Page 8 of Connected By Love
“I’m going to teach right next door to Miss Lane. Then we can have lunch together every day.” I laugh as he runs inside to play. All the teachers I had in elementary school were old, soI’m not about to burst his bubble that by the time he teaches, she will most likely be retired.
I’m definitely going to have to check out this Miss Lane and see what it is about her that has my son so excited for school. He even brings her a flower every Friday from our backyard. She probably reminds him of his grandma. My mom and dad have been traveling a lot recently, so maybe he’s missing her. I make a mental note to call my mom later so they can talk before he goes to bed.
I walk inside, and Max is already in his swim trunks with his goggles on. I set his backpack down on the counter and can’t help but laugh.
“Is this a clue as to what you want to do before we eat?”
He nods his head excitedly. “Can I get in the pool?”
Like I could say no to that face. “I think we can squeeze in a swim before dinner.”
“Yes!” He jumps up and down.
“Let me put on my boardies first. You know the rules. No, getting in the pool without an adult outside, so wait for me while I get dressed.”
“I know, Dad. I’m five now and know the rules.”
“Just reminding you.” I ruffle his hair again, and my eyes stare back at me. He looks so much like me with his dark hair and grey eyes. I see very little of Addy in him, which is probably a good thing.
I quickly change into my swim shorts before coming back out and throwing Max over my shoulder. He squeals as I hang him upside down and walk us out to the pool. The house sits on the corner of a canal, so we get the best of both worlds with the view of the open water. I knew the moment I saw it that I wanted this backyard for Max. It has a dock we fish off every Sunday morning, and I even bought us a two-person kayak to go exploring. We got lucky one day, and a manatee came up to us. Max thought he died and went to heaven.
The backyard is big enough for him to run around in and have a swing set, and off to the side is a fire pit area that looks like a small beach. Sand was brought in around the fire pit with Adirondack chairs lined up looking out over the water. Max loves the beach, so it was a nice surprise for him to have his own little beach at home. Noah really did think of everything when he renovated this place.
I stop at the pool and drop him in the water. He comes up laughing before going back underwater to swim. I made sure once he was old enough to get him into swim lessons. Living in Florida, almost all the houses have pools or some body of water next to them. I wasn’t about to take a chance that he could fall in and not know what to do. He took to the water like a little fish, and I always have a hard time getting him out of it.
I walk over to the hot tub above the deep in and stand on the ledge where the water cascades down into the pool. As soon as Max pops up again, I jump in.
“Cannonball!” I yell right before I land in the deep end, causing him to get splashed and attacked by waves. I break the surface and hear Max laughing.
“Dad! You made the whole pool look like a tidal wave,” he says, giggling.
“A tidal wave, huh? Are you saying I’m as big as a dinosaur?” I start moving toward him, and he starts swimming away, laughing. “I think that calls for payback.” I grab his ankle as he tries to swim away and pull him back to me before throwing him in the air toward the deep end.
His grin is wide on his face as he breaks the surface. “Do it again, Daddy!”
Laughing, I pull him back to me, knowing I’ve started something and most likely will be doing this for the next hour.
I runmy hand through his dark, silky hair before bending down to kiss his forehead. The pool really wore him out. He didn’t even last through the bedtime book we’ve been reading together. I put the story back on his bookshelf before closing his door partway and heading down the hall. Sketches I’ve drawn of him over the years are framed on the wall as I pass by. His room is across the house from mine, sharing the hall with two other bedrooms that my brothers use when they stay for the weekend. Even though they’re only an hour away, they like to spend the weekend with Max when they can. I know they miss him just as much as he misses them since we moved.
Walking into the kitchen, I bypass my bedroom and make my way up the wooden stairs. I feel restless tonight, and my fingers are itching to start a new project. At the top of the stairs, I enter a rec room area that I’ve made into a movie room and a place for Max to play with his toys while working in my studio. The back wall is filled with windows, giving me a beautiful view of the water during the day.
The same view greets me when I walk into the room I made into my studio. I knew the second I saw this house that this room would be where I could go and get lost in my work. The lighting during the day and the view of the water only adds to the beauty I’ve created in this space. Art supplies are neatly stored along wooden bookcases, and various easels are set up with sketchbooks and canvases, depending on what I’m in the mood to create.
I take a piece of sketch paper and pencils to my high drawing table that overlooks the water. Sitting on the stool, I close my eyes, and like every night for the past week, I get the same vision in my head that I’ve committed to memory. I’vedrawn the same face twice now, and I guess tonight will be no different. My fingers start to brush across the paper, and in fast, long strokes, the one face that burns in my memory starts to come to life as dark hair and beautiful green eyes start to form with each brush of my pencil.
Chapter Five
Sophia
Stepping off the treadmill,I grab my towel and wipe the sweat that has formed on my body. I do hot yoga with Bella and Emma on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Bella’s mom’s studio, but when I can, I love to swing by the gym close to my apartment to get a good workout in. With the rain coming down outside, I decided to get my run inside today before I start on the light weights.
It’s not packed today, so I should be able to get done fairly quickly. I make my way to the back corner, where the mats are, to do some stretching and stop in my tracks. His back is to me, but I would know that body anywhere. I’ve been thinking about it more than I want to admit the past month. He’s wearing a black ball cap backward with gym shorts and a t-shirt, looking like the most delicious dessert I’ve ever laid eyes on. I instantly get that pull in my stomach that makes me want to be closer to him. He’s lifting free weights, and his back muscles and arms strain with each movement, causing a sheen of sweat to form over his tattoos.
My mouth goes dry, and before I can decide whether tohide or say hi, he sets the weights down and turns around, meeting my eyes. A look of surprise flashes briefly in those greys before they roam down my sports bra and short yoga shorts. I feel my skin heat up with the way he is looking at me, and it sends shivers down my body. This is what prey feels like right before it’s devoured whole.
He finally meets my gaze again, and the hunger in his eyes clearly tells me we are both feeling this connection between us. I swallow down the desire and watch as he slowly walks over to me.
“I think I’m the one who has a stalker now. It seems like every place I go, you show up.” His deep voice washes over me, and I resist the urge to close my eyes and lean into him for more.
