I opened my mouth to say I didn’t have a bathing suit, but there were two in my closet with tags still on them.Winslet had put them there when she brought me clothes.I’d not thought I would be using those, but swimming would be nice.Especially if the view was going to be a shirtless Forge, then I was interested.
“Let me get some shoes on,” I told him before going to the closet and picking out a pair of silver Adidas shoes, which had also been new when left in my closet.I happened to love them.Whoever had picked them out had good taste.
Slipping my feet in, I bent over to tie them, then turned to walk back out to go with Forge.He was leaning against the doorframe, looking at his phone.
He glanced up at me, and the smile on his face appeared forced.“Ready?”
I was starting to wish I hadn’t opened the door.
“You sure that everything’s okay?”I asked again, hesitant to go with him.
“I swear.Sorry, I’ve just been dealing with some work stuff.Sometimes, life gets”—he paused—“dark.”
I wanted to ask if he meant dark, as in cut people’s fingers off,but I didn’t.Although that might get a laugh out of him.He was tense about something.I didn’t know him well enough to read his moods.He might have gotten bad news about his mom.
He stepped into the hallway, and I followed him, then closed the door behind me.
“Oz was impressed with your work last night.He was happy to hear you wanted to do it again,” Forge told me.
“Oh, good.I did enjoy it.I just finished telling Calvin about it in my letter.”I paused and glanced back toward the room.“I probably should have gotten that to give to Oz.”
“It’s fine.I’ll get it later and make sure it is sent to Calvin,” he told me.
I didn’t want to give it to Forge.What if he read it?I’d mentioned his penis.He’d probably like that though.He was cocky.It would stroke his ego.
“You still up for tonight’s games?It’s warm enough to watch them out back.Bane is grilling steaks.It’ll be a good time.”
“Yeah.I’m up for it,” I told him.“I might be a little more nervous with Oz there, but I will get through it.”
Forge chuckled.“Oz won’t bite.He likes the indoor screen anyway.He’ll be watching the games he is covering in there.We will watch ours outside.”
That sounded less stressful.
“So, y’all split the games up most of the time then?”
“Yep.He used to do it all on his own, but I liked it and understood the lingo, so I started helping, and we were able to broaden our spread.”
I followed him down the stairs and then the hallway that led to the great room.It seemed we were going outside through the French doors instead of the front door.I assumed it was a security thing.Keeping me hidden, although the main gate was back far enough that the house wasn’t visible.
It was much quieter than when I had gone up to my room earlier.We hadn’t passed anyone else, and the great room was empty.Forge opened the glass door and stood back for me to exit.It was warm.Spring was almost here.
Thoughts of Mom came flooding in, and I took a deep breath.I hoped, one day, I could remember her without the deep void that would stretch out in my chest like a night sky with no stars.She’d want me to have fond memories.And both my parents deserved to have their lives remembered.Cherished.
“Not a fan of the sun?”Forge’s voice brought me back from the ache.
“I, uh … no, I love it,” I told him.“My mom … she loved it.Spring was her favorite time of year.Followed by summer.”My voice trailed off, and I looked out over the pool and luxurious surroundings, trying not to cry.
“My mom is a fall and winter lover.She adores theermonths.Christmas is her favorite,” he told me.There wasn’t pity in his voice, but understanding.
“She and I agree on that.I start preparing for fall as soon as Fourth of July is over,” I told him.“It would drive my mom crazy.”
A corner of his mouth lifted.“You’d love my parents’ house come August then because my mother does the same thing.I’d fucking hate the smell of pumpkin spice and apple pie by the time November rolled around.”His nostrils flared slightly, and he glanced over my shoulder.“And now I’d do anything to smell that sweet shit every fall for the rest of my life and see her so damn happy about it.”
His gaze came back to mine.I didn’t say anything.The silence was needed for both of us right now.
He licked his lower lip and shook his head slightly.“You’re a real good distraction, Pickles,” he said.
My lips curled up at his words.The shadows that had crept in seemed to fade back again, allowing me a moment of delight.I didn’t need him to explain what he meant.I knew.I felt the same way when I was around him.
