In This Life
Page 42
Nash kissed me in response. His tongue slid between my lips and he we kissed slow and deep. His two day beard scraped against my skin and I closed my eyes, losing myself in the intoxicating feel of being kissed in the all consuming way heroes kissed in stories. I was still lost in the feel of his lips when his body shifted and he pushed inside, taking what he wanted. I was happy to give it to him. We rocked together in perfect sync. It had never been this slow before with us and I loved it. I came with his weight on top of me, our mouths still locked in a heated dance.
I think I love you Nash Ryan.
Our skin was sweaty and our tongues intertwined when Nash pulled out and ended in a hot spurt on my lower belly.
“Kathleen,” he groaned when the kiss finally broke and he buried his face between my breasts, both of us spent.
I stroked his damp hair and kissed the top of his head. Part of me wanted to say the words that had been rolling through my head like a bold marquee. I didn’t just suspect it was true. I knew it was true. I was totally in love with him.
Nash raised his head, reached over and switched off the lamp on the bedside table. He yawned and flopped back down on the pillow.
“Good thing I brought my bed back,” he grumbled. “This little mattress doesn’t cut it.”
I found my panties and shirt in the darkness and pulled them back on, just in case I needed to jump up in a hurry if the kids cried.
He kissed me once more. “Get some sleep, sweet princess.”
“Good night,” I said, reluctantly rolling to my side. I closed my eyes without telling him what I was thinking.
Kat took Colin from his crib in the morning and let me sleep in. I could hear them downstairs; Emma chattering away about teacups, Kat’s soft laughter, Colin’s high pitched squealing. They were all happy sounds that chased away the heavy emotional toll of the previous night. My heart was hurting the whole time Kat’s story spilled out of her. To think she’d kept all that bottled up for so long and that she’d been afraid to tell anyone, even afraid to tell me, believing I’d think less of her or something. She’d made mistakes and they were messy. But she’d made them out of love. That had to count for something.
Plus I was crazy about her, messy past and all.
I threw on a pair of sweats, made a pit stop in the hall bathroom and headed down to the kitchen.
Emma was sitting at the table, barefoot in a pink nightie and giggling while Roxie licked the surface of the fancy teacup she was holding.
My dog was the first one to notice me. She let out a short bark and wagged her tail, but was in no hurry to leave Emma’s side.
Kathleen was leaning against the counter with Colin on her hip while she sipped from a Hawk Valley Happiness cup. Her hair was sticking out in six directions and she’d thrown on one of my old t-shirts over her tank top. She was nothing short of breathtaking. I could just stand here and watch her all day.
“Looks like I’m the last one up,” I said.
“Hey you!” Kat set her mug down and beamed at me, which was incredible. But the truly incredible moment came when Colin swerved his head at the sound of my voice, widened his eyes and tried to launch himself out of Kat’s arms to get to me.
My brother’s toothless drooling smile was a mile wide when I took him from Kat and planted a kiss on his chubby cheek.
“Big brother’s home now,” I said in his ear, wondering at what point I’d become such a sappy motherfucker that I was on the verge of womanly tears just from the weight of an infant’s warm little body in my arms and the sight of his goofy baby grin.
“Aw, look at you guys,” Kat marveled. “If you heard a pop that was the sound of my ovaries spontaneously detonating.”
“Before anything else detonates, can I persuade you to make me a cup of coffee?”
She handed her cup to me. “Take this one. Although I feel guilty for turning you into an over caffeinated fiend.”
“Thanks.” I accepted the cup and sat down at the table across from Emma.
Kat’s daughter regarded me with curiosity. “Where were you?”
Colin tried to stick his hand in my coffee cup when I set it down on the table. I pushed the cup away. “I had to go to Oregon,” I told her.
“What’s that?”
“It’s another state.”
“Why?”
“Why did I have to go there?”
“No. Why is it a state?”
“Why is Oregon a state?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.”
“But you’re tall.”
“Yeah.” I looked to Kathleen for help, unsure why my height meant I should be well informed about the specifics of the state of Oregon. Kat was laughing, her hand cupped over her mouth.
Meanwhile, Emma was earnestly waiting for an answer.
“Hey, Emma,” I said, changing the conversation. “I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of Roxie while I was gone. I can tell you did a really great job.”
Emma was pleased. “I love her very much.”
“I see that.”
“So can I have her?”
“Ems.” Kathleen finally intervened. “Finish your cereal, sweetheart. We need to get going. You’ve got preschool this morning.”
“Then can I come back here and be with Roxie?”
“No. I was going to ask Grandma if she could watch you after I pick you up from preschool because I need to meet with someone important.”
“Why?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Then can I come with you?”
“No honey, it’s a serious kind of meeting.”
Emma wrinkled her nose. “That sounds yucky.”
“You can bring her here,” I said. “I’d already told Betty not to expect me at the store today and I was going to unload the moving van while Colin naps. I don’t mind keeping an eye on her until you’re done with your meeting.”
She looked surprised by the offer. “Thank you, that would be great.” She paused and pulled at a strand of hair. “I’m going to see Steve Brown.”
“I figured.”
“Who’s Steve Brown?” Emma asked.
“A lawyer,” I told her.
The little girl gave me a charming smile. “Why?”
Kat needed to take a quick shower so it was my job to persuade Emma to finish her breakfast. When I told her nothing made Roxie happier than watching people eat, she nodded as if this made perfect sense and spooned the rest of the cereal into her mouth. I felt like it was a triumphant moment.
Kat quickly got ready, convinced Emma to wear something other than a nightgown and I walked the two of them to her car, just in case that douchebag was hanging around.
When they were gone I made a call to Kevin Reston. I didn’t give him details, but asked him to put the word out to watch for a thick-necked prick with slicked back hair and an overpriced sports car. Kevin and I were still a little bit distant although we’d seen each other a bunch of times since the unfortunate night at Sheen’s. Sometimes he accompanied Jane when she stopped by to see Colin or visited at the store. Even though things were rather cool between us he was always polite and he was polite now, didn’t even ask a lot of questions, just said, “You got it, Nash,” and let it go.
Colin was a pretty reliable nap taker and he started yawning around eleven. I brought him upstairs and read him a story about happy animals on a farm, hoping he’d nod off so I’d have the opportunity to go outside and do something about unloading the truck that was still sitting at the curb. It wouldn’t take me long but it was an impossible task to complete while taking care of a baby.
I think I love you Nash Ryan.
Our skin was sweaty and our tongues intertwined when Nash pulled out and ended in a hot spurt on my lower belly.
“Kathleen,” he groaned when the kiss finally broke and he buried his face between my breasts, both of us spent.
I stroked his damp hair and kissed the top of his head. Part of me wanted to say the words that had been rolling through my head like a bold marquee. I didn’t just suspect it was true. I knew it was true. I was totally in love with him.
Nash raised his head, reached over and switched off the lamp on the bedside table. He yawned and flopped back down on the pillow.
“Good thing I brought my bed back,” he grumbled. “This little mattress doesn’t cut it.”
I found my panties and shirt in the darkness and pulled them back on, just in case I needed to jump up in a hurry if the kids cried.
He kissed me once more. “Get some sleep, sweet princess.”
“Good night,” I said, reluctantly rolling to my side. I closed my eyes without telling him what I was thinking.
Kat took Colin from his crib in the morning and let me sleep in. I could hear them downstairs; Emma chattering away about teacups, Kat’s soft laughter, Colin’s high pitched squealing. They were all happy sounds that chased away the heavy emotional toll of the previous night. My heart was hurting the whole time Kat’s story spilled out of her. To think she’d kept all that bottled up for so long and that she’d been afraid to tell anyone, even afraid to tell me, believing I’d think less of her or something. She’d made mistakes and they were messy. But she’d made them out of love. That had to count for something.
Plus I was crazy about her, messy past and all.
I threw on a pair of sweats, made a pit stop in the hall bathroom and headed down to the kitchen.
Emma was sitting at the table, barefoot in a pink nightie and giggling while Roxie licked the surface of the fancy teacup she was holding.
My dog was the first one to notice me. She let out a short bark and wagged her tail, but was in no hurry to leave Emma’s side.
Kathleen was leaning against the counter with Colin on her hip while she sipped from a Hawk Valley Happiness cup. Her hair was sticking out in six directions and she’d thrown on one of my old t-shirts over her tank top. She was nothing short of breathtaking. I could just stand here and watch her all day.
“Looks like I’m the last one up,” I said.
“Hey you!” Kat set her mug down and beamed at me, which was incredible. But the truly incredible moment came when Colin swerved his head at the sound of my voice, widened his eyes and tried to launch himself out of Kat’s arms to get to me.
My brother’s toothless drooling smile was a mile wide when I took him from Kat and planted a kiss on his chubby cheek.
“Big brother’s home now,” I said in his ear, wondering at what point I’d become such a sappy motherfucker that I was on the verge of womanly tears just from the weight of an infant’s warm little body in my arms and the sight of his goofy baby grin.
“Aw, look at you guys,” Kat marveled. “If you heard a pop that was the sound of my ovaries spontaneously detonating.”
“Before anything else detonates, can I persuade you to make me a cup of coffee?”
She handed her cup to me. “Take this one. Although I feel guilty for turning you into an over caffeinated fiend.”
“Thanks.” I accepted the cup and sat down at the table across from Emma.
Kat’s daughter regarded me with curiosity. “Where were you?”
Colin tried to stick his hand in my coffee cup when I set it down on the table. I pushed the cup away. “I had to go to Oregon,” I told her.
“What’s that?”
“It’s another state.”
“Why?”
“Why did I have to go there?”
“No. Why is it a state?”
“Why is Oregon a state?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.”
“But you’re tall.”
“Yeah.” I looked to Kathleen for help, unsure why my height meant I should be well informed about the specifics of the state of Oregon. Kat was laughing, her hand cupped over her mouth.
Meanwhile, Emma was earnestly waiting for an answer.
“Hey, Emma,” I said, changing the conversation. “I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of Roxie while I was gone. I can tell you did a really great job.”
Emma was pleased. “I love her very much.”
“I see that.”
“So can I have her?”
“Ems.” Kathleen finally intervened. “Finish your cereal, sweetheart. We need to get going. You’ve got preschool this morning.”
“Then can I come back here and be with Roxie?”
“No. I was going to ask Grandma if she could watch you after I pick you up from preschool because I need to meet with someone important.”
“Why?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Then can I come with you?”
“No honey, it’s a serious kind of meeting.”
Emma wrinkled her nose. “That sounds yucky.”
“You can bring her here,” I said. “I’d already told Betty not to expect me at the store today and I was going to unload the moving van while Colin naps. I don’t mind keeping an eye on her until you’re done with your meeting.”
She looked surprised by the offer. “Thank you, that would be great.” She paused and pulled at a strand of hair. “I’m going to see Steve Brown.”
“I figured.”
“Who’s Steve Brown?” Emma asked.
“A lawyer,” I told her.
The little girl gave me a charming smile. “Why?”
Kat needed to take a quick shower so it was my job to persuade Emma to finish her breakfast. When I told her nothing made Roxie happier than watching people eat, she nodded as if this made perfect sense and spooned the rest of the cereal into her mouth. I felt like it was a triumphant moment.
Kat quickly got ready, convinced Emma to wear something other than a nightgown and I walked the two of them to her car, just in case that douchebag was hanging around.
When they were gone I made a call to Kevin Reston. I didn’t give him details, but asked him to put the word out to watch for a thick-necked prick with slicked back hair and an overpriced sports car. Kevin and I were still a little bit distant although we’d seen each other a bunch of times since the unfortunate night at Sheen’s. Sometimes he accompanied Jane when she stopped by to see Colin or visited at the store. Even though things were rather cool between us he was always polite and he was polite now, didn’t even ask a lot of questions, just said, “You got it, Nash,” and let it go.
Colin was a pretty reliable nap taker and he started yawning around eleven. I brought him upstairs and read him a story about happy animals on a farm, hoping he’d nod off so I’d have the opportunity to go outside and do something about unloading the truck that was still sitting at the curb. It wouldn’t take me long but it was an impossible task to complete while taking care of a baby.
