So It Goes Read online

  Lucas smiled. One of those nose-crinkling smiles. “Good morning. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.”

  “Nah, I’ve been up for a while. A dad never gets to sleep in, even on a Saturday.”

  “I’m looking forward to that. Actually, I came over to see if you two were interested in coming with me to walk Daisy. I usually walk her around this time every morning. Since Danny was so fond of her, I thought the two of you might enjoy that.”

  Aaron raised his eyebrows. That was thoughtful of the guy. He didn’t doubt that Danny would be very interested in the offer. Aaron had a lot to do at home, but a short walk around the neighborhood shouldn’t put him that behind on his work.

  Aaron shrugged. “Yeah, sure, let’s do it.”

  Lucas smiled again. “Fantastic. I’ll get Daisy ready and meet you guys outside in five minutes.”

  “Cool. I’ll go tell Danny.”

  After closing the door, Aaron found Danny on the floor, trying to tie his shoelaces. He was already dressed and ready to go. “You heard that, didn’t you?”

  Danny looked up with a warm smile. “Yeah, I’m so excited.” Then he raised one of his feet. “Can you help me, Dad?”

  Aaron sighed, kneeling beside him. “Let me teach you how to do it again, alright? I’m sure you’ll get it soon.” Aaron went over the mechanics of tying shoelaces, going with the bunny ears method because it seemed like the simpler version. As a kid, Aaron had taught himself how to tie his shoelaces because Rodrigo Santos didn’t have time to teach him basic things like that. And, once Aaron had learned, he’d taught Jay.

  Danny watched closely and mouthed back Aaron’s instructions. He nodded to himself. “I think I get it now. Can I try?”

  “Knock yourself out.”

  Danny tried to tie his other shoe, his tongue sticking out in concentration. It took him three tries before he got it. The look of pure amazement was clear on his face as he glanced up at Aaron. “Did you see that? Dad, did you see that? I did it! I did it!”

  Aaron beamed, feeling so damned proud of his son. He gave him a big high five and then scooped him into his arms. “I knew you could do it, kiddo. You’re the smartest kid in the world.”

  Danny laughed. “Dad, you’re squishing me.”

  “Sorry, sorry.” Aaron pulled away. “Let’s go outside. We got a dog to walk.”

  CHAPTER 2

  LUCAS

  Lucas went back home from the new neighbor’s house with a smile on his face. Ever since Lucas, Angelica, and Daisy had moved into their home a year prior, they hadn’t had a neighbor in the house to their left. The owners had been an older couple whose children refused to sell their childhood home, but they must have finally been able to convince them.

  At first, Lucas was a little wary of who would move in right next door. He’d always feared rowdy neighbors. So far, all of his neighbors had been perfectly pleasant. When he saw it was a small family who was moving in, Lucas knew right away that they would have no trouble. Meeting them only reassured him of that. Angelica agreed with the sentiment.

  Aaron was kind. Lucas could see it in his eyes. His smile was earnest. Danny was adorable, and Daisy had taken a liking to him right away. Karen was a little harder to read, but he was looking forward to getting to know her better.

  Angelica was painting on the back porch, the glass door open to let Daisy in and out while she worked.

  Lucas went over to her, admiring the painting on the easel that was only just a background full of orange, yellow, and red hues. “Hey, Angie, what are you working on today?”

  Angelica looked over at him. She had a bit of a yellow splotch of paint on her chin. “I’m not sure yet. We’ll see what this turns into.”

  Lucas wiped the paint off her chin with his thumb. “Is the chin painting a new technique?”

  “Maybe it is,” Angelica said, smirking.

  Lucas laughed and kissed her temple. “I’m taking Daisy for a walk. I invited Aaron and Danny. Do you want to join us?”

  Angelica shook her head. “No, dear, I’m hooked on this painting right now. Have fun. Be nice to our new neighbors.”

  “I’m always nice.”

  “Well, don’t bore them by talking about all your favorite horror movies.”

  “Who doesn’t love horror movies?” But honestly, he did tend to ramble about them. Horror was kind of his thing.

  “Just let them ease into you.”

  Lucas rolled his eyes. “I’ll be back shortly. Text me if you need anything.”

  “You know I always do.”

  Angelica already had the strangest cravings. Last night, she’d had Lucas fetch her a pickle dipped in chocolate fudge.

  After getting the harness and leash on Daisy, Lucas brought her out onto the sidewalk. Daisy loved going for walks, but Lucas would have to make them either earlier in the day or later in the evening because the days were getting hotter now that it was summer. He didn’t want her paws to burn.

  Aaron and Danny walked out of their house, Danny tugging hard on Aaron’s hand as he pulled him closer to Daisy. Aaron unlatched his fence and closed it behind him as Danny stood in front of Daisy, petting her head.

  “Hey, Luc,” Aaron said. And then stopped himself. “Sorry, I should have asked. Is it okay if I call you Luc?”

  “Luc is fine with me.” Truthfully, not very many people called him anything other than Lucas. Not even Angelica, unless she called him dear. But Lucas liked Aaron, and he didn’t mind the nickname.

  “Can I hold the leash?” Danny asked, looking up at him with a sparkle in his eyes. “Please?”

  Lucas couldn’t resist. “Of course you can, young man.” He handed over Daisy’s leash, and Danny jumped up and down excitedly.

  “Are you sure she won’t just run off with my son?” Aaron asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

  Lucas smiled. “No, Daisy is very well behaved. She doesn’t run off. Danny will be alright. Besides, we’re both here if anything happens.”

  They started walking down the sidewalk, stopping every time Daisy wanted to pee or smell something interesting.

  “So, what do you do for a living?” Lucas asked, breaking the silence between them.

  Aaron looked back at him, blinking. Freckles adorned his dark-skinned face, and they appeared more prominent in direct sunlight. His eyes were a deep brown that was inviting. He had the same stubble from the first time they’d met. There was no denying that he was good-looking, with symmetrical features and incredible black hair, which was swept back neatly. But Aaron didn’t appear to be cocky. He seemed humble, and maybe a little shy.

  Aaron was a wonder, and Lucas wanted to learn more about him.

  “I’m a mechanic,” Aaron finally said. “I’m starting work on Monday at a garage owned by an old family friend. It’s one of the reasons we moved here. I knew I’d be able to get a job, and I get to live closer to my younger brother.”

  “You have a brother?”

  Aaron’s face lit up at the mention of him. “Yeah, his name is Jay. Well, it’s Jesus, but everyone calls him Jay. He recently got married, and he’s been living in Oklahoma City for the past three years. Works as a divorce attorney.”

  “Oh, that sounds like a nightmare.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure it is. But Jay likes it. He’s real smart.”

  “Dad,” Danny said urgently, making Aaron and Lucas both turn to him. “Daisy just pooped!” He covered up his nose and looked away from the damage.

  Lucas pulled out the roll of plastic bags from his pocket. “No worries. I’ll take care of it.” Lucas picked it up before they kept walking. “There’s a park two blocks down. That’s where I usually take Daisy. Would you guys like to go?”

  “Yes, yes, yes!” Danny said.

  “Lead the way,” Aaron said, smiling.

  Once they reached the park, Lucas dumped the bag into a trashcan, and then they continued walking on the trail. Children were playing in the playground and Danny looked over, immediately interested. r />
  “Danny, do you want to take a break from walking Daisy to play?” Lucas asked.

  Danny looked over at Aaron. “Can I go?”

  Aaron nodded. “Yeah, buddy, go crazy. Except, don’t really go crazy. Make sure you keep your shoes on and that your shoelaces don’t untie because remember last time you tripped on one of them.”

  “Okay, bye!” Danny handed over the leash to Lucas and set off running for the playground.

  Aaron and Lucas found a green bench and sat down next to each other, with Daisy sitting off to the side, watching the kids play. Lucas ran a hand over Daisy’s head.

  “What about you?” Aaron asked, continuing their earlier conversation. “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m a writer,” Lucas said. “I write fiction.”

  “Whoa, really? What genre?”

  Lucas smiled, hearing Angelica’s voice in his head, telling him to let their new neighbors ease into him. But Aaron had asked. “Comedy horror.”

  Aaron narrowed his eyes. “You mean, like, evil clowns and stuff?”

  Lucas chuckled. “I’m not exactly Stephen King. No, I mostly write about your typical monsters: zombies, vampires, and werewolves so far. I’m trying to come up with something different now, but I still haven’t found my great idea.”

  “Wow, you’re like a real writer.”

  “Yeah, I guess I am.”

  “I like horror myself. But I don’t think I’ve read a lot of comedy horror books. How does that work? Do you just add in a bunch of monster jokes?”

  Lucas met Aaron’s gaze. “Not exactly. I see it more as writing horror stories that don’t take themselves too seriously. The comedy comes naturally after that.”

  “Heh. That sounds kinda cool. It’s like those bad movies that are so bad they’re good. They never take themselves seriously, and that’s why they’re awesome.”

  Lucas grinned. “You like bad movies, too? They’re my favorite. I tend to go out of my way to find them.”

  Aaron widened his eyes. “Tell me you’ve seen The Room.”

  Lucas nodded. “Classic. Yes.”

  “Birdemic?”

  “Love that one. Of course.”

  Aaron smiled from ear to ear. He had a great smile. “Okay, if you tell me you’ve seen Fateful Findings, I’m gonna lose my shit.”

  “Well, you might want to track down your shit because yes, I’ve seen that Neil Breen masterpiece.”

  “Dude, you’re fucking awesome. You have terrible taste.”

  “So do you.”

  “What are your books called?”

  “Got Brains?, Bloody Dentures, and Mooning You.”

  Aaron burst into laughter. “I love them all.” He pulled out his phone, typing something. “There. Already ordered them. I need someone new to read, especially someone who’s a fan of the best bad movies ever made.”

  Lucas gaped at him. “Aaron, you didn’t have to do that. I have extra copies. I could have given them to you.”

  Aaron waved a hand like it wasn’t a big deal. “I’m supporting your career.”

  “Well, thank you,” Lucas said, touched by Aaron’s kindness.

  “It was nice of you to invite us to the park today. Seriously. My son is happy, and so am I.”

  Lucas thought it was kind of wonderful how something as simple as accompanying Aaron and Danny to the park with his big dog was making Aaron happy. He was starting to understand Aaron as a person, and it was quite lovely.

  “Of course,” Lucas said. “It’s my pleasure.”

  Aaron looked back at the playground where Danny was swinging. “I need to get that kid a swing set for the backyard. I haven’t even looked them up yet ‘cause I’m sure they’re expensive as hell.”

  “You should look for them on Craigslist,” Lucas offered.

  Aaron looked at him as though he had lost his mind. “Do you want me to get murdered and dumped in a ditch?”

  Lucas rolled his eyes. “Of course not. Craigslist is not as scary as you think. I’ve purchased stuff from there plenty of times before. I could even go with you for backup. I know self-defense, I lift weights, and I have a truck to carry it.”

  Aaron didn’t look as wary this time. He seemed to consider Lucas’s offer. “You know what? I’ll look them up tonight and if I find something good, I’ll let you know. But if we both end up murdered and dumped in a ditch, I’m blaming it all on you.”

  Lucas nodded. “Fair enough.”

  Aaron nudged Lucas on the side. “Tell me more about your wife. You two looked inseparable.”

  Lucas beamed, just like he always did whenever Angelica was mentioned. “Angelica paints the most beautiful things. She likes painting people and animals the most, but she also paints sceneries, junkyards, and other random things that inspire her. She’s currently working on a piece as we speak.”

  “That’s awesome. Does she sell them?”

  “Yeah, she has a few local buyers. Some have sold overseas. And sometimes she just hangs them up on our walls. She wants to paint a mural in our daughter’s bedroom. It’s her new big project. She’s a perfectionist, so I’m sure it won’t be done for months. I love seeing her paint. She can go on for hours without stopping. Just like me when I write. I think that’s a big reason we hit it off so well from the start. We’re similar in many ways.”

  “That’s really cool,” Aaron said. “I’d love to check out her paintings.”

  “When you guys come over for dinner, I’ll let her know to give you a tour.”

  “Sounds good. I’m looking forward to that. So, how long have you been married?”

  “A little over a year,” Lucas said. “Angelica and I moved into our house right after getting married. We didn’t wait long to start trying for a baby. Both of us have been eager to be parents for a while. We dated for three years before we got married, but we picked out baby names within months of dating.”

  Aaron laughed. “Oh no, you’re one of those couples.”

  “Hey, don’t be rude. We’re a perfectly normal couple. We’re naming her Ella. Ella Angelica Adams.”

  Aaron smiled. “That’s a good name. I take back what I said.”

  “Why’d you choose the name Danny?” Lucas asked.

  For the first time since they’d met, Aaron looked incredibly uncomfortable. Lucas wasn’t sure what he’d said that had ruined their easy banter, but he wished he could take it back. It surprised him when Aaron pulled himself together a few seconds later and started talking again.

  “Daniel West is the name of Danny’s biological dad,” Aaron said, in a quiet and defeated voice that rattled Lucas. The pain was so clear on his face, destroying what had been such a nice, calm expression.

  “I’m sorry, Aaron. I didn’t mean to pry into something so personal.”

  Aaron shook his head. “No, it’s alright. It’s not really a secret. Karen has told Danny before that he has another dad, as she puts it. She insisted we named him Daniel, even though the asshole disappeared as soon as he found out he was having a kid. He didn’t want anything to do with him. I stepped up. I’ve always loved Karen. We were high school sweethearts. We’d been apart for a while when she called me wanting to start things up again. She told me she was pregnant, and I told her I’d be there for her and her son. Even though I see Danny as my own, the truth of the matter is, my name isn’t on his birth certificate.”

  Lucas couldn’t imagine how difficult this must be for Aaron. Judging by the way Aaron slumped his shoulders as he looked at Danny still swinging, Lucas could see how much the situation upset him. But Lucas had never been in his place. He didn’t know how awful that must feel. Being a father wasn’t a privilege he had just yet.

  “I can see how much you love him. And I can tell he loves you just as deeply. That man might be his father on paper, but you’re his father in person, where it really counts. You’re the one bringing him to the park and wanting to risk your life to buy him a swing set. You’re a brilliant father, Aaron. That’s what mat
ters.”

  Aaron peeled his eyes away from Danny to look back at him, and he smiled softly. “You’re pretty cool, you know that, Luc?”

  “So are you,” Lucas said. And he absolutely meant it.

  CHAPTER 3

  AARON

  When Aaron had accepted to go for a walk with Lucas and Daisy, he hadn’t imagined that he and Lucas would hit it off so well. The guy was funny and easy to talk to. Plus, he liked bad movies as much as Aaron, and he even wrote books, which Aaron had impulsively purchased because of how much he enjoyed the guy’s company. Aaron just got a good feeling from Lucas from the get-go. Aaron didn’t have any friends, not really. Jay was his friend, but he was also his brother. Aaron had always had trouble making friends, especially now that he was a dad. All his time was spent looking over Danny and Karen. Aaron had made no time to make friends. But Lucas lived right next door and being his friend seemed like a possibility.

  They were still sitting on a park bench, watching Danny on the playground. Aaron had never felt so at peace before with someone he’d known for less than a day.

  “If your invitation still stands, I was thinking maybe Karen, Danny, and I could come over for dinner this Friday,” Aaron said. “I think we’ll have everything unpacked by then.”

  Lucas smiled. “That sounds perfect. I’ll let Angelica know. She’ll be glad to have you guys over.”

  “I feel like we hit the lottery in the neighbor category with you guys.”

  Lucas laughed. “That’s nice of you to say. Angelica was worried I would scare you off by being myself. You should know I held back my deep love of horror movies because of her advice.”

  “Don’t hold back on my account. I love horror movies, too. You’re talking, like, The Exorcist and The Shining and shit, right?”

  Lucas’s eyes lit up like he himself had just won the real lottery. “Yes, absolutely. When people talk about horror movies, they usually refer to the poorly made, gory-filled nonsense that gets released nowadays. I only watch them for the sake of watching new horror content. I’m a big fan of classic horror films. Angelica thinks that’s highly pretentious of me, but I can’t help what I love. I grew up watching them. They’ve been the best escape from reality time and time again. Well, that and books.”