“The filets and your veggie burger are probably done. I’ll go grab them.”
Leigh and I talk more through dinner, and when we finish, we take the bottle of wine to the living room and settle on the couch.
“Dinner was great. Thanks again for inviting me over.” She curls her legs up beneath her on the couch, laying one arm on the back of it and facing me.
“I had a great time. I—uh, I really like you.” God, I sound like I’m in middle school again, but I want her to know where my head’s at. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, and I realize this is probably coming on strong and a little early, but I’m not talking to anyone else right now and I’m not interested in talking to anyone else—just you.” I take a sip of my wine, letting my words marinate for a moment.
“I feel the same way about you.” She reaches out her hand and intertwines her fingers with mine. We both stare at our hands for a moment, and normally this is where I’d pull her on top of me and get the night moving, but I don’t.
“I haven’t been in a serious relationship for a while, Leigh.” I clear my throat nervously.
“Does it have something to do with her?”
I could tell she wanted to dive deeper into my relationship with August earlier, and now’s her chance. I offer a small smile, unsure of how much I want to divulge right now.
“Not really,” I say, not knowing if it’s a lie. I haven’t avoided relationships because of August . . . at least not consciously. I just haven’t been in the headspace to think long-term with anyone else in a long time. I guess I was holding out hope for a while that something would change between us, but I’ve also been very busy with work, so I lead with that. “As you know, my brother and I have been expanding the business, and without him here, there’s been a lot of slack I’ve had to pick up. I’ve recently hired more guys to help me out, so things are much more manageable now. I don’t want to put pressure on you or expect you to feel the same way, but I want to be open with you.”
“Well,” she says, leaning forward and placing both of our wine glasses on the coffee table before turning back to me and putting her hands in mine. “I’m happy to take things slow and really get to know each other. You’re a wonderful person from what I know about you, and I enjoy your company.”
I stare down at our hands before slowly lifting my gaze to hers. I lean in. She reciprocates. My lips touch hers softly as I slide a hand up her toned arm and into her hair. I don’t mean to, but I deepen the kiss a little as a small moan tumbles from her lips. In my head, I open my eyes and see August staring back at me. I pull back instantly, putting space between us.
“And this is the part where I say it’s been a lovely evening, but we should probably end things here.” I can see a touch of disappointment in her eyes and I don’t blame her.
I walk her to her car, giving her a quick hug and telling her to text me when she makes it home safely.
I run my hands through my hair and let out a long sigh. “You’re a mess, man,” I say out loud to myself—hoping that if I acknowledge my confusion about August, it will somehow give me clarity and I’ll be able to magically get over her. The moment the words get over her enter my brain, I feel a pain in my heart. Is that what I really want? To finally and truly be over August Belmore?
“Twenty bucks you don’t catch shit today.”
Sawyer turns around and gives Hudson, Memphis, and me a death glare.
“None of us are going to catch shit if you don’t shut the hell up, Hudson,” he snaps. It’s just Sawyer, always the grumpy old man of the group, although he’s chilled way the fuck out since marrying Quinn and having their daughter, Lily.
“My bad, man,” Hudson says with that big grin on his face and his hands held up as if he’s surrendering. Hudson Slade is still the baby of that family and uses his charm like he knows he can get away with anything.
“I mean it. You guys tell anyone about my fishing spot up here . . .” Sawyer points a finger at each of his, not finishing his sentence. We get this threat every time we come up here with him, and we pretend to be just as serious about it as he is.
“Hand to God, Sawyer. Hand to God,” I say, raising one hand while holding my fishing pole with the other.
“You guys believe Landon and Willow are having a baby?” I ask.
Landon sent us all a text a few nights ago telling us the good news. I know Willow had some girls’ night and brought the sonogram pictures and all that when she announced it to her friends. Landon thought it was fantastic, but in true guy form, he announced it via text with four words.
Landon: Knocked her up, boys.
“He’s going to love being a dad. Man, it really is the best,” Hudson says.
He would know. It seems like every nine months, he and Deven are popping out another kid.
“Sawyer, you and Quinn thinking of having another?” Hudson asks.
I feel a twist of jealousy in my stomach at all the fatherhood talk. Growing up, I never cared about it—never even thought about it. Even when my brother had his first, I wasn’t really on board when it came to the baby train, but damn, since turning 33, it feels like every chance nature gets, she reminds me that my clock is ticking.
“We’re trying. Hasn’t been easy this time around, though.”
“Shit, man, I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject,” Hudson says, reaching out and putting a hand on Sawyer’s shoulder.
“We just started really trying. We pulled the goalie a few months back and figured with how easy it happened the first time, it would be similar. Can’t say I mind all the trying though,” he says with a low chuckle.
“Jade and I love to pretend like we’re trying . . . ya know, really get a lot of practice in but not actually try.” Memphis laughs.
“You guys still just sticking with dogs then?” I ask. Memphis and Jade love to travel and adopt dogs, so kids have never really been much of a priority for them, just like me.
“Yeah. We’ll bring it up every once in a while, and then we’ll go out to eat or be on a plane with a screaming kid, and Jade will say her ovaries have shriveled up and died. We aren’t in a rush. If it happens, it happens, man.” I love Memphis’ attitude. He’s always just been a carefree “whatever happens, happens” kind of guy.
“What about you, Remi? Got kids on the brain yet or a met a woman who could tame you?” Hudson says.
“No kid stuff yet, but uh, as a matter of fact . . .”
The moment I say that, all three lower their fishing rods and look over at me. “I met this woman named Leigh and we’ve hit it off pretty well. Just seeing where that’s going.” I feel like I’ve already said too much to this pack of hyenas.
“What the fuck, man? When did this happen?” Memphis acts like he’s really hurt and I can’t tell if he’s joking. I’ve been wondering if Jade told him about what happened at the bowling alley a few weeks back, but he hasn’t said anything to me indicating he knows.
“We met about two weeks ago. Just taking it slow, boys. Calm down.” I feel a bite on my pole and reel it in, but the fish ate my worm and swam off. I reach into the cooler for some fresh bait.