Chapter 19
Myles
Walking around with Maylee, I can see how great she is with Oren, and how easily someone could fall for her. I love her name, and I know everyone calls her Lee, but I’m going to call her Maylee as it gives a more personal touch.
“Do you like that?” Oren asks Maylee.
“Yeah, I do. I think that would be a nice gift for Whitney.” Paying the assistant for the bracelet that she’d been discussing with Oren, much to the assistant’s amusement I might add, we get out of the shop and continue shopping.
Two hours later, I’m piled with bags and ready to have a seat for a minute. “Let’s go have a drink,” I blurt out. Oren gives me a ‘Yay’ in response, and Maylee nods.
The cafeteria is busy, but we find a seat. I get drinks and a BLT for each of us, because honestly, I need something after all this shopping.
“You all done with school for the holiday?” Maylee asks Oren.
“Yeah. I’m going to help Aunt Whitney. Oh, and I’m going to help Uncle Clem marry Aunt Whitney and have me a cousin.”
Maylee splutters on her latte and covers her mouth as she looks at me wide-eyed. I give her a head nod to show he’s speaking the truth. “Yeah, we are rooting for Clem to marry Whitney, and have a baby Oren, if possible.” I chuckle.
Maylee says nothing for a minute. “You know, I think they’d make a great couple. She is obviously in love with him. But I’m not sure if she realizes it yet.”
Oren is busy eating, so I ask my question quietly. “Do you think there will be an issue because of the ex-husband?”
Shaking her head, Maylee responds quietly back to me. “No. He’s in the past, and from what Whitney has said, they were estranged for quite some time before she called the marriage well and truly dead.”
Nodding because I’m more than happy to hear that, I blurt before I think. “What about you? Do you have an ex I need to know about?”
“Not sure you would need to know about anything?” Maylee replies, but I can see she’s interested.
“Well, we should see if we are a match made in heaven, don’t you reckon?” Yeah, I decide to throw all in and see what happens.
“Hmm, maybe we could!” Maylee stares at me for quite some time.
Deciding, I’m sure, if she should give us a try or not.
As we’ve only just met, I’m good with her mulling over whether she likes the look of me.
“I reckon we should have a date night, and a conversation. Probably a nice kissing session, and then if that is all good… then yeah, let’s see where it takes us. ”
We talk a little more while Oren finishes eating, then, of course, he is back to talking a mile a minute. But it’s all good. I love my kid, and I can see Maylee is getting smitten with him too.
“Maylee, Oren, let’s make a move, or it’ll be getting dark.”
“Maylee? Nobody has called me that in a long time. But, coming from you, I like it.”
I follow behind Maylee and Oren as they walk hand in hand back to the truck. I carry all the bags, but as I’m watching them walking, talking and laughing together I can’t help but feel this is right!
Whitney
That evening, sitting with Lee she looks at me with a serious face.
“Whit, I’m going to move here. I’ve had an email from one of the lawyers I contacted, and he’s going to give me an interview right after Christmas, but before the New Year.
From what he said, he just wants to meet me in person as he is impressed with my resumé. ”
“You can stay here as I told you, Lee. You have a room, and I have an office if you need to share that with me. There is room to place another desk.”
Sighing, Lee rubs her eyes. “I’ve told Myles that we’ll go on a date. I even told him we needed a kissing session before I would give him more.”
“You didn’t?”
“I did. But, you know, Whit, I think he could be the one for me. He’s solid, as is Clem. They are both so loving, so reliable, and so hot,” Lee giggles.
I can’t help but laugh with her. “Yeah, they are hot. If you do this with Myles, do it wholeheartedly because he’s had enough shit with his ex.
He doesn’t need more. There is also Oren to consider.
If you get into a relationship with Myles, you take on Oren too.
He will give you his all; that is Oren. He has no half-measures.
When he first called me Aunt, I took that with no hesitation, knowing that if anything happened between Clem and me, I would always be his aunt.
You would become his mother, so think carefully. ”
“I am considering all that, Whitney,” sighing, and taking another mouthful of her hot chocolate.
“I would love to be Oren’s mom. I honestly want to give this a shot.
I feel a connection to him unlike anyone else I’ve dated.
But this isn’t just a date to me. This is a genuine commitment, and I’m jumping in with both feet, just as you did. ”
“I think these two are the most honest men I’ve met in my life. They are so genuine that I think giving my heart to Clem is like handing it to him for safekeeping.” I look at Lee, and she nods, understanding what I’m saying.
“He calls me Maylee,” Lee states, and I gawk at her.
“Maylee?” I look at her, giggle, and then cannot stop the belly laugh that follows. I’ve never and will never see her as Maylee. It’s too flowery for her because she is so down to earth. I point at her as I roll around the couch laughing, “Maylee!”
“Shut up!” Lee says, but she is laughing along with me.