Sibling Rivalry

Chapter Three-1

Chapter Three

“NOW YOU’RE GOING on a date with him? He’s a single dad, Aimee. Why go on a date with someone who has a kid? Tell me he’s at least rich or something?”

Karla sat on the edge of Aimee’s bed, as her sister tried to decide which outfit looked good, but not boring, on her. Or trampish. She didn’t want to come off like her sister, and this was just a dinner to thank her for babysitting Abigail. It’s not like it was an official date or anything. Aimee didn’t know what one of those even looked like, it had been so long since she went on one. “Why do you sound so surprised? I go on dates.” Liar. “And no, he’s not rich. I don’t go out with people for what they have. Besides, this is just a thank you dinner. Nothing fancy.”

“A thank you dinner? What is he thanking you for? What exactly did you do in that old building?” She had a look on her face like she was proud of Aimee.

“I took pictures, perv. It’s for babysitting his daughter. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”

Karla shrugged. “Seems like slipping you a twenty would be a better thank you. Taking you out to dinner is an excuse to slip a date in on you.”

Aimee sighed, as she slid her shorts off and replaced them with jeans. The outfit was decided. Jeans and a soft blouse, the beige one her mother gave her last Christmas. “Not everyone lives life on ulterior motives. Some people actually mean what they say.”

“Ha! No one means what they say, and everyone has an ulterior motive. Once you realize that, you will get further in this life.”

“If that is what it takes to get ahead, then I’ll gladly stay behind. I’d rather be naïve than cynical.” She slipped the blouse over her head and grabbed her purse, just as the doorbell to their apartment rang. Saved by the bell. “I’ll see you later. Don’t wait up.”

“And miss all the fun details?” Karla called after her, her tone revealing her meaning behind her words.

Aimee just shook her head, as she reached the door. Karla would never change. Everything had to contain a hidden meaning, and every night needed to end in s*x. Her sister simply could not just enjoy what was offered on the surface. Of course, being that cynical came from the way she lived her life. She thought everyone was just like her and Karla Harper was one of the most manipulative people Aimee knew.

She opened the door and Clint stood there, dark jeans and a long-sleeve button-down white shirt, his biceps and powerful chest pulling the material snug against his body. Aimee’s breath caught in her throat a moment, and she forced herself to breathe. She caught herself soaking in the rest of him, the way his jeans cupped his manhood and promised strength in his legs. She jerked her eyes back up, realizing she was staring too long at parts of his body she should not have even looked at. Ever since he asked her out, it was like her fantasies took over her perceptions. Would it be so bad if the night did end in s*x? That wouldn’t make me like my sister, would it?

“You all set to go?” His smile pulled one out of her, and she swallowed before speaking to make sure she had a voice.

“Please. I need a break from the mess that is Karla Harper.” She pulled the door shut behind her, and the two of them walked down the corridor to the elevators at the end of the hall, hoping to get past Miss Fowler’s condo before the old woman poked her head out. They passed his apartment on the way out, and Aimee blushed at the thought of ending her night there.

He laughed as he pressed the down button. “Another fun day with the Harper sisters, huh? If you two don’t get along, why do you live together?”

The elevator dinged and the doors whooshed open. As she stepped into the small box, she said, “Because it keeps her out of my mother’s house.” It sounded cold and callous, but it was the truth. If Karla weren’t living with her, she would be taking over their mother’s home and milking their mom for all she could get. It was standard Karla Harper fare. As much as her sister drove her crazy, it was better than the alternative, even if she was tricked into it at first.

Charlie’s Place was a small, rustic café located on the beach with tables set out back to allow diners to enjoy the ocean view as well as its breeze. Clint stood beside her chair as she slid in, and only then did he take his seat. The waitress took their drink orders—sweet tea for her, water with lemon for him—and disappeared to bring out the garlic knots the place was known for. The evening sky drifted from dusk to the darkness of night, with stars forcing their way onto the evening. Seagulls flew overhead while others perched on the wooden rail that marked off the dining area, hoping for some delight to be tossed their way. The evening was cool thanks to the breeze blowing off the ocean, and just the scent of the Atlantic helped soothe her mind and calm her spirit. The beach was always a relaxing place for Aimee and helped her center herself whenever she became stressed out. Clint chose a perfect spot.

“Thanks for allowing me to pick the place,” Clint said as he opened the rolled-up cloth napkin holding his utensils. “It’s nice to eat out where the meal doesn’t necessarily come with a toy or need dipping sauce.”

She faked a shocked look. “I’m not getting a toy with my dinner? First no piggyback ride and now no toy. What kind of an evil man are you?”

Clint laughed, and it made her smile just to hear it. “But if you behave, I’ll buy you ice cream for dessert.”

“Deal, but it better have sprinkles,” she said, and they both laughed.

The waitress brought their drinks, and they placed their orders. Clint made a suggestion as to what he thought were a couple of the best dishes, and she ordered based off his recommendations. He filled her in on his work, as they waited for their food. He was in construction, but he also owned a small warehouse where he made furniture and wooden sculptures. He liked to create with his hands, and he spent what little free time he had making pieces for family and friends. One day he wanted to enter a craft show and see how people took to his creations. It was a dream of his to live off his woodwork earnings one day, as it was for her to do with her photographs, but for now, being a single dad kept his hands full. “I do appreciate you being able to watch Abigail when I have to work late. My parents would do it, but I prefer her to be home around her toys and stuff. It makes it easier to settle her down when I do get home to finally feed her and get her ready for bed.”

“I can understand that. Abigail is a sweet child. She’s so funny in her mannerisms and is always cracking me up. It’s amazing what you do with her all by yourself.”

He bowed his head slightly, a sad expression darkening his brows. At first, she thought she made a wrong comment, but then he smiled and thanked her. “I do what I can. I wish it could be more. She deserves both parents, but that wasn’t my choice.”

Aimee wrapped her hands around her glass of tea, just to have a place to put them in order not to tear up her napkin in her nervousness. She couldn’t believe someone turning their back on a child. “May I ask what happened?”

He shrugged, his eyebrows lifting slightly as he did. “Bonnie never wanted to be a mother. She told me that from the get-go. I was young when we started dating, twenty-two. After about two years, she finds out she’s pregnant. At first, she wanted to abort the baby, but I convinced her we could make a go of being a family, and so she decided to keep her. I suppose I was hoping that once she held Abigail in her arms, she would change her mind.” He sat forward in his chair, his fingers laced together as he rested his elbows on the table. “She didn’t last a month. From day one, she made it obvious that I was the one responsible for Abigail. I’m the one who wanted her, so I would be the one who took care of her. All Bonnie wanted was to party and do as she pleased. It was the reason she never wanted kids to begin with. She didn’t want the responsibility. She wanted to come and go, and do as she pleased when she pleased. She didn’t comprehend that children need someone to be there for them. Bonnie never intended to be that type of parent.

“So, she would go out with friends and pretend she was single and not a mother with a child crying for her at home. Two years, I lived like that until I had the guts to finally call her out on her behavior. I was fed up with her coming home drunk and never knowing who she was out with or what she was doing. Oh, there were great moments when we seemed like the perfect, normal family. It wasn’t all bad. Yet, when Bonnie wanted to do something, she wasn’t going to allow anything such as having a daughter at home stop her from doing it and it didn’t matter if we could find a babysitter or not. She went out and I stayed home. One night she came home drunk and I noticed that it was some guy I didn’t know who dropped her off. When I questioned her about it, she refused to discuss it. She said it was none of my damn business. Of course, I told her I wasn’t having my wife brought home by strange men and that’s when she said she was tired of playing family, packed her bags, and left. We haven’t heard from her since. It’s been almost a year.”

Aimee shook her head, her heart aching for both him and Abigail. “I just can’t imagine ever abandoning my child. I mean, it sucks she left you, but couples split up all the time. But to leave your own child? Who could do that?”

He shrugged. “I hate it for Abigail, but, really, I’d rather she left then than wait around and be a bad influence on my daughter. Abigail is better off without that particular woman for a role model.”

Aimee’s heart still ached. It was a shitty thing to do to someone, and from what she knew of Clint, she found it even harder to believe someone would do that to him. He was a great father; a great man. Who wouldn’t want to hold onto that?

The waitress brought their food and the conversation lulled while their meals were placed on the table. A couple walked hand-in-hand along the beach, and Aimee felt envious of their bond. She wished she had someone in her life to do things with like that. She glanced across the table as Clint told the waitress, “Thank you.” She thought back to Karla’s words about people with ulterior motives. Did Clint think of this as a real date? She wished she could just ask him, but she would feel like an i***t if he said no. She wanted to do like they did back in school and send him a note that read, “Do you like me? Check yes or no.” Then she wouldn’t have to see his face when she found out his answer.

He glanced up at her. “What?”

“Huh?” She panicked. What had her face looked like while those thoughts ran through her mind?

“You seemed lost in some deep contemplation,” he said with a slight laugh.

“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking of something Karla said about ulterior motives before I left.”

“Oh? Do you have one?” Was that hope in his voice or just wishful thinking in her head?

“What?” Her eyes widened in shock, and her heart raced as if she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “No. No, definitely not.” She took a deep breath. “Actually, she thought you had one tonight. I told her this was just a thank you dinner, but she said you were trying to get a date without actually asking for one.”

He smiled at her, as he lifted his glass and took a sip. He acted like he was thinking over her words and then nodded as he set the glass back on the table. “Well, I was just asking you out to say thank you for watching Abigail, but to be honest, a real date wouldn’t be such a bad thing in my mind. It would be nice to have someone to do things with once in a while. Perhaps, we can do this again? If you want to, that is. No pressure.”