Page 75 of Southern Comfort
“I haven’t been able to find it, and I know he must have it. And if there is any other information about the sale, keep that too. But you can’t let him see you looking.”
“Maybe we should just ask if he still has it,” Kim says, stating the obvious.
“No! That would ruin the surprise. Even if it takes me a year, I’m going to track it down. There’s no need to bring him in on it. He’d just tell me no anyway.”
Bing catches my eye and mimes working a television remote in his hands. He looks to me for the answer. I point to the small box sitting on the coffee table, clearly labeled remotes and cords. He points to his head and makes a goofy face.
Hunter tears it open and rummages through for the right one. Luckily they are labeled. It only took me till my thirties to take the time to do a move right.
Somewhere in the background of where Kim is, a bell tings.
“Oh, that’s the timer. We’re making pineapple upside down cake. Wish you were here. I’d feed you.”
She is a temptation. Every day. The frustration is real. Not being able to respond like I want to is eating at me. So I get up and move toward the hallway.
“Hold on, I have to move.”
As soon as I make it out of sight and hearing, I tell her how I really feel. In a whisper.
“Tell me about what you would do.”
“I would spoon feed you as you lay naked in our bed. You would have a hard on, obviously. And if even one crumb dropped, I would lick it off you. Slowly.”
My balls ache. “That sounds about right. With one addition to the story.”
“What’s that?”
“You would be naked too. And my hand would…”
I am interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the kitchen. That is too close for comfort.
“This isn’t the best place to talk right now. Let’s save it for later tonight.”
“Understood. I love you, handsome.”
“I love you too.”
“Night, baby,” she says.
“Night.”
Hope I didn’t say that ‘I love you’ too loud. All of a sudden I lost the whisper. But what harm would it be if someone heard. That someone. In fact, it would be good if Hunter did know how we feel. I am not sure how to navigate this one. It highlights how much I have to learn about being with someone who has a child. Especially a grown one. Not old enough to be my equal, and not young enough to mold. I mean technically he could be mine, but I don’t think either one of us think of each other that way.
When I return to the living room, he is sitting back in the chair, watching whatever Bing is flipping through. His head turns my way, and an unspoken message passes between us. I am saying I know you heard me, and I will be good to her. Just wish I could figure out what it is he’s saying back.
Two hours, six hamburgers, and three milkshakes later, the day has caught up to us. Even the guys look beat. My eyes are closing, as Bing watches something funny on his phone and Hunter and I watch a Mavericks game on the big screen TV. We have nearly wiped out the bags of snacks Kim doled out.
“Mom said she met some of the Swift family at the wedding.”
His voice alerts me to reality. Shit. I need to go to my room.
“Yeah. They were really nice. I guess my parents were friends with them back in the day.”
Just as I rise, the cell sounds. Kim.
“Hi. I’m just about to head for bed. Want me to call back in five?”
Her voice is a whisper.
