8 Weeks (7 page)

The drive to the park didn't take long. Bellows Park was vast and green, with playgrounds, a dog park, a pond, and plenty of space to enjoy a meal.

I got out and met Shelly at her door. I opened it for her and held out my hand to help her out.

She took it and rose out of the car, then paused and looked at me.

"Bellows Park," she stated softly.

This was where I'd brought her on our first date. I was hoping to recreate that day, and the feelings that went with it, and I could tell by the look on her face, she knew it.

I walked around her car to mine, and opened my trunk. I pulled out a blanket and a picnic basket, then turned and smiled at Shelly.

"You ready?"

She nodded and I started off toward the spot by the pond that we'd picnic’d at all those years ago.

The weather had been perfect that day, and Shelly had looked amazingly beautiful in a pair of black shorts and a black-and-white striped top. Her hair had been pulled back into ponytail, and her face was fresh and pretty.

We'd come to the park with a lunch packed by my mother, but I never told Shelly that; I'd claimed that I'd made it all myself. I wanted to impress her, but I knew she saw right through me. She always did.

We'd spent the afternoon feeding ducks and nibbling on the food in the basket, as we told each other all of our hopes and dreams. We'd even rented a paddleboat and took it out to the middle of the pond. It was out there, in the center of the pond, with the sun setting, that I'd gathered the courage to lean in to her, and initiated our first kiss.

When we reached the edge of the pond, I laid out the blanket and placed the basket on the edge.

"Do you want to sit and eat, or do you want to feed the ducks first?" I asked Shelly when she looked to me for guidance.

She smiled slowly. "Ducks."

I opened the basket, pulled out half a loaf of bread, and handed it to her. The look on her face was childlike, and it warmed my heart. I hadn't seen her look so unburdened since our anniversary.

We walked over to the ducks, and I watched her as she opened the bag and tore off pieces of bread. She leaned over at the waist to throw some out to the ducks, and I took the opportunity to allow my gaze to travel her body. My own body began to harden as I watched Shelly's jeans strain against her backside.

Shit, I needed to calm myself down before I ended up upsetting her. I didn't want anything to ruin this date. Even my own desires for my wife.

Baseball, grandma, possums, cookies ...

By the time Shelly turned to me, a big grin on her face, I'd managed to get my hormones in check.

"I haven't been out here in forever, it looks great," Shelly said, her gaze sweeping the pond and its surrounding areas. "Do they still have paddleboats?"

I wondered if she was thinking back to our first kiss, and said, "Yeah, they sure do. I thought we'd rent one after we eat."

She offered me a piece of bread, and I took it gently from her hand before throwing it out to the waiting ducks. A couple of them went after it, and Shelly laughed when they started quacking at each other.

"How's everything at work?" I asked as she threw the last piece of bread.

"It's been okay," she said quietly. "I haven't been very focused, I'll admit, but everyone's been understanding."

Her answer made me wish I'd brought up something else. I needed to think of safe topics. Things that would make her happy, not sad.

As we walked back to the blanket, she asked, "How about you? Work okay?"

I held out my hand to help her down on the blanket, and she took it with a small smile. I felt the warmth of her hand in mine, and wished that I could pull her to me, but I knew it was too soon.

I feared I'd never get to hold her in my arms again, but I shook it off and forced myself to remain positive. If I didn't believe Shelly could forgive me, why would she?

After she was seated, I followed suit and sat with my legs stretched out in front of me.

"It's been good, kind of slow, but TJ's been keeping me entertained."

"I bet."

"He told me this story the other day about a girl he picked up in Walmart. He walked right up to her, handed her his phone, and told her to program her number in, so he could call before he came over to pick her up at eight."

"Did she give it to him?" Shelly asked with a smile. She loved TJ stories.

"She sure did, didn't even bat an eye. Once he had her number, TJ walked away giving her a wink and a smile."

The sound of Shelly's laughter warmed me up from the inside out. There's nothing I wouldn't do to hear that sound for the rest of my life.

As we ate, we kept to the safe topics, talking about our friends and family. It was a wonderful meal, and when we were done eating Shelly asked playfully, "So, did your mother pack this basket for you?"

"Nope," I responded with a grin. "I made it all myself."

We both knew I was lying, I had no game when it came to cooking. I’d picked everything up, ready to eat, at the supermarket. I was thrilled that Shelly was joking with me, just like she used to.

I stood up and held out my hand to her.

"The paddleboats await." She put her hand in mine and I helped her to her feet. When we started in the direction of the rentals, I kept holding her hand, hopeful that she wouldn't pull away.

She didn't.

When we got to the rental booth, I reluctantly let her hand go so I could pay for the boat.

"I haven't been in a paddleboat since the last time we were here," I said as I guided her to the blue boat we had rented.

"Me neither," Shelly responded. "I don't know why not, I remember we had fun."

"I guess we just got caught up in life," I admitted. "We didn't take enough days off to do something fun."

Once we were both seated, we started paddling toward the middle of the water.

"This hurts more then I remember," I said with a laugh.

"We aren't sixteen anymore," Shelly replied.

Once we got well off shore, we stopped paddling and let the boat float along in the water.

"Doesn't that sound peaceful?” Shelly asked, and I tuned in to the sounds of the water lapping against the boat, the birds chirping, and a dog barking off in the distance.

"Yeah, it does."

I turned to look at her profile, and smiled when the stud in her nose blinked in the sunlight. She looked at peace sitting there with her face upturned and eyes half closed, basking in the sun.

She opened her eyes and turned her to face me, that small smile still on her lips, and without thinking, I leaned in. I barely registered the widening of her eyes before my lips caressed hers softly.

Her lips were soft and full, and although I wanted to deepen the kiss, instead I pulled back and smiled at her.

Shelly didn't look angry or yell, she just sat very still and looked into my eyes. We sat there for a moment, neither of us speaking, just feeling. I knew that my body was a mix of emotions from that kiss, and I'd wager that she felt the same way.

We paddled back, and although I wanted to go home with her and spend the night cradling her in my arms, I knew it was time for this date to come to an end.

When I walked her to her car I said, "Thanks for coming with me today, Shelly."

"You're welcome. It was fun."

I helped her into her car, and she gave me one more slightly confused look before she pulled out of the parking lot and left me there.

As I watched her leave me this time, rather than feeling the dread I had when she'd left me last weekend, I felt full of hope.

Chapter 16 - Shelly

I'd lain awake last night, reliving the events of yesterday’s date in my head.

I'd felt happy, sad, and confused.

The day with Cal had been almost perfect. It had felt normal and familiar. We'd been
Us.

Being with Cal that way, talking, laughing, and having fun, had made it easy to forget the pain of the last few weeks. And when he'd kissed me ... I'd wanted to sink into that feeling and pull him in closer.

I missed him.

I missed us.

I missed sex.

Seriously ... I missed the joy and comfort that came along with giving yourself fully to the person that you love. The utter abandon that came with having sex with that person. The contentment you felt afterwards, when you fell asleep in their arms.

That's how I'd always felt with Cal, and I missed sharing that with him.

I was beyond confused.

On one hand, I missed and loved my husband. On the other, I hated the way he'd betrayed me and made me feel.

I felt as if I were at war with myself.Now, I was preparing to move into a one-bedroom condo that Sasha had found for me. The current owners were looking for someone to rent to own, and I was about to become that person.

I was nervous and excited about living on my own. I'd gone straight from my dad's to being married and living with Cal, so I'd never lived alone.

I heard a knock and my dad talking, so I went out, expecting to see the girls, and was surprised to see Scott and TJ sitting on the sofa in the living room.

"Hey, guys," I said. "What's going on?"

Scott stood when he heard my voice and responded, "Gaby told me that you were moving today, so TJ and I thought we'd come help. We didn't want you ladies having fun without us."

TJ grinned and I smiled back at the two of them, then my smile dropped when I wondered if that meant Cal was coming too.

At the look on my face, Scott shook his head and said, "It's just us."

I briefly wondered what Cal was up to, but understood that him helping me move into a new place would be hard on both of us. Moving out of our house had been difficult enough.

"Thanks, guys."

"We're your friends too, Shel, no matter what happens," Scott responded with a sad smile.

I nodded and started to respond, when the door flew open and Sasha came whirling in.

She even made workout clothes look fabulous.

"Hey, Papa," she said, leaning in to give my dad a kiss on the cheek before turning to the rest of us. "Hey, guys. Let's get this party started."

We headed outside, where I already had the truck backed up in the driveway. All of my stuff was still in boxes in the garage, where we'd left it last week.

Gaby arrived in the mist of our loading up the truck, and jumped in to help out.

With six of us working, we had everything loaded up in no time, and were heading off to my new home. It wasn't much, but I was ready to be out of my father's house and back out on my own.

We made quick work of unloading the truck and I ordered pizza for everyone to thank them for helping me out. We were sitting around my new living room floor eating when Scott said, "I have to go, Victoria and I are meeting to plan our rehearsal dinner."

I noticed his eyes go straight to Gaby's. They looked at each other, seeming to have a private conversation with one look, before she turned her head and looked down at her pizza.

That was weird ...

"Okay," I responded. "Thanks again for coming and helping out. It would have taken us a lot longer without your muscles."

TJ stood, flexed dramatically, and said, "That's what all the ladies say."

Sasha snorted at that, and TJ leaned over and tweaked her nose.

"You love it," he said with a grin.

"Thanks again," I said with a chuckle, giving first TJ, then Scott, a hug.

I walked them to the door, and after TJ walked out I stopped Scott by placing my hand on his arm.

"Is he doing okay, Scott?" I asked quietly.

Scott looked at me, his deep brown eyes reflecting concern. "He misses you, Shel. Look, I know it's none of my business, but I've known Cal forever, and I know what you mean to him. He's a great guy, the best. He made a terrible mistake, and I feel horrible that this all came about at my bachelor party. We never should have let him leave. We never should have separated. I love you both and I hate to see you both in so much pain." He put his hands on my shoulders. "You have to know, Shel, he's gutted over this. No one will love you the way that he does. He will love you forever. Just think about that before you make any final decisions."

I nodded slowly, unable to stop tears from falling at his words. He lifted a hand and wiped them off of my cheek before pulling me in for another hug.

"You'll both get through this. I love ya, Shel."

He released me and walked out to where TJ was waiting, a look of sorrow on his face. I closed the door slowly, then turned and leaned against it, my eyes closed.

I heard feet approaching and opened my eyes to see Gaby coming toward me, a glass of wine in her hand.

"What do you say we have a drink, then get started on making this house a home?"

"Okay," I said, then laughed when Sasha ran over and pulled me into a bear hug.

It was great having friends who could see you through anything.

Chapter 17 - Cal

While the guys were over helping Shelly move into her new condo, I was pacing a hole in Scott's floor, telling myself over and over why I couldn't join them.

Oh, but I wanted to.

Even though it would hurt to see her moving in to a place without me, I would rather be with her and in pain, than without her and pain free.

I missed being with her.

I missed talking to her.

I missed lying with her in my arms.

I missed sex.

God, did I miss sex.

I didn't have anything to compare it to, because I still didn't remember sleeping with that blonde in Vegas, but sex with Shelly had been perfect. Just listening to Scott and TJ talk about their different sexual experiences, I knew that what Shelly and I had together was rare.

When I heard the key in the door, I froze and got ready to shoot a barrage of questions at Scott about Shelly's new place, but it was Victoria who walked through the door.

She entered and paused when she saw me in the living room. She didn't even bother to hide her distain.

Five foot seven, thin as a rail, and always dressed to impress, Victoria should have been impressive herself, with her sleek bob and perfectly manicured nails. The problem was, she was a total bitch, and that made her a troll in my eyes. I hated that she'd spun her web around Scott, and he seemed unable to see her for what she really was.