Fallen

“It really wasn’t a problem at all. I like having him around, he keeps Cash occupied,” Matt smiled while letting me into the house.

It was past ten at night, and being the sub-par parent that I was, work kept me late once again. Luckily, I was able to have Matt just grab Carson from daycare rather than call my mom and explain everything that was going on at the zoo. Melody was showing some signs of sickness, so we had vets come check her out. She is fine now, and someone is staying overnight to monitor her, but I knew my mom would have a million questions. All I had to do was just ask Matt if he could get Carson, and he had no issue doing it.

I followed him into the house, being quiet because I knew all three boys were sound asleep upstairs. I was so over today, and felt gross being in my dirty work clothes in Matt’s clean home. I just wanted to grab Carson and go home, take a shower, and get in bed. But of course, the man standing in front of me was not going to let that happen.

“Did you eat dinner?” Matt asked me while running his hands through his hair. He didn’t have a hat on today, shocker, and his hair was quite fluffy. He had grown it out on tour, along with the beard he was sporting on his face.

“No, I figured I would just pick something up on my way home from here,” I said while standing awkwardly, not wanting to sit down in my work clothes.

“Good because neither have I,” he smiled at me. “How do you feel about mac-and-cheese?”

I laughed, leaning against the wall, “I can’t say no to mac-and-cheese.”

“Sit down and get comfortable. I’ll whip you up some Kraft specialty,” he chuckled and reached into the pantry, grabbing a box and turning on the stove.

“I think I have at least a pair of leggings in my car. I don’t want to wear my dirty work clothes in your home. God knows what grossness I have on them,” I mentioned and grabbed my car keys.

I did, in fact, have a pair of leggings in my car. Of course they were cheap Forever 21 brand; four dollars for a pair of leggings that are see-through after two wears. I was not happy that these were what I had, but at least my gross shorts wouldn’t be touching his furniture.

“Ignore the fact that you will be able to see my underwear right through these,” I laughed and started to walk toward the bathroom to change.

“Hold on. Watch the stove and don’t change yet,” Matt spoke and walked away, heading up the stairs. He came back down with a t-shirt in his hands, “I’m about ninety-nine percent sure that this will cover your underwear, and be way more comfortable than your work shirt.”

“Thank you,” I smiled and walked into the bathroom.

I changed into the leggings, and a shirt that obviously belonged to him. It smelled of cologne and was about three times too big for me, but it did cover my butt so I didn’t have to worry about my polka dotted underwear showing through. I made a mental note to myself to not wear such abstract underwear to work anymore, god forbid I have to be in this position elsewhere. I pulled my hair down from the bun it was in and looked at myself. I had no makeup on, so I splashed my face with water a few times. I looked at myself in the mirror again, wondering how I ended up in this position. By this position I didn’t mean single mom to Carson, because I knew how that happened and I accepted that. I meant how the hell did I end up in the Sanders household after ten at night wearing Matt’s t-shirt while we ate Kraft mac-and-cheese with our kids dead asleep upstairs.

“There she is,” Matt smiled as I walked into the kitchen and sat on a bar stool. “You are swimming in that.”

I blushed and laughed, “I hadn’t realized how much bigger you were then me… but then again, I am the size of a twelve year old.”

Matt put a bowl in front of me full of mac-and-cheese, then stood across from me with his own bowl. He had a smile on his face as I immediately dug into the cheesy goodness, “I don’t want to come off too strong, but I just want to say that I really like spending time with you.”

“Me too,” I said quietly in between chewing. “You didn’t come across too strong at all. I actually wanted to tell you that I like that you’re finally home. Carson needed some type of man in his life that could inspire him. He talks about you all the time and I think he looks up to you. I’m grateful that you’re around so he can have that.”

Matt was beaming, “You have no idea how good that makes me feel.”

I rolled my eyes, “I’m sure you have fans tell you everyday that your music is the reason they are still alive. You feel good all the time, Matt.”

“I’m serious,” he leaned his elbows on the table. “Not that I don’t care about my fans, but I know how hard it has to be on you to play mom and dad. If your son looks to me for inspiration, I like that. It takes some heat off of you and also lets me know that I am actually a good dad. My kids have to like me, yours doesn’t.”

His words made me smile, and smile bigger than anticipated. “You’re a great guy, you know that?”

“I’ve been told maybe once or twice,” he laughed and looked at my empty bowl. “Do you want more?” I shook my head, “Well what about something to drink?”

“Water would be nice,” I replied as he took my bowl away. He grabbed a water bottle out of the refrigerator and handed it to me, “Thank you.”

“Do you work tomorrow?” He asked while rinsing our dishes.

“Nope. I have the weekend off,” I sighed. “Much needed weekend off after today; although, I am going to be up my co-workers asses about my bear for the next two days.”

He laughed and put the leftovers in the refrigerator, “That bear was so fucking cool. It’s mind-blowing that you are the reason she is alive. Being a human parent is hard enough, let alone a bear parent.” He stopped talking and looked at me with his head slightly cocked, “Do you want to stay for a while, or do you have to get home right away?”

I felt myself becoming slightly excited, and I shook my head quickly. I knew I should probably get home. It was safer for me to just go home, but Carson was already asleep here. I would have to wake him up, get him in the car, and then do the same once I got home to get him into the house. Matt and I would just hang out tonight, maybe watch a movie or something. It wouldn’t be that bad, right?

Three hours later and it was almost one in the morning. I was sitting outside in one of the lounge chairs by the pool, Matt walking out the door with a beer for each of us in his hands, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He told me that he used to smoke, but now it was usually a once-in-a-while thing. I didn’t want to tell him that he looked insanely attractive with it in his mouth, so I just nodded along saying I quit smoking a few years back as well. I had about three beers now, this one being my fourth, and was feeling slightly buzzed. I knew I was getting myself in too deep here, but we were having such a great time I just kept pushing that feeling eating at me further and further into the back of my mind.

Matt slumped down into the chair next to me, his shirt completely off his body as he sat in just gym shorts. I diverted my eyes away from him the best I could, but the alcohol in my system wasn’t making that easy. “Let’s get in the pool,” Matt smirked at me, pulling the cigarette from his mouth after taking the last puff and putting it out in the ash tray.

I should’ve said no, but I didn’t. I watched as Matt pulled his gym shorts off, revealing himself in a pair of boxer briefs and heading toward the water. I shrugged and pulled my leggings off and then his shirt, leaving me in a pair of cheeky underwear and a sports bra. I followed him into the water and let out a squeal, “It is freezing! You are insane!”

“Am I?” He asked with an eyebrow raised and came toward me, grabbing me and pulling me all the way into the water with him. He grinned at me after pulling me all the way under, my hair and face now soaked.

“Asshole,” I muttered and shook my wet hair out of my face, not focusing on the fact that his arm was wrapped around my waist. “I think you did this on purpose. You just wanted to see my polka dotted underwear.”

A smile spread across his face, “Well, honestly I just wanted you to unwind. The underwear are a plus, though. I have no complaints about you half naked in front of me. ” He noticed my cheeks turning red, “Stop being embarrassed when I hit on you. You’re a beautiful girl, own it.”

It had been a while since I had received compliments that I actually wanted to hear. Brandon had stopped complimenting me for a while, other than the word cute. The only time beautiful would come out of him was when we were having sex, which was degrading. Yeah, I had been hit on since Brandon and I split, but hearing it come from someone as attractive as Matt was something I hadn’t experienced in a while.

“Own it,” he repeated and held me closer to him, my chest nearly against the side of his body. He turned to look away from me, toward the deep end of the pool, “Val takes the boys on Sunday.”

Val. I almost forgot about Val. Generally, I looked forward to having my time with her because I could unwind, vent and have another mother to talk to. Now, I was slightly sad that my time with Matt would be coming to an end for the next week until he got the kids again. “You guys swap every week?”

He nodded, “That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you, though.” He paused for a second, “I mean, if you’re up for it? We could have that anatomy lesson we talked about? Maybe I can take you out to dinner or something?”

“Are you asking me out on a date?” I laughed, obviously the alcohol was talking. I would never be that upfront with him sober, in case I was wrong.

He smiled and looked at me, “That’s exactly what I’m doing. Tell Val that she is in charge of the kids Wednesday night, and I’ll pick you up at six. We can grab Car on the way back.”

Notes

Things are officially heating up between these two!

Do you guys think Liv is going to stay with him tonight?
Are they going to tell Val about the date?!?!?!?!