Choices by Sara Marion Page A

hide the emotions he felt. He couldn’t believe Jack’s father died.
     
    “Yeah, just wondering where you went.”
     
    He tried to put on a smile. He knew he was failing by the flicker of concern that flashed across Paxton’s face.
     
    “I just fed Link and put him out,” she paused studying his face. “I figured that maybe we can go out to eat today because I don’t feel like cooking or doing any dishes.”
     
    “Yeah, sounds great.”
     
    “Okay.” Duke saw the look of concern on her face. She was struggling to decide if everything was really okay.
     
    Duke felt guilty for keeping the news from her. This is something that he should tell her but he didn’t want to push her away and have her running straight into Jack’s arms. He didn’t want to lose her quite yet. It was selfish of him but he knew that once this news broke, she would be gone.
     
    “I’m going to jump in the shower, want to join me?” Duke got up and stretched.
     
    “Not if we are going to get breakfast, we will be in there all day. Let me take one first so I can do my hair while you shower.”
     
    “Fine, I guess that will have to do.”
     
    Duke waited as Paxton headed off to the shower. He decided to unpack his overnight bag. He didn’t have the energy to do it last night. He pulled out his jeans and a button down black shirt. He pulled out his fresh boxer briefs and socks. He laid out the outfit on the bed hoping to get some of the wrinkles out. He heard the water shut off in the bathroom. Duke got up and headed in there to get his shower in.
     
    He turned on the shower and turned the water up. He knew he wouldn’t have a lot of hot water but he would stay in there for a few minutes to grieve. He wasn’t close to Jack’s father but he couldn’t imagine losing his own father.
     
    He quickly cleaned himself then stepped out. He dried off and wrapped a towel around his hips. He looked at the mirror and it was fogged over. He took a hand towel and wiped a section of it. He looked at himself and saw the tension in his shoulders. He saw the grief in his face and knew that he needed to pull himself together and relax. He was supposed to be happy. He spent the night with the woman he was falling in love with. He was given a second chance but he knew that it would only be temporary if he kept lying to her. He knew that she would never keep a secret that big from him.
     
    He heard the door open and Paxton stood behind him. She walked closer with a smile on her face. She threaded her arms between his and gripped his shoulders. Her bare chest was against his back and she kissed the back of his shoulder. Her eyes had a devilish grin in them and he felt her smile on his shoulder.
     
    Duke turned around and hugged her, “Hey now! You said that we’d never make it out of here if we started that.”
     
    “Hmm…should we test that theory?”
     
    “Not today cupcake.” His smile faltered as he stepped away from her, leaving her in the steam filled bathroom.
     
    Paxton didn’t protest as he shut the door behind him. He quickly dressed and fussed with his hair knowing that he didn’t have to do much to it. He was pulling on his boots when Paxton came out in a similar outfit. She had on jeans and a black shirt. Not a button down shirt but it has a shimmery effect with gold accents. Duke couldn’t help but stare, she looked beautiful.
     
    “What?”
     
    Duke shook his head, “You look good today.”
     
    Paxton smiled and blushed a little, “You aren’t so bad yourself.”
     
    She chuckled and Duke smiled. It was one of his favorite sounds. He wanted to hear it every morning when he woke up and right before he fell asleep at night. He knew that it would be a long uphill battle with her. She was fine being with him for now but he was scared to see what would happen when she went to New York, when she learned of Jacob’s passing. He wondered if that would change things. He could see her struggle from time to time but she