The Do-Over(36)

“I’ve got another little something for you.” He took the corsage, baby white roses set on pale blue lace, out of its box and tied the blue satin sash around her unadorned wrist. “I see you’ve got my heart.” He gestured to the bracelet.

“Just make sure I don’t break it,” my fourteen-year old quipped.

My jaw went slack as I heard the words come out of my daughter’s mouth.

Wes laughed at my precocious child, “Like mother, like daughter. I’m toast,” he declared. “Are you ready, Princess?”

“One sec, you two. You are not getting out of here without a picture.” My daughter looked very happy under his arm as I shot a few pictures.

“Wait until she sees our selfies,” Wes said to Scarlett, bringing her immediately into a co-conspirator role.

As they headed out the door, Scarlett turned to me and through her smile mouthed the words, “He’s cute.”

I nodded and mouthed, “Told ya,” as my daughter and this handsome white knight left to make their own memories.



It was nearly midnight when I heard from them again.

“Hey Tara, it’s Wes.”

“Hi, what’s up.”

“If it’s okay with you that I keep Scarlett out just a little later, we were going to stop off at a diner and grab a bite to eat.”

“Didn’t you guys eat at the dance?”

He laughed. “Not much and we danced it off, so we’re starved. Do you want us to come and get you?”

“No, I’m good. Have fun.”

“I promise I’ll have her home long before daybreak.” I could hear the smile in his voice.



Walking through the door at 1:15 A.M., a very happy and tired Scarlett looked at her date and threw her arms around him in a bear hug. “Thank you for making this the best night ever.”

Hugging her back, he planted a kiss on the top of her head. “Ah Princess, this was one of the most memorable nights I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for letting me be your date.”

“Goodnight, you guys.” She turned around and waved as she headed to her room.

“Can I get you something? A cup of coffee, perhaps?”

“Definitely,” he said, following me into the kitchen. Taking off the white dinner jacket, he hung it on the back of a chair and loosened his bowtie.

“I can’t thank you enough,” I said, as I handed him a mug of coffee.

“Tara, I had the best time. She is an amazing kid. You should be so proud.”

“I am. Did she open up to you at all about the Frank situation?”

He nodded. “Yeah, we talked about it some. I told her that it is his shortcoming and in no way should she think this is her or how she should be treated by men. And that not all men are like that. She’s really very mature.”

“I don’t even know where to begin to thank you, Wes.”

The smile was on his face as he opened his arms, “You can thank me with a hug.”

He didn’t need to ask twice as I closed the space between us, fifteen years of separation rapidly being whisked away. As his arms closed around me, I let myself enjoy the barrage of sensations, his heat, his scent, his strength, realizing that I’d been waiting for this very moment from a few hours into the night we met. And now here we were, a lifetime away, and I was finally enjoying the comforts of Wes’ embrace, yet knowing that it didn’t mean what I’d hope it would. And now, it never could.

“You don’t have to be so strong all the time,” he whispered in my ear.

“Oh, but I do. Because as you saw it’s not just me to worry about and I can’t count on anyone. I have to be strong for her.”

Wes tightened his hold around me. “You amaze me, Tara. If there’s anything you need, I’m just a call away.”

Letting my head find its comfortable spot on his chest, I closed my eyes, momentarily spiriting away to that place that I could pretend, just for one second, that Wes didn’t have a girlfriend who wasn’t me.



I was having strange dreams of Wes when the phone woke me out of my restless sleep.

“Hello,” my voice was barely a croak after three hours sleep.

“Tara,” the voice sounded far away and broken.

“Yes, who is this?” I couldn’t yet pry my eyes open.

“It’s me, Tara. It’s Crystal,” she sounded as if she’d been crying.

“Is everything alright? Where are you? Are you in Paris?” I was now sitting up in bed, raking my hair from my face.

“Yes, we’re still here.”

“Crystal, where’s Frank? What’s going on?” I was starting to feel panic set in.

“Frank’s in the hospital, Tara,” she began to sob.

“Oh my God, what happened? Is he okay?”

Through her sobs, she squeaked out, “He passed two kidney stones.”

My half-closed eyes opened wide. Kidney stones. Massive penile pain. Twice. Holy shit!

My worry of anything major subsided and I had to hold back my laughter. “Is he alright?”

“Yes, he’s resting comfortably, but he was in so much pain last night.”

“I’ll bet he was.” I nodded.

“He said it was like being stabbed.”