Chapter Seventeen
Maddie whipped into the parking lot. She hated being late, but knowing she was seeing Justin today, she’d agonized over her outfit for a long time before she settled on one.
“Mommy, can we get out?”
“Oh yeah, honey. You can run over to the swings. Just stay where I can see you.” She opened Aiden’s door and he had his buckles undone and was clamoring out of the car before she could reach in to help.
She grabbed her bag containing the event plans and shut the door Aiden had left ajar as he rushed out of the car.
Aiden was growing up fast. Way too fast for her liking. She had assumed that by the time he reached this age that he would have one or maybe even two siblings to play with.
The thought had her tearing up but she shoved them down. The one thing she was learning about herself was it did no good to cry over something she couldn’t change. It was up to her to make the best life she could with what she had—a wonderful son who was full of energy and a sexy husband. Although she didn’t really have the husband right now.
Speaking of which…
“Hi, Daddy!” Aiden waved at Justin but wasn’t deterred on his path to the swings. Justin ruffled his son’s hair on the way by and chuckled at his endless energy.
She leaned back on the car and watched his muscles stretch the denim encasing his legs as he stalked toward her. His gaze stayed locked on her, never wavering as he approached. He stepped up, so close that he crowded her against the car.
She tilted her chin up.
“Hey.” His smooth voice washed over her and shivers tickled up her spine. Justin could always turn her on with just a word, a look, or a quirk of his eyebrows.
She opened her mouth to respond, but her words were swallowed by his kiss. She snaked her arms around his neck and linked her fingers behind him, pulling him tighter against her. God, it was like they were kids again. She hadn’t been this out of control, every nerve ending on edge, in a long time. This was what had been missing from their relationship—the passion, the urgency.
She broke the kiss. “Aiden?”
He brushed his lips across hers again. “With Izzy and Hayley.”
Maddie peered around Justin’s shoulder, and sure enough, Izzy was pushing Hayley and Aiden on the swings.
“She promised to keep them occupied so we could have a few minutes alone.”
Maddie would have to thank Izzy later, but she couldn’t focus on anything but Justin as he took her in another kiss and his tongue swept into her mouth.
A second, a minute, an hour later, she wasn’t sure, Justin finally lifted his head. His eyes were hooded, a heated gaze staring down at her. “We have to stop. This isn’t why I asked to meet here today.”
“You don’t hear me complaining, but I don’t think the other people came for a show.”
“Yeah.” He sucked in a deep breath and threaded his fingers through hers as they headed up the hill together.
They crested the hill and Maddie approached Justin’s sister. “Hey, Izzy. How’s it going?”
A smile lifted the corners of Izzy’s mouth. “Good. You look great, Maddie.”
She chuckled. “Thanks, I think.”
Izzy slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh, I didn’t mean—”
“It’s okay. I know how I was before. I am feeling better.”
“I’m so happy to hear that.”
“Hey, Aunt Maddie.” Hayley waved from the top of the jungle gym. Her sweet voice made Maddie’s heart ache.
Maddie and Izzy stood side by side a minute, watching their kids bounce on the wavy bridge part of the play set. “Thanks so much for keeping an eye on Aiden so Justin and I can talk through some details of the event.”
“It’s no problem. I love coming out and playing with Hayley. I can’t imagine missing out on all of this if I were still dancing in New York.”
For as long as Maddie had known Izzy, dance had been everything to her. Until she’d come home almost two years ago with an injury that had sidelined her career. They all thought she’d returned to New York for good last fall when she’d been presented with a new opportunity at her dance company. But Izzy had performed in one show and then come back home. “How did you do that? Decide that you weren’t going to fulfill your dream anymore?”
Izzy eyed her for a moment. Everyone in Justin’s family knew about their struggles. “It isn’t that I don’t have my dream anymore. My dreams changed. For a long time, dancing was all that I wanted to do. But I know now that dreams grow and transform. I’m still able to dance. I’m just not doing it on the stage anymore. And this way I get to have Tanner and Hayley, too. Oh, no, hold on—”
Izzy rushed over to grab Hayley before she flipped backward off the top of the ladder. That left Maddie alone to think about what Izzy had said. Her words made a lot of sense. Was that what Maddie needed to do? Change her dream? Was there a way to achieve what she wanted if she never got pregnant? She knew for sure that whatever her future looked like, she wanted Justin in it.
Justin’s warmth surrounded her as he stepped up beside her. She’d always been able to sense when he was around, but that hadn’t been happening recently, when she was distracted with her charts and research. But now that she’d had some time to clear her head and focus on what was important, her awareness of Justin had come roaring back. It was probably more the fact that the mere thought of him had her clenching her thighs together. He had that effect on her.
“Are you ready to get started?”
Oh right, they’d come to talk about the festival. “Yeah.”
Justin yelled over at Izzy and the kids. “You guys good up here for a little bit?”
Izzy waved but didn’t take her eyes off Hayley and Aiden. “Take your time.”
Justin and Izzy headed down the hill. When they reached the picnic pavilion, Maddie pulled some sketches and layouts out of her bag. She sat at a table, and rather than sitting across from her, Justin climbed onto the bench beside her, his thigh pressed against hers.
She laughed and scooched away. He just slid closer. She nudged him with her shoulder. “Justin, we have to work.”
“I can work just fine sitting beside my wife.”
“Are you going to behave?”
He slapped his hand across his chest and his mouth opened into an O. “Me? Misbehave?” He leaned closer. “I make no guarantees. It’s hard sitting beside you and not thinking about seeing you naked.”
Heat flooded her cheeks and a bloom of arousal grew in her gut.
She spread the papers in front of the two of them. Maybe that would distract her from the sexy man beside her. “I was thinking that we’d set up the tents along the trees right beside this pavilion.”
Justin finally turned his attention to the plans. He listened intently as she explained her ideas and gave some input on how a few activities could be adjusted to better accommodate the families or the store. At the end of a productive session, the event logistics were formalized and a promotional plan was put into place.
As they talked through the event, her confidence grew. She had been nervous when Justin had first suggested she take this one. That they work it together. It had been a long time and she wasn’t sure she had it in her anymore. But as soon as she put pen to paper, the ideas flowed and the creativity she’d fostered for so long returned. And it felt good. She loved being a mother and raising Aiden, but it was hard to find self-fulfillment and self-identity without having something just for herself. She was determined to find a way to keep that going after this event was over.
“Hey, guys.” Izzy jogged down the hill, a child holding either hand. “You about done? I need to get Hayley home and head over to the studio.”
Maddie stood and hugged her sister-in-law. “We’re done. Thanks so much for helping today. Please let me know when I can return the favor.”
“I will definitely take you up on that because this girl is exhausting.” Izzy wrapped her arm around Hayley’s shoulder and mussed her step-daughter’s hair. Izzy was definitely embracing her new dream, her new life. Could Maddie do the same?
Justin scooped Aiden up and flung him over his shoulders. “Hey, buddy. You ready to go?”
Justin stayed close to her as they walked back to the parking lot. He packed Aiden into the car and shut the door. “Thanks for everything, Maddie. You looked like you were having fun yourself today.”
“I forgot how much I enjoyed being creative. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me.”
“I didn’t give you anything. You are more than qualified and your plans today just proved that.” He lowered his head and kissed her. Before she had the chance to pull him to her, Aiden knocked on the window.
She chuckled. “I guess that’s our cue.”
Justin stretched, crowding against her as he grabbed the door handle. He held the door while she sat and then leaned into the car. “Behave for Mommy, all right, buddy?”
“I will, Daddy. I love you.”
Maddie’s heart lurched. How much longer would her son have to say goodbye to his father?
Justin must have noticed her distress. He lowered his head, hovering next to her ear. “It’ll be all right, Maddie. I promise.”
She only hoped it was that simple.