"The plumber is scheduled for tomorrow," Ben said, glancing down at his notes. "I've told John not to install the drywall in there until the guy finishes up. I'm not paying for patch jobs."Clint nodded, as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back on his truck. "Smart. It's not like we're in a rush or anything. And hanging drywall in that bathroom will take less than an hour at most." He stared off at the shrubs that lined the long drive as two squirrels chased each other among the branches, leaping and chittering in a lovers' game of conquest. He only half listened to what Ben said, as the other man went down their to-do list for the next few days, Clint's mind still on the meeting with Bonnie at the park last night. He was glad Aimee was there after all. Bonnie was unbelievable, and it was Aimee who helped the situation before Clint grew too frustrated with the woman to remain calm. How could a mother not know how to be with her own daughter? He knew it would be tough at firs
Aimee wasn't sure she was really in the mood for a family gathering, especially when part of that gathering would be watching Karla make digs at her former boss—and lover—all night long. While she wouldn't judge her mother for her tryst with the younger Paul Kiser, it probably would have been better if the elder Harper had chosen a different younger man for her dalliance. How her mother could sleep with him knowing he already had sex with her daughter, was a concept Aimee still struggled with but did her best to push from her mind. She understood Karla was having difficulties with it, as well. Of course, Karla had done some severe changing over the past few days, since committing to Mitch Greenway. For the first time since high school, Karla seemed calm and actually in love. Aimee was happy for her and only prayed it lasted.She was happy for her mother, as well, if Aimee was honest with herself. For the first time since the death of her husband, Betty Harper seemed truly happy again.
Bonnie stood in the doorway, one hand clutching tight to her purse strap as she did her best to look casual and non-threatening to little Abby. The facade was wasted effort. With a cold exterior, she towered over Abby's tiny body, stiff in all her movements. "I thought we could get some lunch, and then maybe go back to that park we went to the other day." Bonnie was focused on Abby, a plastic smile on the woman's face as she attempted to coax the little girl—her daughter, but no less a stranger—to take her hand without cringing. Clint wasn't sure who looked more nervous, Bonnie or Abby."I think that sounds like a lot of fun," he said, kneeling down next to Abby, his hand resting on her back. His smile was genuine and, he hoped, reassuring to his little one. "The park twice in one week? Someone must have been a good girl to deserve that." He tousled her hair. "How about it? Do you want to go to the park with your mother?"Abby stood there, her hands clasped as she stared without seeing
"Well, hello to me," Karla said, as she stood in the open doorway taking in the scene before her. Clint yanked his fingers from Aimee's pussy and did his best to stand in front of her, blocking her from her sister's view, as Aimee shrieked out her sister's name and hid behind him. "What are you doing here?" Aimee screamed."Not what you are, that's for sure," Karla said. "Haven't you heard of putting a sock or clothes hanger on the door to let me know you're having sex in the living room?" Clint saw the devilish gleam in Karla's eyes and knew Aimee would not live this one down for quite a while."You should have texted," Aimee said, as she led Clint toward the hallway, staying behind him."I never had a need to before," Karla said. "Are you really hiding from me? We're twins, doofus. Your body looks almost identical to mine. I see you when I look in the mirror, remember?""That's a disturbing thought," Aimee said as she reached the hall entrance and then turned and ran to her room, le
Karla's smirk still reverberated in Aimee's mind, no matter how much she tried to push it out. Of course, Aimee couldn't blame her sister. It's not like Aimee had ever been caught with her pants down before. Or someone's fingers in her…Aimee closed her eyes against the passing scenery, trying again to push the image of Karla walking in on her and Clint out of her mind. She felt him take her hand giving it a slight squeeze. "You doing okay?" He asked, shooting his gaze between her and the road ahead.She smiled, giving him a soft nod. "Yeah, just thinking how that scene back there was a reversal of roles. You don't know how many times I've walked in on Karla with her hand in some guy's pants or his in hers. Back there, that was the first time she's ever even seen me with a guy." She laughed giving a shake of her head as she turned her attention back out the windshield. "I'm going to hear her quips for a while, I'm sure."He squeezed her hand one more time and then settled it on the c
A grin curled her lips. It was perfect. She didn't even think. Instead, she grabbed his hand, squeezing it, as she dragged him toward the nearest access up onto the dunes. "Hey, where are we going?" Clint asked, but she noticed he didn't stop her from pulling him along."You'll see." Adventure. That's what he had with Bonnie, and that's what Aimee planned on giving him now. With his hand still in hers, she pulled him up the sand dune amid the tall sawgrass, following a makeshift trail through the sea grapes and grass, she picked a spot and finally let go of his hand, taking a deep breath to calm her trembling nerves, although she wasn't sure if she was shaking because she was scared or excited as she turned to face him.He stared, confusion crinkling his brow. "What..?"She didn't give him a chance to finish his question. She reached for the hem of her sundress and yanked it up and over her head, dropping it on a clump of sea grape when she was done. Clint stared at her, his gaze raki
"Does Abby remember her?" Ben handed Clint one end of a tape measure and then walked to the other side of the room. "I mean, I don't have kids, but I would imagine young minds forget quickly. My brother's son can't even seem to remember to go to the bathroom."Clint chuckled as he marked off the spot on the wall for the next electrical outlet. He stood, once he was finished, and slipped his pencil back into his tool belt as he released the tape measure. "She says she does, although she doesn't remember any of the specifics. Just that Bonnie was gone and now she's back." He shrugged as he pulled his utility knife from his belt and started cutting into the drywall. "I guess that's a good thing in a way. At least, there aren't horrible memories for her to remember." By the time Bonnie arrived back at his place to drop Abby off, things seemed to have settled down between her and Abby. Or, at least, Abby was giggling when she was dropped off, pumped up on sugar and other kids at the park.
Meet me at the back of The Harbor Apartments. There's a cul-de-sac at the end. Clint read the text one more time as he pulled into the main entrance of The Harbor Apartments, just as confused as the first time he read it. Why is Aimee having me meet her here? It makes no sense. They didn't know anyone who lived in these apartments. They never even pass by the place. How she knew about it, he had no idea. Just like he had no idea why she wanted him to meet her here.The streetlights popped on as dusk swallowed the day, the daytime humidity turning to nighttime stickiness. Traffic dwindled as businessmen returned home from work, but the traffic was still thick on the streets, forcing Clint to weave in and out of slower cars, giving him too much time to wonder what Aimee was planning. Of course, it wouldn't have mattered how much time he had to think about it; he was no closer to understanding what Aimee was thinking than when he first read the text.Or what she needed.It was just odd fo
They were the last ones to arrive at the park, the others already choosing a spot and Marvin Asher firing up the grill. Karla wore a skirt that actually covered everything it should and had her breasts tucked conservatively out of sight. Aimee was shocked but glad. Clint's parents would get to know all about her sister soon enough. Aimee didn't need the first meeting to be a shocker for them.Abby ran to the Ashers first, giving them each a hug and squealing when her grandfather picked her up and threatened to throw her in the air. Then, to Aimee's surprise and delight, the little girl ran to Aimee's mother and hugged her as well. She offered the others a quick hello and then darted for the playground, Clint's mother following just to keep a nervous eye on her. Paul and Mitch stood beside the picnic table, Karla clinging to Mitch's side, as Aimee's mother sat in front of them, all talking and laughing. Aimee stood still a moment, soaking in this perfect scene. They were one big happy f
Aimee stretched, her arms extending out to her side only to come up short as her hand hit another body. Rolling over, she gently ran a hand over Clint's face, a smile dancing across her own. The Saturday morning light peeked through his curtains, calling them to rise and shine, but Aimee ignored it, as she had tried to do every morning since Monday night. Every night she fell asleep beside him, and every morning she woke up wrapped around him, her arms exploring his naked chest. No matter how tired they were when they went to bed, the two of them decided, for Abby's sake, they'd make sure they wore pajamas before falling asleep. A young girl still had moments of nightmares, after all, and needed her Daddy in the middle of the night. Monday night everything changed. Bonnie was no longer his wife. Oh, he still had to stand before the judge next week and make it official, but for all intents and purposes, it was a done deal. Nothing stood in the way of their happiness now.She ran a fing
When the kiss broke, he grinned down at her. "Just tell me we can do some more photo shoots."She laughed again, harder, freer. "Clint Asher, I'll do whatever you want. All you have to do is name it." She kissed him again, this time softer, with less urgency, but just as much passion.When the kiss was over, she slid back into her seat, scooping up her wine glass as she did. "So tell me about today."He did, sharing with her how Bonnie wasn't planning on signing the papers in the beginning. First, he told her Bonnie's revelation of a need for family and why she returned. Then, he explained how he convinced her how signing the papers was the only way for the two of them to get on with their lives, that she could be the best mother to Abby she could be, but she would never again be his wife. He told Bonnie that she needed to respect Aimee and make the transition as smooth as possible. They were Abby's parents, but they would never be friends.When he finished, Aimee told him about Bonnie
The night dragged on, and Aimee could not shake her nervousness. Clint had asked her over to join them for dinner but still had not said anything about what he felt they needed to discuss. He hadn't even mentioned his meeting with Bonnie that afternoon, which made Aimee keep quiet about how the woman visited her. No need to bring up the subject if he was going to end it with her.Abby was a bundle of energy, bouncing on the couch and wanting to dominate the attention. After growing bored with that, she dragged Aimee to her room and played tea, while her father cooked dinner and music played from the front room. As Aimee played dolls with Abby, she wondered if the girl knew the extent of everything that was happening in the lives of the adults around her or if she was blissfully oblivious. For the little girl's sake, she hoped it was the latter."Dinner's ready," Clint called from the front room. Aimee had to admit he sounded happy since she arrived, not as if he was ready to send her o
A knock came at the door. Aimee glanced over her shoulder but didn't move to answer it. If it was Clint, she wanted to postpone the inevitable for as long as possible.Whoever it was knocked again. Karla stepped out of the hallway, glanced at Aimee, and then moved to answer the door. "You worry too much," Karla said over her shoulder.Aimee turned back to the ocean, the curling waves matching the churning in her stomach. She knew she was being dramatic, but she couldn't stop herself. She hated defeat."What the hell are you doing here?" Karla's voice snapped Aimee's attention around. Expecting to see Clint standing there, she was stunned when she noticed Bonnie, the woman ramrod straight, her neck stiff, and one white-knuckled hand gripping her purse strap close to her shoulder. Aimee could feel the confusion furrowing her brow, her eyes squinting, as if trying to make sure she saw what she actually saw. "Bonnie?""Again I ask, what are you doing here?" Karla stood in front of the oth
Something went wrong. While Aimee had no idea what that something was, she knew it had to be about Clint's divorce. Why else would he text her saying they needed to talk right after meeting with Bonnie? The waves barreled onto the shore, breaking upon the sand and rearranging the Atlantic Coast, just as Clint's text rearranged her security, sending her spinning in the riptide of the unknown. She stared at the white foam as the ocean sucked it back out into the deeper waters, reclaiming it as its own. Had Bonnie succeeded in the same thing with Clint? Had she won the fight and taken her husband back? Once again regaining her happy little family?She closed her eyes against the onslaught of scenarios that pummeled her mind, her head screaming against the intrusion. With everything she could muster, she tried to fight the battle within her, giving Clint the assurance he wanted that she believed him when he told her he would be here forever. Yet, it wasn't her experience. Men said whatev
Clint pulled into the local Starbucks, deciding it was the safest place to meet Bonnie to get her to sign the divorce papers. Hopefully, the opportunity for her to respond negatively would be greatly reduced by the public meeting. He had no doubt that meeting her in private would lead to her doing something detrimental to the proceeding. He just wanted to get her to sign the divorce papers and get the whole thing over with, so he could get on with the rest of his life, get on with his relationship with Aimee.He sighed. Hopefully, get Aimee to calm down and return to normal. It wasn't that all the adventures she came up with weren't hot as hell. They were, and he wouldn't mind doing them, but not if she only did them to compete with Bonnie. He wanted Aimee to be Aimee, the woman he fell in love with, the woman who sat on the couch with him and Abby and watched Disney movies, the woman who jumped into a flour fight in the kitchen, giggling and tossing the white powder everywhere. He did
Aimee stretched, her body screaming its protest at her, hating the fact that morning was already here, and she needed to rise and shine. Only one part of that would be possible until after coffee. She rolled over, her gaze drifting to the sliding glass doors at the east of her bedroom. The morning sun coaxed her, urging her to call into work and take the day off, to make a day of it at the beach, the sun's rays kissing her flesh. She grinned, scrunching down into her covers, her mind drifting to Clint's lips on hers, the passion in each one of his kisses, warming her insides like the sun would warm her outside. If she was going to call out of work, she wanted to spend the day in bed with Clint.Once they left his workshop, he went to pick up Abby and then met her at Charlie's for dinner. Abby was a chatty little girl, while she drew on her kid's menu, excited about being out with them. It was even pleasant to sit at a table, Clint's arm stretched across as he held her hand, Abby bounci
They spent the next hour moving things around in his workshop, setting up a photo shoot of the furniture he intended on selling, and making each piece look enticing. Aimee threw herself into the task at hand, examining the shadows cast by the lighting inside the workshop and making a small studio spot off to the side with nothing in the background, using some of his dark dropcloths as background drops. Clint helped her move things around, happy to be the manual labor to her vision for his photos.Outside, night started to fall, casting darker shadows on the ground as lamp posts popped on, offering only a slimmer of light to illuminate the world. Aimee finished taking her pictures: rocking chairs, tables, even a dresser Clint had crafted himself. They teased, laughing at each other when Aimee wasn't so focused on what she was doing. This was her passion, taking pictures, and she could get lost in the process for hours, inspecting angles and lighting, zooming in and out, carefully select