Never Saw it Coming

by Bernadette Marie

  “Your mom offered.”

  “Did she say I had to help?”

  “She might have mentioned it.”

  “Ug,” he growled as he carried the box into the apartment. “Maybe you should just marry my mom, and then you won’t make me move you again.”

  Mike dropped the box he was carrying at the suggestion. “Wow, so that you don’t have to help me again? You’re selling out your mom?”

  Jason put the box he carried into the pile of boxes that line the back wall. “I’m just saying. She likes you. You like her. I like you. I don’t ever want to do this again. You might as well get married.”

  It would be rude to laugh, he thought, especially since Jason seemed to be completely serious. “I’ve only known your mom four days. She might want more time to think about it.”

  “She only knew my dad for a week before she got pregnant with me. I guess you’re ahead of the game.”

  And just like that, Mike was at a loss for words.

  “I’m going to go down and lock up the container,” he said to Jason. “You alright up here?”

  “Sure. I won’t touch anything.”

  “You know my TV is hooked up to the satellite in the bar. You could watch something if you want. I’ll ask your mom for something to drink, and then we’ll work on math.”

  Jason fell on the couch and groaned. “See, you’re just like a dad. Do this. Do that. Let’s work on math. Why stop?”

  The air in Mike’s lungs whooshed out. Things were about to get very complicated.

  Chandra watched Mike walk through the kitchen and talk to everyone as he passed through. He was certainly a fixture there now. She caught herself smiling, and turned it off.

  “Where’s Jason?”

  “Upstairs watching TV. I told him I’d come and get us some drinks. What can we have, Mom?” He grinned, and her stomach tightened.

  “I’ll get some juice. What do you want?”

  “Whatever he’s having. Fair is fair.”

  She pulled the apple juice container out of the refrigerator under the bar and poured two glasses as Mike pulled his wallet from his pocket. “What are you doing?”

  “Buying us some drinks,” he said very matter-of-factly. “I’m not here for the freebies. You’ve already extended enough of them to me.”

  “For work.”

  “Sure, but…”

  She pushed the glasses toward him. “No buts. You’re not paying for these.”

  “Well, we thank you,” he said tucking his wallet back in his pocket. “Can I tell you that I like your hair down, without you thinking I’m coming on to you?”

  Chandra narrowed her gaze on him. “My mother is already convinced that’s the case. You might as well.”

  “Oh, I’m missing something good here. What did she say?”

  “She wanted to know if she could bring me back some clean clothes since I slept here and all.”

  “You did,” he confirmed as he took a sip from one of the glasses.

  “That’s not what she’s assuming. She thinks I slept with you.”

  Mike coughed on the juice. “Wow. We must have something hot going on, and we’re not privy to it. Jason would like me to marry you.”

  “What?” She nearly dropped the glass she’d picked up to fill. “What in the hell did you tell him?”

  “No, no. You have it wrong. He thinks that I sound like a dad. Do this. Do that. Let’s do math.” She chuckled, and he continued. “He also would like to not move my stuff again, and he figures if we get married we only have to move it one time, and not upstairs and to your garage, and then somewhere else.”

  Chandra snorted out a laugh. “He’s lazy and selling me out.”

  “That’s what I said. He says you like me. I like you. And he likes me. Really, I do sound like quite a catch,” he laughed and picked up both glasses from the bar. “I guess you should give it some consideration.” His grin was wider now, and she set the glass down as her hands had begun to shake. She watched him retrace his entrance and disappear to his apartment where her son awaited him—a father figure.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chandra had received the text that pizza had been delivered, but she was right in the middle of a strange early Thursday rush.

  Be up when I can, she replied.

  She filled seven more drink orders, handled the hostess station while the hostess moved her car off the street for the third time, and delivered a meal that had been returned two times. Sometimes, all it took was someone with authority to approach the table and then things were fine.

  When she finally climbed the stairs, she could hear laughter coming from the apartment. At least her family was having a fun night she thought as she knocked on the door.

  Mike answered with a huge grin. “You don’t have to knock.”

  “I most certainly do. This is your home.”

  “Come in. Meet my son.”

  Panic shot right into Chandra’s chest. “He’s here?”

  “Skype.”

  Chandra stepped into the apartment and watched as her son juggled the soccer ball with his feet and the boy on the computer screen, balanced on the mantel, encouraged him.

  “Little dude, you’ve got moves,” the guy on the computer said as Mike walked into view.

  “One more for you to meet. This is Chandra,” he said pulling her in front of him and resting his hands on her shoulders.

  She tensed under his touch but smiled.

  “Chandra, this is my son Dane,” Mike continued the introduction.

  “Nice to meet you. Your father talks about you a lot,” she greeted him and wondered what he must be thinking about Mike touching her as he was. It was completely out of the norm for them. Then again, in four days, did two people have a norm?

  “Hey, Chandra. Nice to meet you too. Dad talks about you too,” he said with a grin and a nod.

  She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks and running away to escape the awkwardness of the moment crossed her mind.

  Mike removed his hands and walked toward his computer, picking it up from the mantel, he walked toward the kitchen.

  “I’ll let you go so we can eat this overpriced pizza,” he said with a laugh. “Email me your tentative schedule for spring break. I’ll do some research on ski rental.”

  “Okay, Dad. I love you.”

  “I love you too, kiddo,” Mike said before he closed his computer.

  Jason began serving himself a piece of pizza and slapping it onto a paper plate. Chandra was quick to throw a napkin his direction.

  “Did you guys work on some math?”

  “Uh-huh,” Jason grunted as he bit into his pizza.

  Mike dished a piece out to Chandra and her mother before taking a piece for himself and sitting down.

  “I tell ya,” Mike began. “The math he’s doing in fifth grade was what I was doing in seventh or eighth. Were we dumb or are they trying to cram these kids with a serious amount of information.”

  Esther held a finger up as she chewed her bite. “It’s all that common core crap. Seriously, there was a good method in place. Why ruin it?”

  Chandra shook her head. “Things change, Mom.”

  Her mother let out a snort and went on to eat her slice.

  “So your son is coming out for spring break?” she asked Mike, suddenly not too hungry.

  “He’s thinking about it. He’s worried about me and doesn’t want to spend it with his mom and her new boyfriend.”

  “How’s he dealing with that?”

  Mike shrugged. “Better than I am I think,” he admitted, and that seemed to put an ache in Chandra’s chest. Shouldn’t he be okay with it? What would it matter? A divorce meant that people moved on and went their own ways and saw other people. He had a problem, she decided, and it was reason enough to squelch any of those little feelings that seemed to be creeping in on her. Mike Cavanagh was the guy living upstairs. She didn’t need to be more—perhaps considering him as a friend was causing her too mu
ch unnecessary pain.

  Mike bit into his slice and looked up at Chandra. “Are you sure you're okay with me storing my stuff in your garage for a little bit? Jason and I got the important stuff up here, but the rest, well, it’s just not that important.”

  Chandra nodded. She supposed there wasn’t any getting away from the guy.

  Esther sipped her drink and then threw up a hand. “I forgot, Mike. I had Jason take me by that house you were looking at yesterday.”

  “Oh, yeah? What’d ya think?”

  “It was a looker,” she laughed. “I think it would be a great investment.”

  “I suppose it would be.”

  “I did a little digging too. Not a whole bunch, but it’s owned by an investment company. You know, buys up real estate. It is for sale.”

  Chandra watched Mike’s eyes light, but the shimmer dimmed quickly. “I’m sure it’ll be gone before I can even formally accept the offer on that new job.”

  Esther sat back in her chair and folded her arms in front of her. “You need a partner.”

  “Mom…” Chandra said in warning, but her mother leaned in toward Mike without care.

  “You and I should sit down and discuss it. I need an investment. You need some capital and some roots. Let it sink in for a spell. That house ain’t going nowhere,” she accentuated her offer with a nod.

  Mike’s eyes were wide now. “I’ll give it some thought.”

  Chandra could feel a tension headache forming behind her eyes. Her mother was one who studied someone’s character very carefully before she fully trusted them. How come Mike was someone she was so willing to give everything to?

  He was going to get a very late night visit she decided as she finished her pizza. They had some boundaries to discuss when it came to her family.

  ~*~

  When everyone had left for the evening, Mike changed into his favorite lounge pants, which were now in his possession. He turned on ESPN and enjoyed watching a vintage hockey game. Things had changed, he thought as he watched. The sticks were much more sophisticated now, and he wondered why anyone would ever want to play the sport without a helmet.

  He’d asked Esther for the address to the house, and now he was doing his own investigation.

  After nearly an hour of looking at his computer screen, Mike closed his laptop and walked toward his window. It was just past ten, and the restaurant had been quiet for the past two hours. He was sure it wouldn’t be long before Chandra drove away.

  He’d considered going down and having a beer an hour ago, but after her mother had proposed the partnership with him, Chandra had grown a bit distant. He didn’t think he needed to egg on any animosity she was brewing with him.

  Mike stood in the window for a few minutes and saw the others leave and drive away. Chandra would be driving by any moment, he thought, and that’s why when there was a knock at his door it startled the hell out of him.

  He walked across the room and pulled open the door. There was no doubt who was on the other side. No need to look through the peephole.

  “I want to talk to you,” Chandra moved by him and walked into the apartment.

  Mike closed the door and turned to see her standing in front of the mantel, looking at his photos.

  “You look moved in,” she said.

  “Those were there a few hours ago when you were here.”

  “I wasn’t looking then.” She picked up one of the frames which had his ex-wife and son in it. “How long ago was this?”

  He moved to her and looked at the picture. “Hawaii, ten years ago.”

  “You look happy together.”

  “We were then,” he remembered. “I can’t say we were ever horribly unhappy. Just not compatible.”

  She replaced the frame and turned to him. Her hair had been pulled back in the past few hours, and he noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

  “I think you and I need to talk.”

  “Okay. Have a seat. We can talk,” he offered. “Can I get you anything?”

  “No. I’m fine.” She took a deep breath. “I’m worried about you with my family. They don’t know you, and they’re buying a lot of stock in you.”

  “We’re getting to know each other. All of us.”

  “Yeah, well, it bothers me that Jason says things like if you married my mom. Or my mom wanting to go into a business venture with you.”

  “Chandra, hold up a moment.”

  “No. You need to know where I stand on all of this. I mean you walk into the restaurant all sad, and in four days you have a handyman job, an apartment, my son counts on you being at his game, my mom wants to be your partner…” She tugged at her ponytail and tightened it. “It’s a lot.”

  Mike took a step closer to her. “And none of this would have happened had you not believed in me from the moment I followed you up those stairs to fix that sink.” He pointed toward the kitchen.

  “Right… well…”

  He inched in even closer, and she stepped back until her back was to the wall.

  “What are you really afraid of?” he asked keeping his eyes on hers.

  “I don’t need this. I have a full plate. I’m a single mom. I’m doing all I can until Gabe gets back. I’m…”

  “Afraid that in the past four days something has sparked between us, and you can’t figure out what it is.”

  She fisted her hands on her hips. “There is nothing.”

  “Really? Your son said you don’t introduce them to many men.”

  “No. I don’t.”

  “I met them the next day.”

  Her shoulders dropped, but he was sure she hadn’t realized she’d let down her guard as her eyes were still focused.

  “It was by chance.”

  “No,” he said moving even closer to her and resting his hand on the wall next to her so that he was leaned in over her. “You had to place the call to get me a house full of stuff and dinner that night. Why would you have done that if you didn’t feel something.”

  “I’m a nice person, damn it.”

  “Yes, you are. You’re absolutely beautiful too.”

  Her eyes went wide. “What?”

  “You heard me,” he said lifting his hand up to her hair and twirling her ponytail around his finger. “You think you’re tough, and you are. But your heart is soft, and that scares you.”

  Chandra moved out from beneath him. “You don’t know anything. I came here to tell you… well, I think you…”

  He folded his arms in front of him. “You want me to keep away from your family.”

  “Yes. No.” A crease formed between her brows. “I don’t want you to lead them astray. You made promises…”

  “Which I will keep whether you drive me there or not,” he confirmed. “I promised a young boy I’d watch him score against the other team, and I’ll damn well be there.”

  “My mom. She doesn’t throw her money around.”

  “She’s a sensible woman. Just like her daughter. I would never lead her astray either. I would only consider her offer if I thought there was nothing to lose.”

  “There’s always something to lose.”

  “You’re right,” he agreed as he moved to the kitchen and rested his hands on the back of one of the chairs. “Are we done here?”

  From the look on her face, he’d turned the tables, and she hadn’t been prepared for that.

  Chandra licked her lips and looked at the floor as if she were gathering more fuel for a fight. But when she looked up, she looked lost, and that’s what he’d been hoping for.

  “Mike, I…”

  He was done talking.

  He walked around the table and swiftly pulled her to him with one arm around her waist, and a hand pressed to her cheek.

  Her hands came to his chest, and she gasped, but she didn’t pull away.

  Mike kept his eyes locked with hers. “I don’t want to stay away, and I will never let you down on purpose,” he said clearly before covering her mouth with his.
/>   Chapter Fifteen

  Colors swirled behind her eyelids, which Chandra had instinctively closed when Mike’s mouth came down on hers. It would have made more sense to have pushed him away, but for some reason, that hadn’t even come to mind at the moment he began to kiss her.

  Her body had gone against what her mind should have told her. Everything went soft the instant he’d yanked her to him.

  Mike hadn’t lifted his head. His hand still caressed her cheek and his lips—soft, yet strong—still covered hers and she was lost.

  Oh, it had been a long time since she’d been kissed, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever been kissed this well.

  His tongue pressed through her lips and tangled with her own, and now her breath became thick and hard to push through her lungs. All she could do was wrap her arms around him and hold on tight because he was taking her under and the sheer pleasure of him was making her unable to think.

  As the kiss heated, her hands moved to his hair, and they began to move backward until her leg hit the arm of the couch and they both tumbled back on it.

  Now his body was pressed on hers, and her legs came around him to keep him close. His lips moved from hers and traveled down her throat. Every part of her body throbbed with need as she pulled him back to her mouth and kissed him again.

  When she thought her mind might go numb from the kiss he’d presented her with, he pulled back so that his forehead was pressed against hers.

  “You’re right, there is always something to lose, but at this moment, I’d like to think that all my misfortune found me something worth keeping.”

  Her heart pounded in her chest. “Mike, this isn’t smart.”

  “It’s not supposed to be. What are you worried about? No one is going to see us.”

  She took a moment and collected her thoughts, before she pushed him off her, rolled off the couch, and stood. “I’m not good at this stuff. I mean it’s been a very long time since a man kissed me like that.”

  “That’s too bad. You’re very good at it.”

  She let out a slight laugh. “Jason…”

  “Will be fine with me if you’re honest.”