Page 23 of Catching Our Moment

Shaw

The news about Riley was all over the place now. I can’t say I was surprised. Hell, I couldn’t even say I was disappointed. I think if I hadn’t been so out of it when she’d left, I would’ve broken things off before she dashed out the door. It would’ve saved all this drama.

Then again, maybe she planned it this way. She was probably feeding off the publicity it was generating.

Wyatt heard about it and called to check on me, to see if he could do anything to help. But until I spoke to Riley, I was stuck.

Riley was a live-in-the-moment kind of woman. She was beautiful and smarter than most people gave her credit for, but we both knew there hadn’t been a long-term future for us.

Now, it was going to be news: Riley stepped out on Dawson Shawfield with some Hollywood reality TV pretty boy. So our relationship had run its course.

Riley wasn’t a bad person. She just wasn’t my person.

But this also meant people were going to track me down. Maybe I needed to head back to Charlotte for a bit so they didn’t disrupt Kelcie and Aaron. They didn’t need that aggravation. I’d discuss it with Kelcie.

My people suggested I stay out of the public eye, even in our small town. I was getting a bit bored and claustrophobic in my house, so I looked forward to any outing, even the ones in the torture chamber that was Kelcie’s physical therapy office.

After last Saturday’s trip, Kelcie signed me up for daily massages with Derek at her office.

We went early in the morning before the office opened to utilize the cardio equipment, stretch, and work on resistance exercises.

For the rest of the day, I studied film, took calls from my management team, and puttered around the house until it was time for Aaron to get home from school.

Then, he and I would meet the kids for some time at the park.

In the evenings, we usually ate together, then Aaron would do his homework, and Kelcie would help me with my evening stretches before I went back to my empty side of the duplex.

Tonight, however, I’d have to do my stretches alone. Kelcie had texted earlier to let me know that she had plans. When I’d asked if she wanted me to hang with Aaron, she’d said Gracie was coming by to pick up Aaron for a sleepover.

Aaron and I had just gotten back from the park—the sun was setting earlier this time of year—and were sitting in the porch chairs with our sports drinks before heading in to clean up.

“So, you’re going for a sleepover tonight. What’s the special occasion?” I said, leaning back in my chair. I took a gulp of my red sports drink.

“Mom has a date.”

Red liquid sprayed out of my mouth, creating an abstract expressionism effect on the white railing across from me. It looked like something my interior designer in Charlotte would’ve insisted was just perfect for my penthouse.

I choked out the rest. “Your mom has a date?”

Aaron stared at his bottle. “Yep. You made a mess.”

“With whom?”

“Some guy with a bad knee.”

Then he couldn’t run. I could take him.

“How…” I cleared my throat. “When did that happen? Has she dated anyone since…since you moved here?” Jeez. How did I not know about this?

“No,” he said then tilted his head, looking up at the clouds coming in. “You need to clean that up.”

Okay. Maybe I wasn’t as out of touch with her?—

“Except for when Auntie Aliya wanted to introduce her to a guy named Bob.”

“Bob?”

“Yeah. But mom said she already knew a Bob and was perfectly fine.”

What the hell?

“Auntie Aliya said this Bob was popular, and she really thought they should meet. He came with lots of bells and whistles.”

Then it clicked. Bob. No. It couldn’t be. My mouth hung open in disbelief.

I wanted—no, I needed—information…more information. But not out of the mouth of her son.

“I got the feeling he was an electrician or into computers or something. But I don’t think my mom wants to date anyone like that.

She told Auntie Aliya, ‘I just need the basics—you know, something too technical won’t work for me.

’ Then she said something about not wanting a Bob with a rabbit or a dolphin or anything crazy like that. Hey, are you okay?”

I couldn’t breathe.

I stood up, took off my shirt, and wiped my sports drink off the railing to camouflage my expression and focused on breathing.

“No. I’m good,” my voice broke, and my breathing became more labored. I was storing this tidbit of information away for just the right moment. It deserved maximum effect.

“Oh, she also said she had to make sure Bob was quiet so I wouldn’t hear him,” he said. “But she knows I hear everything. And why would she want someone to be quiet in the house?” He put his hands on his hips, mimicking a man three times his age. “Do you think she’s sneaking guys into the house?”

I fell over on my hands and knees and buried my head.

“Shaw? Are you upset? Maybe we need to have a talk with her.”

I let it out. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears ran down my face, and I wiped them away. “No, I don’t think she’s doing anything wrong.”

He tilted his head, staring out. “Yeah. You’re right. I’d catch her. She knows that.”

I found my chair and slid into it. My hands covered my face, but I couldn’t stop my shoulders from shaking.

“It’s okay if Mom starts dating. She will still have time for us, you know.” Aaron hunched down on his knees and bent to look at me, placing his hand on my back as if to soothe me.

God bless this kid.

I sat back and high-fived him. “I know. I was just thinking about a funny story.” Think quickly, asshole, and cover . “When we were young, we knew a guy named Bob.” I would think about Kelcie having a Battery-Operated Boyfriend later…when I was alone.

Aaron straightened. “Ohhh.” He dragged out the word in understanding. “You were laughing. I thought you were upset.”

I shook my head. “I’m fine.”

“There you are.” Kelcie found the two of us in a huddle on the porch, me with my t-shirt in hand, ruined with a red sports drink. But instead of talking to Aaron, she was staring at my chest.

My phone rang in my pocket as I stood. I pushed a button, sent it to voicemail, and used the chair as support. “I’m fine,” I repeated. “Just being clumsy.”

“What the heck is going on out here?” Kelcie asked. She was wearing an old t-shirt and sweatpants, her hair was in a towel, and her eyes were dancing between us warily.

“We were talking about your love life,” Aaron said.

“Were you now?” Kelcie kicked out a hip in a challenge. “Since it’s non-existent, it would be a quick recap.”

“Not after tonight,” Aaron said.

“Yeah, yeah. Go get your things together,” she said, ushering him back into the house, looking everywhere but at me and my naked chest.

“So, a date?” I said.

She rocked back on her feet. “Yep. Going to The Winecellars on the creek.”

“Nice. Classy choice,” I said. The guy was pulling out all the stops for a first date. I was going to be sitting on the front porch with a shotgun, just to make sure she came home alone this evening, I swear to God.

I think Dylan owned a shotgun.

“Wyatt’s trying to reach you,” she said as she shifted the chair around and positioned herself behind it.

“I know. I’ll call him. It’s probably about Riley and?—”

“I saw,” her voice softened. “I’m sorry.”

I waved it off. “I knew it was over when she left for the show. It just wasn’t spoken. This is a—” My phone came to life, blaring Rihanna’s song like a bullhorn calling me to my senses.

Riley. “Speak of the devil herself.”

Would I exit this extremely awkward situation just to jump feet first into another one with my soon-to-be ex? Yes, please.

We both stared at the phone in my hand. “I should take this.”

“Of course. I should get ready.” She was gone before I could say anything to stop her.

And really, why would I stop her? It wasn’t as if I had any say in her life.

She should go out with someone that made her feel important.

He was probably better than that jackass she was married to.

I needed to stop thinking of James like that.

He was Aaron’s father. The only thing he did right was father that child, even if he was a crappy dad.

The phone kept ringing as her storm door closed with an audible slam.

This evening was going to suck, so I might as well meet it head-on.

“Hey, Riles,” I said, walking back into my own half of the house for privacy. Thank God this wouldn’t take long…

* * *

I was in my porch chair, beer in hand, legs propped on the railing, when Grace walked up. “Hey, hon.” She came over and leaned against the railing to face me. “How are you doing?”

I shrugged and sipped my beer. I’d replaced my wet t-shirt with a flannel shirt and a pair of sweats and socks—the picture of a man without a life. “I’m fine.” Poker face in place. “How are you this fine autumn evening?”

She tilted her head to the side, her eyes reading me. “I’m fine. I spoke to Wyatt on the way over here. Sorry to hear about you and Riley.”

I shrugged. “It was just a matter of making it official,” I said. “She wasn’t meant for the quiet way of life.”

“Still, it wasn’t exactly fair how you had to hear?—”

“Hear what?” Kelcie let the door close behind her.

I braced myself for the blow as she stepped outside. Kelcie’s hair was down and in waves, shaping her face. She wore her hair up so much I forgot how luxurious it was.

My heart dropped out of my chest. I stood on shaky legs to get the full effect.

Kelcie had always been beautiful. She’d been a cute girl, a pretty teenager, a hot coed, but now…now she was a breathtaking woman.

She was a breathtaking woman who was dressed in a form-fitting, deep-blue dress and heels that accentuated her amazing, toned legs—all for another man to appreciate.

She hadn’t lost her athletic body, but the curves she was displaying…

man, had I ever truly seen her before? I bit my lip to stop my jaw from dropping.

And since when did she have such an ample?—

I closed my eyes tight, dropping my head, not wanting her to catch my focus.

I’d hugged Kelcie over the years. I knew her shape. But this felt like a slap upside the head and a grip on my cock, because suddenly, I couldn’t function.

Where did I look? I had to find something else to look at…not her legs, definitely not her chest, not the hips I wanted to grab onto, and absolutely not her lips. Hell. I want to bury my hands in her hair. If I gripped the chair tighter, it was going to splinter in my hands.

Grace looked at her. “I was just talking to Shaw about?—”

I cut it to the basics.

“Riley called.” I pried my fingers one by one off the chair as I steadied myself to make conversation. “She’s staying in LA. We broke up.” I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop them from reaching for her.

Compassion softened her face. “Oh. Are you?—”

Aaron stepped between us. “What’s wrong with your face? You look mad at my mom.”

“I’m not mad at your mom,” I said.

“You look like you want to yell at her.”

Kelcie intervened. “Shaw just got some news, and he’s having a bad night.”

I guffawed and took my seat. “I’m fine.”

She stood in front of me. “Are you really okay?” She reached out to me, leaning over, aiming to touch me, but I flinched.

I didn’t want—didn’t need—her touching me right now.

She was becoming my newly branded, personal kryptonite.

I thought back to the hard-on I got from the massage.

It almost drilled itself through the table and never completely deflated until I took care of myself in the shower when I got home.

I was so screwed.

“I’m fine,” I repeated and leaned forward enough to cover up any bulges that might have decided to appear on their own. “It was just a technicality. It probably would’ve happened if we’d had time to discuss it more before she left.”

Kelcie and Grace stood beside each other with a quiet, communicative glance—the one women had when they thought they were being fed bullshit.

Did I look so pathetic that these women wanted to go buy five containers of Ben & Jerry’s, grab their pajamas, and settle on the sofa with me for a straight-up bitchfest?

Would it keep her from going out on her date?

“The Imperial March” broadcasted from my phone. I yanked it out and sent it to voicemail.

“Wyatt?” Kelcie asks.

I nodded. “Grace, call him off from blacklisting Riley in Hollywood, please.”

“You all need to stop sending him to voicemail all the time.” She leaned against the railing I had just cleaned. “Besides, he doesn’t know anyone in Hollywood capable of doing that.”

I guffawed again. If she only knew. Not even I understood the extent of Wyatt’s ways, and truthfully, I’d rather stay oblivious. “Keep thinking that,” I muttered.

Grace walked over to Kelcie. “Girl, you look amazing. Absolutely beautiful.” She put her hand to her chest, and affection lit up her face. Then she side-eyed me, mischief laced in her words. “Doesn’t she, Shaw?”

And I felt like an even bigger schmuck because I should’ve been the one to tell her that first. But I was pouting like a child who hadn’t gotten picked first for the game, even though I’d never even showed up to the field.

I glanced at her but couldn’t hold her eyes. I tried to find middle ground between sincerity and biting back my true feelings. So, clearing my throat, I settled on, “She always looks beautiful.”

I slowly walked over to kiss her on the cheek.

She smelled different. Whether she used special lotion or actual perfume for this man, I didn’t like it.

I didn’t like that she was making an effort to be someone else for him.

She looked fantastic with her ponytail and yoga pants.

She was gorgeous with lip balm and the fresh scent of her shampoo. That was my Kelce.

Goddammit. She was so close…but more unreachable than ever.

She was trying to start over. I was her friend, and it was my job to be supportive. But I didn’t have to watch it.

“He’s a lucky man. Have a good night.” And I walked inside, unable to watch her walk away with another man—again.