Chapter 12
Comfort
Chapter Twelve
Mitchell
“Make sure you follow through.” I guide my son on how to cast his fishing line.
The kids were out of school for a teacher's workday. I thought it only fair to take the day off and bring Jake out to the lake house to fish.
Ever since I was a young boy, the lake house has been my solitude, my place of peace. It was the same for my father and his. There is something about being here amongst the trees in the middle of nowhere. The only noise around you is the sound of nature making itself known.
This is the type of silence and peace I need, because Ella Marie Scott is going to be the death of me. I’m convinced that woman is my personal temptation into hell.
A week ago, when her ass was pressed against my lap, the only thing that could stop my dick from getting hard was knowing that she’d just experienced something traumatic.
However, watching that sultry look fill her eyes.
A look that was so gotdamn full of longing and desire it almost sent me over the deep end.
My son knocking at the door saved me from doing something I know now she would’ve regretted.
Ella is going through a vulnerable time right now. At the moment, I am her comfort, and I believe she’s confused about her feelings. I had no doubt that if I were to take it there with her, she would instantly regret it. The way she acted toward me the next day was a sure sign I was correct.
“I got a bite already,” Jake’s excitement pulled me out of my thoughts.
I place my rod down into the holder and go over to him. We were out on the lake in the skiff.
“That’s it, keep reeling.” I grab the net off the top of the cooler and head over to him. Jacob reels in a nice sized brook trout. Using the net, I helped him haul his catch onto the boat.
“Not bad, kid.” I say as I pull the fish out of the net and free the hook from its mouth.
“Take a picture, I want to show Cam.”
I chuckle as I pull my phone out and snap a picture of Jacob holding his trout by the mouth. Once the picture is done, we toss the fish in the cooler and go back to our rods. The calmness of the lake takes over us, and we settle into the silence.
“Dad, I like hanging out with you.”
I don’t care how tough a person you are, hearing your kid tell you they enjoy being around you will make you weak. I know that one day he’ll be a moody teenager that will probably think I’m annoying or lame, but I will always have this moment right here.
I clear my throat before I speak. “I’m glad, kid. I enjoy hanging out with you too.”
He turns to me with a big smile. “Really?”
I chuckle. “Hell yeah. You’re my best friend.”
“Thanks Dad. You’re my best friend too. Just don’t tell Cam.”
I pretend to zip my lips as if I’m holding a tremendous secret. We both turn back to the lake, watching our bobbers float on the surface of the water.
“I wish that...” He stopped speaking just as abruptly as he started. “Never mind.”
“Hey,” I turn to him, giving him my undivided attention. “What’s wrong? You can talk to me about anything.”
He looks at me and then back out at the water. There was so much of me in Jake’s face that it was like looking at a picture of myself.
“I wish Mom liked hanging out with me.”
The moment the words are out of his mouth, my stomach knots up. I have to fight to keep my face neutral. Is there something going on at home? Did she say something to him? Did someone else say something? I take a minute to calm down before I ask for clarity.
Forgetting about my fishing rod, I turn in my seat to face Jake. Leaning back, I fold my arms across my chest.
“Why do you think your mom doesn’t want to hang out with you?”
He shrugs his little shoulders. “She’s just always busy. We used to watch movies together, but now she doesn’t want to do that anymore.” He takes another big pause. I don’t rush him to finish; I allow him to tell me his truth without pressuring him.
“The other night I overheard her talking to James. He was telling her I was too needy. He said that I needed to toughen up cause I was soft. Mom didn’t deny it. She just let him talk.” He drops his head. “I don’t want to be too needy.”
My jaw is clenched so tight I’m sure I could shatter my fucking teeth.
I wanted to drive over to that house and drag James’s bitch ass out of it.
I don’t hit women, but if I did, I would choke the shit out of my ex for not standing up for her son.
Where the hell does he get off telling anyone that a ten-year-old kid was too needy?
He’s fucking ten. Of course, he needs her.
Plus, it’s all bullshit because Jake isn’t needy. He enjoys spending time with his parents, but he also enjoys doing his own thing and hanging out with his friends. And soft? I’m not teaching my son any of that toxic masculinity bullshit you see these chumps trying to show off today.
Besides, what the fuck does James know? He’s living off a woman with a child, while still chasing dreams of being a race car driver. That shit is soft.
Once I’ve controlled my urge to put my foot in Valerie and James’s asses, I speak.
“Do you ever hear me complain about hanging out with you?”
“No.”
“What about Aunt El? She ever complains when you and Cam are helping her bake or when she’s watching those movies with you?”
El was always curled up on the couch watching superhero movies with the boys. It was their favorite thing to do outside of playing video games when they were together. A few times she has tried to rope me into watching the movies with them, but it just isn’t my thing. However, she loves it.
Jake chuckles. “Of course not.”
“Exactly. Wanting to spend time with your parents is not being needy. I hate you heard him say that, but his opinion of you doesn’t matter. What have I told you about other people’s opinions?”
“That the only opinion of me that matters is the man staring back at me in the mirror.” He recites the words I’ve preached to him since he was five years old.
“That’s right.”
“But, Mom—”
I cut him off. “Your mom loves you, Jake. It may seem like she’s too busy, but she’s just trying to find her place in this new relationship.”
I didn’t know that for sure, but I would not let my son go around thinking his mom didn’t want to spend time with him. What was for sure was that I was going to bring this shit up to her the next time I saw her.
“Will it be like that when you date? Will you need time and space?”
Leaning forward on my elbows, I looked him in the eye. “When I date, there will be a balancing act. I won’t lie. But anyone I decide to be with will have to understand that you are and will always be my number one priority.”
A grin fills his face, and he looks happier about our talk.
“Okay,” he says. “But when you do find a girlfriend, can you make sure she’s not like Cam’s new stepmom? Cam says she hardly speaks to him and she can’t cook.” I shake my head.
I don’t know what the hell Drew was thinking of leaving his wife for a woman thirteen years younger than him. I mean, I know what he was thinking, but it was a stupid ass thought.
I ruffled the curls on top of Jake’s head. “I’ll make sure that when I start looking for a relationship again, I’ll check her cooking skills first,” I joke.
He laughs. “Just find someone like Aunt Ella. She can cook, bake, and she likes the same movies I like.”
Jake turns back to his fishing rod, not knowing that he’d just dropped a fucking bomb in my lap. If only he knew how badly I wished I had the real thing. I didn’t need anyone like Ella. Hell, I wanted Ella.
For the rest of the day, my son and I enjoyed our break from school. We spent the day catching fish and talking. By the time the sun set, we were pulling back up to my house. As soon as I put the truck in park, Jake jumped out.
“Hey, AJ!” he shouts to AJ as he pulls the trash cans to the side of the road.
“Sup, Jake.” His tone was drier than the desert, which wasn’t normal for him. He treated Jake like a little brother.
“Dad, can I go over and show Cam the picture of the fish I caught?”
“Yeah,” I say as I shut the truck door. Before the words are out of my mouth Jake is rushing across the lawn and into Ella's front door.
I place my attention on AJ. Leaning my back against the truck; I cross my arms over my chest and give him my attention.
“What’s with you?”
He turns to me and shakes his head. “Nothing.”
“Doesn’t sound like nothing.”
He drops his head down between his shoulders.
The front door opens, and Ella steps out with her hands on her hips. “And when you get in here, I want the bathroom clean and the floors mopped.” I can tell by her tone that she’s upset. She spots me and her face softens a little.
“Hi, Mitch.”
“Hey!”
AJ spins around and heads into the house. I watched him disappear before making my way to Ella.
“Everything okay?”
She shakes her head as she walks down the stairs toward me. We meet at the halfway mark.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into him. I came home early today to find AJ and three random new friends on my back porch drinking beer and vaping.”
“What?” That isn’t like AJ at all.
The kid is hell-bent on being an athlete and talks about keeping his body clean. Hell, he won’t even drink Gatorade because he claims it has too much sugar.
“That doesn’t sound like him.”
Ella shakes her head. “He says he wasn’t doing it.
And from what I could smell from his breath, I didn’t get a scent of alcohol or anything.
But still he knows better. He shouldn’t even have had people around him doing that type of stuff.
Cameron was in the house, for goodness' sakes. What would have happened if he had picked up one of those cans.”
I could tell by her voice that she was about to go into a panic attack. Her breathing increased and her hands were shaking. I placed my hands on her shoulder and pulled her into me. She came willingly. Her face pressed into my chest.