Not Alone (3 page)

Baseball. Puppies. My grandma. Yup, that did it!

I then overheard Emmy talking to Toby and Tessa. “So, you will both be at the soccer field bright and early tomorrow morning, right?” They both muttered a ‘yes’ before Emmalynne sauntered outside to leave. I had to say something to her before she left.

“It was very nice meeting you. You played great tonight Emmalynne, and I hope to see more of you soon!” Giving her my sexy smolder, she blushed, smiled and turned towards the door.

Not realizing that I was still looking at the space she just occupied, Tessa snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Uh, Grady, you have a bit of drool on your chin! Seriously could you have been so blatantly obvious?”

Tessa thought she was funny. I rolled my eyes as I turned towards her and Toby. “So is Emmy your sister?” I blurted out. God, could I have been more obvious, where this pussy side of me has come from I’m not sure. I was not so sure I liked it either.  I was ex-Army, tough as nails, not some whipped pussy. But something about Emmalynne drew me to her. Fuck. 

“Um no, she is my sister-in-law.” Whew, saved! But hold that thought. “So, you are married to her sister?”

“Honey, I’m gay and very much single,” he winked at me. Um…….ok…..so there is only solution left and I was not liking it.

“So she’s married to your brother?” I grumbled through clenched teeth. Of course the universe would hate me. I had found the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and she was married. Fuck. That must be who Tucker is and why she had to get home to him so quickly. Where the fuck this possessive side came from, I couldn’t tell you, but I wanted Emmalynne Morgan with every fiber of my being.

“Well, not exactly.”

“Not exactly! What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I barked as he winced.  I could tell I was scaring him but I was running out of patience.

Tess chimed in, “She was married to his brother, Bryce, but he died five years ago, so she’s widowed. And I say good riddance to that asshole.”

Well, that was not exactly what I wanted to hear. Sure, I’m happy for the fact that she is no longer married, but being a widow, that had to be hard. I wonder why Tess didn’t like him. Did he not treat her right? The thought of anyone mistreating Emmalynne has my growing temper flaring. I really needed to calm myself.

“I’m taking a break,” I yelled as I stormed towards the back door.

Chapter Three

Emmalynne

Sitting safely in the confines of my mini-van, I wondered what in the hell had just happened in there.

Yes, I drove a momma mini-van. What could I say, I was a soccer momma to the core. It was fit with those zombie family decals on the back windshield. That was Tucker’s doing, he was currently going through the zombie phase, thanks to Brock. I was personally hoping it didn’t last much longer.

I was completely in the zone tonight! I was enjoying every second up there on stage, well that was, once I got over my nervous jitters.

I loved the guys in the band, and felt like they were practically my brothers. All with the exception of Corbin, he was a new member, having only started a few months prior. He was an amazing guitar player but something about him just seemed…off. He screamed creeper! But who was I to judge, so I just kept that little tidbit to myself.

Corbin kept staring at me before we went on stage, hence the creeper status. He totally set me on edge. I shrugged off my uneasiness and set forth on getting myself pumped up to go onstage.

Then, while I was playing, I locked eyes with the bartender and he literally stole my breath. My beat faltered for a split second but I was able to redeem myself without anyone the wiser. I hoped…

Grady.

Mr. Hottness.

Wow, neither Toby nor Tessa gave him enough credit. He was gorgeous. There were simply no words to describe his level of gorgeousness. Standing at I would say, six foot two, broad shoulders, a body to kill for. He had sandy blonde hair cut in a military style with a jaw so square I wanted to lick it. Desperately. And his eyes were the deepest shade of blue I have ever seen, so dark they reminded me of sapphires.

I can’t believe I was sitting here thinking about licking some man’s jaw, especially a man I had just met. I’m a fat girl. That would happen only in my wildest dreams, but what dreams those would be. No way would a man who looked like that want something to do with a girl who looked like me.

I knew I had to haul ass out of there before I said something stupid, or worse, before I fell flat on my face. So I made up the excuse about having to get home to Tucker, when in all actuality he was at a friends’ house for the night. Just the way he looked at me, gosh I must have been imagining it. But he had the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.

I found myself, sitting in my car, close to hyperventilating.
Gosh, I was starting to sound like those clichéd heroines from one of those romance novels I sell in my store
, I thought to myself.

A knock on my window startled me out of my reverie. I turned to see Corbin standing there. I rolled down my window with an exasperating sigh. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the creeper, not when I was reminiscing about my short interlude with Grady.

“What’s up Corbin?” I asked, trying to sound a little enthusiastic, but failing.

“I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You kinda hightailed it outta the bar before I got a chance to talk to you after the show. By the way you did great!” He looked at me with a gleam in his eye.

“Thanks Corbin, you too. I’m just heading out to go relieve my babysitter, so I wasn’t able to stay,” I replied, grabbing my necklace and twirling it in between my fingers. This was my tell, my go to twitch, if you will, that I use whenever I was lying. Luckily, Corbin didn’t know me well enough to know that information.

“So, uh, Emmy,” he started stammering.
Uh oh, not good
… “Would you like to go out with me sometime?”

Crap, how can I turn him down gently?
I didn’t date, not ever since Bryce broke my heart. I didn’t think I could fully trust another man on an intimate level ever again. I would always be a single mother. That was what was in my cards.

“Corbin, I’m flattered but, I just don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m way too busy, what with my store and Tucker. I almost need three of me to keep up with Tucker and all of his sports and whatnot,” I chuckled, trying to sounds upbeat.

“Oh, ok, well I’ll just see you next Friday. You are playing again, aren’t you?” He looked sad, defeated, and I felt bad for turning him down. Even if I didn’t feel like he was a creeper, I still wouldn’t have said yes. I wasn’t lying when I said I needed three of me to keep up with my life. I almost never had downtime, and I preferred it that way.

“Yup, next week will be my last week though. The Doctor said Mikey’s wrist should be healed enough to play by then. See ya!” I quickly rolled my window up before he was able to say anything more.
Whew! Crisis averted!

Now I could get back to daydreaming about Mr. Hottness.

---~~~---

Saturday morning brought me to the soccer field, my other home away from home, well besides the bookstore. I headed over towards Mrs. Williams, who had brought her son Tyler, as well as Tucker, to the field since they had a sleepover last night.

“Hey Tuck! I missed you last night, were you good for the Williams’?” I asked while kissing him on the top of his head. He was nine and hated the idea of public affection from his mother. But I told him that I will always be his mother and I would continue to kiss him on his head so to get over it. He got over it.

“Yes mom, I was good! We played video games and ate chili for dinner,” Tucker said. Then he pulled me down, which wasn’t very far since he was creeping up on me on height, to where he could whisper in my ear, “Mrs. Williams’ chili is nowhere near as good as yours, but I didn’t tell her that.”

I threw my head back and laughed. This kid could seriously crack me up. “That’s good Tucker, I’m so glad you had fun. I see your coach out on the field, why don’t you run out there and start getting warmed up?”

“Bye mom,” he said running towards his team. “Try not to yell so loud today!”

“Your mother yelling at a soccer game? No way!” I turned to see Tessa and Brock coming towards me.

“Well, Brock what can I say? I am a proud momma and I like to encourage him out on the field! I guess I can get a little rowdy from time to time,” I explained.

“A little rowdy? Girl, a little rowdy is what you get when McDonald’s gives you an incomplete order. You on the other hand get full on rambunctious!” Tessa clarified.

“Oh whatever,” I said while waving her off. “You are so full of it. Let’s go get our seats so I can watch my son kick butt and take names.”

---~~~---

Later, after Tucker’s team won their game, I took him to his favorite pizza place, DeNiro’s. No relation to the actor. Toby, Tessa, and Brock met us there.

“Tuck here’s some money. Why don’t you go and play some games while I talk to Uncle Toby and Auntie Tessa before I head to work.”

 “Thanks mom!” Tucker flew out of the bench seat towards his favorite arcade game.

“So, Corbin asked me out last night,” I said to one on in particular. I knew they would freak out, especially since I haven’t dated since Bryce died. They think I was still stuck on him, but in all actuality they couldn’t be further from the truth. I am not naïve enough to think that Bryce would change and things would have gone back to the way they were. I would’ve eventually left Bryce, but the accident happened, making it a moot issue.

“Well, I hope you said no. Corbin kind of freaks me out,” Tess said.

“Thank god! I thought I was the only one who thought that so I just kept it to myself. You know, I’m not one to bad mouth someone, well at least not out loud,” I explained, “but yes, I told him no. Reason number one is, I’m just not at that point to where I want to start dating again. Hell, Bryce was the only person I’ve ever dated. I wouldn’t know what in the world to do. And the second reason, look at me. Who would want to date me?”

“Well, obviously you need your head examined,” Toby threw out. “You are a beautiful woman, inside and out. You are an amazing mother. Face it girlie, you are a catch. Hell, if I was straight, I’d be on the Emmy train, but I’m not so it’s whatever,” he finished while waving his hand around.

Snorting, Tessa broke in, “Em, numerous men have asked you out, and you always turn them down. The point is, don’t you think it’s time to get back into the dating world? I don’t like seeing you lonely.” Tessa’s eyes looked down towards the table.

“I understand what you guys are saying, but dating is just not for me, I have too much on my plate. And I’m not lonely, I have Tucker and you guys,” I said while tugging on my necklace. They knew I was lying. I was lonely, but I wasn’t ready to get my heart broken again.  Once was enough for a lifetime.

Toby perked up and threw Tessa a glance, “I know who you can date!” he shrieked while clapping his hands together. Tessa started grinning, apparently clued in on the secret.

“Grady!” They both yelled in unison.

---~~~---

Moving around the bookstore, cleaning up from the daily traffic, it was almost closing time. Being a Saturday, we stayed open until nine. I was working with Miles, my part-time employee. Miles was a twenty year old college student who preferred to work nights and weekends, which worked out well for me since I have Tucker. Miles was a good looking kid, he was almost six foot tall, had shaggy hair that curled around his neck, and he had kind eyes. He was one of my two favorite employees. Okay. Okay. I only had two employees, and they are both equally amazing, for different reasons.

“Hey Miles, I’m going to run back and get the vacuum, could you start cashing out the register?”

“Sure thing, Em!” That Miles was such a nice kid and an amazing worker.  

Thinking back to the earlier conversation at DeNiro’s, I could not believe my friends suggested I date Grady. I didn’t even think for one minute that Grady would go for a girl like me. The knowing look they gave each other said otherwise. I was out of the loop.

I hated being out of the loop.

Why was I even thinking about Grady? I’d sworn off men. No dating for me, nuh unh, no way.

I started vacuuming and didn’t even hear the phone ring. Miles clasped me on my shoulder, and jumping I turned off the vacuum and whirled around towards him.

“Holy moly you scared me, Miles!”

“Sorry Em, but the bar called and said your dad is there.”

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I knew what that meant. Dad was drunk at
Finnegan’s
and I had to get him home, again. Luckily, and unluckily, Tucker was staying at Toby’s, so he wouldn’t have to witness a belligerent Poppy. Normally I could call Toby for back up, but that won’t happen tonight.

Grabbing my purse and keys, I muttered, “Miles do you mind locking up for me?”

“No problem, Emmy, go do what you need to do.”
Nice kid,
I thought to myself.

Heading out the door and towards my van, I began to wonder what it would be like to have a normal life. A leg that wasn’t mangled and caused me to walk like a gimp, a loving husband, partner, and father to Tucker, a father who didn’t need to be picked up from the bar every weekend because he was so drunk he could hardly stand. I thanked the lord for my bookstore and Tucker, and of course my friends, because they were my normal.

Chapter Four

Grady

“I’m going to have to cut you off, sir,” I tried explaining to the very drunk, very unruly customer.

“No, dammmit give me a..a..anoer,” he slurred. He was very entertaining, trying to pick up chicks half of his age. He was a very rotund, balding man in his early sixties, I believe. He reeked of booze but he still had an air of authority about him.