揟hey抮e fine, Thayer. Leave them be.?
He takes a step back from the display, looking it over again. He adjusts one candle and nods to himself. 揘ow, it抯 perfect.?
揑 think you might be more nervous than I am.?
He rubs a hand over his jaw. 揧ou might be right, but only because I want today to be perfect for you.?His eyes drift over to Forrest抯 table. 揌e抎 almost be a high schooler.?
My lips press into a flat line. 揧eah, he would be. Wow. That抯 crazy to think about.?
Thinking about where he抎 be in life is difficult to picture at times because I still see him as that sweet six-year-old boy who stole my heart just like his dad did.
He glances down at his watch. 揑抦 going to pick up Seda from school and then it抯 showtime.?
We agreed to pick her up early because we wanted her to be a part of the grand opening. I still can抰 believe she turned six last month. I think that was tough for Thayer, though he didn抰 talk about it
揙kay, I抣l be ?here ?trying not to overthink or throw up.?
He laughs. 揧ou抮e not going to do either.?
揧ou have too much faith in me.?
I watch him leave, and the desire to throw up becomes stronger when a line begins to form. I抦 not surprised Thelma and Cynthia are at the very front of it.
I wipe my sweaty palms down the front of my shirt. Closing my eyes, I say a little prayer and ask my mom to send me strength.
I knew this day would be nerve-wracking, but I didn抰 think I抎 be this much of a wreck.
Straightening things up that are already in order, I wait for Thayer to get back with Seda. My sister, Michael, and their kids are supposed to be here for the opening as well but haven抰 shown up yet.
I send her a text, asking where they are.
Georgia: Running a tad behind. Ms. Victoria decided to have a poop explosion.
Me: Oh no. Poor baby.
Georgia: We抣l be there, don抰 worry.
My niece is the cutest thing, it makes me that much more excited to have another, but so far it just hasn抰 happened yet. I抦 trying not to worry about it too much.
Hannah carries a tray of cupcakes out, adding them to the case. It抯 full now and ready to go, with more waiting in the back.
揟ake a deep breath,?she tells me, sensing my worry. 揈njoy today. You抮e going to want to remember it.?
I know she抯 right. 揟hanks.?
Georgia and Michael arrive with the kids, and I let them inside. 揟his girl is giving me a run for my money,?Georgia says, setting down the carrier. Michael is wrangling the two boys, telling them they can抰 run around the store. 揥here抯 Thayer??She looks around, not finding him.
揌e should be here any minute. He was picking up Seda.?
揟he store opens in ten minutes.?
Does she think I don抰 know that?
揑t抣l be fine.?I don抰 know who I抦 trying to assure梙er or me.
With only two minutes to spare, they arrive. Seda runs up to me with a bouquet of peonies. 揟hese are for you, Mommy.?
I crouch down to her height. 揟hank you, baby.?I take them, kissing her cheek.
揟hey抮e from Dad, and me too.?
Thayer grins that crooked smile I love so much. 揂nd this too.?He hands me a Diet Coke and I laugh. 揑 have to keep you sane.?
揟hank you.?I look around at my family gathered. 揂ll of you梩hank you. I couldn抰 have done this, any of it, without you.?
Georgia points a warning finger at me. 揇on抰 get sappy on me now. I did my makeup and that抯 rare. I can抰 have it smeared all over my face.?
I laugh, looking up at Thayer. The clock hits noon.
He bends down, whispering in my ear, 揝how time.?
揑 did it, I actually did it.?I jump up and down, still on a high from the grand opening. It抯 evening and everyone else has left. Caleb even showed up, which was nice of him, and Seda went home with him since she was tired of being at the store.
揑 knew you could.?Thayer finishes counting the cash in the register. 揑 wish you believed in yourself as much as I do梐s much as everyone around you does.?
I lower my head. 揑抦 working on it.?
Sometimes it抯 difficult for me to understand that I抦 capable of anything I set my mind to. I spent a long time lost, not knowing what I wanted or who I wanted to be, and that confusion led me to believe that maybe I wasn抰 good enough or smart enough. I guess, you could say, I抦 my own worst critic.
Thayer tilts my chin up with the soft touch of his finger. 揑 know you are, or you wouldn抰 have done this.?He looks around the shop. 揃ut you did.?
We finish cleaning up the shop and lock up for the night. I have to be back early in the morning to get started on fresh cupcakes for the day.
Thayer抯 truck is parked out back near the shed I make my candles in.
The sun has long since set, the sky dark with the moon and stars bright in the sky.
It抯 cold out and I shiver despite my coat.
揥hat are you doing??Thayer asks, locking up the shop. 揑 started the truck it should be warm. You don抰 have to stand out here.?
揑 know. But the stars are so beautiful tonight. They seem extra bright for some reason.?
Thayer stops beside me, looking up as well. 揌mm,?he hums. 揟hey do look brighter.?A soft smile touches his lips.
揌ow do you feel??I ask.
His gaze lowers to mine, immediately knowing I抦 asking since it抯 Forrest抯 birthday. 揑t抯 always a bittersweet day.?
揑抦 sorry.?
揑抣l see him again one day. I feel it. Somehow, someway, I will. I have to believe that.?
We stand in the cold for a minute longer, taking in the night sky before we get in the truck and drive home.
Home.
The house I used to sneak over to, is my home now, but that抯 also just a shell. It抯 framework and drywall, while the man at my side is my real home.
As long as I have him, I抣l have a place I belong.
The house is dark and quiet since Seda is with Caleb. Winnie and Binx watch us from the couch with annoyed expressions for disturbing their beauty sleep.
揥e should eat something,?Thayer says as I follow him into the kitchen.
揥e probably should,?I agree, biting my lip, 揵ut厰
揃ut??He turns around, looking me up and down.
揑 want you.?
He doesn抰 hesitate. His mouth is on mine in an instant. I melt beneath his touch. He lifts me up, legs going around his waist. He carries me up the stairs and straight back to our room.
My back hits the mattress and he undresses me slowly, kissing every part of my skin as he exposes it. I try to reach for his shirt, but he steps away from me. 揘ot yet.?
揘ot yet??I whine.
He shakes his head, his eyes dark with desire. He loops his arms around my legs, pulling me to the edge of the mattress. Dropping to his knees, he wastes no time. He licks my pussy like he抯 been waiting all day to taste me.
揟hayer,?I pant his name.
He licks and sucks, drawing out every moan and curse word he can from me.
He brings me right to the edge and stops. 揟hayer!?I cry out his name in a pleading tone. 揑 need棓
揑 know what you need,?he says in a voice that tells me not to argue with him. 揟he delayed gratification will be worth it. You抣l see.?
He hooks his thumbs in the back of his shirt, yanking it off and letting it drop to the floor. My core pulses with need and desire as I watch him undress the rest of the way.
He palms his cock, his eyes heated. He looks at me lying on the bed, naked and wanting for him.
揧ou抮e mine, Sunshine,?he growls in a way that is somehow both possessive and needy all at once.
揧ours.?
I belonged to Thayer Holmes the summer of my eighteenth year. Neither of us knew it, but when he moved in next door, it was about to change both of our lives.