Out of The Box Awakening (3 page)

God, I could so get used to this.

Since Alan won’t be home until tomorrow, I have time to get rested and ready to see him. I’m taking my time and relaxing, when I hear a text message come in on my phone. Crap. I haven’t even let the kids know that I am safely at Ash’s house. I grab my phone and answer all three texts in a single group text. “So sorry kids! Safely arrived. Dad won’t be here until tomorrow. Ash picked me up and got me home safely. Soaking in the tub and then will have dinner. Love you all, and will call each of you tomorrow”

I force myself to get out of that luxurious bath and into a pair of navy silk pajamas I bought at the Galleria with Lainey. They don’t look too much like pajamas, so I feel comfortable going into the kitchen and not looking like I’m going to bed. I put my dirty clothes in the hamper and head off to the kitchen.

“There you are,” Ash says, as I come in. “Are you hungry? Did you enjoy your bath?”

“Yes! And yes!”

He motions me into the kitchen. “Well, let’s get you fed and off to bed.”

He has changed clothes and is in a pair of drawstring pants with a gray V-neck T-shirt. He’s barefoot. He has put out pasta and a beautiful salad. “I hope you like pasta with goat cheese and salad.

“Looks yummy! Thanks so much. The wine is amazing. It’s just what I needed. You really didn’t have to go to the trouble, though.”

“It’s no trouble, I assure you. Alan will be home tomorrow, and I bet he’ll take you somewhere special for dinner. I’m going into the city tomorrow afternoon to stay the weekend. Tommy’s coming into town, so we have planned a bonding weekend—sounds corny, I know, but he and I are kindred spirits. You and Alan will have the house to yourselves.”

I savor every morsel of the pasta and salad. I don’t know Reba, but she is a darn good cook.

After we eat, Ash asks if I am ready for bed. I tell him I would just like to sit outside for a bit to unwind. He comes out as well.

“So, Olivia, tell me about your kids.”

“Oh, no, Ash, I would rather hear about your boys. Remember, I’m tired, so I would really like to listen,” I tease.

“Well, I have twin boys, Wesley and Hayden, and then Tommy. Wesley and Hayden are fraternal twins. They are thirty-two, and both single. They both went to West Point. After their military service they went into business together. They did intelligence work in the Army, and now they have an investigations firm in the Seattle area. Tommy is twenty-eight, and is our renegade, I guess you could say. He was always outside the box and is musically talented, as I told you. He’s a really good-looking guy. He has tattoos all over his body. Anne would have been mortified if she’d known about them. She was from a very old-school conservative family. Fortunately, he always kept them well hidden. Their band, Avenue, is currently working on booking a touring gig with one of the mainstream bands. We’re all hoping it works out. It would be a great opportunity for them. It makes him happy. He’s a good boy. He is the sensitive one of my kids. The twins tease him. They say that he should have been a girl, because he’s so sensitive. He is single as well. I’m sure he has a girl in every port, but he swears there is no one girl who has won him over, as of yet. So, as you can see, I am pretty blessed; I have a great life.”

I’m so tempted to ask him about his own personal life, if he dates or has someone special, but I refrain. After all, I’ve only just met him and I don’t want him to think I’m too forward.

I yawn.

Ash says to me, “There, Olivia, I set out to bore you to sleep and I believe I have succeeded”.

I laugh. “I’m so sorry. I really am tired, so I think I will turn in.”

Ash takes me up to my room. It’s a very large room, with windows facing the lake. It is painted a tobacco color, with a dark, carved, king-sized bed, and is done in shades of brown with recessed lighting and beautiful architectural moldings. There is an adjacent sitting area in the room, as well.

“Just let me know if you need anything, Olivia. Sleep as late as you want. I won’t be leaving until around 1:00, so I may see you before I head into the city.”

“Thank you so much Ash. The night was wonderful. I know I’ll sleep like a baby. Goodnight.”

He stands at the door to my room. “Sleep tight,” he says. He winks and smiles as he leaves me in my room, closing the door as he goes.

Wait; was he just flirting with me? I hate to say it, but I really liked that! He sure is a good-looking man. I get into the plush bed. It has comfortable pillows and overly expensive plush linens. It is no time before I am fast asleep.

When I wake and look at the clock, it’s 7:00 am. Arghhhhh! I really wish I could go back to sleep, but I just can’t. I hop out of bed, wash my face, brush my teeth, run a brush through my hair, and head downstairs to the kitchen.

“Mornin’, Sunshine,” Ash says. He’s still in his drawstring pants, which sit perfectly on his body. He also hasn’t changed out of the gray T-shirt, and is still barefoot. He’s got absolutely the most beautiful feet. I have no idea why I feel the need to look at his feet, but they’re perfect. I hope he doesn’t notice me staring at his feet. That would be really strange.

“Coffee’s ready, and there are bagels and cream cheese if you’re hungry.”

“Oh, no, just coffee for me, please.”

He brings my cup over. The table looks out onto the back of the house. It’s a beautiful morning view.

“Do you want some of the paper,” he asks.

“I’d love some, thanks. I have to read the paper every day. I certainly hope they don’t stop printing the newspaper, because that’s how I start my day, every day, and have for the past thirty-plus years!”

We laugh that we both feel the same. Ash says he starts every day reading the paper, too. It’s just a way of life.

After reading the paper and drinking way too many cups of coffee, I tell Ash that I am going to head upstairs and get unpacked and organized.

Upstairs I quickly unpack my laptop and fire it up. Alan should have already emailed his itinerary. Hmmmmm, nothing yet. I text him, and he is fast to reply.

“Sorry—been in meetings. I should get in at 4:00 p.m. My car is at the airport. Will see you at the house later. Ash said he is going in to the city for the weekend, so I will have you all to myself all weekend! Just have a beer ready for me, and we will have our date night. Rest up—you will need it! Love, A”

My heart skips a beat! I can’t wait to see him. It seems like forever since we have actually sat face to face and had a conversation. I’ve missed him over these past eight weeks. Not knowing
what food Alan has bought for us, I think I probably need to go into town and do some grocery shopping. I ask Ash if there is a bus or taxi I can take.

“Absolutely not, Olivia! You can use the Range Rover. I won’t have you riding in a taxi or on a bus to do your shopping. I’m taking my car, so the Rover is yours. I insist!”

“Thanks so much, Ash. I feel just awful having to depend on someone’s mercy. Once Alan gets here, we’ll figure out logistics of our car, until mine gets here.  I understand will be in about three weeks…arghhhhhhh! But I appreciate your offer, and I’ll take you up on it.”

I go upstairs to check my email and call Alan. Ash comes to my bedroom door and knocks softly.

“Olivia? Mind if I come in?”

“Of course not silly! This is your house.”

“Well, I just wanted to make sure you know that this is your home now—feel free to go anywhere in the house you want. If there is something we need to get, just tell me and I’ll have Reba pick it up when she does the shopping. I want you to use the Range Rover, and I’d like to take you for a quick drive so you can be comfortable driving it. It has a GPS system in it that’s voice activated, so you can just speak and it will get you where you want to go. You will probably want to go in to town to pick up a few things for the weekend, so I want you to be comfortable driving and I want to show you how to use the GPS.”

His attention to detail and to my needs is something I am just not used to. Alan, while being the ultimate provider, always seems to think I can fend for myself, so this attention is alien to me. We head out to the garage, and he opens the driver’s side for me to get in, then reaches over me and fastens the seat belt. As he leans across me, his arm touches my waist and I get chills. Wow! What was that? Did I just react to his touch? No, couldn’t be. Could it?

I start the car, and we head out for a spin through the neighborhood. The car drives like a dream. I find that I am very comfortable, and am confident that I can get to town and accomplish what I need to do to get ready for Alan’s arrival.

“Olivia, give me your phone so I can enter and save my number. If you need me, just call or text. I know you are competent, don’t think I am insinuating otherwise. I just want you to be comfortable driving and getting around town. This is a small town, so you won’t have to get on the freeways or anything.”

“Thanks so much, Ash. I really appreciate you taking time to help me. I feel bad, because I know you need to get going. I promise, I will be all right—no need to worry about me.”

We arrive back at the house. He already has his car, a beautiful black Mercedes coupe, all packed up and ready to head into the city, to his condo for the weekend.

“Well, I am heading out. Have a wonderful weekend with Alan. I will see you on Monday morning.” He gives me a quick hug.

I am taken aback. My body responds to the hug. It’s awkward, in an uncomfortable but nice way. He quickly senses this, and backs off. With a smile and a wink, he says, “See you on Monday, Olivia!”

As he drives out of the driveway, I am relieved, saddened, excited, and in high anxiety. I decide I need to venture out into town to the grocery store. I’m thinking some cheeses, fruit, and some wine and beer will be in order. Knowing Alan, I am sure he won’t want a full-blown meal that late, but will opt for snacks and beer. Definitely wine for me.

I set out for the grocery and decide I should also find a floral shop and pick up some fresh flowers. Then I decide I’ll find a store that has some candles. I would love to have some candles outside for ambiance. In about an hour, I have all I need for the perfect Friday night. The drive wasn’t bad at all. I head back to Ash’s house and get ready for Alan. I prepare a beautiful fruit and cheese tray, chill the wine, and have his favorite beer chilled and ready. I strategically place votive candles out on the patio, and then head upstairs to choose what I will wear to bed tonight. I decide on the leopard robe and chemise set, with matching panties. I hop in the tub in our bathroom, which is much smaller than the tub in Ash’s room. I use my fragrant bath salts, shave my legs and submerge myself in a wonderful soaking bath. When I’m done, I drench myself in the fragrant Spider Lily body lotion I find on the vanity. The scent is so calming and wonderful. Dare I say it? It reminds me of Ash!

For the early evening, I decide to wear a pair of skinny jeans and a coral colored see-through peasant blouse, which I think is pretty sexy. I hope Alan likes my hair! I haven’t had shorter hair in a long time and I hope he likes the darker color. I apply my makeup the way the makeup artist showed me, throw on some peach-colored lip-gloss, and feel really confident about myself. I decide to take a stroll through the house before Alan gets here.

The house is amazing! The dining room has a large table set for twelve; it may be big enough for even more. The walls are the same taupe color that most of the other walls of the house
are painted. The dining room looks like a room out of a Pottery Barn catalog–so inviting. The looks lovely, like it is ready for company. I can picture us all sitting around it for the holidays—my family and Ash’s.

The kitchen is a cook’s wonder. A subzero fridge, a commercial cooktop and oven, granite counter tops, off-white cabinets, strategically placed recessed lighting.... The layout is perfect for cooking. I love to cook, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in cooking for these two men I now live with. I am thinking how wonderful it will be during the holidays. I hope our kids can come. I can’t even imagine the holidays without them.

My phone rings; its Alan on the caller ID.

“Hey, babe! What’s up?”

“I am getting ready to see my man tonight—what are you doing?”

Alan tells me he’s on his way home and should be at the house no later than 6:00. “Excited to see me?”

“Oh, you know I am! I am getting everything ready. Ash has left for the city, so it’s just you and me for the weekend!”

Alan tells me he can’t wait to see me; my heart and mind are anxious to see him.

“So, I will see you very soon, babe. We’ll have a wonderful night. I can’t wait to get home! I love you. See you soon.”

About that time, I get at text from Ash

“Did you get to the grocery store okay? Have everything you need? Let me know. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and reunion with Alan. See you on Monday, Olivia.”

My heart melts. What a sweet man to check in on me. I quickly text him back.

“Has anyone told you how special you are?”

After three seconds, I receive a response. “Not lately, until today, and I thank you for that. You made my day! Enjoy the weekend with Alan, and I will see you both on Monday”.

What a thoughtful guy. I can’t believe there is one left in the world. I am looking forward to seeing him on Monday, having coffee and reading the paper with him. I so shouldn’t be thinking about that—but I am.