Chapter 86: The Archer

'Real magic in relationships means an absence of judgment in others.'

-Wayne Dyer

Becca walked out of their marriage counseling session fuming. She didn't like to talk about Joel with other women. She didn't even like to think about it. It was entirely out of the realm for her.

She wasn't surprised by some revelations. She had an inkling Joel slept with Marjorie more than once. She just didn't know they carried on an arrangement for the better part of a year. Granted, they weren't together yet, but it hurts to actually know.

She was shocked to discover Joel slept with Tess the night she returned from the dead. She understood there would be some secrets uncovered. She wasn't emotionally prepared for it.

She's discovered Joel substituted liquor and drugs with sex. At least he did for the first year of his recovery.

Joel wasn't too keen on discovering Becca's flirtations with Matthew. A man who ended up betraying them. While he knew they were interested in each other; he didn't know about the kiss between them. He seemed angry, but they talked through it.

They balked at Tony's suggestion of dating other people. They've didn't want to waste their energy on anyone but each other. They wanted to learn tools to be able to communicate better. The last thing they wanted is to bring someone else into the mix. They didn't want anyone else. They wanted each other.

She looked back to see Joel walking out of Tony's building. His head was turning as if he were looking for her.

She turned around and waved her hand, waiting for him to come over. She looked over his face, giving him a small smile,'You good?'

'Yeah.' He nodded,'I just wanted to make sure we were all set for our date tomorrow.'

She bit her bottom lip to stifle her grin. She knew what he was doing. He was making sure what they discussed in their session didn't hinder anything between them.

She refused to ever let him down again.

'Of course.' She shook her head,'I wouldn't miss it for the world. Not even for a zombie apocalypse.'

He cackled at that and tipped the brim of his cowboy hat to her,'You enjoy the rest of your day now. I'll come scoop you up at eleven.'

'Sharp.' She nodded and leaned up, giving him a quick kiss on his bearded cheek. She playfully tugged on his mustache, whispering,'I really like this. And the longer hair too. It suits you.'

He squinted his eyes as he placed his hands on her shoulders,'Our daughter says it makes me look like one of the animals.'

She shook her head and laughed,'I think it makes you look handsome. Salt and pepper works for you.'

'Silver fox, hmm?' He smirked,'That's what Maria said the ladies call him.'

She fixed the collar of his denim shirt and hummed softly,'The ladies have a crush on you.'

He lightly rubbed her arms affectionately, enjoying the moment with her,'I only care about one lady having a crush on me.'

She looked up at him and met his gaze,'Oh, she does. This one particular lady is really sweet on you.'

He smiled softly as he kissed the top of her head,'Maybe I should tell her I'm sweet on her too.' He pulled away and smirked,'Let me go find her.'

She playfully smacked his arm and laughed,'Get going. I'll see ya tomorrow.'

He walked backwards as he tipped his hat to her again,'Until tomorrow. I'll look forward to saying good evening.'

He walked away with those parting words. She smiled to herself. She was enjoying this. They've never had the opportunity to just take a deep breath and enjoy life. They actually got the chance to start over and do things right.

She discussed boundaries during her solo therapy sessions. She didn't know if and when she should kiss him. Was it too intimate? What were his thoughts on it? She would have to discuss it with him. Maybe she was overly thinking things again and should just enjoy the moment.

She felt carefree and lighthearted. She thoroughly enjoyed seeing this side of him. She liked opening up to him and talking to him about her past. She planned to do a lot more of it.

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When joel climbed off his horse and saw her standing on the porch waiting for him, it felt like all the wind was knocked out of him. She looked like a dream.

She wore a brown patterned skirt that went down to her ankles but the dark red spaghetti strapped shirt fit her like a second skin. It was seamlessly tucked into her skirt and he wondered if it was some type of bodysuit. Her hair was curled and her bangs parted. She didn't wear makeup and he smirked when he saw the cowboy boots on her feet.

He took off his hat and placed it over his heart,'Darlin, give this old man a break. Almost fell off my damned horse.'

She felt her cheeks redden and grasped the sides of her skirt,'Betsy's creation. I'll send her your compliments.'

His eyes quickly roved her up and down, whispering,'I ain't talking about the skirt.'

She couldn't help the broad smile that formed on her face. She couldn't help it. She felt excited and giddy. He was being fun and flirty. She's always known he was a sweet man.

She looked him over, appreciating him slowly. He wore denim jeans and a dark green flannel with the sleeves rolled up. He wore dark gray riding boots Ellie gave him for his birthday. His hair was nearly parted to the side, the edges curling from his hat. Everything about him gorgeous to her. Inside and out. He just got better with age.

Joel noticed the far away look in her eyes and laughed,'What? I got something on my face?'

'Yeah.' She nodded and smirked,'You have handsome on your face.'

He rolled his eyes and groaned,'You're so fucking corny.'

'And you're so fucking cool.' She picked a lily off the porch and handed it to him,'For you.'

He chuckled and shook his head,'You spoil me.'

She hummed softly as she took his hand in hers,'You haven't seen nothing yet.'

Joel grabbed their picnic basket and they walked off to the edge of town. Neither cared who was staring at them or whispering behind their backs. They didn't fear anyone seeing them together. If they were going to do this they would be open. Just as they should've been all along.

Joel picked a spot for them by a small lake. The warmer weather brought out flowers and some people were fishing. They placed their blanket on the ground underneath a tree.

He remembered taking other girls on picnics. He didn't have a lot of money and girls thought it was romantic. It was really because sandwiches were cheaper than a sit down meal. He wanted to show her he was a still a simple man. He didn't come with any bullshit.

He opened up the basket and took out their meals. He planned something better than sandwiches this time around. Roasted chicken and a salad. He's become a pretty good cook. He was proud he could take care of himself and his children.

Becca looked over the food and smiled,'Everything smells so good. This is great.'

'Are ya sure?' He shrugged,'Tony didn't think it was best we spend time at the house and I figured a picnic was good enough as any. Ya can't really get privacy around here.'

'I love it.' She met his gaze,'I really do. My grandma always used to take me on picnics. I spent more time with her than I did my own mom.'

Joel placed their plates of food and utensils in front of them,'You get along with your ma?'

'Okay.' She shrugged,'I think we were too much alike. Too strong headed. She was narcissistic though. God forbid I should have my own problems.' She sighed and shook her head,'My grandma died three days before my twenty first birthday. Every birthday I would go over her house and she would bake me a birthday cake. I talked to her on the phone the morning she died.' She took a moment to catch her breath,'She just got home from the market and got my stuff to make the cake. She had a heart attack in the kitchen and died five minutes later.' She blinked away tears, whispering,'I was never the same after that. She was the closest thing to a real ma I ever had. She was affectionate, nurturing, loving and supportive. She taught me to knit, stitch and…love myself. After she died, it's like that part of myself died too.'

Joel's eyes widened at her admission. He couldn't help the tears forming in his own eyes. He could losing her grandmother affected her deeply and profoundly. Maybe that's why she has difficulty with expression her emotions and being really intimate with someone. She was finally opening up to him. It's all he wanted from her.

She looked over at him, smiling tearfully,'I always thought…she couldn't live without Francis, but he knowing what he did to her? He never deserved that woman.'

He sighed and leaned over, cupping her cheek,'You're right. She seemed like she was too good for him. What was her name?'

'Betty.' She laughed and leaned her cheek into his palm,'I got my red hair from her. She was the prettiest girl in town up until the day she died. I was named after her.'

'Hmm…maybe I'll start calling ya Betty. Ya are the prettiest girl in town.' He reluctantly dropped his hand from her cheek, remembering boundaries,'You're Becca though.'

He almost said my Becca, but he reminded himself she didn't belong to him. She was her own person. Just as he's his own. They complimented each other and supported each other's weaknesses.

She clapped her hands softly,'Betty would be appalled if we didn't eat this food.' She peeled the film back off her plate as she dug her fork and knife into the chicken.

He watched her take the first bite and she closed her eyes, groaning softly,'Joel, this tastes fucking good.'

He bit his bottom lip and opened up his own food,'I've gotten pretty good at cooking.'

'You've always been the better cook out of this union.' She took another bite of her chicken,'You're the cook and I'm the baker. We've have a hell of a restaurant.'

'Not another business venture.' He snorted,'I can't take another job on. I've already got more jobs than Barbie.'

Becca burst out laughing at his joke. Joel Miller was fucking funny. When he let his guard down he was a good time.

'You need a vacation.' She dug into her salad,'And take it easy. Matty isn't gonna be this young forever. I was thinking about taking him to fish, like my daddy used to do with me.' She looked over at him,'I was hoping you could come along. Ellie too.' She shrugged,'We can make it a family tradition in the Summer.'

He had choked on his emotions as tears filled his eyes, nodding slowly,'I would love that. I got a boat.'

'I know.' She smiled knowingly,'Maria might've mentioned it to me.'

He nodded and laughed to himself. Women and their scheming.

They finished their food and cleared off the plates, putting them into the basket. It was still early and they decided to take advantage of the time away from their schedules and just relax.

They talked about their week and what they've been doing. They discussed their opinions on Ellie dating someone new. She had her eyes sight on a girl named Abby in her Art class. They had a study group together. She said they were friends, but she noticed she would blush whenever her name was mentioned and she would become defensive.

They didn't know if she had feelings for her. It's only been a yeah since Lizzie's death. She was still grappling with the loss, but they would support her if she moved on. After everything she's been through; she deserved to be happy.

Becca was looking out at the lake and he took the opportunity to look at her. Her hair was almost down to her ass. He loved that she didn't cut it. She used to cover up her scars, but she proudly showed them to the world. She didn't hide herself anymore.

She was resting her head on her knees as she looked up at him leaning back against the tree,'I'm glad I got this version of you.'

He laughed at that and shook his head confusingly,'I don't know how to take that.'

'It was very much a compliment.' She smiled softly,'You're calmer, happier. Fun.'

Something shifted in his eyes and he looked away, whispering,'Darlin, ya haven't seen anything yet.'

She heard the promise in his lilting tone. His naturally deep voice went even huskier. He was a hell of a flirt. This is what it was like to date the real him.

Just because they grew up differently didn't mean she was better than him. She weaponized what he couldn't control against him. She acted like a spoiled bitch. He could've left her to die back in Silver Lake, but he didn't. He took a chance on her and she gave him shit for it.

He took a deep breath to gather his nerves and carefully played the ends of her hair, whispering,'This okay?'

She smiled and nodded as she continued to look out at the lake,'This is our third date. I think we've moved up to hair touching by now.'

He was silent for a long time as he placed his hand on the middle of her back, whispering,'Is this third date base?'

She finally looked back at him and met his gaze,'Definitely.' She leaned back slightly, whispering,'I have a confession. I am a little sweet on you.'

He licked his suddenly dry lips as he looked over her face,'Just a little, huh? And here I thought ya were a hell of a lot sweeter on me.'

'I didn't want to come off too strong.' She smirked,'A lady never gives up all her cards.'

He couldn't help but stroke her back. He couldn't practically feel her smooth skin through the thin material of her shirt. She wasn't wearing a bra. It didn't stir the territorial thoughts like it used to.

He wanted to do like Tony said and build up towards the full intimacy. Once they truly got to know each other; sex together would become even better. He encouraged them to let it play out naturally. Flirt, don't hesitate to touch but respect each other boundaries. They weren't thinking about sex in this moment. Just enjoying each other's company.

That didn't mean he couldn't enjoy being alone with her. Above all else, she was always his best friend. He never wanted anyone else but her ever again.

Becca looked back at him and returned his smile,'I love this version of you because I think this is the freest you've ever been. Yet, you still chose this. Us.'

'It was an easy decision.' He shrugged,'I feel happier than I've ever been. I don't have to live hand to mouth. My surviving children are happy and healthy. My marriage needs some help but we're working things out.'

'I hear ya got a crazy wife.'

Joel laughed and shook his walk,'Her husband ain't exactly a walk in the park either.'

Thunder began to boom and they looked up at the sky, frowning when they saw the storm clouds rolling in. That's the thing about living near the mountains. The weather can change at the drop of a hat.

They quickly gathered their things as the rain started to roll in. They along with everyone else at the lake began making their way for shelter. She held tightly onto Joel's hand as they walked back to Maria's house. They didn't mind the rain so much. It was the snow that bothered them.

Becca and Joel laughed at each other as they both stood there soaking wet.

Joel's wet curls clung to his neck underneath his cowboy hat, his flannel sticking to him like a glove. She could see the outlines of his muscles. His broad shoulders and biceps from working on the farm. His leaner waist and flat stomach. Good living was doing him well.

He tried not to look anywhere but at her, but he couldn't help himself. He was a hot blooded male after all. After she had the baby her chest got larger and it didn't change. Nothing was wrong with her before. He wondered if anyone else noticed the change but him. He loved her busy then just as he did now. The new body carried a life. She gave him something invaluable.

She looked up at the sky and smirked wryly,'At least we got best part of the date in before Mother Nature decided to literally rain on our parade.'

He smirked as he brushed her wet bags away from her eyes,'I thought the best part of the date would be the kiss at the end.'

Her eyes widened and she felt her heart pounding,'Is that what you want?'

'Duh.' He playfully rolled his eyes like Ellie,'I wouldn't have asked if I didn't.'

She laughed and cupped his cheek, leaning up to place her lips over his. She kept the kiss chaste, but let her lips linger for a few moments before pulling back. She remembered when he kissed her first and she pulled back. She didn't want to leave any room for doubt that this is what she wanted.

She stroked his cheek before stepping back,'The next date is my idea. Let's make it this Friday…night.'

His eyes had a certain mirth to them as he nodded, 'Same place?'

'You betcha.'

They were both oblivious to the rain as they stared at each other. Becca gently patted his bearded cheek, whispering,'I'll see ya on Sunday for therapy. Go home and get dry. Relieve El of her babysitting duties. Give Matty a hug and kiss for me.'

She hated being without their son, but she appreciated some time to herself. She needed to be realistic and understand this might be Matty's new normal. Living in between two separate houses.

He didn't say anything and she wondered if she overstepped his boundaries by kissing him like that. She noticed he didn't quite kiss her back, but he didn't pull away either.

She was about to give him some space and walk away, but he gently grasped her hand, pulling him back to him.

Her eyes widened as he held her face in his hands. He pressed his lips against hers. He didn't deepen the kiss, but moved his lips against hers. She did the same as they slowly breathed each other in, their tongues barely touching as they flicked against each other almost teasingly.

Joel pulled away first and pressed his forehead against hers, whispering,'Get in before ya catch cold.'

She smiled softly and stepped back from him,'See ya around, stud.'

He snorted as she ran into the house. She could feel her cheeks burning despite being drenched from the cold rain. She leaned her back against the door and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. She just had the most PG yet erotic kiss in her life.

She had so much to tell Maria

(Next chapter it's Maria's birthday and the girls celebrate. A bit too much.)