Chapter Thirty-OneWes
Chapter Thirty-One
Wes
“ H i, Peaches.” I gave Grace a kiss as she climbed into the front seat of my truck.
“Hi. Where are we going?” she asked, a little giddy.
“Surprise. Did everything go okay at the doctor?” I drove toward the urban lake.
She shook her head, defeat on her face. “It could take months to get my memories back.”
“It’s okay.” It seemed about right from what I’d read, but I could see that she was upset.
“Is it?” She sniffed.
Reaching over, I squeezed her hand. “I’m right here, what do you need?”
“I don’t know. What if I put you in danger? Or if the temporal police come after me? What if I can’t make a place for myself here?” Tears pricked her eyes as she gazed at me.
She’d told me yesterday about Spencer telling her that it would be safer not to try to get home.
I was all for her staying, but I understood her being shaken by the choice being taken from her–her worry that she’d unknowingly done something wrong.
Not that I understood how and why Spencer even knew all of that.
“We will deal with everything as it comes. You can fit in here. You already do.” I squeezed her hand again.
The bond between us still wasn’t very strong. At times like this, I wish I got more than flickers–and that she could feel me more than she did. I wanted to soothe that anxiety and show her that we belonged together.
“So, I take this job with Spence, stay with you and Evan, and it’ll all… work out?” She frowned. “I still don’t think I’m smart enough for what he wants me to do.”
“You are. But, if you’re not comfortable, then find a different project, or pitch your own. If you don’t want to work with Spence, we’ll find you another job.” It would be easier if she worked for Spencer. Both because I’d feel better with her close by and with her having a fake record.
While she needed a record, it was a little weird that Evan of all people had it set up. What work friend had that job at the Center?
She sighed. “I feel like such an impostor.”
My heart broke. How could I fix feelings like that?
“Please don’t. You’re the most genuine person I know.” Well, her and Evan, which was probably why they were so delightful together. I squeezed her hand again.
“Thanks, Boo-Bear.” She gave me a shy smile.
We drove to the lake under the East Bridge. It was filled with fish, paddleboats, and kayaks. It was surrounded by trees and green space, including picnic and play areas. In the summers they had movies, music, and festivals. Nearby were a couple streets of cute restaurants and little shops.
My dad had often taken my sister and me to this lake to fish on Sunday afternoons, and I’d spent a lot of time in this area with my friends.
“This…” She spun around, eyes on the sky, as we got out of the car. “This is our lake.”
“Yes, it is.” I got a jacket out of my truck and tossed it to her. “In case you get cold.”
“Thanks. It smells like you.” She pulled it on as the breeze whipped her hair into her face.
That was the plan. I liked it when she and Evan smelled like me. It settled something primal inside me . But I also loved smelling Evan on her, because that combination of lemons and peaches went straight to my dick.
Also, it seemed like the scent of peach lemonade annoyed Brennan, so I’d bought a bunch of candles and wax melts in that scent and hid them all over the house to be annoying.
“It’s always a little breezy at the lake. Here.” I took the hairband I’d bought her at lunch and put it in her hair so her bangs didn’t whip in her eyes. “Now it won’t get in your face.”
Grace’s face lit up, the tension and worry from the car leaving. “Thank you.” She checked her reflection in the car mirror. “Cute.”
“Yes, you are.” Taking her hand, we went and got our boat. We paddled out onto the lake, waving at the others out on this very pleasant March evening. Grace pulled on the jacket and snuggled into me as the sun set. Tiny lights all over the park and the bridge went on.
“This is beautiful.” She leaned her head on my shoulder as we floated across the water.
“It is.” The sky was ablaze with color.
Which probably meant we were due for more snow.
“Did anyone get in trouble today?” She grinned.
Me. For not getting something done that I was supposed to. But I wasn’t going to tell her that. I didn’t want her to feel guilty about my staying home to take care of her. Instead, I told her about my day, and she told me about hers.
“Oh, I almost forgot. I made this for you at the center. Happy Early Birthday.” She took a beaded bracelet and put it around my wrist.
The beads were in my favorite colors and said GE?WL?EW.
“You made this for me?” It looked like something my sister would have made at camp when we were kids. But I loved it.
Grace leaned in and gave me a kiss. Unlike in our dreams, there were people here, and paddle boat sex would be frowned upon. Not to mention the water was icy . We paddled back to the dock and turned in our boat.
She took my hand, swinging it as we walked through the park. “Where to now?”
“Dinner. It’s not fancy, but it’s a place my dad always took Lexi and me, usually on Friday payday. It’s close enough to walk. I… I hope you’ll like it.” I gave her a shy and hopeful smile.
She smiled back. “I’m sure I will.”
We passed a bunch of kids playing in the play area.
“Do you still want kids? It’s okay if you don’t. Just curious.” I pulled her close as she frowned, wanting to reassure her that whatever her wishes were, they were valid.
“All my life I was told that was what was important–a husband and kids. It’s not that I don’t. I do want kids eventually. The thing is, I don’t know how to be a good mom. I don’t want to screw them up.” Anxiousness crossed her face.
“If you’re ever ready, I think you’d make a great mom.” I kissed the anxiousness away. “If that never happens, it’s fine. If it does, that’s great. I’m okay either way.”
Kids would be nice. I had a great dad. But my mom leaving and my dad moving us away from our pack to start over, left indelible scars on my soul.
She tipped her head up. “You are?”
“I am.” Though Evan really wanted kids. Grace and I would have these cute, smart, and artistic kids. Her and Evan? Shit. No one would be able to deny those kids anything.
Jett mentioned liking to have kids in the pack. He’d grown up in a big family. Spencer said he didn’t care either way. Brennan grumbled about kids being messy.
Yet, I had this feeling that Brennan would be the dad that would spoil them and let them get away with everything.
Grace and I left the park and turned onto a street.
Lights decorated the trees and hung across the streets.
Couples danced on the sidewalk as musicians played.
Kids rode by on bikes. The aroma of delicious foods from all corners of the world tickled our noses.
Eastside was a working-class neighborhood, the feel was very different from the area Brennan had moved us to after Caroline, or the fancy townhouse where we’d lived before.
At first, I didn't like it here after my dad, Lexi, and I moved here. My friends weren’t there. I missed the pack, not understanding why we’d had to leave them. This city was big. Busy. Different. But somewhere along the way, it had become home. I missed this area a lot.
We stopped at a busy, cozy brick restaurant on the corner. People ate both inside and out on the heated garden patio.
“Pizza. You have pizza.” Grace gave a happy sigh.
Relief filled me. I’d made a good choice.
“The best pizza in the city.” I led her inside, where a familiar woman played host. “Hi Gina, I have a reservation for two under Wes. ”
She laughed, which made her giant earrings jingle. “Reservations? What are we, a steakhouse? Nah nah, I got you.” Gina gave Grace a once-over. “Hey, Hon, if he doesn't treat you right, you let me know. I can be a better boyfriend than him.” She flashed me a giant grin.
I grinned back. “Table, Gina.”
“You know each other?” Grace laughed.
“Went to middle school together,” I replied as Gina led us to a corner patio table. It was her family’s restaurant.
“It was like that where I grew up. Couldn’t go anywhere without seeing someone you knew–or being seen and having them tell your mom.” She rolled her eyes.
We ordered a pizza and enjoyed a pleasant night. Evan was with Brennan, so he was fine. Jett was refereeing fight night at his boxing gym. Spencer had to do stuff for work.
“Do you take Evan here?” She sipped her beer.
The restaurant was busy, mostly with families and groups of teens.
“He doesn’t like pizza. Usually, I meet my dad here. He likes to sit inside by the front window.” I tried to see my dad a couple of times a month. Lexi was over at his place all the time.
Grace gasped. “Evan doesn’t like pizza? Here I thought I might be in love with him.”
“If I can find it in my heart to forgive him for that, I think you can, too,” I told her. We both laughed.
I paid the bill, and we took a walk, ducking into shops and getting some ice cream. Sure, it had gotten cold while we ate, but I knew how much she liked it.
“Tonight has been perfect.” She gave her cone another lick.
“I… I don’t think I have many friends. Not ones I regularly do things with or talk to.
I think I do things with some of my colleagues, but…
” She sighed. “From what I remember, everything I went through in high school lost me a lot of the friends that I’d had all my life.
Missing high school cheerleading competitions because your parents pulled you out of school to send you to a church-run wilderness camp for your bad behavior doesn’t help your social credibility. That made me put my guard up.”
That church-run wilderness camp was where the terrible stuff happened.