Just a Good Friend

June Challenge  - Using the words PETALS,RING,HEAT, PARTY, LICK and the phrase IT’S A BOY.

Thanks to Jennifer for being a great beta. She does an awesome job.

Thanks also to, as always, everyone in chat for their encouragement and help.

June 1986

A man stood outside the backyard window staring at his wife…ex-wife, he corrected himself, in the arms of another man.

          “Amanda” he whispered agonizingly. “How could she do that? Today of all days and with him?” He said as he recognized the man giving his wife…ex-wife, damn it, a passionate kiss.

          The flowers in his hand were suddenly a burden and the card was inappropriate.

          Happy Anniversary, Amanda. Perhaps it is time to find each other again. Love Always, Joe.

Feeling like he no longer had a place there, he walked away.

In the den of 4247 Maplewood Drive, Lee Stetson broke for air from a kiss with Amanda as a shadow crossed the window. He saw Joe King walking back out the gate. A pang of some unidentifiable emotion went through him as he watched the gate close. Sympathy, guilt, triumph or perhaps a mixture of all three emotions fought for supremacy within him. ‘So, Joe finally saw them together.  Good.’ Lee thought. ‘Maybe this will prove to him she is not available anymore.’

He looked down at Amanda as she studied his expression “Lee, what’s wrong?” She tensed. “Is there someone outside?”

He brought her closer to him. “No. It’s okay. We’re alone.” He pulled her to the couch. “You know, we never did finish our discussion about your divorce.”

Surprised chocolate brown eyes met his hazel ones and he could feel the tension increase in her body as he held her closely. She pulled away from him. “Why would you bring that up now? I thought I made it clear I didn’t want to discuss it.”

His arms dropped from hers. “That was before we were together. Is it so wrong for me to want to know what went wrong so I don’t make the same mistake?”

She got up off the couch and started to walk away from him. “Are you planning on taking a job 5000 miles away and abandon me and my boys?”

“No, of course not.” He came up behind her and put his arms around her.

“Then you’re fine.” In spite of her flat and uninviting tone, she rested her head on his shoulder and held his arms.

He saw the time on his watch. “I have to go.” He kissed the side of her neck. “I’ll be back from the Agency in a couple hours, and then we have the rest of the day together. Let’s go out to dinner and then go dancing, what do you think?”

Lee noted that the smile on her face didn’t reach her eyes. “I’d like that.”

He took her in his arms again and kissed her hair. “I don’t want to leave you like this. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

A small guffaw from her told him that he was forgiven this time.  “It’s okay. You’re nosey and it’s your job. Don’t worry. We’ll talk later. Why don’t you bring some clothes over so that you can help me in the garden? Then you can change before dinner.”

She walked him to the back door. “Are you sure you don’t want to go out the front?”

“Nah, I’m good.” He leaned in to kiss her. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”  A finger under her chin brought her gaze to meet his. “Are you going to be okay?”

A lingering kiss was her answer.

Once Lee left, Amanda sat on the couch again her thoughts taking her in a myriad of directions. ‘Why would Lee bring up Joe today? I guess it’s reasonable that my relationship with Joe could be an issue with him.’ She leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms and legs. Recognizing a defensive position, she tried to relax. ‘Okay, let me think this out. Why does it bother me that Lee wants to know about my marriage? Is it about my failure?’  It had been a few years since she had really analyzed her doomed relationship with Joe. So much of her life had changed since the divorce. ‘When he was under suspicion for murder, I helped him without thinking about it too much. How did we get to this point? I still love Joe. He’s the father of my children. But his desires took him in another direction away from me. Can I blame him for our divorce? Not entirely. He said I’m resistant to change.’ She smiled. ‘I’m not resistant. Lee thinks I’m stubborn though.’ The thought of Lee brought a flush of warmth to her face. ‘Is he really worried I’ll stop seeing him?  I’ve been waiting forever for him. Still, it is a question. How did Joe and I end up this way?’