July

Over the next few weeks, Slade and I establish a routine together. During the day, I work at the bakery, early afternoon I work for Slade’s non-profit, and then in the evening we spend time together.

The evening is my favorite time, because we do things together we haven’t done in years. Tonight, I’m getting ready, not sure where we’re going, but just knowing we’ll be together. Beside me, my phone buzzes, an incoming text from Nita, the woman in charge of Slade’s non-profit.

N: Congratulations! Because of the way you’ve been utilizing our Instagram, we’ve received a sponsor offer from a bottled-water company. They’re offering a monetary amount to be mentioned on the Instagram feed, but they also want to provide us with cases to ship out to natural disasters with the non-profit logo on it. I don’t have to tell you how great this is, and it’s because you knew how to utilize something we weren’t doing well with before.

M: Oh my gosh! It’s been my pleasure! Thank you so much for letting me know.

N: I’m speaking to a clothing company next week about t-shirts with the logo, and selling them to put more money back into the community funds that we’ve been working on. And I spoke with Cherry yesterday about donating the baked goods she doesn’t sell to the local foodbank, thanks to your suggestion. I’m excited to get this going in areas where Slade is popular. You’ve made a difference here and we’re glad to have you.

Emotion clogs my throat because I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish. And the fact I’ve been able to accomplish it for Slade? That means everything to me.

M: Thank you so much! Talk to you next week on the conference call!

“Malone, Slade’s here!”

I hear my mom yell from downstairs. “Be right there!”

Grabbing my purse, I yell a goodbye to my parents and then run out. As I get to the passenger side of the truck, he leans over the bench seat, opening my door for me. Getting in, I scoot across, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “What are we doing tonight?”

He slides his arm around my neck as he waves at my parents and then puts the truck in gear, backing out of their drive. “We’re taking a trip tonight,” his voice is slightly gobbled up by the wind from the open window beside him.

“A trip? Where to?” I nuzzle into his neck.

The palm of his hand caresses the back of my neck. “Down Memory Lane.”

“Memory Lane? Do tell.”

“This place seem familiar to you?” He asks as he turns down a side street.

I giggle. “The First Baptist Church of Willow Springs. You kissed me for the first time behind it,” I put my hand on his thigh, rubbing up and down, so happy I can finally touch him freely again.

“I did, thought God was gonna strike me dead,” he laughs as he pulls into the parking lot.

He puts the truck in park, but doesn’t turn the engine off. “Would you like to recreate it?”

Leaning up to him, our lips meet, him coaxing mine open, his palm applying pressure where he’s got his hand curled around my neck. As we break apart, I wipe lip gloss off his lips. “Where else are we going?”

“You’ll see,” he grins as he puts the truck back in gear and takes off to the left.

Five minutes later we end up around the Square, and he parks in one of the empty spots. Opening the door he gets out, then reaches in to take my hand, helping me down out of the driver’s side. He doesn’t let go as we make a trip around. He points out the huge fountain that we had our prom pictures taken in front of.

“Remember it got the back of your dress wet and you were so pissed at your mom for making us come down here,” he laughs as we remember that night.

“Funny how that seem so inconsequential now, ya know?”

“Back then, things were just easier,” he shrugs as he takes my hand again and we start our walk back up. “There weren’t multi-million dollar contracts, there wasn’t the broken trust, on both sides for us, we were just happy. I think after that summer, neither one of us were every truly happy again,” his voice is quiet as we come to the alterations shop.

“I think you’re right,” I let him pull my front to his. “You remember what happened in there?” I tilt my head to the shop.

A broad smile spreads across his face. “What? You mean the blow job you gave me when we were supposed to be getting fitted for our prom clothes? That was the hottest thing of my young life. I was so fuckin’ scared we were gonna get caught.”

“But we didn’t,” I remind him. “And you’re right, it was super hot.”

“I’m not sure I’ve had anything that hot since,” he admits.

Those words warm me up, and remind me of our history together. While it ended in such heartache, we have so many good memories. As we take off walking again, we end up in front of Del’s.

“You wanna go in for dinner?” he asks, swinging our entwined hands between us.

“People will see us.”

“They will,” he agrees. “They’ll talk. They’ll ask questions. The choice is yours, Malone.”

Giving him a grin, I stand on my tiptoes, pressing my lips against his in a chaste kiss. “I choose to eat dinner with my hot date. I’m hungry, and honestly? I don’t give two fucks what people have to say. We’re old enough now to know what we want, and if we want each other, what does it matter? It’s our happiness.”

“That it is, sweetness. That it is.”

“How’s it going?” My dad asks me later on that night as I get home.

He’s out at the pool, enjoying the night, a beer in his hand as he sits on one of the loungers.

“Not bad,” I have a seat next to him. “Just got back from a date with Malone.”

“The two of you doing okay?”

“Yeah, we are,” I lean back, taking the beer he offers me.

“You two making plans?”

I laugh, Dad had been the one person I was able to talk to when the shit hit the fan with Malone back in the day. “We’re not right now, and I get what you’re saying.”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt again. You’ve got a lot of shit you’re dealin’ with right now. The knee, rehab, spending time with a woman you’ve never been able to get over. I don’t care how old you are, Slater. That’s a lot to deal with.”

“It is,” I take a drink from the bottle and sigh. “But I’m actually feeling better about Malone than I am about my knee.”

“What?”

“Just what if something happens again? What if when I come back, I’m not what I was before? I’ve been thinking about what Plan B will be.”

Dad snorts. “Even half of what you were before is better than half the people out there. And I know you, you have a Plan B, but don’t freak yourself out. Give it a shot, see how it feels, and then decide. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

I tilt my head back, sighing deeply. “I’m trying not to.”

“You’ve always been my worrier. Your brother gives no shits, he’s a cocky asshole, and I say that with love, Slater. But you, you’ve always worried about everything. I’m here to tell you if you can’t get back to what you were, you’re gonna be fine, we’ll be fine.”

Hearing my dad tell me some of my fears are unfounded is the best thing I’ve heard in months. I finish my beer, before standing up. “Thanks Dad, you always know what I need to hear.”

“Kinda my job, Slater. It’s all gonna work out.”

I lean down, giving him a hug before I head up to my apartment, feeling better about things than I have in a long time.