Recap:
"I thought we were more than just exes." she said calmly. "I thought we were best friends." Brock had his mouth open to answer her question with the double doors leading to the patio opened.
"Reba? Is everything okay?" Craig asked, walking toward his girlfriend and joining her at her side.
"I guess i could ask you the same question." he said smugly. "Who is this?"
Reba stared at Brock with an obvious fear shining in her eyes. What was she supposed to say? The fact that she could feel Craig's body heat so close to her did not help the situation on any level.
"Uhm...This is..." she did not want to reveal Craig as her boyfriend yet. She was hoping tonight would be a good night to expose themselves as a couple to the upper class business management community that Craig was around. She did not want to expose their relationship to Brock tonight.
"I'm Craig." Craig politely held out his hand for Brock to shake. He introduced himself and ignored the panicked look on his girlfriends face. Hopefully his skills as a lawyer, and retaining spoken information, would not fail him in this situation. "Reba and I met at the country club. She was eating dinner and I had an early evening tee time."
Brock's eyes lit up. "You play golf?" With the mention of the country club and the game of golf, Brock had seemingly forgotten what was going on as he immersed himself in conversation with Craig.
Reba quickly slipped away, walking back through the dining room into a back hallway. She tried finding the restrooms, but knew it was no use now. She opened the first door she came to, revealing a cozy room filled with a leather sofa on one wall, and a facing stone fireplace on the other.
She dropped her clutch on the floor as she sank into the couch, sighing heavily in the process. What was she to move forward? She was practically forced to tell Brock that she and Craig were dating. True, he saved her on the patio, and for that she was extremely grateful. He could sense that she was not ready to reveal their relationship to the world yet, which was when he stepped in and distracted Brock.
And now she was here, lying on the couch with one hand under her cheek and the other resting on her heart as she watched the flames of the fire flicker in front of her glistening eyes.
XXX
"I'm actually a dentist, but I tried to go pro a few years back." Brock explained to Craig. He shook his head in affirmation. Reba had told him about Brock and his love of golf. It looked like they had something in common.
"I have access to almost any golf course I want. If you are interested, maybe we can go golfing some time."
"Really?" Brock said taking Craig's business card. "That would be great, man."
"Just text me and let me know." he said, shaking Brock's hand once more before looking around. All he saw was an empty patio table and many empty chairs. Where had Reba gone? "If you will excuse me, i have to go."
He politely left Brock on the patio to think about his offer to play golf sometime. He stepped into the dining room to see that the crowd had thinned out considerably. Had he and Brock been talking for that long? He scanned the room, but saw no sign of the beautiful redhead he was looking for.
"Hey Mark," he stopped one of his buddies who happened to cross his path. "Have you seen Reba?"
Mark shook his head. "The last time I saw her, she was heading toward the back hallway."
"Thanks." Craig thanked his friend before telling his goodbye and goodnight and heading toward the hall. He stopped, unsure of what was behind each door. If he had to, he would look in every single room. Luckily, though, he found who he was looking for behind the first door.
His heart melted as he saw Reba curled up on the brown, leather sofa. "You're still beautiful." he said sitting in front of the sleeping redhead on the couch and brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Reba." he whispered, gently rubbing her arm. "Reba."
She inhaled sleepily, fluttering her heavy eyes open. "Hey." she said smiling. "Sorry, I didn't realize I fell asleep." She quickly sat up and headed toward the door, but was pulled back by Craig's gentle hand. "Aren't we leaving? It must be late."
Craig gently pulled her back to the couch as he sat next to her. "Why don't we just stay here for a little while?" He wrapped a warm arm around her shoulders. "It's cozy in here. I don't want to leave just yet."
Reba smiled and snuggled into his embrace as she laid her long legs over Craig's. "I don't mind that." she said softly. There was a brief pause before Reba decided to speak up again. "Thank you for saving me out there on the patio."
"You're welcome." he said, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. "I could tell you were uptight and nervous around Brock."
"Right...Brock." she mumbled. "Craig," she began. "I am going to say something, but please don't get upset."
"Okay." Reba could tell his bright blue eyes would never break the promise he had made.
"I am not sure I am ready to reveal our relationship to everyone yet. Don't get me wrong, I like you... I like you a lot. I just don't know what to tell Brock and the children yet. I guess i have to tell them now that he met you, but i just don't know what to do. On one hand-"
Reba was cut off by Craig's soft lips. He pulled away, but Reba kept her eyes closed, living in the moment of his interruption. "You don't have to explain yourself to me Reba. I completely respect any of your decisions about us."
Reba stared at him as memories ran through her head.
"I didn't want anything to happen to you." it seemed like she was having the same conversation with her husband that she had with her oldest daughter, Cheyenne, when she learned to drive. Somehow, she never thought she would need to explain herself to the one she loved, though.
She didn't have to explain herself to Craig, and that left more mental energy to focus on what to tell her family. "Thank you." she said softly before laying her head against his chest.
"Are you ready to go home?" he asked, feeling Reba's breath become steady.
"Mhmm." she mumbled, not wanting to move from his warm embrace. Craig carefully stood up and led Reba out to his car. He chuckled as he felt her lean heavily on his arm.
As they arrived back at her house, he walked her up to the door, giving her a goodnight kiss. "Goodnight honey. Thank you for coming with me to the benefit."
Reba leaned against the door, but looked up at him after he had spoken. "What did you say?" she asked.
"Goodnight? Thank you for coming with me?" he wasn't sure what he had said wrong.
"You called me 'Honey.'" she smiled.
He looked down at his shoes, not knowing if how she would react. "Is that okay?"
"It's perfect." she said kissing the corner of his lips tenderly.
"I'll see you tomorrow." he said walking toward the edge of the porch.
"Wait." she took his hand. "Do you want to come inside?"
"Only if you are comfortable."
"Oh, shut up." she said with fatigue in her voice. "This isn't my first rodeo, cowboy." He laughed quietly, following her inside. After shutting the door behind her, she promptly led him up the stairs to her bedroom.
"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked holding her close to his body upon entering her room.
"I'm not ready for the next step in our relationship yet." Craig stepped back a bit. "...but i trust you, and all i want to do tonight is be in your arms."
"I would love that." he kissed her gently and waited for her to change.
"Goodnight Honey." he said as they slipped under the covers.
"Goodnight..." she whispered as her voice was swallowed up by the darkness.
XXX
Brock showed up at Reba's house bright and early the next morning, just like he had for weeks on end now. "Hey Reba!" he said waltzing through the back door in his yellow polo and khaki pants.
Reba froze when she heard the back door open, quickly pushing Craig away from her neck. "Brock! What are you doing here so early?"
He stopped, finally realizing who stood before him in Reba's kitchen. "Craig, what are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet at the range."
"Oh boy." Reba quickly turned to the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water. There was no avoiding confrontation this time...