You look gorgeous tonight.

  2. I’m going to hit the frozen food section next to cool off.

  3. You’re going to have to give this card back to me so I can pay for it.

  4. I forgot to tell you last night that I don’t pee on the toilet seat and I always put the seat down.

  5. I only snore when I’m sick. You can’t hold that against me.

  6. I think your kid is great, but he takes corners way too fast.

  7. I want to kiss you again.

  8. As soon as possible.

  9. Like right now.

  10. Go out with me this weekend so I can.

  I was going to have to join him in the frozen foods section. I looked up and met his gaze with a smile on my face and a heart that was beating wildly out of control. My stomach was also doing something it hadn’t done in forever, flip-flopping with that new-infatuation sensation. I didn’t even know I could feel this way again. I nodded my acceptance of seeing him again without even thinking about any of the logistics of it. All I could think about was being in his arms.

  His probing eyes said he knew he got to me. Did he ever. Grocery shopping would never be the same again.

  ~*~

  I wore a permanent grin for the next few days, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

  Gelaire certainly detected something while we ate lunch together on Tuesday. “Something you want to share, love?”

  I pushed around the harvest salad I’d ordered. My appetite was gone, but it was in that good my-stomach-was-full-of-butterflies sort of way. Suddenly I was twenty again.

  “No. Why?”

  “I thought you would be upset after your run-in with Neil, but you seem—” She tossed her head from side to side, studying me. “I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

  I shrugged, trying to brush off any hint there was anything different in my life. I had been on two dates, with one lined up. I wasn’t sure that was life changing, and I couldn’t tell anyone anyway. I focused on her son.

  “I was at first, but he’s changed so much. I don’t even recognize him anymore.”

  Gelaire’s brown eyes pooled with tears. “You’re moving on.”

  I reached for her delicate hand across the table. “I’m trying and I have my moments, but I’ll never move on from you.”

  She patted the top of my hand. “I want you to be happy, and I know it’s the best thing for you, but my son is so unhappy. I can see it in his eyes. I observed him while he tried to talk to Cody Sunday, and he’s miserable. He must have asked Cody how you were a dozen times during their strained conversation. And I’m abhorred by his appearance.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know what has possessed him.”

  “I do. It’s that vile woman. She wouldn’t even come in with him, not like she was welcome, but she’s not even trying to be a part of his life. She only wants him in hers. And it is a ridiculous life, unbefitting for a Higgins.” She steadied herself and dried her eyes. “I’m sorry to keep bringing him up in front of you. Tell me how your life is going. You look fabulous.”

  I ran my fingers through my curls. “Not sure I feel that way, but thank you. I’m just busy doing the mom thing and work.”

  “What about your Sidelined Wife project?”

  “It’s going well. I’ve actually had a few marketing firms approach me about doing some merchandising. I’m not sure what to think about it.”

  Gelaire’s left brow raised. “Well, that is certainly interesting and something to think about. I know you’ve talked about maybe the need to find a different career path. Perhaps this is it.”

  I hadn’t even thought of it in that way. “Hmm. I don’t know if having the Sidelined Wife plastered on t-shirts and mugs is really a career.”

  “You need to look at the bigger picture, love. Those are only the beginning. Have you thought about writing one of those motivational books? You could use your inspiring blog posts.”

  “I don’t know how inspiring they are, and I can’t imagine people wanting to read an entire book of them. And really, who am I?” Not to quote the mean-girl moms. “Some people think I’m a bitter divorcee who has nothing better to do with her time than bash her ex.”

  Though I rarely talked about him. Not to say he was happy about my Sunday post. Apparently he didn’t appreciate me telling the world about his boy-band persona and that he peed on the toilet seat. At least that’s what his angry text had indicated. I texted back that I didn’t like him sleeping around when we were married. I never heard back.

  She waved her hand. “There will always be naysayers. Don’t let them get to you. You, through your humor and insights, are helping women cope with their own situations. It’s marvelous, just like you.” She reached over and tapped my n
ose. “Think about this, love.”

  I sat back, letting her advice jostle around in my mind, seeing if anything took hold. It was a left-field idea for me, but . . . what if?

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.” Avery fanned herself after unrolling a rather large poster of Hunter Black, sent courtesy of Autumn Moone’s publisher, along with an entire box full of goodies. Several signed books, bookmarks, and pens with Hunter Black’s pretty face and gorgeous body plastered all over them filled the package. This particular poster had him shirtless and in tight jeans.

  So perhaps it was juvenile and maybe even tasteless, but his smooth, sun-kissed chest was worth ogling. To say we were in heaven was an understatement. We didn’t even care that James and Peter walked in with Dad after a long day of working out in the warm fall day. Dad took one look at the front desk covered in every woman’s fantasy and hightailed it to his office. I think he mumbled something about having to get home for dinner.

  James stood with his eyebrow arched and a mix of irritation and playfulness etched on his face. He cleared his throat. “Yo, Mrs. Decker,” he sounded like a knock-off Rocky Balboa. “Why are you looking at that crap when you’ve got this?” He flexed his t-shirt covered biceps.

  Peter and I both laughed at him.

  I would give it to him, he was in shape. Not like Hunter Black shape, or you know, that guy I was going out with on Saturday. Two more days until I would probably find myself wrapped up in muscular arms. From all of Reed’s texts and calls, I knew that wasn’t all. The thought of his lips covering mine had me feeling like we should crank up the air conditioner. How old was I again?

  Avery looked up from all the eye candy and grinned at her husband. “You know I love you.”

  “Prove it.” He gave her a seductive grin that should have been saved for a private moment between the two.

  “Please don’t.” Peter approached us at the front desk. He was shaking his head at us. “Where did you get all this stuff?”

  “Good question.” James took matters into his own hands and wrapped his arms around Avery from behind and planted a kiss on her cheek.

  “Autumn Moone’s publisher sent it to me.”

  “Why here?” James’s tone said he was wishing I had received it somewhere his wife wasn’t.

  “It dawned on me that Autumn Moone could be a man, so when she asked for my address, so she could have her publisher send me a box full of swag, I gave the office address just in case.”

  “She’s not a man.” Peter’s face tinged pink while picking up one of the signed books and thumbing through it.

  We all gave him a strange glance, but James was the one to speak. “I’m disturbed you know that brother.”

  “It’s not that he does, it’s how does he know,” Avery interjected.

  Peter shrugged and set the book down on the desk. “You can tell by the way she writes.”

  James snorted. “Tell me you aren’t reading this crap.”

  “I think it’s sweet that he reads it with Delanie,” I said.

  Avery elbowed James and caught him in the gut. “Be nice to your brother and maybe learn a few things from him.”

  “Ouch, woman. Don’t expect me to get all metro-male and read this junk with you. The only feminine side I have is you.”

  “Metro-male?” Avery and I said together.

  “We heard that phrase on the radio the other day.” James looked to Peter to confirm. “It’s men that carry hand bags and get facials and manicures. Not real men.”

  I ignored the older, dumber brother and focused on the younger, smarter one. I touched his arm. “Don’t listen to James. I would love it if a man read Hunter Black books to me.”

  “Is that right?” James asked. “Do you have someone in mind?”

  “Sure.” I pointed at the poster of Hunter Black, thankful I was quick on my feet with a reply that was true, though not entirely accurate. Not to say that I would ask Reed to do something like that at this stage in the game, but I could imagine him doing it, and I was sure I would enjoy it.

  “He’s too young and pretty for you,” James scoffed.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I gave James the evil eye.

  James gave me that stupid grin he’d been giving me since I was old enough to remember. The one that said he still enjoyed tormenting me. “What, are you a cougar now?”

  Avery elbowed her husband again. “Of course she’s not. But a little eye candy never hurt anyone.”

  Yeah, of course I wasn’t. I would never date anyone younger than me. That was my story and I wasn’t mentioning it. To anyone. Like ever.

  “You know, Hunter Black kind of looks like Reed.” A sly smile played on Peter’s face. “Don’t you think, sis?”

  I casually took another peek at the poster. “I suppose.”

  “He kind of does.” James took a closer look before addressing me. “So, does this mean you have the hots for Reed?” He wagged his eyebrows.

  “Don’t tease your sister,” Avery poked her husband.

  I pointed to my office with a strained smile. “I need to print the invoices that should go out tomorrow morning.” It was a lame excuse to leave, but it was true so I ran with it. I tried to keep my voice and footsteps steady as I fled the scene.

  Good thing there was nothing serious going on between Reed and myself. How could I ever tell my family if there was?

  ~*~

  “Are you sure you measured right?” I asked Reed.

  “We could always go to my place to make sure.” He inched closer to me on the picnic blanket.

  “I don’t have time, and—”

  “And what?” He leaned in and brushed my lips. He had been doing that any chance he could since I found him two hours ago, per the map he made for me. He’d texted it to me this morning. I couldn’t believe how fun and romantic he was. He had set up the perfect picnic, complete with tiny sandwiches cut into hearts, at a secluded spot in the Half Day Forest Preserve. He promised we would curtain shop too, so I didn’t have to lie to Cody about where I was.

  So there we sat with his laptop using a personal hotspot, searching for curtains online. I had already ordered some, but now we were choosing some “manly” curtains for his rental. He was partial to the navy blue set on the screen.

  I took a second to think about how to answer him. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of the sun in the cool breeze. Fall was definitely in the air, but I was warm in my light sweater as I sat next to Reed, sharing his body heat.

  “I’m not sure I’m ready to go to your place.” I opened my eyes to see what his reaction would be.

  He reached up and tucked an errant curl behind my ear. “I would never do anything you weren’t comfortable or ready for.”

  I nodded. “I believe you.”

  “Good.” He leaned in again, but this time his lips pressed hard against mine and begged mine to part. He moved the laptop off his lap without missing a beat and moved in closer. His strong hand ran through my hair and pulled my head closer to his.

  I easily fell into his kiss. My lips parted and I drank him in. I could taste the chocolate strawberries we had eaten earlier. They were better the second time around. He deepened the kiss and groaned. I had missed this kind of affection. And someone to kiss my neck. He deliberately lingered on each spot of my neck he kissed. His warm breath against my skin combined with his soft lips made me gasp.

  He chuckled before lifting his head and meeting my eyes. “I like that I’ll always know when I’ve pleased you.”

  “Are you teasing me?” I had forgotten about my little gasps. It had been a long time since I’d had anything or anyone to cause such a response.

  He shook his head. “I’ve never been more serious.”

  I placed both of my hands on his stubbled cheeks and gazed into his blue-as-the-sky eyes. “This is so surreal to me.”

  “Not to me.”

  My head tilted. “Not even a little?”

  “No. For me, t
his is a finally, and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it, while it lasts.”

  “I can’t believe you’ve liked me since you were thirteen.”

  “Believe it.” He pecked my lips before reaching up and taking my hands from his cheeks, holding them capably in his own.

  “You haven’t said anything to my brothers, have you?”

  “And ruin our clandestine meetings? No.” He grinned.

  “Would you please forget I used that word?”

  He shook his head in that slow seductive way he was a pro at. “I like that word.”

  “I bet you do.” I was sure it was a favorite for most men.

  “Did your brothers say something to you?”

  “Not directly, but Peter keeps hinting like he might know something.”

  “I’ll keep sitting by him during Sunday dinners.”

  I paused, thinking how to best say, “Not that I don’t want you there, but maybe you shouldn’t come.”

  He let go of one of my hands and slapped his hand across his heart. “That hurts, Sam.”

  I let go of my inhibitions and kissed him first this time.

  His grin said he liked that I made the first move.

  “I’m only trying to be cautious. I don’t want to rock Cody’s world more than it has been. Or have my family freak out.”

  “I like spending my Sundays with your family. I especially like getting to know Cody better.”

  I was going to keep kissing him if he kept talking like that. “That means a lot to me. To him.”

  “He’s going to come through this okay. He’s got an amazing mother.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I know so.”

  I sighed with contentment. “I better go. Thank you for the beautiful afternoon.”

  He rested his forehead against mine. “I wish you could stay, but I understand. So where should we clandestine next?”

  A small laugh escaped me. “How about I come up with a plan and let you know.” I figured I should take a turn.

  “I like that. I like that a lot, Samantha Decker.”

  I found that I like him a lot, too.