One Simple Step (Journey Series) (10 page)

So, my best friend meeting anyone I dated was important to me. My judgment obviously wasn’t great, so her opinion would really affect any relationship I had in the future, whether it was with Nick or someone I had yet to meet.

I had no clue when I would really be ready for something like that again. Maybe it would be a few years from now. Maybe it would be a few months. Either way, I would have to trust my heart, and Leah, to make sure I didn’t screw up again.

Chapter 11

Ally

“Do you think it really looks okay?” I played with the hem of the white sundress I had on, and checked the mirror in the bathroom that was attached to my bedroom, again. “It’s not too short, is it?”

Leah eyed me with wide eyes from my bed where she lay on her stomach watching me get ready.

“It is, isn’t it? I think I’ll change into something with a little more coverage. I really don’t want to look like a—”

“Ah.” Leah jumped up, and grabbed my shoulders from behind. “Don’t you even say the word, Ally James. You look gorgeous, and that dress covers all of the goods perfectly. You picked the absolute right thing to wear, just like always.” I smiled at her in the mirror, and she flicked my arm before flopping back onto my bed. “I didn’t think I would ever see the day.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked as I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail and then slipped on a pair of pink wedges.

“The day that you were actually nervous about something. You must really like this guy, because after all of the years I’ve known you, you’ve never been nervous. Not once. When do I get to meet him?”

She handed me my makeup bag, and looked at me expectantly in the mirror.

After the three of them arrived, we decided that Ben would stay here, and Leah and Chase left to check into their hotel. Leah came back by herself within an hour, leaving Chase asleep in their room, and dragged me out of the apartment, forcing me to spill on every little detail that happened since I had arrived.

I had talked to Nick while she was gone, and had gotten my afternoon shift taken care of so I could spend a little more time with everyone since they were only here for a long weekend.

I could hear the disappointment in his voice, or at least that’s what it sounded like to me, when he knew I wouldn’t be coming in. Seeing him almost every day was one of the best parts of my job.

“Well, wouldn’t you be nervous, too?” I shrugged as I tinted my lips with a little bit of pink gloss, and pulled out my eyeliner. “I mean, we aren’t really even dating, and I’m meeting his parents? They’ll probably think it’s weird. I have no idea how I let him talk me into this. I should probably just stay here. I want to spend as much time as possible with you guys before you have to leave again.”

“No way.” She gave a quick shake of her dark curls. “No offense, but I get no alone time with that husband of mine, so we’re gonna have a nice, quiet…well, somewhat quiet night out.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me in the mirror, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

“At least someone’s getting some action, way to rub it in."

She bumped her shoulder into mine as I spritzed my body with the wildflower spray I knew Nick loved. He hadn’t said anything, but I caught him inhaling deeply when in close proximity on more than one occasion.

“Sorry. And Ben and Remy seem to be getting along pretty well. Maybe they’ll get lucky after their dinner tonight, too.”

“Ew, gross. That’s my brother.” I covered my ears quickly, but she swatted my hands down.

“Oh, stop it, I think it’s cute. I can’t believe you never thought to set Remy and Ben up before. They’re perfect, and I thought you were Miss Matchmaker or something?”

“I wish I could take credit for that one.”

Since I showed up on her doorstep and she took me in, Remy hadn’t been the same Remy that I knew her to be. The perky red head that I quickly became friends with through Leah had seemed to disappear a bit, and a more reserved, quiet version replaced her.

After spending some much-needed time catching up with her, and just being her roommate, I think I had a lot of the reasoning behind that figured out. Yeah, I mean with age people change and mature, but I think the root of it started when her relationship with Mark ended.

Before the guys made it big, Remy and I had traveled along with them on the road to every crummy hotel and skeezy bar that they were able to line up. And because of that, Remy and I had become even closer friends, spending almost every night together either watching the band play, or having our own little girls only nights.

Everything had always seemed perfect with them from the outside, but one night after a few too many margaritas, she blurted out that Mark had cheated on her, and that’s why things ended between them so suddenly. I was beyond shocked that Remy hadn’t felt like she could turn to Leah or me when it happened. But, Remy being Remy, she hadn’t wanted us to think differently of Mark since both of our husbands at the time were good friends with him.

She had been afraid to get involved with anyone ever since then, and I think had put up her guard when it came to being in any kind of relationship. So, when I saw that bright blush on her cheeks every time my big brother turned her way, I could tell that there was something there.

I just never put two and two together before. I mean, they did live thousands of miles away from each other. So, in a way, I still really brought them together, and I guess we would see where it went from here.

“Okay, you really need to get going, Al. Call me the minute you get home so you can spill all of the details.” I arched a brow at her, knowing that Chase had a crazy romantic night planned, but she just shook her head at me. “No matter what, you call me. Chase can wait while I get all the juice from ya. Now go impress them with that killer personality of yours. They’d have to be complete dumbasses not to fall in love with you.”

“Alright, I’m going. Have fun tonight.”

As I walked through the parking lot, I smiled at my newest purchase. After Leah finished grilling me that first night, Ben immediately dragged me to a car dealership. I knew I needed a car, but I just hadn’t set the time aside to actually go.

It had been amusing to watch Ben quietly wheel and deal with the salesman. By the time Ben was done, I think the guy sweated completely through the fancy dress shirt he wore, but he had gotten me a ton of money off the sticker price of a barely used car, and I couldn’t have been happier. It would be nice not to have to depend on anyone, and it gave me a little bit more of that independent feeling that I had been missing since I’d gotten married.

I followed the directions Nick had given me to his parents’ house. They lived deeper in the small city, a few miles away from the beach, in what looked like a quiet neighborhood with perfectly landscaped yards. One- story stucco houses that seemed to come in just about every shade of the rainbow lined the streets.

I pulled up in the driveway, and smiled when I saw Nick sitting on the front porch, his large frame looking massive on the one tiny step that led up to the cement pad. He stood up, before running over to open up my door, and I couldn’t help but lick my lips at the sight of him.

His dark hair was its usual artful mess, and his deep tan making his blue eyes and whiter than white teeth pop out. He had changed out of his usual work clothes, which consisted of fitted dress pants and a dress shirt or polo, and now wore a pair of cargo shorts and a deep blue t-shirt that hugged every inch of his wide chest.

“You made it.” His dimple popped out as he opened my door and reached in a hand to help me out. “My mom has been bugging the shit out of me to meet you. Thanks for coming.”

“No problem. Do I look okay? I wasn’t sure what to wear, I didn’t want to underdress, but I didn’t want to overdress. I think I tried on about ten different outfits, and I’m still not sure—”

“Ally,” he cut me off, holding me out at arm’s length, and stroking his fingers down my sides, making that tingly feeling shoot straight through my entire body. “You look perfect. My mom’s gonna love you, don’t worry.”

Nick led me into the house, lacing our fingers together, and gave me a quick tour as we went. His parents, Kelly and Charlie, reminded me so much of Nick it was impossible not to instantly like them. They were both so friendly, welcoming me into their home and making me feel like I belonged there. You could see how in love they still were with each other, “Even after all these years,” Kelly had said.

“Nicholas, where are your manners? Get your girl here something to drink while I pull out the lasagna. I hope you like lasagna, Ally. It’s actually my great, great grandmother’s recipe, and I think you’ll just love it,” Kelly called over her shoulder as I heard the oven door open.

Hmm, his girl? What exactly had he told his parents about us? Or maybe she was trying to push things along? The thought made me smile because it’s something that my own mom would do. Kelly actually reminded me a lot of her.

“So, Nicholas, what do we have on the drink menu?”

“Damn, you heard that, huh? I swear, she’s the only one that calls me that, and she knows it gets on my nerves.”

“Oh, really?” I chewed on my cheek as he sat a glass of white wine down in front of me. Jeez, this boy already knew me so well. I would have been lucky if Teddy had even gotten me something to drink, let alone know what I like. “I’ll have to remember that.”

After dinner, Charlie asked Nick to help him out with something in the garage, so that left me to help Kelly clean up in the kitchen. I don’t know if it was planned, but I swear I saw Kelly’s eyes light up when she realized that she was finally going to have me alone.

That woman talked non-stop, barely taking the time to take a breath in between each sentence. She talked all about their very large family, telling me each name, which I’m sure I wouldn’t remember. Apparently, she and Charlie were the only ones in the family to have one child. Nick had endless amounts of uncles, aunts, cousins, second cousins, and more, all within driving distance of each other.

She grilled me about my family, too, but seemed to skirt around the subject of my failed marriage, even though she seemed like she knew. Nick must have warned her about that being a sore subject. I heard all about Nick as a kid, and she even pulled out the photo album of embarrassing pictures after we finished with the dishes. I knew my mom had the exact same thing sitting on her living room shelf back home.

Every once in a while, Nick would peek his head in and give me that dimpled smile of his, sneaking a cookie almost every time.

“Oh, and here’s Maria. I just cannot believe she’s getting married next weekend. I still remember the very day that she was born. She was the most precious baby, besides Nicholas, of course.” She tapped a picture of a baby with a full head of dark curls just as Nick came around the corner, one arm stretched above his head to grab the doorframe that he had to duck under to avoid bumping into.

“Make sure you wear something nice and cool for the wedding, Ally. She insisted on a beach wedding, which I’m sure will be so beautiful, but so hot and sticky, too.”

My eyes darted to Nick, who for the first time since I met him looked embarrassed. Until Kelly had said something, I had never heard any mention of a wedding. Not that I expected him to ask me or anything, it wasn’t like I was his girlfriend. If he wanted to take someone else as his date, he could, or he could go alone. I would definitely prefer the alone option, though.

“Mom, I didn’t bring it up to Ally. I wasn’t sure if she would really want to go to that sort of thing with me.”

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. I just figured—” She covered her mouth with her hand as she stood up and snapped the album shut. I had a feeling she meant to let that slip all along. Well played, Kelly. Well played.

“I would love to go,” I said as Nick stepped into the kitchen and Kelly walked out. “That is, if you want me to.”

“Of course I would love for you to go with me,” he answered quickly and sat down next to me, sliding his thumb across my wrist. “I’ll let you know what time and all that, but it’ll make it so much better now that you’re going. I really wasn’t looking forward to facing all of my family after the whole thing with Kara.”

“Ugh, please do not mention that name in this house,” Kelly huffed out as she returned to the kitchen and began rummaging through the cabinets. “Of course, I would never want Nicholas to go through that sort of heartbreak, but none of us ever took a liking to her. You on the other hand, Ally, are welcome any time.” She turned to give me a bright smile, and Nick reached over to squeeze my hand, and didn’t let go.

“Well, I think we need to be heading out. Ally’s brother is in town and I’m sure she wants to spend a little more time with him.” He stood up, pulling me along with him, and kissed his mom on her cheek. “See you Sunday, Mom.”

“Bye, Nicholas. So nice to meet you, Ally, and I expect to see you around here more often.” She gave me a one armed hug, eyeing our hands that were still intertwined, and gave me a knowing smile. “You kids be good, now.”

It seemed like something changed in our relationship as we left the house. Nick pulled my hand to his lips and he gently kissed it, and then those lips finally moved to mine as he wrapped his arms around my waist, just like they belonged there.

When one of his hands landed on my bare thigh and slowly started to inch up, it took everything in me not to just jump on him and do all of the things I had been fantasizing about now for weeks. Those hands were magic and could make me forget just about anything… except for the fact that we were right in front of his parents’ house.

But maybe he could make me forget.

He massaged my ass through the thin material of the lacy boy shorts I had on, as he licked the seam of my mouth, and my hips involuntary pushed against him as if they had a mind of their own.

They really had the right idea.

I let out a tiny moan as he swiveled his hips against mine, letting me know exactly how turned on he was at the moment, before pulling away and disconnecting our bodies all too soon.