Never Say Never

Chapter 11

 Three hours later found Aly sitting in the passenger seat of Steve's car, wondering if doing this together was a good idea. After they managed to get some actual baking done, her counter littered with trays of sweet treats, they'd realized what time it was. Steve announced they should go get the kids. Like this was a normal occurrence, the two of them picking up their children from school together. Like they wouldn't be making some epic statement to the world when they exited the same car at Hawkins Elementary.

What would Eli think when he came out of school to find both her and Steve waiting for him? How would he feel riding home from school in Steve's car? Who was she kidding? Her son would be ecstatic. He'd get to spend more time with Jeremiah, which was always a good thing in his book. And wasn't this exactly what the boys had been pushing for? The two of them together?

Were they together? It should be obvious after what had gone down in her kitchen. But was it? It was fairly obvious to her that Steve had been around the block a few times. From the way he and his friends talked he was no stranger to relationships. Did sex mean anything more to him than just a good time? Did she want it to mean more? As much as she liked him, what in the hell had she just gotten herself into? It felt like they'd just bypassed far too many steps and were stumbling into what could be dangerous territory. Shouldn't there have been some conversation about what they were to each other, declarations of love or something before they got all carnal with each other?

She had no idea. She was really bad at this. Her and Justin hadn't slept together until the night he'd told her he loved her and she'd said it back. There had only been three guys prior to him and only one of them had been a one night stand, a drunken mistake her freshman year of college. Was that what this had been? A one night stand? Or, actually, a one morning stand since it hadn't even been noon when it began? Or was Steve thinking they were now officially a couple? Jesus, they needed to talk about it but this would be a really bad time now. They couldn't have this discussion with the kids around.

Why hadn't she said anything in the kitchen? It wasn't like they'd been silent. They'd talked as they baked but it was all meaningless stuff. Steve filled her in on the new project his company was working on. She told him about the helicopter mom that had been in the office yesterday, standing over her shoulder as she'd administered vaccinations. He'd been touchy, kissing the back of her neck as he transferred baked goods to the oven for her or placing his hands on her hips, watching over her shoulder as she tried to show him how to properly measure ingredients. The guy had no idea what he was doing. He was used to seasoning to his heart's content. She had to explain that baking was like chemistry. It had to be exact. But not once had they addressed what had just happened or what it meant.

"Anyway, you don't have to if you don't want to but I know Jere would love it. And I would love it too but I don't want to put too much pressure on you. I know this thing has just started, really."

This thing? What thing? The two of them? Was it a thing? Were they the thing? Had it started? And what did that mean? Was he her boyfriend now? And what had he even been saying? Were they having the exact conversation she was thinking about and she was missing it? Her inner monologue had just interrupted him and now she had no idea what Steve was asking her.

"I am so sorry. I kind of missed all of that. I was stuck in my head. What were you asking me?"

"We're having Jere's birthday party next weekend. It's at my ex's place. It will basically be all the people you met at my house plus my ex, her husband, and her parents. Anyway, Jere really wanted Eli to come so I promised I would ask. Nance and Jonathan hired some guy that dresses up like Batman so he knows he's coming and he said Eli would be so mad at him if he didn't get to meet Batman too."