8. As soon as possible.
9. Like right now.
10. Go out with me this weekend so I can.
I was going to have to join him in the frozen foods section. I looked up and met his gaze with a smile on my face and a heart that was beating wildly out of control. My stomach was also doing something it hadn't done in forever, flip-flopping with that new-infatuation sensation. I didn't even know I could feel this way again. I nodded my acceptance of seeing him again without even thinking about any of the logistics of it. All I could think about was being in his arms.
His probing eyes said he knew he got to me. Did he ever. Grocery shopping would never be the same again.
~*~
I wore a permanent grin for the next few days, and it didn't go unnoticed.
Gelaire certainly detected something while we ate lunch together on Tuesday. "Something you want to share, love?"
I pushed around the harvest salad I'd ordered. My appetite was gone, but it was in that good my-stomach-was-full-of-butterflies sort of way. Suddenly I was twenty again.
"No. Why?"
"I thought you would be upset after your run-in with Neil, but you seem-" She tossed her head from side to side, studying me. "I can't quite put my finger on it."
I shrugged, trying to brush off any hint there was anything different in my life. I had been on two dates, with one lined up. I wasn't sure that was life changing, and I couldn't tell anyone anyway. I focused on her son.
"I was at first, but he's changed so much. I don't even recognize him anymore."
Gelaire's brown eyes pooled with tears. "You're moving on."
I reached for her delicate hand across the table. "I'm trying and I have my moments, but I'll never move on from you."
She patted the top of my hand. "I want you to be happy, and I know it's the best thing for you, but my son is so unhappy. I can see it in his eyes. I observed him while he tried to talk to Cody Sunday, and he's miserable. He must have asked Cody how you were a dozen times during their strained conversation. And I'm abhorred by his appearance."
I shook my head. "I don't know what has possessed him."
"I do. It's that vile woman. She wouldn't even come in with him, not like she was welcome, but she's not even trying to be a part of his life. She only wants him in hers. And it is a ridiculous life, unbefitting for a Higgins." She steadied herself and dried her eyes. "I'm sorry to keep bringing him up in front of you. Tell me how your life is going. You look fabulous."
I ran my fingers through my curls. "Not sure I feel that way, but thank you. I'm just busy doing the mom thing and work."
"What about your Sidelined Wife project?"
"It's going well. I've actually had a few marketing firms approach me about doing some merchandising. I'm not sure what to think about it."
Gelaire's left brow raised. "Well, that is certainly interesting and something to think about. I know you've talked about maybe the need to find a different career path. Perhaps this is it."
I hadn't even thought of it in that way. "Hmm. I don't know if having the Sidelined Wife plastered on t-shirts and mugs is really a career."
"You need to look at the bigger picture, love. Those are only the beginning. Have you thought about writing one of those motivational books? You could use your inspiring blog posts."
"I don't know how inspiring they are, and I can't imagine people wanting to read an entire book of them. And really, who am I?" Not to quote the mean-girl moms. "Some people think I'm a bitter divorcee who has nothing better to do with her time than bash her ex."
Though I rarely talked about him. Not to say he was happy about my Sunday post. Apparently he didn't appreciate me telling the world about his boy-band persona and that he peed on the toilet seat. At least that's what his angry text had indicated. I texted back that I didn't like him sleeping around when we were married. I never heard back.
She waved her hand. "There will always be naysayers. Don't let them get to you. You, through your humor and insights, are helping women cope with their own situations. It's marvelous, just like you." She reached over and tapped my nose. "Think about this, love."
I sat back, letting her advice jostle around in my mind, seeing if anything took hold. It was a left-field idea for me, but . . . what if?
Chapter Thirty-One
"Mmm. Mmm. Mmm." Avery fanned herself after unrolling a rather large poster of Hunter Black, sent courtesy of Autumn Moone's publisher, along with an entire box full of goodies. Several signed books, bookmarks, and pens with Hunter Black's pretty face and gorgeous body plastered all over them filled the package. This particular poster had him shirtless and in tight jeans.
So perhaps it was juvenile and maybe even tasteless, but his smooth, sun-kissed chest was worth ogling. To say we were in heaven was an understatement. We didn't even care that James and Peter walked in with Dad after a long day of working out in the warm fall day. Dad took one look at the front desk covered in every woman's fantasy and hightailed it to his office. I think he mumbled something about having to get home for dinner.
James stood with his eyebrow arched and a mix of irritation and playfulness etched on his face. He cleared his throat. "Yo, Mrs. Decker," he sounded like a knock-off Rocky Balboa. "Why are you looking at that crap when you've got this?" He flexed his t-shirt covered biceps.
Peter and I both laughed at him.
I would give it to him, he was in shape. Not like Hunter Black shape, or you know, that guy I was going out with on Saturday. Two more days until I would probably find myself wrapped up in muscular arms. From all of Reed's texts and calls, I knew that wasn't all. The thought of his lips covering mine had me feeling like we should crank up the air conditioner. How old was I again?
Avery looked up from all the eye candy and grinned at her husband. "You know I love you."
"Prove it." He gave her a seductive grin that should have been saved for a private moment between the two.
"Please don't." Peter approached us at the front desk. He was shaking his head at us. "Where did you get all this stuff?"
"Good question." James took matters into his own hands and wrapped his arms around Avery from behind and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Autumn Moone's publisher sent it to me."
"Why here?" James's tone said he was wishing I had received it somewhere his wife wasn't.
"It dawned on me that Autumn Moone could be a man, so when she asked for my address, so she could have her publisher send me a box full of swag, I gave the office address just in case."
"She's not a man." Peter's face tinged pink while picking up one of the signed books and thumbing through it.
We all gave him a strange glance, but James was the one to speak. "I'm disturbed you know that brother."
"It's not that he does, it's how does he know," Avery interjected.
Peter shrugged and set the book down on the desk. "You can tell by the way she writes."
James snorted. "Tell me you aren't reading this crap."
"I think it's sweet that he reads it with Delanie," I said.
Avery elbowed James and caught him in the gut. "Be nice to your brother and maybe learn a few things from him."
"Ouch, woman. Don't expect me to get all metro-male and read this junk with you. The only feminine side I have is you."
"Metro-male?" Avery and I said together.
"We heard that phrase on the radio the other day." James looked to Peter to confirm. "It's men that carry hand bags and get facials and manicures. Not real men."
I ignored the older, dumber brother and focused on the younger, smarter one. I touched his arm. "Don't listen to James. I would love it if a man read Hunter Black books to me."
"Is that right?" James asked. "Do you have someone in mind?"
"Sure." I pointed at the poster of Hunter Black, thankful I was quick on my feet with a reply that was true, though not entirely accurate. Not to say that I would ask Reed to do something like that at this stage in the game, but I could imagine him doing it, and I was sure I would enjoy it.
"He's too young and pretty for you," James scoffed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I gave James the evil eye.
James gave me that stupid grin he'd been giving me since I was old enough to remember. The one that said he still enjoyed tormenting me. "What, are you a cougar now?"
Avery elbowed her husband again. "Of course she's not. But a little eye candy never hurt anyone."