“Thomas West…” I breathe, drinking the words in. “I like it.”
“Good to know,” he mutters.
He finishes securing the boat and checking it in. I follow behind him, and in my head, I’m singing. “Thomas and Lyla sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.” Thomas reaches out and grabs my hand and holds it as we walk toward the parking lot.
He thinks I’m looking forward to the milkshake. The truth is, I’m looking forward to falling asleep in his arms again.
Chapter 20
Lyla
“Today has been great, Thomas. Thank you for taking time off for me.”
“I enjoyed it, Sunflower.”
“Me, too,” I murmur, unnecessarily.
Thomas is spooning me, his solid, warm body pressed against my back, and his arm around my stomach. I feel safe and wanted. I listen to his breathing until I feel his body relax against mine.
“Thomas? Are you asleep?” I whisper.
His arm tightens against my stomach.
“No, honey.”
“Did you notice you didn’t stutter much at all today?” I ask. I’d never get up the nerve to talk to him about it in the harsh light of day. I feel funny bringing it up now, but for some reason—like an idiot—I am.
“My parents spent a crap load of money to try and help me with it,” he says, his voice sounding tired—and not physically.
No, he sounds sad and a little worn out with life. I flip over on my back and then turn so I can look at him. It’s dark in the room, but there’s enough light coming through the gas station light outside the window that I can see him pretty well. His arm shifts under my head to act as my pillow, and since he did that, I have no qualms about draping my leg over his and snuggling in close. It feels natural and completely right. It’s as if we move together in unison without thought. Natural.
“It’s good they support you,” I answer, not exactly sure what to say.
“They have—Mom especially. She made sure I got every t-treatment available—even electrical sh-shocks. H-honestly, I had outgrown it for a while. It get-ts better the m-more relaxed I am. I thought I had b-beat it. It only recently came back.”
“What triggers it?”
“Stress and nerves make it worse. After I decided to join my fa—After I decided to join Dom and work f-for my father, it began to get bad a-gain.”
“Dom?”
“My brother.”
“Maybe that’s a sign you’re not where you’re supposed to be, Thomas. Life is too short to do something that makes you miserable.”
“N-n-not that easy sometimes, Sunflower.”
“It should be. Being miserable is no way to live.”
“I love what I do,” he says, and I frown. I squeeze him, curling into his body. Then, I place a kiss against his chest—in the vicinity of his heart.
“You can be a mechanic anywhere, Thomas. Maybe the solution is to get away from your family.”
“I’ve actually b-been thinking about that. It’s n-not an easy decision.”
“I get it. You want to be on your own, but you love your family.”
“Are you speaking from experience?” he asks.
He moves so that his focus is on my face. He places his hand along the side of my neck and makes sure I’m looking at him.
“It’s nothing bad. I love my father. He’s bigger than life. I know I can always depend on him…”
“Why am I sensing a but in there somewhere?”
“There’s not. Dad would do anything for me. He never planned on having me, though. He wasn’t equipped to be the parent to a little girl.”
“Where was your mom?”
“Mom never wanted kids. She’s an artist—or at least that’s what she says. I’m pretty sure she lives off money Dad gave her for not getting rid of me—not that he would ever admit to that.”
“It’s her loss, Sunflower.”
“I know. It’s just sometimes I forget,” I respond honestly. “Still, I owe her.”
“What do you mean?”
“We talk and stuff now. I have a relationship with her, but that’s because I pursued it.”
“That’s hard. My mother is the complete opposite of that. N-not sure I would have made it without her.”
“It’s not that bad, Thomas. She taught me that one day when I have kids, I’m going to be an active part in my child’s life. They will never have to worry about if I love them or not. I’ll always make it clear, and if anyone in their life makes them feel unimportant, then I won’t let them near my child—because I know how that feels. So, see? I owe her.”
Thomas squeezes me, kisses my forehead. “I’m sorry, Sunflower. You don’t deserve having anyone in your life that doesn’t see you as being the best part of theirs.”
If I wasn’t already positive that I was in love with Thomas, this moment would be the one where I would be helpless but to fall completely and utterly into the emotion. I lean up to bring my lips to his. Thomas is hesitant at first. Then, he kisses me with a grunt that’s full of need. I know that the sound of him giving into our kiss will live with me forever. Even now as it echoes in my ears, I feel the memory echoing in time with my heartbeat.