Barefoot Blue Jean Night

I let the boys sleep in the next morning, Lord knows I needed it too.
The coffee machine brews my morning mug as I wake from my slumber. Pots and pans gather on the stove as I make Mason’s birthday breakfast. I set the kitchen radio on low and hum along to the music before I hear my phone ring. I see two texts waiting.

{i}hey its jamie.

tyler was a wreck this morning but he must have blacked out because he says he doesn’t remember anything about last night{/I}

I’m slightly relieved I don’t have to explain anything to him. I send a reply.

{i}hey thanks for letting me know. lets keep it between us about what happened please? I dont need him knowing I still care.{/I}

Did I really just say that? Too late to take it back now. I almost drop my phone out of my hands when it starts to ring with a call. The caller ID reads ‘Jamie.’

“Sorry, I just thought talking would be a lot faster than texting.” He chuckles.

“Yeah that’s fine. I was actually just about to wake up the boys for breakfast.”

“Oh, cool. Can I say happy birthday to Mason?” He asked. It was cute that he remembered. I tell him to hold while I run upstairs and try to wake up Mase.

I grin at his sleepy morning smile. I hand him the phone and he talks with Jamie for a couple minutes.

“Please say yes, mom.”

I sit the phone against my ear. “What am I agreeing to?”

“You are agreeing to a birthday dinner paid for by me before I have to get on the plane back to Dallas.” He laughs.

“Sure.” Both Mason and Jamie thank me for saying yes. I let Jamie know where to meet us before I hang up the phone.

Mason wakes up Nathan and they both follow me downstairs for breakfast. A couple hours later I drop Nathan off at his house and once we get back to our house, I tell Mason to amuse himself with tv or video games while I shower and get ready for dinner.

I throw on a light black sweater with my black and white striped pencil skirt and some black heels. I set my hair in light waves and natural barely there makeup. I look at myself in the mirror. I ask myself, why do I care what I look like so much. It’s only dinner with Jamie and Mason.

“Whoa, mom! You look really pretty.” Mason smiles at me and I pull him in for a hug.

“Thanks, Mase. Your dad definitely taught you well. Keep it up and you’ll have girls falling all over you.”

I see a slight blush creep up on his cheeks and I laugh. We make our way over to Momma Nona’s just as a cab drops Jamie off. Mase runs off to greet him. He takes Jamie’s hand and drags him over to me.

“Doesn’t mom look really pretty, Jamie?” Hr grins up at him.

Jamie looks me up and down. Suddenly I’m self conscious.
“She looks beautiful.”

We’re quickly escorted to our seats. A small booth in the back, I assume for the least amount of distractions or interruptions.

We order drinks. A glass of wine for me, a beer for Jamie and a glass of Coke for Mase.
Mason quickly excuses himself to use the restroom and Jamie immediately leans in.

“Listen Jamie, I appreciate all of this very much but,-”

He cuts me off and gives me a shy smile.
“I’m very sorry you were under that impression, Lauren. It wasn’t my intention at all. Although I do find you very attractive, Tyler would kill me if I ever got near you.”

I lean back in my seat and sip from my glass of wine.
“So this is about Tyler?”

“Yes, I really wanted to explain some things for you, since he clearly couldn’t.” Jamie laughs.

“I’m listening.”

“The kid has had nothing but people pestering him about his less than stellar off-ice activities in Boston. But he had the guts to text me before coming here and say ‘let’s prove them wrong.’ He knows what he did then was stupid and wrong, but he’s trying so hard to change. Ever since he got here, he barely goes out and most nights he passes out on his couch after a game. That kid is the most dedicated I have ever seen him. Arrives early and stays late at practices. His game has never been better.” He smiles.

“What should I do?” I whisper.

“I’m not saying kiss and make up, but I am saying give the kid a shot to prove he’s not that guy anymore. He’s not the same asshole who broke your heart. Last night was a one off thing because he was pissed at himself for how he handled everything after the game. He’ll kill me if he found out I told you this, but...”

I nod for him to continue.

“He keeps a picture of the two of you in his bedside table. I catch him every once and a while just sitting on his bed, staring at it.”

Mason comes back, sits down between the two of us and starts going on and on with Jamie about hockey. I don’t say much the rest of the dinner, I just enjoy Mason getting excited about the game he once loved. Jamie glances at me every so often, but I shrug it off and sip my glass of wine while picking at my fettuccine Alfredo.

Jamie explains he has to get going and Mason looks crushed. Jamie promises him tickets to a game if we’ll come up to Dallas. I tell Mason that I’ll think about it. We say our goodbyes to Jamie and he takes off in a cab.

“Mom, can we go visit Nana and Papa so we can go see Jamie play?”
Mason asks on the ride home.

“Let me see what Nana and Papa say before we just hop on a plane, okay?”
I muss up his hair.

{i}Please say you’ll think about Dallas. I know you’re hurt...but so is he{/I}

Thanks a lot, Jamie. Just when I thought I made up my mind, you go and say something like that.

Notes