Chapter 18
Melinda
By the time we arrived at Emma’s parents’ house, the sun was starting to set. We’d rolled down the windows, and the ocean air was blowing through the car, causing my hair to swirl all around my head.
“Finally,” I sighed when Emma cut the engine.
“You’re telling me,” Em groaned at she stretched and opened her door.
I glanced into the backseat to find Brooklyn fast asleep. His hand was clutching his blanket as he sucked his thumb, a habit I’ve been trying to break for a while now.
“You made it!” Emma’s mom shouted from the deck above. She was smiling as she pushed back off the railing and began jogging down the stairs to where we were. “I wanna see this baby,” she clapped her hands excitedly.
Emma frowned as she watched her mom breeze right past her and lean into the car. “Hi,” she waved, but her mom kinda brushed her off.
“Oh, he’s so cute,” she grinned at me. “If you ever need a sitter when you’re in town, just call.”
“Mom,” Emma huffed. “I just drove six hours with a kid in the car to come spend the summer with you guys and you act like I’m not here.” Mrs. Sutter brushed her off again as she watched me unbuckle Brooklyn and lift him out. “Maybe I should just have a kid, too.”
“I don’t think so,” her dad glared at her. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re not doing any of that,” he waved his finger around as he tried to keep a stern face.
“Right,” Emma laughed as Brock and Aaron came walking up off the beach. They were both barefoot, but dressed in khaki shorts and golf shirts. I couldn’t help but stare as I watched the wind tousle his hair.
“Hey, beautiful,” he weaved around everyone and stopped in front of me, leaning down to place a light kiss to my lips.
“Hi,” I grinned. I couldn’t help it. For the first time in a long time, I was happy. I didn’t have anything to worry about, and it seemed that everyone was ok with Brooklyn and I being here for this family event.
One by one the rest of the group left us without us even knowing. I looked around, and they were all walking off. “Let’s get you settled, then I’ve got plans for tonight.”
“Plans?” I blinked against the waning sunlight.
“Yep,” he nodded as he rounded the back of the car and began grabbing mine and
Brook’s bags. “Mom is going to watch the little guy, if you’re ok with it, and we’re going to have a bonfire on the beach.”
“You have it all planned out, huh,” I laughed lightly, causing Brooklyn to stir.
“Hell yeah. Early graduation present,” he smiled before leading me down a small path that ended by the slider to his parents’ house.
“This is cool,” I mused as I looked back at where we’d come from.
“When we were little this was how we went back and forth to each other’s houses. I’d walk this path no less than ten times a day.” We stepped inside, and I was surrounded by the cooler air, and a layout similar to Em’s house. “Wait here,” he motioned for me to stay while he carried the bags away.
I glanced around at the living space as Brooklyn stared wide eyed and then proceeded to squirm to get down. I couldn’t blame him. He’d been in the car all afternoon.
“Beesh!” he grinned as he craned his neck toward the slider.
“Yep. We’re at the beach,” I kissed the top of his head. Brooklyn had never seen the ocean or experienced the sand, and I wondered how he would react when we went out on it tomorrow for the first time. We’d been talking about it long enough that he’d mentioned it daily for a while now. It was warm enough to swim now, and I couldn’t wait.
“Down, Momma,” he frowned as he squirmed again.
“It’s ok,” Aaron rounded the corner right then. “I had Mom put away anything that he could break. You can let him down.”
I slowly lowered Brooklyn to the ground and watched as he wandered carefully around the room. His chubby little hands carefully touched the different surfaces he could reach before he came back and wrapped his arms around my leg.
“My parents were on the deck. They’re coming in now,” Aaron motioned to a door off the kitchen. “You want something to drink?” He seemed nervous, and I couldn’t figure out why.
“Hi,” a woman about my height rounded the corner. She had brown hair and was wearing a bikini top with one of those beach things tied around her waist. “You must be Melinda. I’m Avery,” she held out her hand to shake. “And you must be Brooklyn.”
Brook scurried farther behind my leg to hide as he peered with one eye at Avery. “Hey, Mom,” Aaron waved but Avery kinda ignored him. “Mom,” he cleared his throat.
“Aren’t you the cutest little thing,” Avery squatted down to be on Brooklyn’s level. “I just went to the store today. Do you like applesauce?” Brooklyn’s eyes widened as his head nodded vigorously. “You think you might want to help me eat some of it?”
“Mom!” Aaron tried again but as soon as I agreed that Brooklyn could have a snack, Avery was gone.
Brooklyn’s hand left my leg and grasped onto Avery’s hand as she led him over to the table where a high chair was sitting. She began talking baby talk to him as she lifted him up. “You’re not important anymore,” I giggled.
Aaron frowned, “I’m always important.”
“Not when there’s a baby around. Trust me. I’ve been dealing with this since he was born. When a baby is in the room, you’re not important anymore,” I leaned into his side and offered a quick hug. “Why don’t you show me where to put the rest of my stuff while your mom keeps him occupied.”
“Sure,” he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and began leading me down the hallway. We passed by several doors before coming to a stop near the end. “I want you to know that you’re the first woman to ever come in here,” he stepped back and let me pass through the door in front of him.
“Is this your room?” I glanced around. There was a bed pushed into the corner, and a dresser opposite it. A pack and play was at the end of the bed. The windows were draped with blue plaid curtains, and the blue walls were covered in sports posters and a few movie posters.
“I wanted you to be comfortable. I spent all day cleaning it and getting ready for you. You can pay me back later,” he grinned as his brows bounced. I hugged him and burrowed my face into his chest. He smelled like body wash and I just wanted to stay there forever.
“No, she won’t,” a man who looked like an older version of Aaron filled the doorway and I jumped back in surprise. I had never formally met Aaron’s dad, despite seeing him last summer. He was much more intimidating up close like this.
“Dad, this is Melinda. Mel, this is my dad,” Aaron groaned as his hand motioned between us.
“Thank you for letting me stay here,” I smiled. “I really appreciate it.”
“Avery’s been excited ever since she found out about a baby coming. I didn’t stand a chance,” he chuckled but I didn’t think he was laughing.
After he disappeared, I looked up at Aaron, “I don’t think your dad likes me.”
“He likes you, he’s just mad at me,” Aaron sighed. “Let’s go check on my mom and then I want to take you for a walk.”
“Ok,” I shrugged. I wasn’t really worried about Brooklyn being with his mom. I was more concerned that he might not do well being in a strange place without me.
When we moved back into the living room I stopped in my tracks. There was Brooklyn sitting on the floor surrounded by toys. “Momma, ook!” he thrust his hand in the air to show me a blue truck. “Vroom, vroom,” he giggled as he made the truck drive around on the carpet. Everywhere I looked I saw toys. Piles of blocks, balls, and toy trucks littered the floor.
“I see buddy,” I knelt down in front of him.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Avery cringed. “When I told Leah you guys were staying here, we went shopping. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a baby around.”
“It’s too much,” I bit my lip to keep it from trembling.
“Nonsense,” Avery brushed me off as she stood from where she’d been sitting. “We’re happy to have you. Now go enjoy yourselves. We’ll be fine,” she sat back down and I watched as Brooklyn played with her as if I weren’t even there.
“Mom has always been really good with kids. You don’t have anything to worry about,” he nudged me. “Ready for that walk?”
“Sure,” I glanced over at Brook one last time before following Aaron outside. I don’t think he even cared that I was leaving him there.
Once we were outside, Aaron led me over the dunes and down to where the shallow water was lapping at our feet. I’d taken my flip flops off and was swinging them in one hand while using my other hand to hold Aaron’s. The sun was just touching the water, and the sky was glowing a beautiful shade of orange.
“This is my favorite time of day,” Aaron mused, breaking the silence between us.
“Mine is the predawn hours of the day,” I stared out at where a gull was skipping along on the sand. “When Brook was a baby he didn’t sleep much. He woke up every morning around three. At first I hated it, but the more I got up with him, the more I found it peaceful. No one else was awake, and the house was always quiet. I’d use that time to bond with him. Right when he started sleeping through the night, I went off to school. I miss those mornings so much that I find myself getting up early and watching the sunrise.”
“We can watch the sunrise if you want,” Aaron stopped us and turned so we were facing the water. “I can’t say that we’ll be waking up though. I may just keep you up all night,” his lips turned up in a grin as he stared at me.
“What about graduation tomorrow? And your party?” my eyes went wide as I thought about being the cause of him missing this important event.
“I’ll live,” he shrugged.
“Aaron!” I gasped.
“What? If you think I wouldn’t give all that up to spend the entire night with you, you’re crazy. Besides, it’s a fake piece of paper that they give you. The real one comes in the mail later.”
“I will not be the reason you miss this,” I pouted. “I came all this way. I want to see you walk across that stage tomorrow.”
“Fine, but we’re still spending all night together,” he scoffed.
“But,” before I could say anything else, he pressed his lips to mine, silencing me.
“No buts. Well, except this one,” he reached down and palmed my ass, squeezing it as a growl came out of him. “I’ve got plans for this,” he squeezed again before releasing me.
“What kinda plans?” I shivered as I thought about spending the night with him. It had been months since we’d been together, and after that first time I knew I’d never get enough. The only thing I worried about was Brooklyn.
As if Aaron could sense it, he tugged at my hand to get my attention, “He’s fine, and I have my phone if there’s a problem. Trust me. My mom has been dying to spend time with him. It’s all she’s talked about since I told her you both were coming this morning.”
“Ok,” I relented. Aaron pulled me a few more steps before directing me to turn around. There on the sand was a ready-made fire pit, a cooler, and a small tent. “What’s all this?” I blushed as I took it all in.
“Dinner and dessert, I hope,” he leaned down and kissed the side of my neck. “I’ve been waiting a long time to have my way with you, Mel, and tonight I plan on going nice and slow.”
Little did he know that I wasn’t a very patient person, and tonight I was going to make it impossible for him to go slow. Tonight I was going to drive Aaron Sutter to the brink of madness.