Aiken

“How ya doing?” I sat down across from Abbie at a dingy diner a little over half an hour away in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

“Glad you came. I know Professor Richards saw you out last night with Allison.”

“She did, and I gotta be honest, she wasn’t happy. She couldn’t quite understand how you and I came to know one another. And I gotta wonder if there’s more to the story than you’re owning up to.”

Before going to bed last night, I’d messaged Abbie on Facebook. I felt like a stupid asshole, too old for that kind of shit. My life was moving in a different direction.

The whole time, I couldn’t get Claire out of my head. Claire in my arms on our trip, talking about the shower heads, us moving in, the way I felt. I really wanted that—to be with Claire forever.

Somewhere between coming to Podunk, Pennsylvania, to find my mom and getting closer to doing it, I’d fallen for the woman next door.

I needed to fix shit, so I’d asked Abbie if I could come meet with her…farther from campus. Meeting up with her anywhere near campus could have ended up backfiring, and I didn’t dare risk it.

Claire’s house was dark when I left early this morning, and I figured she needed space from me, in addition to nursing her hangover. That didn’t mean I didn’t leave with a heavy heart and a looming sense of doom.

“Look, I can’t tell you everything right at this minute,” Abbie said. “Just know I have a vested interest in you finding your mom.”

A waitress interrupted us. “Can I get ya anything?”

“Black coffee and whatever she’s having.”

“Green tea and oatmeal.”

I didn’t plan to stay long enough to see Abbie eat all of it. If she wasn’t going to cough up information, or even attempt to be transparent about her motives, I was leaving.

“I don’t really get what your interest is. I mean, I know Allison’s dad knew my mom. But that doesn’t necessitate you getting this involved, stalking me, to tell me what I already know. My mom was a pain in everyone’s ass. And now I show up in Centre, and it’s like every townie is worried about where she is. You’re from there too? Are you worried?”

I’d already done some Google sniffing and knew she was from Centre, but I still needed answers.

“Yeah, my dad worked over in the Economics Department until two years ago when he retired.”

“Did he know my mom too? How did you even get on this jag with me? This is fucking crazy.” The last part was a whisper.

I began to resent sitting in this greasy-spoon diner across from this blonde, who thought she held the keys to my success, hating that she could insert herself into my shit.

“I don’t think so,” she said while turning to grab a few sugar packets, her face hidden.

Strange that she didn’t make eye contact, but I didn’t call her on it. Rather, I stuck that tidbit in my back pocket for a later day. I needed to try to gain an advantage. My male ego was at risk of crumbling like a stale roll.

The waitress smacked my coffee down in front of me, the hot liquid splashing around the coaster. “Cream?”

I shook my head.

She set Abbie’s tea down more gently and walked away.

“Look.” I ran a hand over my chin, my scruff almost a full beard. I made a mental note to trim it when I got home. “You’ve been very nice, seeking me out, making the connection with Allison’s dad, but neither of you have anything concrete to say. I’m making some progress in cracking the code on my mom. I found an old email account of hers, and I think she’s posted in some chat rooms, so I’m getting close.”

“Oh yeah? Tell me.”

“Not now. If you’re going to keep your cards close to your vest, so am I. I’ll tell you this: Keep Claire outta this shit. I know you’ve taken a shining to her, and that’s fine, you want to be teacher’s pet or whatever.”

I stood, tossed a ten on the table, and walked away. Normally, I wasn’t as big of a dick, but I was pissed. These two freaking coeds knew something I didn’t.

They were hiding something.

Fuck ’em.

I was hiding some shit too.

Later that day, after a shower and a beard trim, I hustled on a quick errand before I knocked on Claire’s back door.

It was partially open, and I didn’t wait before nudging it all the way.

“Little grease for your pounding head?”

She was dressed in a loose sweatshirt that hung off one shoulder, shorter-than-fucking-short shorts that barely covered her legs, and no makeup.

Would’ve been the perfect setup, except for the scowl on her face.

Smitty came running out and circled my legs.

“What’s that?” She pointed to the bag in my hand, brow furrowed, scowl deepening.

“A couple of greasy shrimp eggrolls, chicken lo mein, General Tso’s chicken, and vegetable fried rice, hold the egg. Sound good? Now can I come in?”

“If you’re sharing that, then yes.”

“You know I am. I got it for you, Richards.”

She slipped to the side, and I wound my way to the counter.

“What do you know about Chinese takeout? They have that where you’re from, farm boy?”

“Very funny. Hardy har har. You got anything better than that? And I’ll have you know we did have an authentic Chinese place about thirty minutes from where we lived. When we’d go get the truck serviced, we’d stuff our faces.”

Grabbing some plates, I unpacked the food, pulled out a stool, and barked, “Sit, Richards.”

I made a heaping plate and set it in front of her.

“Not sure why you’re being so nice. I was a complete bitch last night. An immature one at that.”

“S’okay.” I piled some food on a plate, allowing her time to take a bite.

“No, I was out of line. I had a little too much to drink, and I was in the middle of worrying about something related to Mary, and then I saw you…with her…anyway, this morning…I got my period. That’s not an excuse. I guess I’m saying…I’m not that old, you know.” She nervous-laughed. “And also, I guess emotions and hormones got the best of me. Ugh, I’m rambling. Again.”

My fork clanged on my plate, and I gathered her close, my fingers tangling in her loose hair, my lips on her forehead. “You don’t have to apologize. First, stop with the age shit. Second, you saw something you didn’t like, and it was easy to make assumptions. Hell, I would’ve done the same. But I’ll tell you this, it made me feel damn good to see you get a little protective of what’s yours.”

Her hand wound its way around my neck and tugged on the longer hairs at my nape. “Are you mine?”

“Damn straight. And pretty soon, I’ll be pushing us to move forward. Brace yourself, Richards.”

“Will you be the kind of guy who buys tampons at the grocery store?” She pinched my side, and I leaned back to find her smiling.

“I’m a farm boy, remember? I don’t know jack shit about Chinese takeout, but I don’t get grossed out easily. I can buy a box of tampons.”

She laughed, her smile continuing to touch her eyes, soft crinkles at the corners. I liked being the one to make those come out.

“Come on, eat before it gets cold.”

She turned and took a big bite of an eggroll. “Mmmm. You do know Chinese takeout.”

I forked some lo mein into my mouth, never taking my eyes off Claire and the eggroll.

She wasn’t completely smiling, but she wasn’t scowling anymore.

“Wanna bite?” I asked, lifting a forkful of noodles toward her mouth. She accepted by wrapping her mouth around my fork and lifting her eggroll-filled hand up to my mouth.

Sharing food was one way we could use our mouths, but not my preferred way.

“When we’re done, wanna lay on the couch? And watch movies all day?”

“I haven’t done that in…ever,” she said.

“Always time for a first.”

Except, I forgot about her furniture.

“Your couch is too small for me, and I don’t look good in all this pink,” I declared as soon as I sank into the Pepto-Bismol-colored sofa. “Grab Smitty and your microwave popcorn. We’re going to my place.”

“You mean I get to hang on the leather sofa in front of your mega screen?”

She’d been over a few times for a quick drink or to run in and use the bathroom if we were grilling, but she hadn’t spent any significant time there. It always felt like she was more comfortable on her turf. I was changing that tonight.

“Let’s go, Richards.”

I figured this was a big step, leaving the ghosts of her failed marriage and Abby next door, where they belonged, and making new memories at my place.

A few hours later, Claire sat up from the couch, her hair messy, her eyes half closed, smile wide. “I can’t believe you talked me into this movie.”

“You loved it.”

“For like one second when he took his shirt off. I could’ve skipped everything else, especially that scene where they’re shooting at everyone in the street before their car explodes.”

“Yeah, yeah. You loved it. Especially on my TV in high-def. You don’t have that at your place.”

“Well, payback’s a bitch. My turn!”

“I think a new season of that show about the triplets who aren’t really triplets because one of them’s adopted is starting. You know the one that goes back and forth between the past and the present?”

“Mary’s mentioned it about a thousand times…my students too.”

“Want to check it out?”

“You’re just trying to avoid watching a rom-com. Well, I’ll tell you what, tough guy…I don’t like rom-coms. I’m more of a historical fiction gal. World War II flicks…sad and somber…are my jam.”

One corner of her mouth turned up in a smirk, and I smacked her with a cushion. “You had me there for a minute…come on, get close, we’ll watch this show. It’s romantic enough from what I hear.”

She lay back against me, her hair fanning over my shirt-covered chest, her back sinking into me.

“I like it here.”

Hearing those few words were like rinsing away a hot day of manual labor with a cold beer. I allowed them to wash over me.

“Me too,” was all I answered, for fear I’d suggest something too aggressive for Claire. I’d done that once already.

“I know we’re always at my place, but that’s because I’m attached to it. In what’s probably not a very healthy way. As you’ve pointed out.”

“It’s cool. It’s no big deal to me. You’re here now.” I remained nonchalant, despite my heart and brain doing acrobatics. This was no simple feat, considering I’d never experienced any of the above before.

“Do you think you’ll ever invite me to stay over?”

Since I wanted to see her, I flipped her over and hovered over her, my weight on my forearms. “It’s an open invitation.”

Forgetting the TV show, I lowered my lips to hers. She returned my passion, giving as good as she got. We kissed for a long while, our tongues exploring each other’s mouths, our lower halves seeking contact.

“Off,” Claire murmured while tugging at my shirt.

I broke free and lifted it off in one swoop.

Her nails coursed down my back and made their way up again. A chill broke out along my spine. I wanted skin-on-skin and made quick work of getting rid of her shirt. With only her bra in the way, I used my teeth to tug one cup to the side, exposing her tit to me. Without further waiting, I sucked on her nipple, sadly remembering she was on her period.

I didn’t know where she stood on that…and then a long moan escaped her as she slipped out from underneath me.

I sat up just as she settled on her knees in front of me, her hands working off my jeans, then tugging my boxers.

My length on full display in front of her face, she dipped her head slowly. My hands weaved through her silky hair, making sure she started off slow. I wanted this to last. She seemed to know when I needed her to speed up, and I let her take control.

For the moment.

Later, I didn’t have to ask Claire to spend the night. She’d conked out in my arms on the couch before I carried her upstairs.