Where Forever Lies Page 6

  “Hey, you had better be prepared because I’m going to smoke you at this game,” he told his son, as he reverted his attention to the game by running up and doing a slam-dunk into the basketball goal.

  “Oh, yeah, well, watch this move.” Brandon took the ball and did a sneaky dribble between the legs then passed the ball over his back to his dad who, he realized once he threw the ball to him, was not paying attention. “Dad, catch the ball!” Brandon shrieked.

  “What?” Tyler jumped sideways trying to snag the ball, but lost it and watched as it flew past him and towards the bench where the young girl was sitting.

  “Shit!” he yelled, but it was too late to do anything about it now.

  ♥♥♥

  Paige felt the warmth of the sun relaxing her and closed her eyes for a moment to indulge in feeling her stress slowly dissipating. It was nice and she let herself go with it. Her jaw muscle loosened, her eyes relaxed and as all her tense muscles let go, she realized just how stressed she had actually been. She was thinking about making this park visit a weekly routine, just so she could de-stress, when she heard someone behind her yell, “Watch Out!” Paige turned her head around and BAM a ball struck her on the side of the head.

  “Ouch!” she yelled, as her hand flew up to her head. Her vision blurred for a moment and then, as it slowly returned, she noticed a shadow hovering over her.

  “Ma’am, are you okay?” she heard a deep voice in the distance ask.

  Paige was rubbing her head and feeling like a complete idiot when she looked up and noticed a good-looking guy standing above her.

  Great, he just had to be cute, she thought.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Uh, just a little embarrassed,” she remarked. She looked up at him and felt her cheeks get hot. So much for relaxing now, she thought as she felt a headache coming on.

  “I’m really sorry, ma’am, my son can get a little carried away playing basketball and I tried to stop it, but it slipped out of my hands. He likes to see if he can get some fast passes by me and sometimes his aim is a little off,” he said, feeling bad for smacking her in the face with the ball. “I can be a little clumsy sometimes, too. You look familiar, have I met you before?” Tyler knew he was rambling, but he couldn’t help it, something was just taking him over.

  The typical come on line, Paige thought to herself, and then as she got a good look at him, she realized that she did recognize him from somewhere, but where? The word, ma’am, struck a familiar chord with her. “Are you the guy who rear ended me yesterday?” she questioned, not really sure because he looked a little different in tennis shoes and black basketball shorts instead of jeans and cowboy boots.

  Tyler felt his day going downhill fast. First, he hits this woman with his truck, now he hits her with his basketball. He figured he should just turn around and walk away before anything else happened to her, but instead, he found himself saying, “Oh, that was you? Well, this is a little awkward, isn’t it?” he said, as he scratched his head and looked around the park, wondering what would be the fastest way to get out of here before she started yelling at him for totaling her car.

  “Yes, it kind of is,” Paige agreed, pulling her knees up to her chest and studying his reaction. She thought he honestly looked like he really felt bad about it and she wondered if she’d gauged him wrong when she pinned him as arrogant and being the type who thought he was never wrong.

  “Well, I am really sorry about that. If it wasn’t for that jack ass cutting me off, I wouldn’t have darted into your lane and hit you. Did you get all your insurance stuff lined out? I feel like such a jerk.” Tyler ran a hand through his hair, feeling at a loss as to what he should say now.

  Paige decided to retract her previous thought, he did play it off that he wasn’t at fault at all. In her opinion, he should have been paying attention to the road. “Yeah, finally. But my car is totaled. I think mostly idiots work at the insurance company, but after being on the phone with them all morning, they finally got things figured out for me. Don’t worry about it; I’m just glad we’re all okay.” Paige glanced over at Kyra, making sure she wasn’t trying to venture out of the playground area.

  Tyler stood there for a moment, bouncing the ball back and forth in his hands as he eyed Paige sitting on the ground below him.

  “So, that’s your son over there, isn’t it? I remember seeing him with you at the accident.” she asked, trying to change the subject and say something because he was just standing there looking at her and saying nothing at all. It was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. She wondered if there was a mark on her face from the ball hitting her and that was what he was looking at. It probably left a huge mark and he’s embarrassed to say anything, she thought. She prayed to God that was not the case.

  Tyler cleared his throat and said, “Yeah, that’s my son, Brandon, he just turned eight a week ago. He’s a great kid. I get him every weekend and on all the holidays,” he said, as he looked to the right at the basketball court where a dark haired boy, looking just like his father, waited patiently. “His mother and I got divorced six years ago, and he lives with her in Linton,” Tyler said, as he motioned for his son to come over.

  “He’s cute and that’s awesome that you are able to get him that much. I know most guys don’t get their kids every weekend like that,” she paused for a moment and then added, “Now, if I remember, your name is Tyler, right?” she asked, hoping she had remembered it correctly. Even if he seemed somewhat arrogant, at the same time she also thought he seemed like a decent guy. It seemed a rarity to see a guy bragging about how often he was able to get his son. He came across as a guy who would want his son full time, if it was possible. Of course the thought crossed her mind that he could be exaggerating some to impress her, but her instinct told her otherwise.

  “Yep, and you are... Paige?” Tyler asked, smiling and trying to make it look like he had to try and remember. If he was being honest with himself, he hadn’t forgotten when she’d told him at the accident scene. He noticed the way her long wavy hair fell around her round face and the way her white shirt seemed to cling in just the right areas. Her plaid shorts were short, but not too short, and showed off her nice tanned legs. He thought she looked beautiful, and wondered if she was dating anyone. He swallowed hard, his mouth feeling dry, and wondered what had made him think that; he couldn’t remember the last time that question had crossed his mind about a woman.

  Paige couldn’t help but smile back at him. She had to admit, he had a killer smile. Every time he flashed her that crooked smile, his dimples showed underneath a hint of stubble. She felt herself blush and hurriedly said something. “Good memory. It’s nice to meet you, again, and that is my daughter Kyra over there on the jungle gym, pretending she’s a monkey,” she smiled as she pointed towards Kyra, squinting as the warm sun hit her face.

  “She looks like she’s having fun,” Tyler said, as she watched Kyra swinging back and forth on the swing. He looked at Paige from the corner of his eye and saw the smile on her face as she watched Kyra play. He couldn’t get past the look of love she put out towards her daughter. She seemed like the type of woman who wore her heart on her sleeve. It definitely showed on her face.

  “Hey, Dad! Are you ready?”

  He heard Brandon yell for him in the distance, breaking him from his wandering thoughts. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately, and mentally cursed his friends for putting thoughts in his head about his miserable single life. It wasn’t like him to let other people influence his way of thinking. He was usually straightforward, knew what he wanted in life, and had his whole life planned. He knew he didn’t have much interest in dating and he’d been fine with staying single; but lately he’d been finding himself thinking about how lonely he was, how there was something missing. And now, here he was letting his mind get to thinking too much about some girl he didn’t even know. She was probably married, but as he nonchalantly eyed her hands, he didn’t see any ring sitting there.

  “I’ll be right t
here!” Tyler called over his shoulder to Brandon. He turned towards Paige, not sure what to say. Seeing her again crossed his mind, but he wasn’t sure now was the right time to say anything so he settled for, “Well, it was nice to see you again but I’d better get back to my game. I’ll have to take him home soon anyway.”

  Paige looked over at Brandon who was shuffling from foot to foot, looking impatient. She smiled. Typical boy, she thought. “Um, yeah, it was nice to see you, again.” Paige gave him a small wave as she got up and headed towards the swings where Kyra was. She thought she felt his eyes on her the whole way, and to her surprise, she was hoping he was watching her. But, when she risked a glance behind her, he was already back to shooting hoops with his son. She felt a hint of disappointment at that, but then told herself it was crazy because the odds of her seeing him again were slim. He was a country boy, she could tell by his slight redneck twang and cowboy boots, and she lived happily in the city where there was very little dirt and plenty to do. They were two different people from different sides of town.

  Chapter 7

  After Paige got Kyra buckled into her car seat, she walked around to the driver’s side of her car to get in, and watched Tyler and Brandon walk across the parking lot to an old orange and white Chevy truck. She thought the truck looked ancient and figured he must have had to pull out his junk truck while his new truck was getting fixed.

  Brandon was trying to wrestle with his dad and was punching him in the arm. Tyler got him in a head lock, almost making them both fall to the ground. Paige laughed and opened the door to get in but then she heard someone yell. She turned around and saw Tyler staring at her. He waved to her, and she quickly waved back, embarrassed that he’d caught her staring.

  As she got in her car, she found herself not able to get the image of Tyler’s crooked smile out of her mind. It was sexy as hell and her own dirty thoughts were making her blush. It was so out of character for her to be infatuated with a guy she’d just met. This guy she didn’t even know was loudly making his presence known in her thoughts. The one who had totaled her car yesterday and then hit her with a basketball today. She wondered if he was bad luck.

  She pushed the thoughts of Tyler out of her mind. She never had good luck with men, and right now was not a good time to be trying to get back into dating. She had been dealing with a lot of grief lately and she knew her mind would not be able to concentrate on being in a relationship. She was lucky to be able to hold down a demanding, full time job and be a single mom right now. Plus, she just didn’t have a lot of time with work and taking care of Kyra. But, she couldn’t help but be envious of seeing how good a dad Tyler seemed to be with Brandon and wishing her daughter had that opportunity. It just wasn’t fair, but their life could be worse, she supposed.

  A knock at her window caused her to jump; she cocked her head to her left and instantly felt her chest tighten. Tyler gave her a half smile and made a roll the window down gesture at her. She quickly pushed the button for the window and wished she had checked for a red mark on her face but she never would have guessed he’d come over to her car.

  He flashed a confident smile, his forehead still slightly damp from playing basketball, and she eyed him carefully as he bent down and rested his arms on her window. “Yes?” she asked hesitantly.

  His eyebrows rose slightly and he briefly looked over in the direction of his truck before bringing his attention back to her. “Well, I was wondering if you’d like to go do something some time? I know we just met and if you’re dating someone just tell me. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes or anything but I also didn’t see a wedding ring. I looked.” He grinned and raked a hand through his damp hair as he waited for her answer.

  Paige felt herself just staring at him, not knowing what to say, exactly. Of course she wasn’t dating anyone. That had seemed like a lifetime ago. But she wasn’t sure what she wanted to say.

  She finally tore her gaze from him and said, “No, actually, I’m not seeing anyone.”

  She watched his reaction and thought she noticed his eyes light up and then he shrugged as he said, “So? How about it, then?”

  Thinking she was losing her mind by saying she’d go out with some stranger, she suddenly felt like playing the wild card. “Sure, I’d love to go out sometime.”

  A broad smile formed on his face and he quickly pulled out his cell phone, asking for her number. As she rambled off the numbers, she watched him quickly punch it in, and then a small voice from the back seat suddenly broke the silence.

  “Hi.”

  He looked towards the back at Kyra who was staring at him with big blue eyes and red curls that were pulled back into a high ponytail that sat on top of her head. With a small hand, she waved vigorously at him, a wide smile taking over her face.

  Paige noticed a softness settling on his face as he smiled back at Kyra. He leaned farther inside her window and she stiffened as he got intimately close, bringing to life feelings that had seemed to have vanished for some time now. His shoulder barely brushed hers as he held up his hand towards Kyra and Paige could smell his cologne mixed in with a touch of sweat. Her insides swam with feelings of want and desire and she suddenly had the urge to run the backside of her hand against the coarse stubble on his cheeks. She didn’t know where on earth that thought came from and was relieved he couldn’t read her thoughts.

  “Hi. How about you give me five?”

  Kyra giggled as she slapped her hand against his and Paige felt her heart twist at seeing her daughter interacting with a guy. Not just a guy. A father figure. Would she ever have the opportunity to have a man like that in her life? One who wanted to protect her and love her as if she were his own? The thought stuck in Paige’s mind like glue.

  After giving Kyra another high five on top of the first, he pulled away and looked down at Paige with concerned eyes. “Are you okay? You look a little upset about something? I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?”

  Paige wiped the thoughts out of her mind and smiled up at him. “Oh, no, no,” she said, trying to sound at ease about what she was really thinking. You just did everything right is what she wanted to blurt out. “I’m fine. I’ve just had a busy day that’s all.” She looked at his phone and said, “So, you have my number. Just call when you want to do something.”

  Tyler nodded. “You bet I will,” and flashed a smile full of certainty as he turned towards his truck, giving Kyra a wave before he left.

  She watched him walk away, blew out a long breath, and then looked in her rear view mirror, sighing with relief when there was no red mark on her face. As she pulled out of the parking lot and headed home, she rolled the windows down to let the fresh air in, hoping that it would sweep away her thoughts. In the back, Kyra squealed as the wind hit her face, making her red curls blow everywhere. Paige laughed and turned the music up. She looked in the rearview mirror and saw Kyra dancing happily in her seat. She didn’t think her day could get any better.

  As they pulled into the parking space to their apartment, the sun had just started to set behind the red brick building, leaving behind a mix of muted blue and pink hues. Paige put the car in park and jumped when she heard a loud banging on her driver’s side window. Her first thought was wishing that people would stop doing that but then she clasped her hand to her mouth, as she saw who was staring back at her.

  “No, Kyleigh!” she whispered through the window. She quickly opened the door and stared at Kyleigh, who stood before her with a busted lip and a bruised cheek, an embarrassed yet defiant look on her face. Paige immediately pulled her into a hug, and as Kyleigh started crying, Paige couldn’t help but cry as well. She’d had a bad feeling when Kyleigh told her about her plans to leave Brad, but deep down she was hoping she was wrong. At least now she could get away from him for good and, hopefully, move on with her life.

  Kyleigh pulled away from Paige, “Well, I left that bastard. For good, this time.” She ran her hand to straighten up her hair and gave Paige an unsure smile through a s
teady stream of tears.

  Paige couldn’t help but smile back. “Come inside and we can talk.” Paige grabbed a sleepy Kyra from the back and they headed inside.

  After putting Kyra to bed, Paige made her way to the living room to talk to Kyleigh, two glasses of wine nestled in her hands. It was heading on nine o’clock now and they both had to be at work at six in the morning, but this was important. This was something that needed to be dealt with, needed to be worked through, and needed to be talked about. Kyleigh had already said she’d stay the night with her, just to avoid Brad trying to stop by her place tonight.

  “Kyleigh, do you think you’ll have any more problems from him?” Paige asked, taking a sip of wine of her wine. She scrunched her nose up as the twang of the wine hit her. It was bitter, just like she liked it. She wasn’t normally a drinker, but tonight she needed a glass or two of wine to ease her nerves. There had just been so much stuff to deal with lately that she felt she was being suffocated.

  “I don’t think so. I think he just needed to leave his last mark before I left. You know, this is his way of getting in the last word,” Kyleigh said, letting out a half laugh, half sob as she poured herself another glass.

  “Well, you can stay here as long as you need to.” Paige leaned back on the couch, running her finger along the rim of her wine glass. She didn’t know what else she could do to help Kyleigh out. The thought of Brad doing anything else to her, worried her. She couldn’t imagine having anything else happen to someone close to her. She shoved those thoughts away. Nothing was going to happen to Kyleigh, she wouldn’t let it.

  “Thanks, Paige,” Kyleigh said, giving her a big, teary eyed smile that made her busted lip stand out even more. Kyleigh covered her mouth and said, “It’s so embarrassing. I don’t know how I’m going to explain this at work.”