Succeeding Love

Action Hero Vin

Feighlynn

“You didn’t!” Kaitlin, my sister, gushed on the phone. “You said yes to a date!?”

“I don’t even know for sure if it’s a date,” I sighed.

“You told him it was!”

“Well, yeah, but I didn’t stick around to see if he agreed. He could just want a friend.”

“Who asks a friend to dinner and a movie?” Kaitlin scoffed.

“Um, I go to dinner and movies with you! Are we dating?”

“That’s different and you know it! This is totally a date.”

“Maybe,” I bit my lip. I can’t believe I just ran off with Kevin like a coward after saying that. Preston’s little suggestion from last night polluted my head. I can’t believe I said yes at all. I can’t believe he asked me. I’m a newly divorced single mom of two teenagers. Not really the pick of the litter, and human Kevin is the type of man who’d get the top pick.

Still, I’m excited, and despite his reasons for asking me to dinner and a movie, whether it be as friends or a date, I plan on enjoying myself.

“I’m coming over,” Kaitlin declared.

“Right now? For what?!”

“To make sure you shave your legs and kitty cat.”

I giggled to myself. “Vin doesn’t like kitty cats.”

“I bet he’d like to pet yours.”

“Friends don’t pet each other’s kitty cats.”

“Oh, so our action hero has a kitty cat?” Kaitlin teased.

“Stop. You know what I mean.”

She laughed into the phone. “I know you want to tug on his snake.”

“Jeez. Stop with the animals.”

“Okay. I’ll stop. I gotta get ready to head over there, anyway.” She pulled the phone away and yelled at her husband to watch the kids. I sighed, shaking my head. There was no stopping her.

“Kate, I need to get some work done.”

“I know you do. To your vag. Gotta get it ready for your date. Don’t worry. I just got a waxing kit that will make your kitty look like a naked mole rat in no time.”

“Gross!”

“I agree. I can’t wait to try it out on you to see if it works or not. You can be my guinea pig.”

Gosh, has she never waxed herself before? Or anyone else? “You’re not touching my-“

“See you in fifteen!” She cut me off and hung up before I could tell her she wasn’t touching my cat with her wax.

“Darn it,” I muttered to myself. I plopped down in the middle of the floor in my office, opening my arms for Kevin to snuggle into me. “Aunt Kate is coming over, boy. Wanna see Aunt Kate? Do you?! Do you?!”

I hyped my dog up to get myself energized for the visit to come. Kevin loves when we spend the weekend with my sister, so he started doing laps around the bedroom upon hearing her name. He was ready. I guess I should get ready too.

I heated the lasagna I had left, and it was ready by the time Kate let herself into the house.

“Smells good!” She sang out, dropping her bag on the breakfast bar. “Hey, does our action hero have tattoos, a giant physique, and drive an old muscle car?””

For a second, I felt puzzled. I didn’t mention tattoos to Kate and I’m not sure what kind of car Vin has. I just saw the uhaul in the driveway. “Why?”

“There’s some hot guy across the street getting some old muscle car delivered right now. I waved when I pulled in.”

“Huh?” I rushed to the front window in the living room, looking out through the curtains. There he was, standing at the end of his driveway, talking to a tow truck driver with a smile on his face and his tattoos on full display in his tight-fitted tank top. “Wow,” I whispered.

Kate giggled. “Want me to wax your kitty cat now?”

“Maybe,” I whispered distractedly. “Wait. No! He’s not seeing my kitty cat!”

“Can I show him mine?”

“You’re married!”

“Yeah,” Kate sighed, like she was disappointed, even though I know she loves her husband. “Guess you’ll have to show him yours for me.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I poked her between the eyes, making her playfully snap her teeth at me. “Go eat. It’s lasagna.”

“Yummy! Are you going to stay over here and fill up on looking at him?” She opened the curtain wider, waving her fingers flirtatiously.

“Go!” I pushed her back, looking over my shoulder to see Vin was staring at us with an amused look on his face. “Jeez, Kate!”

“He looks yummy too,” she said, leaning closer to wave at him again.

When I finally got her to back up, retreating to the kitchen while laughing her annoying butt off, I looked back to see Vin still standing there, the tow truck guy beside him now watching my house too.

He really is yummy looking. His car is exactly like something an action hero would drive too. I don’t know cars, so I do not know what it is, but I’m sure it is something impressive.

I waved shyly, then hurried to close the curtains. His laughter was clear in his body movements. Gosh, my sister is so embarrassing.

“You’re annoying!” I huffed at her as I walked into the kitchen.

“I do my best,” she said, savoring a bite of her food. “Hey, do you have more of this?”

“Not for you!”

“Fine,” she smirked, sliding my plate closer. “I’ll just steal yours.”

I rolled my eyes and laughed, knowing there was no point in arguing with my bossy, stubborn sister.

“Did you shower yet?”

I shrugged. “I did this morning.”

“Not good enough. Go shower again, shave and exfoliate. I’m not waxing a stinky kitty.”

“You’re not waxing me at all!”

“Oh, yes, I am.” Her eyes twinkled wickedly. “By the time I’m done with you, you’re going to be the hottest woman in this town, hairless kitty and all.”

~

Vin

“You look nice,” mom praised my appearance as I came down the stairs.

I had on the nicest jeans I own, a white fitted shirt, and my boots. I felt like a tool bag, dressing like most privates did on a Friday night before hitting the strip clubs. I hadn’t been on a date in so long; I agonized over what to wear until this was what I settled on.

“Do you really think so?”

“Sure!” Mom said enthusiastically, her knitting needles clinking away in her hands. “Where are you going this evening?”

“Just out to dinner,” I kissed her head before checking my appearance once more in the hall mirror one last time.

“You and Mindy have fun, sweetie.”

I cringed at my ex-wife’s name. Far too often, Mom forgets I divorced my ex-wife more than a decade ago.

Instead of correcting her this time, I just grabbed my keys and headed out, wishing her a good night as I closed the door.

My 1970 Dodge charger sitting in the driveway lifts my mood as I walk past. I worried when it was delivered that it may have scratches or damage, but it was perfect. No dents or anything.

Feighlynn and the visitor she had today were funny, watching me in her window as I was finishing signing the papers for it. The woman with her seemed as friendly as Feighlynn when she pulled up. She waved excitedly and stared as she walked to her door. Feighlynn seemed completely embarrassed. It was cute. So fucking cute.

It was just about six. I fidgeted with my shirt, looking down to check my pants and boots one last time as I crossed the street. I looked as good as I could; I guess. The young guys must dress like this for a reason, right? She called this a date before I could and then sped off with her dog. I’m not exactly sure what she was expecting, but I think I pulled myself together enough.

When I knocked on the front door, I laughed softly to myself, hearing Kevin go crazy on the other side. Seconds later, his face poked through the curtains, just like his owner did earlier.

“Oh, hush!” I heard Feighlynn yell, making my smile stretch further on my face. “It’s your friend. We don’t bark at our friends.”

Damn, she’s cute. I couldn’t see her yet, but I could imagine her face.

My imagination didn’t prepare me for when she opened that door.

My lord, she was gorgeous. Looking at her, I never felt more like a schmuck. I tried to dress like a brat and she looked like a tiny goddess. Her hair was framing her small, heart-shaped face in gigantic waves. Her eyes were smoky but not overdone. She had just enough makeup on to make her eyes pop. And her dress. I knew Feighlynn wearing this dress would be what haunted my dreams tonight. The red fabric bunched and clung to her small, curvy fame. My hands flexed with the urge to touch her hips where it clung to her the most.

“Hello, action hero Vin,” she giggled, opening the door wide while holding back Kevin by the collar.

“Damn,” I slipped and said. She cocked her head to the side in confusion. “Sorry.” I ran a hand over my chin. “You, uh, you look fantastic.”

She smiled warmly. “Thank you. My sister helped. You look pretty good yourself.”

I adjusted the sleeves of my shirt, nervous about my clothes again until I caught her eyes lingering on my biceps. She bit her lip in that way women do when they like what they see, and my confidence suddenly returned.

“Ready to go?” I asked, holding out my elbow as she pushed back her dog to lock the door.

“Ready,” she grinned, linking her hand behind my elbow. My heart pounded, feeling her direct touch. Her perfume wafted up to me, making my mouth water. She smelled as sweet as she acted.

I’m way too old to be getting all flushed and fluttery because of a first date, but here I am, nervous like a kid. Damn, I hope I don’t sweat through my shirt.

After opening her door for her, she giggled in that sweet way while checking out my car. “You really are an action hero. You have the car for it.”

“You like it? I restored it myself.”

“It looks really fast.”

I shrugged. “It should be.”

She ran her hand over the smooth dashboard, an awestruck look in her eyes. “The inside looks new!”

Pride filled my chest. I worked hard on this car, and it’s nice hearing praise for it.

She leaned back to look in the backseat, lifting her butt slightly in the air. Her dress rode up just enough where I could see the tops of the back of her thighs. My face grew hot, and I had to look away and shut the door so as not to embarrass myself. Her skin looked so smooth and soft. I had to take my time walking around the car to make sure my face, and my pants, weren’t displaying my inner thoughts.

“So, where are we going?” She asked as I got in.

“I was thinking Luigi’s?” I looked up restaurants all day, and that one looked the most promising, with excellent reviews, a patio view of the river, and it was close to the theaters and bars, so we had a lot of options for what to do afterward.

“Oh, I love Luigi’s! My sister and I go there on girl’s nights sometimes.”

I mentally high-five myself for putting in the work to find a good Italian restaurant. Judging by her lasagna, I thought she would like that.

The car ride was fun with Feighlynn. She liked to touch everything in the car, which I found cute, just like most things she did. She turned on the radio and set the stations for me. That started a heated discussion on country music versus soft rock. Surprisingly, she preferred rock to country. I grew up on Alan Jackson, George Strait and Reba, so I prefer the older country stuff. She was so fucking adorable singing along off-key with Journey and the Eagles, so I conceded to her by the time we pulled into the restaurant.

Damn, I felt like a king walking into the restaurant with Feighlynn on my arm. Ushering her through the door was my first excuse to touch her, resting my hand on her lower back. When I saw her cheeks color over with a rosy pink hue, her eyes shyly averting to the ground as she bit that bottom lip, I knew she didn’t mind. I kept my hand proudly on her lower back until the hostess showed us to our table out on the patio.

The view was as good as the reviews said it would be. You could see the city glittering on the other side of the river, and even though it was getting dark, there were still people lingering in the park on the other side. Music and children’s squeals traveled over to us, making Feighlynn laugh softly. She looked enamored with the sights. I was feeling pretty enamored by my view too.

“Can I start you off with drinks?” the server asked. “Our cocktail list is at the back of the menu.”

“Hmm, can I just get the house white for now? And water?” Feighlynn asked.

“Sure,” the server smiled. “And you, sir?”

“Shiner and a water too.”

“Great. I’ll bring those right out while you look over the menus.”

Feighlynn’s infectious grin made my heart race as we talked about the park. She said that her kids used to love going there when they were little, and it brought back a lot of wonderful memories for her.

“Your son seems like a good kid,” I told her. “I was surprised to see a teen boy taking out my mom’s trash this morning,” I said.

“He is a good boy.” She had this fond, loving look in her eyes. “He’s a nurturer. Always has been. I always tell him he was my first love.”

“Wouldn’t that have been his father?” I asked, kicking myself for asking it afterward. I’m as bad as my mom with putting my foot in my mouth.

Of course, Feighlynn didn’t act offended or down. “Not really,” she shrugged, taking a long sip from her wine glass. “I mean, sure, I loved Nick, but that came after having Preston, and it stemmed from him being my baby’s father. The only reason I married so young was because of Preston. Nick was always a little more stiff than me, so I wasn’t sure it would work out.” She sighed, leaning back in her chair while gazing at the children playing in the lit city park. “It didn’t in the end.”

Nick must be a complete idiot. I’m not completely sure about the circumstances of their divorce. Just the small amounts of information Feighlynn has told me, and the gossip from my mom, but it sounded like he was the one that fucked up. I’m just surprised that Feighlynn has remained as positive as she has. I was a fucking mess for years after my divorce.

“My marriage didn’t either,” I said, opening up too. She was talking about her divorce because of my stupid question, so I felt the need to be vulnerable as well. “It was thirteen years ago, and we didn’t have kids, but it still fucked me up for some time.” I reached across the table and brushed my fingers over hers. “I’m impressed that you can stay so positive.”

She smiled warmly. “I just wanted my kids to remain happy. Plus, it helped that we both checked out months before he told me about….. Well,” she bit her lip nervously. “We drifted apart for some time before, so that made it easier to accept. I didn’t want to waste energy on getting angry or being hateful. Maybe if I didn’t have the kids, but it would have done them no good. He is still their father.”

“Is he a good father?”

At that, her smile grew. “Yes. Seeing him be their father made me fall for him. He’s remained a good father through everything, so I can still respect him for that.”

I never thought about having kids before, but seeing the way Feighlynn’s face lights up as she went into more stories of her kids, it had me craving something I never considered before. Even the way her ex fit into the stories had me amazed. She spoke of him not like a resentful ex, but like a partner in parenting that she held respect for, just as she said.

“Your kids are with your ex tonight?” I asked between forks full of pasta.

“Yep. He still gets them every weekend.”

“Every weekend, huh?” I smiled crookedly. “That leaves your weekends mostly open?”

“Maybe,” she said shyly, twirling linguine in her spoon.

“What about next weekend?” I sat back in my chair with a smirk. She is so adorable when gets shy.

“I might be free next weekend,” she said teasingly. “But I think since you planned tonight, I should be the one to plan our next, um, outing.”

“Outing?” I lifted a brow. “What happened to calling this a date?”

She shrugged. “Is it a date?”

I reached across the table to rub her elbow resting on the table’s edge. “I was hoping it was.” I rubbed my thumb over her smooth skin, trying to not look like a freak as I inhaled deeply her vanilla-scented perfume.

“Good,” she mumbled, looking at me through her lashes. “I was hoping it was one, too.”

Now that we had the understanding that this was definitely a date, Feighlynn was more shy than she was before. She looked so vulnerable that I leaned in and touched her in the subtlest ways. She was the type of woman a man wanted to protect and defend. The urge to shield her against any awkward tension grew inside of me.

When we pulled into the drive-in theater, her face lit up like the fourth of July.

“I haven’t been here in ages!” She said, looking around at all the old-fashioned food stalls.

“Me neither. It surprised me it was still around.

Last time I was here was when my dad was alive. I had to have been fourteen when he brought me to see the Terminator with my mom. This place had a lot of excellent memories for me.

I parked beside a speaker stall towards the back, then we got out to get popcorn and drinks. Feighlynn insisted on paying for the popcorn and drinks since I paid for dinner. I tried to refuse, but she scanned her card before I could get my wallet out. The way she victoriously stuck her tongue out at me afterward made me laugh. Then she hummed as she sampled the popcorn on the way back to my car. She was so fucking cute. I wanted to just squeeze her, to hear her squeal.

When the movie started, she rested her head on my shoulder with my arms slung behind her head. I couldn’t even tell you what the movie was about. I was too busy enjoying having her so close to me.

Is it weird that I’m already this infatuated with my neighbor? I was truly disappointed when the movie ended and she lifted her head off me. A dead arm and stiffness were so worth it.

“Do you, uh, want to go get some coffee, or maybe ice cream?” I asked, wanting the date to go on.

She gave me another shy look, then said, “I have coffee and ice cream at my house.”

My heart hammered. She was inviting me over, and I would not turn her down.

“Sounds fantastic,” I said, my voice cracking a bit. I coughed, feeling embarrassed, especially when she giggled. “Sounds good,” I said in a much deeper tone, making her laugh harder. It was infectious. I began laughing with her, all embarrassment fading away just because of her laugh.

I was still riding high from our date and the prospect of it not being over as I drove all the way back to our neighborhood. I wanted to hold her hand so badly, but had to shift gears so I couldn’t. She kept teasing me about my car being all show, so I revved the engine several times, the last time being when we turned onto our street.

We both laughed when a neighbor’s car alarm started going off, but our laughter died when she saw a car sitting in her driveway.

“What’s Nick doing here?” She pulled out her phone to see if she had any missed messages or calls. There weren’t any from him, but a string of texts from someone named ‘Kate’ was at the top, the first asking ‘Did he pet the kitty yet?’.

I pressed my lips together, looking back up towards her driveway, pretending I didn’t see it.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she mumbled, looking concerned.

I parked in my driveway, then went around to open her door while she was still looking at her messages. Her ex got out of his Cadillac and stood stiffly beside it. He was sizing me up as I gripped Feighlynn’s hand and helped her out of the car. He straightened up a bit when she put away her phone and looked up at him.

“Are the kids okay?” was the first question out of her mouth. After hearing her talk about her kids most of the night, I knew that was what she was checking on her phone. She was checking on them.

“They’re fine,” her ex said gruffly. I didn’t let go of her hand as we walked towards her house, and he made a point of staring. “Where were you?”

She looked at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

He looked down at our joint hands pointedly, then repeated, “I mean, where were you, Fay?”

“She was out with me,” I answered for her, feeling her tensing up beside me. “We met yesterday,” I said, holding out my free hand, refusing to let go of my grip on Feighlynn. “I’m Vin, the action hero.”