Chapter 12

TAMMY

Thankfully after our wild encounter at the lake, I had the day off. Mike took me home, and we had a mini make-out session in the car before he dropped me off. That night I slept like a baby, only waking up to the sound of the kids laughing. I roused myself from my cot, still dressed in my pajamas, and went to greet them.

"Tammy!" Daisy said, running into my arms.

I gave her a hug, looking around for her brother. Nicky was at the kitchen table, working on a coloring book. I gave him a kiss on top of his head before slipping into the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I came out, Macy handed me a cup of coffee with a smile.

"So?" she said.

"So?" I parroted.

"You didn't come home for dinner last night," Macy observed.

"Oh shoot," I said, mentally kicking myself. "I didn't text you."

"Don't worry." Macy held her hand up, stopping me from beating myself up. "Lindsey told me you had a date."

I nodded. One of the perks of small-town life, it seemed, was that everyone looked out for each other. "Mike took me fishing."

"Did you catch anything?" Macy asked.

"I did, and it was huge!" I said, sipping the warm brew. "But Mike threw it back. He said we needed a cooler if we wanted to keep the fish."

"What's the point of fishing if you don't keep the fish?"

I blushed, remembering our passionate lovemaking beside the lake. Fishing would always be one of my number one favorite activities after that. "I think it's just about bonding with your fellow fishermen."

Macy took my meaning and winked. "Did you bond?"

"Maybe," I blushed. I couldn't help it. I could still feel his hands on my backside, his cock thrusting deep inside me.

"Wow." She led me to the couch. "That must have been some fishing trip."

"It was."

"So does this mean you've gotten your ex out of your system?" Macy sat down beside me.

"Way out," I assured her. "We talked about everything, about growing up, about parents. He still has both his parents, but he understands how hard it was for me to lose mine. He knew that I was still grieving. Not like the other guy who couldn't have cared less."

"I'm really happy for you." Macy reached over to take my hand.

I squeezed her fingers. "I'm happy for me too."

Nicky came bounding up, holding his coloring book. "Look, Mommy!"

"I see," Macy said. "Very good."

"I think I might go apartment hunting today," I said.

"Why?" Macy sounded disappointed.

"Well, I just feel like I'm imposing."

"Not at all," Macy said quickly. "I'll miss you if you go."

"I have to go sometime," I said. "I need my own place."

Macy sighed. "Okay. Hey, I heard of another cabin for rent not far from here."

"Really?" I gasped. "A cabin?"

"Yeah," Macy laughed. "You could have a cabin all your own and come over for barbeques just like Lindsey and Jason."

It sounded like a wonderful idea. "Can we go see it?"

"Sure." Macy got up and grabbed her phone from the kitchen table. She scrolled through a bunch of screens before finding what she wanted. She brought the device to her ear and waited. "Hello? Yes, hi. I was wondering if the cabin you advertised is still on the market? It is? Great. Can we see it? It's actually for my cousin. Just one. Yes. Yes, we can do that. Okay, thank you." She put the phone down and came back to the couch. "He says that there is someone else looking at it, but it hasn't been rented yet. We can go see it this afternoon."

"Thank you!" I leapt off the couch and circled Macy with my arms, surprising her.

"We didn't get it yet," she protested, laughing.

"You've just been so wonderful," I said, beginning to cry.

"Hey." She drew me back to the couch, concerned. "It's okay."

"No, I mean it." I wiped my eyes. "Ever since my parents passed away, I've been on my own. I don't feel like I'm alone here."

"You're not," Macy said forcefully. She pushed the hair out of my face like she might do for one of her children. "You're not imposing, and we all love you. Plus, we are family and don't ever forget that."

Daisy tiptoed over to the couch and climbed up into my lap. "Why are you crying?"

I sniffed, replacing my tears with a smile. "I'm not crying. I'm just really happy."

Daisy snuggled against me, wrapping her tiny arms as far around my waist as they would go. I hugged her back, grinning at Macy over her head.

"Okay." Macy stood up. "A last request before you leave our house. Can you watch the kids while I go into the office?"

"Of course," I said.

"Dillon will be here. He's working on the computer."

"I won't bother him," I said. "We'll go for a walk or something,"

"Yay!" Daisy hopped down and raced to put her shoes on.

When Macy returned from her office, we all had lunch. She was an art therapist and worked part-time consulting with the hospital. Before the baby was born, she used to see individual clients, sometimes even going to their homes. But with three children, she had decided to concentrate more on being a mother and less on her business. She still occasionally provided therapy sessions in the hospital and was available to refer doctors to other practitioners. The income wasn't much, but I knew that every paycheck counted. Daisy and Nicky wouldn't miss the more expensive clothes or the better streaming service, but they would miss their mom if she wasn't there with them. It was a perfect trade-off, letting Macy basically be a stay-at-home parent but still engaged in the field.

Lindsey had continued her career as well, but she only had one child. I didn't have a fancy calling like either of them. I wasn't a hairstylist like Lindsey or a therapist like Macy. I was just a receptionist and had no idea what my future held for me career-wise. I wouldn't mind giving it up to become a mother, if that was in the cards for me. I reminded myself that Mike and I could still count the number of dates on one hand. As earth-shattering as the sex had been, it didn't mean we were having children.

Nicky brought me out of my reverie. "Are you going to finish your sandwich?"

I looked down at the plain white bread peanut butter sandwich on my plate. I would never get used to all this kid food. In my own apartment, I could stock the fridge with salads and avocados. In my own cabin, I corrected myself. I split the sandwich in half. Even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted, I still needed some fuel for the rest of the day. I shared half with Nicky while his mom wasn't looking and quickly finished my part.

"Are we done?" Macy asked, putting the dishes in the sink.

"Yes, Mommy," Daisy chirped.

"We're going to see a new cabin with Tammy," Macy announced.

Nicky pouted. "Why does Tammy need a new cabin?"

"She's just visiting us for a little while," Macy explained. "She needs her own place."

"Why?" Nicky asked, climbing down from his chair.

I looked at Macy for help, but she shrugged. "Adults sometimes want to live on their own," I said.

"Oh," Nicky grumbled.

"Get your shoes on," Macy said.

It took us a full half hour to get clean and dressed. Macy collected Dillon from their home office, changed Emily, and took inventory of the diaper bag while I cleaned the kitchen. Nicky and Daisy ran back and forth from their rooms to the common area, looking for some toy or an article of clothing that they couldn't live without. Macy had to stop everything to find Nicky's orange shirt with the octopus on the front, and Daisy refused to leave the house without her cuddle bunny.

When we were finally ready to go, we had to take two cars. Macy and I took the older children in her car while Dillon drove himself and Emily. It wasn't far away, but it wasn't as close as Lindsey and Jason's cabin. When we pulled onto the access road, the house was close enough that you could see it through the trees. It was a tiny thing, more like a ranch house than a cabin.

I got out of the car, turning around to help Daisy out of her car seat. Macy helped Nicky, and Dillon pulled into the driveway right behind us. Macy went around the truck to get Emily. Nicky ran around his father's legs, such a ball of energy that Dillon had no choice but to pick him up and settle the child on his shoulders.

"Tammy?" An older gentleman, dressed in khakis and a polo shirt, singled me out as being the cousin.

"Yes, sir," I said, extending my hand.

"Welcome," the landlord said.

Dillon and Macy introduced themselves, and we made some introductory chitchat.

"Is the road very busy?" Macy asked, eyeing the break in the trees.

"No," the landlord assured us. "This isn't as remote as some other cabins in the area, but I assure you, it is private enough."

"What about utilities?" I asked.

"Power, water, heat, you can pay directly." He turned to unlock the door. "Trash I cover."

"Okay," I agreed.

We stepped into the front room, a space large enough for a set of couches and a television. Through an archway, the kitchen sat snugly at the back of the house. It was tight but functional. I wouldn't be serving any banquets in this house, but it could work for my day-to-day needs. A short hallway led to three doors, a bathroom and two small bedrooms. We checked each of them out by turns.

The shower left something to be desired. It was a simple plastic stall with just enough room to stand. There was no tub for luxuriating and only one sink. Still, if I was living here alone, it would be all that I needed. I thought I could turn one of the bedrooms into a guest room or a playroom for Nicky and Daisy if they came to visit. Or I could purchase a cheap exercise bike or a treadmill and make it into a home gym. The possibilities were endless.

"It has a finished basement that is pretty spacious," the homeowner announced, leading us back to the kitchen. A door beside the refrigerator led to a set of stairs. The entire family trooped down to find a room the length and width of the entire house. It was newly carpeted, with a dry bar at one end. I could imagine wild parties in this room, big enough to fit a dozen people comfortably. I decided right then that I would put forth my best effort to secure the home for myself.

I cornered the landlord in the kitchen. "I like it," I said. "What are my next steps?"

"Well, I have this other party who is also interested." He hesitated. "You could fill out an application, and I could get started checking references."

"Great," I said.

He went back to his truck to get the paperwork, leaving me alone in the house with Macy and her family. I could just imagine having them all over for dinner one night, the kids playing downstairs, Macy and I enjoying a glass of wine in the living room. This beat my old, cramped apartment in Austin, hands down. I filled out the application on the clipboard the owner gave me, signing over consent to run a credit check and call my old apartment complex. I thought I had a good shot at getting it. I had a job and a job history. I had never been late on any rent payments or given my other landlords any trouble. I knew I would be a wonderful tenant, if given the chance.

We thanked the property owner and got back in our cars. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I really wanted that little house. It was perfect for one person and a big step up from city life. I would have to get a car, but that could wait until I signed the lease. Things were finally moving; I felt like I was claiming my life back. No more waiting for other people to help me out or come to my rescue. I was going to be my own woman, with a home and a car, and maybe even a new guy.

I didn't want to consider how far things had come with Mike in such a small amount of time. It wasn't scary at all because it felt like I was coming home. I knew him, without a doubt in my mind, I knew exactly who he was. And I knew he felt the same. Whatever was happening between us was real, and I was excited to see it grow. I couldn't wait to tell him all about the cabin and hoped that our next date could be in that basement rec room, just the two of us at the bar.