Page 73 of Fresh Canvas
“Oh, yes. Yes, I would.” Val seemed absolutely giddy at my embarrassment.
“Oh, Ilikehim,” Mom said.
“O-kay!” I looked pointedly back at her. “I think we’re done here.”
“I get it, I get it. I’m leaving.” Mom whispered to Val, “She never lets me have any fun.”
Val laughed at us as she hugged me, grabbed her purse, and left.
“I like your mom. She’s funny.”
I rolled my eyes, though I felt a tad relieved. That could have gone worse. Gesturing to the driveway, I asked, “Why didn’t you drive?”
“I was hoping to maybe drive back with you tonight instead?”
“I’d like that,” I said around a quiver in my voice, all while trying to make the marching band inside my chest pipe down so I didn’t come across like a lunatic.
A quiet anticipation stilled over us both. Something about our connection was calming. Familiar, even. A strange lurch began drawing me to him like a magnet.
“Come here,” Val whispered, opening his arms. He enveloped me in the sweetest hug, holding me like I was the most precious thing. I buried my nose against his chest, drinking in the smell and feel of him. His deep voice rumbled against my cheek.
“I missed you. Work isn’t nearly as fun when you’re not around to annoy me.”
I laughed against the black fabric of his polo. “I’ll be sure to bug you extra when I’m back then.”
Val caught my chin with his thumb and forefinger and pressed a tender kiss to my lips.
I couldn’t feel my toes, but I guessed they weren’t touching the ground anymore.
Too quickly, it was over. Val stepped away as if giving his restraint some geographical assistance.
“So, this is your home?”
“Come on, I’ll give you the tour.” It felt so natural to lace my fingers through his and guide him throughout the house.
“You have a pool?” The glittering blue water shone through the dining room window.
I laughed at his childlike enthusiasm. “Yes, but we’ll go swimming later.” We wandered into the kitchen. “I told Ryanthe pool was a stupid idea because we’d only use it a couple months out of the year, but he put one in anyway.”
“It’s strange to think he lived here too,” Val murmured as he roamed the kitchen.
“Is it too weird for you?” I bit my lip.
Val crossed the kitchen, cupping my face in his hands. “No, it’s not.”
I raised up on my tiptoes and lightly pressed my lips to his. “Good. I’ll admit, it was awful for me at first. I kinda wanted to burn this place to the ground after what he did.”
“Wouldn’t have pegged you as an arsonist, but go on.”
I smirked. “But I had to remember this is Anthony’s home too. He deserved something to stay the same. So I swore to him that we’d never move unless we had to.” I pushed open my son’s bedroom door. The emptiness of it made my chest ache.
Only eight more weeks.
Val poked his head in and saw Anthony’s gaming equipment. “I would have killed to have a room like this as a kid. You must be a cool mom.”
“I am, in fact”—I slid my hands around his waist from behind and laid my head against his sculpted back—“a very cool mom.”
The last door to the hall was my bedroom. Val’s hesitation was obvious as he stalled at the threshold.
