Until Then (Cornerstone Book 2) (34 page)

When she arrived home from the long, emotional weekend in Chicago, the light on her answering machine was blinking.

“Hey, Chelle, it’s Simon. We haven’t talked in a while, and I thought maybe we could get together and catch up. If you’re ready to see me, that is. Call me if you are.”

Over the past nine months since their breakup, they had spoken a handful of times, but only on the phone. She hadn’t been ready to face him after what she had done. But now that things were moving forward with Sean, she knew a phone conversation was not enough. She needed to see her best friend. It was time.

They agreed to meet at Panera Bread for dinner on a Tuesday. She thought she might be nervous to see him, but she realized she was just excited. She missed him and wanted to share what had been happening in her life.

As she walked across the parking lot toward the entrance, she heard her favorite nickname.

“Chelle!”

She turned to see Simon jogging across the lot toward her, and she walked quickly to meet him.

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up.

It felt good. It felt right to let all that relationship stuff fall away and just be his friend again.

“How are you?” she asked as they walked into the restaurant together.

He held the inner door open for her. “I’m good. You?”

“Great, actually.”

“Great? Really? Well, you’re better than I am then.”

They ordered and found a seat off in a quiet corner.

“So, how’s everything? How’s work?” she asked.

“Not so fast. I wanna hear why you’re so great.”

She grinned and blushed a little.

“Is this about a guy? Do I want to know this?”

“Well, if we are, in fact, friends, then yes, you should want to know this and be happy for me.”

He nodded. “OK then.”

“I’m kinda seeing Sean now.”

“Sean? Sean who? Sean Davis?” His eyes widened. “How did
this
happen? Wait … I thought he was married with children.”

She shared everything and got him all caught up to date.

“This is unbelievable. So, is this something serious then?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s still really new. We’re in the getting to know each other again phase. But I’m hopeful.”

He smiled at her. “You look happy, Chelle. I don’t think I ever saw that look on your face when we were together. I don’t think I ever have. It looks good on you.”

She waved him off. “Now tell me about you. What’s been happening?”

“I’m moving to California,” he announced.

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “Wow!”

“Yeah.”

“Moving back in with your parents, are ya’?” she teased.

“Funny.”

“Simon.” Her tone turned serious. “What happened with you and Maggie?”

He avoided eye contact. “What do you mean?”

“I know how much you liked her. I kinda thought something might happen after we broke up.”

“No. There’s nothing there.”

She was confused by this, but pressed him no further.

“So, what made you wanna move?”

“I don’t know. I was thinking about it before Pete asked me to help with his studio, and I sorta put it outta my mind. But I think it’s time for a fresh start. There’s nothing here for me any more.”

“Hey! I could take offense at that.”

“Besides you, of course. But you have Sean now.” He gave her that cute smirk of his.

She smacked his arm playfully.

“I’ve also realized some things about the way I’ve been living my life.” It was Simon’s turn to be serious, which was so not like him.

Michelle was very curious to hear this.

“I grew up in a Christian home. I’ve been saved since I was a kid. I prayed a prayer I don’t even really remember praying. I knew the truth, and I believed it, but I never really lived it, ya’ know? I kept doing whatever I wanted without focusing much on my relationship with God. It’s like I knew He was there, but I never knew how to let Him be a part of my life. And I sure didn’t do anything to show the world there was something different about me.”

Michelle nodded. She didn’t grow up a Christian, but she understood the struggle.

“But being around Maggie and Tom’s family this past year, getting to know them, seeing the faith they have, has changed my point of view. They pray for each other, even for the little things. Like Maggie’s business — she lost some wedding clients last year, and they were all there praying her through it. They were so sure God was gonna work things out. I’ve always been pretty independent. I always felt like I could take care of myself. I never knew what it felt like to let go of things and really trust God to show me what to do next.”

They were alike in so many ways.

“Until now,” he said.

“And this is part of your whole moving to California decision?”

He nodded. “I feel like it’s the right thing to do.”

“And it has absolutely nothing to do with Maggie?” Michelle asked.

Simon was quiet for a few beats. “Yes.”

“Yes, it does, or yes, it doesn’t?”

“You worded that weird.”

She laughed and rephrased the question. “Does it have anything to do with Maggie?”

“Yes,” he answered, not making eye contact with her.

“I thought so.”

A look of doubt crossed his face. “You did not.”

“I know you, Simon Walker.”

He grinned at her.

She looked him straight in the eyes. “What happened with Maggie?”

His shoulders sank a little. “She didn’t want me.”

Michelle didn’t believe that. “I saw how you were looking at each other at Fourth of July. Something was there.”

“Maybe so, but she made it very clear that I’m not the right guy for her. She’s still not over what Ben did to her, and I don’t know if she’ll ever get over it. And because of that and something that happened last summer, she thinks she can’t trust me.”

Michelle raised an eyebrow. “What happened last summer?”

Simon cleared his throat. “She thinks I slept with my assistant, Anna, and I just let her believe it was true.”

Michelle’s mouth dropped open again. “Why? Simon, why would you do that?”

“I was angry. She has such a low opinion of me sometimes. She threw my breakup with Emma in my face. I couldn’t believe she was still holding onto that after all these years.”

“First impressions can be hard to recover from.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter any more.”

“Simon.” She could see the pain in his eyes.

“I prayed about it, and I felt God telling me to walk away and let her be. So I did.”

“OK. Are you sure that was the right decision?”

He nodded resolutely. “Yes.”

“I’m so sorry, Simon.”

“Thanks, Chelle.” His smile was weak.

“I’ll miss living in the same town as you.”

He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “I’ll miss you, too.”

24

Rain pelted the windows of the car as Sean drove through the streets of Chicago toward Michelle’s mother’s apartment. This trip was a first for Michelle and Sean. Not only was it their first as a couple, but it was the first trip with the kids in tow. School was out now, and it was the perfect way to kick off summer.

Michelle glanced into the back seat as Sean turned into the parking garage. Aaron was staring out the window, curious about everything. Ashley was on her phone, not paying attention to anything but the text messages she was sending and receiving.

“Ash, put your phone away,” Sean demanded. “We’re here.”

She rolled her eyes, but did as she was told.

Michelle looked over at Sean, and his gaze met hers. She loved the way he looked at her. It made her feel warm all over. But it didn’t stop the nerves that were causing a ruckus in her stomach.

This three days would be the most time she had spent at her mom’s in years. She had been there for the occasional holiday, but usually quick trips — arrive in the evening, stay one night, visit in the morning, then home. Never long enough to truly connect.

But this trip was different. This trip felt more important than those brief visits. She wanted the kids to bond with her mom, because if things progressed, she might just be their grandmother someday.

When they had parked and gathered their bags, they made their way up the elevator to the apartment. Louise was waiting at the door when they arrived.

“Well, hello there,” Louise greeted them. “Hello, Sean. Welcome to our home.”

“Thank you, Louise,” he said as he hugged her.

She pulled back abruptly from the hug. “Oh, you can call me Lou.”

“OK, Lou.”

She turned toward the kids. “You must be Ashley and Aaron.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Aaron replied.

Ashley managed a half-smile.

Louise put her hand on Aaron’s arm and led him into the living room. “Come on in.”

Michelle was happy that her mom, who didn’t usually take much to strangers, was so welcoming to Sean and the kids.

Louise showed them the guest room, where she had made the bed and set up a small air mattress on the floor. “I hope this is OK for you, Aaron.”

Aaron plopped down on the mattress and bounced a little. “It’s great!”

“I thought maybe you girls could have the bed and Sean the couch, but you can decide.”

Ashley looked at her dad and made a face, obviously unhappy with the sleeping arrangements.

Michelle noticed him subtly shake his head at her as if to say, “Now is not the time.”

They left their bags in the guest room and moved to the kitchen table, where they had snacks and chatted about the drive over. Louise asked the kids lots of questions about school. Aaron was very forthcoming, especially when it came to the topic of soccer. Ashley wasn’t as willing to share, but she wasn’t rude either, which was a relief.

Since the weather was not conducive to any of the outdoor activities they had talked about, they decided to hang out at the apartment for the evening.

Michelle helped her mom prepare dinner while the others played some Yahtzee and Boggle. Mom began to ask questions about her and Sean and their relationship. Was it serious? Were they going to get married? Was she ready to be a stepmom to these kids?

“Keep it down, Mom,” Michelle whispered. “It’s a little early to be talking about that stuff.”

“It’s never too early to figure out what you want. I made that mistake when I married your father. I jumped blindly into it, and look where it got me.”

“Well, that’s not me. My eyes are wide open right now, and what I want is Sean.”

“Does he know you were a wild child?”

She shot her mom a look. “Did you really have to bring that up? Can’t you see that I’ve changed.”

“I can see that,” Mom replied. “I just think honesty is the best policy.”

“He knows, Mom.”

“Well, good.”

A little gnawing started in her stomach then. Sean knew about the things she had done before she became a Christian, but the rest of it — her night with Ben, her attempted seduction of Simon — she had not admitted to him. She feared that it would change things between them, and everything was going so well. Why bring that up and risk ruining it?

“It
is
good,” she said, more to herself than to her mom. “Sean’s one of the good ones.”

Sean wandered into the kitchen at that moment. “Did I hear my name?” He came up behind Michelle and rested his hands on her hips and his chin on her shoulder.

Michelle turned her head, brushing her cheek against his. “You might have.”

“Can I help with anything?” he asked.

She shook her head. “We’ve got it covered.”

“OK.” He kissed her earlobe, which he knew drove her crazy.

She gave him a warning look, and he walked away laughing.

Mom looked over at her with a grin on her face.

“What?” Michelle went back to chopping lettuce for the salad.

“You sure are cute together. It’s too bad it didn’t work out back in college.”

“I know.” Michelle thought the same thing. “But I really think it’s gonna work this time.”

Her mom nodded. “I’m rooting for you two.”

“Thanks, Mom.” It was probably the first time she ever felt like they were really bonding like a mother and daughter should.

Marv arrived home from work just as they finished placing the food on the table.

“It’s raining cats and dogs out there,” he stated. “Looks like a pretty big thunderstorm tonight, probably tomorrow, too.”

“Not surprising with how hot and humid it is out there today,” Louise replied.

They chatted about the weather throughout dinner. It was supposed to rain on Saturday, but clear up for Sunday. This was the type of conversation Michelle was used to when it came to visits with Mom and Marv. They liked to discuss the weather and the mundane details of life, never anything too serious.

The kids were bored stiff, but they ate quietly while the adults talked.

Michelle and Sean exchanged smiles throughout dinner. She had warned him the conversation might be like this, and she could tell he was trying not to laugh at how right she had been.

After dinner, the kids settled in front of the television, and Mom insisted on doing the dishes herself. Marvin sat in his favorite chair and split his attention between the newspaper and whatever television show the kids were watching.