I rode back to her place, and Eliza let me into her apartment. She was wearing the cutest flannel pajamas, and she looked exhausted.
“Were you sleeping?” I asked. She looked as if she might still be sleeping. Her eyes were half closed.
She nodded. “Yeah, I guess all that computer work got me tired. I’m sorry I took so long to answer the door. I thought it was a part of my dream or something. Are you hungry? I kept some food for you if you want. You just need to heat it up.”
I smiled and reached down to kiss her button nose. “Thank you, that’s very sweet of you. Go back to sleep, Lashes. I’ll have some food and join you when I’m done.”
She nodded and reached up to kiss me. Her little lips were soft against mine.
I went to the kitchen and heated up the cheese and bacon pasta that she’d left for me. It was delicious and exactly what I needed. Eliza wasn’t my girlfriend, and yet she had thought about leaving something out for me to eat. It was one of the nicest things that anyone had ever done for me. I sat there for a while just thinking about everything that Patriot had said to me. My father was sick? The thought left me feeling cold. I felt a mixture of emotions as I thought about what I had just found out. I was upset about my father being sick, and angry that he didn’t tell me. And was Patriot being kind or just being smug? I couldn’t figure it out. After the food, I brushed my teeth and took off my clothes. Then I climbed into bed with Eliza and wrapped my arms around her. She was fast asleep, and I lie there just listening to the sound of her breathing.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Eliza
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” I said to Ian.
He woke up with a fright and then chuckled when he realized where he was.
“Sorry to wake you up. It’s Friday, so we still have to go to work, and I wanted to make you breakfast before we go.”
He smiled. “You want to make me breakfast? That’s nice.”
“Come on, get up and join me.”
“Can I do anything?” he asked. He pulled the sheets off, and I saw that he was completely naked. I felt myself stir and quickly pulled myself together. I didn’t want to be late for work. I was still too new to the company for things like that. But seeing Gunner naked almost made me change my mind, and I quickly looked away. I didn’t even know that he’d slept next to me like that the whole night.
“Yes. You can make the coffee.”
He grinned and pulled on his jeans. “Now that I can do.”
He walked into the kitchen with me wearing only his jeans and no shirt. I was wearing a gown and slippers, and for a moment, I realized what we must look like from the outside. We looked like a couple. But I decided not to mention that to Ian. I had a feeling the idea of us being so close so soon would freak him out. And anyway, I didn’t want a boyfriend at the moment, and I didn’t even want to think about it. There was too much going on to add more to it. Ian made us both coffee while I got the breakfast ready.
“That smells incredible,” he said.
“Yeah, there’s nothing quite like the smell of bacon in the morning, is there?”
“Bacon and coffee. My two favorite things.”
“What about beer?” I asked.
“Beer! Lashes, I don’t drink beer first thing in the morning. Do you really think that about me?”
I giggled. “No. I suppose not. So, how do you like your eggs?”
“I’m not fussy. Scrambled?”
“Oh good, I’m glad you said that. Scrambled is the easiest. You can’t mess up scrambled eggs.”
“Oh, trust me—I’ve had some pretty bad scrambled eggs in my life.”
“Really? Well, I happen to make great scrambled eggs. I have a secret ingredient.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that? Love?”
I scoffed. “Love? No. Cheese. I always add cheese to it. It comes out all gooey and stringy. It’s delicious.”
“Oh, you’re speaking straight to my heart.”
“Not your stomach?”
He laughed. “Same thing.”
I finished off the scrambled eggs and plated them with toast and bacon, and the two of us sat together at the small kitchen table to eat. I was pleased to see that Ian was eating his breakfast like a starving animal.
“I like how much you like food,” I said.
“And the funny thing is that I generally don’t eat breakfast.”
“What? You do know that it’s the most important meal of the day, don’t you? Don’t you listen to all the million advertisements out there telling us so? How come a food lover like you doesn’t eat breakfast?”
“I don’t know. I just have a cup of coffee and go to work. Then by like eleven, I’m starving, and I grab whatever I can. It’s a bad habit. I’m starting to see that there are other ways now,” he said and stabbed a piece of bacon.
“Well, I don’t usually do bacon and eggs, either. But I always have breakfast. Then again, the office gives us free food each day. So that helps.”
“What? Are you serious? Can I come there?”
“Only if you’re willing to plan a party,” I said and chuckled at the idea of him planning a party for customers. The thought was hilarious.
“Uh, I think I’ll stick to motorcycles,” he said.
“Good plan. So, how was your evening? You went out with your brother, didn’t you? Patriot? Whose real name is . . . let me think . . . Grant!”
He smiled. “You got it!”
I watched as he took another bite of his food. He still hadn’t answered my question, and I had a sudden feeling that something wasn’t right.
“Ian, what’s going on?” I asked.
“Ah, well, I found out last night that my father has cancer.”
“What? Oh no! That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. Apparently, it’s treatable, but he’ll still be in and out of the hospital for the next few months. I don’t know, Eliza; it’s a weird feeling. And he didn’t even tell me. Patriot told me. I don’t know why they are so close when I’m the one that has kept the family business going. The whole thing has just made me feel strange. Why didn’t my father tell me?”
I shook my head. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know too much about Ian’s personal life or family life, but I knew that he was sometimes very closed off to other people. I also knew that there were a lot of hard feelings regarding his father and the rest of his brothers that he didn’t like to go into. I thought about probing deeper, but I decided not to. All Ian needed right now was someone on his side.
“I don’t know,” I said. “But it’s good that you found out. And no matter what happens, you can talk to me about it, okay? I know Patriot isn’t the best person for you to talk to. But you can always talk to me. And I’ll feed you at the same time!”
He grinned. “I like that plan. Thanks, Eliza.”
“No problem. Well, we better get ready for work. I’m going to hop into the shower, and then we can head off.”
I hopped into the shower and got changed. When I came out, all the dishes were done and Ian was dressed in his usual black jeans and white shirt. It was strange seeing a man that looked like him doing housework. I liked it.
“You’re amazing. Thank you. You didn’t have to.”
“And you didn’t have to leave dinner for me last night, but you did.”
“I couldn’t let you go hungry,” I said.
I leaned in and kissed him and immediately wanted more. But I pulled away before I lost my will to stop it.
“No, we need to get to work.”
He groaned. “Do we have to?”
I laughed. “Sadly, yes.”
“Okay, but I’m seeing you tonight,” he said.
I grinned. I was hoping to see him again. I was getting quite used to having him around me each evening. “Good,” I said.
“Come to my house tonight,” he said.
I still hadn’t been to Ian’s house, and I’d been dying to know what it was like inside. They say that you c
an tell a lot about a person from the inside of their house, and I was eager to learn more.
“That sounds great.”
“Here, take a key. I sometimes have to finish late on a Friday, just to make sure all the bikes are done before the weekend arrives. Let yourself in.”
I took the key and grinned. I quite liked the idea of getting the chance to look around his house without him there.
When I got to work, I saw Mae by the coffee machine and joined her.
“Want one?” she asked.
“I’ve already had a cup, but yeah, I could do with another.”
“You had coffee at home? Don’t tell me your coffee is as good as this one?”
I laughed. We were always talking about how the coffee machine at work had ruined us for any other coffee. I shook my head. “It’s not. I wish it was. But Ian slept over, and I decided to make him breakfast this morning.”
She handed me a cup and raised her eyebrows at me. “You did? That’s very cozy.”
“Cozy? Nah, he’s been awesome, Mae. I keep telling him that he doesn’t have to stay over, but he’s so worried about Raymond hassling me. He insists on sleeping over.”
“In your bed?” she asked.
I chuckled. “Yeah. Trust me, if you saw him without any clothes on, you’d also want him in your bed. But last night we didn’t even do anything. I was so tired and was fast asleep when he got home from seeing his brother. He climbed into bed and just held me the whole night.”
“Wow, this Ian guy is a lot nicer than I originally thought. I take back what I said about him. He actually seems like he has your best interests in mind.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I think so too.”
“Are the two of you dating?”
“No. I mean, we haven’t really spoken about what we are. I don’t want a boyfriend, though. But it’s nice having him there. I feel safer with him around, and it’s been so nice finally being around a guy that I can just have a good time with. I didn’t realize how tense I was around Raymond until now.”
“Good,” Mae said. “You deserve this. Any news on Raymond?”
I shook my head. “Nope, nothing at all. So weird. I mean, before he knew where I was staying, he was calling me all the time and harassing me. But now that my mother told him, I haven’t heard a thing from him. Nothing at all.”
“Think he’s moved on?”
“I don’t know. It seems strange.”
“And your mom? Have you heard from her?”
“She tried to phone a few times, but I’ve ignored the calls. I sent her a message telling her that I didn’t want to speak to her just yet and she’s since left me alone. I’m not ready yet. I’ll talk to her about it again, but the whole thing has just left a sour taste in my mouth. I know Raymond can be a charming boy sometimes, but to believe him over me was very hurtful.”
“I’m sorry, Eliza.”
“It’s okay. At least I have Ian. And you.”
“You sure do.”
We were just about to head back to our desks when John came out of his office and called us both inside. We took our coffee mug and followed him in. I was glad for a distraction. I didn’t want to think any more about my mother or about Raymond. I just wanted to think about work.
“Good morning, you two. Hey, where’s my coffee?” he asked.
“I’ll go get you one, John,” Mae said and stood up.
“No, I’m just kidding. I already had one.”
Mae sat back down, but I could see that John was smiling at her. When would the two of them just admit to each other that they had feelings for one another? I couldn’t wait for the day. The more I saw them together, the more I thought they were perfect together. At first, I hadn’t been sure. After all, he was her boss, and I didn’t want to see her get hurt. But I was now convinced that the two of them would end up working out and that working together wouldn’t make any difference to their relationship whatsoever.
“So, I wanted to talk to you about a new assignment I have for you. I mentioned it briefly to you the other day, but I finally have all the details for us to proceed. Are you both interested in working together again?”
“YES!” we both squealed.
John laughed. “I thought you’d be happy with that. Well, there is a huge party next week on Saturday. And when I say huge, I really mean it. And I want the two of you to plan it. I have a lot of specifications as to what needs to happen, but for the most part, you can let your imagination run wild. And, you’re also invited to attend the party. You can bring dates if you like too. But I’ll be there alone, so if you don’t have anyone to bring, you can just keep me company.”
I was almost certain that this was directed at Mae. I squeezed her leg under the table, and she squeezed mine back. It was clear that Mae was not going to bring a date.
“So, are you girls ready to throw the biggest party of the year?”
“YES!” we said again in unison, and John laughed.
Once we were out the office, I whispered to Mae.
“I’m going to see if Ian will come with me to the event. You are not bringing anyone. You hear me?”
She chuckled. “Oh, but who am I going to hang out with all night?” she said innocently.
“Oh, I think we’ll think of someone.”
“I’m so excited! I don’t mind the small jobs, but there’s nothing quite like a big party to make me realize why I took this job in the first place.”
“And we get to do it together!” I said.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ian
“Guess what?” Chris said as I walked into the shop.
“What?” I asked.
“I have breakfast rolls. I walked passed this vendor today, and it smelt so good. So I got us each one. You see, I’m a good friend.”
I laughed. “Thank you. I actually already ate this morning, but I’ll keep it for lunch.”
“You already ate? What did you have?”
“Bacon, eggs, toast, coffee. The lot!”
“What? Since when do you get up early to make breakfast? Ah!” Chris said as the realization dawned on him. “Your girlfriend made it for you!”
“She’s not my girlfriend. But yes, Eliza made me breakfast.”
“Lucky man. And then you get to work and your best friend has food for you too? What did you do to deserve this treatment?”
I chuckled as he threw the roll to me. It was wrapped in foil and still warm. I put it aside to have later. Chris was already tucking into his with great fervor.
“People are finally treating me like the king that I am,” I said.
“Ha! You wish. So, any news on the ex? Has he returned?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Nothing at all.”
“And yet you’re still hanging out with Eliza?”
“You know, something about the whole thing seems strange to me. The dude finds out where she is and then doesn’t come after her? But at the same time, he stops calling her completely? He doesn’t exactly sound like the guy that would just suddenly forget about the whole thing. I’m telling you, he’s planning something. I am certain that he’s going to come and find her. I don’t know when, but I just know it’s going to happen. I’ve met plenty of jerks like him before. They don’t let things go easily. He hates the fact that Eliza was the one that left him. He’s so used to having control over her. He’ll be here. I’m sure of it.”
Chris sighed. “I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right. What are you going to do when he does?”
“I have no idea. But I’m definitely going to make sure that he doesn’t come back. Anyway, before I get started, I need to go talk to my father. Thanks for the roll again. I’ll definitely have it later.”
“I sort of regret giving it to you. I want another one. They were good, man.”
“No way,” I said. “You gave it to me.”
Chris chuckled. “Well, if it’s not there when you come out, it’s not my fault.”
I grabbed the roll and p
ut it in my pocket, and then headed over to my father’s office while Chris shouted obscenities at me. I decided not to tell him about what I had learned about my father. If my father hadn’t even told me about it, then I wasn’t sure he wanted everyone to know.
“Hi, Dad,” I said as I walked in.
My father looked up at me. I now knew why he was looking older these days. He wasn’t just tired; he was ill.
“What’s all the commotion about?”
I pointed to the foil sticking out of my pocket. “Ah, just Chris trying to steal my food. Nothing unusual.”
“Yep, that sounds like a regular day for the two of you.”
“Listen, Dad, Patriot told me about the cancer. I’m not sure why you didn’t tell me, but I just wanted you to know that he told me.”
My father shrugged. “Oh, it’s no big deal. It’s treatable. I’ll be fine.”
I knew my father well enough to know that it wasn’t fine. But like me, he wasn’t one to show when he was upset.
“Anyway, I just thought I’d let you know that I know. Also, I’ve given some thought to the whole club thing. And yeah, I’ll give it a shot. But I’m only going to watch the club until you are well enough to take over again. You are meant for the job, Dad. Not me. But I’ll help out until you get better.”
My father looked at me and nodded. “Okay, thanks, Ian,” he said.
Thanks, Ian. Was that it? He’d been begging me to consider taking the position all week, and that was all that he could say to me. I thought about saying something else but then decided that I didn’t want to get into it, either. I stood up to leave.
“Okay, then. Well, we can discuss things further another time. For now, I better get back to work. It’s another busy day in the shop.”
“Great,” my father said. “Good luck. I’m sure it will go fast. And tell Chris to stop stealing your food.”
I walked out and told Chris what my father had said, which resulted in another string of obscenities thrown my way. I then went straight to the bikes and started working on them. I put the music up loud and tried to drown out my thoughts. But it wasn’t easy. I kept going back to the conversation with my father, and the conversation with Patriot. The whole thing made me uneasy.
Dirty Daddy_The Maxwell Family Page 37