I started to text her, then realized that I didn’t have her number. I threw on some clothes and headed over to her cabin. When I came around the corner I ran into Erika and April walking from the opposite direction. They were dressed in running clothes but holding what looked like fruit smoothies, telling me that they must have stopped at the juice bar on their way back from their run.
“Well Reed, what a surprise to see you here,” April called, her voice teasing.
“Hey ladies, how was your run?”
“Great,” April said. She gave me a knowing look, making me wonder if she knew where her mother had spent the night.
“I’m going to go back to the Main Lodge and see what my fiancé is up to. Mom I’ll see you at four for hair and make-up with the rest of the girls.”
“Okay honey.”
April flitted away and I moved closer to Erika. I grabbed her smoothie and took a sip, then I grimaced, trying not to gag.
“Yuk. What’s in this?”
“Wheatgrass.”
“Jeez, warn a guy, would you? It tastes like shit.”
“That’s what you get for stealing a girl’s smoothie,” she said teasingly.
I breathed a sigh of relief that things didn’t feel awkward between us. I’d thought they might.
“I can’t believe you went for a run after last night. Aren’t you sore?”
She shrugged. “I always feel better after a run. Besides, April needed some girl talk.”
“What are you going to do now?”
She gave me a coy look. “Take a shower, then a nap. Do you want to join me?”
“Best idea ever.”
***
“Have you ever beenmarried?”
I looked down at Erika who was snuggled against my side. She’d shocked the hell out of me by dropping to her knees in the shower, taking me into her mouth, and sucking me off until I damn near forgot my own name. When she was done I’d dragged her to the bed and returned the favor. With our track record, I didn’t want to try any complicated acrobatics in the shower. April would kill me if her mother came to the wedding in a cast.
“No, I’ve never been married,” I responded. “Never even lived with a woman.”
“Have you lived with a man?” she teased.
“Nope.” I gave her a squeeze. “I never found a man or a woman who I liked enough to make a long term commitment to.”
Until now,I added silently. I was so far gone for this woman, I felt like I’d been hit by a train. Last night had just confirmed that she was the woman for me. I only prayed that she felt the same. She was so guarded, it was almost impossible to know what she was thinking.
“Besides, whenever I started getting serious with someone, they would inevitably become upset by how much time I spent at work, and how much time I spent with Renee and the kids.”
I understood now why I’d never been able to contemplate making a commitment to another person. I’d blamed work or my family commitments, but in truth none of those other women had been Erika, I just didn’t know that’s what I was waiting for.
“April told me you stepped in to help after Jonathon’s dad died. She said you never missed a sports event or a birthday.”
“Yeah I love Jonathon, Terry, and Mark like they’re my own kids.”
“It’s good Renee had you.”
“I was glad to help.”