by Krista Lakes
He laughed. “This way I get to see the neighborhood,” he teased. “I intercepted your pizza coming up.”
“I see that,” she said. She looked past him to see the delivery car drive off. “Did you pay him?”
“Maybe,” he replied with a shrug. “Maybe I just stole them.”
She smacked his shoulder and held the door open for him to come in.
“I thought you were going to be late. I didn't order you a pizza,” she said. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The kids would be so excited to have a surprise visit from Ethan, but she felt bad she didn't order enough food for him.
“I skipped out of the meeting early to come here sooner. And don’t worry about the pizza, I brought my own,” he replied showing her the pizzas he had. There was a third box with a different logo than the ones she'd purchased.
“You didn't have to buy your own pizza,” she said, shaking her head. “I would have shared with you.”
“Well, how was I to know what kind of pizza you like? What if you liked pineapple on yours? I couldn't eat that,” he told her, kicking his shoes off at the door and setting the pizzas down on the table.
She grinned. “Actually, I do like pineapple on my pizza. It's what I always get.”
He opened his mouth and widened his eyes in mock horror. “You monster!” he grimaced and shook his head. “I don't know if this relationship is going to work out.”
“You just don't know what you're missing,” she replied. “It's delicious.”
He rolled his eyes. “No, sausage meat lovers pizza is delicious. No sweet stuff on pizza.”
“Ethan!” Ivy shouted as she came out of her room. Dallas was hot on her heels as they both ran out to greet him.
“Ivy! Dallas!” he shouted back with equal enthusiasm. He caught Ivy first, throwing her up in the air like she was a toy doll.
“My turn!” Dallas begged, his eyes bright with excitement.
Ethan tossed Ivy up one more time, making her shriek with delight before picking up Dallas and giving him the same treatment. The kids giggled and begged for more.
Laura laughed and took the pizzas to the kitchen. She smiled as Ethan played with the kids, keeping the busy and happy while she put the pizza on plates.
“Okay,” she shouted over them. “Dinner time. To the table.”
Dallas pouted. He was having fun, and he wasn't ready to stop. Luckily, Ethan saw the impending meltdown and tagged his shoulder.
“First one to the table wins,” Ethan whispered before running to the table.
Dallas chased after him, shouting “YOU'RE FROZEN!”
Ethan slowed down, pretending to move in slow motion. “Noooooooo. I… muuuussstt… wiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnn…”
Dallas and Ivy laughed as they easily beat their frozen companion to the table. Laura gave him a wink and brought over the plates of pizza.
Everyone dug into the food, and the room was quiet for a moment. Laura looked over at Ethan's meat-lovers pizza and shook her head. Pineapple was way better.
“What kind of pizza is that, Ethan?” Ivy asked, pointing to his pizza.
“Meat-lovers supreme,” he replied, his mouth full of cheese and pepperoni. “You want some?”
“Um, no thank you. I like just cheese,” she replied politely.
“I want some,” Dallas piped up. “I'll eat it.”
Laura raised her eyebrows in surprise. Dallas only ever wanted cheese pizza. She'd accidentally ordered a pepperoni pizza one time, and he'd refused to eat a bite of it, even once the pepperoni was off.
“Sure,” Ethan said. He went to the kitchen and brought back two slices of pizza. One for him and one for Dallas.
“Thanks,” Dallas told him as he dived in and ate it. Laura stared in amazement as Dallas stuffed nearly the entire piece of pizza into his mouth.
“You doing okay?” she asked, waiting for him to complain about it.
“This is great,” he said after a big swallow. “I want this kind next time. Me and Ethan can share a big pizza.”
“Sounds good to me,” Ethan agreed. He smiled at Laura, and she couldn't help but smile back. It felt so natural to have him there. He felt like the missing piece of their world. She felt like they were a family when he was around.
The thought of family nearly made her choke. She coughed to remove the pizza from her throat. She'd been with the guy maybe a week, and she was already ready to have him be family? She should know better than that.
“You okay?” Ethan asked, reaching over and patting her back as she coughed.
“Yeah, just the wrong pipe,” she replied, reaching for a glass of water. Ethan smiled at her before turning back to Dallas to talk about their pizza some more.
Yet, the thought stuck with her. Ethan felt right in their world. She was probably just reading too much into things. She usually didn't bring her boyfriends by for her siblings to approve, or at least she didn't before their parents died. Maybe that was why it was working. They'd just never met any of her boyfriends and would have liked them all this much.
“So what movie are we watching tonight?” Ethan asked, leaning back in his chair and wiping his face with a napkin.
“The ninja one!” shouted Dallas.
“The princess one!” yelled Ivy.
Laura shook her head. This was the nightly debate. The few times they actually agreed on a movie was when they had a brand new one. They still had five or six new ones from their sick day, so there was very little chance of agreement.
Ethan got up and went over to the movie pile. He thought carefully before picking one out of the stack.
“How about this one? It's about a girl from Hawaii,” he said, holding up the animated movie case.
Both kids looked skeptical.
“It has a princess, kind of,” Ethan said. “And it's got this guy that can change into any animal he wants. Oh, and it has the ocean in it.”
“The ocean is your selling point?” Laura asked from across the room. She shared her siblings' skepticism.
“The ocean is totally a selling point,” Ethan told her. “The ocean is awesome. Haven't you ever played tag with the ocean?”
All three of them shook their heads in unison.
“We've never seen the ocean,” Ivy informed him. “We were going to go to Florida next year, but...” She trailed off and shrugged.
“You two have never seen the ocean?” he asked, looking baffled.
“No,” Ivy replied. “There isn't one nearby. I've seen a really big lake though. That's kind of the same thing, right?”
“No. Not even close,” Ethan replied, shaking his head.
“I've seen Lake McConaughy in Nebraska,” Dallas said proudly. “It had waves and stuff.”
“That's not the ocean,” Ethan said. “How have you not seen it? Laura, you've seen the ocean, right?
“I saw it for the first time when I went out to California for the Christmas party,” she replied. “I went to the beach by the hotel.”
He looked at her and shook his head. “That's terrible ocean. That's not even the good ocean. Did you go in?”
“I went up to my knees,” she replied. “Until someone came by and told me I couldn't do that there.”
Ethan put his head in his hands. “How have you three never experienced the ocean? That's terrible.”
“We just don't live near one,” Laura told him. “You'd think we’ve never seen the sun the way you're acting.”
Ethan just looked at her like that might be the case.
“Have you ever seen a black bear?” Laura asked, crossing her arms. Ethan shook his head.
“We saw two last fall,” Dallas replied. “We saw a baby a couple of years ago.”
“We saw three last year,” Ivy corrected. “There was the one in the park. And we saw a moose.”
“Have you ever seen a moose?” Dallas asked Ethan.
“No, but…” Ethan paused, thoughtfully. “I don’t think there are any moose in Colorado.”
Laura could see an argument starting. She quickly whipped out her smart phone.
“Maybe it was a big dog,” Ethan said.
“It had antlers!”
“Maybe it was a big dog with antlers. Woof!”
“It wasn’t! Laura!”
“Okay, listen guys,” Laura said, using her mommy voice. “There weren’t any moose in Colorado for decades, but they were reintroduced to the state. There are now over two thousand.”
“See!” Ivy said.
“I stand corrected. Secretly, I just wanted to see a big dog with antlers,” Ethan said, holding his fingers up behind his head like he had antlers. That got a laugh out of Dallas.
“Well, we might not have oceans, but we have some cool wildlife. Like elk and bears.”
“And dogs with antlers!” Ethan added.
“No, I told you, it was a moose!” Ivy shrieked.
“Okay,” Ethan said. He let his laughter subside, and then a slow half-smile started to form on his face. “You guys need to see the ocean, then.”
“What are you planning?” Laura asked. She wasn't sure she liked the look on his face. He was plotting something.
“Me? Planning something?” he asked, opening his eyes wide like he was innocent or something.
“Yes, you,” Laura replied, narrowing her eyes. “What are you coming up with?”
“Wouldn't you like to know?” He grinned at her and held up the movie again. “So, Girl-With-Ocean-Movie? Let's watch it!”
Laura shook her head as he put the DVD in the player and got the kids situated on the couch.
“This time, I get to sit next to Laura,” Ethan told Dallas as he scooted him over. Laura smiled and took her spot. Dallas snuggled up to Ethan and Ivy to Laura. Ethan put his arm around Laura's shoulder, and again the feeling of family overtook her.
The movie started, and Laura was instantly transported to a world she could only imagine. The ocean came to life on the screen, and she watched, enjoying herself.
“I love that color,” she whispered as the ocean took over the screen. All the shades of aquamarine and blue filled the screen as the character sailed on the water toward her goal.
“Yeah?” he asked, cuddling her in closer to him.
She nodded. “You live in California. You get to see the ocean all the time. Which is better? Ocean or mountains?”
He thought for a moment. “That's hard, but I'm going to have to go with ocean.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “California is my home, and I miss it,” he explained. “I miss the sound of the waves and all the seafood. I miss my office, to be honest. I'm having a hard time working out here without it.”
“Oh.” Laura was surprised at the pang of hurt in her chest. He was allowed to miss things. He was allowed to miss his office. It didn't mean he wanted to leave her behind again.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. She smiled with surprise.
“What's that for?”
He shrugged. “I just wanted to kiss you.”
“I like that,” she replied, feeling warm and fuzzy. She snuggled a little bit closer to him. He was safe and warm beside her. It felt good to be like this. It was a simple, ordinary thing that couples did and she liked it. She liked that it was easy and comfortable.
They watched the whole movie while snuggling, not saying a word. As the movie ended, and Dallas yawned.
“Okay, mister,” Laura told him, standing up from the couch. “Time to get ready for bed.”
“Aw, do I have to?” Dallas asked and then promptly yawned again.
“Yes, go put on your pajamas,” she told him. “You too, Ivy.”
“But I want to say goodbye to Ethan,” Ivy said with a pout.
“I'll wait until you have your pajamas on,” Ethan promised. “So go change.”
Ivy grinned, and she and Dallas raced off to their rooms.
“What are your plans for the weekend?” he asked, slipping on his shoes by the door.
“Um, just being with the kids,” she replied. “Why?”
“I have an idea,” he replied. “Don't plan anything too crazy. I want to spend some time with you.”
“Okay,” she promised. “Do I get a hint?”
“Nope. No hints, no clues, no nothing,” he replied. “You'll just have to wait.”
“You're a big tease,” she whispered. “Now I'm super curious.”
“Too bad for you,” he replied with a shrug. “But, I will tell you it's a good thing.”
“Can I bribe you for a hint?” She grinned, biting her lower lip.
“Possibly,” he replied.
She stepped forward, wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him. Just touching him sent electric thrills through her entire body that made her want to gasp and ask for more. She wanted to tease him with her tongue and taste his kiss completely, but they had an audience.
“Ew, gross,” Dallas announced, crinkling up his face in disgust. Ivy wore a matching expression.
“My clue is...” He paused for dramatic effect. “That you will like it. You will love it. It's something none of you have ever seen before.”
“That's my clue?” Laura asked, crossing her arms. “I thought I gave a pretty good bribe.”
He laughed. “If I could give you a hint based off that kiss, you'd have a detailed outline with picture descriptions,” he told her. “But, I don't want to ruin the surprise.”
“Fine.” She dropped her arms and smiled at him.
“Good night, kids,” he said, dropping down to his knees. The two children each gave him a big hug that he happily returned.
“See you tomorrow, Ethan,” Ivy told him.
“I have a date with Laura tomorrow,” he told them. “I'll only see you for a minute.”
Ivy pouted. “But last time you had a date with Laura, you brought soup and movies. Can we have that kind of date again?”
Ethan chuckled and shook his head. “Maybe next time. This time, I get to take your sister out for something special tomorrow.”
Laura grinned. She'd nearly forgotten about their date tomorrow evening.
“And it is super important that neither one of you gets sick, okay?” he told the children. “No more stomach bugs.”
“Okay, Ethan,” Dallas agreed. “But we do need more movies.”
Ethan laughed. “I'll see what I can do.”
“Have a great night, Ethan,” Laura told him. “Thank you for coming over. I know it wasn't terribly exciting, but-”
“It was perfect,” he finished for her. He kissed her cheek, prompting another chorus of “ews” which made Laura laugh as he opened the door.
Craig was waiting outside for him.
“I'll see you tomorrow,” Laura said, the smile already filling her face. “And you're sure you can't tell me another hint?”
“No more hints,” he said, stepping outside. “Bye, Laura.”
She watches as he walked down the path to the car with Craig. He looked back and waved one last time before getting inside and driving off. Laura watched him. The night didn't feel magical anymore. It felt normal. Mundane. She missed him already.
She sighed and closed the door.
“Okay, time to brush teeth,” Laura informed her siblings. They sighed, but since their adult friend was gone, they didn't have a reason to delay too much.
“What do you think the surprise is?” Dallas asked Ivy as they walked toward their bedrooms.
“I don't know,” Ivy replied. “But I can't wait to find out!”
Chapter 17
Laura
Laura stood in front of the bathroom mirror. She brought her hands down her sides, smoothing out the silky material of her white dress. She'd been standing there for at least ten minutes, just double checking that her hair and makeup was as flawless as possible. It was important to her that she look her absolute best. She was getting ready for a date with Ethan and had a feeling tha
t wherever he took her, it was going to be pretty extravagant. Or at least a little more extravagant than horseback riding and lunch on hay bales.
Butterflies continued to bounce around inside her belly as she stepped out of the bathroom. There was something special about Ethan. He wasn't like regular guys she'd dated, and she knew that it had nothing to do with his money. There was just something about him that got her excited. It made her light up inside and put a spring in her step that she didn't think still existed.
After pacing the room a couple of times, she glanced down at her watch.
“Oh, God,” she whispered. “I completely lost track of time. He'll be here any second.”
She slipped into her white high heels and then headed out of the bedroom. Her shoes made a clicking noise with each step as she made her way the living room. Dallas, Ivy, and Elena were all seated around the table in the kitchen eating dessert.
“Now that looks tasty,” Laura said. “It smells good, too. What is it?”
Ivy smiled wide, and her green eyes lit up. “Elena made us our favorite! It's ice cream with broken up Pop Tarts sprinkled on top.”
“That sounds... interesting,” Laura said, giggling. “Maybe I'll try some when I get back.”
“You look really pretty, Laura,” Dallas said.
Hearing such a sweet compliment from a five-year-old caused Laura's heart to melt in an instant.
“Aw, Dallas,” she said. “That's such a nice thing to say.”
“I second what he said,” Elena chimed in. “You look terrific, Laura. That dress is fabulous. I can't believe I've never seen you wear it before. It fits perfectly.”
Laura glanced down at her dress, admiring it for the hundredth time that evening. “Thank you. Yeah, I've had it in the back of my closet for a long time but never had a good reason to wear it.”
“It looks good, but you're missing something,” Ivy said, resting her chin onto her closed fists, as though deep in thought. “You need to be a princess.”
“What am I missing?” Laura asked.
I did my hair, my makeup, brushed my teeth, she thought to herself, going over her imaginary checklist.
