Lessons Learned (14 page)

I sipped my lemonade and watched from the deck while Lucas and Tommy chased Daniel around the big backyard. The power nap in church had done wonders for the toddler’s energy level, and he’d been a holy terror since we’d arrived at their house. Daniel ran from the swing set to the slide, over to me and his mom, and then back to his sandbox in the grass.

“Don’t ignore me, Sarah.”

“You are so bossy, and I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You were never a good liar. More lemonade?”

I laughed as she refilled my glass. She was still the perfect hostess despite the insults.

“Fine, a few things have changed,” I admitted.

“Such as?”

“He told me about New York.” I offered no other details because it wasn’t my story to tell. “And we . . . might have kissed.”

She actually squealed, causing the boys to look in our direction.

“Just kissed?”

“No, Aubrey, I ripped his clothes off and did very naughty things to him on my living room couch.”

Her smile was wicked and bright. “That’s my girl!”

I rolled my eyes.

“Are you insane? Yes, we just kissed.”

Daniel was in the sandbox once again, and Lucas and Tommy were sitting in the nearby grass, talking in hushed tones. I wondered if maybe they were having this very same conversation. The thought made me laugh out loud, causing Lucas to lift his head and smile at me.

“Sarah, he’s in love with you. You know that, don’t you?”

I shook my head. “He can’t be.”

“Why can’t he be?”

“Because he’s known me for about a month?”

Aubrey shrugged. “Sometimes, all it takes is a month.  People always made fun of us when I told them it was love at first sight for Tommy and me, but the joke is on them. We’re still together after all these years.”

“You make it look so easy.” Even I could hear the envy in my voice.

“It’s not
easy
. I won’t lie. Being married to a coach and raising a toddler puts a strain on a marriage, but we make it work.”

I sighed softly. “He doesn’t even know me, Aubrey.”

“I have a feeling Lucas knows you better than anyone.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I do know what you mean. I also know what happened in Memphis isn’t who you are, Sarah. It’s something that
happened
to you. There’s a difference.”

We grew quiet while watching the boys. In no time at all, Daniel grew tired of the sandbox and was now begging his daddy to push him on the swing.

“Memphis wasn’t your fault,” Aubrey finally whispered.

“I didn’t do enough to prevent it from happening. The signs were there, and I chose to ignore them.”

“So you’re supposed to be omniscient and perfect?”

“A young man might still be alive if I had been.”

She sighed. “It was a horrible tragedy, absolutely, and I’m so sorry you went through that, but Sarah—”

“I know,” I whispered. “It’s time to move on.”

Aubrey nodded in agreement.

“I only know the details from the news articles, but I know it wasn’t your fault. Maybe sharing that part of your life with Lucas will help you come to terms with everything. Something tells me he’ll be better than any therapist could ever be.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon with them. Tommy grilled steaks and Aubrey baked the potatoes while Lucas and I played with Daniel in the sandbox. I felt a little guilty for not being in the kitchen, but Aubrey assured me that keeping her child entertained was more than enough help.

“Your conversation with Aubrey seemed pretty serious,” Lucas remarked as he flipped his pail, forming a perfect mound of sand. Daniel’s laugh was infectious while filling his own bucket, but when he turned it over and pulled it away, he was disappointed when his sand castle instantly crumbled.

“You have to take your time,” Lucas encouraged him. “Pack the sand tight to form a strong foundation, and then be very careful when you lift the pail.”

Daniel listened intently and followed the directions, clapping with glee when his next sand castle stood firmly in place. Satisfied with his masterpiece, Daniel jogged toward the swing.

“That’s the thing about foundations,” I whispered wistfully and trailed my fingers along the grains of sand. “When it’s already weak, the slightest shift can make it fall apart.”

Lucas’s eyes ghosted over my face, and we both knew I wasn’t really talking about the sand.

He took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “It might crumble, but it can always be restored. It might take some time—and a gentle touch—but it can be mended if it wants to be.”

“What if it’s too late? What if it’s beyond repair?”

“I don’t think anything is beyond repair. At least I hope not. Maybe it just takes a fresh start. A new beginning.”

Both of our foundations were still shaky, but could we possibly be strong again?

“That’s why I’m here,” I said quietly.

His smile warmed my heart.

“Me too.”

Chapter 11

It was dark by the time we headed home. We’d tried to leave earlier, but Daniel kept insisting we play “just one more minute.”

    It was hard to say no to those big brown eyes.

“How long have Tommy and Aubrey been together?” Lucas asked as he pointed the car toward town.

“Since seventh grade. Tommy invited her to a school dance, and they’ve been together ever since.”

“They’ve never dated anyone else?”

“Not that I know of. We weren’t particularly close our last two years of high school, but I can’t imagine they’ve ever been apart. I’ve never met two people more perfect for each other.” He looked confused.

“Why weren’t you close the last two years of high school?”

“I wasn’t close to anyone, but my grandma,” I told him. “After my parents died, I distanced myself from everybody. In my sixteen-year-old mind, if I didn’t love anyone, then it wouldn’t hurt me if they left me behind.”

Lucas reached for my hand and continued to drive.

“Did you date a lot in high school?”

I smiled, grateful for the change in subject. “Not a lot, no. I had a couple of boyfriends, but there was only one that was even remotely serious. We’d tell my parents we were going to the movies, but we rarely made it there.”

Lucas grinned at me. “Where did you go?”

“Parking, usually. We’d find some deserted back road and make out in . . .” my voice trailed off when I realized he’d turned down the dusty gravel road that led to Jude Taylor’s farm, “. . . the back seat of his dad’s old Chevy.”

“A back road like this one?” Lucas’s voice was deep and low as the car crept along the deserted road.

What is he doing?

“Umm . . . well, this one would be dangerous because it leads straight to Jude Taylor’s house, and you’re bound to get caught, but . . . uh . . . there’s a side road up here on the left. It was a pretty popular parking spot when we were in high school.”

He drove another mile before the promised road came into view. It was covered in gravel, and still headed straight back into the woods.

Out of sight.

Far
out of sight.

Without a word, Lucas turned left.

He even used his signal light.

I would have laughed if I hadn’t been so damn nervous.

“Lucas, have you ever done this?”

He brought the car to an abrupt stop just under a canopy of trees and turned off the ignition. The glow of the moon was our only light, and my body trembled with excitement when he unbuckled his seatbelt before reaching for mine.

“Nope,” Lucas murmured, pulling my hand to his lips. I gasped softly as he gently kissed my palm. It was meant to be a sweet, innocent gesture, but it did nothing but ignite my blood.

In an instant, I was climbing over the back seat, pulling him along until our bodies were pressed against each other in the tight confines of his car.

“God, this was so much easier when I was sixteen.”

Lucas silenced my giggle by crashing his mouth against mine. Our bodies entwined as we fumbled in the darkness, groping and kissing like a couple of teenagers. There was something about the night that made us bold, and our kisses became frantic. With trembling fingers, I hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt. Groaning roughly, his hand slipped beneath my blouse. I gasped excitedly when his hand ghosted along the lace of my bra.

“Sarah . . .” he whispered against my neck. Twisting my fingers in his hair, I pulled him closer, causing him to moan against my skin. My heart was thundering in my chest as he lifted his head toward mine. I gently caressed his handsome face while he gazed into my eyes, and I knew—deep in my soul—I was falling in love.

“What was his name?”

The strange question brought me back to reality.

“Whose?”

Lowering his head, Lucas gently kissed the corner of my mouth. “The boyfriend who used to take you parking in his dad’s Chevy.”

His lips brushed my jawline, and I sighed softly.

“Toby.” His teeth found my earlobe, making me moan. “Toby . . . something.”

“Did he make you feel like this?”

“No one has.” Lucas’s entire body shuddered as my hands slipped along his muscular shoulders, pushing his shirt away. My legs wrapped around his waist, and I arched into him, making him groan roughly. “Only you.”

“Only me,” Lucas whispered softly against my lips.

Our kisses became desperate once again until a sharp rapping on the window caused me to scream.

“This cannot be happening,” Lucas mumbled miserably as I shielded my eyes from the brightness of the flashlight streaming through the glass. We hastily untangled ourselves and adjusted our clothes before rolling down the window.

Naturally, it was a deputy—grinning like an idiot.

Did small towns always have to be so predictable?

“Sarah Bray, is that you?”

I sighed heavily.

“For future reference, I want those words etched on my tombstone,” I muttered to Lucas. “Yes, is there a problem, officer?”

He laughed, and it was the most annoying, grating sound I’d ever heard.

“You don’t remember me, do you? We were lab partners in Biology our senior year,” the policeman said, grinning down at me. “Hank Roberts? I asked you to the prom—repeatedly—but you kept sayin’ no.”

Hank Roberts. The boy who, on the day we were dissecting frogs, complained about the dullness of the scissors and proceeded to whip out his hunting knife.

This was completely embarrassing, but maybe he wouldn’t take us to jail if I seemed somewhat apologetic.

“I’m really sorry about that, Hank.”

Lucas coughed to cover his laugh.

“Far be it from me to interrupt when two consenting adults are having a little fun . . .” Hank’s eyes finally traveled to Lucas, shooting him an angry look while shining the light in his face. “It
was
consensual, wasn’t it?”

“Absolutely consensual,” I assured him.

He nodded. “That’s good, but this is private property now, so I’m going to have to ask you to leave. If Jude catches you two out here, he’ll wanna press charges.”

“We’ll leave,” I promised him.

“We’re sorry, officer,” Lucas apologized solemnly.

Hank chuckled. “Not a problem. Have a good night! Oh, and I’ll expect to see the two of you at church on Sunday.”

We waited until the lights of Hank’s cruiser were completely out of sight before exploding with laughter.

“He’ll see us at
church
on Sunday?”

I grinned. “I guess he thinks we have some repenting to do.”

“Hmm.” Lucas lowered his head and kissed me tenderly. “I’d have to disagree with him. I’m not sorry at all.”

I gently caressed his face. “Neither am I.”

“I am grateful he showed up when he did,” Lucas said softly. “The first time we make love won’t be in the back seat of my car.” He grinned sheepishly and kissed me once more before climbing over to the front seat.

Stunned speechless, I quickly followed and fastened my seat belt. Lucas slipped his hand into mine, and without a word, he led us out of the woods and back out onto the highway.

September passed in a blinding blur of first semester assignments and settling into my new routine. Each day was pretty much the same—work, eat, friends, and sleep. Despite the monotony, I was at peace. There was a comfort in the familiarity of it all, and I found it was a calm that trickled into every facet of my new life in Sycamore Falls.