Succeeding Love

Delivery

Feighlynn

“I’m Vin, the action hero.”

I could barely stop myself from bursting into laughter from the serious tone he just said that in. He used the phrase I had been teasing him with as an official title. The fact that he used it with my serious ex-husband made the situation even funnier.

Nick was looking at him like he was crazy, making no movements to shake his hand.

“Vin saved Kevin from a killer cat and me from a heart attack yesterday,” I explained, passing Vin a grateful smile. Vin dropped his hand and returned my gratitude with a proud smirk. “That’s why he’s my action hero. We just got back from dinner and a movie. What are you doing here, though?” I waved my phone at him with the hand not gripped in Vin’s. “The kids didn’t text me.”

Nick’s expression remained hard, glaring like I did something wrong. I do not know what he could be upset with, though.

“I’m not here because of the kids,” Nick said gruffly. “I’m here to speak with you.”

“With me? You left the kids alone to speak with me?”

“They’re both at the hotel, perfectly fine,” he snapped.

I tilted my head in confusion. “Okay. So, why do you need to talk to me this late on a Friday night if it’s not about the kids?”

His eyes shifted to Vin, looking uncomfortable, before glaring back at me. “Can we talk in private?”

I grimaced. He was being needlessly difficult.

“Want me to wait for you inside?” Vin asked me. “I can let Kevin out while you two talk out here?”

A thankful smile lifted my lips. “That would be great. Thank you.”

“Actually, I think you can head on home and my wife and I can speak inside,” Nick said as Vin took my keys from my hand.

At the term “wife” my heart froze and an icy chill ran through me. What was Nick doing? My night with Vin had been so satisfying, and so amazing, but Nick was taking all of that away with whatever this display was. It was my first date since our divorce, and the excitement I had felt all night was turning into dread at how Vin would interpret this interaction.

Vin was looking at me, waiting for my say on what to do. He’s so nice and kind, and too good of a man to say if I’m making him uncomfortable. The right thing to do would be to thank him for the date, and send him home before Nick’s hostility can affect him any more than it already has. Vin is a total catch, and doesn’t need this sort of baggage in his dating life. Especially on a first date.

“I’m sorry, Vin,” I whispered softly. I tried to smile, but it just felt like I was pressing my lips together. I couldn’t force the corners of my lips to turn up. “I had a wonderful time with you tonight, and don’t want to ruin it by making you more uncomfortable. It’s getting late and I’m sure you’re tired.”

Vin stared into my eyes, his green irises boring into me. I tried to keep the painful smile in place, feeling mortified and embarrassed, but trying not to let it show too much. Even if we didn’t go on another date after this painful encounter with my ex, I still wanted to be on friendly terms as neighbors. I hope he didn’t think too badly of me for this later.

“Okay, Lynn.”

A heavy breath escaped me when he used that little nickname, something between a laugh and a huff. It made me feel even worse about my ex showing up to ruin our date.

“I’ll see you later, I guess.”

My smile tightened, my brows pulling down at the corners as sadness weighed in on me. “Okay,” I said.

He squeezed my hand one more time before letting it go and heading back to his house. When I was sure he was out of earshot, I turned to Nick, anger like I had never felt before gripping me.

“What the hell was that?” I asked in an icy voice.

Nick’s eyes went wide for a minute, like my coldness surprised him. “Fay, I just….” He looked at the house, and then back at me. “Can we talk inside?”

“No. We can’t. What the hell are you doing here, Nick?”

“I came to talk to you! I’m sorry to interrupt your evening, but this is important. I didn’t want to wait another second to-”

“Excuse me,” Vin’s deep voice cut in, his hand suddenly gripping my elbow and pulling me back. I looked up at him in surprise. I thought he had gone back home. “I forgot this,” he husked, bending over me and swiftly pressing his lips to mine. It took me by complete shock. His hands cradled my face. His hot fingertips seeped their warmth into my skin, and a second later, I was kissing him back.

No one had ever kissed me like this before. It was just a kiss, but it felt so much deeper somehow. I felt it burning all over my face, and my knees were getting weaker by the second. He overwhelmed my senses, leaving me faint and breathless. All the icy fury I just felt was being melted away.

“Wow,” I gasped as he pulled back. His crooked smile shone in the dim streetlight. I could take my eyes away from his lips.

“Your neck okay?” he husked, rubbing the back of it. I held my head in a tilted position for him. His height and mine must look comical right now. “I’ll have to get you a step stool for next time.”

Next time? My already hot face grew even warmer at the implications. I bit my tingling bottom lip. It tasted like him, like popcorn and soda.

“Goodnight, Lynn,” he whispered roughly, kissing my lips one more time.

“Night, Vin,” I breathed out.

His eyes sparkled, mesmerizing me for a moment. Then they grew hard as he looked back at Nick. “Have a safe drive back to the kids, Mr. Ex . I’m sure I’ll see you again soon, too.”

Wow, wow, wow.

I pressed my hand to my chest, still feeling breathless as I watched him walk across the street with much more pep in his boots. His broad shoulders leaned as he walked, showing his confidence. I don’t think I have ever felt more attracted to a man in my life.

My action hero.

Nick left soon after that. I was still a bit dazed, and he just mumbled something about the returned presents. He said he’d bring them back later, then got in his car and left before I could fully refuse.

Oh well. Whatever he was here for, it must not have been too important. He was probably just shocked seeing me on a date for the first time since the divorce. I know it was like a knife to the gut the first time I saw Arlene hanging off him after he left me, so I imagine he felt something similar. Even if he moved on, we were still married for fifteen, almost sixteen years. It’s still a bitter feeling.

I felt anything but bitter for the rest of the night. As I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, I was smiling and giggling to myself, replaying the kiss repeatedly in my head. Kevin kept whining every time I squealed, laying his head over my legs to tell me to quiet my excitement and go to bed. I was disturbing his sleep. I couldn’t help myself. I had never had a first date like that.

Honestly, I had very few first dates in my life, so that’s probably not saying much to most people. After Nick and the two boys I dated in high school, my bar might be really, really low. Something tells me it wasn’t just me, though. It had to be Vin. Everything from the moment he picked me up, to the dinner and deep conversations, to cuddling against his firm body as we watched an action movie I now couldn’t even remember. Then that kiss……

Everything about the date was amazing. Even when I thought my ex ruined the night, Vin blew me out of the water when he came back.

~

Nick

“Where did you go?” Preston asked the moment I walked back into the hotel room.

I almost jumped out of my skin. It was almost one in the morning. I thought he and his sister would be asleep. Jessie was nodding off before I left in the bedroom where they were watching TV. I thought Preston wouldn’t be too far from sleep, either.

“The bar,” I muttered, walking to the ice bucket to retrieve a glass as I kicked off my shoes. I went to the bar for a few drinks after getting back to the hotel. I wasn’t ready to face my son after everything that transpired tonight. I need water to sober up.

“You went to the bar? For four hours?”

“What are you still doing awake?” I deflected his question before taking a long gulp of tap water.

He watched me with the same distrust and wariness I’ve received from him since the day he learned of my affair. I deserve no less, but it still hurts. Preston and I were as close as a father and son could be when he was little. Now he tolerates me at best.

“Mom texted me,” he said as I filled my glass again at the sink. “She asked me if we were alright. Do you know why she would do that?”

By his tone, I’m sure he knows the answer already, and I’m tired of pretenses. I don’t have the strength right now to pretend.

“I went to go see her,” I told him honestly, dropping my heavy, tired body on the chair beside him where he was sitting on the couch.

“You went to go see mom?! Why?!”

“Because I miss her, Preston.” I dragged my hand down my face. “I miss my wife.”

That hasn’t changed. Even after witnessing her getting home from a date, and after seeing her thug-looking date kiss her breathless, I still miss her. It feels like there is a hole inside my chest that just gets bigger and bigger by the day.

“Ex-wife,” Preston muttered.

I closed my eyes, remembering the way her date called me “Mr. Ex”.

“I don’t want to think of her that way.” My voice was hoarse, thick with emotion.

“Well, that’s too fucking bad.”

“Preston!” My eyes snapped open.

“Dad! You don’t get to be that shitty, so cut the crap. What? Is your whore not enough for you now? You want to string mom along again until the next one comes along?”

“It’s not like that. It’s not like that at all.”

“Then what’s it like, dad?!”

“I MISS HER!” I shouted, the emotions heating and stirring behind my burning eyes breaking free. “I messed up, and I miss my wife! If I could go back and change everything, I would. That’s all I want now. More than anything.”

Preston shook his head at me, his jaw growing more tense. “Do you know what I want more than anything? For my mom to be happy.”

A guilty sob broke through me. “I want that too.”

“I don’t think you do. Even before you left and said you were cheating, you weren’t making mom happy.”

“We were happy,” I argued desperately.

“No, she wasn’t,” Preston glowered. “You know deep down she wasn’t, and neither were you or you never would have done it. You wouldn’t have cheated on my mom.”

“I was just confused, Pres,” I begged him to understand.

“You don’t cheat from confusion. You left her . You cheated on her repeatedly and left my mom for the other woman. Are you really trying to get my sympathy now that you regret it all?”

I shook my head, knowing I didn’t deserve his sympathy, forgiveness, or anything else. “I miss my family,” I said brokenly. “I know I don’t deserve her anymore, but I still miss your mom. That will never change.”

“I doubt that,” Preston scoffed, pushing himself off the couch. “Don’t hurt my mom more than you have.” He walked to the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

I sat there crying into my hands for I don’t know how long, feeling the weight of my sins pressing in. “I’m so sorry, son,” I heaved. “I’m sorry I hurt you, too.”

~

Feighlynn

“So, I waxed your kitty cat for nothing?” Kate sat across the island, sipping on coffee, watching me as I scrubbed out the fridge to get ready for a grocery trip.

“You waxed my kitty cat because you’re persistently annoying.” I gave her a pointed look, and she stuck her tongue out at me.

“Stupid Nick. He’s the really hairy kitty cat, if you know what I mean. What did he stop over for, anyway?”

I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. He said something about those presents Preston returned to him, but then just left.”

“Mm hmm,” Kate laughed. “Sounds like our action hero scared him off. Good for him.”

I bit my lip, remembering that kiss. Good for me and him. Really good.

“So, have we heard from our action hero today?”

“No,” I murmured.

“And why not?”

I shrugged. “We never really exchanged contact info or made plans again.”

“You’re acting like you’re not already neighbors, weirdo. Just go across the street and ask to borrow a cup of sugar and see if he’d like to pet your naked mole rat while he’s at it.”

“Kate!”

“What?” She took a long sip of her coffee. “Want me to ask him for you?”

“Do I want you to ask him to pet my naked mole rat?” I giggled.

“Yes. Yes you do,” she answered like I was asking her the question and not pointing out how ridiculous she sounded. “I kind of want to meet him face to face, anyway.”

Right then, my doorbell rang and Kevin went nuts. He barked at the window, and Kate looked at me with that gleam in her eyes. She hopped up and ran for the front door before me, looking excitedly through the peephole. Her excitement grew, and she threw open the door when I reached her.

“Flowers!” She bent down and lifted the vase full of roses from my porch. I was busy staring at the handsome man getting into the driver’s seat of his action hero car. “To Lynn, I had a great time with you last night. I believe the next date is yours to plan, so give me a text when you can with the details. I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon. Your action hero,” Kate read the card in the petals as I waved to Vin, who was driving off down the street. I swear I could see him blushing, which made him even more attractive. “Oh my gosh, Fay! Or should I say, Lynn ,” she laughed. “This is the sweetest! I’m going to text him for you right now!”

“Don’t you dare.” I snatched the card from her hands, cradling it to my chest. “Get your own flowers.”

“I should,” she sighed. “I’m texting my husband instead.”

I carried the flowers and card back to the kitchen, reading the card repeatedly with a big smile on my face as Kate called her husband and picked a fight about wanting flowers. This really was the sweetest gesture ever, and I wanted to plan so I could text him soon.