City in the Middle: Book Two in the Amber Milestone Series

by Colleen Green

  She wanted me to say yes. So, I did, even though my gut was telling me the honest answer was no. My instincts were also telling me that we didn’t know the whole story. And I didn’t know if we ever would.

  Chapter 18

  The next day, Fiona shuffled her feet, getting ready to leave for work. With heavy eyelids, she poured her second cup of coffee. I dragged because I was up earlier than normal. I had set my alarm so I could check on Fiona before she left.

  “Can you call in sick?” I asked. “Just for one day.”

  She put bread in the toaster.

  “You must be fatigued from all that you’ve done.”

  “I am, but I feel obligated to go. Besides, that would mean a day without pay. I used all my vacation and sick time.” She poured creamer into her coffee.

  “I’ll pay extra rent if needed.” I got out the butter for her.

  “That’s a generous offer.” She got out a knife and jam. “I can’t take it, though. It wouldn’t feel right.” The toast popped up.

  “Can you at least text later and let me know you’re going to—”

  “Just lay off!” she barked.

  I stepped back from her. Her raising her voice at me for the first time felt like a slap in the face.

  “Stop acting like a mother hen,” she snapped as she narrowed her eyes.

  She looked away and buttered her toast. Her frustration at me crushed my heart. She wouldn’t even look at me again to see the tears welling up and ready to burst. “Fine. Do what you want!” I grabbed my purse and ran out the door.

  My tears rolled down my face. I didn’t appreciate her unprovoked scorn. What did I do to deserve it? Lack of sleep and exhaustion were no excuse for her temper. If my concern annoyed her because I cared about her, then too bad! She needed her roommate checking on her, even if she was bothered by it. Friends show their support by being there for one another. I had done that for the past several days, and apparently it was too long. Reluctantly, I would give her space. Cam needed to come back. It was the only thing that would console her.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  After storming out of the apartment, I called Henry to see if I could help with restoring the pub. He said to meet him there.

  Grateful for the chance to focus my attention on something other than worrying about Fiona, I headed to meet Henry.

  When I walked into the building, the damage took my breath away. Soot blackened the ceiling and walls. The stage where Fiona’s band played was destroyed. Boards ran the length of the back wall, I assumed to cover a hole. The bar was half gone, with rough edges sticking out of the end that was left. It was a miracle I’d survived.

  “Henry, I’m here,” I called out.

  “I’m in the kitchen.”

  I went to him. Henry mopped the floor.

  “Oh, Henry, this is awful.” I gawked at the devastation.

  He pulled down the mask covering his nose and mouth. “Yeah, I think it’s beyond awful. Thanks for coming to help. You’ll need to wear a mask to prevent inhaling this debris.” He handed me a mask and another mop then pulled them both back before I could take them. “Are you sure you’re up to this? I don’t want to be responsible for a setback with you.”

  “I’m sure.” I took the mask and put it on.

  I surveyed the destruction as I took the mop. The ceiling had partially collapsed in the far corner, and it was the blackest area of the room. I wondered if the fire had started there. The stoves were damaged beyond repair. Water damage was obvious on the walls that weren’t covered in soot. Only three appliances looked like they might be able to be salvaged. The freezer and refrigerator might be all right. The pantry, once stocked with canned goods and condiments, was a pile of debris and ashes. I mopped the floor.

  Henry stopped working, pulled down his mask, and looked at me. “It’s a cruel irony that the day after Charles took over the restaurant due to our father’s condition, this happened. It was a battle just to prove that my father was mentally unstable to run a business. The process of the law isn’t a speedy one.”

  I pulled my mask down. “I’m so sorry this happened.”

  “Me too.”

  We continued working for a while. When we had finished mopping and throwing away the debris, he rummaged through a toolbox on the counter. “Here is some sealing tape.” He handed it over. “Use it to wrap around those pipes underneath the sink. I must have missed them when I initially used the tape.”

  “Sure.” I bent over, put my mask back on, and started working.

  Wrapping the last faucet, I pulled down my mask and asked, “Did you ever find out what started the fire?”

  “Yeah,” he mumbled. I barely understood him, as he spoke through the mask. He continued, “Can we discuss it after we’re done for today?”

  I nodded.

  Later, Henry got a clipboard. He checked things off a list. “Well, we’ve done everything we could.” Henry leaned against the part of the bar that was left. “People are coming tomorrow to help determine how much damage was done.”

  “That sounds stressful.”

  “Actually, I think it will go well. Charles and I are meeting with a public insurance adjuster. They help assess the damage so we can make a comprehensive claim to the insurance company.” He looked around the pub as if trying to tally the cost of the damage. “Once we found out who to contact, we felt much better, compared to days ago.”

  “I bet you did. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know.”

  “I will. Thanks.” He put his hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed it. “You have been wonderful helping with all of this. In fact, I want to repay you for all your work and support by having you over for dinner. Plus, you survived the fire. That’s worth celebrating! I can’t imagine how horrible it would have been if I lost you. You moved here to help me run this place, and if you had died in the restaurant, covering for me—”

  “I’m still here.” I hugged him.

  He hugged me back then let go. “Would you be able to come over tomorrow? Fiona can come.”

  “I can. I’ll let you know later about her. But really, you don’t have to do that. I wanted to help.”

  “I know you did. You’ve helped me quite a bit today. I really appreciate it. Plus, it’s been nice working with you again. I needed to see a familiar face in here. I was kind of like you, in a city with only a few people I knew.”

  I smiled, “Right back at ya. It’s been nice working with you too! So, yes I’ll come.”

  “Wonderful. Wife’s making a roast.”

  “Sounds great.”

  “I’m going to put this paperwork in what’s left of my office. Then we can discuss what started the fire.” He left but came back in less than a minute with keys in his hand. He leaned against the bar and put his keys on it. “My dad left a dishcloth near a hot stove.” He sighed. “His outdated smoke alarm never went off.” He shook his head looking at the ground. “Luckily, Charles got up to get some water and saw the fire. Somehow, he managed to get himself and Dad down the fire escape.”

  “How terrible!” I sat on a barstool. “I’m glad they got out.”

  “Yes, so am I. The fire proved that Dad can no longer be safe having his own place. He can’t cook for himself. Charles had been struggling to care for him. Now, Dad’s living at Senior Care Village, in Brooklyn.”

  “At least he will be close to you.”

  “It’s only fifteen minutes away. I can take my car and avoid the subway. I don’t know if I’ll ever like taking the train. You can take the man out of suburbs, but you can’t take the suburbs out of the man.”

  “I do admit walking to work is the easiest. We pay high rent, but the convenience factor makes it worth it.”

  “I’m sure it does.” Henry looked around and sighed. “It does look a little better.”

  “It does.”

  “I think I’ll leave soon. You should go.” He grabbed a paper menu from below the bar and wrote on the back. “This is my addres
s. Be there at seven for dinner.”

  “Should I bring anything?” I asked, taking the piece of paper.

  “Just yourself and Fiona. She can bring her boyfriend.”

  My heart plummeted. We still didn’t know where Cam was. “I’ll let her know.”

  “I haven’t seen my cousin much, but I’ve been trying to reconnect with family. I see her playing with her band. But we’re both too busy to talk.”

  Henry had no idea about Cam being missing or about Fiona’s recent beating and hospital visit. I’d kept him out of the loop because Cam said he was taking care of things.

  I might be the only one of us showing up for dinner. It would put me in the awkward position of explaining why Fiona wasn’t there. I doubted she would eat with me anytime soon. I might have to lie to Henry for the first time. The thought made me uneasy. He’d always been there for me, and lying would feel like betraying him.

  I wasn’t ready to explain what was going on with Fiona. Will I ever want to tell Henry about Fiona’s boyfriend having mob connections? It wasn’t my place, and Fiona probably didn’t want him to know. I couldn’t risk upsetting Fiona further by telling Henry what was going on with her boyfriend. Besides, telling Henry wouldn’t do her any good. It would only tarnish his opinion of her. It wouldn’t help bring Cam back.

  What if Cam never makes it back? How long can Fiona last, searching for him and dealing with the lack of sleep and the anxiety? I wished I could do something to help her find Cam. Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of a damn thing. She had searched all his hangouts, asked around, and called his phone multiple times.

  The only thing left to do was wait for him to return. In the meantime, it was her sanity I was worried about. Since I didn’t have any plans to help Henry the next day, and I wanted to give Fiona her space, I called Darlene and arranged to spend the night at her place. I could avoid Fiona if I could get a change of clothes and get out before she got home from work. It would be close, but it was worth a try.

  I opened the front door to leave the pub. A man stood outside and appeared as though he was about to step over the threshold. I recognized him. He had a face I could never forget. He was the man who had run into me that night while I carried a tray full of beer, causing me to be drenched with alcohol.

  “Looks like I caught you just in time.” He smiled, stepping closer as I backed away.

  His sandy-brown hair framed his model face. His eyes met mine. It wasn’t his lack of manners that I remembered the most—it was how gorgeous he was.

  “You’re Amber Milestone, right?”

  “Yeah.” How does he know my name? I sat at the nearest table.

  “I was here the night of the fire. I’m the fireman that found you. My name is Gabe.”

  I sat down. “You’re the fireman that saved me?”

  “I just wanted to make sure you made a full recovery.” He sat across from me.

  “That’s going beyond the call of duty,” I said, smiling.

  “There is something else I wanted to talk to you about. The firemen in Manhattan are having a chili cook-off to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. It is at the Tribeca Community Center at noon on Sunday. Our crew makes the best chili you’ll ever taste!” He raised an eyebrow. “We’d appreciate your support by coming and voting for us. Tickets are twenty dollars at the door. I hope you can come.”

  I wasn’t sure if I approved of the sales pitch at the same time he was checking on my status. “No pressure! I’m just being invited by the man who saved my life.” I chuckled, half-kidding. “You do make it hard to say no, and it is a good cause. I’ll try. Which firehouse do you work at? It seems like there are a ton in the city. I want to make sure to vote for your chili.”

  “Engine 34, Ladder 21. It’s at 440 West and Thirty-Eighth Street. You’ll know it’s ours, because I’ll be serving it.”

  Even though the timing of the invite wasn’t the best, there was one thing I couldn’t deny. I would like to see him again.

  Chapter 19

  Imanaged to pack a quick overnight bag before Fiona returned home, so I didn’t see her. I wasn’t ready to face Fiona after our fight, so I was relieved to be heading to Darlene’s.

  I couldn’t do anymore for Fiona. I had comforted her. We had searched for her boyfriend. Once she told me her father’s debt had been paid, the only thing left to do was wait for Cam to return. If I stayed in our apartment, she’d snap at me again. She must regret the harsh words she spoke earlier. Still, her behavior hurt my feelings. She needed to be alone, and I needed to heal.

  I left her a note that said I’d be gone for two nights. I wrote about Henry wanting her to come to dinner the next night, although I sincerely doubted she’d come. How can she smile and be friendly with Cam still missing?

  I hoped that in the next couple of days, Cam would see Fiona. Nothing would make her happier than to be in his loving arms.

  Going to Darlene’s place in Westchester felt like a mini-vacation. After living in Manhattan for a few months, I had developed the self-preservation skill of shutting out the surrounding noise, people, and congestion to be able to get from point A to B without losing my mind. Talking to my friends, one-on-one, was what I needed—at least in a place that wasn’t full of crowds, which ruled out visiting with friends in Manhattan restaurants. Seeing Darlene in her home was going to be private and just what I needed to recharge from the perpetual city motion.

  After I got off the train, I took a taxi to Darlene’s house. The scenery was a suburban oasis. The streets were wider. People had lawns in front of their houses and space between homes.

  My apartment complex was built on top of a restaurant. Nothing was separating the apartment complex that was next to ours. The brick of it was against the brick of ours. It was typical New York City architecture, with rows of buildings built against each other. It made sense to design the architecture that way, given that it was all on an island. Otherwise, the massive population wouldn’t fit.

  Part of me longed for the suburban lifestyle. I missed the quiet. Since it was afternoon, most people were at work. The neighborhood we drove through was peaceful. The traffic was light. People didn’t beep their horns. There were no sirens and no cyclists weaving in and out of lanes. It was wonderful. I could look out the window and relax.

  The Dutch colonial homes were spaced far apart, and the streets were wide enough that two cars could drive on it going in opposite directions. Only a few cars were parked on the street, since people had their own driveways. There were lawns and trees. I did miss owning grass, trees, and my own driveway. If I wanted to go somewhere, I walked or took the train. I missed my car. I could see the appeal of living in Westchester. It was close enough to take the train to work, but far enough away from the chaotic city to be peaceful.

  The taxi driver stopped at Darlene’s home. I paid him and got out. Keith, Darlene’s husband, opened the front door as I approached it.

  “You must be Amber,” he said.

  “I am. You must be Keith.” I stepped inside. “Thanks for meeting me.”

  He shut the door. “No problem. I live close to work. I can take your bag and show you to your room.”

  “That would be lovely.”

  He slung my duffel bag over his shoulder and headed upstairs. I followed.

  He went into a bedroom. “You’ll be staying in here.” He put my bag on the bed. “The baby’s room is across from you, and we’re next to it.”

  “I can’t wait to meet your bundle of joy.”

  “Zach is starting to crawl. He’ll probably be walking soon. You’ll see him in action tonight.” He smiled. “If you get thirsty, help yourself to a soda in the fridge.” He left the room, and I followed.

  “Thanks. I’m going to sit on your couch and listen to the silence.” We walked downstairs.

  “Still adjusting to city life, huh?”

  “One minute, you love it, and next, you hate it,” I replied.

  We reached the front door. �
��That’s how I felt. I only lasted three years until I got a job here,” he said, opening the front door. “Darlene gets home after I do. She’ll have the baby.”

  “I’ll see you later, then.”

  “See ya.”

  Keith left. He only lasted three years in the city! I had moved to New York in the hopes of creating a new home. Next year, during my birthday, I was supposed to know if I could live in Manhattan. Can such a thriving metropolis be my home? Was a year really long enough to know how to make such a life-changing decision? Will I be like Keith and leave Manhattan? Time will tell.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Just after six, Darlene came home from work. I finally tasted the ribs that had been cooking all day in the Crock-Pot. They were worth the wait, with meat that fell off the bone. Each bite was tender and delicious. The tangy coleslaw and cornbread were the perfect sides.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Darlene’s baby, Zach, crawled, gripping the carpet with his tiny fingers. His mouth hung open, and he was wide-eyed as he scooted his knees forward.

  “That’s my boy!” Darlene beamed with pride. “Keep going.” She lay down on her belly, facing him. The joy that radiated from her voice was beautiful. She’d clearly found a piece of heaven in this world. I was happy for her.

  She let me feed him his last bottle of the evening. Zach held it tightly. I steadied the bottom of it, rocking him gently.

  “Couldn’t you look at him for hours?” she said, sitting across from us.

  “Yeah, he’s amazing.” I kept looking down at the baby, proving her point since I hadn’t made eye contact with her since I started his feeding minutes before. “You’re a mom. Where did all the time go? You were heading off to college the last time I saw you.”

  “I know what you mean. How can something go so fast, yet feel like ages ago?”

  I chuckled. The baby fluttered his eyes then closed them.

  I whispered, “Maybe because we’ve been through so much since we saw each other. Time went fast because we were busy. Makes it seem longer than it really is.”