“Let's take them out to the living room and snuggle in for the movie,” I suggest. I grab Paisley's mug of milk so that she doesn’t spill it as she bounces to the living room, Buckley, on her heels as she goes. I don’t know why I dragged my heels for so long on getting a dog, but Buckley has been a great addition to our family. They’re like two peas in a pod.
“Daddy, is Santa Claus going to come to your house?”
“I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”
“Will he also go to Mommy’s?”
“I’m sure he’ll stop there, as well. He’s got to leave presents for your brother, after all, and you never know, he might leave presents for you at both houses.” I try my best to give her an answer that won’t lead to a ton more questions. I’d love for her to have the magic of Christmas for a few more years before she stops believing.
“Okay.” She’s, apparently, appeased with my answer and flops back on the couch; Buckley curled up next to her as we watch the movie. I can’t think of a better day. Downtime with my girls. Both cuddled up with me on the couch as we spend quality time together.
19
Lindsay
Four months later
I walk around the lake outside the hospital, the crisp spring air filling my lungs as I go. I can’t believe we’ve already made it to spring. Tucker’s birthday is next week, and I’ve been trying to plan a surprise party for him with all our friends. He’s been working like crazy lately, as they’ve been short-staffed.
“Do you have everything in place for the party next weekend?” Allison asks as we start our second lap.
“As far as I know. Everyone has been informed of the place and time. Easy enough, since it's just at Joe’s.”
“Do you think he has any idea you’ve been planning something?”
“I don’t, but if he figures it out beforehand, it won’t be the end of the world. Just thought it would be a nice thing to do for him. He’s always doing things for everyone else; I wanted him to feel special, for once.”
“Plus, who doesn’t like a good party?” Allison asks.
“Exactly. And I need a night out. It feels like we haven’t been out in months. I need a night to just dance the stress away.”
“Right there with you, sister,” Allison agrees.
“So, tell me how things are with Lee?”
“We are talking again; I think the break was needed. Even if it did suck for a while. But he’s been open to my side of things, said he’s willing to give things a try.”
“That’s good. Tucker said something last night about him being in a much better mood for the last couple of days. Figured it had something to do with you.”
I look over at my best friend and see a ghost of a smile spread across her face, along with a blush.
“You slept with him, didn’t you?” I ask as I just shake my head.
“Maybe,” she says, and I’m not used to the embarrassment coming from Allison. She’s always been a what you see is what you get kind of woman, who doesn't take shit from anyone and speaks her mind. “Okay, yes. I gave in, and holy shit, Linds. That man knows how to do things that I’d never dreamed of doing.”
“Good for you!” I tell her, trying to make her feel comfortable telling me whatever she wants to share. “Just make sure you make him work for it a smidge.”
“I’ve got that part covered,” she says.
“So, the make-up sex was good, then?”
“It was phenomenal; there was no good about it. Like, rock my world, I don’t know how I’m standing or walking today kind of make-up sex.”
“Good for you.”
“What about you and Tucker, things still in the honeymoon stage?”
“I think so; I mean, our schedules kind of suck, but we make the best of the time we do get. We’re explosive when we’re together. I don’t know if it’s because of our limited time, especially alone time, but I swear, when we’re together, he’s always got to be touching me in some way. It's cute most of the time, but others, I’m just like, dude, stop touching me. He gets all pouty when I tell him to back it up a step or two.”
“Oh, men. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.” Allison laughs.
“Ain’t that the truth.” I laugh along with her.
“Have you guys talked about moving in together? I know you already spend all the nights he’s home at his house, so wouldn’t it be easier to just combine houses, at this point?”
“He’s brought the idea up. Suggested I rent out my house rather than go straight to selling it, and that’s a good idea, but we haven’t really talked more than just surface conversation about it. Maybe after his birthday, I’ll bring it up again. I could spend a month or so really sorting through all my things and downsizing. Then, come late spring, it should be ready for renters or to be sold.”
“I’d come to help you when you need it.”
“Thanks, I’ll definitely need all the help I can get. De-junking is never a fun process, I’ve found,” I tell her as we lap back around to the parking lot.
“Thanks for getting my butt outside today. I needed this,” Allison says as we make it back to our cars.
“I needed it just as much. The fresh air did me wonders.”
“Do you want to get a head start on some organizing today? I don’t have anything pressing to do, so I could come help, if you wanted,” Allison offers. I love my best friend to death, and she knows just when to step in to motivate me.
“I guess so. We can pick up some lunch on our way and then start in one room and see how far we get.”
“Perfect, subs sound okay?” she suggests.
“Yeah, I could go for a sub. I’ll meet you over at Pete’s?” I ask, knowing there is nowhere else in town that makes better subs than Pete’s.
“Like you even have to ask?” She laughs.
* * *
I look around my spare room, piles already forming after an afternoon filled with sorting through things. I’m slightly shocked at how much ended up in the black trash bags to just go out to the curb. I didn’t realize I had that much junk stored away. I’ve also got a nice pile of stuff set aside to take to donate, and another pile of things I’m going to try and sell.
“If you give me your phone, I’ll start snapping pictures and uploading things to the marketplace,” Allison offers.
“That’d be great,” I say, tossing over my phone. She starts laying things out and snapping pictures. Occasionally asking what I think the price should be. Before I know it, she’s got everything photographed and listed, and already some people on their way to look at or purchase items.
“I might have to pay you a commission on everything that sells,” I joke after she shows me yet another item is pending.
“Hmmm, I should have thought of that earlier.” She giggles. “Tell you what, you buy the first round of drinks next weekend, and we’ll call it even.”
“You’re so good to me. It’s a deal,” I tell her as someone knocks on the front door. We both head out to see who it is. The young girl at my door is here to buy a few of the items.
“Thanks again!” she calls as she loads the items into her trunk. Just as she’s pulling out, another car pulls in. This cycle continues for the next hour or so.
“I can’t believe you sold all of that stuff so quickly. Why didn’t I think of doing this earlier?” I ask Allison. I count the cash I’ve been stuffing in my pockets. I’ve made a few hundred bucks already, and we only tackled a few rooms in my house. I’ve more than made enough to cover a couple rounds of drinks for Tucker's party next weekend, so I say today was a huge success.
“Tucker is not going to know what to do with himself when you tell him you’re ready to move in and have already condensed things down.”
“I think he’ll be A-okay with the idea. As it is, he tries to get me to sleep over at his house on the nights he’s not home so that I’ll be there when he gets home in the morning.”
“See, he’s going to be so on board with
this idea. I’ll make sure he knows it was my idea to light a fire under your ass once you guys are ready for it.”
“You do that.” I laugh and my cell pings with a text notification from none other than Tucker.
Tucker: Hey, baby, how’s your day?
Lindsay: Good, Allison is over and helped me purge a bunch of things. I sold a ton of it on the marketplace already.
Tucker: Cool, are you going to be at my place when I get there in a few hours?
Lindsay: Do you want me to be? {winky face}
Tucker: Like that’s even a question. If you’re busy at your place, I can just come there.
Lindsay: Whatever works, I’m flexible.
Tucker: Yes, yes, you are. {devilish smirk}
Lindsay: You’re incorrigible {kissy face} I’ll be at your place by 6, sound good?
Tucker: See you then. Love you.
Lindsay: Love you too
“You are so gone for that man,” Allison laughs from where she still stands a few feet from me.
“How’d you know it was Tucker?” I ask.
“Because of the way your face lit up, and that little smile that’s still on it from whatever it was that he said to you.”
“I can’t explain it. I just get all these butterflies every time he calls or texts me while at work. Knowing he’s thinking about me just, ah…” I screech, letting my hands go up and then slap against my thighs. “I just can’t explain it.”
“That’s called love, m’dear. Don’t let that feeling go; enjoy it. I’m so damn happy for the two of you,” she says, pulling me in for a hug.
“I can only hope you find this kind of love for yourself,” I mumble into her shoulder.
“I’ll get there, and when I do, you can tell me the same thing.”
“You’re such a good best friend,” I tell Allison. I really did hit the jackpot by having Allison in my life.
“All right, no more sappy shit. Let's get the bags of trash taken out, and then we can take a load over and drop it off at the donation collection place,” she says, stepping back from our hug.
We get to work doing just that, and before I know it, my spare room is cleared out from all our piles.
20
Tucker
“Hey, babe,” I call out to Lindsay as I look at my watch. We’re supposed to meet our friends at the bar tonight. I’ve been tipped off to the fact that she tried to plan a surprise birthday party for me—which I’m playing coy to knowing anything about—but little does she know, I’ve got plans of my own for tonight.
“Yeah?” she says, stepping out of the bedroom and spinning for me.
The vision in front of me takes my breath away. The white sweater she’s got on gapes open in the back, leaving her back exposed. Her legs are encased in blue jeans that show off all her curves, especially that luscious ass that I can’t get enough of.
“Fuck, you are hot,” I tell her, holding a hand out for her to come to me as she closes the distance between us. I pull her in, being careful to not mess up her makeup as I capture her lips with mine. “Ready to go?” I ask against her lips a few minutes later.
“Yep, I just need to grab something from my car, quick,” she says, and I can see the excitement dancing in her eyes.
I follow her out of the house, locking up behind me. I pat my own pocket, making sure the ring is still where I placed it while she was getting ready and not paying attention to me.
“I know I told you we were only meeting Lee and Allison here, but that might not have been the full truth,” Lindsay says, wringing her hands in her lap as I park my truck in the parking lot for Joe’s Bar.
“Is that so?” I ask, quirking an eyebrow at her and doing my best to hold back my laughter.
“There might be a few others here, as well.” She shrugs, a smile tugging at her lips.
“Well, then let's get inside and see who’s here to cut loose tonight.”
We walk into the bar, hand in hand, and immediately find our group of friends. It isn’t hard to spot them, since stretched above the tables they’re at is a big “Happy Birthday” banner, along with some streamers and balloons.
“Surprise!” everyone calls out as we reach the tables. I don’t hold in my laughter, but not because they actually surprised me, but because of how many of them are actually in on my surprise for tonight, and not Lindsay’s.
She turns to face me, her eyes bouncing between the group of guys from my truck at work, and me. “They told you about tonight, didn’t they?” she finally asks, the humor evident in her question. Thankfully, it doesn’t appear that she’s mad that the surprise wasn’t, in fact, a surprise.
“Sorry, Linds,” Lee calls out. “He kind of figured it out when he overheard one of the guys talking about it in the locker room after shift, earlier this week.”
“And you just played along with my secrecy?” I asked.
“Pretty much. I knew that you wanted to surprise me, and I didn’t want to take that away from you.”
Lindsay blows out a big breath, the force of it causing her hair to move slightly. “I can’t get anything passed you,” she harrumphs only to start laughing. “Happy Birthday, Tuck. I love you,” she says as I pull her into my arms.
“I love you, too, and thank you. It’s the thought that counts. Now, let's get you out on that dance floor. I want to hold you close,” I tell her, nipping at her lips before I take them in a kiss that gets our friends hooting behind us. I flip them the bird over her shoulder, not caring one bit that they’re just egging us on.
I lead Lindsay out onto the dance floor just as “Rumor” by Lee Brice comes on. I pull her in close, listening to the words, and it's almost scary how much this song could be our story. How we kind of made things official right here on this exact dance floor. It’s the reason I picked here to propose tonight. I thought circling back to where we made it all official was a romantic gesture, and my birthday makes her saying yes, the ultimate present she could give me.
“Come back to the table, birthday boy! It’s time for some shots!” Lee calls out once the current song ends. We’ve danced to a handful of them already, and I’m ready for a drink or two.
“To this fucker, happy birthday, man,” Lee calls out, holding up a shot glass. We all follow suit, clinking glasses before everyone slams their shot back and then onto the table. I lick the salt off my hand and quickly bite into the lime wedge to help with the burn from the tequila.
“Do you want something from the bar?” I lean down so I can speak right into Lindsay’s ear, so she hears me over the noise filling the bar. It’s a usual busy Saturday night, so the place is packed with more than just our rowdy group.
“I’ll take a beer and a glass of water,” she says.
“Be right back,” I tell her, dropping a kiss to her lips before I step away and go grab our drinks. I need a little liquid courage in me to drop to one knee and ask her my ultimate question. I went a month or so ago and had lunch with her parents when she was at work. She doesn’t know anything about that lunch, but it was important for me to get permission. They gave me their blessing without a second thought. Next was my daughter. I had to wait a little longer to talk to her about it, as I didn’t want her spilling the beans before I could ask. When I spoke to her last weekend, she was over the moon and thought that I should have asked Lindsay that very night. I thought about it, making it a little private moment, but I already had things for tonight in the works, so I stuck with my original plan.
“A beer and water for milady.” I hand over the drinks and kiss Lindsay’s cheek before I down half of my own beer in just a couple gulps.
The ladies all let out a screech of excitement when “Country Girl” by Luke Bryan comes on. They all head for the dance floor and start shaking their asses as they cut it up dancing.
“You going to ask her, or are you chickening out?” Lee asks as we both watch them dancing.
“I’m not chickening out, asshole.” I punch him in the shoulder. “I was planning
on it when she comes back over here.”
“Finish your beer and ask her. You know she’s going to say yes, so the sooner you ask her, the sooner y’all can get the fuck out of here and celebrate.” He smirks at me.
“Please don’t think of my girl and sex ever again,” I deadpan, staring my best friend down.
“Lighten up, asshole. It isn’t like I said I was taking her to bed,” he says and just laughs at me. He’s got a point, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m protective over Lindsay, even if it is my best friend and someone that I know I could always trust around her.
“Did you have fun?” I ask once Lindsay returns to the table. She grabs the glass of water I brought her earlier and downs it. Her skin is shiny from the sheen of sweat covering it after dancing.
“Yes! I needed this tonight!” she says, wrapping her arms around me. I pull her in close, as if I’m going to kiss her, but I don’t. I hold back just enough so that I can look her straight in the eyes.
“This feels almost like déjà vu,” I tell her, looking around at our surroundings. “Being here with you, our friends in the background, me holding you like this. It seems like just yesterday we were in this exact spot physically, but in that limbo of do we or don’t we see what this is between us. Thank you for taking the chance on me. For loving me, loving my daughter. For making me hope and pray for more, for a family of my own.” My words pour from my lips, and I can see tears start to form in her eyes. I wipe just under one as a tear escapes. I reach into my pocket and pull the ring out before I drop to my knee.
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