Chapter Four
Peyton
TODAY MATT’S TAKINGus to the clubhouse for a small party.I’m not sure I really want to go there with him, but I have no choice.This is something he wants so I can get to know the men and women of the club he holds so close to his heart.Plus, his mom will be there.It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her.She was always such a wonderful woman when we were growing up.Always helping everyone at school when she would come in for various events taking place over the years.Each student who needed her help had her complete attention the entire duration of their interaction.She never once made a student feel as if they were less than the best person in the world no matter their status in school or the town.I’ve missed her over the years and it will be good to see her again.I just hope she hasn’t changed and doesn’t mind that I have kids who aren’t her son’s.
Matt has been spending more time with us.He leaves work early or goes in later so he can have dinner with the kids and me.When he’s not working or going to the clubhouse for whatever reason, he’s at the house with us.The kids love him and have slowly warmed up to having him around.Especially Caydence.Anytime Matt is here, she’s right next to him and the second he sits down anywhere, she’s climbing up in his lap.My daughter loves him already and I hope this doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass.If anything happens to us and Matt leaves, my little girl will be heartbroken.Cedric will too, just not as bad.He tends to sit back and watch longer than typical kids and I don’t know why.Matt has noticed it too.Cedric is very cautious in all areas of his life at such a young age.I’ve been thinking about getting him into counseling to see what’s going on with him.I’ll talk to Matt’s mom when I see her in a little while to get her opinion on the matter.
“Tutor, are you ready to go to the clubhouse?”Matt asks, walking in the house and wiping down his chest with the tee-shirt he was wearing when he went outside to mow the lawn.
“The kids and I are ready to go.Looks as if you need a shower before we head out,” I tell him as he walks up and goes to wrap his arms around me.“Not happening, Matt.I’ve already taken a shower and gotten ready for the day.You’re covered in sweat and dirty as hell.Did you roll around in the grass right after you were done mowing?”
Matt starts laughing his ass off.He doesn’t step any closer to me as I plaster myself against the wall and slowly move past him.Matt walks to my room and closes the door behind him.Heading to the living room, I find Cedric and Caydence playing on the floor where I left them.They’re building with blocks as I stop in my tracks and watch them for a minute.Cedric lets his sister build up a tower before he crashes one of his cars into it, sending all the blocks crashing to the floor.My daughter’s laughter fills the room as Cedric smiles at her.Caydence starts clapping her hands before grabbing a block and reaching out to start the process all over again.This is a game they play on a regular basis.One Cedric does to make his sister happy because she loves it.
“Mama!”Caydence calls out just after Cedric crashes the tower again.“Fun.”
“I see you’re having fun, Baby Girl.We’ll be leaving soon to go to the clubhouse with Matt.Are you both ready to go?”
Caydence nods her head, her bright red curls bouncing all over the place as her ponytail swings back and forth wildly.As the sun shines in through the front window, the freckles on her face stand out even more than normal.As I watch my kids play, Matt walks up behind me and wraps me in his arms.I rest my head against his chest while leaning into his hard body that feels like complete safety and home.I’ve never felt this way before.Not even with Clark when we were married.In Matt’s arms, I feel as if I can do no wrong and no one will hurt me at all.That he'll keep our small family safe and we’ll never have to worry about being hurt again for any reason.
“They’re so happy here in the house.Cedric protects Caydence and does everythin’ for her already,” Matt comments and I know he’s right because I see it all the time.
“They’re happy when we’re not here in the house, too.The kids are just more open and free when we’re home.I think it might be something they learned from when Clark was here.It took some time after his death, but my babies now know they can play in this house or the yard with me and make all the noise they want to without worrying about anything.He didn’t like a lot of noise or toys all over the place.If the kids played in the living room during the day, I’d have to clean everything up before he got home so he wouldn’t walk through the door and start yelling about me being lazy and not taking care of the kids and house while he was gone working his ass off all day long,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper as my eyes fill with tears from all the memories playing in my mind of the years I spent with my husband.
“I’m sorry, Peyton.If I had known, I would have done somethin’ about gettin’ to you sooner.Ya know, I’ve been lookin’ for you since I graduated high school.Always thought about what you were doin’, where you went to college, and everythin’ else.I wanted to know every detail about your life like I did before graduatin’,” Matt says, leaning down so his lips brush faintly against my ear.“You’ve been on my mind since the first time I saw you and I don’t think that’s ever gonna change, Tutor.”
“It’s not your fault, Matt.I made the decision to be with him and stupidly fell in love with a man who wasn’t as nice as he pretended to be,” I tell him honestly, as I rest my hands on Matt’s arms where they wrap around my body.
One of Matt’s large hands rests against my stomach and I know he’s waiting to feel the baby move again.He’s always touching my stomach to feel our little one.This is a new experience for me because Clark was never interested in my pregnant body.He actually stayed as far away from me as possible.That’s when he first started cheating on me.No one knows that I discovered his secret, but his mistress sent me evidence on a regular basis.Taunting me with pictures and things he bought her because I had to watch every single penny I spent and have receipts ready for when Clark went over our finances on a weekly basis.
“When do you go to the doctor again?”Matt asks me, his breath brushing against my neck.“I have a run comin’ up and will be gone for a few weeks.I don’t want to miss out on anythin’ else with the pregnancy, but I have a feelin’ I won’t be here for your appointment.”
“I have one coming up in two days.It’s an ultrasound and exam.I was gonna tell you about it, but I wasn’t thinking,” I tell him honestly, my stomach dropping knowing this is another appointment I’ll go to alone or with my sister or Barb.
“I’ll do what I can to be there, Tutor.Not missin’ it if I don’t have to,” he promises me, smiling against my skin before pressing a soft kiss against my neck.“Let’s get the kids and get out of here.”
***
Walking into the clubhouse, the common room appears full but I instinctively know this isn’t everyone who’s usually here.This is the few Matt wants me to meet first and only them.I can’t stop the smile on my face as I recognize Kimber and Jayson.They were in class with Matt and always nice to me.Even when others would pick on me, the three of them would put a stop to it and make sure no one got close again.
“Peyton!”Kimber yells across the room as she jumps out of her seat and races toward us.“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.Since graduation if I remember correctly.Have you been in Frostford this entire time?”
“Other than when I left to go to school I’ve been here.My parents are here as well.Jennifer is still here.She married Kent Lane and they have a son together.You look so good, Kimber.Still with Jayson I see,” I respond, letting her pull me into a hug as Matt rests his hand on my back in silent support in case I’m not comfortable with the attention from Kimber as everyone else watches on.
“I’m never letting go of Jayson.He’s stuck with me for the rest of his life and there’s nothing he can do to get rid of me,” Kimber says and I know she’s kidding when Jayson starts laughing from across the room.
“If I cheat on her, she’ll have my balls and that’s not somethin’ I’ll hand over easily.Besides, you know I love her and have since we were in school.The girl stole my heart and hasn’t given it back.I don’t see her ever givin’ it back to me for any reason,” Jayson calls out from his seat just before getting up and making his way over to us.“How you been Tutor?”
Yeah, Jayson called me Tutor in school too.Even if I wasn’t his tutor.Once Matt called me that the first time, Jayson followed suit.Kimber was the only one who didn’t use the nickname for me.While others used it to mock and taunt me, the guys ensured it was meant as something nice.
“Let’s get you in a seat at our table.You don’t need to be on your feet longer than necessary.I remember being pregnant and only wanting to sit down for a few minutes a day,” Kimber says, breaking from the hug while pulling me with her to the table her husband is sitting at with two kids.“Peyton, this is Brock and Kassidee.Brock, Kassidee, this is our friend Peyton.”
