Meeting The Unpredictable (26 page)

“Mom, you know that’s not why I came back to Dallas.”

Mom waves her hand. “Of course we know why you came back. I guess it was just wishful thinking that you might actually want to settle down.”

Jodi reaches out and places her hand over mine. “I think we should take life one day at a time.”

Instead of feeling relief, I feel another sharp pain in my stomach.

“You’re right. One day at a time,” Mom adds. She has to be faking...but I guess I should be thankful that she’s putting forth any effort at all.

***

I FIGHT THROUGH THE PAIN
I’m feeling and down several pills.

“Are you all right?” Jodi’s tone is firm as she watches me.

“Yep.” The pain in my side causes me to act grouchier than normal.

“They couldn’t get you in any earlier than they did? I would have thought after all the donations Dad has given that hospital they would have been a little more helpful making you an appointment.”

I keep my eyes cast away from Jodi because if there’s anyone who can spot me lying it will be her. “I think I’m going to take a shower and go to bed.”

“Okay. I’ll be around for a little while in the morning. Hopefully I’ll see you.” I force myself to nod and smile before walking to my room.

I send Tyler a text telling him I’m tired and going to bed. Seconds later, my phone buzzes with a text, but I don’t check it. I know without looking at it that it’s from him, and that he wants me to sleep in his bed. But I can’t...or at least I shouldn’t...not tonight.

I TALKED MYSELF OUT OF
knocking on Jodi’s door and asking if I could stay with Lennie. She’s been sleeping in my bed more nights than she hasn’t, and I’ve gotten used to having her with me. So much that I barely sleep without her.

I never really thought about a relationship after Amber. I didn’t wonder twenty years down the road if I would be single or married. Relationships and women just weren’t on my radar. Not until Lennie—someone who’s only known for being unpredictable. If I thought Amber hurt me, it won’t be anything compared to what Lennie could do to me. But truthfully...I’m not nearly as scared as I should be. If Lennie ends up hurting me, it will be my own fault because I knew exactly the type of person she was before I allowed my heart to fall for her. But that doesn’t change the fact that my biggest fear is that she’s going to up and disappear from my life.

When I finally drag my tired ass out of bed, I find that Chad already has coffee ready.

“No visitors last night?”

I start to laugh when I hear a knock at our door. “No, but thankfully she’s making an early morning house call.” I smirk at Chad as I pull the door open. My face quickly falls the second I see that it’s not Lennie but Amber. “What are you doing here?”

“Um, I was hoping to talk to you.” My eyes dart over to Chad, who has his mouth dropped open.

“Shit, Tyler, I think you made it over five years without a single family member stopping by and now they are coming out of the woodwork. Maybe it’s time we get some roach spray?” Chad sneers his comment towards Amber. Chad hated Amber long before she cheated on me. After we broke up, I often wondered if she tried something with him and he didn’t have the heart to tell me, but I never asked.

“Amber, we have nothing to talk about.”

Chad grunts as Amber steps into our apartment. “If you’d give me a few minutes...alone...that would be great.”

I glance over at Chad, whose nose is still turned up. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Amber.”

“Please,” she begs.

I sigh and motion with my hand for her to come the rest of the way in. “I’m going to check my schedule. I’ll be in my room if you need me.” I nod my head before walking into our living room.

Amber nervously takes a seat on the couch. “I’ve filed for divorce.”

My eyes narrow. “I don’t give a damn.” Amber’s eyes frantically snap to mine. “I hope like hell you didn’t ask my brother for a divorce because you thought something would happen between the two of us because it never will.”

Amber takes a deep breath but doesn’t say anything. “You didn’t just cheat on me, Amber. You slept with my brother. I don’t know if he was filling your head full of crap or if you’re really that big of a whore, but I don’t care anymore. Brandon is your problem, and I don’t want you coming to my home again.”

Her eyes water. “But we were friends. Once upon a time we were friends, and I thought maybe we could find that again.”

I’m already shaking my head. “Friends don’t shit on each other. As far as I’m concerned, you’re the mother to my niece and nephew and nothing more.”

The door opens. “Okay, you’re not working today. I have the best idea...” Lennie trails off when she spots Amber. “Oh, baby, I didn’t know you had company.” Lennie gives Amber an evil smile before walking over and climbing onto my lap.

Lennie is overdoing it for Amber’s sake, but fuck if I don’t instantly feel better having her in my arms.

“Amber was just leaving. Then you can tell me all about these plans.”

Amber’s eyes watch as I wrap my arms around Lennie’s waist. “Best of luck to you, Amber.”

“Oh. Yes, um...Thank you.” I can only imagine that this woman came to my house thinking she was going to win me back with her news, but that was never going to happen. Amber Jenson Brooker has caused my entire family nothing but problems, and I’ve personally washed my hands of her.

Lennie hops up and walks over to the door. Amber gives me one last smile before following her.

“Good luck with your divorce, Amber. I hope you don’t screw over the next guy you meet.”

Amber’s face pales as her eyes dart back to mine. Clearly, she’s shocked that Lennie knows about her personal life. But, again, not my problem nor do I care.

“I’ll talk to you soon,” Amber manages to say.

“Amber, Tyler is too nice to tell you what he’s really thinking, so I’ll clue you in. He doesn’t want you, and that has nothing to do with me. You screwed him over when you literally screwed his brother. If you and Brandon are splitting up, that’s your problem, not his.”

Amber chews on her lip as she watches me. Her eyes are pleading with me to tell her what Lennie just said isn’t true. “Goodbye, Amber, and in the future, I think it would be best if you didn’t come to my home again.”

Amber’s mouth drops open but she finally nods her head and leaves.

I stand across the room, waiting to see what Lennie plans to say, but once again, she manages to surprise me.

“I know the perfect thing for us to do today.” I keep my eyes locked on Lennie as she acts like my ex being here is no big deal.

“Usually, when I want to do something, I just do it, but the last two times I’ve suggested this it was shot down.”

“Okay, what’s this great suggestion you have?”

“I already know how you’re going to react so please hear me out.” I hate how predictable I am. Thankfully, with Lennie, I’m working past that part of my personality.

“Okay, I promise to keep an open mind.” I emphasized the word promise.

“Remember, you don’t have to do this, but I want to do something that has been on my bucket list for years.” She pauses with a smile on her face. “I want to go skydiving.”

My heart drops to my stomach as her comment washes over me. “You can go with me and watch from the observation deck.”

I wordlessly nod, having no idea how to react. I don’t even like roller coasters, let alone the idea of jumping out of a damn plane.

“So will you go with me?”

I force myself to smile. “Of course I’ll go with you. Actually, I might be pissed if I found out you went without me.”

My stomach starts turning because I know I don’t just want to watch Lennie, I want to experience what life has to offer with her by my side.

***

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO
this.” I gulp as I hand the man back the release forms. “I know.” My voice is lacking any emotion.

“Really, Tyler, I don’t want you to do this unless you really want to.”

“I can’t deny that I would never be standing here ready to jump out of a plane without having met you, but I do want to be here, Lennie.”

“Okay. Here’s everything you’ll need. Johnny will help you get your gear on, then we’ll be ready to go,” the man behind the counter says.

Inwardly, I groan as my fear starts to rear its ugly head.

“You’ve got this.” Lennie tightens her hand over mine.

“How can you be this calm about jumping out of a plane?”

Lennie manages to smile even brighter. “Because I stopped fearing death a long time ago.”

My body locks tight with tension. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”

As I’m strapping on my gear, I feel more exposed than if I were naked.
It’s completely normal to fear jumping out of plane...right?

“Tyler, you don’t fear death. You’ve had a fear of actually living because, whether you realized it or not, what Amber and Brandon did to you hurt you on a level much deeper than you were ready to admit. You stopped living because it was safer.”

I open my mouth to argue, but I can’t come up with anything to say. I did avoid people for years, and that’s not the person I was before Amber broke off our engagement.

“If you’re ready, we are.” Lennie’s eyes remain locked with mine. She’s waiting for me to protest, but that’s not going to happen.

“I’m ready.”

Lennie gives me a small smile. “Me too.” Lennie grabs my hand. “After we leave here, let’s go get drunk.”

I laugh. “Deal.”

I RUN MY HAND OVER
my stomach, trying my hardest to force away the pain before I down a couple of pills. The ache in my stomach was hit and miss for a week or better, but now it takes multiple pills to get through the day. I could go to a doctor, but what’s the point? I have ten days left until my appointment with Dr. Ross. If I go anywhere else, I’ll have to admit to my past, and I’d rather enjoy the time I have left and just forget. I want to forget everything and just spend what time I have left with Tyler, no matter how wrong that is.

“Are you feeling okay?” Tyler asks the second I walk out of the bathroom.

“Yeah, sure.” I wave off his comment with a huge smile on my face.

“I’m serious.” Tyler grabs my hand as I start to argue. “Lennie, if something’s wrong, I want you to tell me.”

His voice is softer than normal, causing my heart to tighten even more knowing what I’m about to do. “I’m absolutely fine, I promise.”

Tyler instantly relaxes. “Thank God.” I hate myself for lying to him. On some level, I’m worse than Amber. “Let’s go to bed.”

I nod my head and follow him to his room. Once we’re both in bed, Tyler reaches out and pulls me against him.

“Thank you.” I glance over my shoulder to look at his face. “I can’t say that I’ll ever jump out of a plane again, but I never would have considered doing it if it hadn’t been for you.” Tyler tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Lennie, I don’t want to imagine what my life would be like without you, and I hope I never have to.” Tyler was meant to be a distraction, but the dynamics have changed. He wants forever, and now my only wish is that I could give that to him.

***

“DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO
go this early?” Tyler scowls.

“What have I done to you?” I laugh as I roll off the bed. “At this rate, your mother will never like me.”

A brooding look takes over Tyler’s features. “I’m not going to waste my time worrying about my mother and you shouldn’t, either.”

I moved to the edge of the bed. “Get up. If you get your work done while I’m volunteering, then you should be done by the time I get back.”

Tyler groans before climbing out of bed. My eyes instantly cast down at his hard cock.

“Do you see something you like, Ms. Jacobs?”

I exhale softly. “Yes I do but, I’ve gotta go.”

Tyler’s shoulders sag as he sighs in defeat. “Okay. Go walk dogs. I’ll see you later.”

I walk around the bed and place my arms around his neck. “I’ll see you tonight.” My lips briefly touch his before I pull back.

“Tonight.” I don’t linger or we’ll end up back in his bed, and today is my last day volunteering at the hospital—something I want to get over with.