The Workaholic Down the Hall

by Katharine Sadler

  “Why do you torture that poor man?” I asked.

  She looked genuinely confused. “What poor man?”

  “George?”

  “Who?”

  “The man you just passed in the hallway. His name is George.”

  Her eyebrows popped up. “Really?” She looked at the front of the house, where George was climbing a ladder and putting a very fit, very muscular body, obvious even through his sweatshirt and jeans, on full display. May appeared to be completely unaffected. “Huh, I thought his name was Gary. He's a bit of a deadbeat, isn't he? Working odd jobs here like an hour a day.”

  “He's an English professor at the college.”

  She turned back to me, grimacing. “Dullsville, am I right?” She flicked the bell on the desk and sighed. “I'm bored, Aubrey. I need some excitement.”

  I laughed. “Please tell me you aren't so desperate that you're asking the pregnant lady for excitement.”

  She groaned. “I am, Aubrey. I am that desperate.”

  “Why don't you call Carrie and Dilly? They'd probably go out with you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Dilly's dating some guy she says is changing her life, and Carrie has kids at home and a job she has to get up early for. Come on, Aubrey. Say you'll come out with me.”

  “Sorry, sugar. I crash at about eight-thirty these days. Why don't you ask George?”

  May glanced toward the window, where George's sweatshirt had ridden up to reveal an impressive six-pack as he reached above his head. May shrugged and turned back to me. “He's like almost thirty. I'm not that desperate.”

  She didn't meet my eyes when she spoke and I thought it rather telling that she knew how old George was when she didn't even know his name. “We could have a girls' night in,” I said. “Watch some movies and eat fattening food?”

  She grimaced. “I really need to find some younger friends.”

  I studied her for a long moment. “Why don't you go back to Atlanta? You have friends there.”

  She shrugged. “I like it here, I guess. There are so many gorgeous places to take pictures and…” Her cheeks pinked. “One of the shops in town has agreed to try and sell some of my photos.”

  I squealed. “Really? May, that's fantastic. I'm so happy for you.”

  She bit her lower lip and glanced toward the window again, before returning her attention to me. “It's probably nothing. I haven't sold anything, yet, but I met a woman who sells photos there and she's agreed to help me get better. I guess…” She shrugged. “There's just something about this place, it kind of sucks you in by the soul and won't let go.”

  I wasn't going to pretend to understand what May was saying, but I had to agree there was something special about Catalpa Creek. “I like it here, too.”

  “Except that sometimes I want excitement and there isn't a lot to be had here.”

  “I bet you could find another version of excitement, if you wanted to. Carrie's friend Lance is really into rock climbing, maybe he'd teach you.”

  Her eyes lit. “Think of the pictures I could take.” She slapped the top of the counter. “That's a wonderful idea. Thanks, Aubrey.”

  I watched her walk away and felt a bit envious. Work helped me not to think about Noah every moment, but I could use something to take my mind off him every other moment.

  “We don't have any planned check-ins for this afternoon,” Nora said, stepping out of the kitchen to stand beside me. “I can handle things here, if you want to take some time for yourself.”

  It's not like I had a million things scheduled to do, at this point I was just keeping busy and waiting for my daughter to arrive. The thought of going back to an empty house and staring at the wall didn't tempt me. “It's fine,” I said. “I can stay.”

  Nora frowned. “I really don't have anything for you to do, dear, and you should take every chance to rest before the baby arrives.”

  I sighed. I adored Nora, I really did, but her hovering and worrying had only gotten worse the closer I got to my due date. That morning, she'd pulled out a chair and insisted I sit while I worked behind the check-in counter and she'd hidden the cinnamon buns. “Sure. I could rest. Just call me if you need me to come in.” Please, please call me, I thought.

  I drove back to the cabin. I hadn't decided about keeping it, but the more time I spent there, the more I did want to keep it. It was a tad big for just me and one child, but I could picture my daughter playing in the yard, tromping through the woods, having friends over to help her explore. I could give her the kind of childhood I'd never had, one where she was free to roam and play, rather than confined to the shadows so as not to disturb relatives who didn't really want her there.

  I would put up a swing set in the backyard and we could have Nora, Carrie, Cody, May, and the kids over for cook outs. In the summer, there'd be plenty of space for a sprinkler and water balloon fights.

  It would be a good home for my daughter and it already felt like home to me. The only downside was that every time I walked through the front door, I expected to see Noah on the couch. I could still smell him in my sheets and my pillow, probably because I hadn't been able to bear the thought of erasing him completely from my life by washing them. It caused me pain, but made me smile, too, when I was tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

  I stomped inside, kicked off my shoes, and hung my coat in the closet. I paced the house, already bored, already picking through the options of something to do. I considered a walk, but decided it probably wasn't the best idea. If the walk caused me to go into labor, I'd be a long way from help.

  Out of ideas, I sat at my computer and browsed my favorite investment sites. Nothing caught my eye or excited me, and I ended up doing a search of activities around Catalpa Creek. With the mountains in our backyard, quite literally in my case, there were lots of outdoorsy activities, but not a lot suitable for a pregnant woman. I was just about to shut down my computer and find a book to read when something caught my eye. I called May.

  “Hiya,” May said. “I hope you're calling with something to do. Lance was unavailable and none of the local climbing gyms are open right now.”

  “I don't know how exciting it will be, but have you ever tried salt therapy?”

  “Um, no.” She sounded less than intrigued.

  “It's like a spa. You go and breathe in salt air and it's supposed to totally relax and energize you. I promised Oscar I'd try it out and I haven't been, yet.”

  “Sounds thrilling, Aubrey, but I was thinking about washing my hair.”

  “Come on,” I said. “I'm bored, too. Don't make me do this alone.”

  I could practically hear her rolling her eyes over the phone. “Do you think they'll be able to fit us in today?”

  “I'll book us an appointment. You don't have to work tonight, right?”

  “Nope. Book away. I'll come to you and we can hang out until our appointment time.”

  ***

  “This is unreal,” May said. We followed the receptionist into the salt cave. The place was dimly lit and colorful, cool and silent. We walked barefoot across a salt-covered floor to two lounge chairs right next to each other.

  “Please have a seat,” the receptionist said. “Relax and breathe.”

  We sat and the receptionist left. I'd expected May to chatter or complain that she was bored, but she sank into the chair, sighed and closed her eyes.

  I tried to do the same, but after just a few minutes, I was wishing for her chatter, because my mind was humming and I couldn't get it to quiet. I thought of Noah and wondered what he was doing, if he thought of me at all. I thought of the new baby and all the ways my life was going to change. I thought about the delivery and all the things that could go wrong. Just when I was about to run screaming from the cave, I remembered something I'd read once about meditation. I dragged in three deep breaths, the salty air filling my lungs. Then I breathed normally and cleared my mind of everything but taking in one breath after another.

  “I talked to Noah this
morning,” May said. “He misses you.”

  Her words made my heart pinch. “He told you that?” He'd told me he'd missed me, but I'd be shocked if he'd admitted it to May.

  “Not in so many words, but I could hear it in his voice. He's hurting, Aubrey. I think you made a mistake pushing him away.”

  “We're supposed to be relaxing,” I said. “And you aren't helping me relax.”

  “Maybe you shouldn't relax. What if he's your soul mate and you've ruined everything?”

  “I don't believe in soul mates.” I didn't believe in soul mates, but I couldn't picture myself with anyone other than Noah, couldn't imagine my life without him in it.

  “Well, I do,” she said. “And I think you fucked up, Aubrey. He was willing to try. He wanted to give the two of you a real chance and you refused to make any effort at all.”

  Because I couldn't survive it. I couldn't survive giving him a chance, opening myself up to him, and finding out he was only with me out of a crazy sense of duty. “What's really going on with you and George?” I asked, not willing to share my thoughts with May.

  “I don't know what you mean,” she said with a sniff.

  “I guess I have nothing to say about Noah, then.”

  She sighed. “I met him before that day in Mom's kitchen, and he was a total asshole.”

  “When?”

  She tilted her head and looked at the salty ceiling. “I was out with Dilly and Carrie. George was there, brooding and drinking, and Carrie introduced us. I thought that would be the end of it, but Cody called Carrie about some crisis with the kids and Dilly took her home. I decided to stay and dance for a bit. George danced with me.”

  “Sounds like a complete asshole to me.”

  She nodded, deep in her own thoughts, my sarcasm lost on her. “We danced and it was fun. He was hot and he made me laugh. He kissed me on the dance floor and then bought me a drink.” She winced. “I'm not…I haven't dated that many guys and I thought…I guess I thought it was the start of something. Instead, he got us a table and whined about how amazing Carrie was and how lucky he'd been to date her and how he'd never find a woman as wonderful as her.” She bit her bottom lip and blew out a hard breath. “I was beyond annoyed with him, so I got up to leave. He grabbed my wrist and invited me to go home with him.” She rolled her eyes. “Like I'd go to his place after listening to him drone on about Carrie for twenty minutes. I told him I'd rather eat worms and he shrugged and said, 'see you around, Mary.'“ She growled. “He didn't even remember my damn name.”

  I stared at her, shocked. I'd assumed she'd dated a lot of guys. She always seemed so confident, so sure of herself. “You really liked him.”

  She curled in on herself so tight even her toes were curled. “I'm an idiot who makes a habit of picking the absolute worst guys to crush on.”

  “Maybe he was just drunk,” I said. From everything I'd seen of George, he was a kind man and at the baby shower, even when Carrie had been around, his eyes had been on May. “Maybe you should talk to him about it.”

  “Hey,” she said. “Great idea. I'll talk to George about what a dick he was when we met and you talk to Noah about this crazy idea of yours that he's only offering to date you because he feels obligated to take care of you.”

  I stared at the salty wall. She had a point and I hated it. But I couldn't talk to Noah. If I called him out, he'd deny it and try even harder to do the right thing. No, it made more sense to push him away, to give him space to find what he really wanted.

  I cleared my mind again, as best I could and focused on what I could control, my breathing. May snored softly beside me.

  The forty-five minutes ended before I was quite ready and, when I sat up, I felt clear-headed and energized.

  The receptionist and I had to shake May to wake her. She stretched and stood, smiling sheepishly. “I guess I was way more tired than I realized.”

  We followed the receptionist back out, but the reception area was no longer empty. Oscar stood behind the desk. “Aubrey, May, it's so good to see you. What did you think?”

  “It was wonderful,” I said.

  “I slept through it,” May said. “But I feel great, so I'd say it was a success.”

  “Great,” Oscar said. “I hope you got the friends and family discount.” He looked over at the woman behind the desk with him and she nodded.

  “They told me they were friends of yours,” she said.

  “We did,” I said. “Although free doesn't really seem like a fair discount.”

  Oscar shrugged. “I'm sure I'll more than make up for it when you tell your guests how wonderful my spa is.”

  “I will tell them. Thank you.”

  “Sure,” he said. “What are you up to now? Want to get some dinner?”

  I ended up back at my place for dinner with Oscar and May. They hit it off immediately and kept me laughing so much I almost forgot to miss Noah.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Noah

  “Are you coming here this weekend?” My mother sounded annoyed. I was sorry I'd answered her call. The last thing I needed was a guilt trip. I'd been texting Aubrey and leaving messages, but she'd only responded that one time. It was driving me crazy wondering how she was and feeling that I'd lost her, again, for no good reason.

  “I can't,” I said. “I've got meetings with two potential buyers for the Brantley properties and I'm working late tonight with our marketing team to try and come up with a way to drum up more business.” And I was giving Aubrey her space and myself enough time that I wouldn't beg her to give me another chance when I did see her.

  My mother sighed. “I hope it all goes well, son, but I want you to know I'll be fine, we'll all be fine, even if it doesn't.”

  I wasn't going to get into this with my mother again. “How is Aubrey?”

  “She's great. If it weren't for that adorable baby bump, I wouldn't ever guess she's nine months pregnant. She's so energetic and has the most wonderful ideas for the bed and breakfast.”

  “I'm glad.” I wanted to know more, but I didn't want to give my mother the wrong idea. “I'll call you—”

  “She has a date tonight.”

  My gut went cold and my heart flipped. “A date? I've been gone less than a week.”

  “Is there some reason she shouldn't date? You two aren't together, right?”

  What happened to trying? What happened to giving us a chance? I knew she was mad at me, but a date? Of course, I couldn't tell my mother any of that. She'd be on it like a tick on a bloodhound. “Of course, she's free to date. Who's she going out with?”

  “I'm sure it's no one you know. He's a lovely man. A business owner.”

  “Sounds great, Mom. I've gotta go, I'll call you later.”

  “Of course, dear. You have a good weekend.”

  I barely heard what she said. I hung up and dialed Aubrey while I tried to stay calm, tried not to picture Aubrey in some other man's arms, her hair brushing his bare skin, smiling at his words, at his touch. When she didn't answer, I texted her that it was an emergency and she needed to call me right away.

  My phone rang seconds later and I answered on the first ring.

  “Hello? Noah?” It sounded like she was out of breath.

  “You have a date tonight?” My voice was so gruff, I doubted she could understand me. “Mom said you have a date tonight.”

  “This is your emergency?”

  “It's an emergency to me. The woman I was sharing a bed with just a few days ago, the mother of my child, is going on a date. Have your sheets even stopped smelling like me?”

  Something like a growl echoed over the line. “I'm free to date who I want.”

  “I still want to try,” I said. “I don't want you to go on a date tonight.” And I didn't, I realized. The only person she should be going on dates with was me. The only man who should touch her was me.

  “It's not a date.” Relief whooshed through me like a tsunami. “I'm having dinner with Oscar. Neither of us has many fri
ends in town, so we've been spending a lot of time together.”

  My relief vanished as quickly as it had arrived. “The guy you were seeing when I was kidnapped? Does he know you have a boyfriend, now?”

  “I don't have a boyfriend, Noah.” Her voice cracked a bit as she spoke and I wished I could see her, could pull her into my arms and make this okay.

  “Why won't you give us a chance? What happened when you went out to lunch with May and Carrie?”

  “Nothing happened. I got out and I got a little bit of clarity. You have a life and a career in Atlanta, and I want to have a life in Catalpa Creek.”

  “Is this about me coming back to Atlanta? I didn't have any choice about that.”

  She sighed. “It's not about that. I'm so sorry, but you have to believe this is for the best.”

  “Aubrey, I—” But she was gone, the phone screen blank. I stared at that screen for several long moments trying to understand why I hadn't been enough for her. I was facing my responsibilities, all of them. I was doing what needed to be done and, somehow, it wasn't good enough.

  I looked up at a knock on the door frame. Jill grinned at me. “Heading out soon?”

  “I have a meeting with the marketing team in a bit. You could come, I'd appreciate your input.”

  Her cheeks pinked. “I've got plans tonight.”

  That caused my eyes to widen. There were few things Jill would rather do than work and fewer things that made her blush.

  She laughed at my expression. “I have a date,” she said. “Don't look so surprised. I am human, I need sex as much as the next person.”

  I grimaced and stuck my fingers in my ears. “Gah, I don't want to hear that.”

  She laughed. “Mom said Aubrey has a date tonight, too.”

  “What did she do, send out a memo?”

  “I think she's trying to make sure you have every opportunity to get the girl.”

  “The girl turned me down.”