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I stare at her for a long time and catch Dori and Midge watching us. I put on a smile to not alert them of anything. “Fine.” I stand. “Let me know how it goes. I’ve got an early charter tomorrow.” I stretch. Chevelle doesn’t want me here, so I’m not going to stay where I’m not wanted.
“Hopefully we’ll have some news soon.” Marla rocks Leighton. “You go too, Chevelle. We’ll keep you all posted.”
I look at the clock and see that it’s one in the morning.
“She could be in labor all night,” Hank says.
“I thought your second just fell out?” Chevelle says.
He laughs and looks at Marla. “Laurie ended up having a C-section with Chevelle after the boys flew out.”
“You just never know.” Marla smiles at Chevelle, but Chevelle doesn’t return it.
“Okay, call us when the little one arrives.” Chevelle kisses all the cheeks of her loved ones around the room.
“Oh, I should tell you two now. I booked you for next week’s health and fitness segment.” Ethel points at us.
“What?” Chevelle looks irritated.
“The retirement home thinks it’s important for us to learn how to eat better and do some yoga and light weights and things.” Dori rolls her eyes. “I guess we can’t even enjoy our older years without people making us feel guilty.”
“And I signed you two up for the fitness portion. Teach us how to use the weights. Chevelle’s always been so flexible. You must be good at yoga.” Ethel smiles.
“We’re not personal trainers,” Chevelle says.
“No, dear, but you both spend a lot of time at the gym. We just need the basics,” Ethel says.
“Okay, send me the time. No dirty talk though. I’ve heard rumors.” I eye Midge, who’s a kleptomaniac and sex addict from what I can gather.
She pushes her black glasses up on her nose. “Talk to the men in the group.”
We leave the hospital, and thankfully Chevelle doesn’t say anything about giving me a ride home.
Halfway to the house, I turn in my seat. “Why are you being so dismissive about us?”
For a moment, I don’t think she’s going to say anything. I take a sip of the water I bought at the hospital.
“I’m not being dismissive. We had sex to ease some sexual frustration and I’m fine with it, but it doesn’t mean anything. I’m not looking for a ring or anything.”
I choke on my water, and she raises her eyebrows at me.
“Something scary?” she asks.
“No.”
She pulls into the driveway and gets out of her car. I follow and shut and lock the front door behind us.
“So your mind is made up, huh?” I ask as she’s about to head upstairs.
She turns and throws her hands in the air. “What are you thinking? That you’ll do candlelight dinners for me, and we’ll make out in the square? That people won’t be placing bets on how long we’ll last?”
Her comment throws me, and I look at her, trying to figure out what gossip has to do with us.
“Come on, Cam. We’re one and the same. Both afraid of commitment, never allowing anyone to get too close, and we have meaningless sex all the damn time. I made peace with myself a long time ago.” She turns back around and walks up the stairs. I hear her bedroom door faintly click shut.
I head to the kitchen and grab a beer, let Gunner out, and sit on the back porch with him. The air is much cooler at night than it was even a few weeks ago. Fall is approaching fast. Gunner does his business and sits next to me, so I pet him.
Chevelle’s not wrong. I am afraid of commitment, but for some reason, after we had sex, that immediate fear that usually sets in as I wonder whether the girl is going to think it means something it doesn’t, wasn’t present. I’m ready to go all in on dating Chevelle because something with us just feels right.
