Shoe Strings

others.
    “It felt right and turned out to be.   Partly because it was my decision to go
home and not one that was made for me.   I’ve never wanted to leave since.”
    “Why would you?” she murmured.   “It’s beautiful, your family’s
here.   You’re very lucky.”
    “Why do you stay in Atlanta?   You’re not close with your father and
you don’t seem too eager to return.”
    “My business is there, Sophie and Steve.”
    “Steve?”
    “Sophie’s husband.   They’re my family.   Besides,
Atlanta’s all I’ve ever known.”
    He inched toward her on the couch, ran his hand along her
cheek.   “Not anymore.   You’re happy here too.”
    “Vacations are supposed to make you happy.”   Why did her voice sound so breathy?   Could she be any more obvious?   Just as she moved toward him, or him
toward her, she couldn’t be sure, they heard a car door slam and footsteps on
the porch.  
    “That’s the pizza,” he said, but didn’t move from his
seat.   “We’re not done,
Angelita.   Not by a long shot.”

 

 
    Chapter 21
    Bryce knew he was coming on too strong with Kerri Ann.   But for the first time in his life, he
didn’t care.   With the flowers he’d
picked from his neighbor’s garden tucked under his arm, he headed inside the
Pizza Den and took a seat at the counter beside Ty.   He’d known they’d be there.   Lord knew Kerri Ann wouldn’t take more
than two nights off work, ever.   He
didn’t mind her dedication to the restaurant, as he’d always understood it kept
her pockets filled and her mind busy.  
    “Hey, boy,” he said to Ty as he sat.   Bryce flipped the cover to his
book.   “Geometry, huh?   Yuck.”
    “My thoughts exactly.”   Ty took a long gulp of Coke and tapped his pencil against his notebook
paper.   “You here to see Mom?”
    Bryce had talked to Kerri Ann and knew she’d explained
things to Ty.   She’d told him Ty had
been fine with the idea, even happy for her.   It didn’t mean he hadn’t planned to discuss
it with the boy himself.   “Yeah, I
am.”   It wouldn’t be as easy as he’d
anticipated.   “You okay with that,
with us…seeing each other?”
    Ty grinned.   “You
want me to ask your intentions?”
    “You can, if you want to.   I’ll answer whatever questions you’ve got.”
    Ty slapped Bryce on the shoulder and squeezed.   “Relax, Bryce.   I’m cool with it.   Mom’s happy.   That’s all that matters.”
    “No, it’s not all that matters.   You matter too.”   He watched the boy’s eyes turn serious
and felt glad he’d broached the topic right away.   He wanted Ty to know how important he
was to him, how much he wanted them to be able to hang out even though things
had changed.   “I don’t want you to
feel like we’re competing for her time and affections.   I want us to hang out together, the
three of us, like we’ve always done.”
    Ty nodded, but didn’t say anything.
    “I love her, Ty.   I have for a long time.”   It
felt good to say it out loud and know he wasn’t just making excuses.   “I haven’t told her yet, although she’d
be a damn fool if she hasn’t already figured it out.   But you need to know I won’t hurt her or
you.”   Ty nodded again, clearly
uncomfortable.   It was time to
change the subject.   “So, you eaten
yet?”
    The boy exhaled audibly.   “Yeah, I had lasagna.   It’s good.”
    “Always is.”   He
tossed the flowers from hand to hand, wondered what else to say.
    “Those for Mom?” Ty asked with a smile.  
    Seeing the genuine pleasure on his face eased the tension in
Bryce’s shoulders.   “Thought she’d
like them.”
    “She will.   Girls
like that kind of thing.”   Ty
shifted in his seat, looked at Bryce.   “If Mom had to pick someone to be with, I’m glad it’s you.”
    He smiled and knocked Ty affectionately with his elbow.   “I’m glad it’s me too.”
    ***
    The first thing Kerri Ann saw when she came out of the
kitchen was Ty, laughing and jabbing at Bryce.   Her heart turned over in her chest.   If she hadn’t already been head over
heels in love with him, she’d have turned a corner just seeing them
together.   Her son and her lover,
the man she loved and had loved for more years than she could count, were still
friends.   Everything she’d ever
wanted sat right in front of her.   So why did she feel so panicked about Bryce?
    When he spotted her, he stood up and cleared his
throat.