“Mom had it the night I was sitting on the hospital bed with a broken arm and concussion, instead of her. She filed a restraining order against him, and we ran. Four months later, he found us and almost killed her for disappearing. She went to his commanding officer, who got us into a program similar to witness protection. We were assigned new names, moved a couple of times, and finally settled here.”
Her tears have been replaced with tiny sniffles, and she nestles against my chest. Her fist still tightly clutching my T-shirt as I run my hands along her back.
“Your mom still goes by her real name, Robert. I thought you said you were given new identities. What if he finds you? Oh my God Robert, what if he comes after you? I just got you back. I can’t lose you again. I won't lose you again.”
I chuckle as her questions come like rapid fire. I’ve never had anyone other than Mom seem to care so much about me. “Calm down there, turbo. He died a couple of years ago. Mom was told it was from enemy fire, but I still have my doubts. She went to identify the body to confirm it really was him. They did a dental and fingerprint comparison for her. Mom took her life back, but it was harder for me. I had friends, and I didn’t want to be seen as the odd one, so I kept my identity and continued my life as Brice Harte. I didn’t want to explain to everyone Brice was a fictitious character. It was easier to keep living the lie. Nobody had even heard of Robert West until you mentioned it today at school.”
I’ve waited for this moment to tell her who I am, to be honest with her and give her a part of me no one else knows.
“I’m sorry,” squeaks out through sniffles. “You were so young. You must have been terrified.”
“Not really. I didn’t quite understand what was going on when it all started. Mom told me we were going on an adventure, and I could be anyone I wanted to be.”
“And now, who do you want to be? I don’t even know what to call you. Robert? Brice? You should know I’m not good at keeping secrets. It’s up there with my math skills and horseback riding.”
“Both of which you’re getting better at.” I tighten my embrace on her, not ready to let her go, and she follows suit. Cupping her neck, I sip her soft and tender lips; she eagerly greets mine, wanting to savor every feeling. The way her hair smells like strawberry kiwi, the way her body molds into mine, the way her hands feel as her fingers dig into my sides, and her lips, so soft and inviting, parting slightly, welcome my advances. There is nothing hurried about this kiss—each slow stroke tethering us to one another. Presley Donovan is perfection, and she is mine, body and soul.
She pulls back breathless, chest heaving and pulse racing, her eyes dancing as she looks into mine.
“You could call me your boyfriend.” A beautiful smile spills across her face as our foreheads rest together.
“Boyfriend, huh? Do we have to tell anyone?”
“Is it such a bad thing? Are you embarrassed by me so much you want to hide this? I laugh a little at the ideocracy of the whole thing, but I’m curious.
“No,” she mumbles, casting her eyes down towards the ground. “I want to stay in this bubble with you for a little while. Please?” She looks up at me through her eyelashes, and I know I will never be able to tell this woman no.
“Just for a little while. I can't wait till everyone knows you’re mine.” I kiss her button nose as she sighs and nuzzles against me again, inhaling deeply and relaxing every muscle as I hold her.
“Hey, Robert?” she muffles out.
“Yea?”
“Tag, you’re mine.”
I squeeze her tighter as my hands run down her back. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
*****
We drop the horses off and get back in time for dinner. Our mothers are looking at us strangely, as we walk up the front path.
“Oh, Robert! It’s so good to see you. What a handsome young man you’ve grown up to be. Presley dear, do you see how handsome he is?”
My mother elbows me in the side, and I know from here on out, it will be her life’s duty to humiliate me in front of Robert.
“Mom, will you please stop it already.”
Mortification takes over, and Robert grins like he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.
“Well, Pres, ain’t I handsome?” He’s parading around like a damn peacock as I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at him.
Leaning in, he whispers against my ear, “Be careful with that tongue of yours; I might just bite it off.” He makes a chomping sound sending shivers down my spine.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Robert, your mom told me you still go by Brice. Would you prefer it if I called you that instead?”
“It’s fine, Mrs. D. You can call me Robert. It’s been so long since anyone besides Mom has called me by my real name, it’s kind of nice to hear it again.”
Mom is a bundle of excitement and can't stop herself from talking.
“Oh, I’m so happy to see you both again. I’ve missed you so much.” She goes about hugging everyone multiple times while ushering us into the house.
“So, how did you two already connect?” Mrs. West asks, looking back and forth between Robert and myself.
“Mom, this is the girl Coach assigned me to tutor. It just took me a while to figure it out.”
“Ah, I see.” She gives a wink and an up to no good smirk before leaning into me, “Is somebody hot for teacher?”
She pulls back, laughing, and once again, I’m mortified. Not only do I have to worry about my own mother, but now Robert’s mother as well. I can't believe she would say that about her own son.
My cheeks turn a bright red, as she laughs and playfully pats my arm. “It’s okay, dear. He is a handsome young man if I do say so myself. Thank the Lord he got his momma’s genes.”
I excuse myself from the kitchen and the sexual innuendos being thrown at me every few seconds, making my way out to the wooden swing on the back porch. I sit, admiring the striking purples, ambers, and golds of tonight’s sunset. The long shadow of the oak tree stretches across the pasture as the sun sets behind it, a few cattle lay in the lush grass below its branches, and a tiny calf makes its way over to its mother.
My temporary haven is interrupted as Robert sits down next to me, hands clasped in front of him, draped in between his spread legs as he helps to rock the swing with his heels. “They can be a bit much.”
“You think?” I close my eyes and roll my head back against my shoulders.
“Don’t worry; my teasing was way worse than yours.”
“Doesn’t make me feel better, Robert.” I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, watching him as he puts his arm across the back of the swing, and I scoot closer to him. His arm wraps around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. His other hand laces our fingers together. I’m perfectly content.
“You know, they’ve already set our wedding date,” he chuckles out and I take a deep breath.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus! Maybe the two of them finding each other was a bad idea.”
He nods and kisses my temple. “And what about us? How do you feel about where things are headed with us?”
A smile too wide to contain gives me away, and with more confidence than I have ever managed to speak with, I utter, “Now the idea of us is an excellent idea.”