by Alison Mello
When I turn around I jump when I see him. "Good morning, sugar." Trystan greets me with his amazing smile.
"Good morning. What can I get you?"
"I called in and asked that there be a breakfast sandwich ready."
Misty hands me a bag with his sandwich in it and a slip attached. He hands me some money and tells me to have a good day. He gives me a wink and walks out the door. "Oh, girl, he really likes you."
I bite my lip. "Feeling's mutual." We both giggle and get back to work.
"Look at you strolling in here like you're dancing on cloud nine." Jack laughs.
I plop the last bite of my egg sandwich into my mouth and smile as I walk by him to check in with Rick. "Hey, bro." Rick fist bumps me. "You're looking good this morning."
"Thanks. It's Friday, and I have a date tomorrow."
"Nice. Anyone I know?"
I shrug. "She's the mom of one of the kids on my team." I'm not sure I want to give him too many details yet. I know how nervous Stella is about dating me, and the last thing I need is people from town coming at her with questions or rumors.
He laughs, "If she's a mom, how do you know she's single?"
"Well, I may have heard a rumor that she was a single mother trying to make it on her own." He doesn't need to know about my conversation with her last night. That's her story to tell not mine.
"You know if this works out, every single girl in this town is going to be heartbroken." Rick busts my balls.
Jack shakes his head. "Yeah, and you know how rumors fly in this town. Word will get out quickly that you're dating, and you know what that means. Sophia is going to freak the hell out!"
I shake my head not wanting to talk about my ex. "I couldn't give two fucks what Sophia thinks. She can kiss my ass, cheating bitch." She and I had been friends first and then finally started dating in high school. When she found out I was joining the Army National Guard she freaked out. Said she couldn't deal with me being away for months while I was at boot camp and school to do my training. She finally said she was willing to give the long-distance relationship a try, but when I got wind she had been cheating, I wrote her and broke it off. Told her she was now free to ride whatever dick she wanted. When I got back she tried to get back with me, but it was too late. I had already heard how she was out sleeping with half the town as soon as I left. She tried one more time when I came back from my deployment, telling me how proud she was of me that I risked my life serving my country. She was full of shit. She just wanted to be the arm candy of the hometown hero.
"Let's go, guys, we have some sheetrock to hang." We turn on our little portable radio to the local top forty channel and get busy. Jack and I are hanging the sheetrock while Rick and Billy are filling holes and seams. I love what I do. It’s physical, and most days we have a good time doing it. It's tough sometimes if we have issues with plumbers or other contractors we hire to work alongside us, but, for the most part, Rick has managed to line up a good list of guys to work with us that way we don't end up with many problems. As a matter of fact, he doesn't take on too many home builds anymore, but this house is being built for his sister and her husband. We typically do smaller stuff like decks, remodels, home repairs and so on.
We manage to get one room done and start on a second all before lunch. We are making great progress, but like I said—we work as a team. This is what I want to get across to my boys. If they work as a team instead of fighting over who's going to make the next big play, then we will get far in the league, but if they continue to play the way they are then we'll sit in last place and finish the season early.
"Are we going for drinks tonight?" Billy asks, pulling me from my thoughts of the team. I give him a look that screams Really, but he doesn't get it. He just shrugs and continues eating his lunch.
"What, one near crash wasn't enough for you?" I press, but he says nothing. I swear this guy has a death wish and, of course, it's not his record that now has a DUI.
Jack points his water bottle toward Billy. "I'm game, but I can only grab one or two and then I have to get home or the wife will have my balls. She's still pissed we stayed out so late last week."
It was Billy's son's birthday last Friday, and he was struggling with his loss. We all agreed to go out with him to celebrate, but it quickly escalated into us getting wasted. I had the least amount of beer so while Rick and Jack took cabs home, I was dumb and drove because Billy wouldn't take a cab. "Sorry, guys, but I'm good. I'm going home to chill. The last thing I need is to have a beer and get pulled over again."
"You're being a pussy," Billy growls through a mouthful of food.
"Enough, Billy." Rick jumps in.
"I'm the pussy? I'm the pussy?" I shout. This guy has been my boy for years, but now he's starting to piss me off. "You're a fucking asshole, dude. I know I made the choice to get behind the wheel and have to pay for it. I got the DUI and risked both our lives because I didn't want your stupid ass to drive, but let me tell you…” My words trail. “I’m no pussy, I just learned my lesson." I jump up from my seat on the ground and start to walk away, but not before I turn back to him and shout, "This pussy is done saving your ass. You're on your own." I toss my cooler into my truck and head back inside to continue filling holes.
I'm pissed and Rick fucking knows it, but he follows me into the house. "Listen, why don't you work on sanding the other room while the rest of us work in here putting the rest of this sheetrock up?"
I nod and exhale a deep breathe before I put the container of joint compound down. "I'm sorry, man. He just pushes me too far sometimes. You know damn well there are very few people I trust and will do anything for, and he's one of them, but now he's taking it for granted." I grab a mask out of the work tote along with the sander and head into the other room. I hit the shuffle button on my playlist and get to work and instead of letting my mind dwell on Billy, who has royally pissed me off. I shift my thinking to Stella and my date with her. Just thinking about her makes me smile. She lights up the darkest of rooms, and there’s a twinkle in her eye that outshines the stars. I chuckle to myself thinking I kind of sound like a pussy, but I don't care. I can't wait to press my lips to hers. They're full, perfectly pink, and look so soft. I get lost in my music and manage to sand this entire room by myself. Now it just needs primer and paint.
"Hey, Rick." He turns around. "I'm done in there. Do you mind if I take off?" It's already four-thirty, and I don't want to stick around for any more of Billy's shit because I may just punch him in the throat. I’ve always loved these three like brothers, but Billy is getting worse. I need to talk to the guys about what we’re going to do about it.
Rick nods and follows me out of the room to my truck. "Listen, we should do something outside the bar with Billy. Maybe we can get a bite to eat and shoot pool or something.”
I nod my agreement because he’s right. The guy can be an asshole, but he’s still my friend. “I was just thinking the same thing. Let’s plan something for next week, but we need to make it a bit of an intervention.”
He nods. “Get."
We fist bump and I’m out.
"Let's go, DJ. We need to get out of here if I'm going to get back in time to change for dinner," I shout to my kid who is packing like he's leaving for a week. He comes running into the room with an overnight bag as well as another big bag. "Buddy, you're only going for one night."
"I know, Mom, but I promised Mason I would bring some of my games over." He holds up the bag of games and toys.
I shake my head. "If you must. Let's go."
He laughs and follows me out the door to the car. "Mom, why do you have makeup on? You never wear makeup."
"Actually, I used to wear makeup all the time, but after we lost your dad I sort of just stopped. Going on this date tonight kind of made me realize that I miss dressing up a little bit."
"You really don't need the makeup, Mom, but I hope you have fun."
"Thanks, buddy. Are you sure you're okay with this?" I truly hope he is.
I'm still torn over how I feel about it. I keep trying to tell myself that it's okay. That I shouldn't need to live the rest of my life alone, but at the same time it almost feels like I'm cheating on my husband. I had a conversation with Misty last night, and she told me I was crazy—that it was okay to move on. She even made a joke about how if I didn't have sex soon, my body might combust from built up sexual frustration. I've never laughed and cried so hard. She's truly a good friend, and I'm lucky to have her.
He shrugs. "It’ll be weird, but I'm not mad about it. Dad has been gone for a while, and it's not like he's coming back."
I close my eyes. “I know, and I’m sorry, buddy. Sometimes I wish I could bring him back, but no matter how much we wish for his return it’s just not possible. I have to believe he would want us to move on and be happy.”
We pull up outside of Misty's, and the car is barely in park before DJ jumps out of the car and starts running toward the steps. Mason meets him on the porch, and they start some funky handshake they created.
Misty comes out behind him. "I think they're excited," she calls down to me.
"I think you're right." I climb the steps. "Listen, we're all set for the grocery store next weekend. I'm going to make a schedule for the parents to fill out on Tuesday at practice. Do you want me to take Mason for you and they can do their shift together."
She shrugs. "Sure, I can probably be there for a little bit."
"Don't stress it if you can't. You have the diner to deal with. How's Arien working out?"
"She's good. I've been working with her on getting a rhythm down, but she's willing to work at it so I'm sure she'll get it."
"Good." I used to work Saturday mornings, but it's hard with DJ in sports. I didn't feel right leaving him alone and hiring a sitter was going to cost me almost what I would have made, so I told Misty I had to give it up. She understood and hired Arien, who was looking for a second job. She too is a single mom and needed a little extra money, and since Noah is with his dad on the weekends it works out good for her.
"Bye, Mom." DJ gives me a hug and kiss before running into the house with Mason.
"Well, I guess that means I'm free to go."
Misty bursts into laughter. "It looks that way to me." I start down the steps when she stops me. "Hey, have fun tonight."
I smile. "I plan on it." She shakes her head, and I jog the remainder of the way to my car. I'm really excited for this date, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a little nervous too. Trystan and I have been talking and texting since the meeting at the diner Wednesday night. It's amazing how much this man makes me smile. He's kind, caring, and funny. We decided to go to this small Italian restaurant here in town, but he says he has a surprise for me first. I’ve taken DJ to Antonio’s for dinner. The food is really good, and it's quiet. The fear I have is the rumors that will fly once people see us out together, but I guess that's a risk I’ll have to take. I run into the house to change into a pair of capri pants and a nice shirt. He told me to dress nice enough for the restaurant but not too fancy because he was taking me somewhere that was quite casual first.
I'm pulling my hair back when there's a knock at the door. "Coming," I shout.
When I pull the door open, Trystan stands before me wearing a pair of cargo shorts and a polo. He looks awesome as always. The polo shows off his muscular, tattooed arms and is fitted across his chest. "Come on in. I just need to finish putting my hair in a ponytail and I'll be ready to go."
"Okay." He steps through the door and instantly glances around the house. "Nice place."
"Thanks, I'm renting it from one of the old-timers who comes to the diner. He didn't want to sell it to just anyone because it has been in his family for years. When he met me, he was thrilled to let me rent it from him. Eventually, I'm hoping he'll sell it to me because it's the perfect house for DJ and me."
"It's amazing how things fall into place when you need it most." He shows me his gorgeous smile.
He's right. I was really in need of a place, and when he offered me this house to rent at such an amazing price I jumped on it. "I'll be right back. Make yourself at home." He takes a seat on the couch, and I go to the bathroom to pull my hair back.
When I come back out he's looking at a picture of Dylan, DJ, and I that’s on the coffee table. He looks up when he hears me coming. "DJ looks just like your husband."
"He does. A spitting image of him. It's very appropriate that he's a junior."
He stands and puts his hands on my hips. "I know I pressed for this date, but are you sure you're okay with this? I mean I really want this, but I don't want you to resent me for pushing you to go out before you're ready."
"I'm ready, I think. I mean..." I'm stammering. "I'm ready, but I need to take it slow."
"I promise we’ll move at your pace. I just want a chance to see where this goes and maybe put a smile on that beautiful face." I instantly smile at his sincerity. "There it is." He stares into my eyes for a minute before diverting his gaze to my lips and then back to my eyes. The look he's giving me is loaded with want, and I have to say the feeling is mutual. There's nothing I want more right now than to feel his lips pressed to mine. As if he can read my mind, he slowly lowers his head, pausing one more time to be sure I won’t pull away. We connect and the feeling of his soft lips on mine goes right to my panties. My nub instantly begins to throb. It’s a short, gentle kiss, but it's everything I need right now. "Let's get going." He pulls away, taking my hand and leading me to the door.
"Where are we going?" I ask when he opens his passenger side door for me.
"Well I know you said dinner, but I’d like to do something first.”
“Okay, what is it?”
“You'll see. It's something I enjoy doing, and I'm really hoping it won't freak you out too much. We small-town folk enjoy going here from time to time." Now I'm nervous because I have no idea where he's taking me, but I take my seat and hope to God I'm not going to freak out, as he says, when we get there. He pulls out of my driveway, and I can't help but watch out the window as he drives through town. I'm trying to figure out where he's going as he turns down various roads, but this is a part of town I haven't been to yet. As a matter of fact, I think we may have even crossed town lines into the next town over. None of this looks familiar to me. "Please try to relax. If we get there and you don't want to do it, I’ll understand. I would never force you to do something you're uncomfortable with."
"I appreciate the assurance but I'm told I need to get out more and try new things, so I'm going to be open-minded." I look out the window. "We haven't been here all that long, and I've been a bit of a hermit. I thought moving on would be easier if we got out of the city, but it's just as hard. The only thing I've managed to accomplish so far is getting DJ away from all the mayhem of city life." It can be crazy. The schools are overcrowded with a mix of rich and poor and the drugs are getting out of control too. Never mind the expense of living there. We could afford it with Dylan's salary, but after he passed it became difficult to remain financially stable, even with his life insurance benefits. Since I was no longer happy in New York it made sense that we make the move.
"We're here." Trystan puts his hand on my leg pulling me from my thoughts.
"Oh, sorry, Trystan." He climbs out of the car and, like a true gentleman, he opens the door for me. We walk up this dirt driveway to a big brick building with very little markings. It's not until we get to the door that I see a sign that reads Hillside Gun Club. I turn to him confused. "A gun club?"
He smiles. "I'm going to go see my buddy for a second, and then I'm going to teach you how to shoot." My eyes go wide. I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's something Dylan and I spent many nights discussing because of living in the city, and I’ve had even more nights regretting not letting him get one. I can't help but wonder if he would still be alive had I let him carry. "Relax. I have a small one for you, and you don’t have to shoot unless you're comfortable."
We step through the door, and
to the left is a high counter with an older gentleman sitting behind it. "Trystan," he calls out, coming around the counter. They hug it out for a second, slapping each other on the back before they break apart. "Skeet, this is Stella. Stella, this is my dear friend Skeet."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." He takes my hand, and we shake.
"You have a lane for me, Skeet?"
He smiles. "You know I do. As a matter of fact, it's been a slow day so I have the lanes on either side of you open to give you a little privacy. I don't want anyone making her nervous."
"Thanks, man. I'm going to get my handgun from the back of my truck, and we'll be back."
"You're all set. You have lanes three, four, and five all to yourself."
They shake hands one more time, and I follow Trystan back to the truck to get what he needs. I exhale a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. "Do you own a lot of guns?"
He shakes his head. "Nah. I didn't even start shooting until I went into the Army, but I found it relaxing and wanted to keep up with it after I got out. I have a nine millimeter and two forty-five caliber handguns." He pulls two handguns from the back of his truck. One is a bit smaller than the other, so I assume it’s his nine millimeter and the other is one of his forty-fives. I follow him back into the building carrying the ammo he's asked me to take. My hands are a bit shaky, and I'm not sure why. It's not like I'm doing something wrong, and it's probably not a bad idea for a single mom to learn how to protect herself and her child should she need to. I continue following him down a dark hall. He opens a door with a number four on it. "This is the lane we will be on. This is an indoor range and no one can see us shoot, so you have nothing to be nervous about."
He places the guns on a small table, and I do the same with the box of ammo. He begins going through some gun safety rules, telling me about the safety switch on the handgun and how you always keep it pointed down range, and never aim it at anyone unless you're in danger and you plan to shoot. I'm completely focused on his instructions as he loads ammo into what he calls a magazine, and then he puts the gun back together. He loads a target onto a clip and sends it down range. He then instructs me to put on a pair of earmuffs. He fumbles with something on the side. "Can you hear me?"
