Chapter 3
Three
“Have fun, and be careful. No drinking,” I told the girls as Evie got into Maddie’s car. Katie was in the backseat, so I swung my gaze to her, too.
“We won’t,” the three of them chorused. They were good kids, but they were still kids. Living in a small town like Amethyst Bay meant they didn’t get away with much, but it didn’t mean they didn’t try.
“I love you,” I said as I stepped back.
“Love you,” Evie said without hesitation.
I never wanted her to think she wasn’t my priority. It didn’t matter that my marriage to her mother didn’t work out, I loved my daughter fiercely, and she would always know that.
“Will you be home tonight?” I asked, pausing before I closed the door.
“Yeah. But it’ll be late.”
“What time is late?”
“One?”
I nodded. “Text me if that changes.”
“I will. Love you.” Evie waved, prompting me to step back and let her go have fun.
I closed the door and waved as the girls pulled out of the parking lot. Maddie was the oldest of the three of them, so she drove most of the time. It was good for them to have some freedom, but it was still terrifying to watch my one and only child drive off with another teenager behind the wheel.
With the girls gone, I went to my truck. The radio was quiet from the drive to the restaurant, but I turned it up and let the music and cool evening breeze drift around me on the short drive home.
The red convertible was still parked next door when I pulled into my driveway. Lights were on inside the house. I debated apologizing to Ashlyn’s friend, but I didn’t want to intrude on their evening.
That and I didn’t want to open the door for more shit from Hannah.
I let myself into the house and exhaled slowly.
I moved through the space, depositing my keys and wallet on the table by the door, then kicking my shoes off into the closet.
The house was scattered with Evie’s things.
Shoes, jackets, her forgotten backpack. Lip balm and mascara were left on end tables and bathroom counters.
It was clear she was a regular fixture in my house.
But all that would change in a few weeks.
For thirteen years, Evie was shuffled between my house and Hannah’s.
When she was with her mother, I busied myself the best I could.
Working, dating, playing hockey, spending time with my friends.
But it was always temporary. It was a few days at a time.
As Evie got older, she wanted to spend more time with me than Hannah, mostly because both Maddie and Katie lived within walking distance from my house.
Hannah lived in one of the nicer houses on the edge of Amethyst Bay, a status symbol to show everyone how well-off her new husband was.
Brian Greenleaf was a very successful businessman.
He made sure everyone knew it, too. I was never really clear what he did to earn his money, but he had a lot of it.
He built the newest house in the area, with all the fancy features he wanted.
And he filled it with furniture no one was allowed to sit on and artwork no one was allowed to get close to.
It was another reason Evie hated going there, but she never told her mother that.
Regardless of their financial situation, and the divided time between my house and theirs, in a few weeks, Evie would be away at college.
The quietness of my house wouldn’t be temporary.
It would last for months. And far too quickly, Evie would be on her own, and my house would be just a place she used to live.
I grabbed a beer from the fridge and carried it to the couch. The urge to turn on the TV was strong, but I needed to sit with the silence for a few minutes. I hadn’t slowed down much in the last twenty-plus years, and the reality of my life was hitting me square in the face.
I was fucking lonely.
My fingers itched to call Oscar or Christy, to fill the emptiness with something or someone. I hoped to have found someone to share my life with by now, but Hannah made sure that never happened.
I swore and reached for the remote. I flipped until I landed on a sports channel. Baseball wasn’t my favorite sport, but it was better than the path my thoughts were taking.
When I finished my beer, I dropped the empty bottle in the recycling and headed for the shower.
My thoughts went to Ashlyn’s friend as I stepped under the hot water, her curves tempting me.
She had to be a decade younger than me, but there was no harm in fantasizing about the woman when no one else was around.
I gripped my dick and stroked a few times, wondering when the last time I had sex was. Too fucking long if I couldn’t remember. I needed to get back out there. Find a woman who wouldn’t be scared off by my ex-wife, who was married and living her own life.
I shoved thoughts of Hannah out of my mind with a squeeze on my cock. I dragged Reegan… even her name was sexy… back to the front of my mind. I imagined running my hands over her curves and following my hands with my tongue.
My cock throbbed. I braced myself against the wall and stroked faster and faster.
Fuck, just the thought of Reegan had me breaking out in a cold sweat and ready to come.
I grunted, stroked. My hand slammed against my stomach, but I didn’t notice.
My balls tightened, and I shouted as I came, my eyes closed as I pictured Reegan in front of me.
“Holy fuck,” I breathed, my entire body shaking. We’d only shared a few words, and not friendly ones, but the woman was a dream.
I let the water pour over me as I struggled to slow my breathing. I reached for the shampoo and remembered my bruised knuckles. They hurt worse after jerking off, but it was fucking worth it.
I finished my shower and turned off the water.
I grabbed a towel and ran it over my short hair, dragging it down my face and over my body.
My cock was still half-hard, the memories of Reegan keeping it up.
I hung my towel up and walked into my room naked.
I got dressed and went back to the couch to wait for Evie to come home.
Morning came far too early. Since Evie was home, I did my best to be quiet as I fixed coffee and searched for breakfast. I poured my coffee and looked out the window, spotting Ashlyn’s friend sitting near her fire pit.
My dick rose at the sight of the woman in the flesh instead of in my memory. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to force the thoughts away. It didn’t work.
I poured a second cup of coffee and pushed outside with both mugs before I could talk myself out of it. I made sure I made enough noise as I approached her so she would see me coming.
The snap of fear in her gaze was followed by one of irritation, proving she saw me. “Ashlyn said this was her fire pit. I’m not trespassing.”
“I brought you a peace offering,” I said, holding up the mug of coffee.
Her brown eyes narrowed at me.
She didn’t refuse, so I moved closer. “I don’t know what you like in it, but I have options.”
“What options?”
I smiled as she took the mug from me. “Vanilla creamer, milk, sugar. What do you prefer?”
She inhaled the mug like it was full of the greatest thing life had to offer. “Vanilla.”
“I’ll be right back.” I set my mug on the table next to her cup and hurried to my place, grabbing the vanilla creamer and carrying it back outside. “Help yourself.”
She took it from my hand, our fingers brushing.
I had to stifle a moan, but she didn’t appear affected at all by our hands touching. Fucking hell, I was a forty-six-year-old man crushing on a woman too young for me.
“Thank you,” she whispered, as if speaking louder would break the tentative truce between us.
“Can I sit?”
She gave me a side-eyed look. “According to Ashlyn, you are always welcome at her house.”
I pursed my lips at the intentional wall she was putting between us. Ashlyn welcomed me, but I refused to do the same for Reegan. “I’m Josh, by the way. And I’m sorry for being a jerk yesterday.”
I looked at her until she sighed and said, “I’m Reegan.”
“Not accepting my apology?” I teased her, adding a smile so she knew I was picking on her.
She quirked one eyebrow up. “Jury’s still out.”
“Fair enough. Ashlyn said you’re a teacher.”
“Is that a question?”
“Nope, just a statement. It’s nice you have the summer off.”
She snorted. “Yeah, everyone thinks being a teacher is so easy. All the time off and short days. I get paid way too much for not enough work. I’ve heard it all.”
“Actually, I was thinking you’ve earned the time off. Teaching is tough.”
She narrowed her eyes at me like she didn’t believe me.
“My friend’s brother is a teacher. It’s not easy. Tanner teaches middle school. He’s told us about the long days, the extra planning, the summer training and classes. It’s not as simple as showing up and playing with kids all day. Not that that’s easy either.”
“I’m an elementary school teacher.”
“You still have lesson plans and milestones and a shitload of kids to manage. I can barely handle one, and you keep twenty in line.”
Her mouth twisted into a grin before she covered it by taking a sip of her coffee.
I followed suit, looking out at the water, our backs to Ashlyn’s house.
“I accept your apology,” she said after a minute.
I looked over at her, smiling as I did. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So what are your plans for the summer?”
“Convince Ashlyn she deserves better than Rob,” Reegan said with a snarl.
“She deserves so much more than that asshole.”
Reegan’s brows shot up. “You know him?”
I nodded. “Small town. Everyone pretty much knows everyone.”
“And you’re not a fan?”
“No. I’m not. Ashlyn is kind and friendly. Rob is only looking for what he can get from someone. He’s always been like that.”
“Always?”
“We went to high school together. He would convince the smartest girl he was interested in her, copy her homework, then disappear and date someone popular. Until it was time for another exam or project or something. He hasn’t changed.”