Long Overdue

It was nice to wake up because the sun was shining my eyes, and not because Brody's phone was ringing.  I shifted and adjusted the blanket, and Brody's arm snaked around my waist, pulling me close.  "Morning, beautiful," he murmured sleepily into my hair.  "Let's stay here."

"Forever?" I asked.  "Okay, sold."

"Well, yeah, that too, but I meant today.  Let's stay one more night."

I rolled over to face him.  "But what about work tomorrow?" I asked him, confused.  "I thought you weren't going to take tomorrow off."

"I'm not," he said with a shrug.  "I can go in in the afternoon after we get back.  We can explore town today, maybe drive into the park a little.  We can leave after breakfast tomorrow so you still have time to job search and I can go into work for a little while at least.  I'll turn my phone on long enough to send an email letting them know when I'll be in, but after brunch today I'll be all yours."  I realized this was his way of making up for all the time he'd spent interrupting our dates for work the past couple weeks, and I appreciated it.

I smiled.  "Okay!  Let's do it."  He rolled over and grabbed the room phone.  He called down to the front desk and requested to keep our room for one more night.  A couple minutes later, he hung up.

"It's ours until tomorrow," he reported.  "What time is brunch?"  Christian's parents were hosting a day-after brunch this morning at 10.  I told him that, and glanced at the clock.  It was almost 9.   "Why don't you go ahead and shower.  I'll send my emails while you're in the shower."

We walked out of the elevator a couple minutes before 10.  Lauren waved us over.  She looked at me curiously.  "I heard you and Savannah got into it last night," she whispered.

"Good news travels fast," I said, rolling my eyes.  I filled her in on the details.  She shook her head.

"What a clueless bitch," she said.  "I hate her."

"Join the club, it's not terribly exclusive."

Lauren grinned wickedly at me.  "So, after you guys left, she got shitshow drunk, tried to make out with Kendra's brother, and then threw up all over the floor outside the bathroom.  It was ridiculous.  I think Kendra was mostly unaware, but Christian had to have Kendra's brother and sister practically carry Savannah out."

I stared at her, then laughed.  "I shouldn't laugh, because that's awful for Christian and Kendra, but she really is a disaster, huh?"  Lauren nodded. 

A very rough looking Savannah stayed away from us during brunch, and it was actually quite pleasant.  After brunch, Lauren, Alex, Damien, and Kinsley were heading out.  We said goodbye and spent the rest of the morning exploring the downtown area.  We had a light, late lunch at a cafe, then drove into Rocky Mountain National Park.  We pulled up to an overlook and got out.  Brody put his arm around my waist as we looked out over a beautiful valley.

"Are you going home for Thanksgiving?" he asked suddenly.

I shook my head.  "No, I wasn't planning on going home until Christmas," I replied.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I hadn't really thought about it.  I guess just enjoy a four day weekend, maybe eat a turkey sandwich." I shrugged.

"Come with me then," he said.  "I'm going to my mom's house.  She doesn't really do a traditional dinner like you're probably used to, but there will be plenty of food."

"Oh," I said, surprised.  "I don't want to impose."  I wasn't sure what to say.  I didn't love the idea of celebrating Thanksgiving alone at my house, but it was less than two weeks away and I had no other plans.  And I was really curious to meet Brody's family.  I know he had one sister and one brother, plus the sister that had been killed in the accident, and that his parents were divorced and his dad was an asshole, but other than that, he really didn't talk about them much.  Then again, I tended to completely bomb my first impression when meeting the parents, and the thought of meeting Brody's entire family for the first time on a holiday was a little terrifying.

"Don't be ridiculous.  My mom will be over the moon to have a new person to feed.  And she always makes enough to feed the entire city, so it's not like she'll even have to make extra food.  I don't want you to be alone on Thanksgiving."  He tightened his arms around me as a breeze blew through and I shivered.

"Okay," I agreed.  "I'd like that."

He smiled.  "I love you Liv, and my family will too."

"I love you too, and I sure hope so!" I replied.

We spent the rest of the day driving through the park, looking for wildlife.  My life was pretty much made when we spotted a moose laying in the snow.  It was long dark by the time we made it back into town.  We found a place to get dinner and were soon heading back to the hotel.  I changed into sweatpants and curled up against Brody, who was sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard.

"Thank you," I said softly.

"For what?" he asked, wrapping an arm around me and stroking my shoulder.

"For today.  It was perfect.  It was so nice to spend the day with you without interruptions, and it means a lot to me."

"It was nice," he agreed.  "We should probably do it more often."  I looked up at him and made a face.  He laughed.  "I know, I know," he said.  "I'll make it happen."  I yawned and rested my head back against his chest.  He ran his fingers through my hair and I closed my eyes.  My hand slid under the hem of his shirt and rested against the hard muscles there.  I yawned again.  "It's only 10," he teased.

"I know, but you've kept me up late the last two nights," I replied.

"I've kept you up late?  Well, if that's the problem, don't let me stop you from getting your beauty rest tonight," he said with a laugh.  I dragged myself off the bed and brushed my teeth and washed my face.  When I came out of the bathroom, Brody was searching through his bag.   I made myself comfortable while he brushed his teeth, and was almost asleep by the time he came out.  He slid into bed next to me and his fingers found my back.  They slid back and forth over my spine a few times before stilling, resting lightly on my lower back.

When I woke up, his hand was still on me, but now it was draped across my forearm.  I smiled.  Rarely did I ever wake up with him without him touching me somehow.  I wondered if he did it unconsciously in his sleep.  His fingers twitched as I pulled my arm away to roll onto my side.  He looked so young while he was sleeping.  Not that he was old, by any means.  But even his 30 to my 26 was a bigger age difference than I had ever dated.

I slid quietly out of bed, grabbed clothes, and went into the bathroom.  When I came out showered, dressed, and made up, Brody wasn't there.  For a second, I thought he had tried to sneak out for a work call, but then I saw his phone laying in his bag.  When he came back in with coffee for both of us from downstairs, I felt guilty for even thinking  he was off breaking his promise.  So far, he'd been nothing but amazing in every other way, so if a few phone calls during dinner was the price to pay for that, it shouldn't piss me off so much.  When did I become so needy?

Brody asked me to find somewhere to eat breakfast while he showered, so after I packed up my stuff, I flopped in the chair and searched Yelp on my phone.  I found a few good options, wondering how people found places to eat before smartphones and Yelp and Urban Spoon.  But when Brody came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his hips, I quickly forgot about breakfast. 

"How much time do we have before checkout?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Brody grinned and looked behind him at the clock.  "Two hours, but if we take that long, we'll need to change breakfast to lunch."

"The faster you lose that towel, the better chance of us being out of here in time for breakfast," I responded.

"You have way more clothing on than me," he pointed out as he stepped over to me.  With one hand he pulled me to my feet, and with the other he pushed his towel to the floor. 

An hour later we were walking out to the car, checked out and ready to leave.  We ate a delicious, leisurely breakfast at a little restaurant in town before starting the drive back to the city.  The drive went quickly, and before I knew, we had pulled up in front of my townhouse.  Brody parked and grabbed my bag out of the back.  He set it down inside after I had unlocked my door.

He pulled me into a tight hug.  I hugged him back, resting my head against his chest.  "When do I get to see you again?" he asked.

"Dinner on Wednesday?" I suggested.

"I guess I can wait that long," he responded with a smile.  "Can I spend the night after?  It'll be easier than going all the way home that night and all the way back into town in the morning for work."  I nodded.  "Alright, I guess I should get to work before the place burns down.  I had a really great weekend.  I love you."  He kissed me and when he pulled back I told him I loved him and he left.

I spent the rest of the day doing laundry and writing cover letters.  I applied for 5 jobs and felt pretty productive by the time I threw a frozen pizza in the oven for dinner.   As I was getting ready for bed, my phone vibrated.  The text was from Brody and said, "Miss you already.  Sleep well, beautiful."