He didn’t answer right away, and I wondered if I’d pushed too far. After all of our conversations this week, I was so turned on that I could only think about getting him alone, recreating out some of the memories we’d been discussing. But maybe I was moving too fast. I opened my mouth to take back my offer, but Flynn spoke first.
“I don’t want to push you, Ali. But I have to tell you, if I’m alone with you in a house where no one’s going to be there all night . . . I can’t promise I won’t . . . push a little. I’m back to having trouble walking around. And my mother thinks I’ve developed a weird clean fetish, I’ve been taking so many damn cold showers. So before you ask me to dinner at your empty-all-night-house, are you sure this is what you want?”
I was about to tease, to play bashful, but I remembered what we’d both said. Being open was who we were. “Flynn, I was hoping you’d get the hint if I invited you over to my empty-all-night-house. I want you. Although I’m pretty sure at this point, all you’ll have to do is look at me to push me over the edge.”
Flynn groaned. “Can I make it two more nights? God, Ali. I could be there in fifteen minutes. Climb up the house to your window . . .”
I laughed softly. “Sometimes anticipation is good for us. Saturday night, Flynn. I’ll have to figure out what to cook for dinner. What’s your pleasure?”
His answer was fast and succinct. “You.”
“HEY, MA, I’M HEADING out. See you later.” I stood at the front door, calling into the kitchen.
She came into the foyer, drying her hands on a dishtowel. “Okay. Have you heard anything from Bridget? Is she having a nice time in Savannah?”
“Yeah, they got there fine—Meghan texted me—and then Maisie’s mom sent Ali a picture of all the girls at the Pirate House. Looks like they’re having a blast.”
“Good.” My mother opened her mouth as though she were about to say something and then shut it. “Well, enjoy your dinner tonight.”
“I will. Oh, and uh, Mom, don’t wait up. I’m pretty sure I’ll just spend the night out at the farm.”
Mom’s lips pressed together, but she nodded. “Oh, yes, of course.”
I paused, my hand on the doorknob. “Mom, do you have something you want to say to me? You look like you’re about to burst.”
“No, I just . . .” She sighed. “Flynn, I know you’re old enough to make your own decisions. You’re a father now, you’ve lived on your own for a long time. But I’m going to be a nibby-nose mama anyway. Are you sure you know what you’re doing with Ali?”
I leaned back against the door. “Yeah, I am. I’m probably surer about this than anything else in my life.” I looked up the steps, into the shadows. “Ma, I never stopped loving Ali. Never. We were young and stupid, and we made mistakes, but we’ve been given a second chance. I’m not going to screw it up again.”
She regarded me steadily. “And it’s not just because of Bridget? Because you won’t be doing Ali any favors if it is. It’s admirable to want to be there for the mother of your child, but be sure, Flynn.”
“I thought you liked Ali. When we were dating . . . you treated her like a daughter.”
“I adore Ali. I always have. And if you truly love her, Flynn, no one will be happier for you than me. Your father . . .” She paused, shut her eyes for a minute and crossed herself. “God rest his soul. He always told me you and Ali were going to end up back together. He loved that girl, and it hurt him that we were estranged. We never stopped liking her, sweetie, but we didn’t want to interfere with her life after you left.”
“I never want to lose her again, Mom. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I won’t.”
My mother nodded. “What’re you going to do about work, Flynn? I know you’ve been turning down jobs. But pretty soon, you’ll need to do something.”
I rubbed my hand over my chin. “I know. I’ve been hoping for a shoot to come along close by, where I could go do it and be back in a day. Even DC would be doable. But everything I’ve been offered has been overseas. I don’t know what to do.”
She patted my shoulder. “You could always teach photography at the high school. Think what you could offer those kids.”
The idea of teaching in Burton unleashed a torrent of dread in my chest. As long as I focused on Ali and Bridget, staying in Burton was fine. But when I began contemplating taking a job, becoming part of the community . . . it felt like I had a heavy weight around my heart.
“It’s something to think about. I gotta run, Mom. Ali’s cooking, and I don’t want to ruin her dinner.”
“Of course, sweetie. Run along. Oh, and why don’t you plan to bring both Bridget and Ali to Sunday dinner tomorrow?”
I leaned to kiss my mother’s cheek. “You’re pretty awesome, you know that, Cory Evans?”
She smacked my backside. “Get out of here, you. Behave yourself.”
“Never.” I waved at her and closed the door behind me, climbed into my truck and aimed it for the highway. I couldn’t get to Ali fast enough.
The ride out to the farm seemed to take three times as long as it normally did. I was unreasonably nervous, my leg bouncing up and down as I cruised down the road. I hadn’t even been this keyed up the first time we’d had sex. Of course, then I’d had no time to be nervous.
Ali and I had stuck to our promise to talk about everything when it came to our physical relationship. Although we hadn’t taken the final step to actual intercourse yet, by the early spring of our junior year, we’d done pretty much everything else. I’d given Ali her first orgasm, and then she’d given me my first hand job—by someone who was not me, of course. We’d ventured into oral sex, although I’d never expected Ali to take to it so enthusiastically. She was open to trying almost anything, and I was diligent about finding new things for us to try. It wasn’t exactly a hardship.
