Tripped Up Love Page 6

  “It is gorgeous out,” said Heather.

  “I ordered the weather for you too,” joked Peter. “Do you feel better?”

  “I do. Just what the doctor ordered.”

  “Good. This is the perfect way for me to procrastinate.”

  “Are you supposed to be writing today?”

  “Technically, but I can write anytime today. I’m pretty open later.”

  “I should be writing too, or finding a job or cleaning my house, or doing laundry or making dinner.”

  “Are you looking for a job?”

  “Not actively. Kind of hoping I can write this book and it will turn into a viral bestseller, be made into a movie and I will never have to think about money again.”

  “Sounds like you have it all planned out.”

  “Just need a miracle to make that happen.” Heather smiled never once thinking the miracle could be sitting in front of her. Peter loved that about Heather. Upon meeting Peter, most people asked him to read a manuscript for them. Peter had asked to read Heather’s manuscript at least twice, and she had not taken him up on either offer. He had a feeling he might force the issue in the near future.

  Their knees bumped while they were waiting for lunch. Feeling Peter’s skin against hers sent shivers up Heather’s back. He was wearing khaki shorts, a blue checked button down with the sleeves rolled up and boat shoes. Heather could see parts of his tattoos on both of his arms. The urge to reach over and trace each one was almost irresistible. His legs seemed to be tattoo free and covered in silky dark hair. Heather feared her knees might be a bit stubbly as she was never good with a razor.

  “Tell me about your tattoos.”

  “Most of them are Celtic symbols and knots.”

  “What about this one?” Shocking herself and Peter, Heather reached over and traced a shamrock on his wrist. Peter took full advantage. He held onto her hand and rubbed her palm with his fingers.

  “Obviously, it’s a shamrock. It was my first tattoo. My first act of rebellion against my Irish Catholic family. But, I ended up liking it and getting into the artistry and symbolism behind creating tattoos. All much to my mother, father and sister’s dismay. Adamson’s tend to be pretty straight and narrow. I’m breaking the mold.”

  “My mom would die if I had a tattoo. It was part of my life plan to get one on my wrist before I turn 40, but I’ve been veering from that plan.”

  “When do you turn 40?”

  “January.”

  “I’ll take you. We’ll get tattoos together. Nothing cheesy and matchy matchy. You decide what you want. I have a couple ideas of about what I am going to get next.”

  “I just met you last week. Now we’re getting tattoos together? Seems a little much, don’t you think?”

  “No, I don’t think so. There is so much more we will do together.” Heather turned a shade of crimson Peter had never seen before. He could tell from her racing pulse this was an idea she liked.

  The waiter brought lunch just in time as far as Heather was concerned. She needed her hand back and another glass of wine. Just as she thought that, her glass was magically filled. They sat in silence for a few minutes while they ate. Heather could feel Peter’s eyes staring at her with an intensity she was not used to. The last time Heather had dated was in college. College boys smelled like beer and tried to get around the bases as fast as they could. The college boys she knew were sloppy. They were the opposite of intense but still very persistent. Was this what dating real life grown-ups was like? Peter seemed perfect. A catch by almost any standard. Why was he still alone? The wine was making Heather brave, and even a little bit bold.

  “Why aren’t you married and settled down with kids?”

  “Couldn’t find the answer on Google?” Heather blushed again. “It sounds trite, but I never found the right person. As soon as my work was published, and I made a name for myself, people had ulterior motives when they met me. They always wanted to pass a manuscript on or get a part in a movie. I’ve had several serious relationships, but my life has always gotten in the way. To be honest, I have never felt lonely or the urge to let anyone in. You are the first woman I have changed my day around for. Usually I force people to fit into my life. That’s not the case with you.”

  “Lucky you to have picked me up. I derailed your whole schedule.”

  “Heather, I believe in fate. I believe in signs. I believe I left Janie’s house at the perfect moment to be there for you. I do not believe there are accidents. I believe last Monday, the universe aligned everything just right so we would finally meet.”

  Holy Cow! Who is this guy? Why does this vision of hotness think my mess of a life is worth his time? And I just met this man last week when he peeled me off the asphalt. Maybe he’s researching ways to stalk and kill widows for his next book. Heather’s thoughts were racing. She wished she had a recording of the speech to give to Lauren and to Jenny. Lauren would see how much happenstance and fate was involved. Jenny would be able to sniff out any serial killer tendencies. Heather sighed and reached for her wine glass. The only answer was more wine. Her bracelet with the magnetic clasp got stuck on the patio table causing her fingers to knock her glass of wine right over on top of Peter’s lovely Eggplant Parmesan sandwich.

  “Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!! Did it get on you?”

  “No,” Peter chuckled. “But I think you need to share your lunch with me now.”

  Peter raised his hand, and the waiter was at his side in a millisecond.

  “We’ve had a little accident. We need some more wine and another sandwich, please.”

  “Right away, Mr. Adamson.”

  The waiter watched it all happen from the window. He had already had the chef start a new lunch. They had all laughed at the lady with the cast’s horrified face as she dumped her wine.

  “Seriously, you can’t take me anywhere. I’m a mess.”

  “I haven’t laughed or smiled this much in a long time. You certainly are not boring.”

  No, I’m not, thought Heather. Nothing like a little comic relief after Peter professed his philosophy on their relationship. Heather tried a new strategy rather than her ‘freak out’ strategy. She was going to follow her therapist’s orders and breathe. Alternated with a gulp of wine. The waiter brought Peter his lunch. Peter asked more about the kids. Safe territory, thought Heather. She could talk about her kids all day. Heather told Peter about the mouse she had found in Henry’s drawer. She also found herself discussing her baseball coach issues with this handsome man who could still be considered a stranger. Peter listened like every word might be her last. Everything about Peter was intense.

  They finished lunch, and Peter didn’t want to linger and hold the opening of the restaurant up anymore. So, they went on their way. The ride home was quick. There was only one traffic light between the restaurant and Heather’s house, and it was green. That meant no kissing in the Lexus. Only handholding. Peter walked Heather to the door, and Heather asked him to come in. The bus wasn’t due for another two hours. Heather didn’t want Peter to leave, but all his intensity was making her nervous. When she was with him, she was more comfortable and happier than usual. He sat down on the sectional in the family room. She slowly made her way to the kitchen for some glasses of water. Thank goodness her foot was weight bearing in the cast. She had only needed the crutches for a few days. Heather sat down next to Peter and propped her leg up on the ottoman in front of her. Her nerves were rattling. Her eyes were at half-mast after the two and a half glasses of wine at lunch. Peter twirled a piece of her hair with his finger. His finger brushed her cheek. Heather shivered.

  “You ok?”

  “Yeah. It’s just been a long time since I’ve done anything like this. I’m kind of out of practice with this whole dating thing. To be honest, you are a little intense.”

  Peter laughed, leaned over and kissed her. He absorbed her mouth into his. Heather sighed. He didn’t give her any time to think. He didn’t give her any time to change her mind o
r feel guilty. At that moment, guilt was the farthest thing from her mind. One hand roamed through her hair and the other held her back. Peter unlocked all of the passion Heather had been keeping locked up for longer than the last year and a half. He knew he had to stop. Kissing her like this, having her body pressed up against his made him want so much more. Peter knew he needed to wait until Heather was really ready to go any farther.

  The doorbell rang. Heather pushed him back with both hands and a strength he didn’t think she had packed into her tiny body.

  “Crap.” Heather wiped the guilt and smeared lipstick off of her face and walked to the door.

  It was Donna.

  “Hi, sweetie. I brought you dinner. Thought I would drop it by after lunch with Gracie and Henry.”

  “Thanks, Donna. That was so nice.” Donna moved past Heather and brought it to the kitchen where she found Peter sitting on the couch. Peter got up quickly when he realized Donna had made her way back towards the family room and kitchen. He walked right over to her and shook her hand.

  “Hi. I’m Peter Adamson.”

  “Hi, Peter. I’m Heather’s mother-in-law, Donna Meadows. Nice to meet you. Heather told me about you. I can’t thank you enough for helping her last week.”

  “Any time, Donna. It was my pleasure to help Heather.”

  “Well, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Just thought I could pop this over on my way home.”

  “Thank you, Donna. I’ll call you later,” said Heather desperate for the awkward situation to end.

  “I look forward to seeing you again, Donna.”

  “Ok,” said Donna, clearly flustered seeing Heather with another man. “I’ll let myself out. Love you, Heather.”

  “Love you too, Donna and really, thank you.”

  Heather made her way back to the couch after she heard the front door close. Peter followed.

  “That was awkward.”

  “I think it was just as awkward for you as it was for her. But, it’s done. She’s met me. You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

  “I have been with her son on and off for the last 34 years. All of the sudden she saw me with someone else. I can’t imagine how that felt to her.”

  “It was probably a shock. It probably hurt. But, I am sure both of you have dealt with a lot worse over the last year and a half.”

  “We have,” said Heather rubbing her temples. “I just never imagined this scenario.”

  “That’s good. Then you had one less thing to worry about,” said Peter, twirling her hair again knowing neither one of them, for different reasons, could handle going back to the same place they were in a few minutes prior to the doorbell ringing. “I am not hanging out with you for a bunch of cheap thrills. You come with too many strings for that.” Heather’s eyes opened wider than Peter thought possible. She looked scared. Scared of what he might say next.

  “In case I haven’t made myself clear, I am drawn to you. I want to see the twinkle in those green eyes. I want to smell the orange shampoo in your hair. I want you to get your cast off so I can watch you run with me. I want to learn more about you and your three children.”

  “Be careful what you ask for. The younger Meadows are pretty greedy,” Heather said with a smile that shocked her.

  “I need your phone number - cell and home. You have mine you know. It’s on your cast. You can use it.”

  “Thank you for lunch.”

  “Thank you.” Peter stood up over Heather and kissed her. His slight stubble tickled her cheeks while his tongue explored every inch of her mouth again.

  “I’ll call you later.” Peter walked to the door and let himself out, leaving Heather out of breath yearning for more time with him on the couch. She was a hot mess. How was she going to carry on with her day after that kiss? She had an hour to go before Hayes got off the bus. An hour and a half before Henry and Gracie got home. She had to pull herself together.

  Chapter 8

  Hayes got home at 3:15. He was in sixth grade and knew everything, or at least thought he did. Heather was working in her office when he came off the bus.

  “Mom, Peyton said you went out on a date the other night. Did you?” Fuck. Facebook strikes again, thought Heather. Peyton’s mom must have seen the picture and told him about it.

  “The guy who helped me when I broke my ankle took me out to dinner while you were at your tournament. You know, the guy who signed my cast - Peter Adamson.”

  “Was it a date?”

  “I don’t know. We just went out.”

  “Are you done loving Dad?”

  “Hayes, I will never be done loving your dad. I have loved him since I was 6 years old. My life revolved around him. I never imagined a world without him in it. But he’s not with us anymore. My life revolves around the three of you now.”

  “It grosses me out to think about you dating.”

  “Don’t think about it then.”

  “Well, I had to hear about it at school.”

  “And I am very sorry about that. I won’t let it happen again. I promise I will tell you what I am doing, but you have to promise to be honest and tell me how you feel about it.”

  “Does Gracie know?”

  “No.”

  “Henry?”

  “No. They know I went out to dinner, but they don’t know who I went out with. We can tell them together at dinner.”

  Hayes was off. That was enough conversation for him. He grabbed a snack and parked himself on the couch and watched TV before his younger siblings ruined his peace and quiet.

  Heather decided not to hobble out to the bus stop. She sat on her steps and waited for the kids. She could see the bus stop at the corner if she sat on the steps in just the right spot. Jenny walked over and sat with her wanting to hear all the details. Heather told her he had rented out Portico.

  “It was amazing and crazy. When we got back here, he came in, and we were sitting on the couch kissing and the doorbell rang. It was Donna bringing me dinner.”

  “Oh no. How did it go?”

  “Well, I ended up telling her yesterday because I knew she would see the picture on Facebook. She handled yesterday really well, but today she looked like she had been hit by a truck.”

  “I’m sure you aren’t surprised. She saw someone who could potentially replace her son.”

  “I’m not surprised at all. I’m grateful she didn’t freak out like Lauren did yesterday.” Heather gave Jenny all the Lauren details.

  “Just take it slow with them.”

  “I’m trying, but things keep happening that are pushing everything along faster than I anticipated.”

  “Remember, there is no right timeline for any of this. As long as you’re happy, honest and comfortable it’s all good.”

  “I know. I feel like a broken record, but I never imagined any of this.”

  “Of course not. How could you imagine your 38-year-old husband dying of a heart attack? Why would you? There’s no road map for you to follow. Your life has been so intertwined with the Meadows Family. That doesn’t make anything easier on one hand. But on the other, you are lucky to have them in your life. Even though you don’t have Hank anymore.”

  Heather wiped away a tear as the bus pulled up. “What would I do without you, Jenny?”

  “Not going to let you find out.” Jenny rubbed Heather’s back for a second before being greeted by all of the kids.

  “Talk to you later, Heather.”

  Heather walked in with Gracie and Henry. She got them a snack and started going through their backpacks.

  “Guys. You know mom went out on a date on Saturday?” yelled Hayes from the couch. So much for Heather and Hayes telling them together.

  “What?” Gracie and Henry said in unison.

  “I went out with the guy who took care of me when I broke my ankle.”

  “Are you going to see him again?” asked Hayes.

  Heather took a deep breath and sat down on the couch next to Hayes.

  “Actually, he
took me out to lunch today while you were at school.”

  “Seriously?” asked Hayes.

  “Yes, seriously. And he met Nana. She dropped off dinner while he was dropping me off.” Heather realized there was no point in covering anything else up. In this instant, electronic age they could easily find out what she was doing and whom she was with. Complete honesty was the only policy.

  “What did she say?” asked Gracie. Heather could see in her eyes she wanted Nana to be ok with all of this. Gracie and Nana were close. Donna was an artist in her spare time, and Gracie aspired to be the same.

  “She was happy to meet him. She only stayed for a minute.”

  “When can we meet him?” asked Henry. “I have some questions about him.”

  “For him, dummy,” said Hayes.

  “No. I have questions about him,” said Henry adamantly.

  “You can meet him soon. I’m just getting to know him too. Let’s take our time with all of this. Ok, homework time. Enough about Mom.”

  Heather was sure there was a book or a website with sage advice for widows who were talking to their kids about dating. She was sure there were books about almost every parenting issue, but she always followed her gut. She parented her kids with an authenticity they all trusted. She had a few steadfast rules.

  No cellphone until middle school.

  No ears pierced for girls until fifth grade was over and for boys not until they finished college.

  Heather was sure Henry would break the piercing rule. She simply hoped he didn’t get those big holes in his ears. They had Meadows Family rules too.

  You must wear pants to the table.

  If your hands smell like dead clams, wash them.

  After this past weekend, Heather knew it was time to add one more.

  Don’t store dead animals in your room.

  Heather had worked so hard at not becoming a pushover ever since Hank had died. She had become even more laid-back about some things, but the truth was her kids were pretty good. They were mischievous, at least Henry was, but so far they had given her very little trouble in school or at home. She was lucky, and she said thank you to the stars every day for her kids. But parenting alone and with your own grief was not easy. There were many mistakes to be made.