I’m thoroughly immersed in internet searches when the phone rings early afternoon. It’s Drakos. I answer a little too breathlessly. This guy makes my heart race and my stomach do somersaults. I won’t mention what he does to my other lady parts.
“I’m a daddy!” he shouts. The pure joy in his voice calms my apprehension. Times like this give me hope for a future.
“You are.” I laugh because his childlike enthusiasm at “officially” being a parent makes my insides all mushy with something almost like?—
I stop.
No, not that.
Mostly I’m happy for Noah. He’ll have a daddy, and I have come to know Drakos well enough to conclude he’ll be a committed, loving father.
And me, what becomes of Drakos and me? I don’t know. I’m taking everything one day at a time. We’ve spent the majority of our acquaintance attacking each other. Our friends with benefits era is new and unexplored. I guess we’ll be exploring it. My mother would tell me that my predilection for leaping before I look will be my downfall. My dad would grunt and not say a damn thing. My departed sister’s imaginary opinion no longer matters. Whether she might accuse me of betraying her or not doesn’t register any longer. She doesn’t get a vote.
“Let’s get this show on the road. My realtor’s found a place for us. You can view it this afternoon. I’ll message you her number.” When Drakos sets his mind to something, he’s like a steamroller without brakes.
“Are we being rash?”
“Who gives a fuck?” His laughter alleviates some of my anxiety. Drakos is an even-tempered, easygoing guy for the most part. I think he could be fun. “Will you call her?”
“I will. As soon as we end this call.”
“When should we tell Noah?”
“As soon as you get home?”
“Works for me. Hey, I hate to go so soon, but we have a team meeting in ten.”
“Okay. Good luck tomorrow night.”
“I’ll talk to you before then. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Drakos ends the call, and I feel bereft. I’m getting too attached to him too quickly. It’s foolhardy to fall for a guy I really don’t know that well.
I call the realtor, and thirty minutes later, I’m in a house that overlooks the Columbia River with an expansive backyard ringed by ancient cedars and firs. Noah will love this place. As an added bonus, he won’t need to change schools, and it’s not far from the practice facility where both Noah and Drakos skate. Gardenia, Jakob, and the boys live about ten minutes away. Another bonus.
The house is large with an open-concept plan, huge windows, an expansive patio, and four large bedrooms, each with their own en-suite bathroom. There’s a room over the three-car garage that could be an entertainment paradise. The huge room has a built-in bar and large sliding glass doors out to a decent-sized deck.
I fall in love with the stone fireplace on one wall of the living room and imagine cuddling with Noah and Drakos in front of a roaring fire. I’m getting ahead of myself. Drakos and I are doing this for Noah, not because we’re crazy in love with each other. He’d once said he thought he was falling for me. Does he still feel that way?
I’m a jumbled spiderweb of emotions. My first reaction is to protect my heart at all costs, but a little voice whispers in my ear to give us a chance. I don’t know if I can open myself up and be vulnerable enough to take that risk. Can Drakos?
“Well, what do you think?” asks the realtor. I’m standing in the living room looking out the windows at a tugboat pulling a barge on the Columbia. The scene relieves some of my anxiety. It’s calming and a reminder of how beautiful this world can be if a person just lets the beauty shine in their lives.
“I love it.”
The realtor beams with satisfaction. “Then you’ll take it?”
“Uh, I’ll have to speak to Drakos first.”
“He told me if you like it, he will.”
“Then I guess we’ll make an offer.”
I call Drakos, and we work on an offer over the phone. He signs the paperwork remotely, and we’re one step closer to being homeowners. Since we’re offering full price, the realtor doesn’t foresee any issues.
I’m late to Noah’s practice and rush into the arena about forty-five minutes later. Gardenia waves me over to where she’s sitting. I join her, unable to contain my excitement.
