Page 56 of Dear Mr. Brody
“Then, you move on.” He shrugged. “Not every date will end with a picket fence and a dog named Chuck.”
Smiling, I leaned against the kitchen counter. “A dog named Chuck. That’s very specific.”
“Maybe I’ve thought about it… what settling down would look like.” He moved toward me, or more like prowled, and my pulse took notice, sprinting as he placed his hands against the counter on either side of me. “My only dealbreaker… must love dogs.”
My eyes dipped to his mouth as my fingers found his waist. He was solid, and I craved the heaviness of his weight. “What kind of dog?”
“An Irish setter.” He leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth. “But that’s not the point, is it? You’re worth pursuing, Van. Even if you don’t think so.”
My lips parted on an exhale, and he took advantage of the moment, sliding his mouth over mine. He tasted like mint, and I wondered if maybe he’d chewed a piece of gum on his way here. It was sweet and tentative the way his tongue fell into a rhythm with mine. Too soon he pulled away, his gaze serious as he dragged his thumb across my bottom lip.
“This doesn’t have to be complicated. I want to know you, see where this goes.” His smile was quiet. “I’m not ready for Chuck yet.”
“I have a daughter. Is that a dealbreaker?”
“You have a daughter?” he asked, and I nodded once, waiting for him to put some distance between us. He didn’t move. “How old?”
“Ten.”
He rubbed a hand over his hair. “Ten… you were only—”
“Twenty-three when she was born… it feels like a lifetime ago,” I said. “My life is complicated, Parker. A kid. An ex-wife. I’m your teacher, for hell’s sake. It’s a lot.”
“Like Pan and Silas fromThe Lost Boys,” he said, his thoughtful expression melting into a small smile. “We have a lot stacked against us.”
“This isn’t a queer fairytale.”
“No, it’s not, but I happen to know this really awesome professor who once said,‘some of the best stories are the ones we can relate to.’”
“I never said that.”
“I know.” He grinned, his eyes gleaming with humor. “It was Mr. Douglas. I had him for English 101 last semester. But he isn’t as sexy as you are, terrible teeth.”
My shoulders shook as I laughed. “I don’t think I’ve met him yet.”
“You’re not missing anything.” Parker pressed his chest against me. “One step at a time, okay? We should at least have dinner before we plan our nuptials.”
“Ha-ha.”
“I’m pretty funny when I want to be.”
I grazed the back of my hand along the coarse, stubbled line of his jaw. “And you’re okay with me having a kid?”
“Like I said… one step at a time.”
“Yeah.” I swallowed and nodded again. “I can handle that.”
“What’s your daughter’s name?”
“Anne.”
“Too bad Chuck isn’t more gender neutral…”
I kissed him with a smile on my lips, and my empty stomach filled with butterflies. His taste of mint enveloped me, muting any memories I’d had of cherry Popsicles, summer sun, and riverbanks. It became a part of me, the two pieces of myself finally merging into one.
Parker sat next to me on the couch, coughing as he set his beer on the coffee table next to the empty box of pizza. “Wait,” he managed to say, tucking his leg underneath his thigh. “Your ex cheated on you with one of her yoga students?”
“They were together until about a month ago… evidently it wasn’t as random as I’d thought.”