8 Weeks (12 page)

When I pulled up to her place, I thought back to what TJ said yesterday afternoon at work.

“You guys love each other, bro. I’ve never seen a couple that belongs together the way that you do, you just have to keep doing what you’re doing, and have faith … I do.”

I ignored the nerves that were pounding through me and walked to the door.

When Shelly answered my knock, I was rendered momentarily speechless.

Her hair was fluffed out in a way that made it frame her face perfectly. Her eyes were smoky, her lips red, and the diamond stud flashed in the light. I let my eyes travel down, taking in her tight jeans, cowboy boots, and black halter top.

“Wow!” I said when I finally regained the ability to speak. I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, inhaling the exquisite scent of her perfume, my body instantly turning rock hard.

“Thanks,” she said with a smile and flush of pleasure.

“You ready?” I asked, offering her my arm.

Shelly locked up, then linked her arm in mine. “Yup. Where are we going?”

“A concert,” I answered with a grin.

“Really?” she asked, excitement filling her voice. My girl loved concerts.

“Wait … Hunter Hayes is in town,” she squealed. “Is that where we’re going?”

I nodded with a grin, pleasure filling me when she jumped up and down on the sidewalk.

Nothing made me feel as good as seeing Shelly totally excited. It didn’t take concerts and trips, either; little things gave her pleasure. It was one of the things I loved best about her.

Shelly chattered excitedly all the way to the stadium. I listened to her with a smile, happy that I was able to take her mind off of everything she’d been dealing with, that we both had been dealing with, and give her a night to let her hair down and do something she loves.

We grabbed a couple beers and made our way down to our seats.

“Wow,” Shelly exclaimed when we found them. “These are great seats. They must have cost you a pretty penny.”

Her face looked worried at that, but I squeezed her hand and leaned in to say, “Don’t worry about it, Shel. Just enjoy the concert.”

She nodded and looked into my eyes, her mouth forming a big grin. “Okay.”

Shelly leaned in and kissed me lightly on the lips before pulling back and saying, “Thank you.”

I didn’t say anything, but turned and faced the stage as my heart pounded painfully in my chest. I was suddenly overtaken by fear. Terrified that I was only going to get four more weeks with Shelly until she was no longer mine to touch, hold, or kiss.

Music began to play and I tried to shake the bad feelings off, and although I was able to enjoy the show, I couldn’t completely shake those traces of fear.

When Hunter Hayes came out to do his encore, I turned to watch Shelly, as I had throughout the show. She was on her feet, singing along, and smiling broadly. When Hunter sang about wanting crazy love, Shelly turned and her eyes caught mine. She kept her eyes on mine, and I saw them begin to fill with tears, so I got to my feet and took her in my arms. She held on as though her life depended on it, and we rocked together slowly to the music.

When the song ended, I pulled back enough to wipe the tears off her face. We didn’t say anything. I moved my hand down to take her hand in mine, and led her out of the stadium.

When we were in the car, waiting in line for the traffic to exit the stadium, I asked, “Did you have fun?”

“Yes,” Shelly said, a smile once more on her face. I wanted to keep it there. “He’s so good live. Thanks again.”

“No problem,” I answered.

We sat there for a few minutes, not saying anything, and not moving more than an inch. Finally I turned to her and asked, “Hey, my family’s having a get-together for Craig’s eighteenth birthday. Dinner and stuff, nothing major, just the family, and I was wondering if you’d go with me.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Shelly asked. “I mean, your parents know about us, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think anyone’s said anything to Craig, and you know he loves you.” It was probably dirty of me to use my brother to get Shelly to spend extra time with me, but I was willing to use whatever I had at my disposal.

I could tell by Shelly’s face that it worked. “Of course, when is the dinner?”

“It’s on Wednesday night, on his birthday,” I answered. “I think he’s doing stuff with his friends to celebrate over the weekend.”

“I can’t believe he’s eighteen already,” Shelly said. “It seems like just yesterday he was turning thirteen and we were celebrating at the bowling alley. Do you remember that?”

“Yeah,” I said with a smile as I remembered my brother and I watching Shelly try to bowl. We’d had a good laugh over the way she’d stomp her foot whenever she’d bowled a gutter ball. Craig had always been a little in love with Shelly himself. “I can’t believe he’s about to graduate. Time goes by quickly.”

“It sure does,” Shelly replied softly. “Hey, speaking of the past … You are not going to believe what Gaby told me and Sasha today.”

“What’s that?” I asked, wondering if we were ever going to get out of this parking lot.

“She and Scott lost their virginity to each other.”

I forgot about the traffic, turning to Shelly with my mouth open. “Get the fuck out of here.”

Shelly laughed and shook her head. “I can’t … It’s true.”

“When? How? Why didn’t they tell us?” I asked, my mind totally blown.

“It was prom night,” Shelly answered.

“Shit, I knew that Scott lost his virginity on prom night, but he never said it was with Gaby. How the hell did that happen?”
“I guess Scott walked by when Gaby was telling Tom that she wanted to go home instead of to the hotel, and when Tom put his hands on her, Scott got rough with him.”

“Tom put his hands on her?” I asked, seeing red, even though there was absolutely nothing I could do about it now.

“Yeah, but Scott took care of it, then dropped his date in order to take care of Gaby, like the total sweetheart that he is … Anyway, after a few drinks they both admitted to having crushes on each other, and one thing led to another …”

“Wow,” I said, trying to wrap my head around this new information. “Scott and Gaby … Why did they never date each other?”

“She said that they were both about to leave for school, and that after that, one of them was always with someone else, so the timing was never right.”

“That’s too bad,” I said. Now that I knew about them, the two of them together made perfect sense. I remembered the conversation I’d had with the guys about Brock. “I bet that’s why Scott didn’t like Brock … He was hitting on Gaby.”

“What?” Shelly asked.

“The guys and I were talking at Craig’s game the other night, and TJ mentioned that he was going to pick up some work with Brock at his painting company, and Scott said he’d thought he was an ass, but they only met once … At that New Year’s masquerade we all went to.”

“That was a great night!” Shelly remembered with a smile. “I do remember Brock hitting on Gaby, but she was dating that Roger guy at the time.”

“It explains Scott’s attitude toward Brock. I can’t believe they had a one-night stand though, that’s crazy … I’m gonna give Scott some shit for this!”

“You can’t,” Shelly exclaimed, putting her hand on my arm as if to hold me back. “If you say something to Scott, he will know Gaby told us, and Gaby will know I told you. She’ll be pissed.”

“Why’d you tell me?” I asked, turning to look into her eyes.

“You know I always tell you everything,” Shelly answered simply.

I couldn’t stop the smile that I knew took over my whole face.

Chapter 26 – Shelly

I couldn’t believe how nervous I was. I mean, Cal’s family is my family, but I hadn’t seen them since before Vegas. I was nervous that they would treat me differently, and would be upset that I was planning to divorce their son.

I wonder if he told them that I was.

I probably should have asked him what
exactly
his parents knew, before I’d said I’d meet him at their place for Craig’s birthday.

I stood on the front porch and smoothed my hand across the floral-print sundress I was wearing, trying to calm the nerves that were fluttering furiously beneath the surface.

I raised my hand to knock, then shook my head and opened the door instead. I hadn’t knocked on this door for six years, it was silly of me to feel like I had to now.

I opened the door and smiled at the sounds and smells that greeted me.

I walked up to where Craig and Scott were talking in the living room. Although Cal had said this would be a family-only dinner, I’d known that Scott would be included. He was just like another brother to Cal and Craig. Rose, Cal’s mom, had always treated him just like her own boys. She’d even grounded him the weekend she found him and Cal sneaking beer from the fridge when we were all still in high school.

“Hey, birthday boy,” I said with a smile when Craig turned around. He enfolded me into a hug, and I was struck by how much he looked like Cal had at eighteen.

“Not a boy anymore,” Craig replied with a devilish grin. I could only imagine how the girls at school responded to that grin on the same handsome face as those amazing eyes.

I chuckled and turned to give Scott a hug.

“Hey,” I said smiling up into his face.

He looked a little stressed around the eyes. “Hey,” Scott replied. “I’m glad you came.”

I just nodded, eager to keep this night about Craig’s celebration, and not about mine and Cal’s relationship.

“There’s my favorite girl.” I looked up and watched Rose maneuver toward me from the kitchen. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” She turned and smacked Scott on the arm, “Don’t just stand there, go get Shelly a drink … And help Cal set the table.”

“Haha … I get a pardon cause it’s my birthday,” Craig yelled out after Scott.

“Just for that, you can go help your dad with the projector,” Rose said with an arch of her eyebrow.

I stifled a giggle at the forlorn look on Craig’s face as he turned to walk down the hall.

“Birthdays used to mean special privileges,” Craig said to no one in particular as he walked.

Rose and I both laughed, and I felt my heart lurch as she tucked her arm in mine.

“Let’s walk a bit before dinner,” she said.

I nodded and followed her lead out the door.

Once we were outside, Rose didn’t waste any time getting to the point.

“Shelly … Cal told me about what happened, and I am sorrier than I can ever explain, for you … and my son. I can’t begin to understand the hurt and betrayal that you must have felt … must still feel … I can only imagine. And I understand that your first instinct is to cut and run, but Shelly, I have to tell you, I’m really hoping that you won’t.”

We both stopped and turned to look at each other. I knew and respected Rose enough to let her finish what she felt she needed to say, but a part of me was burning inside, and I wanted to tell her to mind her own business.

But I didn’t.

“Cal has loved you since the moment he saw you in that gymnasium, and as much as Harry and I worried that you kids were getting too serious too young, Cal never wavered. He told me the summer after you met that you were the girl for him, and that he would marry you as soon as he could. And he did. My son may have made a horrible mistake, but I know his heart as well as you do, and we both know that he loves you with a passion, and he always will. All I’m asking is that you take into consideration the past six years of your life, as well as that one night, before you make a final decision. I also want you to know that I love you dearly, and that no matter what decision you
do
end up making, you will always be my daughter.”

I choked back a sob as my eyes filled, and we smiled at each other through our tears. I pulled her into a hug, and we both stood there for a moment, crying silently and holding on to each other.

I loved this woman dearly … No, I loved this
family
dearly, and the thought of not having them in my life was like an added weight on my shoulders. I felt it crushing me and I wanted nothing more than to be able to get out from under it.

Suddenly, my body felt coiled with frustration and rage.

I wished whole-heartedly that Cal had never went to Vegas and fucked up our lives. His indiscretion was affecting everyone around us and I wanted to rail at him for being such an idiot.

Rose and I walked silently back to the house, and I tried to tamper down the feelings of anger. I don’t know if she felt the change in me, but she patted me on the shoulder and smiled before leaving me standing on the front porch.

I breathed in and out deeply, trying to release the anger that had flooded me so completely.

“Everything okay?” I looked up just as Cal stepped out onto the porch. “I saw Mom come back in alone, so I wanted to check on you.”

I looked up at him and saw my worry reflected back at me. I knew he could tell that I was upset, but didn’t want to ruin the evening.

“I’m fine,” I responded. “Can you come by my place later though, so we can talk?”

“Of course,” Cal said with a frown. “Look, Shelly, if it’s too much for you to be here, I understand. I can tell everyone you didn’t feel well or something, and stop by later.”

“No, that’s okay,” I replied, gesturing for him to lead the way back inside. “I want to be here for Craig … I’ll be okay.”

We both walked quietly back inside, and I knew it was going to be a difficult meal for both of us. I just hoped we could put on brave faces for his family.

Chapter 27 – Cal

I always loved spending time with my family, the way we joked with each other, the love that was always in the room, and the laughter that inevitably filled the house. But sitting through dinner tonight was unbearable.

I was so apprehensive, worried about what Shelly wanted to talk about. I mean, I had a good idea of what she wanted to talk about, but it was the first time since we started our dates that she seemed to want to. I couldn’t help but be worried about what she wanted to say. I only hoped that she wasn’t going to try and back out of the last three dates.