Our Kind of Love (22 page)

They’re both wearing casual clothes. Mom’s
dressed in an orange maxi dress and her lightly colored blonde hair is pulled
back loosely into a bun, while Dad’s in dark blue shorts and a Hawaii-looking
tropical shirt.

“What’s going on?” I ask, standing in the
doorway of the kitchen.

They look over at me in sync. Mom shuts the
fridge door and walks to the island, gesturing for me to come over and sit down
at the table as she brings over plates.

“Well, it’s fourth of July, so I figure I’d
close the restaurant today and we’ll have a barbecue. Nice dress by the way,”
she says, swirling to go back to the kitchen counter.

That’s weird.

“Thanks,” I reply. “But why are you closing? You
never close, not even on holidays.”

She glides back to the table with two platters.
“There’s always a festival in the square and we don’t get many customers on
days like today either.” She sets them down in the middle of the table. One has
Dad’s hash brown egg white nests, and the other has her maple pancake muffins.
We always have these on July fourth, but not in a long time.

“Does this have anything to do with you selling
the restaurant? Are you slowly starting to close it?”

“Honey, let’s not talk about this now,” Mom
says, sitting down at the table. Dad joins us shortly.

Changing the subject so I don’t kill their happy
mood, I inquire about this barbecue instead. “Is it just for us or did you
invite friends over?”

“Well, a few of my co-workers are coming, and of
course, Claudia and Mrs. Nunez,” Dad answers. “I also invited—”

“Can Micah come?” I blurt out.

They glance at me with widened eyes. “Of
course,” Mom says, “But why only him? I’m inviting them at the restaurant to
come by, anyways.”

“Oh,” I smile awkwardly.

Dad studies me with suspicion coated over his
face as he bites into his muffin. Swallowing what’s in his mouth, he says, “We
still need to talk about last night.”

“Later,” Mom tells him, sensing the awkward
vibe.

I lower my head to my plate and cut into one of
his egg white nests not saying another word.

After breakfast, Mom runs out to buy supplies
and fireworks, and I help Dad set up chairs out on the deck.

The whole time I notice his forehead wrinkling
and he keeps flashing me these curious stares, like he wants to talk to me
about something but not sure how to begin.

While he sets up his tiki bar and I bring out
paper plates and plastic utensils, he finally comes out and says something
before I walk back into the kitchen.

“You know, your mom and I never really talked to
you about…” he pauses and scratches his head, searching for words that will
sound appropriate for this conversation. Oh gosh, my dad’s trying to talk to me
about sex. Like seriously? I’m almost nineteen now. Isn’t this conversation a
little too late?

“It’s just…” he rambles, “We want you to know we
love you and…you’re a special girl…and…guys should appreciate you…respect
your…well, you know?”

I nod at every word and stifle down my laughter.
“I understand, Dad.”

“
Hola
,” Mrs. Nunez
chirps, coming out of the kitchen with Claudia right on her heels. I feel so
relieved. They’re saving me from this uncomfortable situation.

“Happy Fourth, Aldridge!” Claudia squeals. She
sashays up to me in her sleeveless green maxi dress, blowing on a red star
clacker.

“Oh jeez,” Dad fans her off and walks over to
the grill. He busies himself with setting it up while Mrs. Nunez prepares
refreshments.

Claudia tows me to my room, wanting to know
everything that happened last night. “So, did you guys do it?” she asks the
second I shut the door.

“Uh, talk about no filter,” I scoff, plopping down
on my bed.

She sinks down beside me and bumps my arm. “You
two sure move fast. I guess you had a lot of sexual tension between you from
start to not want to wait any longer.”

I titter. “Who said we did anything?”

“
Puh
-lease,” she
snorts. “
Thalia
told me your mom was looking for you
last night. So I figure you were at his house and there’s no way you can
convince me that you guys didn’t hook up. So, how was your first time?”

“Is it sluttish of me?” I ask. “I mean, I’d just
broken up with Nate.”

She jolts up on her elbows. “No!
Of course not.”

I ease up and sit cross-legged in the middle of
the bed. “It was amazing, Claudia. Being with Micah is…” I suck in air and
smile to myself. “It’s just…beautiful.”

“Aww, how sweet.”
She lies
flat on her back and plays with my pillow. “So, are you gonna tell your parents
you’re seeing him now?”

“Maybe I should wait a bit.”

She narrows her eyes as she asks, “Why?”

“Well, I still need to tell them I broke up with
Nate first, and I’m not sure how Mom’s gonna feel about me and Micah seeing
each other.”

“
Pff
,” she snorts.
“You’re always so worried about what your parents think. Honestly, I cannot
wait until we go to Miami. I’m definitely gonna get you to loosen up.”

The trip! I haven’t told Micah about it yet.

“So, any plans for your nineteenth
bday
?”

“Nothing major, just a party with you and my
parents…and Micah,” I gush at his name.

Claudia laughs at me.

We hang out in my room for a while until I hear
the door and Mom’s boisterous laugh as she greets her friends downstairs. The
next thing she bellows for us to come down.

When I hit the bottom step behind Claudia, I see
Micah and John in the entrance, strolling in behind the Richards’. Micah’s
dressed simple in a white shirt, washed out jeans and sneakers, yet there’s
something really exotic about him. It’s as if I’m seeing him in a new light.

His gorgeous sea blue eyes find mine and my
heart begins to sprint. A sly grin spreads across his sexy lips, igniting the
fire between my legs. I want to feel him inside me again, to sprawl me across
his sheets and have his way with me.

My naughty thoughts take over and everything and
everyone disappears. All that’s left is me and Micah.

Claudia elbows me and I snap out of the spell to
say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Richards, who are smiling oddly at me. I laugh like
an idiot when I shake their hands.

Before I can utter a word to Micah, Mom leads
everyone through the kitchen and out on the deck where Dad has hotdogs and
burgers cooking on the grill.

I feel as if I’m being grilled as well. Heat’s
rushing all over me. Damn, this guy has invoked something intense and untamable
within me. I have no idea how I’m going to make it through this day without
running my hands all over his body.

This is surely going to be one long scorching
day.

Twenty
-
Seven

Micah

I FIND IT interesting how I manage to make Reign
get so rattled up from only staring at her. By the glimmer in those sensational
eyes, she’s remembering last night as much as I am. Hopefully we’ll find a way
to at least brush lips before the day ends.

John’s talking to Claudia, Aislin, and me about
something. I can’t hear a word; my attention is fixed on Reign. She’s standing
across from me. Her mom’s friends are questioning her about college and her
business major. She keeps her gaze steady on me as she speaks. I can’t help but
glide my eyes to her soft lips, wanting to taste them again.

“Excuse me, Micah,” Mrs. Aldridge’s voice draws
me away from Reign. I wonder if she noticed me gawking at her daughter with a
dirty smirk on my face.

When I turn around, she’s towing her husband
over to me. I see where Reign inherited her cinnamon-brown hair and hazel eyes.

John, Claudia, and Aislin resume their
conversation as I break away from them. Then my stomach clenches because, holy
shit, I’m meeting Reign’s father.

“Micah, this is Ben, my husband. Ben, this is
Micah, the new employee I was telling you about.”

Oh wow, she told him about me? Should I be
worried?

I straighten and reach for his hand; Mr.
Aldridge grips mine firmly as he regards me in the same intense way Reign likes
to read people.

“Pleasure to meet you, sir,” I say politely.

He nods.
“Likewise.
Sophia says you’re a great worker.”

I can’t help my modest grin as I glance over at
her. “Thank you, Mrs. Aldridge. I do my best.”

The doorbell rings and she slips away from us,
hastening her steps to the kitchen to go answer the door. I hope I’m not
starting to break out in sweat from the way Mr. Aldridge is staring at me.
Because it’s as if he knows something that I wouldn’t want him to know.

Please God, please don’t let him know about
juvie.

He nudges over my shoulder and says, “You and
Reign must have gotten close. She was asking if we invited you.”

Ahh! So that’s what this is about. He suspects
us. “Well, we’ve become good friends,” I say. I’m not sure how he’d feel if he
knew just how close. “You have a really nice daughter. She has a great heart.”

Mr. Aldridge bobs his head and drinks some of
his cocktail, peering over the glass at me. He shakes it around then mutters,
“Humph, I don’t think I mixed this right. I’m gonna make another, would you
like one, son?” Him calling me son throws me a bit and I actually think of my
own father.

“Micah?”

“Hmm…oh,” I quickly straighten and answer, “Yes,
sir. Thank you.”

I stand in place and catch my breath as Mr.
Aldridge wanders over to his tiki bar, making us two glasses. I nearly jump out
of my skin when Reign comes up to me and whispers fast, “Wait two minutes after
I go inside then come upstairs.”

She struts off as Mr. Aldridge turns and starts
back my way. He didn’t see her talking to me. Thank God.

He hands me a glass as he reaches me.

“Thank you,” I say.

“It’s a hurricane, but I didn’t make it too
strong.”

We drink at the same time.

“So, uh, you’re nineteen, Sophia says…” he waits
for me to confirm.

“Yes, sir,” I reply, the palm of my hand feels
sweaty around the glass.

“Call me Ben. Any plans for college?”

I calm my nerves to answer, “Not yet, sir, still
looking at my options.”

“Humph…”

Maybe I should have lied, because he appears to
be disappointed by my answer. I didn’t know I’d be drilled today. My impression
prior to being invited by her Mom was that Reign hasn’t said anything to her
parents as yet.

Mr. Aldridge flashes a half-smile before
slanting to move away. “Well, enjoy yourself, Micah. I’m gonna go relieve Paul
at the grill.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Thank the heavens.

I watch him walk over to the grill, and then I
turn my eyes towards the kitchen door. I want to go inside and meet Reign
upstairs, but I’m scared that Mr. Aldridge or even Mrs. Aldridge will see me.

I look around the deck for my boss; she’s busy
entertaining her friends. Mr. Aldridge is caught up in a conversation about the
Red Sox with Mr. Richards. Claudia’s dancing with John to a Bob Marley song
blasting from the stereo. Aislin is glaring at them a few feet away.

Everyone seems preoccupied.

This is my chance.

Taking a deep breath, I discreetly make my way
from the deck and inside the kitchen, placing my drink on top of the island as
I hurry around the corner and sneak upstairs. I have no idea which room belongs
to Reign.

As I’m about to whisper her name, a door on the
right cracks open, and she sticks her head out. Teasingly, she points her index
and calls me over.