Sometimes, Love Finds You

The woman running the event tried to quickly explain how this would work but several of the more challenged residents walked away and started picking up eggs and showing them off before the official start. "I got a blue one!" "Hey, look! I got a green one!"

Robert was allowed to join the group without his mom who stood next to Connor and watched. In seconds, it was a free-for-all of people bending over and picking up one colored egg after another. Robert found a red one and turned to show his mom. "Mom! See? I got a red one!"

"Good job, honey!" she called out as Robert turned back around to find more.

"Connor? I'm so sorry about Friday night. I'm not normally sensitive about Robert's challenges, but it had been a rough day and then there was that...guy...at the restaurant. I just felt like it was me and Robert against the whole world, you know? But then I thought it about later and I couldn't have been more wrong. You risked a lot to stand up for us and that's not something that happens a lot for us." Her voice trailed off as she finished speaking.

"I can't even imagine what you deal with every day. I really, truly didn't mean to lump Robert in with..."

Willow reached out and put her hand on his forearm. "No, it's okay. I know you didn't mean that. It's just that well, Friday my divorce became official and I had to see Robert's father at the courthouse and that upset him—and me—and sometimes, as strange as it sounds, pancakes are the only thing that can calm him down. And then that...guy..."

Connor saw tears forming in her eyes and he felt terrible. "It's okay, Willow. You don't need to explain anything. I'm just really glad you came. Robert looks like he's having a blast."

They found him in the crowd and he was clutching an armful of eggs and holding more in his hands. He had an even dozen when he came back to show his mom. Connor got a basket for him and helped him put the eggs in it. "See? I told you. Look at all my eggs. I am smart!" he said.

"You sure are, Robert," Connor told him.

They stood and talked for several minutes as things wound down. "So do you work full-time, Connor?" Willow asked.

"Oh, no. I'm a senior at White River High."

"That's wonderful!" Willow said. "What are your plans after your graduate or do you know yet?"

"Well, if I can keep my grades up, I'm hoping to get an full ROTC scholarship to pay for college. I think I'd like to fly jets for the Air Force someday." Without complaining or whining, he explained what had happened to his dad and the financial situation with his mom. "So if I can hold the 3.9 GPA, I've got a really good shot at it. Well, if calculus doesn't do me in, that is."

"Calculus? Ha! If you need some help, just ask. I just took a job at Enumclaw High School teaching math and specifically AP calculus."

"Are you serious?" Connor asked. "That's insane. What are the odds?"

Both of them laughed at the thought of actually trying to calculate the odds. "You've got to be really busy. I can't imagine you have the time to tutor me." He stopped when he realized tutoring wasn't free. "Besides, we're not really in the position to pay for a tutor so..."

"Nonsense! I don't start until after Spring Break which is a week from tomorrow. I'm replacing a teacher who's retiring for health reasons which is why I'm starting at this odd time of the year. If you want to get together, just let me know. There's no charge. It's my way of thanking you for the pancakes and the...protection...and for this." She smiled then added, "It's your break time, too, so I can understand if spending it with a woman...your mom's age...isn't all that appealing."

Willow smiled at him and Connor felt something he'd only felt before when Jill looked at him like that. He tried not to stare but she was really beautiful. Not just pretty but...beautiful. Long, dark, silky hair fell to just below her chin. Her eyes were warm and bright and and her face was well...beautiful.

He did his best not to stare, but he couldn't not look. Her body was tight and fit and she had a great ass with a small waist and what seemed to be two very nice, round breasts. She was wearing a coat, but from what he remembered she was around the same size as Jill, who was a full B or a small C. He was immediately aware of his growing...problem and hoped she hadn't noticed.

To his relief, she was still looking directly into his eyes, and unlike him, not checking out his body. That was because she'd already taken notice Friday night when he was pinning Wade Lucas to the floor. What she'd seen had caused her own kind of growing problem in the form of a warm flutter that started in her stomach that drifted south and ended where she was noticeably very wet. She now felt a little ashamed of herself when she learned he was a boy still in high school, no matter what he'd done or how mature he might be for his age.

Willow asked if she could tutor Connor at his place. The reason, she said, was she was living her brother and sister-in-law until she could save up enough to afford her own place. He told her was sure that would be okay and after giving her his address, set up a time.

To his surprise, Willow had arrived before he got back from working an early-morning shift at the Kitchen, and neither she nor his mom heard him come in. He stood in the kitchen and listened as he heard Willow say, "He told me about that. I'm so sorry for your loss."

Connor's mom said, "He's been amazing through all of this. He takes care of everything his dad once did plus all of the other stuff he does outside of his studies. So yes, I am very proud of him."

"He may be the most mature boy I've ever met. He not only does all of those things but he carries himself better than most of the men I know who are my age." She paused then said, "He's light years ahead of my deadbeat ex-husband who couldn't stand living with Robert. He saw him as a burden to having fun and 'doing his thing' and yet your son's thing is helping out children like my son. Now that I've met you, Mrs. Kelly, I can see why Connor is the way he is."

"Well thank you, Willow, but his dad had a lot to do with that, too. He was always so proud of him and I know he'd be even more so today."

Connor wasn't good at dealing with that kind of syrupy praise. He closed the door again only loud enough to be heard then strode into the living room. "Oh, hi, Willow. I saw your car outside. I see you and my mom have met." He bent over and kissed him mom on the cheek and handed her an envelope. "Payday today. I got a whopping 15 cent-an-hour raise so don't spend all that in one place okay, Mom?"

She hugged her son and said to Willow, "See what I mean? Well, let me let take her break. It was nice meeting you, Willow, and thank you for helping out like this. I really appreciate it."

Connor grabbed his textbook and showed Willow to the dining room table. "So you're in your second semester of calculus, right?" she asked.

"Yes. I did great the first semester when we were working on differentiation. But integration is killing me."

"There basically kind of reverse processes so show me where you're at and what's giving you trouble and we'll start there."

Two hours later, Willow told him she'd have to call it quits for the day. "What time is it?" Connor asked. He looked at his watch and said, "Wow. I wish time flew by like that in class. I had no idea how easy this was. I just couldn't see it until you explained like that."

They stood up and he showed her to the door. "You're really good, Willow. EHS is lucky to have you."

"Thank you, Connor, but that remains to be seen. As far as tutoring goes, do you want to get together again this week?"

"Yeah, sure. I'd really like that, but I'm not sure I need any more help. I mean, you really opened my eyes. Or would that be my mind?" Willow laughed at his quip. "I think I've got it now so in all fairness, I would just be wasting your time. Don't get me wrong. I wish I could think of a reason—any reason—to spend more time with you, but I'd just have to make up the reason so..."

Willow laughed. "Your mom is right. You really are an amazing boy, Con... Oops. I am so sorry. I mean...young man."

Connor laughed and said, "That's okay. I don't mind a woman, even one my mom's age, calling me a boy."

"You're terrible!" she said as she laughed out loud and hit him playfully.

Connor laughed, too, until he saw her facial expression change. "What's wrong?" he said. "You know I was kidding about the age thing, right?"

She looked sad again, the way she looked so often the few times he'd seen her. "I know. It's...well...when I laughed just now I realized that was the first time I'd laughed—really laughed—in so long I'd forgotten how good it feels to have a nice time." She was looking at him in a way he didn't quite understand when she said, "Once again I find myself thanking you for something."

"For what?" Connor asked.

"For making me feel...alive. I don't mean to be melodramatic, but I haven't felt that way since my ex-husband told me he couldn't stand living with me...no, not me...with Robert, anymore. A part of me died that day and I've just never fully recovered." She smiled a half-hearted smile and said, "You made me feel like my old self so I guess that's what I'm thanking you for."

Connor's smile faded as her words sunk in. Willow felt responsible and said, "Oh, my. I just realized. I'm standing here complaining about my ex-husband while you lost your father. Oh, Jesus, Connor. I'm so sorry. I feel so...petty and ashamed."

Connor forced himself to smile and said, "Okay, that's enough. No more sharing our misery, okay? We need to talk about something else or maybe even do something else. Instead of tutoring, can I take you guys somewhere where we can do something more enjoyable?"

"You can't be serious! You've already done so much for us. I'm the one who should be doing something for you. I'd offer to make dinner for you but well, I kind of don't have a house or even an apartment so..."

"You guys just moved here from Olympia, right? So I bet neither of you have been to the Seattle Science Center. Something tells me your very smart son would have a blast checking out all of the exhibits. What do you say?"

Willow eyes were darting back and forth between his own. "I'd love to Connor, but you really don't have to do that. I know you have a big heart and Robert talks about the Pancake Guy all the time now, but that's an all-day commitment. You must have friends or probably a girlfriend to hang out with."

Connor told her about the break up with Jill. "I'm really sorry. It hurts no matter how old we are. I'll just say it's clearly her loss. Maybe we could do something simple. You know, like take Robert to a Disney movie or something."

He could tell she wasn't trying to get out of going with him. She was genuinely concerned about him 'wasting' an entire day with someone he couldn't possibly want to spend time with.

"Why don't we do both? I'll take you two to the Science Center then you can take us guys to a movie."

Again, Willow asked, "Are you serious? Do you actually want to hang out with us that much or are you just being the nice guy you are? You don't have to do any of this, Connor. Really."

She was still looking at him 'like that' when he said, "Well, maybe I want to spend my time with the two of you. Did you ever think of that, little Miss I'm-older-than-you-so-I-know-everything?"

Willow feigned indignation and said, "Well I am older than you and maybe I do know more than you." She paused, cocked her head then said, "And I do. About calculus anyway. So there, Mr. Smarty Pants-nice-guy who's really, really young." She paused, looked down, then back up before adding, "And really cute."

"Like Robert, I prefer the word handsome but...okay" he teased.

Willow smiled and tried to speak but her throat was tight. Her smile faded again and her eyes had a different kind of look. It was a look he recognized but couldn't place. It was a look that told him something he just instinctively knew. Without thinking, he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She didn't kiss him back, but she also didn't pull away and her eyes closed along with his.

When he pulled back her eyes were once again darting back and forth between his. "What just happened?" she managed to croak.

"I just kissed you," he said as though she needed an answer to her question.

"I...I...I should go now," she said.

Without saying another word, Willow turned and walked out to her car. Connor watched as she got in and started the engine. She looked dazed like she'd just seen a ghost. Connor regretted kissing her, but it was too late to undo it. As she backed out, he realized he didn't know her number or even where she lived. He did notice her license plate as she pulled onto the street in front of his house, but that wouldn't do him any good and something told him she wouldn't be stopping by for another visit anytime soon.

"Shit," he said out loud. "You just blew that out your ass, Mr. Know-it-All," he told himself.

The next day, he was leaving the kitchen when he saw her. "Officer Johnston!"

"Hey, Connor! How's the 'Buckley badass' these days?" she kidded. "Yeah, Wade was spewing his shit about you all the way to the jail. What a dick. How did I ever fall for that asshole?" she said. "Oh, sorry. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I kind of need a favor," he told her. After some cajoling she told him she'd pull up the plate and check her address.

"It's still the Olympia listing, but I know she filed a restraining order against her ex-husband so I know where she lives."

"Great!" Connor said.

"No, not great. I could lose my job if I tell you so please don't ask me to do that, okay?"

"Ah, come on. You know I'll never tell anyone." He watched her give him that look where she twisted her mouth around as if to say, "I know I shouldn't do this but for the guy who beat Enumclaw this year..."

"Okay, but if you tell, I'm gonna do a lot worse to you than I did to Wade."

After she gave him the address he said, "Don't you mean 'after what I did to Wade'?" She doubled up her fist and shook at him but couldn't help smile as she did. He was so damn nice...and cute.

Connor's stomach was churning as he rang the doorbell. "I'll get it!" he heard someone holler. It was Robert.

"Hey, I know you!" he said. "You're the Mickey Mouse pancake guy."

"Hi, Robert. Is your mom home?"

Just as he said that, Willow came to the door and said, "Robert honey? Why don't you go inside with Aunt Cody and let Mr. Pancake Guy and Mommy talk."

"He's the Easter Egg man, too, Mom!" Robert said as he ran back inside.

Willow closed the door and said, "How did you find me?"

"State secret," he told her. "Are you upset I did?"

She looked down and said, "No. Well, maybe."

"May I ask why?" Connor queried.

"Look, you're a really nice guy, Connor. There aren't many out there like you, trust me on that. It's just that well, this can't go anywhere, you know? I'm older than you. A LOT older than you and..."

"I don't care how old you are, I care about who you are," Connor told her softly.

"You need to understand Robert gets attached to people very quickly. Especially men. He really misses his dad but how can I explain any of that to him? He likes you, Connor. He talks about the Pancake Guy and the Easter Egg guy all the time. I just can't let him get attached to you and then have you disappear from his life."

"Are you planning on moving again?" he asked in the same calm, quiet voice.

"What? What do you mean? We just got here and I told you I'm going to be teaching at EHS next week."

"Then I don't see a problem," he told her. "I mean, I'm not moving anywhere so who's gonna be leaving?"

When Willow laughed he was very relieved. "Okay, you caught me off guard there," she told him. "The truth is, I really do like you, Connor. You honestly are one of the nicest, most decent people I've ever met. But I'm 32 years old and you're still in high school. And I have a son who needs stability and a ton of patience and..."

"I think I'm a patient person," he said interjecting himself into her list of objections.

"Okay, I'll grant you that, but there's still the issue of me being a teacher and you being a student."

"Okay, I'll grant you that, too...for another two months or so and at a different school. Your turn."

"Connor, this isn't a game. This is my life. This is my son's life. You have no right to waltz in and do this knowing you'll just..."

"You mean do this?" he said as he pulled her to himself and kissed her again.

"Connor...stop..." she protested. "I don't want you to..." Her protests died out and she just stood there and let him kiss her...again. And then that feeling welled up inside her and no matter how hard she tried not to she raised her arms and put them around his neck and kissed him back.

They didn't kiss all that long, but the intensity of it sent shock waves through her body. She hadn't been kissed in well over two years, and she couldn't remember if she'd ever been kissed like that by anyone, let alone someone so handsome.

"What just happened?" she said again—reflexively as though she hadn't been part of it.

"I kissed you. Again. Just like last time, remember?"

"Oh, my God. This is insane!" she called out. "Do you realize this is truly insane?"

Her eyes were darting again. Back and forth. Left to right, right to left. She was looking to him to agree with her and tell her she was right.

Instead he said, "What would be insane is not finding out whether or not this really is insane." Her eyes were filled with disbelief and concern. There was no fear, but he could tell she was deeply concerned.

"Why couldn't you just leave me...leave—us—alone? Why did you have to find me and...and kiss me and make me feel...like this again?" He saw a kind of desperation in her eyes that told him she didn't want this to be happening even though she wanted it to be happening more than she'd ever wanted anything in her life.

"Connor, this is crazy," she said as she lay her head on his shoulder.

"Is that a step up from insane?" he joked.

Willow lifted her head up and looked into his eyes again. "Do you have any idea how you make me feel?" she asked as she ran her hand across his cheek.

"Will you tell me? How you feel?" he asked as he brushed her hair back.

"Happy. Afraid. Hopeful. Confused. Scared."

"Is that everything?" he asked as he kissed her forehead.

"Isn't that enough damage to inflict on me?" she said as she lay her head back on his shoulder.

"I was hoping you might say 'horny'," he said trying not to smile.

"Connor Kelly! What is wrong with you? My son is just inside the door and..."

He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply and passionately until she melted into him and kissed him back, hungrily and deeply. "Okay, you win," she moaned. "Just please, please don't hurt me or my son. Please?"

He held her tight and whispered, "I won't hurt you, Willow—ever. Or Robert. I promise."

On Saturday they spent the day at the Science Center and as predicted, Robert couldn't stop talking about everything he'd seen. Rocket ships and outer space and the oceans. Oh, and the ice cream. He loved the ice cream. And the hot dogs. He was so excited he never noticed his mom was holding hands with the Pancake Guy or that they kissed many times during the day.

"My brother said he'll keep Robert tonight if you know...you and I wanted to well, you know..." Willow said on the way home. Robert had fallen asleep during the ride back. "I mean, if you'd like to alone with me, that is. I'm not expecting anything, I just thought maybe..."

"Willow? You think too much. There's nothing I'd like more than to be alone with you."