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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:02:03 GMT -5
Twenty minutes later, Gus was showered, dressed and downstairs making coffee in the kitchen. Harley was in Zach’s room getting his stuff together for swimming lessons later that morning. As she came down the stairs, there was a knock at the door and she rushed to open it.
Zach came bounding into the house and jumped into Harley’s arms.
“Hi Mommy!”
“Hi sweetie, did you have a good time at Grandpa’s?” she asked as she kissed him and set him down.
“Yep!” he said as shrugged his little bookbag off his shoulders.
“He was good, as always,” Buzz said. “Glad to see that you survived.”
“Dad, please.”
“Harley, you’re almost out of sugar,” Gus announced as he walked into the living room with two cups of coffee and some fruit on a tray. “Oh. Hi,” he said when he saw Buzz and Zach were there. “Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asked Buzz politely as he handed Harley her cup.
Buzz stood in Harley’s living room in shock that Gus Aitoro was also standing there this early in the morning.
“Uh, no,” Buzz answered.
“Gus!” Zach exclaimed as he ran to Gus and jumped up on the couch beside him.
“Hey big man, what’s happening?” he asked as he high-fived Zach.
“So, Dad, thanks for watching him for me, and I’ll see you later,” Harley said as she grabbed Buzz’s arm and led him to the door.
Before he left, he stopped and looked back at Gus and Zach sitting on the couch.
“Did he spend the night? Are you sleeping with him?” Buzz asked, mortified.
“Daddy! Listen, not that it’s any of your business, but last night when we got back here, we just talked and it was late and we were drinking and I didn’t think him driving home was safe, so he stayed here. Nothing happened, but even if it did, it’s none of your business!”
“Harley, just be smart about this. Don’t set yourself up to be hurt again,” Buzz warned.
“I’m not! Daddy, please just trust me and stop with the disappointed looks.”
“Fine. I won’t say another word,” Buzz surrendered and left, shutting the door behind him.
Harley turned back to the living room and saw Gus hand Zach a piece of banana which he happily ate.
“Everything okay?” he asked Harley as she sat down on the couch and Zach jumped off to play with his toys on the floor.
“Yeah, everything’s fine,” she smiled, “You got him to eat a banana?” she asked quietly. “He hates bananas,” she laughed.
“Not anymore,” Gus shrugged. “Zach, do you want the rest of this?” he asked as he held up the banana.
Zach jumped up and ate the last piece of banana, “This is good,” he told Harley with a big smile.
“I know,” she replied, “are you going to play for awhile? Remember you have swimming lessons this morning.”
“I want to play with Gus,” Zach said as he tugged Gus’s hand until he got on the floor with him, “Mommy, can Gus come to swimming with us?” he asked.
“If he wants to sweetie.”
Gus looked up at Harley, “Really, I’d like you to come keep me company. Most of the other parents are rich snobs,” she informed him.
“If you’re sure it’s okay,” Gus said.
“I’m sure. Are you okay with him? I’m going to do the dishes.”
“We’re fine,” Gus assured her as she bent down and kissed him before going into the kitchen.
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A few hours later, Gus followed Harley and Zach into the indoor pool in Springfield. Harley took Zach’s shirt and after he took of his shoes, he ran over to the pool where the other kids were waiting for class to begin. Harley waved politely to the crowd of women whose eyes were on her and the handsome man who accompanied her.
“Let’s go over here,” she suggested as she took Gus’s hand and led him over to a small round table.
As they sat down, Harley kept her hand wrapped in Gus’s and they watched as the small children began their swimming lessons.
“So, did your dad freak this morning when he saw me there?” Gus asked as Zach turned and waved at them.
“He was surprised. He’s just worried that you’re going to break my heart,” Harley replied.
“What do I have to do to make him, and you, believe that I’m not going to do that?”
Harley shrugged, “Well, to make me believe it, just don’t. I mean, you don’t have to do anything for me. It’s mostly me. I need to learn to trust myself again and I’m beginning to do that with you. I want to be able to trust that what I feel for you, and what I think you feel for me, is real and something that isn’t going to leave me broken again. And everyone else, well, they’ve just seen me fall in love over and over again with men who hurt me, and they just assume you’re going to be another one.”
“Harley, I don’t want to just be another guy who hurts you. I don’t want to be a way for your family to say ‘I told you so’. I want to make you happy, because you make me happy. Last night was probably the best night of my life. I love being with you, I love seeing you smile, and waking up with you in my arms felt so right. For the first time since my dad died, I feel like I have something to live for, something more than myself. I can’t promise you that we’ll be together forever. I can’t promise that at some point, one or both of us won’t screw up and hurt the other one. What I can promise you is that I will do anything to keep you from getting hurt by anyone, but especially me. And if you are hurt, I promise to do anything I can to make you feel better. I don’t know if that will convince them, but I’m hoping it will win you over.”
“It did,” Harley smiled. “You know what I think will convince them?” she asked, “I think if you just keep on making me smile, they’ll realize that you’re a good guy and maybe even the right guy for me.”
“Would it be highly inappropriate for me to give you a big kiss right now?” Gus leaned over and asked quietly.
Harley looked around at the kids in the pool and the group of mothers who still had at least one pair of eyes watching what she and Gus were doing.
“Probably,” she replied, “but how about a little kiss and the promise of a big one later?” she asked, her eyes shining.
“Sounds good to me,” Gus replied as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips, “I can’t wait until later.”
Harley laughed as the instructor blew the whistle signaling the end of the lesson. All the kids jumped out of the pool and ran to their parents. Harley got Zach’s towel out and he ran right into it as he waved to his friends who also ran to their parents. He dried off enough so he wouldn’t drip in the car and he jumped up on Gus’s lap so Harley could help him put his shoes on.
“Okay, you ready?” she asked as she got up.
“Yep,” Zach said as he got off Gus’s lap and took one of Harley’s hands and one of Gus’s and walked between them.
“Hi, Harley,” they heard from a voice behind them.
Zach let go of their hands and ran in front of them with another little boy as the boy’s mother caught up to Gus and Harley.
“Hi, Sharon,” Harley replied as she took Gus’s hand and kept walking, “How are you?”
“I’m good, thanks. You look good,” Sharon replied, “Hi,” she said as she stuck her hand out to Gus, “I’m Sharon, Sammy’s mom,” she said, pointing to the little boy playing with Zach ahead of them.
“Gus,” he replied politely as he shook her hand.
“You look so familiar,” Sharon wondered.
“Uh, Sharon is Patrick’s wife,” Harley told Gus, “Gus is also a detective,” she then explained to Sharon.
“Oh, that’s probably why you look familiar!” she replied as they reached their cars which were parked right next to each other. Gus opened Zach’s door and helped him get into his car seat while Harley went to the driver’s side of the car.
“It was nice meeting you Gus,” Sharon yelled over her car before she got in.
“You too,” Gus replied before he ducked into the front seat of Harley’s car.
“He is gorgeous!” she mouthed to Harley, then got into her car.
Harley laughed as she started the car.
“What?” Gus asked.
“She thinks you’re gorgeous.”
Gus smiled and rubbed his chin, “Well, I do what I can.”
Harley shook her head pulled the car out of the parking space.
By the time they got back to Harley’s house, Zach was fast asleep. Gus carried him in the house and upstairs to his room.
“Thank you,” Harley said as he came back downstairs.
“You’re welcome. He’s really out. At least you should get some peace and quiet before he wakes up.”
“Are you leaving?” Harley asked when she saw that he carried his clothes from the night before down with him.
“Yeah, I’m going to let you have some time to enjoy your day off. I don’t want you to get sick of me before our second date.”
“Alright,” Harley laughed as she followed him to the door. “You know what? It’s later- time for that big kiss.”
“Oh yeah,” Gus said as he dropped the pile of clothes he had in his hands and wrapped his arms around Harley, kissing her passionately.
She kissed him back until they were both out of breath.
“We still on for tomorrow?” she asked.
“You bet,” he answered, “Call me sometime.”
“I will,” she said as he picked up the clothes he had dropped. “Bye.”
“Bye,” he said as he kissed her one last time and left.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:02:24 GMT -5
“Finally!” Cassie said as Harley and Blake walked into the lobby of the Beacon. “I thought you guys forgot.”
“Sorry,” Blake replied, “My fault.”
“So?” Cassie asked.
“She wouldn’t say anything until we got here,” Blake said.
“Well, you’re here! Come on, I have drinks waiting,” Cassie said as they went into the bar.
“Okay, so spill it, how was last night?” Cassie asked as they sat down.
“Was he there when I called this morning?” Blake asked and Cassie’s eyebrows shot up.
“Last night was wonderful,” Harley said simply. “We went to Towers for dinner, and of course, Frank showed up, but then we went to the beach and got caught in the rain, so we went back to my house and we just talked. For hours. Before we knew it, it was three and we had finished off an entire bottle of wine, I just thought it would be better if he didn’t drive, so he stayed. We didn’t do anything, but I had forgotten how nice it is to fall asleep in someone’s arms. It was just perfect,” she continued with a huge smile on her face. “So, yes, last night was great, he was there when you called, and I passed up another wonderful evening with him to be here with you two, so you better not make me regret it.”
“Wow,” Blake said, “So you had fun, huh?”
Harley still hadn’t stopped smiling, “I’m falling for him. Hard and fast. And I love it.”
“Harley, I am so happy for you! It’s so nice to see you smile like this. But make sure he knows that if he hurts you, he has to deal with us,” Cassie said.
“He won’t. I mean, I really think that he could be the one man who would never hurt me.”
“Okay, but still Harley, be careful. You don’t want to lay everything out for this guy and have him stomp all over you,” Cassie continued.
Blake picked up in a different direction, “But if he makes you this happy, don’t push him away. Go with it, girl.”
“I am. I have decided that I am going to jump feet first into this relationship. Maybe I’ll get hurt, maybe I’ll hurt him, but I know I have to do this. And you know, I love you guys and I love these girls only nights, but I gotta tell you, I am really close to dumping you and going to see him.”
“Gees, you act like you haven’t seen him in a week. You just spent the night with him!” Blake said.
“I know, but it’s like it’s been too long. I sound like a teenager, don’t I? I just can’t wait to kiss him again.”
“He a good kisser?” Cassie asked.
“Oh yeah,” Harley and Blake both answered at the same time.
Harley shot Blake a look.
“Well, our kiss was a long time ago, and meant nothing, and it was good. So when he kisses you, it must be fabulous,” Blake covered.
Harley laughed at her friend, “He’s a very good kisser. Very good,” she reiterated.
“Okay, enough about your man. Let’s talk about me and my man,” Blake said. “I want to go dress shopping!” she whined. “When can I pull you both away to come with me?”
Harley and Cassie both pulled out their planners.
“How about tomorrow?” Cassie suggested.
“No, Gus and I are taking Zach to the park,” Harley said.
“Awww,” Cassie and Blake both said and Harley rolled her eyes.
“What about Saturday? That’s the only day I don’t have to work,” she said.
“Cassie, does that work for you?”
“Yes, Saturday it is,” Cassie said and the three agreed they would go shopping for Blake’s wedding dress and their bridesmaids dresses that day.
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Later that night after Harley had tucked Zach into bed and she crawled into her own, she reached over and grabbed the phone. She dialed Gus’s number and he answered on the second ring.
“Hey,” she said when he answered.
“Hey you.”
“We’re still on for tomorrow right?” she asked.
“Absolutely. I’ll be over around one, is that okay?”
“Perfect,” Harley answered.
“How was dinner with the girls?” he asked.
“It was good,” she replied and they talked for an hour until Harley yawned.
“I’m going to let you get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Gus said.
“Alright, good night.”
“Sweet dreams, Harley,” Gus said before they both hung up.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:03:32 GMT -5
“Good morning, sleepyhead!” Harley said as Zach came into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. “It’s about time you got up. Do you want something to eat?”
“Can I have a banana?” Zach asked as Harley kissed the top of his head.
“You know where they’re at,” she replied as she unloaded the dishwasher.
Zach picked up the last banana from the counter and sat down at the table.
“Maybe I should save this for Gus the next time he eats breakfast here,” he said before he peeled it.
Harley smiled, “Tell you what, sweetie, you go ahead and eat that banana and later we’ll go to the store and pick up some more bananas for Gus, okay?” she said as she set a glass of milk in front of him.
“Okay,” he answered happily. After he took a few bites of the banana, he turned to Harley, “Mommy, can I go swimming today?”
“Not today sweetie. Gus is going to come over and we’re all going to the park,” Harley answered.
“Gus is coming? Yay!” Zach said as he jumped out of his chair and ran upstairs to get dressed.
A few hours later, Zach ran to the door when the doorbell rang and waited impatiently for Harley to open it.
“Mommy! Open it for Gus!” he begged jumping up and down.
“Zach, calm down,” she said as she opened the door and Zach jumped into Gus’s arms.
“Hey buddy!” Gus said, caught off-guard by the child in his arms.
“I thought you were never coming!” Zach said as he jumped down and pulled Gus into the living room.
“Am I late?” Gus asked Harley.
“No, he’s just very excited. All I heard all morning was ‘When is Gus coming?’ and ‘Gus is going to the park with us!’ Thank goodness you’re here so he’ll shut up,” she teased.
“Zach, go upstairs and get your stuff and then we’ll go,” Harley told him and he ran up the stairs.
Gus stood up and waited until Zach was upstairs, then he pulled Harley over to him.
“Hi,” he said with a smile.
“Hi back,” she replied as she met his lips with hers.
“Did you sleep well last night?” he asked.
“I had a great dream about this guy I know,” she teased.
“Oh yeah? I had a great dream too, only mine was about a pretty girl,” he added as he teased her neck with his lips.
“Sounds like we both had good dreams then,” she said as she ran her hands down his back and kissed him deeply again.
Gus stepped away as they heard Zach running down the stairs.
“Let’s go!” he exclaimed as he jumped off the last step with a bag that was bigger than him.
“What do you have in that bag there?” Gus asked him.
“I have a Frisbee and some toys for the sandbox and a soccer ball,” Zach said matter of factly.
“How about baseball? Do you like baseball?” Gus asked.
“Yeah, but my glove is at Daddy’s.”
“Well, that’s okay,” Gus said, “I think I have something in my car we can use when we get to the park.”
“Okay, you guys ready?” Harley asked as she picked up the picnic basket from the coffee table.
“Yep, let’s go,” Gus said as he took the basket from her and she locked the door behind them.
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“Why don’t we eat first, and then we can play,” Harley suggested as Gus spread out a blanket for them under a tree.
“Works for me,” Gus replied as he sat down next to Zach who was already sprawled out on the blanket, “What do you have good for us?”
“Well, for Zach I have peanut-butter and jelly,” she replied as she handed Zach his sandwich, “And for us I have either ham and cheese or turkey and cheese, your choice.”
“Mmm, I’ll have ham,” Gus said as he grabbed the sandwich.
“And I brought pretzels, apples and some cookies,” Harley added as she picked items out of the basket.
“Mommy brought us a feast didn’t she?” Gus asked Zach who nodded and got jelly smeared across his face.
After they finished eating, Zach was ready to play. His first choice was to go on the merry-go-round, so Harley and Zach climbed on and held on tight while Gus got it spinning.
“Faster!” Zach cried out as he gripped the rails tighter and Gus obliged.
When he got it at a good speed, he jumped on and rode with them until it slowed to a stop, Zach giggling the whole time. When it stopped, Zach jumped off and exaggerated his dizziness as he ran over to the swing set. For the next few hours, Gus and Harley chased Zach around the park from one attraction to another. He had climbed to the top of the jungle gym, slid down the fireman’s pole and went across the monkey bars with a little help from Gus. Finally, Zach ran over to his bag and pulled out his soccer ball and the three of them found an open spot and kicked the ball around.
“Mommy, you be the goalie,” Zach instructed Harley as he moved her into place. “Gus, you try to get the ball away from me.”
Zach kicked and chased the ball towards Harley as Gus played along, trying to steal it away. When he got close to the “goal”, Zach stopped, concentrated and kicked the ball as hard as he could. Harley had to step out of the way a bit so the ball would go into the makeshift goal, but when it did, both she and Gus made a big fuss over Zach making a goal. Zach graciously let Gus have the ball and after he let Zach steal it from him a few times, he kicked it down to the goal and aimed. Harley blocked it easily and Zach laughed at the fact that Gus didn’t get it in the goal. While they played for awhile, Zach got almost every goal he aimed for and Gus didn’t get any, which both Zach and Harley got a big kick out of.
“Yeah, ha ha,” Gus said, “What should we do next, Zach?”
“Can we play catch?” he asked.
“You bet. Give me a second,” Gus agreed and he went over and got the bag he had brought with him.
When he returned, he pulled two old baseball gloves and a baseball out of the bag.
“This,” he began as he handed the smaller glove to Zach, “was my glove when I was a kid, and this one belonged to my dad. We used to play catch in the backyard for hours. And my dad caught this ball for me at a game we went to. Have you ever been to a Cub’s game?” he asked and Zach shook his head ‘no’. “Well, we’ll just have to go sometime, won’t we?” Gus suggested as he smiled at Harley. “Sorry, I only have two gloves.”
“That’s okay, I’ll just go sit on the blanket and watch,” she replied as she got comfy on the blanket and watch Gus show Zach how to catch the ball in the glove.
She couldn’t help but be touched at the scene in front of her. Gus had brought the gloves that he and his father had played catch with and was now using them with her son. Knowing how much his father meant to him, and seeing him share something so special with Zach made her heart melt. He was so good with Zach, he was patient and helped him get used to the big glove on his hand, he tossed the ball gently to him and complemented him when he caught it and encouraged him when he didn’t, which was most of the time.
As Harley watched Gus and Zach toss the ball back and forth she heard a familiar voice behind her.
“Well, look who’s here! What a coincidence!”
“You have got to be kidding me!” Harley said as she turned around and saw her best friend Blake standing there with Ross and Clarissa.
“I didn’t know you guys would be here,” Blake said, grinning.
“You did too,” Harley insisted as she stood up.
“Well, whatever. Hi Zach, hi Gus!” she waved to them, then made herself comfortable on the blanket. “Did you guys have a good picnic?” she asked Harley.
“Yes, it was great,” Harley answered.
“Clarissa, why don’t you and Zach go play in the sandbox while the grown-ups talk?” Blake suggested and sent Clarissa over to Zach.
Gus came over to the blanket carrying the gloves, “I lost out to the girl and sand. I think it’s true love.”
“They’re cousins,” Harley informed him.
“What? How?” Gus asked, confused.
“It’s a long story,” Harley, Blake and Ross all said in unison.
“How are you doing Gus?” Ross asked as he shook Gus’s hand.
“Great, how about you?” he asked, then turned to Blake, “What a coincidence we’re all here at the same time!”
“Isn’t it though?” she asked back with a sly smile. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“I really am,” he replied, “Zach is going to be a great ball player one day. He’s a fast learner.”
“He looked like he was having a blast,” Harley said as she pulled him down on the blanket beside her. “That was really sweet of you to let him use your old glove,” she said quietly as she put her arm around him.
Gus shrugged, “Someone’s gotta use it,” he replied as he kissed her softly.
Harley smiled and turned to Blake, “Can you keep an eye on him for a little bit?” she asked and when Blake nodded, she stood up and pulled Gus to his feet.
She took his hand and they walked over to the deserted swing set. She sat down on a swing and Gus stood in front of her with his hands on the chains and looked down at her.
“I wanted to tell you about Phillip. I mean, if you still want to know.”
“I would like to know, but you don’t have to tell me if you’re not ready,” Gus said.
“I’m ready. You want to sit down? This could take awhile,” she suggested and he sat in the swing next to her.
“Alright,” he said as he sat down and waited for her to start talking.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:03:56 GMT -5
She was silent for a few minutes while she worked up the strength to talk about it and Gus patiently waited for her. After a few minutes, he reached over and touched her arm just to let her know that he was there for her. Harley looked over and smiled at him, then looked forward again, down at the ground.
“Phillip was married to Beth before we got married. They lived in Arizona for awhile, and had Lizzie and then he moved back here and they got a divorce and that was when we started seeing each other. Things were going really good,” she began and told him about how she and Phillip got together and when they got engaged. “Then Beth came back to town and suddenly everything was about her. She always needed Phillip for something, he was always running to her rescue. And deep down I knew she would always be first in his life, but he assured me over and over again that Zach and I were his priority, and I loved him, so I believed him.”
“The Thanksgiving after Zach was born, we went to San Cristobel to visit Richard and Cassie. Phillip, Beth and Jim had to come back to Springfield, and their plane crashed in the snow. Jim went out looking for help leaving Phillip and Beth in the plane. They started talking about Lizzie and their life together and they thought they were going to die, and they ended up sleeping together. While I was in San Cristobel worried about him, he was having sex with his ex-wife,” she continued, choking up at the end.
Gus silently cursed Phillip for doing what he did and he reached over and grabbed Harley’s hand without saying a word.
Harley gained strength through his touch and kept going, “Anyway, Beth got pregnant, with James and they decided they would let Jim raise the baby with Beth as his own and no one would ever know the baby was Phillip’s. Well, to make a long story short, Lizzie got sick, she needed a transplant and the baby was a perfect match. Jim didn’t want to risk the baby’s life by having him delivered early and Phillip pulled out the DNA card, told everyone the baby was his, Beth had James, he saved Lizzie’s life and Jim and I are just devastated. He lied to me for months and months. I knew something was wrong, I knew there was something going on with them, but he kept telling me there wasn’t and that I was being insecure. We tried to make it work after that, but it was just one thing after another with Beth and I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t be second best to her anymore. But what hurt the most is that in what he thought were his final moments, when he thought he was going to die, he was making love to her instead of thinking of Zach and me. I was his wife. Why wasn’t I the one he was longing to hold one last time?” she finished, her voice cracking.
Gus twisted his swing around so he was sideways facing her and he turned her face towards him.
“Harley, I am so sorry for what he did to you,” he said quietly, “I would do anything to take that pain away.”
“There’s more,” she said. “I was married before Phillip. Twice actually.”
“Oh,” Gus said, he didn’t know that.
“The first time was with Alan-Michael, Phillip’s brother. It wasn’t for love, at least not at first, but I fell in love with him. He cheated on me, with Blake actually, we got divorced and I moved on. To Josh Lewis. I was their nanny for awhile and we all thought Reva was dead and Josh and I got close, we were even engaged. And one day, someone saw Reva in the background of one of those travel tapes for Italy. And he picked up and ran off to Italy to find her. And that was the end of us. Then there was Mallet. He was really the first man I ever loved more than anything. We were partners and we fell in love and got married and moved to Florida. And then he cheated on me. And that’s when I came back to Springfield and started seeing Phillip. And you know that story.”
“So yeah, I have a hard time trusting men when they tell me they love me, and I have a hard time allowing myself to fall for a guy, especially when I know what has happened every other time. Someone else always came first with him, whoever it was. I was never number one, and I am so sick of being brushed aside for someone else. What’s wrong with me? Why am I not enough for him? What did I do wrong that made him go to someone else? Was I not pretty enough, or supportive enough, what was it that made them choose ‘her’ over me?”
“Stop that,” Gus said, “there’s nothing wrong with you. God, do you even know how amazing you are? Those guys messed up, and when they lost you, they lost the best thing that ever happened to them. Please don’t assume that I am like those other guys. I don’t have any ex-wives in my closet. I don’t have anyone, Harley. Except for you. I would do anything, anything, to make up for the way those men hurt you, but I can’t change what happened, as much as I want to. All I can do is make sure I never hurt you like that. And I won’t, I promise you.”
“They all promised that too, Gus,” she said quietly as a tear rolled down her face.
“I’m not them. I’m me. You gotta give me a chance to prove that to you.”
“I want to so bad. But I am so afraid, I don’t think I could survive if I had to go through that again.”
Gus got up from his swing and stood in front of Harley. He pulled her to her feet, pulled her close, and held her tight without saying anything for a long time.
“I don’t know how to make it better,” he finally said, “but I want to try. I want to make you forget everything bad that’s ever happened to you.”
“You’re off to a good start. That was the first time I’ve told that story or even thought about it without sobbing,” Harley said.
“Maybe you’re just used to it.”
“Or maybe for the first time, I’m looking forward to what’s in front of me, instead of being stuck on what’s behind me,” she replied.
“I’m in front of you,” he whispered, “literally,” he added with a laugh.
“I know,” she said with a smile and she reached up and kissed him softly. “I’m sorry for dumping this all on you. I hope I didn’t scare you away.”
“Not at all, at least now I know what I’m up against.”
“Thank you,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and let her body rest against his.
“Blake, I cannot believe you made me come here so you could spy on Harley and Gus,” Ross said as he watched Clarissa and Zach play in the sandbox. “Why do you always have to have your nose in other people’s business?”
“I just wanted to see how things are going,” Blake said as she kept a close eye on the couple by the swing set.
“Well, obviously things are going fine, so butt out!”
“Fine,” Blake conceded, “they’re coming back anyway,” she said as she saw them walking back, hand in hand.
“Well, when they get here, we’re leaving,” Ross insisted.
“No, we’re not, the kids are playing!”
Ross sighed in frustration and laid back on the blanket. Over the years, he had learned he could only argue with Blake so much before it was better to just give in.
“Thanks guys,” Harley said when they returned to the blanket, “They okay?”
“Oh yeah, they’re totally into the sand,” Blake replied, “are you okay?” she asked when she saw Harley looked like she had been crying.
Harley nodded, “I think I finally am,” she replied as she sat down in front of Gus between his legs and he wrapped his arms around her.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:04:19 GMT -5
“Hey Dad,” Harley greeted as she sat down at the bar at Company early Monday morning.
“Hey kiddo. What are you doing here so early?” he asked.
“I’m meeting Gus for breakfast,” she answered and Buzz rolled his eyes.
“Daddy,” she warned and he raised his arms in surrender.
“I didn’t say a word,” he said, “Do you want coffee or are you going to wait?”
“I’ll wait,” she said and he went to refill coffee at another table.
Five minutes later, Gus walked into Company and spotted Harley at the bar reading the newspaper.
“Busy place,” he said as he came up beside her.
She looked up and smiled, “Hey. Yeah, I’m sure there will be a table soon though.”
“Okay,” Gus said as he took off his suit jacket and put it over the back of the stool next to Harley.
Harley looked at him expectedly, “Don’t I even get a good morning kiss?” she asked.
“I didn’t think Buzz would appreciate that,” Gus replied quietly and he put his hand on the back of Harley’s stool.
“Do I care?” Harley said as she put her hand on his arm and leaned over closer to him and they shared a short, but full kiss.
“Good morning,” he said breathless.
“Morning,” she replied and leaned in to kiss him again.
“Ahem,” Buzz cleared his throat as he came up behind them, “There’s a booth free now.”
Gus quickly pulled away, “Uh thanks Mr. Cooper.”
“You can call me Buzz. Everyone does,” Buzz said.
“Uh okay, Buzz,” Gus said hesitantly.
“Come on,” Harley said as she took Gus’s hand and headed for the empty booth. She turned around and mouthed ‘thank you’ to Buzz who waved her off.
“That was a good sign right?” Gus asked when they sat down.
“Yes,” Harley answered as a waitress came over and handed them menus.
“Coffee?” she asked.
“Yes, please,” Gus replied.
“Can I have hot tea, please?” Harley asked and the waitress left to get their drinks.
“No coffee?” Gus asked as he browsed the menu.
“I feel a sore throat coming on and I’m trying to prevent it,” Harley explained.
“I hope it’s not from getting caught in the rain the other night,” Gus asked seriously.
“If it is, it was worth it,” Harley said. “This weekend was wonderful.”
“It was wonderful,” Gus agreed with a smile.
“Zach talks about you all the time. He just adores you. It’s all Gus this and Gus that,” Harley laughed.
“He is such a great kid, Harley. I think he gets it from his great mom.”
“Thank you,” Harley replied as the waitress came to take their order.
After they ate, Gus paid the bill and they walked out of Company, saying goodbye to Buzz, hand in hand.
“This is going to be so hard,” Harley complained as they walked to the parking lot.
“What is?” Gus asked as he fished through his jacket for a cigarette.
“Being at work with you all day and not kissing you, pretending nothing is going on,” Harley explained.
“We might need to take frequent make-out breaks,” Gus teased as they reached Harley’s car.
“Sounds good to me,” Harley said as she pushed Gus up against her car and they kissed passionately.
“Mmm, that should last us a good five minutes,” Gus teased when they came up for air.
Harley sighed and kissed his neck above his loosened tie, “You gonna show up first or am I?” she asked.
“Go ahead, I’m gonna smoke this. I’ll be there soon,” Gus replied and opened her car door.
She got in, shut the door and opened the window, “Well, that’s one way to keep me from kissing you.”
Gus shook his head and leaned in the window to kiss her goodbye, “I’ll quit tomorrow, I swear.”
“Yeah right. I’ll see you at the station,” she said, then pulled out of the parking lot.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Mornin’ Frank, Justin,” Harley said as she came into the station and saw them standing at the coffeemaker.
“Good morning sis,” Frank greeted, “I see you survived,” he said indignantly.
“Survived what?” Justin asked.
Harley shot Frank a look, “Nothing. Frank’s just being a pain in the butt.”
“Do you want some coffee, Harley?” Justin asked.
“No, thanks,” she replied.
“Look at you three, standing around drinking coffee when there are criminals out there on the streets,” Gus said as he came into the station past them.
“Good morning to you too, Aitoro,” Harley said as she followed him to his desk.
“Did Frank tell Justin?” he asked quietly as he sat down.
“No, he promised he wouldn’t,” Harley replied.
“Hey,” Frank interrupted, “Someone has to go testify at the trial for those dealers we arrested last week. Justin and I have some other cases we could work on if you two could go.”
Harley looked at Gus who nodded, anything to keep them out of the station and away from the eyes of others.
“Yeah, we can do that,” Harley told Frank. “What time is that?”
“Ten,” Frank answered. “I’ll call the DA and let her know you two will be there.”
“Thanks, Frank,” Harley said, then turned to Gus, “We should get our case ready and get over there.”
“Okay, I’ll go get the files,” Gus said as he got up and went into another office.
Half an hour later, Gus and Harley were in Gus’s car on the way to the courthouse.
When they got there, they stepped into an empty elevator and Gus pushed the button for the fourth floor.
“You know…we have a while before we have to be there, and we’re in here all alone,” Gus said.
“Does the alarm sound if you stop the elevator?” Harley asked.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Gus said as he reached over and pulled the stop button out.
When they didn’t hear an alarm, Gus pressed Harley up against the wall of the elevator in a deep kiss. He held her face with his hands and she reached down and unbuttoned his suit jacket. She slid her hands inside his jacket and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him back to her. He moved his lips from her mouth to her neck and Harley let out a soft moan in delight. She reached up and redirected his mouth to hers and their tongues mingled.
“Hello? Is everything okay?” a voice crackled over the intercom, causing both Gus and Harley to jump.
Gus pushed the intercom button, “Yeah, sorry, we just hit the stop button on accident,” he said as he pushed the stop button back in and the elevator started moving.
“Okay,” the voice said.
He looked back at Harley who was laughing.
“There’s always someone to interrupt us,” she said as she grabbed his tie and pulled him back to her.
She buttoned his suit jacket and kissed him softly just before the elevator doors opened to reveal the fourth floor and a hallway full of people.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Later that afternoon, Gus and Harley were back at the station and were just about to interrogate a suspect in a rape case. They were in the observation room setting the tape up and watching the suspect while he was alone.
“Is that tape ready?” Gus asked Harley.
“Yes, labeled and everything, just need to hit the start button,” she answered, “Listen, the next couple of days are kind of hectic for me with working, and Zach. Anyway, Wednesday night we’re having a little party at Company. It’s my dad’s birthday and it’s kind of an early birthday party for Marina too since Eleni’s in town. But I would really like you to come with me.”
Gus hesitated, “Um, I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”
“Why not?”
“It just, it sounds like a family thing, and I don’t want to invade it. And I doubt your family wants me there.”
“But I want you there,” Harley replied.
“Well, I know, but look, I want your family to not hate me. I don’t want them to give you those looks when they see us together anymore. But forcing me on them, especially at a family thing, isn’t the way to get them to accept me. I just think it would be better if we did it differently,” Gus explained.
Harley let out a frustrated and disappointed sigh and conceded, “Alright,” she said unhappily. “I just want them to get to know you like I do.”
Gus leaned over and kissed her cheek, “I know. It will be okay,” he assured her.
“Alright, so we don’t do the family thing yet. What about Thursday night? Are you free?”
“Of course.”
“Good, because Phillip is taking Zach for the night for some Spaulding thing. And I want to spend the evening with you,” Harley said.
“Okay,” Gus smiled, “What do you want to do?”
“Anything, nothing, I don’t care. I just want to be with you. This weekend was great, and I loved that you were with Zach and I yesterday, but I want you all to myself for a night,” Harley replied.
“I am all yours,” he said. “There’s a concert in the park, some local band. Maybe we can check that out?” he suggested.
“Sounds good, I can’t wait,” Harley smiled and kissed him then they headed into the interrogation room.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:05:42 GMT -5
“Happy Birthday Grandpa!” Zach exclaimed when he and Harley walked into Company later that week.
Buzz rushed over and swung Zach into his arms, “Thank you buddy!” he said as he kissed him.
“You by yourself?” he asked Harley as he kissed her cheek.
“Zach, why don’t you go put Grandpa’s present on the table,” Harley said and Zach ran over to where Frank was setting the table. “Yes, I’m by myself. I invited Gus but he didn’t feel like spending the evening with people who hate him,” she replied bitterly.
“Harley,” Buzz began.
“Forget it. I was hoping I could have my…my boyfriend and my family in the same room for one night, but I guess that can’t happen. And you know what, I don’t blame him. He has never done a thing to you, and he makes me happy. I would think that would be enough for you to at least give him a chance,” she continued, raising her voice.
“Hey, what’s going on over here?” Frank asked as he came over.
“Nothing,” Harley said indignantly as she brushed past him.
Frank looked at Buzz confused, “What was that about?” he asked.
“She wanted Gus to come but he didn’t want to because he thinks we hate him,” Buzz explained.
“Well, hate’s kind of a strong word, but come on, Dad. Do you really think he’s right for Harley?”
“She seems to think so,” Buzz shrugged and Frank shook his head. “Give me your cell phone,” he demanded.
“Why?” Frank asked hesitantly.
“Just give it to me.”
“You’re not going to call him, are you?”
“Whose birthday is it? Mine. And if I want to call him, I will,” Buzz said as he headed outside.
He searched Frank’s phone for Gus’s cell phone number and dialed it.
“Aitoro,” Gus answered on the third ring.
“Aitoro- it’s Buzz Cooper,” he said.
“Oh. Uh hey Buzz.”
“I was calling to invite you down to Company for a little party tonight,” Buzz told him.
“Did Harley put you up to this?” Gus asked.
“No,” Buzz answered, “She has no idea I’m calling you.”
“Look, Buzz, I appreciate whatever you’re trying to do, but you don’t like me and I don’t want to ruin your party. It’s fine, really.”
“Well, you know what? I never said I didn’t like you. And my daughter is here in a bad mood because you’re not here and she’s ruining my party anyways. She gave me a good talking to just now and she was right. You make her happy, and I should respect that and give you a chance. Now, I will only ask you one more time. And this is from me, will you come to the party?”
“And what about Frank?” Gus asked.
“I can’t speak for Frank, but he wouldn’t dare go up against both me and Harley tonight. I think you’ll be safe.”
“Okay. I will be there in a little bit,” Gus said, then before he hung up, he added, “Hey Buzz, thanks for giving me a chance. You won’t regret it.”
“I better not. And we’re not waiting for you to start eating,” Buzz warned, then hung up and went back inside.
When Buzz went back inside, Harley was talking to Eleni.
“When are we gonna eat, Grandpa? I’m starving!” Marina complained.
“Right now,” Buzz said and everyone helped bring the food out of the kitchen.
Everyone sat down at the table. Buzz and Frank sat on either end with Eleni and Marina on one side and Harley and Zach on the other. Harley got Zach a plate then dished one out for herself. As everyone started eating, the front door opened and Gus came in.
Everyone looked up to see who was there and Harley smiled when she saw him.
“It’s about time you get here,” Buzz said as he got up and put an extra chair between him and Harley and got Gus a plate.
“Sorry, I’m little late,” he said, smiling broadly at Harley.
“Well, come on, sit down,” Buzz insisted and Gus obeyed and sat next to Harley.
“I thought you weren’t coming?” she asked quietly when he sat down.
He shrugged, “Someone called and changed my mind.”
Harley looked at Buzz, surprised, then back at Gus, “I’m so glad,” she smiled. She leaned over and hugged him. “Thank you,” she mouthed to Buzz, who smiled back at her. Then she pulled away and kissed Gus while Frank looked on annoyed.
Before he filled his plate, Gus leaned forward and looked down the table at Zach. He waved to him and Zach returned the wave with a huge smile.
“I don’t think you guys met the other night,” Harley said, “Gus, this is Eleni, Eleni, this is Gus. Now you know each other.”
Gus stood up and reached across the table to shake Eleni’s hand. When he sat back down, Eleni discretely gave Harley a thumbs up sign.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“No, no, wait- you have to tell them about the Cubs game,” Harley said to Gus after they all finished eating.
“Oh, yeah,” Gus said, “So me and a buddy are at a Cubs game, this was probably 2 years ago. Anyway, it was the seventh inning stretch, and the stadium is packed and everyone’s on their feet singing ‘Take Me Out To the Ball Game’ and all of a sudden, this guy jumps out of the stands onto the field, and he’s butt naked. Not a stitch of clothing on him, and he runs across the infield. This is the best part- he’s running across the field and all of a sudden, the field maintenance people are out there with hoses, hosing him down. But he doesn’t stop, he just keeps running. Finally, the mascot start running after him and tackles him! It was the highlight of the night considering the Cubs lost.”
Everyone but Frank laughed at Gus’s story, and Zach laughed at everyone else laughing. Frank sat back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest, a serious expression on his face.
“I haven’t been to a Cubs game in ages,” Buzz said.
“I want to take Zach soon, since he’s never been to one,” Gus said as he smiled at Zach who was sitting in Harley’s lap playing with a toy car.
“Don’t you think that’s something he should do with his father?” Frank asked.
Harley shot Frank a look and Gus nodded, getting the picture.
“As if you know who would ever lower himself to mingle with the commoners at a Cubs game,” Buzz replied, “I think Zach would love going to a game with you.”
An awkward silence came over the group which Eleni broke quickly.
“Who wants some cake?” she asked as she got up to get Buzz’s birthday cake from the kitchen.
“I’ll help you,” Harley volunteered and Zach switched to Gus’s lap.
“What is Frank’s problem?” Eleni asked when she and Harley got into the kitchen.
“I don’t know,” Harley replied.
“Does he not like Gus?”
“He hates Gus.”
“Why?”
“Well, when Gus first came to town, he did some things that people didn’t agree with. He fabricated evidence against Danny Santos for the murder of his mother, Carmen.”
“Danny Santos? You mean the head of the Santos crime family?” Eleni asked.
“Well, yeah. Anyway, a lot of people in this town haven’t been able to get over it. And he’s kind of obnoxious sometimes because he doesn’t care what other people think, you know. If he’s thinking something, he’ll say it. People in this town don’t always like honesty.”
“So Frank doesn’t like him because he tried to send a mobster to jail?”
“Partly. And I think also because Frank is afraid that Gus will hurt be like everyone else has. You know, Frank has always looked out for me, and I think that’s what he trying to do now. He just doesn’t realize that he’s hurting me more than helping me by not even trying to get along with Gus. And Gus doesn’t make it any easier, I know that, I just wish other people could see him the way I do,” Harley said sadly.
“Well, if it means anything to you, I like him. He’s cute, he’s funny, and I love the way he looks at you. Like you are the most perfect thing he’s ever seen. And he’s so good with Zach.”
Harley smiled, “Yes, he is. Zach just loves him.”
“How long have you been dating?” Eleni asked.
“Well, our first date was five days ago,” Harley laughed.
“Five days? Wow. I thought it was longer than that, the way you act around each other,” Eleni commented.
“What do you mean?” Harley asked.
“You seem to know each other really well. And you invited him to a family thing, and he showed up. I just would have thought it was more serious than it is,” she explained.
“Well, we’ve only been officially dating for five days, but it has months and months of flirting and trying to deny our feelings for each other. Actually, I was the one denying things. And it is serious. I don’t think either of us are in this just for casual dating.”
“Well, then I’m happy for you. You seem very happy.”
“I am. For the first time in a long time, I really am happy. I just wish Frank could see that,” Harley sighed as Eleni picked up the cake.
“Frank will come around, just give him time,” Eleni said as they went back into the dining room to sing Happy Birthday to Buzz.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:06:53 GMT -5
The next evening…
Gus knocked on Harley’s door then pushed the sleeves of his sweater up. He immediately wished he would have gone for a short-sleeved shirt because he was already sweating. When the door opened, he saw Harley standing there in her short blue robe.
“Hi, I’m sorry, I’m not ready yet. I had to take Zach over to Phillip’s and he wouldn’t let me leave. All I have to do is change,” she explained.
“Uh, okay,” Gus sputtered. “You know you shouldn’t answer the door in your robe, because now I just want to say to hell with the concert,” he said as he stepped forward and kissed her.
Harley kissed him back, then pulled away, “I’ll be ready in five minutes, I promise,” she said as she ran upstairs to get dressed.
“I’m timing you!” Gus called up after her.
Almost exactly five minutes later, Harley returned in a pair of blue jeans and a light pink wrap shirt.
“How’d I do?” she asked and Gus looked at his watch.
“Four fifty nine. That was close,” he said as he got up. “You know, you look really good in jeans. I don’t get to see you in them enough.”
Harley rolled her eyes at him, then kissed him quickly, “Are you ready?”
“Yep, let’s go,” he said as he headed for the door.
Harley stood and watched him walk to the door before following him.
“Hey Gus, you look pretty good in jeans yourself,” she said.
He smiled back at her, “Then we must make a pretty good looking couple,” he replied as she joined him at the door and they walked out to the car.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“I cannot believe how many people are here,” Harley said as she and Gus walked from the car towards the amphitheater that was set up for the concert.
“I know, I didn’t even think there were this many people in Springfield,” Gus commented, “Do you want to get a drink and then we’ll find a spot on the lawn?”
“Yeah, let’s get a drink,” Harley replied and they walked over to the concession stand and each got a beer.
“There’s an empty spot,” Harley pointed out a spot on the cement wall in the middle of the lawn. “Where did you hear about this?” Harley asked Gus after a few minutes.
“I read about it in the paper a few days ago. I actually know one of the guys in the band,” Gus explained.
“You’re kidding me? How?” Harley asked surprised.
“We went to Georgetown together. He was there because that’s where his father would pay the bill, but he was always more into music than law anyways.”
“Wow, good for him, I guess. Which one is he?” Harley asked.
Gus pointed towards the stage, “The blonde playing the guitar. If they take a break, we’ll have to go see if we can talk to him. I haven’t seen him in ages.”
Harley looked at Gus and smiled.
“What’s that look for?” he asked.
“I just didn’t think you had…friends,” she said hesitantly.
Gus laughed, “Well, thank you. I guess they are more acquaintances than anything else. You know, the buddies you go to the bar with after your shift is over or the ones you shoot a few hoops with between classes. I never really let myself have friends. I just don’t open myself up that much to anyone,” he shrugged.
Harley nodded and kissed his cheek, “I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” she said as she stood up.
Gus also stood up, “I’ll go with you.”
As Harley walked out of the ladies’ room to where Gus was standing, she saw a girl with brown hair come up behind Gus and put her arms around him.
“Nick! I can’t believe you’re here. I never thought I’d see you again,” Harley heard the girl say.
Gus turned around when he heard that the arms that wrapped around him weren’t Harley’s.
“Uh…,” he stuttered.
“You don’t remember me? Lauren, from the bar,” she explained.
“Lauren…yeah,” Gus said as he looked around for Harley and saw her standing a few feet away looking at him and Lauren.
He pulled away from Lauren and started towards Harley, “Harley,” he began but she stopped him by holding up her hand.
“You must be the girl,” Lauren said as she looked Harley over.
“Excuse me?” Harley asked.
“Harley, let me explain,” Gus began.
“You know what, Nick, you really don’t have to,” she said angrily as she turned and started walking away.
Gus quickly covered the small distance between them and spoke as quietly as possible, “Harley, please.”
Harley stopped and turned back towards him after a pause. She took a deep breath, “Okay.”
“Okay,” Gus said, “That was Lauren. I met her in a bar, I swear, she means nothing to me.”
“Oh well, good, as long as all it was just casual sex,” she shot back at him.
“Harley, I didn’t sleep with her! That much I remember,” he replied. “Listen to me. It was a few weeks ago, it was the night you and Justin had your first date. I went to the bar, I had too much to drink, she was there, she was flirting, and yeah, I flirted back. We ended up at her apartment, but nothing happened, I swear. I couldn’t do it, because when I was kissing her I wanted it to be you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Harley asked, her voice shaky.
“Honestly, I didn’t even think about it. Harley, after I left her apartment that night, I never had another thought about her or that night. Harley, you are the only one I want to be with. No one else,” he assured her as he took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.
She looked down, “I’m sorry,” she said quietly as she leaned her forehead against his chest, “It was just, I saw you with her, and I immediately thought the worst, and I’m sorry.”
“Shh,” he quieted her as he lifted her head up, “I’m sorry, I should have told you.”
She shook her head, “It’s none of my business really. I mean, we weren’t together, I was with Justin.”
“Okay, can we stop talking about this? This isn’t the evening I had planned to spend with you,” he interrupted and Harley nodded.
He leaned forward and kissed her, “You know, I just adore you,” he said as he kissed her forehead.
Harley laughed, “Even jealous me?”
“Especially jealous you. You’re very cute when you jump to conclusions,” he replied, “but you have no reason to be jealous.”
Harley put her arm around his waist as they began to walk away, “I kind of like you too,” she said.
“Just kind of?” Gus teased.
“Okay, I am crazy about you,” she corrected herself.
“I think you’re just crazy,” he replied as they walked back towards the stage.
A few minutes after they found new seats, the band on the stage finished a song and started going off stage.
“I think they’re taking a break, let’s see if we can catch him,” Gus said as he took Harley’s hand and they walked down to the side of the stage.
“Chris!” he caught the blonde as he grabbed a bottle of water from a stagehand.
“Gus Aitoro, I can’t believe it,” Chris said when he saw Gus. “How are you doing, buddy?” he asked as they greeted each other with a quick handshake that turned into a back patting hug.
“I’m doing good,” Gus answered, “and look at you, up there playing like you always wanted. The band sounds great.”
“Thank you, music agrees with me, the law doesn’t,” Chris joked as he looked at Harley and smiled.
“Chris, this is Harley Cooper. Harley, this is Chris Everett,” Gus introduced them.
“Hi,” Harley said as she shook Chris’s hand.
“Harley, it’s nice to meet you,” he replied, “So what are you doing in Springfield? Last I heard you were working in DC with the FBI.”
“Yeah, well, that didn’t work out like I wanted it to. I’m a detective with the Springfield PD now. Actually, Harley and I are partners,” Gus explained.
“I can see that,” Chris replied with a smile.
Gus and Harley both laughed, “Yeah, that too,” Gus said.
“So how long are you in town for?” Gus asked.
“Just until tomorrow. We’re playing in Cleveland Saturday night,” Chris answered.
“Well, next time you’re in town we’ll have to get together for lunch or something,” Gus said.
“Definitely,” Chris replied, “I gotta go, we’re going back on. It was nice to meet you Harley, and it was great to see you again, Gus. Take care,” he said as he swung his guitar back over his head.
“You too,” Gus said and he and Harley walked back up the hill.
“Do you want to get out of here?” he asked. “I mean, Zach’s not here, but we’re still not alone.”
“Yeah,” Harley replied, “Let’s go back to my place.”
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:07:32 GMT -5
“Here,” Harley said as she handed Gus another beer when she returned from the kitchen.
“Another one?” he asked. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to get me drunk.”
“I am,” she replied, “then I’m going to take advantage of you,” she teased as she joined him back on the couch.
“So, let me ask you something,” she said, “You know pretty much everything about my past. I mean, my ex-husbands and that stuff. But I don’t know anything about you.”
“There’s not much to tell,” he replied after taking a sip of beer. “You know about my dad and my time with the FBI. That’s about it.”
“Okay, well I know you’ve never been married. But has there been anyone serious?” she asked.
Gus paused for a moment then answered, “Yes. Her name was Lisa, it was right after I finished law school.”
“What happened?”
“She got sick of my quest to rid the world of the Santos family, like you. Only she didn’t succeed in changing me.”
“Why not?”
He thought for a second, “I don’t know. She didn’t know about my dad. I never told her. All she knew was I hated the Santos family. She was trying to change me for her, and at that point in my life, I was too selfish to change myself for other people. But you wanted me to change for me, even when there was nothing in it for you since you had convinced yourself you wanted nothing to do with me. You still wanted me to live without that hate.”
Harley kissed his shoulder, “So if Lisa came back tomorrow, would there be anything between you?”
“No. Not at all. I was a different man when I knew her. I don’t even know if we were all that serious. I didn’t love her, not really, I didn’t know what love was. I cared about her, but not enough to change myself for her. We were only together for about 8 months.”
“She’s not out there somewhere with your child, is she?”
“No,” Gus assured her. “No ex-wives, no children, I’ve got nothing.”
“You don’t have nothing. You have me,” Harley said as she wrapped her arms around him and gave him an intense kiss neither ever wanted to end.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:09:33 GMT -5
Three weeks later, Gus and Harley had to spend Saturday morning at the station working on a case with Frank and Justin.
When Harley walked into the station, she was met with sly smiles from the other officers.
“What’s going on?” she asked cautiously.
“You got a little present on your desk,” Frank informed her without a smile.
Harley walked over to her desk and saw what everyone was smiling about. On her desk in a vase were 31 deep red roses.
“Oh my God,” she breathed as she picked up the card that came with them.
31 Roses for 31 amazing days. Happy Anniversary, Harley. Love, Me
“From anyone we know?” Justin asked, winking.
“Uh, I don’t think so,” Harley covered with a big smile as she put the card in her pocket.
“What did he do wrong?” Frank asked quietly.
“Nothing,” Harley replied as she showed him the card and shut him up.
“If Aitoro ever decides to show up for work, tell him I’m in the file room actually working,” she told anyone who was listening with an edge to her voice.
About ten minutes later, Gus finally strolled into the station and paused by Harley’s desk and brushed his fingertips along the petals of the roses.
“Hey Aitoro, Cooper said to tell you she was in the file room whenever you were ready to get to work. She sounded pretty ticked,” Justin informed him.
“Guess I better go face the music,” Gus said as he headed back the hallway.
When he got to the file room, he stood in the open doorway.
“I hear my partner was a little mad that I was late to work,” he said in that smart tone of voice that used to drive Harley crazy. It still does, but in a different way.
“You heard right,” Harley replied as she got up, moved him out of the way and shut the door, “Because you weren’t here so I could thank you earlier,” she continued as she ran her hands down his arms. “Thank you,” she said as she leaned up and kissed him, “they are beautiful.”
“I was hoping you would like them,” he smiled back.
“I love them, but thirty-one? They must have cost you a fortune!”
Gus shrugged, “You’re worth every penny.”
“You better stop spoiling me or you’re gonna regret it.”
“Never,” Gus replied as he ran his hands through her hair.
“I can’t believe it’s been a whole month,” Harley thought outloud.
“It’s been good, right?” Gus asked quietly.
“It’s been great,” she replied and pushed him against the door for a kiss.
A few hours later, they had finished the case they were working on and were getting ready to leave.
“Hey,” Harley said as she sat on the edge of Gus’s desk and looked around to see if anyone could hear them, “Since it’s the first weekend of June and it’s not raining, I promised Zach I would take him to the beach this afternoon. Do you want to come with us?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah, but we have to stop at my place so I can get my suit,” he replied.
“Alright. I’m going to file these and then we can go,” Harley said as she got up and went down the hall to an office.
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“Come on in,” Gus said as he unlocked the door to his hotel room.
Harley stepped into the room and looked around. There were clothes on the back of the desk chair and Chinese take out containers scattered over the desk, dresser and nightstand.
“This is where you live?” she asked.
“Yeah, why?” Gus asked as he rifled through his dresser drawers.
“Well, it’s…a little messy,” Harley replied.
Gus looked around and shrugged, “I guess it is. I just have a lot of stuff and not a lot of space, so I just put things where there’s room.”
“Do you own a garbage can?”
“Uh, yeah I think there’s one over here,” Gus said as he picked up a pile on clothes and revealed a small garbage can.
Harley went over and picked it up, “Watch me,” she instructed.
She walked over to the desk and threw away the take out containers then picked up a pile of old newspapers and added them to the can. She looked around the room for any more garbage.
“Stop that. Don’t do that, don’t clean up my room. It’s not that bad,” Gus said as he took the garbage can from her.
“Honey, how old was that Chinese food?” she asked.
“I don’t know, a few days maybe,” Gus replied, “wait. What did you call me?”
Harley looked at him confused, “What?”
“You called me ‘honey’,” he replied.
Harley thought for a moment, then smiled, “I did,” she nodded.
“Wow,” Gus said, “That’s new.”
“Yeah, is that okay?”
Gus smiled and walked across the room to her, “Of course. Honey,” he teased.
“You think you’re so funny, don’t you?” Harley asked as she put her arms around his neck.
“I make you smile every day.”
“Yes you do,” she smiled and Gus leaned close and kissed her.
She ran her hands down his arms and threaded her fingers through his.
“Did you find your suit?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he replied as he kissed her neck.
“We gotta go, my sitter has to be somewhere at one,” she said apologetically.
“Okay,” Gus replied as he pulled himself away from her neck and grabbed his suit off of the dresser.
“You know, it’s a good thing you didn’t show me your place before we started dating,” Harley said.
“Why is that? Would it have scared you away?” Gus asked.
“Maybe…”
“I would have won you over eventually,” he replied as they left the room.
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“Gus!” Zach exclaimed and ran right to Gus when he and Harley walked in the door.
“Hey Zach,” Gus replied as he picked him up and held him by his ankles sending Zach into a fit of laughter.
“Sorry we’re a little late, I hope it didn’t screw up your plans,” Harley apologized to the sitter.
“No, it’s no problem, I have plenty of time. Bye Zach,” she said as she tickled his stomach that was hanging out, took her money from Harley and left.
Gus flipped Zach over and put him down.
“Do you want to go to the beach with us?” Zach asked him.
“That’s why I’m here,” he replied and Zach got a huge smile on his face.
“Okay, Zach let’s go get your suit on,” Harley said and chased him to the steps, “You can change in my room or in the bathroom down here,” she told Gus and followed Zach upstairs.
Gus decided it would be better not to tempt himself with Harley’s room and he opted for the bathroom.
A few minutes later, Gus was changed and sitting on the couch and Zach ran down the stairs.
“Mommy’s changing,” he told Gus and he got a few cars and brought them over to Gus to play.
About ten minutes later, Harley came down with a short white cover-up dress over her swimsuit and a bag over her shoulder. Gus could see the strings from her top around her neck and longed to see the rest of the suit.
“Whose car are we taking?” Gus asked.
“I wanna ride in Gus’s car!” Zach said, jumping up and down.
“Well, I guess I got my answer,” Gus said.
“Alright then, let’s go,” Harley said and they went out to Gus’s car.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:10:49 GMT -5
Zach loved riding with the top down and he talked Gus and Harley’s ears off all the way to the beach. After they found a spot in the sand and put their stuff down, Harley covered Zach in sunscreen.
“Let’s go swim!” he said and started running towards the water.
“Zach! Wait,” Harley called and he ran back to them. “Mommy’s got to put on sunscreen too. Play in the sand for a few minutes.”
Zach got his buckets and shovel and made himself comfortable in the sand while Harley took off her cover-up.
Gus felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw her simple, black string bikini against her porcelain skin. She sat down on her towel and spread sunscreen over her stomach and arms. She watched as Gus pulled his t-shirt over his head and folded it up on the towel. Without his shirt on, she could see the muscles in his arms, shoulders, chest and abs. His navy blue board shorts sat just low enough for her too see the creases on his hips. She was so attracted to him. She always was, even when he annoyed her to no end. But he wasn’t just good-looking. He was sexy, everything about him was incredibly sexy- his voice, his eyes, his dark skin, the way he kissed her. He drove her crazy and she began having thoughts she shouldn’t have been having in the middle of the crowded beach with her son less than 2 feet away.
“Let me help,” Gus said as he took a seat behind her and squeezed some sunscreen into his hand. He rubbed it into her shoulders and back, giving her a nice massage along with it.
Harley closed her eyes and enjoyed the mini-massage he was giving her and she felt a shiver go through her body when he kissed the nape of her neck before covering it with sunscreen.
“All done,” he said as he got up, “Let’s get this kid into the water.”
“Do you need some?” she asked offering him the bottle of sunscreen.
“Nah, I never burn,” he said and chased Zach down the beach.
Harley almost regretted that he was done and got up and followed Gus and Zach to the water. She realized that it was the first time she had seen him shirtless and she saw the large tattoo that sat between his shoulder blades. She was never a big fan of tattoos, but something about his and the way his muscles moved around it when he moved his arms quickly made her a fan. It’s lines and swirls looked like some sort of symbol, she would have to remember to ask him about it later.
Harley slowly waded in as Gus and Zach rushed into the still cool water.
“Zach, stay close!” she yelled and Gus grabbed him around the waist and pulled him out of the water, causing him to giggle.
When Harley got all the way into the water, Zach held his hand out to stop her.
“Stay there, I want to swim to you,” he said and he pushed off of Gus and paddled towards Harley.
Gus followed a little behind him in case he needed help, but he swam to Harley perfectly and both Gus and Harley praised him when he made it. Zach ducked under the water and almost gave Harley a heart attack when he came up behind Gus and jumped on his back.
“What are you, part fish?” Gus joked.
Suddenly, Zach started giggling and Harley looked to see what he was laughing about. Zach had put a few strands of seaweed on Gus’s head.
Harley reached up and pulled it off of his head, “You have seaweed on your head. You look like the Loch Ness Monster,” she laughed.
“How did that get up there?” Gus growled as he reached behind him and dunked Zach under the water.
When Zach came back up, he put one arm around Harley’s neck and the other around Gus’s and pulled them together. Harley leaned over and kissed Zach’s cheek.
“My guys,” she said quietly as she ran her hand down Gus’s arm and he pulled her close to him.
She reached up and covered Zach’s eyes with her hand as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Gus deeply. Zach wrestled her hand away and giggled at Mommy and Gus kissing.
“Where’s my kisses?” he asked and Gus and Harley both leaned in and kissed his cheeks.
Harley felt Zach shiver in her arms. “Ready to get out for a little bit?” she asked and Zach nodded.
“Can we build a sandcastle?” Zach asked as they walked up the beach back to their towels. The beach had cleared out a bit so there was a large space where they could play in the sand.
“You bet,” Harley said as she brought his shovels and buckets over to where he had already settled into the sand.
Gus and Harley started filling up the buckets with sand, but Zach took his shovel and starting digging a hole.
“What are you doing, Zach?” Harley asked.
“Digging a hole,” he answered simply.
“What for?”
“So I can bury Gus,” he replied.
“Oh really?” Gus asked, “You want to bury me?”
“Yep,” Zach said with a big smile. “Mommy can help me.”
“I’m sure Mommy has been wanting to do this for awhile,” Gus joked as he helped Zach make the hole a little bigger and he climbed in.
Zach started dumping buckets of sand on Gus and Harley joined in. Pretty soon, Gus was covered with sand up to his neck and Zach was decorating him by sticking seaweed in the sand.
“I have to get a picture of this,” Harley said as she searched through her bag for a camera and snapped some pictures of Gus and Zach.
Harley set down her camera, went up behind Gus and motioned for Zach to be quiet. She knelt behind Gus’s head and tickled his chin with a piece of seaweed. Gus moved his head trying to get away from Harley but she kept at him with the plant. Soon, he gave up and broke out of the sand. Harley jumped up and ran down the beach and Gus ran after her. Zach didn’t want to be left out, so he followed them down the beach. Gus caught up to Harley and grabbed her around the waist and swung her around. They wrestled to the ground and Gus grabbed the seaweed from her and held her down with one hand and tickled her with the other.
Harley finally surrendered, “Okay, okay, I give up,” she said and she pulled him down and kissed him. “It’s getting hot out here,” she breathed when they broke off the kiss.
“That’s just the sun,” Gus replied.
“No, I don’t think so,” she said as she ran her hands through his sandy hair.
Their sexy moment was interrupted when Zach finally caught up to them and jumped on Gus’s back, giggling uncontrollably. Gus looked down at Harley who nodded and Gus rolled Zach onto the sand and both of them attacked him, tickling him like crazy until he was out of breath.
They headed back to their towels and Harley told Zach to start building a sandcastle, she was going to lay and get some sun. Gus got Zach started with a few buckets of sand, then joined Harley on the towel. She was laying on her back, so he propped himself up on one elbow beside her.
“Zach, stay there and play in the sand, okay? Don’t go anywhere,” Harley warned and Zach nodded along.
Harley looked up at Gus and used her hand to block the sun.
“He’s having a blast,” she said as she looked over towards Zach.
“So am I,” Gus replied. “I have to say, if a year ago someone would have told me that I would be lying on the beach with the most beautiful woman in the world, and playing in the sand with her son, I would have told them they were crazy. But today, every day with you and Zach, I wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world,” he said as he brushed his fingers across her bare stomach.
His touches sent shivers through her body and she got goosebumps. Gus smiled when he saw what his touch was doing to her and he leaned over and kissed the middle of her stomach. Suddenly, he sat back up and put his hand to his mouth.
“What?” Harley asked.
“Sand,” he laughed. “I got a mouthful of sand,” he explained as he wiped his hand on his shorts and Harley laughed.
“Tell me about it. I have sand in places I didn’t even know existed,” Harley said and Gus’s eyebrows raised.
“Do you know how cute you look in this little bikini?” he asked, his breath rushing over her chest.
“Cute, huh?”
“Cute, sexy, alluring, sexy, perfect, did I mention sexy?” he asked between kisses.
“You’re looking pretty sexy yourself,” she said quietly.
“Mommy, will you help me?” Zach interrupted.
Harley sat up and ran her hand down Gus’s back, “Sure sweetie,” she said, then kissed Gus quickly before they both joined Zach around what was supposed to be a sandcastle.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:12:28 GMT -5
For about an hour, they worked on the sandcastle. When they were finished, Gus stood up and looked at their creation.
“This is a masterpiece,” he said laughing.
“We should take some pictures,” Harley said as she stood up.
“I’ll do it,” Gus said and he got the camera and took pictures of the sandcastle, Zach standing by the sandcastle and Harley and Zach by the sandcastle.
A women who was sitting behind them with her two little kids came up beside Gus while he was snapping some pictures.
“Would you like me to take some of the three of you?” she asked and Gus handed her the camera.
Harley was sitting beside the sandcastle Indian-style with Zach on her lap, so Gus sat behind her. When Zach saw Gus come over, he climbed off of Harley’s lap and jumped on Gus’s back with his arms around his neck. Harley shifted and settled into Gus’s chest as he wrapped one arm around her waist and held on to Zach with the other.
“Oh that’s adorable,” the woman said, “Say cheese!”
All three put big smiles on their faces and the woman snapped a few pictures.
“You make such a beautiful family,” she said as she put the camera down and looked at them.
Gus felt Harley stiffen at her comment, and he smiled politely at the woman, not quite knowing how to respond. Harley got up from between Gus’s legs and took the camera back.
“Thank you,” she said politely and she sat back down on the towel and busied herself putting things in her bag while Gus and Zach stayed by the sandcastle.
“Now what do you want to do, Zach?” Gus asked and Zach shrugged in response.
He eventually wandered back to where Harley was sitting watching them and Gus followed.
“Mommy, can I take pictures?” he asked as he dug through the bag and took out the camera.
Harley looked at how many pictures were left on the roll and since there were only a few, she told Zach he could take them.
“What do you want to take pictures of?” Gus asked him and again Zach shrugged, but aimed the camera up to the sky. Gus sat beside Harley, “I think you’ll end up with 5 pictures of blue,” he joked and barely got a smile from her.
“Is something wrong?” he asked as he softly kissed her shoulder.
“No,” she answered quickly, “of course not.”
Gus knew better, “Was it what she said? About us making a beautiful family?” he asked quietly.
Harley leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her knees, “Why would you think that?”
“Because I felt your reaction to that, and ever since you’ve been quiet and distant,” Gus explained, “Talk to me.”
Harley gave in, “It just caught me a little off guard,” she said.
“And it freaked you out. That’s okay, it freaked me out a little bit too.”
“What?” Harley asked, confused.
“Well, yeah, here I am at the beach with my girlfriend and her son, just building a sandcastle and all of a sudden people think we’re a family? Harley, I’ve been a bachelor forever. That freaked me out!”
Harley turned around and looked at him, “Really?”
“Yes, really,” he assured her.
Harley sighed, “I don’t know why that got to me,” she said, “I mean, that should be a good thing, right? People think we’re a family, we must look like it, right?”
Gus nodded, “Yeah, but it’s quick.”
“It’s very quick!” Harley corrected, “and it’s not that I don’t want to think of us that way, someday. But right now, that’s just too much.”
“I know,” Gus said as he pulled her back to him, “And it’s okay.”
Harley kissed him softly, “Thank you,” she said as she turned around and leaned back against his chest.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:13:55 GMT -5
“I am out of here. Are you going?” Gus asked Harley as he pushed his chair under his desk.
“In a little bit. I have some stuff to finish up here first, but I’ll walk out with you,” she replied as she followed him outside. “What are you doing tonight?” she asked.
“Hmmm, what are you doing tonight?” he asked back.
“Well, I was hoping I could spend the evening with you,” she smiled. “Zach is home, but I thought we could all have dinner together and maybe watch a movie? You know, a quiet night in?”
“Works for me. What can I bring?” he asked.
“I’ll take care of dinner, why don’t you get a movie.”
“Any requests?”
“Nope,” she replied.
“Okay, then I will see you and Zach around when?”
“Six-thirty.”
“Alright,” he said as he discretely brushed her hand and turned towards his car.
“Hey Gus,” she called out to him and he walked back to her. “Why don’t you bring some wine for when Zach is asleep,” she suggested.
“A movie and wine, I can do that,” he replied as he looked around to make sure they were alone, then leaned over and kissed her.
When he pulled away, she held him closer and kissed him again, “See you tonight,” she breathed, then let him go.
As she walked back into the station, she didn’t see Justin around the corner of the building where he had been watching and listening to their conversation.
So she dumped me for that loser, Aitoro, he thought to himself as he slowly followed her back into the station. “We’ll just see about that,” he said quietly when he saw her sit down at her desk.
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“Hi,” Harley said when she opened the door and pulled him inside, “Zach’s upstairs,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. When they were both out of breath, she explained, “I wanted to get one good kiss in before he comes down and gets all of your attention.”
“Zach who?” Gus teased as he tried to catch his breath but kissed her again anyway.
“Gus!” Zach exclaimed as he raced down the stairs and jumped into Gus’s arms.
“See?” Harley said in an ‘I told you so’ voice, “Dinner’s almost ready,” she continued as she went into the kitchen.
Gus picked up the bag he had dropped to the floor when Harley greeted him and took it and Zach and followed Harley. He put the bottle of wine he brought in the refrigerator and sent Zach back into the living room with the movies he brought.
“What are we having?” he asked as he poured iced tea into the glasses that were sitting on the table.
“Pasketti!” Zach answered as he came back into the kitchen.
“Mmm…pasketti, my favorite!” Gus said as he rubbed his hands together and licked his lips.
“It smells delicious,” he said as he helped Zach into his booster seat.
He went and stood behind Harley who was standing by the sink tossing a salad. He pushed her hair off her shoulder and kissed her neck.
“You smell delicious too,” he murmured into her ear as he slid his arms around her waist.
“Good, ‘cause I’m dessert,” she teased as she leaned back against him and reached up and ran her hand through his hair.
“Mmm, do I get you a la mode?” he asked quietly.
“Only if you’re good,” she replied.
She turned her head and caught his lips with hers, then turned around completely so she was facing him. She took advantage of Zach having his back to them pounding happily on the table with the wooden salad utensils, and kissed Gus deeply, running her hands down his back and rested them right above the back pockets of his jeans. They were interrupted by a hissing sound when the pot of spaghetti boiled over so Harley rushed to the stove and Gus took the salad to the table.
Soon, they were eating dinner and laughing at Zach who had spaghetti sauce all over his face. By the time they were finished, Zach’s face and hands were stained orange.
“Why don’t we go upstairs and take your bath?” Harley suggested as she got up and helped Zach down.
“But I don’t wanna go to bed!” he whined.
“You don’t have to go to bed. But you’re a mess, so we’ll just get you all clean now,” she said and Zach trudged his way out of the kitchen, dragging his feet.
“Make yourself at home,” Harley told Gus as she followed Zach out of the room.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:14:36 GMT -5
Gus dried his hands, then headed upstairs to see how the bath was going. He could hear Zach laughing as he got to the top of the steps and stood outside the bathroom watching Harley and Zach. He was covered in bubbles and Harley was blowing them off of his face. Zach shivered from the cold breeze across his cheeks, then giggled at himself.
“I love you Mommy,” he said as he leaned over and kissed her, leaving bubbles on her face.
“I love you too, baby,” Harley replied as she brushed the bubbles off her nose. “Do you want your crayons?” she asked as she offered him his bath crayons and he eagerly took them and started drawing on the wall of the bathtub.
Gus watched them and smiled. God, he loved the way Harley loved Zach. He loved watching her with him- she just lit up when he was in the room. The night of their first date she had told Gus that no matter how many people she helped being a cop, being a mother was the best thing she ever did. She hadn’t been able to be a mother to Susan, but she was bound and determined to be a good mother to Zach. And she was, he told her. At that moment, it occurred to Gus that he just loved Harley. He loved everything about her- the way she loved Zach, the way she stood up for and to her family, the way she could get a perp to trust her enough to coax a confession out of them, but most of all the way he changed Gus’s life. For the first time in his life, he knew he loved someone more than himself, and it was the best feeling he had in a long time. He had cared about her for a long time, but he was never really sure it was love until that moment.
“What are you drawing, sweetie?” Harley asked.
“People,” Zach answered simply.
“What kind of people? Is that you and Daddy?”
“Nope,” Zach said as he continued drawing, “It’s me and Gus and you,” he said as he finish a third stick figure with long hair.
“That’s Gus? I should have known from the hair!” Harley joked and Gus laughed to himself in the doorway.
“Hey Zach,” Harley said as she made him sit back down in the bubbly water. “You like Gus right?”
“Yeah, I love Gus,” Zach answered.
“Yeah?” Harley smiled at his answer, “So does Mommy,” she said after a pause.
Gus’s heart jumped at Harley’s answer. Did she just say she loved him? Or did she mean she really liked him? He told himself to take her comment with a grain of salt until she said it to him. He stood outside the door for a few more minutes watching them, then made his presence known.
“Hey, how’s the bath coming?” he asked as he came in.
“We are almost done,” Harley said, “Just gotta wash the hair,” she said as she squeezed a small amount of shampoo in her hand and the phone rang.
“I’ll do this, got get the phone,” Gus told her and she transferred the shampoo into his hand and got up to answer the phone.
Gus knelt down beside the tub and lathered up Zach hair. As he was rinsing the suds off, Harley came back into the room.
“That was Blake making sure we were still on for tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah, it should be fun,” Gus said as he got rid of the last bit of suds on Zach’s head.
“Alright, come on, let’s get your jammies on,” Harley said as she helped Zach out of the tub and into a big towel.
A few minutes later, they were all back down in the living room.
“You guys okay? I want to do the dishes real quick,” Harley said as she started towards the kitchen.
“They’re already done,” Gus stopped her.
“You did the dishes?”
“Yeah. Well, I figured you cooked, the least I could do was clean, right?”
Harley smiled and from behind him, kissed the top of his head, “Thank you.”
An hour later, Zach was asleep on the couch, so Gus carried him upstairs to bed. When he came back down, Harley was standing by the TV looking at the video Gus brought.
“Murder Mansion 3?” she asked, “You brought a scary movie?”
“Well, you didn’t have any requests,” Gus reminded her.
She shook her head and pointed her finger at him, “I think you just want me to snuggle up to you during the scary parts.”
“I think you might be right,” he laughed as Harley stuck the video in the VCR then joined him on the couch.
Before the first person even died, they had lost all interest in the movie and were making out on the couch. Without a word, Gus slipped off the couch and knelt on the floor between Harley’s legs. She leaned forward and kissed him, their tongues mingling as she slid his sweater up his torso. They separated just long enough for Gus to get his sweater over his head then their lips met again. Gus pushed her back into the couch and moved his lips down her neck. They locked eyes as he slowly unbuttoned her blouse and she traced his wet lips with her fingers. After he got to the last button, he pushed her shirt open and kissed her chest.
“Tight, black, and lacy,” she barely whispered and he looked up at her and smiled.
He kissed the soft skin above the lacy cup of her bra, then moved his mouth down her stomach. Harley leaned her head back and closed her eyes enjoying what he was doing to her, but she needed to feel his mouth on hers again. She reached down and pulled his face back up to hers and kissed him
“Mommy?”
“Shit,” Harley breathed as Gus pulled away from her.
She quickly buttoned up her shirt and stood up.
“What’s wrong sweetie?” she asked breathlessly when she saw Zach standing on the steps.
“I don’t feel good,” he said as he clutched onto his stuffed lion, ‘Gus’.
Harley went over to him and felt his forehead then picked him up, “Does your tummy hurt?” she asked. He nodded and she rushed him upstairs to the bathroom just in case.
Gus sighed heavily as he put his sweater back on and fell onto the couch. He was glad he had months of practice at controlling himself where Harley was concerned. It came in use tonight. He took a deep breath, got up and put the video back in its case. He put the cork back in the wine and took it into the kitchen.
After about 15 minutes, he went upstairs and found Harley and Zach laying on Zach’s bed.
“How’s he doing?” he asked quietly when he saw Zach’s eyes were closed.
Harley shook her head as she pushed Zach’s sweaty hair off his forehead.
Gus came over to the bed and kissed Zach’s cheek. “I think I’m gonna go,” he said quietly.
“No, don’t please,” Harley protested as she got out of bed and led Gus out to the hallway where they could talk normal.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized as she leaned her forehead on Gus’s chest.
“It’s okay. He’s sick, go take care of him. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Gus said as he lifted her head and kissed her softly.
“You don’t want to stay in case I have nightmares from that scary movie?” she teased.
“I think it’s better if I go,” he said seriously, but honestly. “Take care of your son, I’ll lock the door behind me,” he said as he kissed her again and started towards the stairs.
“Gus,” Harley started, causing him to turn back towards her, “I…thank you,” she decided on after a long pause.
Gus nodded, “Give him a kiss from me when he wakes up,” he said as he blew her a kiss and left.
Harley let out a frustrated sigh and went back into Zach’s room to take care of him.
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:19:28 GMT -5
“Hello?” Harley answered the phone sleepily.
“Good morning,” she heard Gus’s cheery, rested voice through the receiver.
“You are too awake,” she teased, “Good morning.”
“How’s the little guy?”
“Oh, he’s fine. He’s coughing and sniffling and stuff but his medicine made him hyper so he’s wearing me out wanting me to play with him.”
“Did he sleep good last night?”
“He slept. He was up a few times, but I spent the night in a chair by his bed. You know, you want to be there if they need you,” she said yawning.
“I’m on my way over,” Gus said.
“What?”
“I’m coming over, I’ll see you in a few minutes,” he explained then hung up.
“Gus, why-?” Harley began but only got static in response.
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang and Zach jumped up and wanted to answer it.
“Ask who it is first,” Harley instructed.
“Who is it?” he yelled from in front of the door.
“The boogeyman,” Gus answered and Zach giggled.
“It’s Gus!” he exclaimed and opened the door.
“It’s Zach!” Gus exclaimed back and Zach jumped into his arms. “You feeling better?” he asked.
Zach nodded enthusiastically, “What are you doing here?” he asked since Harley had already told him he wouldn’t see Gus until later that night.
“Well, I came to play with you of course! And give Mommy a break so she could take a nap,” Gus replied as he put Zach down on the couch and pulled Harley up off the floor. “Stay here and be good, I’m gonna take Mommy upstairs. I’ll be right back down,” Gus said as he pulled a speechless Harley up the stairs.
“What are you doing here?” Harley asked him as he led her into her room.
“You’re exhausted, Zach is wide awake, and I don’t want you falling asleep on me tonight. I’m gonna need you to protect me from your friends. So I’m gonna play with Zach and take care of things while you rest. I would, umm, help you into pajamas but I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” he winked as she sat down on the bed.
She took his hands and pulled him down to her and kissed him.
“So when do you turn into a pumpkin?” she asked as he sat down next to her.
He kissed her shoulder, “What do you mean?”
“You are so good to me. I’m just wondering when it’s all going to blow up in my face.”
“Harley, I…” Gus paused, “You mean so much to me, you and Zach, and anything I can do to make your lives better or easier, I’m going to do it. I just want to make you happy. This isn’t an act I’m putting on to get you under my spell. I want to take care of you, and not just for a little bit, okay?”
Harley ran her hand down his cheek and kissed him, “Thank you,” she said quietly.
“Get some sleep,” he said as he got up and went back downstairs with Zach.
Harley crawled under her covers and tried to fall asleep, but all she could think of was the past month and a half with Gus. He was so amazing, and their relationship was so much more than she ever thought it would be. They had such a strong connection. She thought about how great he was with Zach and smiled. He was more of a father to Zach than Phillip was sometimes. And she knew he loved Zach, and Zach loved him, that’s what he said last night. She remember what she said after Zach said he loved Gus: So does Mommy. Did she mean that? Was she in love with Gus? Deep down she knew she was, and had felt that way for some time but every time she tried to say it outloud, all her old fears would come back and she would chicken out. She couldn’t even say it to herself, how was she supposed to say it to Gus. Her excuse for not dealing with those three little words was that he hadn’t said them yet either, so there was no pressure. Did he love her? She thought so. Everything he had done to get her attention and everything since then sure said that he loved her, but he never said so. Harley sighed, rolled over and finally fell asleep.
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Later that night, Gus and Harley said goodnight to Zach and left him with Buzz to go out with Blake and Ross, Cassie and Richard and Reva and Josh. As Gus drove to the restaurant where they were meeting, Harley turned towards him in her seat and picked some lint off of his shirt.
“This week, when we have to request days off for next month, make sure you ask for July 17th off,” she told him.
“Why? What’s that?” he asked.
“It’s Blake and Ross’s wedding, and I would really like it if you came with me,” Harley explained.
“Yikes,” Gus said. “Asking me to weddings already?” he teased and Harley laughed.
“Yes. Since I’m a bridesmaid, I won’t be able to be with you during the wedding or dinner, but you’ll probably be sitting with my dad and Frank at dinner.”
“Oh goody!” Gus rolled his eyes and Harley hit him playfully.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes, that’s a yes. I will get that day off too,” he said as he pulled into a parking space and kissed her before they got out of the car.
When they got into the restaurant, they didn’t see anyone in the lobby, so Harley went up to the hostess stand.
“Hi, will there just be the two of you tonight?” the teenage blonde asked.
“Actually, there will be eight of us,” Harley told her and she looked down at her chart.
“Okay, that might take a while,” the hostess replied.
“That’s fine, they’re not here yet. The name is Cooper, thanks,” Harley said, then she and Gus went to look for a seat.
There were two seats on a bench next to an older woman. Gus sat on the end and Harley sat between him and the woman. Harley crossed her legs and Gus put his hand on her knee while she linked both of her arms through his arm and leaned against his shoulder.
“Are you still tired?” he asked. “You took a nap!”
“I know, but I didn’t sleep very much. I was thinking about some stuff,” she replied.
“Good stuff or bad stuff?”
“Good,” she answered and reached up and kissed his neck.
“Oh yeah?” Gus asked as shivers went down his body from her kisses.
“Excuse me,” the older woman said and Harley sat back up and they both looked at her.
“I just wanted to say what a cute couple you two make. How long have you been married?” she continued.
“Oh, we’re not married, but thank you,” Harley replied.
“Well, you look very much in love to me,” the woman added and both Gus and Harley stiffened in response.
They smiled politely at the woman, and Gus shifted in his seat. Before they had to talk about what just happened, Blake and Ross walked in the door and found them.
“Hey guys,” Blake greeted.
“Hey,” Harley said quietly and Gus got up so Blake could sit down and he shook Ross’s hand.
“What’s wrong?” Blake asked Harley quietly.
“Nothing,” Harley avoided her question and asked about the kids.
Within a few minutes, Cassie, Richard, Reva and Josh had arrived and their table was ready.
When they got to the table, Gus leaned over and whispered in Harley’s ear, “Are you okay?” he asked, because he noticed she had gotten quiet since the old lady’s comment.
“Yes,” she assured him and he kissed the side of her head.
“So what’s good here?” Richard asked.
“Richard, it’s all-you-can-eat ribs night. You get ribs,” Reva told him.
“Oh. I’ve never eaten a rib,” he replied.
“Ribs, honey, not a rib,” Cassie corrected him and everyone laughed.
Gus leaned over to Harley, “Is he serious?” he asked.
“Probably,” she nodded, “This is a man who grew up with caviar on his silver spoon.”
Gus nodded, “We’ll have to order them extra messy for Richard,” he said to the group.
After they had ordered and their salads came, Harley was telling the girls that Zach was sick.
“Oh that is the worst when they’re sick when they’re little. They don’t get any sleep and neither do you,” Cassie said.
“Well, he slept pretty well, but I didn’t. At least not until this afternoon,” Harley replied.
“Did you nap with him this afternoon?” Blake asked.
“No, Gus came over and played with him so I could sleep,” Harley replied, smiling.
“Awww,” everyone said in unison.
“What a guy,” Ross joked.
“Is there any wonder why I love him?” Harley laughed as she put her arm around his back and gave him a little squeeze.
A silence fell over the group and Gus pulled back and looked at Harley in shock.
“What?”
Harley looked at him, then at the rest of the group. She grabbed Gus’s hand and pushed her chair back. “Excuse us,” she said as she pulled Gus away from the table and into a quiet corner of the restaurant.
When they got away from the noise, Gus’s mouth was still open in shock and Harley stood in front of him and laughed.
“I didn’t realize this was funny,” he said.
“No, it’s not. But I just realized something.”
“What’s that?”
“I love you,” she said simply. “And I know now why I couldn’t say it before. Every other time I felt it or wanted to say it, I would think about it. And then I would remember everything that those words meant before in my life and I would you know, freak out. And I even freaked out when that lady said it. But just now, I just said it, you know, I didn’t think in my head, ‘should I say it? does he feel the same way?’, I just said it. And I meant it, Gus. I love you.”
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Post by Jen on Jul 12, 2004 22:20:22 GMT -5
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Blake asked Cassie and Reva.
“I don’t know. Does she look happy or mad?” Reva asked.
“Do you think she’s trying to get out of it?” Cassie asked.
“Out of what? You three are so nosey!” Ross said, “They obviously feel it’s none of our business so stay out of it.”
“I agree. Just don’t worry about it,” Josh concurred and Richard nodded with him.
Blake, Cassie, and Reva all looked at each other and rolled their eyes.
“She’ll tell us later, anyway,” Blake said.
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Gus looked down at Harley and placed his finger lightly across her lips to keep her from rambling on any more. She parted her lips slightly and pressed them against his finger.
“My turn,” Gus said. “I love you too, Harley.”
With that, Harley wrapped her arms around his neck and his went around her waist and they kissed deeply in the middle of the restaurant with Harley’s friends looking on. When their lips parted, Gus lifted her off the ground hugging her tightly.
“Do you think we could sneak out of here without them noticing?” Harley asked, knowing Blake, Cassie and Reva well enough to know they would be watching them.
“Are you kidding? They haven’t taken their eyes off of us. Come on,” Gus said as he kissed her, grabbed her hand and headed back to the table.
When they sat back down, Gus flagged down the waitress for another drink and Harley went back to her salad. Blake, Cassie, and Reva all looked at her strangely.
“Okay,” Harley said as she set down her fork. “Yes, you heard me right. I love him, he loves me. Happy?”
Blake smiled, “I didn’t say anything.”
Harley rolled her eyes at her and picked up her fork again.
Fifteen minutes later, they had found something new to talk about and their food still hadn’t arrived.
“Why don’t we go to the ladies’ room,” Blake said getting up, “that always makes the food come. Harley, come on.”
“I don’t have to go, but thanks,” Harley replied.
“Oh come on,” Reva said, “We’re women, don’t you know we travel in packs.”
Harley sighed reluctantly, then pushed back her chair knowing she either go willingly or be dragged to the bathroom by the other three.
“Good luck,” Gus whispered before he watched her walk away, knowing the inquisition that would happen in the ladies’ room.
What he didn’t know what that he was in for an inquisition of his very own.
He looked awkwardly at Ross, Richard and Josh.
“So is this when we talk about football and other guy stuff?” he laughed nervously.
“Something like that,” Josh said, smiling slyly.
Ross took over from there, “So you and Harley, you’re pretty serious?”
Gus swallowed hard and nodded his head, “Uh yeah. We are.”
“Well, that’s just great, isn’t it guys?” Richard said, trying to set Gus at ease, knowing what it was like to be the new guy in the group.
“You know,” Josh began, ignoring Richard’s comment, “Harley’s been hurt a lot in her life. I hope you’re not another guy who will make her fall head over heels in love and then walk away and leave her heartbroken,” he warned.
Gus cleared his throat, “Well, with all due respect Josh, do you really think you’re the one who should be warning me when you yourself were one of those men?”
“Touché,” Josh replied, “Just be good to her. She deserves it, and take that from someone who knows what it’s like to love her.”
Gus nodded and smiled.
“Hey Gus, if you think this is bad, just wait until the girls get you alone,” Ross said.
“I know you guys all care about Harley, and that means a lot to me. But I also would like you to know how much I care about her. And I have no intention of hurting her.”
“Good,” Josh replied.
“And if you do hurt her,” Richard interjected, “We know where to find a good mobster to take care of you.”
Gus stiffened in response and Ross shot Richard a look that reminded him how wrong what he just said was.
“Oh, Gus. I’m sorry, I didn’t think,” Richard tried to apologize.
Gus held his hand up to shut him up, “It’s okay.”
“What’s okay?” Harley asked as the girls returned to the table and sat down.
The guys were all silent and Gus pushed his chair out to stand up.
“Gus? Where are you going?” Harley asked.
“The food didn’t come, and I need a smoke. I’ll be back,” he said quietly as he quickly walked out the front door of the restaurant.
Harley shot the guys a look, “What did you guys say to him?”
Richard explained, “It was me, I didn’t think,” he said and proceeded to tell her what he said.
“I can’t believe you said that to him!” Cassie reprimanded Richard as Harley got up and went to find Gus.
She was fuming. It was bad enough Cassie, Blake and Reva had given her the third degree in the bathroom and that Gus was already nervous about being around Harley’s friends who weren’t too sure of him, but then they had to bring up his biggest weakness.
“Gus?” she called out after she burst through the front door.
She found him around the corner taking a drag from his cigarette.
“Gus?” she said as she approached him, “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
He laughed quietly, “It’s not your fault.”
“I know, but I’m still sorry. I can’t believe he said that.”
Gus shook his head, “He didn’t realize what he was saying. It’s okay. I just need to learn how to deal with it better,” he said as he smashed the cigarette with his foot and pulled out another one.
“Well, we need to find you something healthier for you than these things,” she said as she took the cigarette from him and put it back in his pocket.
“Do you want to leave?” she asked.
“No,” he replied. “Let’s go back in.”
She reached up and kissed him, “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
“We’ve already talked it to death, Harley. Let’s forget about it for tonight,” he replied and they went back into the restaurant.
When they got back to the table, Richard stood up.
“Gus, I’m sorry…” he began, but Gus stopped him.
“Richard, it’s okay,” Gus said as he stuck out his hand, “Forget about it.”
Richard shook his hand and the three of them sat back down. For the rest of the night, no one mentioned Richard’s comment, and everyone forgot about it all together. After their food had finally come and they all finished their meals, they all decided to go to a new bar downtown.
While the guys went up to the bar to get the drinks, the girls found a few round tables with high stools next to each other and claimed them. The bar was pretty busy, but it was still relatively early so it wasn’t uncomfortably packed. The guys came back with bottles of beer for themselves and the girls.
Harley looked around the room and saw an empty pool table.
“Okay, who wants to take me and Gus on at pool?” she asked.
“Bud, want to give it a shot?” Reva asked Josh.
“You bet, let’s show them how to play Oklahoma style,” Josh said as he got off his stool and headed towards the empty table.
“We’ll be back after we beat them,” Harley told everyone and they joined Josh at the table.
“Losers buy the next round of drinks,” Gus called out on the walk over.
Josh and Reva allowed Gus to break, and he got a striped ball in the corner pocket right off the bat. He looked up and grinned at Josh and Reva like a Cheshire cat.
“Just wait until it’s Reva’s turn. She’s a hustler,” he warned Gus and Harley laughed.
“You’ll have to excuse my husband, he doesn’t fully understand the meaning of the word ‘hustler’,” Reva joked with Gus and Harley. “Honey, me being a hustler does us no good if you tell them I am.”
Josh laughed, “Well, you’re still pretty good.”
“Well, so am I,” Gus said, “I grew up in the pool halls of Chicago.”
When it was Harley’s turn she bent over the pool table and took her shot. Gus was standing behind her admiring the view. Her short jean skirt showed off her toned legs and Gus’s eyes trailed up her legs from heel to the hem of her skirt, then his mind wandered and imagined what she had on under the skirt. When she just missed getting the ball in the pocket and Reva was still chalking up her cue, Gus went up behind her and ran his hands down her outstretched arms and kissed her neck.
“I didn’t even get it in, and I get rewarded?” she asked as she stood up and turned around in his arms.
“I was enjoying the view from back there,” he said quietly.
Harley blushed a little and put her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“Hey, hey! Get out of the way,” Josh said. “All that tongue is distracting Reva,” he teased and Harley laughed then pushed Gus backwards to the wall where they finished their kiss.
The next time Harley was up, she got the ball in the pocket and then sunk the next two. After she missed one, Gus held his hand up and they did a high five that turned into a laughing playful kiss.
“Look at them,” Blake said to Cassie over at the table.
“I know, have you ever seen her this happy before?” Cassie asked.
“Not in a long time,” Blake answered, “She just lights up when he’s in the room. It’s amazing. I never would have put the two of them together.”
“But they’re good together,” Cassie interrupted.
“Yeah, they are. I’m so glad she found someone she could love after Phillip, even though it’s Aitoro.”
“Now wait a minute Blake, Gus isn’t all bad. He’s actually pretty amusing. And he treats Harley like a queen,” Ross corrected her.
“I know, you’re right,” Blake said as Harley sunk the last striped ball on the table and she and Gus cheered.
Gus called the eight ball, “Eight-ball, side pocket,” then aimed and shot.
The ball rolled right into the pocket and Harley and Gus had a good time gloating over their win.
“Next round is on Josh,” Gus said as they all joined Blake, Ross, Cassie and Richard back at the tables.
“You let them beat you?” Cassie teased Josh and Reva who hid their faces in shame as a waitress brought the second round of drinks.
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