Chapter Fourteen
Lee
I couldn’t sleep. I tried, but given the turn of events last night, I didn’t see it happening anytime soon. So, I did the one thing I knew would calm my nerves. I went to the garage to fiddle around, see where the night took me. I just didn’t expect it to take me through the night and into the early morning.
I’m exhausted, hungry, and my body is begging for sleep, but then I think of her and it awakens. Just thinking about that kiss keeps me feeling alive.
“I thought I would find you out here.” Grans walks in with a thermos full off coffee and pours me a cup.
“I couldn’t sleep.” I continue to sand, avoiding eye contact. After last night I’m a little angry, but I get it, I do. She was trying to help her only child, while at the same time protecting me from a mother who was obviously unstable. How can I be mad at that?
“So I heard.” She rubs her face, then pours herself a cup. “I think I owe you an apology.”
“Grans, don’t,” I plead, looking her in the eyes. I cannot go through this again.
“Presley, I love you with all my heart, but seeing you like this is killing me.” She walks over and forces the cup into my hand. “Drink.”
“Thanks.” I bring the mug up to my lips, listening as she continues.
“I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure if she would even come back.”
“Grans.” I set the cup down and begin to busy myself. “She stayed gone because of you.”
Did she?
“Yes.” She nods. “And no.” She places a hand on my shoulder. “Presley, dear.”
Presley. She’s the only person I allow to call me by my given name. When she says it, it doesn’t hurt.
“Your mother told me what she said last night and it’s true, but we cared about you as if you were our own son. The moment she walked out is the moment she didn’t come first. You did.” Grans begins to cry. “I don’t know how long I have. My mind, as much as we’d both like to think otherwise, it’s going.”
Pulling her into my arms, holding her tight, I comfort Grans the way she always has comforted me, loved me.
Unconditionally.
“I know.” I try to hold back the tears but fail miserably. This disease not only takes your memories, it destroys who you are. You lose all sense of reason. So, while she is with me, I’m going to hug her tighter, love her harder and make sure she gets the best care possible. Whether it’s with me or with the best memory care center, either way I
will protect her with everything I am.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, my sweet boy,” Gran says as she pulls away. She reaches up, placing a hand on each side of my face. “That is why I called her. I know I need help.”
“Grans, I can—” I try to interrupt, but instead she shushes me.
“I know you can. You have showed that time and time again, but right now, I need you to take care of you.” She pokes me in the chest, and I shake her hand off. “My, my—construction has been good for you.” She winks.
Hands on hips, I puff out my chest and deepen my voice. “I like to think so.”
“Oh geez.” Grans rolls her eyes. “What I was trying to say is you need to get out more, find a girl, get married and have a family of your own.”
I pull her back to me. “There is plenty of time for that. Right now, I just want to spend time with—”
“There isn’t,” Grans cuts in. “I’m running out of time and I want to see you happy. I know I won’t get to experience those things with you, but if I could just see you do some of them—live your life for you—that would make this shitty situation more tolerable.” Grans smiles. Reaching up again, she squeezes my cheeks together. “So, tell me about this girl you met.”
For the next half hour or so we talk all about Ellie. How we met, why I left, the grocery store and the kiss. Grans sits patiently, taking it all in, asking questions here and there. Being here, like this, is what I’ll
miss the most.
Needed.
Ellie
I have played in front of hundreds of people. Traveled across the country without knowing a single soul. But this? Waiting for Lee to pick me up has my nerves shot to hell.
It’s not like I’ve never been on a date before, I have. Lots of them. Well, not exactly lots. I’m not that type of girl, but if a guy asked me out, I would go.
Lee’s different. I’m not sure why, but I find myself hanging on his every word, mentally begging him not to leave. Hell, last night I was one step away from throwing myself at him.
So, now I’m here, standing outside of Spotlight, wondering if I made the right decision. Maybe I should have waited upstairs or by the bar. “Ugh!” I throw my head back. I hate that I’m second-guessing myself.
“Hey, you,” Lee calls out as he comes walking around the corner.
“I was excited!” I blurt.
Damn it! I need to get my mouth under control. If I would have waited upstairs this wouldn’t have been a problem.
Lee chuckles as he walks up to me, hands in pockets. “Was? Should I be worried?”
“Oh God!” I bury my head in my hands. “I—damn it. I can’t even form a sentence when I’m around you.”
Lee’s hands are on mine, slowly peeling them away from my face.
“Now, what were you saying?” he asks with a toothy grin.
He knows what he does to me so why is he making me say the words? I narrow my eyes. “Fine. I am excited. So much that I didn’t want to wait for you to come up.”
“So, I make you nervous?” He reaches for my hand.
“Yeah.”
Before I can say anything else, he pulls me into him, his lips softly caressing mine.
Top—lick.
Bottom—suck.
Top—pull.
Bottom—nip.
Repeating, falling into a rhythm my lips can sing to.
Nerves—vanish.
Butterflies—flutter.
This man has a way with me.
Breaking away, our eyes open. Lee’s mouth slowly turns into a smirky smile. Mine follows.
“Better?” He reaches out and tucks a few wild hairs behind my ear.
I slowly nod, my eyes never leaving his.
“Great. My truck is just over there.” He points across the road. “You ready?”
I open my mouth to speak. Luckily, I’m able to form a sentence. “Yup.”
Close enough.
“Ellie?” He takes my hand in his.
“Yeah?” I reply. I’m rocking this communication thing.
“I’m excited too,” he admits as he brings our hands up to his mouth, kissing the top of mine. “And every single time I see you, you manage to take my breath away.”
Opening my mouth and then closing it again, I decide words are no longer needed. I let him guide me across the street.
Everything Lee Scott does has meaning and I look forward to exploring his definitions.