by Jane Charles
Helen still works as an emergency room nurse. Except now she makes the drive into Poughkeepsie instead of taking public transportation to one of the busiest hospitals in New York where she used to work, and where she met Quinn fifteen years ago.
Harper, Captain with the local fire department, has three kids, Cole who is thirteen, Jackson at eleven and Hunter is age nine. Harper’s wife is with the Army, stationed at the Pentagon and isn’t able to come home much. They only reason the family isn’t with her is because Harper’s father suffers from Alzheimer’s and Russ is his only family he has to take care of him.
“So, are you going to see her again?” Quinn asks.
“Tonight.”
Both men raise their eyebrows, as if surprised.
“What?” Harper asks.
“No waiting period. Let her wonder if you’ll call or any of that?” questions Uncle Quinn.
I just shake my head. “I don’t play those games. I like her. At least so far, and want to see her again. Why wait to ask her out?”
“Well, it was a strange first date,” Quinn laughs.
“Starting with a flat tire and ending with a fire, I suppose you could say that.” All I can hope is that tonight it is a little less complicated. A nice dinner, maybe a few drinks. Kiss goodnight and see how it goes from there.
Chapter Six
“Jacqueline, Brett Robak is here for you,” my grandmother calls up.
Shit. I check the clock. He’s fifteen minutes early and I’ve still got to finish my makeup. “I’ll be down shortly,” I call out of my room.
“Crap! Crap! Crap!” I try and finish quickly, run a brush through my hair and then slip into the sleeveless, white dress with pale green flowers. I don’t know where we are going yet, but I hope this is appropriate. It’s not a fancy dress, but it isn’t super casual either. It’s a middle of the road, safe dress. I grab the light sweater off of my bed because the temperature might get a bit chilly tonight, shove my feet into the flats and head out of my room.
I really hate making somebody wait. But, he is fifteen minutes early, so he can’t be mad if he’s left sitting with Grandma as he waits on me.
He comes to his feet as I enter what my grandmother refers to as the drawing room. He’s wearing dark jeans and a light blue polo that makes eyes all the more blue. Damn he’s hot.
Brett steps forward, his eyes going dark as he studies me from head to toe then holds out a bouquet of flowers.
I blink. Flowers, really? This guy does know all the right moves. His daddy did teach him well. Or his sisters. Or the Boy Scouts.
“Thank you.” I take them and inhale deeply the strong perfume of Asiatic lilies. “Did you know these were my favorite?” I ask with suspicion.
His cheeks color a bit. “A little bird at a gym might have mentioned it.”
I inhale again. Whether he asked or Ashley volunteered, it didn’t matter. The man did his research.
“I’ll put those in water and set them in your room,” my grandmother said, taking them from me.
“Thanks.”
We stop outside and I find Theo leaning against a post, smoking again. I just shake my head. “Those are going to kill you one day.”
He just smirks at me. “I’m pretty sure cigs won’t be it.” Then he knocks on his head.
I hate it when he makes comments like that.
Theo takes another drag and then tosses the butt behind the bushes, his regular ashtray.
“Have a good night,” he says as he saunters back to the camp.
Brett opens the passenger door and I slide into the seat.
“How old is Theo?” Brett asks after he buckles into the driver’s seat.
“Eighteen.” I sigh. “He’s going to be a senior at the high school.”
Brett doesn’t say anything else but I wonder what he was thinking.
“How does Mama Rosa’s sound?” Brett asks as he pulls out onto the highway.
My mouth waters. “Wonderful.” I love the Italian restaurant. “So, how long have you been with the FBI?”
“Not long,” he answers. “I got assigned to the Albany office a month ago. Right after I graduated.”
Albany? I guess I shouldn’t get too invested since he is going to be over an hour away. “Visiting your uncle?”
“I’ve been living with him and his wife for the past month. I haven’t been able to find an apartment I like in Albany.”
“That’s a long drive to work every day.” I probably won’t see him again after he does find a place to live.
“Not so bad.” He flashes me a quick smile, as if to indicate that I’d be worth the drive. “Besides, I don’t want to live exactly in the city. I have been looking for a place somewhere between here and there.”
“Small town living?”
“Yep. I like knowing who my neighbors are instead of living in a big complex with a bunch of strangers.”
Brett pulls into a parking spot behind a row of buildings on the edge of town, not far from the square. He hurries around to my side of the car to open the door as I gather my purse and sweater. I could so get spoiled by this guy. It’s really nice having a guy treat you like you’re special, or something. I’ve never experienced that before. Hell, the last two guys I seriously dated hardly ever came to pick me up. We just agreed to meet somewhere, and sometimes ended up back at one of our apartments. Of course, that was in college and this is the real world. Yet, I don’t see those guys changing after graduation either.
He holds the door and allows me to enter the restaurant first. It’s a dark, cozy atmosphere, and all of the tables are covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. Every one of them has a candle, stuck in an old bottle, the wax burning down the sides. I haven’t been here in ages and forgot what it was like, and how much I loved the atmosphere as much has the food.
An older woman comes from the back of the kitchen and studies us. “Just the two of you?”
“Yes,” Brett answers.
She smiles knowingly, though I’m not sure what she thinks she knows. “I’ll give you a special table.”
Brett places his hand at the small of my back as we follow the older woman back to an almost hidden table.
“Romantic, no?” She grins.
Well, it is that.
“Thank you,” Brett ways and holds a chair out for me.
“We have a special menu for couples,” she says and hurries off.
I had forgotten. Nothing is served single here. Everything is meant to be shared no matter how small or large the party. And each course comes in bowls or platters and set in the middle of the table and you fill your own plate, just like you would at home.
The waitress returns a few moments later and places water glasses before us and then hands Brett the menu.
He just looks at me as she bustles away.
“Doesn’t she think you can read?”
I have to laugh. “Traditional, old-fashioned family owns the place,” I explain.
“I’m not going to pick your food. I don’t know you well enough.”
“Well, whatever we get, it will be the same.”
“What?”
“Read the top of the menu.”
He scans and his eyes get bigger. “These are all dinners for two?”
“Yep.”
He scoots his chair around so that we can both read the menu. You can’t just order an appetizer here, or a main course. You have to get an entire four-course meal.
“I can’t decide if I prefer spaghetti or lasagna,” he finally says.
“Me either. They are both delicious.”
“Then a little of both,” the waitress announces, surprising us.
“Are you okay with the rest of the items?” I ask. They don’t like you to switch out appetizers and desserts and such, because they planned each meal so all the pairings work well together.”
“I’m fine with it.”
“I’ll bring the wine list.” She hurries off and Brett just gives me a lo
ok.
I bite back a giggle. Mama Rosa’s is unlike any other place, but the food is amazing.
The waitress returns and hands the wine list to Brett. He glances down it and frowns. “These are all reds.”
“You do not put white with lasagna,” the waitress nearly scolds.
“Is there one you prefer?” Brett asks, handing me the menu.
I don’t take it from him. “I’m fine with whatever you choose.”
He glances up at the waitress. “Which would you recommend?”
“This Cabernet is very nice. Not too heavy, but rich in flavors.”
“Very well.” He hands the menu back to her.
As she hurries off I lean toward Brett. “You do know that you order by the bottle here, too.”
His eyes widened in surprise.
“I hope you weren’t planning on a quick meal.” Crap. What if he thought to get in here, order, get the food quick and leave? That doesn’t happen at Mama Rosa’s.
“No. It’s not like I have other plans this evening, except to spend it getting to know you.”
Inwardly I sigh and my heart melts a little more.
“I can do that here just as well as anywhere else.” He looks around. “And, I kind of like the place.”
The waitress returns a moment later carrying a basket of bread, bottle of wine and two glasses. She uncorks the bottle and pours just a bit into the glass before handing it to Brett. He looks, sniffs, and tastes. “Very good.” The waitress smiles and pours a glass for both of us and hands me the cork with a wink. “Now, fall in love,” she practically orders and walks away.
I can’t help it and I burst out laughing.
“Why did she hand you the cork?” Brett finally asks once he’s done laughing.
I place a hand on my heart and flutter my eyebrows. “So I’ll remember this night forever.” I’d forgotten that this was a popular restaurant for proposals. Two of my aunts got engaged here and they still had the corks from that night.
“Why did you pick Mama Rosa’s if you haven’t been here before?”
“My uncle recommended it.”
It was O’Brien and Harper, extoling on the virtues of Mama Rosa’s and how good the food was. They never mentioned the romance. In the future, I’ll need to be very careful when asking those two for suggestions. I like the place, it is romantic, but I’m not so sure it’s a second date kind of establishment. This is the kind of place you bring a girl you’ve fallen in love with, or when you want to propose. I barely know Jacqueline.
Damn she’s beautiful in the candlelight and her green eyes shine with happiness. It would be very easy to fall in love with her, especially in this setting.
“So,” I begin. “Let’s recap what we know of each other so far.”
“You’re from Buffalo and will be working in Albany, have two older sisters and two younger sisters. You’re with the FBI and just finished training.” She says and takes a sip of her wine.
“You are the oldest and have two younger brothers and live in a plantation house, but are originally from Chicago.”
She nods and takes another sip of her wine.
“I’m assuming you’re done with college?” What if she isn’t? Will she be leaving at the end of the summer? Should I risk getting invested if I won’t be seeing her?
I shake the thought from my head. This is just our second date. She might not even like me by the end of next week.
“I graduated in May with a degree in teaching.”
That’s a noble profession. And, she was good with the kids last night. “What will you be teaching?”
“History and social studies.”
“Where at?”
She cringes. “At a high school in Queens.”
Shit. She’ll be living in the city. I probably won’t see her except on holidays, breaks and the odd weekends.
“I’m also taking classes to get my masters. I really want to be a principal or superintendent at a high school, eventually, but I need the degree and teaching creds behind me.”
I really try not to let this information bother me but it does. What’s the point in getting to know someone and coming to like them if they were leaving at the end of the summer? It kind of deflates the excitement I had earlier for this night.
The waitress puts a plate of bruschetta on the table and quietly leaves. I wait for Jacqueline to take one before I do.
“Though, I may turn down the job, even though I’ve already accepted it.”
A little hope surges. “So you can concentrate on your masters?”
“That’s mostly online.” She dismisses it as if it’s not a concern.
“Why not take the job?” I know it can’t be me. She’d be foolish to put her career on hold for a guy she just met.
“For my brother,” she says before taking a bite of the appetizer.
“Theo?”
“He has trouble in school.”
I’m not sure what she means and I don’t try to guess. He could be a troublemaker, or just doesn’t study, or has trouble learning. It can be a number of things.
“When he was thirteen, he had a bad spill on his skateboard. Hit his head hard enough to put him in a coma for a few days.”
“Closed head injury?”
She nods. “Traumatic. He’s had so many problems since his accident and we’ve tried everything to help, but nothing does. His mood swings are out of this world. He gets headaches all of the time. His concentration is crap and school has been a struggle. We’ve tried every medication there is, physical therapy, a neuropsychologist, everything.”
She takes another drink of wine. I’m sorry I brought the subject up. I wanted this to be a fun night. Not a downer.
“I’m just hoping his senior year of high school is better than his junior. I know he’s not looking forward to going back and would be happy never to step foot into a classroom again. I can’t really blame him since reading brings on massive headaches that can make him sick. But, there aren’t any other options open. He’s got to graduate. After that, he can do whatever he wants.”
I think I get where she is going with this. “So, you think to hang back his senior year and help out, so he doesn’t struggle too much.”
“Yep.”
That shouldn’t be her responsibility. “What of your parents?”
Her eyes darken and I want to kick myself. Didn’t she say she lived with her grandmother and brothers? She’s never once mentioned parents.
“They died when I was ten. There was a gas leak and took out three houses on our block. Mom and Dad happened to be home at the time. Me and my brothers were in school.”
“Jacqueline, I am so sorry.”
She shakes her head. “It was a long time ago.”
I get that she doesn’t want to talk about it. I wouldn’t either.
“That’s when we moved from Chicago and in with my grandparents.”
As the grandfather doesn’t live at the house, I am assuming he’s gone too. I sure as hell am not going to ask.
“Grandma doesn’t think Theo can do any wrong. Of course, she babies him because of the injury and what it’s done to him, but she’s in her mid-sixties and shouldn’t have to be the sole person responsible for my brother.”
“Something tells me she can handle it.”
Jacqueline grin. “Well, she did raise eight kids, so she probably can.”
“Wow! That’s a large family.”
She’s grinning again. Thank goodness I didn’t ruin the mood with my questions. “And most of them live along the lake on Baxter Lane.” She leans in. “I like to call it the commune, sometimes compound.” The she leans back. “I mean, I love my brothers, but I don’t want to live right next door to them for the rest of my life.”
I can’t find anything I don’t like about Jacqueline. Usually there’s a weird quirk, or belief that I know will eventually get on my nerves, but with her, nothing so far. In fact, the more I talk to her the better it gets.
S
he’d actually give up a job to stay home for her brother. I know few people who would do that. And, even though bad things have happened to her, I don’t sense any depression. Not that kind that you check out on your family for days.
I shake the thought. I will not think about my mom. Not tonight.
Chapter Seven
“Oh my God, I don’t think I’ve eaten this much ever.” If I have another bite of anything I just might explode. “But I did manage not to get any sauce on my dress.”
“You’re not exactly a sloppy eater,” Brett points out.
“It’s usually a given that if I’m wearing white and having Italian, sauce ends up somewhere it shouldn’t.”
We’ve been here two hours, have eaten bread, bruschetta, antipasti salad, spaghetti, lasagna and somehow I managed to even eat the tiramisu. On top of that, we drank a bottle of red wine. I’ve learned that Brett played baseball through high school, first base, but not good enough to play in college. Also, his Boy Scout days weren’t just in grade and middle schools like most boys. He went all the way through high school, attaining the highest rank of Eagle Scout at the end of his senior year in high school. Brett kind of blushed when telling me.
“Are you still involved in the Scouts?”
“There wasn’t time in college.” He shook his head. “Maybe after school starts I’ll see if there is a troop that needs some assistance or a school in need of a leader.”
“You really like it don’t you?”
“Yeah. It’s the camping, being out in the wilderness, all that.”
“Yet, you never had a banana boat.”
He just chuckles and shakes his head. “I don’t know how we missed that.”
“I’ve never been camping,” I finally admit. Though the idea of sleeping in a tent and relying on nature for all of my needs doesn’t exactly sound appealing. Unless I could spend the day in the wilderness with a comfortable hotel room to return to at night.
“Maybe I’ll take you sometime.”
And just like that, I amend my thoughts. Maybe being alone in a tent with Brett, or under the stars all night, wouldn’t be such a bad thing.