Chapter 24
Idon’t leave right away. Finding a dark corner where no one can see me, I watch Eric and how he flirts with everyone. It’s annoying that every time Julie comes out of her office, he is by her side. She keeps it professional, but I’m not happy about it. I’m downright livid as Eric touches her back. I don’t make a scene, though. Instead, I mumble to myself and leave.
“Who the hell does she think she is?” I grumble, walking toward the shuttle area.
“Hey, wait up!” Bryson calls out to me.
Without turning around, I stop and wait. He’s my brother, after all.
“Man, I can’t believe how winded I am. This shit is ridiculous. I used to run ten miles in the Marines.” He heaves a deep breath, and I watch him, realizing he’s truly not in good health. Guilt ridicules me as I realize what an ass I must look like.
“Tell me about it,” I mumble, trying not to get too emotional. Besides, I have no idea what I can say to make him feel better.
The shuttle pulls up, and as we settle down in our seats, Bryson looks at me. “She’s right, you know.”
I glare at my brother. The one man I’ve looked up to since I was little and wondered when he switched sides. “I’m hurt. You are supposed to be on my side.”
“I am, and you know it. The only way you are going to get through this is if you take that big head of yours and remove it from your own ass.” He chuckles and nudges me. “Don’t give me that look, little brother. Just think about it.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about.” I’m finding myself once again sulking, and I hate it. My pride is at stake here. Then again, so is my relationship with my family and Julie. Am I going to lose her again?
“I see those wheels turning. You look absolutely panicked.” Bryson doesn’t seem cocky about it. Still, I feel like a fool.
“Shut up.” My mind hurts. Am I the real problem? Fuck, have I sabotaged my career? No. The surgeon did that, but I haven’t helped myself.
Trees and red lights pass by as I feel the panic rising. “I left her,” I whisper and look at Bryson. “Why the fuck did I leave her?”
“What do you mean you left her?”
As the shuttle pulls onto the road to take us home, I look at Bryson. “I left her eight years ago.”
“You aren’t making any sense, Aaron. Spell it out for me.” Bryson looks at the driver, who seems to slow down so we can talk longer. Shit, I don’t want an audience, but I have to get this shit off my chest.
“Eight years ago, I went to the ball, messed around with Julie as James, and she had Lennox. I’m his father, Bryson, and I left her alone.”
“Dude, Kaylee and I have known this since then. We’ve helped take care of them.” Bryson laughs and then coughs a little. “Shit, it hurts to laugh sometimes.”
I glare at him. “This…this can’t be happening. I’m a father. Julie knows I’m James now, and I still acted like a goddamn douchebag to her.”
“Calm down, Aaron. You’ll see her tonight. Make things right and put your life back on track.”
Can I? Shit. The thoughts are failing me as the feeling of losing Julie grabs me and beats at my chest.
“We can’t go home yet. I gotta get to the flower shop and bakery. Also, is the sex toy shop still around?”
Bryson laughs and pulls me into him for a side hug. “About time, you jackass.”
“Driver, do you know the bakery downtown?” If I remember correctly, Julie loves those lemon blueberry muffins. “What does Lennox like?” I mutter about.
“Chocolate chip cookies,” Bryson says as he shakes his head at me.
“Just like me.” I smile and know how I’m going to make it up to my kid. Holy shit. I’ve got eight years to make up for.
The driver chimes in, knocking me from my thoughts. “Yes, I sure do. Unfortunately, I cannot stay around to pick you up, though.”
“That’s what Uber is for. Thank you. Please drop us off at Courtney’s Bakery.”
“No problem.”
Bryson smiles. “You know, Courtney retired a few years back. Her son, Baker, took over, and it’s now a bakery bistro.”
“Cool. We can grab lunch, and you can tell me all about this dead wife of yours.”
* * *
Three in theafternoon rolls around, and I hear Julie’s car pull into the garage. My fingers twitch nervously as I think about how to apologize. Hell, have I ever told anyone I was sorry and meant it?
Before I can go down that rabbit hole, Julie comes into the room and bumps right into me. “Hey.” I chuckle and wrap my arms around her to keep her from falling. Her purse and phone fall to the floor, and she looks up at me with shock on her face.
“You scared the heck out of me!” she exclaims, slapping a hand down on my chest. My dick instantly gets hard, and I push down the lust. Now is not the time for that.
Once she regains her footing, I pull back, and with as much sincerity as I have, I apologize. “Julie, I’m truly sorry.”
Julie’s head pops up so fast that she almost knocks my nose off as we were both going for her purse. “You…Wait, am I being punked right now?”
The look of utter surprise makes me feel even worse. I’m a bastard of a friend. Shit, this goes to show me how bad of a person I’ve been. Taking her back into my arms, I kiss her. There’s nothing else I can do right now. Her lips call to me. Beckoning me to claim her. Again.
Honey and vanilla meet my tongue the second it’s delved into her mouth. She’s been eating her favorite ice cream. “Mm. You taste delicious, Sugar Plum.”
This seems to cut through her lusty haze. It saddens me as I watch the wall literally being built within her gaze. “No. We aren’t doing this. I…”
Cutting her off, I pull her into me and walk until her butt hits the counter. Hearing another word from her right now would crush me. She isn’t ready to forgive me, and I don’t blame her. That’s why I’ve got to try to keep her in lust-induced happiness. I can definitely do that.
“Hey, Aaron,” Lennox says, coming into the house with a bag of goodies and his backpack.
I want to rummage my hands through her hair and claim her mouth as I grind my dick into her. But Lennox is here, and it would be inappropriate to fuck his mom in front of him.
“This isn’t over,” I whisper in her ear and back up. Still, she wiggles, trying to get away. Fuck, it turns me on when she doesn’t obey. Such a naughty girl.
Stepping away from Julie, I turn around and see a box of chocolate chip cookies in Lennox’s hands.
“Mom said you might need these since you had a bad day at physical therapy.” Fuck me.
Chuckling, I grab the cookies I bought and wink at Julie. “Looks like we get to trade. I went and got you some cookies to celebrate being here with you two.”
Lennox looks wide-eyed at me and grins. “See Mom, I knew cookies were a good idea.”
Julie stands there, looking between us, and my heart stops for just a second as I realize my family is right here. In this very kitchen, and I’m not going to screw it up. Hell no. I can’t do that again.
“Mom, can we eat cookies for dinner?” Lennox says, and I bark out a laugh.
“I once said that to my mom, and she almost spanked me. But she did let me eat two after dinner. How does that sound, Julie?”
She comes up next to me and takes both boxes of cookies. “You boys go wash up. I’ll get dinner started. Then we can sit down, watch a movie, and eat cookies.”
“I got you your favorite cupcake,” I tell her as Lennox takes my hand, and we go to the bathroom to wash up. If this is what life is like to be a dad and with the woman you love, sign me up right the fuck now.