Love Delivered (29 page)

“So, I see you’re enjoying this, dear,” Maggie drawled, and although her face produced a smile, her undertone could’ve gone either way.

“Enjoying?”

With a smile that didn’t reach her eyes still plastered, she elaborated, “Being a single mother. I’m sure it’s one of the most difficult things on earth. I raised my last two alone.”

I scoffed, “I’m no single mother, Mrs. Brown. I’m a single woman who co-parents with an extraordinary man. But I do agree; mothers who parent alone have the most daunting task.”

That was a lesson quickly learned from Stenton the day of Jordan’s christening. I never forgot and always appreciated the simple fact of my parenthood. To his credit, for three years, it had been undisputed.

I felt Stenton’s and Jenna’s eyes on me, but I didn’t give any attention to them to see what it meant. I may not have been able to figure out Jenna yet, but her momma was an easy read. She was distrusting and snobbish.

“Mother, that was quite presumptuous of you,” Jenna chided.

“No,” I interjected as I tapped the table to open Jordan’s straw when the waiter dropped off our drinks. “Times, lifestyles and titles are changing in society. I’m sure some time ago, mothers who weren’t married were thought to be either widowed or…harlots, I guess.” I shrugged and caught Stenton chuckling in my periphery. “But in today’s society, I’m simply a fortunate woman to have an incredible kid with a Dad who adores him.”

“Mmmmhmmm,” Maggie grunted.

Hopefully, that headed her off the path of attempting to ‘
intimidate Stenton’s little baby momma to make my daughter look good
.’

Our food was eventually delivered and we dug in. I was starved from not having a big enough lunch while we were touring earlier. Stenton was busy entertaining Jordan. Maggie quieted much after our exchange outside of mentioning her upcoming plastic surgery. She looked to be eighty years old, though I was confident the woman was younger. Whatever age she was, she’d come to get breast implants. I had to stifle my laughter when that fact surfaced.

I’d guessed it had gotten too quiet when Jenna piped out, “So, Zoey, I’m glad you decided to come out. This trip almost didn’t happen,” she informed as she gestured over to Jordan.

I cocked my head. “Oh, yeah? How so?”

Stenton was busy coloring the activity placemat with Jordan in between finishing his food.

Jenna softly cleared her throat. “I know this is his only scheduled week with Jordan this summer. Stenton explained how you’re not…well, quite comfortable with Jordan vacationing without you, and especially at this great of a distance.”

My eyes shot straight over to Stenton like daggers. Taking his time, he eventually peered up at me with preoccupied eyes. He’d lied to his girlfriend!
But why?
  

“I’m glad you all were able to keep with your plans,” I murmured, mostly to my plate, because I couldn’t face the woman while lying to her.

Not quite an hour later, after Jordan had passed out in his dad’s arm, I decided I could finally end the night without being rude. But then there was even a fuss getting out of there.

I went to grab a sleeping Jordan from the bench next to Stenton. When my hand brushed past his to take Jordan from his side, our gazes met. I immediately went to Jenna, who was staring adoringly at Jordan. I swallowed hard and tried to scoop him, but Stenton gently tapped my wrist.

“Don’t worry. I got him.”

I shook my head. “Stenton, I’m used to carrying this lug of love around. I can handle him,” I protested.

“Yeah, but not trekking him on the beach in a foreign country,” he quietly reproached.

My eyes traveled over to Jenna again. She was so captivated by our proximity she didn’t even know I was looking at her. Her mother was busy observing her clunky makeup in a compact mirror.

I sighed. “Fine.” Then I turned to Jenna. “It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope you enjoy your time here.

Before I could finish, she was out of the chair, eagerly reaching for my hand to shake.

“The pleasure was all mine, Zoey. Thanks again for bringing Jordan. He’s a cutie pie.”

I nodded my appreciation of her compliments and called a general goodnight over the table not particularly caring if Maggie replied or not. I offered Jenna a parting smile before gaiting out of the restaurant. The first few yards were met in silence. Then I couldn’t take it anymore.

“So, are you in the habit of telling your girlfriend lies?”

Stenton didn’t answer.

“Well, you could’ve at least told
me
the truth, Stenton.” I managed to keep my voice low.

“I didn’t lie to you,” he informed calmly.

Oh, no?

“But you didn’t exactly tell her this was my graduation gift. Don’t insult me.”

“Would you have come had you known the full story?”

I paused for a minute, my anger still brewing, but my level of reasoning was now at work, too.

“No.”

“And that’s why you didn’t know the full story ahead of time.”

“That’s wrong, Stenton. Wrong and deceitful.” I pinched the bridge of my nose then found myself shaking my head. “Does she even follow you on social media? She would’ve seen all the pictures from Hawaii and Spain with just you and JR.”

For a while, Stenton said nothing. I was done with my lecture, not understanding my need to explain how messed up a situation he’d put me into. A few feet from the villa, he spoke again.

“I told you I’d bring you to Rio de Janeiro.” His tone was but a hush. I knew it was a difficult task for him to admit that.

“But visit while you’re screwing your girlfriend? That’s very low of you, Stenton!” I whispered harshly, trying to contain my boiling anger. “What are you doing now? You’re walking your son and his mother back to their villa when you should be taking full advantage of the romantic backdrop with her.”

A bitter film coated my tongue with that acknowledgement. I wasn’t inviting Stenton to have sex with another woman with my knowledge. It was a gruesome thought. It didn’t matter that we hadn’t been intimate since our time in The Hamptons. It didn’t matter that it was almost a year ago, those experiences had been some of the best I’d ever had. And while Stenton was the bulk of my sexual experiences, it didn’t lessen the fact that the chemistry we shared was unparalleled. I had to stop thinking about sex and Stenton and the romantic landscape. He was here…
with his girlfriend!

“Gosh! She must hate me!” I berated myself out loud, closing the door to the villa behind Stenton and a sleeping Jordan.

“Jenna is...different,” I heard his baritone and peered up to find him gazing at me.

“Different?” I found myself suddenly curious. “Different how? Any warm-blooded woman in a romantic setting as this with a…man…like you would want privacy for intimacy,” I murmured, trying to keep with his stride to the back of the apartment.

I headed him off the path and directed him to the correct room. Stenton immediately started removing Jordan’s clothing as he was sprawled out on the bed, deep in slumber. 

“No. She’s different,” he parroted.

“Different how, Stenton? Give me the heads up…
this time
, please!”

He paused for a minute to consider his words. I couldn’t ignore the waft of his cologne that did things to me. Things his girlfriend wouldn’t appreciate.

“Jenna’s cool…laid back. She doesn’t exactly do the social media thing. She’s not very...worldly.” He exhaled still trying to explain as I handed him Jordan’s pajamas. “I don’t have to be concerned about her living off my celebrity or indulging in the paparazzi type of life. She’s just…she’s just cool.”

I chewed on that for a bit, still not quite following him. I watched Stenton lower himself to Jordan on the bed and kiss his head goodnight. When he stood fully and peered down on me, my voice was robbed. I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t used to being around Stenton like this anymore.

Eventually, I settled on, “And even a ‘cool’ woman,” I used air quotations, “…would take advantage of this romantic ambiance.” I walked out of the door and could feel him on my heels.

On my way to the front of the villa, I heard, “Zoey, Jenna and I are not having sex tonight.”

I turned into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. “Clearly, because you’re here.”

“No,” Stenton amended soberly. “Jenna and I have never had sex.”

I turned to face him, I’m sure wearing an incredulous expression. “I don’t follow.” Stenton didn’t move, in fact, he deepened his communicative gaze. “I don’t believe you.”

He exhaled, almost appearing frustrated. “Come on, Zo. You’ve never known me to be a liar.”

I returned his gaze with my chin facing the floor. “No. But then again, look how I got in on this trip. Look at what you told her about me.”

Stenton didn’t move. And now I caught the intensity of his gaze. He was imploring me to believe him. He was confiding in me. But for what?

“Oh, my god.” I was gaining my senses. “But you guys have been together for almost a year, and you mean to tell me…”

Stenton immediately shook his head. I was dazed. Perplexed. How could he be with her that long without sex? I couldn’t understand Jenna’s angle. Stenton had never lied to me, but there were still questions running through my befuddled brain.

I felt his warm lips on my forehead as my sights were set to the floor. I was jarred. Had no idea what this meant or why he shared it with me in the first place, but I couldn’t formulate the words to ask.

“Good night, Zo. I’ll meet you guys at the beach first thing in the morning,” he murmured before kissing me once more and letting himself out.

I couldn’t shake my confusion. Couldn’t wrap my brain around what that all could mean. As I showered for bed and even when I hit the plush sheets, I pondered it all.
Why did Stenton call me out here?
Was it to finally say goodbye? That wouldn’t make sense. If it was at all necessary, it could’ve happened back home. I didn’t see Stenton; only spoke to him on occasion in passing about Jordan. I set up our lives so that he and Jordan could remain close and I could have my necessary distance from him. But if I would be honest with myself, I knew Stenton could have had me whenever he wanted, which was why the distance was important to me.

I didn’t date anymore. When I had my run at that game, I timed out quickly, trying to navigate those who wanted my body, Stenton’s child’s mother, or Stenton the athlete himself. After I made the decision to leave whatever it was that we’d started last summer when we spent those four glorious days together, I shut down and focused on Jordan, work and school. I told myself that was all I needed. I could hold out on those things until Stenton came around to wanting me again. Secretly, I thought no matter how perverse the invitation of this trip—because I knew Jenna would be here—it was a hopeful step towards regaining a connection. Foolish me.

And no sex with Jenna? Should I have waited before plunging deep into a sexual relationship with Stenton? Did I move us too fast? Had I not seduced him that night and just let the vibe we’d created flow organically, perhaps we would’ve made it to seven months where he was with Jenna now. My love affair with Stenton had had a short shelf-life. These questions, thoughts and revelations carried me into slumber.

The next morning, we were down at the beach doing rough play. It was great to experience the contentment Jordan showed as I had often seen with his father. We’d been out there for hours, allowing the time to roll over us. When Stenton first arrived, I noticed he was alone. Once I’d caught some consciousness of the time, I became curious. Again.

“Hey, Stent,” I call over to him as he tossed Jordan in the warm water for the umpteenth time. “Where’s Jenna? It’s almost noon.”

He shrugged. “She was helping Maggie rest for the day as her doctor advised. Resting for Maggie means being waited on hand and foot by Jenna.”

“Oh.” That was strange.
You come here just to nurse your mother?
I shook my head. “But you came here with them…
I
-I just don’t understand. I’m so confused by this whole trip.”

I think I caught Stenton rolling his eyes. “Maggie has, apparently, wanted this surgery for a while…even saved for it. When she was ready to finally do it, she asked Jenna to tag along. Jenna jumped at the idea of being here and invited me. I declined. She begged and begged and I came up with an idea of how it would work for me to come.”

“But—”

“I wasn’t coming to Rio de Janeiro without you, Zo!” He’d rushed to his limit. After moments long, he continued. “I never forgot about my promise to you when Jordan was four months old. I knew you’d enjoy it and I figured out a way to come out here with my son. And that meant his mother, too.”

And there it was. That was what the underlying struggle was all about: the promise Stenton made to me during such an intimate act. Him making good on it played on my emotions, wrecked my brain. This was wholly inappropriate. I grabbed the back of my neck, now frustrated by the confusion.

“I just don’t under—”

“Damn it, Zo!” He growled and Jordan froze in place. “Jordan is my legacy, making you my family. What about that is so hard to understand?” He turned to the water to collect himself. His face was set in a glower. “I know things have been crazy for us over the years, but I did not want to be in Rio de Janeiro with Jenna and her mother. I wanted to be with my son and his mother. I don’t know what explanation can be clearer than that.”