Love Entwined (10 page)

Again there was a knock at the door.
Shit!
I took a deep breath, threw my rag in the sink and wiped the back of my hands against the denim shorts I’d thrown on after work.

Opening the door, my eyes immediately raked Bentley up and down. He was wearing a pair of khaki golf shorts and a black polo shirt. I couldn’t help but notice the strain on the shirt’s sleeves from his bulging biceps. I so badly wanted to ask him to turn around so I could check out his backside.

Bentley cleared his throat and it was then that I noticed Tanner standing next to his father. Other than his blond hair, he was a spitting image of the Bentley I remembered from decades ago.

“Hi! You must be Tanner,” I said, offering my hand after they’d both entered the foyer.

“Wow! You’re a quick one,” he said, rolling his eyes at me.

Dropping my hand, I looked up at Bentley, stunned by his son’s immediate attitude.
This was going to be a long night.

“Tanner! We talked about this in the car. Ireland was being polite and said hello. Do you have something to say in return,” he said sternly.

“Fine! Hi, Ireland.”

“Hi,” I said, hesitantly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Uh huh,” he mumbled.

Bentley jumped in, trying to save me, or maybe himself, from this awkward situation.

“Dinner smells delicious. We both came extra hungry. Didn’t we, champ?” he said, patting Tanner on the back.

“I’m not really that hungry. Mom fed me a few hotdogs before she dropped me off at your house.”

“Humor me, son,” Bentley said gruffly, leading Tanner to the dining room table where I’d already set out dishes and silverware.

Tanner was quiet throughout most of dinner. I should’ve been better at this. I talked to children on a daily basis. I had to keep it in perspective that this was all new to him. He probably wanted his mom and dad together. I mean what kid doesn’t want that? He knew they weren’t married anymore, but he probably still held out hope—and now here I was—probably destroying what little hope he had for their reconciliation.

Our conversation had become a tennis match of back and forth questions—me asking them and his one word responses.

“What’s your favorite subject?” I asked.

“Gym.”

“Do you play any sports?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your favorite?”

“Football.”

I sighed. Seriously, how did news people make it look so easy? They knew exactly how to phrase a question and get more than a one-word answer.

Sensing my frustration, Bentley looked over and gave me a sympathetic look. This relationship was going to end before it ever had a chance to really begin. Bentley wouldn’t want anything to do with me after seeing how much his son loathed me.

“Hey Tanner, I think I see an Xbox One sitting over there by the TV. Why don’t you ask Ireland what games she has? Maybe you can play something while we clean up the kitchen?” Bentley said.

“Nah, she probably only has crap girly games. I’m ready to get out of here. Can we just go home—please?”

“Tanner James Roberts! You’re being rude to my friend. Now apologize!”

“I don’t want to apologize. I just want to go home. I’ll just call Mom to come and get me.”

I knew I should probably leave and let Bentley and Tanner finish their conversation in private, but I found myself frozen in place.

“Sorry,” Bentley mouthed in my direction before turning his attention back to his son. “You’re not involving your mother. You’re lucky I didn’t force you to stay in your room for the entire night.”

“I’m lucky? I’m only not in my room because you wanted to drag me over here so you could kiss your girlfriend. This doesn’t have anything to do with me!”

My cheeks flushed and my jaw dropped.

“That’s enough, young man!” Bentley said, sternly. “First you’ll apologize to Ireland and then we’re leaving. You’re grounded for an entire month!”

“A month?!?! But I was supposed to go to the Lions’ preseason game with Jeremy in two weeks. Please, Dad. I’m sorry. I take it back.”

“Too little, too late,” Bentley said, his jaw ticking.

“But, Dad, please! I’m sorry, Ireland!” he shouted, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Bentley,” I said, barely above a whisper. “I—I accept his apology. I think you should reconsider and let him go to the football game.”

“You do?” Tanner questioned, surprise evident in his voice.

“Yeah, I do. And, I forgive you. Actually, I’d like it if you’d both reconsider and stay a bit longer. If you don’t like my video game selection, then maybe we can find a movie?”

“I guess we could watch a movie. If it’s OK with my dad,” Tanner said, hesitantly. I could already tell that his hard exterior was softening. “What do you say, Dad?”

“I think we still need to go home, Son. We have a lot to discuss,” Bentley said, his anger subsiding.

I gave Bentley a pleading look. I knew this was about punishing Tanner, but I really needed a chance to make this work with his son. “I really wish you would reconsider. I even have a Boston cream pie in the fridge. I was going on the assumption that it was still your favorite. I hope I’m right.”

“Well, I have a hard enough time telling him no. I’m definitely screwed if I have to tell you both no. And, you throw in Boston cream pie, which is still my favorite, by the way, and I’m a dead man walking.”

“Looks like you’re staying then. Let me go slice that pie.” I said, clearing the table of the dinner dishes. “Tanner, why don’t you pick out a movie.”

“Would it be OK if I actually look at your video games first? I really wish I would’ve brought my Madden game over. I honestly never expected you to have such a cool video game system.”

“Oh, I actually have the new Madden game,” I said nonchalantly.

“You do?” they both said in unison.

“It just came out a week ago,” Tanner added, shock evident in his voice.

“Uh yeah. You might actually be surprised by what you find over there. I’m kind of a video game nerd.”

Bentley helped me carry the rest of the dishes to the kitchen as Tanner started rummaging through my games.

“I have to admit, I didn’t see you as much of a video game enthusiast either,” Bentley said, as I ran some hot water to soak the dishes.

“Really? We always played them as kids? Why did you think I wouldn’t still?”

“I figured you only played them to humor me. I was always under the impression that you never really cared too much for them.”

I paused for a moment and bit down on my lip before responding. His question seemed simple enough, but my emotions were raw.

“You’re right. I did only play them because you liked them, but then when you weren’t there anymore they still brought me comfort. When I played them I would think about all the times we were together and all the memories we shared. I saved my allowance money and bought every game thinking you’d probably bought it too and I would pretend we were still playing them together,” I rambled, keeping my eyes locked on the floor. “I know it probably sounds stupid.”

“Ireland, look at me,” Bentley said, placing three fingers on my chin. “It doesn’t sound stupid at all. In fact, since we’re being so honest, I’m kind of turned on by it,” he added, wiggling his eyebrows.

I smirked and swatted him in the chest. “You really are crazy.”

“Crazy about you,” he said, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. We hadn’t even shared a real kiss tonight, but my body was buzzing for him. How he was able to do it with such a simple gesture, I’ll never know, but I wanted him to take me right there on the kitchen island.

“Wow! You really do have some awesome games, Ireland. I don’t know what to choose,” Tanner yelled from the living room. I pulled away from Bentley, remembering that only a wall separated us from his son.

“We should probably get the pie ready,” I said, grabbing the tin and the Reddi-Wip can from the refrigerator. Before I had a chance to spray the whipped topping onto the pie, Bentley grabbed the aerosol can from my hands. He shook it and sprayed a huge dollop into his mouth.

“I can’t believe you just did that!” I exclaimed.

“Why not? We used to do it all the time as kids! You don’t remember?” he mumbled, spraying whipped cream as he spoke.

“Of course, I remember!” I chuckled, yanking the can from his grasp and spraying my own mouth.

“I forgot how good this stuff tasted,” I laughed, swallowing the airy confection.

Bentley came over and licked the corner of my mouth. “Sorry, you had a little whipped cream on your lips. I couldn’t let it go to waste.”

“I wish I’d left more,” I whimpered.

“I wish I could just have you for dessert. Why don’t you pack a can of this for the weekend,” Bentley whispered in my ear. “We won’t have any distractions—nothing to come between us. Just you and me.”

His promise left me speechless. I just stood there looking up at him like a deer caught in headlights. It wasn’t until we heard Tanner telling us that he’d decided on Madden that I remembered we were still standing in my kitchen and that I had a pie to serve.

“Ready for me to kick your ass?” Bentley asked, grabbing the entire pie and one fork.

“Whatever! And, you need to share that pie,” I screamed, running out of the kitchen behind him.

“Touchdown!” Tanner screamed. “Dad, Ireland is totally kicking your butt. That’s her fourth TD.”

“Thanks, Son. I can see the score. I didn’t really need the reminder,” Bentley chuckled.

“Interception!” I yelled, jumping off the couch.

“Are you letting her win, Dad?”

“Obviously!” Bentley said, as my guy ran the ball into the end zone to score my fifth touchdown of the game.

“You wish, Roberts!” I said, as I stood and shook my bootie around the living room.

Bentley laughed, “What are you doing? Get back here so I can make my epic comeback.”

“I’m doing my victory dance!” I said, blocking his view of the screen.

“Well, now you just aren’t playing fair,” he said, pulling me down on his lap as the game clock expired.

“Why don’t you show me your touchdown dance? Oh wait, you would’ve had to score a touchdown first,” I said with a smirk. “After all, I thought you were going to show me how it was done.”

“You’re asking for it, Shamrock. I’m rusty that’s all. I haven’t played this game in months. I’ll get you next time,” Bentley insisted.

“Dad, what are you talking about? We just played this last night,” Tanner piped up.

“Busted!” I screamed as Bentley started tickling my sides and pulled me in for a quick kiss. Somehow this really had turned into a perfect night. Bentley held me on the couch for a few more minutes while Tanner was distracted by the game stats.

“Unbelievable. She had over five hundred passing yards!” Tanner mumbled to himself. “Ireland, are you ready to face me now?”

Bentley gave me another chaste kiss on the cheek and looked down toward his watch. “Tanner, I think we better get going. I have to work tomorrow and your mother will be at the house early to pick you up for the weekend. Maybe we can come back next week sometime and you can face Ireland,” Bentley said, sounding hopeful.

“Please, Dad. Just one more game.”

“I can take him down quick. Just like you taught me all those years ago,” I whispered in Bentley’s ear so only he would hear.

He gave me a knowing smirk. “OK, but just one more and then we’re heading home.”

Just as promised, it was only a matter of minutes before I had Tanner begging me for mercy.

“Ireland, how did you get so good?” Tanner asked. “I really thought my dad was letting you win, but I see now that he wasn’t.”

“I had a good teacher,” I said, glancing over at Bentley. “Your dad and I used to play this when we were kids. He was the one who got me interested in gaming. The day I met him he actually was playing Gameboy.”

“Gameboy?” Tanner asked. “What the heck is that?”

“Wow, kid. Way to make your old man feel—old.”

“But, Dad, you are old.”

Bentley and I started laughing uncontrollably on the couch and before we knew it, Tanner had started in. The sound was music to my ears. Maybe this would actually work out after all.

When we all had time to catch our breaths, Bentley announced that it was time for the two of them to leave. We all sat up and headed to the door. “I’ll see you on Friday,” Bentley said, pulling me against his body and placing a soft kiss on my lips. I didn’t want to pull away from him, but I knew Tanner was watching us.

“I’m looking forward to it,” I said, giving him another quick peck on the lips.

“It was nice meeting you, Tanner,” I said.

“You too, Ireland,” he said, placing his arms around my neck for a quick hug. “I actually had a really good time tonight. I hope we can have a rematch soon.”

I wasn’t expecting Tanner to hug me, but I was glad he had.

“You’re welcome here anytime, Tanner,” I said, as he walked out onto the porch giving Bentley and me a moment to ourselves.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow. And, if I didn’t tell you earlier, good game,” he said, spinning me around and slapping my ass like I was one of the guys in the locker room after a high school football game.

I just smiled and stood on my tip toes to give Bentley a chaste kiss. He deepened it briefly before pulling away.