Chapter 2
CHAPTER
TWO
Maren
I knew this day would come.
I just didn’t think it would come so quickly.
My heart is pounding so hard in my chest, I swear everyone in the city limits can hear it. Not to mention the fact my mouth is hanging wide open, my jaw practically hitting the ground in shock, and I’m certain my eyes are as wide as hubcaps, as I stare across the driveway at my new neighbor.
“Camden.”
That name.
The one I’ve refused to speak for roughly seven years.
“I gotta go,” he states into the phone, tapping the screen and slipping the device into his pocket. “What are you doing here?” His question is firm, his tone reflecting his annoyance at seeing me.
Not that I’d expect any other response from him, but it does sting a little.
“I, uh, am moving. Here.”
He closes his eyes for a brief moment and gives a non-humorous chuckle. “Of course you are.” When he opens his eyes, those blue orbs are hard and void of the warmth I always felt reflected in them.
I clear my throat and glance around. “You live next door.” It’s not a question. The universe is cruel.
“Yeah,” he replies, his jaw tightening as he works it back and forth, as if trying to loosen it. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m moving in.” Isn’t that obvious?
“I see that,” he states with annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest. “No, what are you doing here, in Cooper Town?”
My cheeks heat, and even though I’m incredibly uncomfortable to be standing here, I refuse to let it show. I hold my head up high and answer, “I moved home.”
He doesn’t say anything, not right away. Seconds turn into a minute, then two. I used to be able to tell what he’s thinking, but now? Now, I don’t know the man standing before me, even if I knew him better than I knew myself at one time. A long time ago.
Two very different people.
A car door pulls our attention toward the roadway, and even though I can’t see around the trailer, I assume it’s our dinner arriving.
One of the first things I did when we made our way to Cooper Town is look up the phone number for Mario’s Pizza.
It was my favorite spot back when I was a kid, and my mouth was watering the entire drive here thinking about it.
Before I can excuse myself to break this incredibly awkward exchange and head back inside with the tote of toys I promised to retrieve, the back door flies open. “Mommy! Pizza!”
Since I’m looking directly at Camden, I don’t miss the shock that washes over his features at the sudden appearance of my son.
I try to ignore how good Cam looks, instead focusing on the fact he just found out I have a three-year-old.
After approximately seven years, he’s seeing me for the first time and discovering I have a child.
Talk about an awkward situation.
“I’ll be right in, sweetheart,” I holler, taking a massive sigh of relief when Theo runs back inside instead of coming to help me retrieve his toys. Clearing my throat, I say, “I should go.”
He nods sharply, his blue eyes wide in disbelief.
“Yeah. Better get back inside to your family.” There’s a touch of a bite in his tone, and even though he doesn’t say it, I catch the insinuation he’s made.
Worse, I don’t correct him. I can’t. Right now I just need space and air and maybe a shot of Jack.
“Have a good evening,” I state, carefully stepping off the ramp on the trailer and making my way to the house. I feel eyes on me, but I don’t turn around. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing everything I can not to trip up the back steps.
The moment I’m inside the house, I take a deep breath. I close my eyes and lean against the wall, willing my pounding heart to slow.
“Pizza!”
I open my eyes and paste on a bright smile. “Papa got the pizza?” I ask my son, who is pulling out his chair and ready to climb up. “Wait, let me help you.”
“I do it!” he proclaims, trying to shimmy up the chair to sit in the booster.
I exhale, shaking my head, as I place the tote of toys on the floor.
“Dinner is served,” Dad announces with a smile as he joins us in the living room and sets the pizza box in the middle of the small kitchen table.
I move to the counter and grab a few paper plates before stopping at the fridge and pulling out a juice box for Theo. “Here you go,” I say, setting the plates on the table and ripping the plastic from the straw and sticking it into the little box. “Don’t squeeze it.”
Theo giggles, taking the small box of apple juice and sipping.
Dad pulls a slice of pizza from the box and puts it on the plate before offering it to his grandson. “Cut up?”
“Nope!” Theo insists, grabbing the pizza and taking a bite from the side.
“Independent like his mom,” Dad says with a fond grin.
“I like to call it stubborn,” I say, returning to the fridge and pulling two bottles of water from the top shelf.
Dad’s laughter is like music to my ears. “Everything go okay outside?”
“Yeah, sorry. Thanks for grabbing the pizza,” I state, removing the lid from my water and taking a sip.
“No problem. Help yourself,” he offers, holding out a plate.
I grab two pieces, my mouth filling with saliva as I prepare to enjoy my first slice of Mario’s in far too long. “I, uh, met my neighbor.”
Dad’s eyes find mine, a mixture of sadness and guilt written heavily in his blue eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask quietly, watching my son enjoy his pizza.
Dad exhales and shakes his head before retrieving two slices for himself. “Would it have made a difference?”
“Well, I would have been prepared for running into him,” I reason.
“And you would have been stressing over it,” Dad states between bites.
“It seemed pointless. You knew it would happen at some point, right?” When I give a slight nod, he continues, “You were aware he still lived here, and you’d run into him.
I’m sorry it happened on day one, but now it’s done and out of the way. ”
I nod, not quite sure I agree.
After a few bites, I say, “He’s still mad.”
“He’ll get over it.”
I snort and shake my head. “I’m not so sure.”
“He’s fine, Maren. I’ve talked to him many times over the years, and I’m sure he was just shocked to see you.”
“At least you’re consistent and didn’t warn him either,” I say with a small grin.
Dad chuckles. “Gossip’s like manure. It spreads easily but usually stinks.”
I make a face at his reference as Theo belts out, “Man-oooooer!”
“I forgot how much they hear and repeat at that age,” he says, an apologetic look on his face.
“Everything,” I insist, taking another bite.
“Stinky!”
I poke my head into Theo’s new bedroom for the third time since he fell asleep and just watch.
He’s sprawled out in his race car toddler bed, his favorite Bluey stuffed animal tucked under one arm and a monster truck in his left hand.
I can’t help but smile at the sight of my son.
It’s an all-consuming love I didn’t even know I needed until he was placed in my arms.
Pulling the door, but leaving it ajar, I move across the hall to my bedroom.
There’s not much in here yet. Most of my personal stuff is in the garage still, with the exception of my bed and two bags of my immediate need items. Toiletries for the bathroom, clothes to sleep in and for tomorrow, makeup, things like that.
I don’t start work until Tuesday, so that gives me the weekend and Monday to get everything set up and ready to go.
It’s a tall order, but I’ll have my dad’s help for moving the rest of the furniture from the trailer and garage into the house.
First thing I need to do tomorrow morning is go to the grocery store.
From what Dad told me, much of the downtown is still the same, businesswise.
There’s the hardware store, grocery store, pizzeria, banks, bars, and a few specialty shops.
A few have come and gone or changed hands over the years, but the core businesses are still alive and well in Cooper Town.
I’m excited to see my new workspace at the salon.
In fact, Jenn invited me to stop by tomorrow morning to check out my station.
I’ll be honest, I’m a bit nervous to see Charli Miller.
From what I was told, she has a massage studio within the salon, and while she’s off for a few more weeks on maternity leave, she’ll be back and I’ll be working within the same space as her soon.
I’m willing to bet I’m not going to be her most favorite person.
Why would I be? When I left town almost eight years ago, I broke her brother’s heart, after making plans for a future together.
Working within the same building might be a challenge.
In fact, I almost declined the offer Jenn made me for that fact alone, but in the end, she made me a great offer in a gorgeous place, with the flexibility I need as a single mom, and I couldn’t pass it up.
The only other option I have is to set up in my home, and I just don’t have the extra cash to make that happen right now.
I make my way back to the living room, where Theo’s small chair and the TV are sitting.
Tomorrow we’ll bring in the couch, end tables, and other pieces of furniture, and I’ll continue to sort through boxes and put our life back in order.
Dad asked one of his coworkers at the implement store where he works to help carry the heavier pieces into the house, and as soon as the trailer is emptied, he’ll use his truck to deliver it back to the rental drop-off.
Finally, I go to the kitchen. There are a few boxes sitting on the counter, ready to be unpacked.
I made sure everything was clean and ready to go straight into the cabinets when I packed them up yesterday, so after I decide what’s going into which cabinets, I start removing the contents and putting it all away.