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Creed stared at their feet, side by side on the linoleum, hers small in their black boots next to his sneakers.
Lord, I don’t understand this. I don’t. And now Amelia’s been hurt. She deserves so much more than this.
Amelia took a deep shuddering sigh. “I’m so confused, Creed. About everything.”
“Hey guys! Are you done yet?” Izzie bellowed from the living room. Amelia straightened and ran her fingers under her eyes with a sniff.
“Here we come,” she called.
Creed followed her out of the kitchen, wondering how he was going to focus until Izzie went to bed.
Izzie had placed the couch pillows around the small coffee table and set out the game Memory. A few smudges of playdough remained on the table and under her fingernails, but for the most part she had cleaned up everything. The proud grin on her face warmed Creed. By the look in Amelia’s eyes, it was just what she needed as well.
“What have we here?” Creed asked, kneeling next to Izzie.
“I thought we could play a game,” Izzie shrugged, looking up at Amelia shyly.
“Izzie that sounds like a lot of fun” Amelia smiled. She sat on one of the pillows with her legs crossed, and asked Izzie to explain the game. Creed settled on the other side of the table and watched Izzie and Amelia closely.
The tension in Amelia’s hunched shoulders faded after a few rounds of Memory with Izzie. Creed had to check himself not to dwell too much on how much it felt like the “family game nights” his parents had insisted on in his childhood. He and Izzie had played plenty of games alone and with family, but that evening with Amelia, the mood shifted. Creed could see the longing in Izzie’s eyes and ached over it. He would need to have a serious talk with her in the morning about her heart; he never wanted to neglect her feelings or disregard them. It was natural for her to long for a mother. The thought pulled at him. Maybe it was time to let Hailey in.
But he just didn’t feel a peace about that.
At last Izzie’s lids began to blink slowly and Creed nudged her to go upstairs and change into pajamas. She stood slowly, not happy with the idea, but obviously too embarrassed to throw a fit in front of her teacher. Suddenly she brightened.
“Miss H., will you read to me?” she asked.
“I would love to,” Amelia answered sincerely.
Creed interjected, “But only if you go straight upstairs, brush your teeth and get on pajamas first. No complaining.”
Izzie bolted for the stairs, slipping on the first step, then pounded up a few more before falling again and finally making it to the top. Her rushing around upstairs echoed loudly above their heads.
“Yeah…we’re not a quiet family,” Creed said dryly.
Amelia chuckled. She helped Creed sort the little cards into a red divider and placed it in the Memory box. They sat on the floor, the coffee table between them. Amelia fidgeted with her hands.
“Creed, I—“
“Okay, Miss H. I picked a good one. You are gonna love it!” Izzie ran into the room in a Snoopy nightgown with bright blue sweatpants underneath. She waved a book in the air and presented it to Amelia.
“Izzie! That’s a chapter book,” Creed stated the obvious, brows raised at his daughter.
“You didn’t say what kind of book, Daddy-O,” Izzie crossed her arms in defiance. Creed reached out to uncross her arms.
“No sass, young lady. And I think it’s a given that when you ask our guest to read to you, Junie B. Jones is not what you come downstairs with. What about Goodnight Moon?”
“Daaa-aad. That’s a baby book,” Izzie whined. She shot an embarrassed look to Amelia.
Amelia nodded her head solemnly. “She’s right.”
“Not helping, Miss Howard,” Creed hissed at her.
Izzie and Amelia stared at him, unblinking.
“Ladies, it’s bedtime. There is no way I am going to let you read that entire book,” he held up his hands and leaned back slightly, feeling cornered.
“Well, surely we could just read a few chapters, right?” Amelia asked taking the book from Izzie and lifting herself onto the couch that she had been leaning against. She patted the cushion and Izzie sat next to her. She cracked open the book, brow raised in triumph toward Creed. He gave a slow smile and shook his head, settling into the recliner to listen.
After a few moments he wished he had given them the go-ahead to read the entire book. Amelia’s voice was animated, bringing the spunky Junie B. to life, imitating the bored, exasperated teacher from the story hilariously. He was sure he had never heard Izzie laugh so hard at a book. Amelia couldn’t seem to keep from cracking up herself. But she respected his wishes and closed the book after three chapters.
“Well, should I do the teacher thing and tell you to write me a report about this book, Izzie?” Amelia asked. Creed heard the crack in her voice, even if Izzie didn’t. Her eyes dulled briefly, as if just remembering that she wasn’t Izzie’s teacher anymore.
“Miss H., that’s second grade stuff,” Izzie protested.
“Then how about we find a way to finish this book together sometime, huh?” Amelia countered.
“Yeah!”
Creed cleared his throat. “Alright, Izzie, thank Miss H. and off to bed with you. Don’t forget your drink; I don’t want you coming down here again.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
Izzie hugged Amelia and then Creed, before she ran into the kitchen for a drink of water. She sprinted past them with her arms waving wildly in the air, showing off one final time for her beloved Miss Howard.
“Bed,” Creed called after her, wondering how many times he would have to go upstairs to settle her down. Izzie giggled and darted up the stairs, only tripping once. Creed winced when her door slammed, echoing through the small house. Her feet thumped across the room, then nothing until—thwump—she landed on her bed with a squeaky thud.
The house pulsed with silence.
Amelia stared at her feet, Creed at the top of her head. Finally, she looked up.
“I guess I better go—“
“Want to watch a movie—“
Creed spoke again first. “Do you really need to go? I thought we could watch a movie.”
Amelia seemed to consider it for a minute. But her face turned somber. “That sounds fun, Creed, but not tonight. Not with the possibility that someone is out there, right now, waiting to take our picture and imply the things they do.”
“We can’t do everything based on what some stupid gossip column online might say. We know we’re not doing anything wrong, Amelia.”
“I know, Creed. But I don’t want to give even the appearance of evil. Isn’t that a verse somewhere?” She unfolded her legs and stood. “Anyway, I’m beat. I’m officially moving tomorrow, so I better get some rest.”
“Do you need help?” Creed stood with her.
“I think my parents and siblings have it covered. They owe me—I’ve moved Lucy and my brothers at least once.”
She retrieved her jacket and purse from the rack by the door. She slipped her arms in the jacket and looped the purse strap over her shoulder.
Creed rose to join her. He gently took her hands in his.
“Amelia, I am so sorry for today. I wish I would have known or could have prevented it.” Creed traced her knuckles with his thumbs, staring into her eyes, searching for her thoughts in the depths of green and gold.
Amelia shrugged. “It will all work out. Right?” She didn’t allow for a response. “Creed, I had such a good time. Thank you for the meal and for game night and for letting me read to Izzie. I think that is the first time I have really relaxed in a while,” she assured him, her voice soft. She withdrew her hands and opened the door.
“Goodnight, Creed,” she said and stepped outside.
But before she walked away, Amelia rotated slowly. “Creed?”
“Hmmm?”
Amelia’s chin trembled slightly, but she held his gaze. “It’s really nice to be friends again.”
Her words came in a rush, as if she needed to unleash them before she lost her nerve.
Creed stepped out on the stoop and flashed a genuine grin. “It really is.”
She dropped her eyes, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, the corners of her lips curling slightly.
“I was an idiot before, Amelia.” he said, reaching out to grasp her shoulders, waiting for her to meet his gaze. He sucked in a breath at the pained shimmer in her eyes. Without thought, Creed leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Amelia tensed and Creed remembered her fear that someone was watching them.
“Sorry,” he whispered and quickly stepped back.
Amelia shrugged, her eyes shimmering with tears, before she turned away.
Creed stood on the stoop, watching to be sure that she made it safely to her car. He waited while she started the car and backed out of the parking space. Both hands were shoved in his front pockets, but he raised one in the air when Amelia waved. He watched her drive down the road, her taillights winking at him one final time before she turned the corner and sped off. Creed lowered his hand thoughtfully and put it back in his pocket. He stood that way for another few minutes, before turning to go inside and be sure Izzie was staying in bed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
That night Amelia slept fitfully. Dreams danced around her subconscious, of reporters with large cameras following her around. Of parents looking down on her, of McClary calling her names. After a while she drifted into a place between sleep and wakefulness. Memories of a summer day before her junior year in high school floated to mind, playing before her closed eyes like a movie on a screen…
She couldn’t remember why she was on the day trip, other than Creed had made some crack about her never joining in on the fun. When Christy Wilson called to invite her to join a big group at the reservoir for swimming and a late night bonfire, she jumped at the chance to prove Creed wrong.
Especially when she heard that Carter Adams would be there, too.
Carter sat next to Amelia in English and they’d carefully danced around an attraction for weeks before school let out. Carter was unquestionably out of her league. A lean basketball player with a reputation nearly identical to Creed’s, Amelia dreamt as teenage girls often do, of being the one that turned him around. Of course she knew he was most likely leading her on, toying with her. But her stomach quaked whenever he looked her way, clogging all rational thought.
When she and Christy arrived at the docks, her eyes sought him out, splashing in the water with Creed and a few others. Amelia waved back when Creed greeted her, nodded to Carter, and spread her towel on the hot planks. She slipped the sundress she wore over her bathing suit down over her hips and stepped out of it before tucking it in her beach bag. Carter had eyed her appreciatively before diving in the water to race with a group of guys, including Creed.
She and Christy stretched out on their stomachs, making progress on their mid-summer tans. Amelia raised her head and rested her chin on her folded hands, watching the guys across the way easily lift themselves out of the water to the dock that floated in the middle of the reservoir. Creed sat next to Carter, joking around and eying their dock right back.
Amelia wasn’t a fool, she knew they were all elbowing each other over Christy and Vanessa and the rest in their barely-there-bikinis. She found herself wishing she were brave enough to flaunt a two piece. She blushed just thinking about it. Maybe that’s what would be the clincher for Carter.
The thought was unsettling. She’d been reading books lately about dating—or not, actually. About being mindful of the decisions she made and how they could affect her life later on.
Tired of sunbathing, tired of thinking, Amelia rose from her towel and walked to the coolers, in search of a soda. She wasn’t surprised to see that someone had loaded one with wine coolers and cheap beer. Amelia rolled her eyes.
Carter’s twin sister sat on the dock, separate from the rest of them. Amelia frowned at the droop in the girl’s shoulders. Grabbing another soda, she walked over to Taylor and lowered herself onto the dock.
“Yowza, that’s cold!” Amelia squeaked, as she slipped her feet into the water.
Taylor’s eyes were puffy, her cheeks streaked with tears.
“Guys are such jerks,” she muttered.
Amelia didn’t comment, only popped the tab on a root beer and handed it over. It must have been all the prompting Taylor needed. Amelia listened as she unburdened herself of her sorrows. It was a story Amelia heard over and over from friends: Girl meets Boy. Boy charms Girl. Girl and Boy get intimate. Boy loses interest. Girl ends up brokenhearted and bitter. Boy moves on, either unaware or unconcerned for the damage left in their hormonal charged wake.
Those books were making more and more sense.
Amelia sipped her soda, watching the boys on the dock. She sucked in a breath when Creed suddenly leapt to his feet, towering over Carter, his stance threatening. Her brows furrowed as Carter stood as well, earning a shove from Creed.
“See?” Taylor commented, a small hiccup escaping her lips. “Guys are jerks. Even to each other.”
Amelia gave a soft laugh and turned back, pensive. Vince jumped up and stood between the two friends and the fight was over as quickly as it had begun. It wasn’t like Creed to fight. She’d have to ask him about it later.
When the guys swam back, Carter all but ignored her and headed straight for the beer in the cooler. Amelia’s attraction had cooled, but wasn’t entirely snuffed out. There was just something about him. Apparently Christy agreed. She sauntered over and made a show of pulling a wine cooler out and taking a long pull on the bottle in front of Carter. A sick feeling snaked through Amelia at the look that passed over Carter’s face.
Bikinis and alcohol. If that’s what it took to win Carter’s approval, Amelia was out of luck. She felt ill just imagining the smell.
By the time the fire got going, Taylor and her boyfriend had made up, Carter and Christy were thick as thieves, and Amelia was wondering what she had been thinking when she found Carter good-looking.
She sighed. Okay, so maybe she was just a little jealous.
Her eyes met Creed’s from where he stood across the fire and a pleasant squeeze worked from her chest down to her toes. The light flickered over his face, shadow and light chasing one another across his square chin as he moved toward her.
Amelia sighed. As long as Creed was around, she couldn’t imagine ever truly having feelings for anyone else. From the corner of her eye she noticed Carter and Christy slipping away from the group.
Carter’s indirect rejection stung just the same.
The idea of having Creed look at her romantically was as remote as Carter untangling himself from Christy and coming over to declare himself a man of virtue.
Amelia shook the memory away and gave up on sleep. Tiredly puttering to her kitchen, she noticed a distinct chill in her small apartment. The thermostat read sixty degrees. A far cry from the heat of her dream.
Her dream? Who was she kidding? The heat of that day didn’t compare to what she’d felt holding on to Creed the night before.
She made a pot of coffee and opened her Bible, the words blurring and running together. When they still didn’t stick in her mind after two cups of coffee, Amelia gave up and set her Bible aside. I’m sorry, Lord. I just can’t concentrate. She had wanted to enjoy one last morning in her apartment, but she realized her family would be there soon.
She hurried to shower and had just finished twisting her wet hair into a messy bun and getting dressed when the doorbell rang.
She and her family spent the next few hours packing her small apartment into a few trucks and unloading at her new house. Her oldest brother drove her to the furniture store to finally retrieve the items she and Lucy had picked out a few weeks before.
Her mom and Lucy stayed to help her wash and put away kitchen items and arrange her furniture. When at last everyone left, Amelia paced her house with restless energy. It was dinnertime, but she didn’t feel like cooking. On impulse, she texted Creed.
Any way you and Izzie want to grab pizza with me?
A few minutes passed and Amelia began to regret her boldness when at last he responded.
We never say no to pizza. Want us to bring it to you?
She looked around her house. There hadn’t been much to move, but it was still a cluttered mess. And there wasn’t much for Izzie to do.
I thought pizza at Flying Pie would be more fun since they have arcade games. I have a jar of quarters burning a hole in my desk drawer.
Deal. See you there in an hour?
Amelia rushed to shower and dress. Not wanting to waste time on styling her hair, she twisted it into a long braid and looped it through her favorite baseball hat.
She beat Creed and Izzie to the restaurant and ordered their bbq chicken pizza—minus tomatoes—and a cheese for Izzie as well as a pitcher of root beer. Father and daughter walked in a few minutes later and slid into the booth across the table she chose.
“Hey guys. I already ordered the pizza.” Creed opened his mouth to protest but Amelia held up her hands. “No, it’s my thank you for dinner last night. My family wouldn’t let me buy them pizza today, so I needed to blow it somewhere.” She winked at Izzie.
“We have a few minutes before it’s ready, you want to go play a game with me?” Izzie nodded eagerly. Creed offered to stay with their coats and Amelia’s purse.
The night stretched into a full evening of games, good pizza, and laughter. Amelia relished it. She and Creed were falling into a comfortable rhythm. She thought she might like their new friendship even better than the old one.
Each time he glanced her way, Amelia worked hard to tamp down her growing attraction. That was one part of their old friendship that she refused to bring into the new.
A week after she moved, Amelia walked the perimeter of her new land with Olé. They had fallen into a comfortable routine at their new place and she couldn’t imagine going to back to living in a neighborhood with sidewalks and fenced yards when she and Olé could roam freely around the orchard.
