Love And The Single Mom (Singles.... With Kids #1)

by C. J. Carmichael

  She couldn’t help but hope Peter and Ellie wouldn’t want to stay with their father. If they insisted on coming home after school tomorrow, as previously arranged, she would move heaven and earth to make it work.

  Once the suitcase was ready, she tossed it into the trunk of her car, then headed for Pacific Heights. She arrived just around the kids’ bedtime and Ellie and Peter were already bathed and in their pajamas. Catherine was reading them a chapter from Charlotte’s Web.

  Margo swallowed down a lump at the perfect picture her children made with Tom’s new wife. When was the last time she’d read to the kids together?

  In the end Tom did the talking, because Margo knew if she said one word, she’d end up bawling. As it was, she had to duck her head to hide her tears when the kids reacted calmly to their father’s suggestion that they stay with him for the next week.

  “It’ll be nice to be here a little longer for a change,” Ellie said.

  “But what if I miss Mom?” Peter wasn’t quite as brave.

  Margo gathered all her strength. “You can phone me whenever you want. And if you really miss me, I can come for a visit.”

  “I guess.” Peter wiggled off the sofa. “Can I play computer games before bed?”

  “I’m sorry, Peter,” Catherine said calmly. “We’d agreed on one chapter and then bed, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Peter was about to run off, when Margo called him back.

  “Can I have a kiss?” She tried not to cling when he came to her. Smiling had never been more work in her life. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, honey. Sleep tight.”

  Then it was time to say goodbye to her daughter. She could see the questions in Ellie’s eyes. She wasn’t quite as accepting as her younger brother.

  “It’s only for a week, right, Mom?” she asked as Margo hugged her.

  “Only a week,” Margo promised, forcing herself to break off the hug after several seconds.

  She left without saying anything else. She simply couldn’t. Ellie’s comment kept playing through her head. Did her kids both wish they could spend more time at their father’s house? What if, after the week was over, neither one of them wanted to move back in with her?

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  MARGO NEEDED HELP, and Robert was the first person she thought of. She longed to cry on his shoulder, to ask for his help with the bistro, to talk to him about her fear that she was going to lose her children completely.

  But she resisted the urge to call him. She felt horribly guilty that she’d fallen in love at a time like this. How could she have done that when her children and her business were already suffering from lack of attention? Her relationship with Robert was the height of selfishness. Despite the advice of her friends, this was not the time in her life for romance.

  Margo made a pot of coffee, then grabbed a pad of paper. She searched for business plans on the Internet, found something that would work as a template, then used Robert’s notes to fill in the blanks.

  She did okay with the written analysis part. But when it came time to prepare the forecasted cash flow statements—the numbers that would show just how profitable her business would be after she implemented all the changes—she was stymied. If only she had at least a basic amount of accounting knowledge.

  Just before ten o’clock, her phone rang. Worried there might be a problem with the kids, she reached for the receiver. It was Robert.

  “Hey, Margo. Did you get my messages?”

  It was scary how good the sound of his voice felt.

  “I haven’t checked the machine.” She’d wanted to. But she’d been afraid there would be a call from him on it and that she’d be too weak not to phone him back.

  “I was hoping I could come over after the kids were in bed. Maybe have a coffee. Is it too late?”

  She steeled herself against the temptation to be with him. “I’ve already had two cups tonight.”

  There was a hesitation before he answered. “Are you all right? Are you upset with me over something?”

  “I’m fine and, no, I’m not upset.” It wasn’t really a lie. She wasn’t upset. She was devastated.

  “Are the kids okay? How was Peter’s doctor’s appointment?”

  “The appointment was fine and so are the kids.” She hesitated. “Actually they’re at Tom’s tonight. He switched nights because of a business meeting.”

  “So you’re alone?”

  “Yes.” Tonight and the next seven nights. She clenched her teeth, still not sure how she was going to stand it.

  “What if I came over with a bottle of wine?”

  She wanted so badly to say yes, to spend a few delicious hours not worrying about her problems. But her responsibilities had reached the point where they simply couldn’t be ignored.

  “I’m busy, Robert. I’m working on a report for the bank.”

  “I could help.”

  Again Margo hesitated. She so wanted to say yes. He’d be able to do those darned cash flow statements much easier than she could. But if she accepted his help, she’d be tacitly encouraging their relationship. And that was something she could no longer do.

  “That’s okay. I think I can handle it. Speaking of which, I’d better get busy. Good luck with your first day at the new job.”

  The cheerfulness in her voice was all fake, and she hoped Robert didn’t pick up on it. If he knew how much she cared about him, how much she wanted him, he’d be right over here.

  And she couldn’t let him do that. It wouldn’t be fair to him. Not when she’d decided that it was time to end things between them. It wasn’t something that could be said over the phone, but the next time she saw him, that was exactly what she had to do.

  Employed

  ON THURSDAY MORNING Robert sank into his new office chair and planted his hands on the smooth wood desk. He looked around, feeling like a king surveying his domain. Even though it was a relatively small domain, it was still his. This was his desk, his computer, his little corner of the San Francisco banking world.

  He picked up the brass nameplate that hadn’t yet been positioned on the wall by his workstation. Robert Brookman, Director of Commercial Banking. That was him.

  Earlier, he’d had coffee with his managing director and the other members of his team. He’d been introduced to the visiting New York VP and had been given an office tour by Gloria in HR.

  On his desk were several piles. One contained company manuals on everything from lending limits to standards for documentation. In another pile were the forms Gloria had given him. He had to get signed up on payroll and there were some for the health and dental program. Then there were the retirement savings plans and automatic monthly deductions for a charity of his choice.

  But what Robert was most excited about was the form to order new business cards. He could hardly wait to have them in his wallet and suit jacket again.

  Using the new Montblanc pen he’d purchased yesterday, Robert went through the paperwork methodically. In the afternoon he was meeting with the IT guys, who would introduce him to the bank’s various software packages, including client management systems, product packages and reporting templates.

  His prospects had never looked brighter. In five years, he would be the vice president that new employees would be brought in to meet.

  He sighed deeply with satisfaction. He was back in his element, in the world where he belonged.

  At noon, his new boss came to check on him. “We were hoping to take you out for lunch, but several of the guys on our team are out on meetings this afternoon. Okay with you if we do the welcome lunch tomorrow?”

  “Sure. Tomorrow is great.” The words were no sooner out of his mouth, than his boss disappeared down the hall. Robert recorded the appointment in his BlackBerry. One of the guys he’d met that morning—Darren? Darryl?—showed up next.

  “A couple of us are heading to the Plaza for lunch. Want to come?”

  Robert hesitated. It would be good to get to know his coworkers, but Margo had s
ounded so strange on the phone the other night and he hadn’t heard from her since, even though he’d called again yesterday, several times. He knew he’d feel better if he could see her in person and make sure everything was okay.

  “I’ve got something to take care of today,” he told Darren-Darryl. “I’ll catch you next time, okay?”

  “Sure thing.”

  Robert slipped his BlackBerry into his pocket, then made his way through the corridors, smiling and nodding at the people he met along the way. Soon these people would be familiar to him. This place, with its thick carpet and earth-toned walls and muted art, would feel like a second home.

  Looking forward to that day, Robert waited with a group of others for the elevator. They piled on together, at least ten of them, and made their stop-and-go descent to street level. Outside he hailed a cab and prayed for moderate traffic.

  Twenty minutes later, he was standing in front of Margo’s Bistro. The soup of the day was Squashed Pear. He thought of the first time he’d walked by this place, how the aroma of that soup had pulled him in.

  And how Margo had drawn him back, again and again.

  He hadn’t admitted the truth to himself at first. He’d pretended it was the soup, the scones, the rich and flavorful coffee. But really it had been the bubbly blonde behind the counter who had touched him. He couldn’t wait to see her now, to tell her all about his first morning at work.

  To tell her that he loved her….

  But a young woman he’d never met before was working behind the counter with Em. He waited in line, then ordered his usual. “So where’s Margo?” he asked, as he dug for change in his pocket.

  “She’s in the kitchen, baking,” Em told him, as she slid the bowl of soup across the counter. “She wants to start offering a broader selection of desserts and quick breads.”

  “Really?” He was pleased to hear it. Her profit margins were largest on those items she made from scratch. Obviously she was wasting no time in putting his recommendations into place.

  Robert took his food to his usual table. One thing about sitting at the back, the table was usually available when he wanted it. Quickly, he ate his meal, hoping that Margo would come out front for a bit.

  When his food was gone and she still hadn’t shown up, he decided to check on her. He pushed on the kitchen door and found her kneading dough at the counter. A wisp of hair dangled over one eye. Though she looked pretty, as usual, he thought she seemed tired.

  “Robert. Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

  “I am. Or at least I was. I’m on my lunch break right now. What’s this?” He picked up a crumb from the empty bowl and tasted it. “Sweet.”

  Margo sighed. “It’s something new I’m trying. I’ve set myself a goal of increasing revenues by five percent this month.”

  “That’s great. Want me to price the margins for your new recipes?”

  Margo’s face turned pinker. “That’s okay. I can handle it.”

  Something was definitely wrong. The Margo he’d come to know and love was warm and giving and adorable. Now she looked as if she’d pull out a can of mace if he tried to give her a hug.

  He decided to push a little harder.

  “I was wondering if we could go out for dinner this weekend? Maybe watch another movie?” He watched closely for her reaction, hoping against hope that he was reading her wrong and that she would give him one of her glorious smiles.

  But she didn’t. “I’m so busy right now, Robert. I’d like to, but I can’t.”

  “Something’s different.” He studied her face, trying to figure out what it was. “You’ve always been busy, but the bistro isn’t open twenty-four hours a day and you do have staff. What’s up…is there a problem with the kids?”

  “Sort of.” She kept her eyes downcast. “Tom thinks I’ve been neglecting them. They’ve gone to live with him and Catherine for the week.”

  “What?” He couldn’t believe it. “Why?”

  “To give me time to get things turned around here.” Her voice lowered. “And because what happened with Peter the other day was my fault.”

  “Margo, that’s preposterous.” She couldn’t really think that.

  “If I hadn’t been working, they never would have been able to sneak out of the apartment.”

  “You can’t keep kids under constant surveillance. Whether you’d been working down here, or cooking a meal upstairs or making the bed in your room…if they wanted to go badly enough, they would have found a way. Besides, kids do break the rules now and then. It’s not automatically their parents’ fault.”

  Suddenly he saw that the lines around her eyes weren’t just from exhaustion. She’d been crying.

  “Stop working for a minute. Talk to me.”

  Her mouth tightened. “I can’t. Don’t you see? I’ve got one week to turn this place around. So this isn’t a good time for me to be…seeing someone.”

  “Don’t push me away. I can help.” He loved her. He wanted to tell her that. But he had a sick feeling it wouldn’t make any difference.

  “You’ve got your new job to worry about. I know how much it means to you. You don’t have time to help me out here. You know you don’t.”

  “Maybe not right this minute. But later—”

  “Later isn’t going to work. When I’m not working, I need to be with my kids. It’s that simple.”

  He couldn’t believe this. “So what are you saying? You can’t take any time for yourself?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I can take time off. Half an hour here. Ten minutes there. Do you honestly think that would be enough for you?”

  He stared at her. Honestly, no. “But—”

  “My kids have to come first. Please understand that.”

  He did. He really did. And yet, her decision still felt wrong to him. Somehow he had to persuade her that with his help they could make it work.

  Unfortunately, though, his lunch break was almost over, and he couldn’t be late on his first day on the job. “I have to get back to the office. But Margo, this isn’t the end of things. We’re going to talk again. And soon.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Soup of the Day: Ellie-gant Vichyssoise

  MARGO WROTE the soup of the day on the chalkboard with a heavy heart. It was Sunday and her kids had been living with Tom and Catherine for five days now. She called them every day and they seemed to be doing fine. They’d never once asked if they could see her before their next scheduled visit—which wasn’t until Wednesday.

  It had been the longest five days of her life.

  Margo went back to the kitchen to empty the trash. When she took the garbage bag out to the lane, she was amazed to find Boy sitting there as if he’d been waiting for her to show up.

  “Boy? Is that you?”

  As soon as he heard her voice his tail wagged madly and his entire body shook.

  “Where have you been, you crazy dog?” Margo dropped the bag of trash and wrapped her arms around the puppy.

  He cocked his head to one side, as if he was as puzzled by his errant behavior as she was. But at least he’d come back. At least he was safe.

  The little guy was dirty and obviously starving. After feeding him, Margo took him to the doggy wash before letting him into the apartment. As soon as he’d run in the front door he checked out both kids’ rooms, then settled into his bed and fell promptly to sleep.

  It was great to have him home, but Margo couldn’t help wondering if he’d run away in the first place because he hated being cooped up in a small apartment all day. Maybe it wasn’t fair to the dog to keep him here any longer.

  Margo dropped to the floor next to the doggy bed and tried not to look around her. The place was a mess. When was the last time she’d taken the vacuum out? On the desk sat her incomplete business plan. She had to get that finished and to the bank.

  But all she could think about were the two empty beds in the rooms down the hall.

  And Robert. Dammit, why was he still
in her brain, using up valuable thinking time when she’d already decided that their relationship had to end?

  He’d probably come to the same conclusion. He hadn’t called since Thursday.

  Margo tried to summon the energy to attack the business plan. But when Boy shuffled over to rest his head on her lap, she found herself wrapping an arm around him and staying exactly where she was.

  She’d grown to love this guy and so had the kids. But—there was no denying he was a complication they just didn’t need right now.

  She reached for the phone on a nearby table and dialed Selena. When there was no answer, she tried Nora.

  “Margo? What’s up?”

  She hadn’t planned on falling apart. But hearing the concern in Nora’s voice, everything just came gushing out. “My life is a disaster. Nora, it’s been a terrible week. On top of everything else, I lost the dog and now I’ve found him again and I’m realizing that I just can’t cope with looking after a pet in this apartment.”

  “It’s okay, Margo, calm down. Maybe you’re right. Maybe giving the dog to Selena and Drew would be the smartest thing.”

  “I just tried to call her but she isn’t home right now. Do you think she still wants a dog?”

  “I’m sure she does.”

  “Do you know when she’ll be home? I’d like to give her the dog before the kids come home. I think it’ll be easier that way.”

  “But won’t the kids need to say goodbye?”

  “I’ll ask Selena if they can come to her house to do that. I think it will be good for Ellie and Peter to see him in his new home and to know that he’s happy.”

  “That makes sense. How about I come and pick him up right now, then? I’ll get him to Selena as soon as I can find her.”

  “That would be wonderful, Nora. Thanks so much.” If Boy spent so much as one more night in her house, she wouldn’t have the strength to say goodbye to him.

  “No problem. Don’t give it another thought. Now is something else wrong? You’ve been crying, I can hear it in your voice.”

  “Oh, Nora…” Pride didn’t seem so important to Margo now, when she considered all she’d lost and all she still stood to lose. “I’m in trouble with the bank. I can’t meet my loan payments.”