Page 25 of A Simple Love
Pauline whistles behind me, urging me to turn back to face her. “That’s deep, girl,” she jokes, which makes me chuckle. “If it’s any consolation though, that same feeling you get with Mike… is exactly what I felt with Dean. It’s what made me run away from him because the pull was so strong, it terrified me.”
“Was giving in to him worth the risk?” I choke on the words because I feel like I already know her answer. She glances down at her belly and then the gorgeous ring adorning her left hand.
“What do you think?” The most genuine smile to ever extend across Pauline’s face flashes back at me, confirming what I know. Sometimes the risk is worth the reward and I feel like Mike would be worth it. But there is still something that is pulling me back from jumping in with both feet.
If it feels this right, like we should have been together this entire time, then why did he stand me up five years ago? The question lies nagging at the back of mind, waiting for the perfect time to pounce and shatter the rose-colored view of love that I’m quickly starting to develop. I know I have to be realistic here, which is part of my hesitation in blowing off Ben completely. There is still something there with him, and I need to explore it further before I can be absolutely certain about either man.
Chapter 16
Mike
August proves to be more miserable than July as far as the heat goes, crushing the idea of a rewarding dip in Mrs. Hanson’s pond, which now feels more like bath water than a refreshingly cool reprieve from the hell that has taken over Hopetown, Nebraska. The short dip I took with Tim after finishing my latest project was my prize for the sweat I poured into that desk, the desk I handmade for Victoria for her classroom.
Sauntering out of the pond, water dripping from my head down my chest and legs, I make my way over to Tim sitting on the picnic table in front of me, devouring his sandwich.
“This was a good idea,” he exclaims around a mouthful of food, warranting a laugh from me. I take a seat across from him, running my towel through my hair with one hand, while retrieving my sandwich from the lunch box with the other, before taking a healthy bite to satisfy the carnal hunger I developed all morning.
“Work is great, but we must remember to make time for some fun, too,” I declare, cracking open my soda to wash down the roast beef.
“I agree, I just wish that water was cooler,” he replies.
“You and me both, kid. This heat is unbearable.”
Tim finishes his bite before changing the subject. “So when are you gonna deliver her desk to her?” My confidant is more eager than I am to deliver the gift to Victoria. Tim has been rooting for me in my quest for Victoria’s affection over the past two months, searching for updates every few days, and he’s known about my idea for her desk since I opened my business.
“I think I’m going to surprise her with it tomorrow, actually. When I was texting her last night, she said she’ll be working in her classroom tomorrow and the day after, so I figured it would be the perfect time to drop it off.” I stare off at the pond in the distance. “I can’t wait to see her face when she sees it.”
The closer Victoria got to finishing school, the more eager I got about making this desk for her. The idea has been in the back of my mind for years, but finally building it into reality was way more satisfying than I want to admit. It felt like a critical piece in the puzzle of our relationship, a gift that I hope will help remove any doubt about how I feel about her and solidify my feelings.
The dark mahogany wood I chose screamed classic and regal, the exact way I think of Victoria. I wanted to give her a piece that could withstand the test of time as well, something that would outlast trends and still remain relevant in style. Given it’s just going in her classroom, I’m sure first graders won’t care about the furniture, but Victoria will appreciate it, and that’s all that matters.
“Sounds like a good idea. Do you need my help?” Tim asks eagerly, his curiosity about my interactions with Victoria becoming borderline unhealthy. My wisdom I’ve gathered through this dating experience has been educational for Tim in his own pursuit of Mary Beth. I guess he said something to her at Dave’s the other day and she smiled at him. The kid hasn’t stopped smiling like a buffoon since.
I chuckle. “No man… I think it’s better I deliver it on my own. I’m sure I can find a custodian or someone to help me lift it out of the back of my truck once I get to the school. Thanks though.”
“No problem, Mike. I seriously think she’s going to love it.”
“I sure hope so.”
The next day I decide to sleep in, enjoy my morning with a leisurely jog around my property and a hearty breakfast at Ruby’s Diner before making my way over to Hopetown Elementary. Seeing as how the town is so small, we only have one elementary school and one junior high/high school. The fact that Victoria secured a position teaching here is somewhat of a miracle. Mrs. Hanson was actually retiring this year, so the timing was perfect for Victoria to finish school when she did, to take over her first-grade position. The timing was everything for Victoria in that sense, and I’m hoping that it proves to be important in the progression of our relationship as well. Even though I curse my mistake from five years ago, I can’t help but feel that things are happening exactly the way they were meant to for us, except for Ben the dick face, of course.
It’s been a few weeks since we’ve been out on a date, the last one being with Lilly tagging along. Not that I minded, but I really feel that time alone is more of what we need. My hands are itching to touch her again and see what other kinds of sounds I can make come out of her mouth. But more than that, I want to hear her voice, immerse myself in her smell, memorize every crinkle in her smile, and hold her in my arms. Nothing feels better than that.
I pull up to the school, the parking lot half full of cars belonging to teachers. I guess I never realized how much time teachers actually spend at the school during the summer. Victoria explained in our text conversation all the training and workshops that were mandatory for her to attend in the weeks leading up to the start of the school year just a few days after Labor Day.
After checking in with the secretary in the front office, I glide down the hallways and cement paths that lead to the first-grade wing. I quickly locate the door with the metal placard labeledMiss Bakeron the outside, a strong sense of pride overwhelming me as I realize she really accomplished her goal. The woman is a force, so strong and driven; It’s one of the things I love about her the most. When she wants something, she goes after it… a trait I’m hoping will be unleashed on me soon.
A mile-wide grin is plastered on my face, my stomach in knots over the anticipation of my delivery, my heartbeat wild with excitement in my chest. I reach for the door handle, turning it in preparation of surprising Victoria, imagining her smile stretching across her face, lighting up with gratitude from my gesture. But when I walk inside her classroom, all of my dreams of this moment go to hell as I see Ben Paxton, crouching in a corner of her classroom, sliding the feet of a bookshelf back against a wall. Son. Of. A. Bitch.
I clear my throat to get his attention, which works immediately as he turns and rises to full height, his chest pushed out instinctually at my presence.
“Where’s Victoria?” I assert, ignoring his presence completely, and he’s lucky he got that much of an acknowledgment because he is not the person I wanted to see at all.
He drops a hammer on the table beside him, picking up a water bottle with his free hand. “She went to the front office to pick up some supplies and run off a few copies of something. What are you doing here?”
“I should ask you the same question,” I reply formidably. I really don’t care why he is here, but I do care that he leaves, and preferably soon.
“Ben, I got my copies and found some nails while I was up there….” Victoria rambles on as she enters her classroom with her hands full of papers and small boxes. She takes a moment to lift her head, and when she does and sees Ben and me both in her classroom, she drops her supplies to the ground in shock.