Shoe Strings

about?” Bryce asked.   His eyes were still closed and his hand
made lazy circles over the small of her back.  
    “Ty.   I need to
go get him soon.”
    He opened his eyes.   “I guess I’ll have to get dressed then?”
    She smiled and felt an almost physical disappointment at the
thought of him leaving.   She’d
waited so long to be with him, she didn’t want it to end.
    “Why so sad?” he asked.
    “I’m not sad.   I
just wish we could stay here like this all day.”   She sat up and braced her arm on his
chest.   It felt amazing to be this
comfortable with him, so free of her usual insecurities about her body.   He’d spent most of the night telling her
how much he craved it.  
    “You’re worried about him.   How he’ll feel about this…about us.”
    She nodded.   As
usual, he’d read her mood almost before she had.  
    “I’m not sneaking around with you, Kerri Ann.   There’s nothing shameful about us being
together.   Either you tell him or I
will.”
    The serious tone of his voice made her shiver.   She felt like he’d pledged to do a gun
battle over her.   “I’m going to tell
him, Bryce.   I never considered
otherwise.”   She got up and started
dressing.   “It won’t be the most
comfortable conversation in the world, but I won’t lie to him.”   She moved around to where he sat on the
edge of the bed, ran her hand through his disheveled hair.   “And I won’t ask you to sneak around,
either.   We’ll figure it out--all of
us.”
    ***
    Cal heard the car door slam and came out of the storage shed
to see who’d arrived.   He figured it
was Kerri Ann, but since the last time he’d checked on Ty he’d been sound
asleep, a little pool of drool collecting on Ellie’s needlepoint pillow, he
figured he’d spare the kid a few minutes more rest.   He came around the corner of the cabin
just as Kerri Ann got out of her car.   He felt a stab of disappointment.   He’d hoped Ty could spend the day with him, help him with some chores
and maybe catch a TV movie in the afternoon.   Anything but sitting alone wondering how
bad he’d messed things up with Jesse.
    “Hey there, girl.”   She’d started along the path to his house and spun around when she heard
his greeting.   The smile she gave
him lit up her whole face and his.  
    “Hey, yourself.   Heard you’ve got a loafer around here somewhere.”   She held her hand over her head.   “Five-six, about a hundred fifty pounds,
not a morning person?   Sound
familiar?”
    “I think I’ve got what you came for.   Although, he was still asleep last time
I checked.”
    “Figures.”   He
met Kerri Ann at the entrance to the walkway and they both swung their arms
around each other as they headed for Cal’s.   Her presence and their easy camaraderie
calmed him.   It always did.   “How’s my favorite father-in-law?”
    “Ready for spring.   How about my favorite daughter-in-law?”   He held her at arm’s length before they
stepped onto the porch.   The haircut
she’d gotten with Lita flattered her strong face and she looked happy.   “You’re looking good.”
    “I’m feeling pretty good, too.”   Cal could have sworn she blushed.   She hopped on the porch and peeked her
head in the screen door.   “Still
sound asleep.   I swear, that boy
could sleep through an earthquake.”
    “Why don’t you leave him here?   I’ll put him to work after awhile, bring
him back after supper.”   He’d be
grateful for the company, especially since Jesse had ushered Lita out first
thing this morning.  
    “Oh, Cal, you spoil him.”   She stuck her hands in her back pockets
and considered his offer.   “I need
to talk to him about something, thought I’d splurge on breakfast at DJ’s as
incentive.   You know he’d rather be
here than just about anywhere, except maybe with Jesse.”
    “Speaking of Jesse,” Cal began.   “He and Lita took off this morning,
bright and early.   Any idea where
they were headed?”
    “Oh, I’d forgotten.   He’s taking her rafting, poor thing.   She’s not looking forward to it.”
    Cal thought he heard something in her tone.   “You think he’s pressuring her?”
    “Pressuring her?”   Kerri Ann laughed.   “Chasing
after her is more like it.”
    He knew Jesse had been trying to get her into bed.   “But do you think she wanted to
go?”  
    “She’s not here, is she?” Kerri Ann asked
sarcastically.   “She likes him, Lord
knows