FicWad

I was outside with the cats when Pete and the kids pulled in. Bronx and I had been in contact all morning as they made their way north. They got there around noon, just in time for lunch. I knew they hadn’t stopped to eat so I had stuff ready for them when they arrived.

I had backed into my spot so the side door faced the site reserved for Pete. That way he could just pull in head first and open the side door on the RV to face my campsite. This meant that we could share the space between our campers. I had booked a two family spot, it’s meant to be shared.

As Pete pulled in I could hear Marvel and Saint. “Moony! Dad, Dad, Moony’s here! Moony’s here!”

I smiled and waved at them as they pulled in. The side door to the camper opened and Saint ran out and hugged me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his face in my stomach. Marvel was right behind him. She wanted a hug too. I hugged both of them back.

“Hello you two! It’s so good to see you!” I said as I hugged them.

Once I had gotten my hugs I said, “Fred and George would like to see you guys. They’re in the catio, go say hi.” The two of them scampered off and I got a chance to say hello to Bronx.

I got a big hug from him. As he hugged me he said low so only I would hear, “I’m really glad to see you. Dad’s very excited to see you. I’ll try an’ keep the littles busy while you say hi to him.” He stepped back, smiled at me and went over to help his brother and sister with the cats.

I looked up and Pete was waiting patiently to greet me. He had a soft and warm smile on his face. I smiled back at him.

“Do I get one too?” He asked me as he held out his arms.

“Yes, of course you do.” I said as I walked into his embrace. It was nice to hug him. He was warm and sturdy and comfortable.

“It’s good to see you.” He said.

“It’s good to see you too.” And it was good to see him in person, not through a screen.

We let go of each other and stepped back unsure what to do next. We just smiled at each other. We were standing close but not touching. His eyes kept darting to my lips, then back to my eyes. He leaned in just a little. I couldn’t keep my eyes from looking at his full and very kissable lips. I started to lean in towards him fully intending to kiss him.

“Dad, I’m hungry.” Saint said as he ran over interrupting us before our lips could meet.

We pulled apart and I gave him a knowing smile. The kids come first, we had time.

I looked at Saint and said, “I have lunch stuff ready for you guys. But you need to help get your camp set up first. I have the rest of the day planned for us. I’ll tell you all about it when we eat. So, let’s all help your Dad get everything set up.”

And with the help of mostly me and Bronx, we got them all set up in just a few minutes. Setting up the tent for the kids took the longest. They had a new tent this time. Bigger than the one they had when we met. Marvel told me it was because she was going to sleep in the tent with the boys, and she was very excited about it.

Once they were set up I pulled out the lunch supplies. “Ok you guys, we have sandwich fixings. Peanut butter and strawberry jelly. Ham, turkey, cheeses, lettuce and tomato. Mustard, mayonnaise, and if anyone wants it I have a can of tuna and can make that up really quick. There are chips, plain potato chips and cool ranch Doritos. And we have some apples and bananas and oranges. So, who wants what?”

The kids told us what they wanted and everybody had the sandwich and chips and fruit of their choice. As we ate I told them what I wanted to do that day.

“I thought we could go spend the afternoon on the beach. Then when we’re ready for dinner we can walk into town to this restaurant I know. They have something for everyone and it’s family friendly. The food is really good too. After dinner we can either walk around a little bit or we can come back here and have a fire. I have marshmallows for roasting.”

Everyone liked my idea and after lunch we got ready to go spend the afternoon at the beach. It was only mid September so it was still warm enough to get wet in the water. But the Pacific is very cold this far north. It really doesn’t get warm until you get past San Diego. We weren’t going to be swimming in the ocean. Just getting our feet wet.

After lunch everyone got ready for the afternoon at the beach. I had a bag with a few things I thought we might need. This included a light blanket to sit on. A few bottles of water, a bag of snacks, and a few other things. Before we left the campsite I asked Pete if we should bring some extra clothes for the littles just in case. He agreed and we had a change of clothes for Marvel and a pair of shorts for Saint.

When we were ready we walked the fifty yards or so to the beach. The campground we were at was literally right at the beach. And, it was so close to town we didn’t need to drive in. It was less than a mile from where we were staying.

As we walked down to the beach, Saint wanted to hold my hand. Marvel was holding Pete’s hand. Bronx was a little in front of us. We were about half way down the trail when I felt Pete’s hand slip into my open one. I glanced over at him and gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand just a little. He smiled back at me.

We got to the beach and the kids went straight for the water. Pete and I took the time to set up a place to sit and put our stuff down. Then we joined the kids at the edge of the water. We had a great time playing with the kids.

After a while I ended up sitting on the blanket with a book as the rest of them played in the water. Marvel and Saint came over after a while and started to build a sandcastle. I helped them with it. We had a fantastic time. Pete and then Bronx joined us and with their help, we had a huge sandcastle with a mote and towers.

We watched the sun set into the ocean and then we finally decided to go get something to eat. We headed off the beach and into the little town center where the boardwalk was and the restaurant I wanted to take them to.

At the edge of the boardwalk there is a public faucet that anyone can use to wash the sand off their hands and feet. We headed there first and got everyone cleaned up before going and getting dinner.

Dinner was delicious and everyone got something they liked. They had a large kids menu there and both of the littles found something they wanted to eat. Pete, Bronx, and I all got seafood. The crab legs there are amazing and so fresh. The kids were tired after eating and wanted to go back to camp.

When we got back to camp Bronx started a fire for us and we roasted some marshmallows. It didn’t take long before Saint and Marvel were ready to go to bed. They wanted both of us adults to tuck them in. The bigger tent made that easier. Marvel wanted a song and Saint wanted some cuddles. We got them down and headed back out to the fire. Bronx stayed up with us for a little while but less than an hour later he said he was ready for bed too.

“You’re going to bed already?” His father asked him.

“Yeah, we got up so early and I’m tired.” He told us. He said goodnight and got a hug from each of us. Then he headed to the tent.

Once it was just Pete and I, he flashed me a smile.

“So, guess it’s just us now.” He said, trying to start the conversation.

“Yeah, just us.” I said with a chuckle.

We were sitting in our own chairs next to each other around the fire pit. The fire was burning low. But I had one of Luna’s exterior lights on. It was a low wattage LED that was meant to light the ground around the side door. It was just enough light to see where you were going. I could see him fairly well.

He was in a pair of baggy jeans and a hoodie. His blond hair was down and tucked behind his ears. His hair was longer than mine. I wear my light brown hair in a very similar way to his. It’s straight and I keep it in a bob between my ears and shoulders. I usually chop it once a year so it’s easy to take care of.

“So, I found your books.” He told me with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Why?!” I asked as I laughed. “Please tell me you didn't waste money on them.”

“Of course I bought them!” He laughed.

“Why?! I told you, they’re just silly, smutty, housewife porn. They aren’t worth wasting your time on.”

He laughed heartily and said, “They aren’t silly. I’ll give you smutty, but even that’s part of the story. I think the love stories you tell are sweet. I understand why they sell so well.”

“Well, thank you. I actually like the love stories too. That’s what the first book was originally. Just the love story. But no one wanted to publish it that way. I kept getting told I needed to spice it up if I wanted to sell it. So, I reworked it and put in the love scenes.”

“I like your leading ladies.”

“I like them too.” I smiled at him as I said that. “I try to write women I want to be more like.”

“I’ve read the first one and am almost done with the second one. I haven’t started the third book yet, but I think you’re more like them than you think.”

“What’d ya mean?” I asked him.

“You write them as charming, confident, smart, funny, independent women who know their own minds. You’re all of those things. So, yeah, your leading ladies remind me of you.”

I think that was the best compliment I’d ever received. “Thank you. I’ve never seen it that way. I want to be all those things, but, well, thank you.” I was very flattered by that. I could feel the blush on my face. I was glad the light was low enough that he probably didn’t notice.

He turned his head and looked at me full on. “I need to apologize to you.” He said.

“For what?” This statement surprised me.

“For giving you and Bronx mixed signals. I, um, I do like you Grace. But, um, well,” he took a deep breath and let it out. “I have a bit of a crush on you.” He was blushing as he told me this.

“You have a crush on me?” I wasn’t expecting that.

“Mmhmm. Since I started watching your channel. You’re pretty and fun and funny and I liked that. And you laugh at yourself.” He grinned at that. “I was hooked on you and your channel with the third video I watched. It was the one where you slipped and fell in a mud puddle. You just laughed so hard and then said something like ‘I have to keep that in just for the comic relief’ and I thought, what a girl.” He chuckled a bit at that.

I laughed at that. I remembered that one. “Well, to be honest and fair, I’ve had a crush on you on and off for about seventeen years.”

He let out a hearty laugh at that. “Really?” He asked as he flashed his trademark smile at me.

“Mmhmm.” I hummed as I nodded. And I had. It was the strongest when I first started listening to them. But it hit me again when Save Rock and Roll came out. He’s a good looking man, and my crush started when I saw the cover of Rolling Stone where he was shirtless.

“When we met you that first time, and you were just so chill about who I am, I… didn’t really know how to feel about you. You didn’t flirt back with me. You and the kids got on so well.” He paused for a minute to think about what he was going to say next. “I didn’t want to try to start anything with you if my feelings were just because of the kids and my crush. And I was concerned that would be the case. But when Bronx tried to set us up, I realized I do like you. And not just because the kids love you. But that does help. If they didn’t like you, it wouldn’t matter how I felt.”

I smiled at him and said, “That’s how it should be. You have to put them first. Their happiness matters more than yours or mine for right now. I don’t mean that you should never be happy or find someone to love. But I’ve been a step kid and I know what it is to have a stepfamily that doesn't want to deal with you because you aren’t blood.”

He nodded at this statement and continued with what he wanted to tell me. “I’m still not completely sure what this is between us, or how I’m supposed to feel about it or you. But, I want to give it a try and see where it goes.” He reached over and took my hand. He just held it and I rubbed my thumb over the back of his hand.

“I do too.” I told him. “I haven’t been in any kind of a relationship since my divorce. The last few years of my marriage were basically like we weren’t a couple. Dead bedroom, no affection, living more as roommates than spouses. To be honest, this is kinda scary for me.”

“We can take this as slow as we need to. I’m not looking to rush into anything.” He assured me. “But, I’d really like to kiss you.”

I gave him a small half smile. “I’d like that.”

He let go of my hand and stood up. He stood in front of me and held out his hand. I took it and he pulled me up. We were just a few inches apart. He lifted one hand and gently cupped my cheek. Then slowly he leaned in and kissed me. It was sweet and tender. It was amazing, it was electric, it was...”Wow” I whispered as the kiss ended.

“Definitely wow,” he agreed. “Think we need to try that again.”

Nodding, I said, “Absolutely we need to try that again.”

Our second kiss was just as wow. It started slow and sweet, but when his tongue licked at my lips I allowed him to deepen the kiss. My arms found their way around his neck, his found my waist, pulling me closer to him.

After that kiss ended I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the thoughts and feelings running through my head.

“Well, goodnight.” I said taking a step back.

He gave me a questioning look. “Goodnight?”

“Another kiss like that and I won't be going to bed alone. And that would not be a good thing for me.”

He gave me a sexy smile and said, “I won’t rush you.”

“Who said you’re the one rushing anything?” I responded.

“Oh, I, well, I’ll go as fast or as slow as you need.”

“Slow, let’s stay with slow for now.”

“Ok, we’ll go slow.” Pete agreed as he slowly nodded his head.

I couldn’t help myself, I leaned in and kissed him again. Pulling back I again said, “Goodnight Pete.”

“Goodnight Grace.”

I turned and went to step into Luna when I heard Bronx say, “Dad, don’t fuck this up. We like her.”

I turned back to see Bronx with his head poking out of the tent looking at his father. Pete had turned to look at his son.

“Don’t worry Bronx. He hasn’t done anything to fuck this up. I’m trying to not fuck it up. Goodnight.”

I stepped into Luna and closed the door behind me. Fred and George were asleep on the bed. They both opened their eyes and looked at me. I changed into my sleep clothes and crawled into bed. It took me a while to fall asleep that night. I had too many things to think about. The most prevalent was how that kiss had made me feel.

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