If Tomorrow Never Comes

Chapter Twenty-Six Jamie

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jamie

“Ready for this?” Elliott asked, her eyes lit with excitement.

“I don’t think any man is ever ready to meet the parents of the woman he’s dating,” Jamie said. He’d worried about this day all week and peppered Elliott with questions about her parents day and night to be better prepared.

Okay, mostly during the day. At night they were ... otherwise occupied.

“But if they’re as great as you say they are, I think we’ll get along just fine.”

“Just remember what I told you.”

“If they ask me to play poker, I’m in.”

She nodded with a grin, and they exited the car. He opened the back door for Hank, who jumped out and immediately took off to sniff a nearby tree.

“Hank, get over here.” His dog did as asked, and Jamie clipped a leash to his collar. “We need to make a good first impression, bud.”

“He’s gonna love Dodger,” Elliott said. “They’ll run each other out in the first hour, I bet.”

“I can’t wait,” Jamie said. He’d been thrilled when Elliott suggested they bring Hank along to play with her parents’ German shepherd.

They crossed the grass and Jamie kept his free hand loose by his side. Should he hold her hand? Were public displays of affection frowned upon during the first meeting?

Man, he hadn’t done this in forever.

Thankfully, Elliott made the choice for him and grabbed his hand as they approached the modest, two-story house. Purely out of habit, he glanced around the yard, which was simple but well maintained. He couldn’t fault her parents’ choice of potted plants on the porch, where several varieties of chrysanthemums bloomed, thriving in the cool September air.

Elliott rapped on the door just before she opened it, immediately setting off a string of loud barks from within.

Hank puffed up and perked his ears, his tail trembling, as if he wasn’t sure if this was a threat or a friend to be excited about. Elliott patted his head. “He’s a sweet boy, just like you. You’ll see,” she said. Then she called out, “We’re here.”

A tall woman with long, dark-brown hair came around a corner as they stepped inside, and for several minutes everyone was distracted by the commotion of introducing the dogs. Jamie kept Hank leashed for the first few minutes while the massive dogs sniffed and circled each other.

When Dodger went down on his front legs in a playful crouch and Hank rolled onto his back, Jamie grinned. “I think they’re good.”

He unclipped Hank’s leash, and the canines were off like a shot. Elliott’s dad appeared, average height with salt-and-pepper hair and an easy smile, and opened the back door. “Get outside, both of you. I won’t have you knocking anything over.”

The dogs disappeared, he closed the door, and everyone sort of paused, looking at each other in the sudden silence.

“Mom, Dad, this is Jamie. Jamie, these are my parents.”

Jamie stepped forward with his hand extended. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Holland.”

“It’s Mary and I’m a hugger,” her mom warned, brushing his hand away and pulling him in for a tight hug.

“Even better,” he wheezed.

“Call me Jim,” Elliott’s dad said with a laugh.

Jamie made a point of meeting the man’s gaze as he gave a firm handshake.

Elliott squeaked and he glanced over to see her mom hugging the shit out of her, too.

“We’ve missed you,” she said. “Tell me you’ve decided you hate Omaha and you’re moving back?”

“Tomorrow,” her dad added.

Jamie held up a hand. “Whoa, she just got there. There’s still so much to see and do, I couldn’t possibly let her leave yet. Not until she experiences everything.”

Mary gave him the side-eye. “How long will that take?”

Jamie’s gaze rested on Elliott’s happy, beautiful face. “Just might take forever.”

Elliott’s cheeks turned pink—he was becoming dangerously addicted to making her blush—and she smiled. “I’ve missed you both so much. But you know Omaha is a better town for what I’m working on.”

“Fine.” Jim gestured into the house. “Let’s get out of the entryway. Either of you want anything to drink? What time is it?” He checked his watch. “Two thirty. That’s acceptable to have a beer on a Saturday, right?”

Jamie liked this guy already. “Definitely.”

“What can I get you?”

“What have you got?”

Mary just shook her head. “Here we go.”

Jim nodded sagely. “Come on. You’re about to see something really special.”

“Any surprise involving beer has gotta be a good one.”

“Grab me a seltzer, will you?” Mary called out as Jim led him through the kitchen.

“You got it,” Jamie called back. “An IPA for you, Elliott?”

She answered the affirmative as Jim eyed him. “You already know what she likes, huh?”

Jamie cleared his throat, trying to read the man’s expression.

“Mm-hmm,” Jim muttered. He opened the door and they stepped into the garage.

A double fridge stood just to the left, filled to the brim with every selection of beer Jamie could possibly imagine. Stouts, pilsners, pale ales, ciders.

He stood stock-still. “Have I died?”

“I know.” Jim went to work, grabbing various bottles and cans and handing them to Jamie. He fished four glasses from the freezer, and they went back inside, only to find Mary and Elliott had gone outside to the back porch.

Dodger and Hank were running around the sizable backyard, chasing each other and stopping occasionally to roll around on the ground, nipping at each other’s tails and ears.

“I haven’t seen him play like that since he was a puppy,” Mary said.

Jamie passed out the drinks he’d carried and settled onto the loveseat next to Elliott. “How old is he?”

“Ten.”

“Wow. He looks great.”

“Jim walks him several miles every day.”

“It’s how I keep both of us young and fit,” Jim said.

Mary popped open her seltzer. “—ish.”

Jim regarded his wife. “Was that about my being young or being fit?”

“Both.”

“I’m not the one who went gray at fifty.”

Mary narrowed her eyes. “You said you liked my natural color.”

“I do. Until you think you can call me old and get away with it.”

Mary laughed and the two shared an affectionate smile.

Jamie grinned and took a sip of his beer, putting his other arm around Elliott’s shoulders.

“How long have you had Hank?” Jim asked.

“A couple of years. Found him at a shelter, believe it or not. One look at those brown eyes and I was a goner.”

He was partial to gray eyes, too.

“We adopted Dodger from a shepherd rescue foundation when he was just a puppy. It was right after our sheltie passed away, and I didn’t think I’d be ready for another dog so soon,” Mary said. “But the house was too quiet. Bringing him home really helped us with the grief of losing a pet.”

Jamie nodded. “I remember when the chocolate Lab I grew up with died. I swore I’d never get another dog, but now that I have Hank, I can’t imagine anything different. I’m not sure I know how to live without a dog.”

“I’m not sure I want to,” she said with a grin.

“Okay, less about dogs and more about Elliott’s new boyfriend,” Jim said. “Tell us a little about yourself.”

Elliott had told them as much about Jamie as she could without getting into details about how they met or either of their connections with Carly. Her parents just knew Elliott had met him more than a year ago and they began officially dating recently after reconnecting in Omaha.

“Sure.” He’d expected a question like that. “I was born and raised in Omaha. Youngest of three. I went to Creighton, where I played college baseball—”

“Wait.”

His attention swiveled to Jim.

“You played baseball at Creighton?”

“Yup. From ’08 to 2012.”

The older man narrowed his eyes. “Jamie ... Jamie ... what’s your last name, again?”

“Sullivan.” He tilted his head in confusion as Jim tapped his fingers against his knee, regarding him thoughtfully.

“Jim loves baseball,” Mary supplied. “Where do you think Dodger got his name?”

Jamie grinned and gave Jim an appreciative nod. “Hank’s named after Hank Aaron.”

Jim held out his drink and Jamie took his arm from Elliott’s shoulders to tap their glasses together. Then Jim set his down and slapped his knee. “Wait. I remember you!”

Jamie’s eyebrows went up.

“Second baseman, right?”

No way. “That was me. Did you watch?”

“I don’t follow college ball much until the College World Series starts. You’re a great ball player. You were part of the winning team one year.”

“My junior year.”

“They spotlighted you all the time during the games. Talked about how likely you were to go pro. But I don’t remember hearing much after that. Did you not ...?” He trailed off, as if realizing a little too late it might be a touchy subject.

“It didn’t work out.”

Jim’s shoulders fell. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said, and grabbed Elliott’s hand. She squeezed gently. “I’m not.”

Something in his face must have shown his sincerity. “Oh. Well, I’m glad, then.”

“Seems things worked out for the best anyway,” Mary said, glancing between Jamie and Elliott.

He looked over at Elliott. “What do you think? Did things work out like they were supposed to?”

A thousand emotions passed across her face as she looked at him. Everything from sadness to tenderness and so many in between. Everything except regret.

Their road to this place hadn’t been ideal. But he couldn’t find it in himself to regret it, either.

“Yes,” she said. “I think they did.”

The four of them continued talking for another hour before Mary stood and said she’d better get started on dinner. The dogs had crashed at their feet, and she stepped over their panting bodies with a laugh.

Jim brought out a round of ice-cold water for everyone and regarded Jamie with a twinkle in his eye.

“Oh no,” Elliott muttered.

“Jamie,” Jim started.

“Yes, sir?”

“After dinner, what do you say we play a hand of poker?”

Hours later, Jamie sat propped on the bed in Elliott’s room, legs extended and arms folded behind his head.

“You didn’t tell me they’d completely clean me out,” he said dejectedly.

Elliott’s laugh floated from the open bathroom doorway. “I told you they were ruthless. It’s not my fault you didn’t believe me.”

“After spending time with your dad this afternoon, I had my eye on him. Your mom, though? She seemed so sweet.”

“And now she has all your money.”

“Damn.” He shook his head, staring at the ceiling. “Who woulda thought?”

Elliott stepped out from the bathroom in tiny black shorts and a tank top, and he surveyed her body from head to toe.

Then back up, slowly.

He swallowed hard when she approached him with a sultry smile, flipping the light off as she went. His breath hitched, body tight with anticipation, when she climbed on top of him, settling onto his lap. He moved to put his hands on her, but she shook her head.

“Leave your arms like that.” Her voice was low as she ran her hands up and down his biceps, bunched up in the position they were in.

His heart pounded and threatened to punch right out of his chest. From the very beginning it was as if it had been trying to get out of his body and into hers, where it belonged. The sensation only became more intense when they were near like this.

She kissed him softly. “They loved you.”

“I adored them,” he said.

“Good.” She brushed a kiss along his jaw.

He couldn’t handle this much longer. He needed his hands on her skin.

“I’ve never had a guy in this room.”

He cleared his throat. “I bet your dad sleeps with one eye open.”

“No,” she laughed softly. “Mom’s the one they were all scared of.”

“I seriously underestimated that woman.”

Elliott’s tongue traced his bottom lip, and he forgot all about her parents. His hands were shaking.

“I’m glad I brought you here, though,” she said. “You make me feel so ...”

He swallowed hard when she moved up to sit right on his groin. “So what?”

She tugged at his hands and put them on her body. “Desperate for you to touch me.”

“God, yes.” His hands roamed all over, everywhere he could possibly reach, and he lurched forward, kissing her hard.

She rocked against him, and his stomach bottomed out.

“You have to be quiet,” she said on a moan.

He’d have snorted if he wasn’t so turned on. Instead, he tangled one hand in her hair and traced his other thumb just below her ear, a spot he knew drove her crazy.

They’d been intimate for only a week, and already he knew her body so well. As he knew she would, she let out a low moan.

“Shhh,” he teased. “Quiet.”