Until You

by Cristin Cooper

  In her office, she sat at her desk with her feet pulled up, going over all the worst-case scenarios. None ended in her favor.

  Her rational brain thought it ridiculous she would be so attached to Jason and Benji after such a short time, but her heart spoke louder. Much louder.

  At times likes this she would have logged into the game and pvp’d for a while to let out some of her frustration but since Belakor stood her up for the second time she avoided logging into the game. As much as she wanted to know why he didn’t show, she knew it didn’t matter. No person online or in real life would treat a friend as poorly as he had.

  From the doorway, a tired scratchy voice asked, “What are you doing up? It’s late.”

  She spun around in the chair and loved the sight in front of her. Jason shirtless in just his boxer briefs looking rumpled and sexy.

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Are we keeping you up? I know Benji can be a kicker.”

  She smiled and shook her head. “No. Just restless.”

  With a concerned look on his face, he asked, “Is this because of Sandy?”

  “Yeah. I need to know if there is any chance you’ll want to work things out with her. If you do, you need to tell me now.”

  “No.” He shook his head. Walking towards her, he offered her his hand to help her stand. “Never, sweetheart.”

  Swallowing back the emotion from hearing him use a term of endearment, she put her arms around him and leaned her head against the crook of his neck.

  “I don’t like that Sandy wants back into Benji’s life,” she admitted.

  “I like that you’re worried about him.”

  “I love him.” She also loved his father, but she wasn’t ready to admit that.

  “I love that you love him.” She felt his smile against her forehead. “With that settled, do you think we could go to bed now?” he asked.

  With his body pressed against hers, she didn’t want to let go.

  “Is something else wrong?”

  “No. I just need you to hold me.” Tightening his hold, he kissed her forehead then her cheek.

  “Lexis? Dad?” Benji called from the hallway.”

  Jason loosened his hold on her and turned around. “Hey, buddy. Let’s get you back to bed.” He went to pick him up, but Benji reached his arms out for Alexis. Carrying Benji back to bed, she realized most of her jealousy was because she didn’t want to share not only Jason, but Benji.

  With Benji sleeping between them, Jason ran his fingers down her cheek. “Try to get some rest,” he whispered then scooted closer until he could put his arm around her. “I like us like this,” he whispered.

  She did too.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  May 2016

  Jason

  Every time Jason checked his phone, he had a new text from Alexis, who messaged him that morning letting him know Katie went into labor. She had promised to give him a play by play since he had to work.

  Alexis: I’m so excited. I’ll be holding my niece within in a matter of hours!

  Alexis: Katie’s settled in the room but keeps groaning. I hope that’s normal.

  Alexis: She threw up. I think I’m going to be sick.

  Alexis: Katie just screamed.

  Alexis: Remind me never to give birth.

  Alexis: I’m adopting.

  Alexis: Katie’s dad needs a tranquilizer. Tyler just sent him to pick up her mom to get him out of the room. I want out of this room.

  Alexis: They kicked me out of the room. Thank God.

  As much as he loved getting the play by play, he wished he were there with her.

  Alexis: I think my mom is addicted to social media.

  Alexis: Tyler kissed Katie in the delivery room!!!!!!

  Alexis: SHE’S HERE! They’re running tests on her now.

  Alexis: Everything looks good. She’s beautiful. I can’t wait for you to see her.

  Jason: I’m on my way.

  Jason stepped into Katie’s hospital room to a vision that took his breath away. Alexis holding Katie’s precious daughter. For a split second, he imagined her holding their daughter one day.

  “Do I get a turn?” he asked.

  “Wash your hands,” Katie, Alexis and Tyler said in unison.

  Once he did what they said, Alexis reluctantly handed over Erica, Katie’s daughter. Having a baby cradled in his arms brought back memories of him holding Benji for the first time. It had been the most terrifying and amazing moment of his life. Looking into Katie’s eyes, he saw that same joy he felt every time he looked at his son.

  “She’s beautiful, Katie.” She beamed and leaned into Tyler, who sat next to her on the bed. If there had been any question about their feelings, there weren’t now. As happy as he was for them, he worried about how Alexis was taking it.

  After Bridget, Katie’s mother, kicked them out of the room so she could be alone with her daughter and granddaughter, he and Alexis went in search for something to drink. More to get away from prying eyes than to quench their thirst.

  “So? How are you doing after seeing Tyler with Katie?”

  “Surprisingly, I’m okay. When I saw Tyler hold Erica…I don’t know what happened, but it was like a switch turned on, and I saw the rightness of it. I’m happy for them. I’ll probably always be a little sad, but they’re happy, and that’s what matters. Right?”

  “Right,” he repeated.

  Leaning against him in front of a pop machine, she let out a soul-sucking yawn. He looked at her and noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

  “How about I take you home so you can get some sleep?”

  Yawning again she shook her head. “You know what I need?” she asked wrapping her arms around him.

  “What?”

  “An evening with my two handsome boys.”

  “I think I can make that happen.” Though he figured she would be asleep by the time they pulled up to his apartment.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  June 2016

  Alexis

  The kids in Alexis’s science camp surrounded her, taking turns giving her a hug before running off to their parents. Seeing the excited expressions on their faces as they did different experiments never got old. The more she worked with children, the more she knew she wanted to do this for a career.

  As she said goodbye to the last student, she noticed Stan standing in the doorway with a nervous smile. “Come on in. I just need to finish cleaning up and then I’ll be ready to go.”

  She hated to rely on Stan for a ride, but her car began making a rattling noise and had been with the mechanic for the past two days.

  “No rush. I thought we could get some lunch before heading home.” The way he paced by the door, she wondered if she was keeping him from something important.

  “Sounds great,” she said as she wiped down the final table and looked around one last time to make sure she put everything away. “I’m ready.”

  She asked him about work and if he had summer plans since they hadn’t really talked for a couple of weeks. What she really wanted to know was if he found an apartment. What started out as a few weeks turned into a few months with no end in sight.

  He was her friend and she wanted to help him out, but she began to get the impression he wanted more from her. “If you have other plans, you can just drop me off at home.”

  “I love you!” he said as if the words had to get out of his mouth before they bit him.

  Her jaw dropped and she stared at him in disbelief.

  “I’m sorry. That wasn’t how I meant for that to come out, but I do. I’ve been in love with you since our senior year of high school and I… I want us to date.”

  It took her a few seconds for her brain to process what he said. She didn’t know how to respond. She liked him but as a friend, and of course there was Jason and whatever was going on with them.

  “Stan…I don’t know what to say. I like you but…”

  “But not like the way I like you?
”

  “No. I’m sorry.”

  “But could you?” he asked with desperation in his voice.

  “I…” She pictured Jason and Benji and she knew her answer. Shaking her head, she said, “No.” Not when she thinks about them the moment she gets up to when she goes to bed.

  “I shouldn’t have done this here. I’ll take you home and give you some time to think about it.”

  She didn’t need time, but she got into his car. The silence between them seemed to grow as they got closer to her condo until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She switched on the radio to drown out the quiet. Stan wanted her to think about him, but all she could think about was Jason and Benji. She wished Jason would be upfront about his feelings for her.

  Just as Stan pulled into his parking space, she noticed a familiar car. A cute little boy had his face pressed against the window and his gorgeous father sat in the driver’s seat staring up at her condo.

  “Is that Jason? Why is here?”

  “It is and it doesn’t matter why,” but she was happy they were. “Jason’s my friend.” That she kissed almost every day but had yet put a title on what they were.

  He turned in his seat to face her. “Is he the reason you don’t know if you could love me back?” She looked over her shoulder at the man she couldn’t stop thinking about and the little boy she couldn’t get enough of then back to Stan.

  “Yes,” she said honestly.

  He turned back in his seat and stared straight ahead. With a voice that wavered he said, “I’ll be home late.”

  “Stan…”

  “Just go, Alexis. I need to be alone.”

  “All right.” She stepped out of his car and watched him drive away as her heart hurt for him and for her. She had a feeling she just lost her oldest friend.

  Taking a deep breath, she turned around and walked to Jason’s car. He rolled down the window and gave her a playful smile. “Hey, beautiful.”

  “How are my favorite boys?”

  “Good,” Benji answered for them.

  “Benji wanted to ask you to go to the park with us. We’re going to one with water fountains that we can play in.”

  “How could I say no to that?” When Jason gave her his sexy smile and Benji cheered with excitement, she knew there was no other place she wanted to be than with them.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  June 2016

  Jason

  “I swear to God, if you had been gone one more day, I would’ve… I don’t even know, but Jason is…grrr! Jason is Jason,” Kami whispered to Katie loud enough for him to hear. The feeling was mutual. He missed Katie and worried she wouldn’t come back to work for him after Erica’s birth, but to his relief she had.

  The way she checked her phone every few minutes, he figured she wasn’t nearly as happy about returning to work as he and Kami.

  “I heard that,” he said with a voice rough with irritation.

  “How do you even have a job here?” Katie asked Kami in disbelief. Sometimes he wondered too, but when it came down to it, he liked her.

  “I think he secretly loves that I argue with him.” He did. “Oh, and I know one of his secrets, and I’m blackmailing him so…” Almost dropping the drink he handed to a customer, he turned and glared at Kami. But she wasn’t paying attention.

  He warned her not to say anything to Katie or Alexis about being Belakor, but she also just asked for an extra day off, and he didn’t give it to her. Would she tell Katie his secret?

  “Are you serious?” Katie didn’t try to hide her excitement.

  Jason looked at the two of them and scowled even though he knew it wouldn’t work on Kami.

  “Dead,” Kami said looking a little too happy about what she knew.

  “Are you going to tell me what it is?” Katie said a little too loud. He watched Kami cover her mouth, but it was too late. Katie wasn’t good at whispering.

  “Of course not,” she said. He relaxed for a moment, hopeful that she would hold onto his secret at least for a little longer. He wanted to be the one to tell Alexis, not Kami or Katie.

  “Wow. I’ve been gone way too long,” he heard Katie mumble, and he couldn’t agree more.

  “Didn’t I just say that?” Kami asked. “It’s like he doesn’t know how to be a nice human being unless you’re here to remind him.” It annoyed him to hear the two of them talk about him as if he weren’t here. His annoyance only grew when a teenage girl stood in front of him debating what to drink.

  “Jason? It’s time to switch,” Katie announced. He knew what she was doing: trying to save the poor annoying girl from his bark, but the girl deserved it. She still hadn’t decided and the line behind her kept growing.

  “No,” he sighed. “I got this.”

  To his relief, she didn’t listen to him and pushed him out of the way. He tried not to smile at her bossiness and how happy it made him to have her back. He was getting soft and still unsure if he liked it or not.

  With another hour before closing, he and Katie began cleaning up and do what they could before they locked the doors. “Hey, Jason? I haven’t seen Alexis for a while, but Tyler mentioned that he thought Alexis might be dating someone. Since she’s been hanging out here, I wondered if you had seen her with someone?”

  A wave of jealousy rushed through him. Please let that someone be me, he repeated in his head. “You’ll have to ask her,” he replied not willing to out them without talking to Alexis first.

  He and Alexis had a lot of things to discuss, like was Alexis his girlfriend? Were they going to tell their friends and family? Did she like him as much as he liked her? And of course, he still had to tell her about being Belakor. When they were together, he never questioned them. They had fun and they just fit. It was when they were apart that he questioned what they were doing together. They needed a relationship intervention.

  “Hey. We were just talking about you,” Katie said to the woman of his dreams.

  “What?” Alexis asked as a pink blush spread over her cheeks. She looked back and forth between them chewing on her thumb nail.

  “I just said I hadn’t seen you lately,” Katie said casually.

  “I’m fine. Just busy with work. I actually came here to get coffee and lesson plan for the next few weeks.”

  “I’ll make it for you,” he volunteered.

  Katie’s eyes squinted as she stared at him then her brows turned in when she whispered, “What’s going on with you? You’re acting weird.”

  He shrugged and finished making Alexis’s drink. “I’ll take it to her.”

  Katie stood as still as a statue, staring at him as he walked around the counter and took the seat across from Alexis. Thankfully, another customer came in pulling Katie’s attention away from them.

  “I had fun the other day,” he said as he slid her drink across the table. She reached for it, her fingers lingering on his.

  “Me too,” she whispered staring at their connected fingers. At one time he thought the secrecy had been kind of fun, but the excitement had worn off. He wanted to go public.

  “Someday, in the near future, I’d like to take you on a date. Just the two of us.”

  She gave him a smile that could knock him off his feet. “I would love that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  June 2016

  Alexis

  “I think this is them,” Stan yelled from down the hall as he went to open the door.

  “Finally, auntie and niece time.” She clapped her hands with excitement. Nothing like a sweet baby to cheer her up. After begging and pleading, Katie and Tyler finally took her up on her offer to babysit, and she could barely contain her excitement. She had big plans for her and Erica that included lots of hugs and kisses. One day, Alexis hoped to teach Erica the importance of anime, gaming, and Dr. Who, but that had to wait a few years.

  To prove she was ready to babysit overnight, she set up a portable crib in her bedroom and bought a doggie bed for Bubba, a yellow Labrador. He had onc
e been Eric’s dog, but after his death, Tyler took him home. Bubba, like Tyler and Katie, hated being away from Erica, so if Alexis wanted to take one, she had to take the other. Not that she would complain. The more the merrier.

  “Nice,” she said looking at the happy couple dressed up. “Wow. Look at you two.” Alexis whistled.

  Tyler twirled Katie around showing off how amazing the new mother looked in the dress Alexis helped pick out. “Look at her,” he said with a smile that expressed his love and awe of her. Looking into Katie’s eyes, Tyler mouthed, “My girl.” Katie lifted on her toes and placed a heated kiss on his lips.

  It shouldn’t hurt as much as it did to see them together and Alexis shouldn’t be angry that Katie was now Tyler’s girl, but it did. She could reason all she wanted that Eric would want Katie and Tyler to be happy, but her feelings weren’t always reasonable.

  “Uh, guys! Not in front of the baby,” Alexis teased, trying to lighten her mood. “Speaking of…” She rubbed her hands together then unbuckled Erica from her car seat so she could kiss Erica’s adorable chubby face. “Did you come to see your Auntie Alexis? Are we going to have a good time?” Bubba rubbed against her leg trying to get her attention.

  Stan had kept quiet while playing on the Xbox but made a snorting sound when Alexis began to baby talk. She tried to ignore him. Since he admitted his feelings and she told him they would only be friends, he began to avoid her, but it was hard to do when they lived in the same house.

  Tyler handed her a detailed schedule, directions for feeding Erica and a list of phone numbers. “You have our numbers. The number for the pediatrician is on there, so is the address where we’ll be staying. Call if you have any questions or need anything.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat knowing they would be staying in the house that Tyler bought for him, Katie and Erica. Tonight he planned to ask Katie to marry him and just the idea…