Striving for Perfection (Striving Series Book 2)

by Mooney, B. L.

She nodded. “That’s a good room. I was worried you slept with Dad.”

  My eyebrows shot up, and I shifted in my seat. “No, Amy. I’m not sleeping with your father.” It was more than a little awkward and I looked around the kitchen.

  “I’m glad. There’s no room on the sofa for you. Dad takes up the whole thing! I can’t even take a nap with him on it.” She spread her arms out. “He’s just so big!”

  I drew my eyebrows together. “But your dad has a bedroom, right?” I pointed upstairs.

  “Yeah, but he doesn’t sleep there. He sleeps on the sofa.” She picked up her bowl and glass and put them in the sink. “Oh, will you tell Dad I ate my breakfast? I want to go play now.”

  I nodded “Of course.” I sat there for a moment after she left. Why would he sleep on the sofa? I saw his room. I went through his clothes to get the outfit for the photos. I shook my head and shrugged. There’s no telling what goes through that man’s mind.

  I looked at the doorway that would lead me to Carl. I didn’t really want to face him, but I needed to get it over with. And I needed to get my clothes. I stood and started to make sure my pajamas were in place. I rolled my eyes at myself. I couldn’t have done anything to help that outfit.

  I walked out to the front room and Carl was still hunched over his laptop. His back had to hurt. Why hadn’t he used the desk in his den? I shook my head. It was none of my business what he did with his house or where he chose to work.

  I closed my eyes and sighed a little. I needed to get this over with. I walked over and sat next to Carl on the sofa. I never thought I would’ve come back. The fact he slept here went through my mind and I started to examine it a little more. It was small. I looked at Carl’s body, and then back to the sofa we were both sitting on. How could he get comfortable on such a small area? I bounced a little to check the comfort of the cushions. It wasn’t that comfortable. I saw the throw on the back of the sofa he’d used to put over my head the last time we were on the sofa, and I got frustrated. I put my head in my hands and shook my head a little.

  “Is everything okay?” Carl sounded amused.

  I peeked out my fingers and looked at him. “Why?”

  He smiled and put his pen down. “You’re quiet, but bouncing next to me, and then you seem offended by my choice of décor.”

  I sat up straight. “I’m not offended by your décor. I’m offended by what you do with it.”

  He looked around until he saw the throw and his eyes darted back to mine. “I wasn’t hiding you.” He picked up his pen and started working.

  I looked at my fingernails. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  His movements were slow as if he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. He turned to me, still with his pen in hand as if he had been writing something. “I think my hearing is going. What did you say?”

  “You know perfectly well what I said.” I looked at him.

  We sat there for a moment looking at each other. I wondered what was going through his mind. Then I saw his eyes dart to my lips. I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking. I stood up and walked across the room. “Amy asked me to tell you that she finished breakfast and she went to play.” I turned to him. “So, how much longer for the clothes?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Can’t wait to leave?”

  “I just have some things I need to . . .” I looked around. “Where’s my camera bag? Please don’t tell me I left it in the cab.”

  “No, I got it.” He stood, and I thought it was to get my camera bag, but he walked over to me instead. “It’s safe and sound just as you were last night.” He stood in front of me, and I crossed my arms. He smiled. “Do I make you uncomfortable?”

  “Not at all. I just know to be on guard around those who’ve proven to attack me before.” I gave him a quick smile and turned away.

  He put his arms around me before I got too far and pulled me against his chest. I closed my eyes. “It seems to me that we have some unfinished business we need to address.”

  “Oh? I think it’s all pretty settled to me.”

  He lowered his lips to my ear. “What would’ve happened that night had you realized I wanted you to stay?”

  I could feel my breath becoming ragged as he pressed into my back. His strong, solid body pressed against mine made me want to turn in his arms and throw myself at him, but that would have been throwing so much control away and he’d already had too much. I tried to calm my breathing before I spoke. I wanted to seem as matter of fact as possible.

  “That’s easy. We would’ve fucked.”

  He squeezed his arms around me tighter. “I think there’s a different way a lady should refer to it.”

  “Hide the salami?”

  He let go. “Why do you do that?”

  I turned to him with my hands on my hips. “Do what, exactly?”

  “Take a perfectly good moment and ruin it with trash talk.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I’ll never understand how such a beautiful woman as you has such a filthy mouth. What do you get out of it? Attention?”

  I started seething. “Attention? I call it how I see it. We would’ve fucked. What, you want me to say ‘make love’ instead? Maybe if you had taken me to your bedroom instead of your sofa, I would’ve felt it was more than just fucking; but that’s exactly what it is on the sofa. Just fucking!”

  He took a step forward. “Do not speak to me in that tone of voice and keep your voice down. I have a very impressionable daughter upstairs who doesn’t need to hear trash talking.”

  I stepped back. “Then this piece of trash will only ask once more. Clothes? Camera bag?” I held out my hand. I didn’t care if the clothes were dry. I needed to leave.

  “Rachael, I—”

  I held up my hand to stop him. In a voice quieter than I intended, I said, “Please, my things.”

  He nodded and left the room. I released the breath I felt I’d been holding since he put his arms around me. I looked at the photo on the mantel again and wondered what his wife had been like. I rolled my eyes and moved to the window. No doubt, she was a lady that I obviously wasn’t. I couldn’t blame Carl. He was right. I wouldn’t have had the problems with Lance had I acted more like a lady.

  Carl’s voice startled me. “Your clothes are in the guest room upstairs. I’ll get your camera bag while you get dressed. I’ll also call a cab for you unless you have other plans.”

  I continued to stare out the window as he spoke. He sounded so distant. Not the same man who just had his arms around me moments before. “A cab would be fine, thank you.”

  I turned and walked past him without looking at him. I just wanted my things and to go home. I only had a few places left on the list. I would concentrate on getting those completed, so I could be finished with Carl. We didn’t work well together.

  I grabbed her bag out of the den and brought it back to the sofa. I set it on the coffee table and shook my head. Why did she come here and what caused her to drink so much? She hadn’t seemed like the type to lose control with alcohol. I looked at the pocket I had placed her memory card in. It was a wonder she didn’t drop her camera trying to get it out the night before.

  I reached over and took out the memory card. I needed to load the photos before she came down and left with it. I tried not to look at them, but it was hard to do when I needed to select only those from the nightclub. They were the only ones I’d paid for.

  I still tried not to pay attention to what they were, but the neon lights were vivid in her photos. Almost as vivid as in my memory. I wanted privacy when I looked at them, so I skimmed them faster. Then, I saw a photo of Rachael smiling, trying to get her camera back. Cagney must’ve picked it up and taken her photo. At least I’d hoped it was Cagney. I clicked on it to enlarge the photo and I smiled. She was beautiful.

  “What are you doing?” Rachael’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. She walked over and rolled her eyes as she sat down. “Cagney’s lucky I love him.”

  I looked at her and wondered if I
could ever make her smile as she did in the photo. She was having fun and was happy. Usually, she just seemed on edge and distant around me. I turned back to the photo of her huge smile. “You’re beautiful when you smile.”

  “As opposed to the times I don’t?” She had a teasing tone.

  “Of course not.” I looked at her. “You’re beautiful even when you’re scowling at me.”

  She stood up. “When will the cab be here?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot to call them.” I reached for my phone.

  “No, it’s okay.” She took her phone out of her pocket and then looked at me. “Did you send my mom a text?”

  “Yes. I wouldn’t want to sit at home and worry about Amy. I know your mother would’ve been worried.”

  “You mean you know my mother’s a control freak.”

  My lip twitched, but I held my smile in. Gloria and I didn’t see eye-to-eye in the brief time my daughter attended Drew’s daycare with her. I was sure she was a fine woman, but she was too protective of Drew. The fact that her son, Dennis, was in love with Drew probably brought her protective side out a little more; but I wouldn’t have been one of her favorite parents at the center anyway.

  “See? You’re not denying it.” Rachael smiled and then grew serious. “Thank you for that. I’m old enough not to report to my parents, but I did tell her I’d be home early.”

  I allowed myself to smile. “You’re welcome.”

  “Oh, thanks for charging the phone, too.” She started looking through it.

  “You really shouldn’t leave the house without a fully charged phone, especially if you’re going to the bar. A woman needs to take care of herself these days. There aren’t always nice men around to help.”

  She walked over to her camera bag and pulled out a round tube. “This will charge my battery. I’m never unprepared.” She put it back. “Stop thumping, Carl.”

  My eyebrows pinched together. “Thumping?” I shook my head. “I’m not following.”

  “Yes, thumping. You’re thumping your ‘I am man, do as I say’ chest. I do take care of myself.” She went back to her phone.

  “It’s a little difficult to believe you can take care of yourself when you arrive at my home in the condition you were in last night.”

  “I’m sorry about that. I wouldn’t have come, but the drinks hit me a little later and harder than I thought they would’ve.”

  “Why drink like that? What’s the appeal?”

  She crossed her arms and walked over to the window. “I don’t normally drink like that. It’s just a glass of wine or two, but . . . I don’t know.” She shifted. “My ride should be here soon. You’d better save the photos you want.”

  I watched her as she looked out the window. I already had the photos I needed. “Why did you come here, Rachael?”

  She didn’t turn around. “To give you the files.”

  I stood and walked up behind her. I didn’t touch her, but I was inches from her. I just needed her to lean back a little; to give me a sign she wanted me to touch her. “That could’ve waited until Monday.”

  Her back stiffened when she felt me behind her. “I was drunk. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

  “I think you were.” I couldn’t help it. I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her to me. “I think once you realized I wasn’t hiding you, you wanted to finish what we started. It’s just unfortunate we weren’t able to.”

  She turned in my arms and looked up at me, then down to my chest. “I’m doing a job for you, Carl.” She looked back up to my eyes. “I don’t mix business and pleasure.”

  I looked at her face, every inch. She was beautiful. “And after you’re finished with my photos?”

  “I pride myself on return customers.” She raised her face to mine a little.

  My grip got tighter on her hips. “I won’t need photos like this again.”

  I lowered my head a little. I was so close to kissing her. So close to tasting her again. I needed that taste. I pressed my lips against hers and heard tires screeching. We both turned toward the window.

  “Well, that’s my ride.” She slapped my chest to back me up and went to retrieve her memory card.

  Dennis got out of the car and ran up the walkway. I looked to the ceiling. “You had to call him?”

  “Yep.” She had just finished fastening her camera bag when he stormed in.

  “What the hell are you doing here, Rachael?” He didn’t give her time to answer before turning to me. “So help me God. If you touched her—”

  “Stop, Dennis.” Rachael stood and put her bag on her arm. “He was a perfect gentleman. He kept my underwear on and everything when he changed me into my pajamas.” He came after me and she walked up, hooked her arm through her brother’s, and pulled him out of the room. “Let’s go.”

  They walked out, but I stayed at the window. I watched as they argued all the way to the car. Dennis wasn’t happy. Rachael put her bag in the backseat and looked up to the window. She looked at me for a second before getting in. The tires screeched just as loudly when he left as when he pulled up.

  I walked back over to the laptop to continue my work. The file with the new photos was pulled up. Rachael must’ve reopened it after getting her flash drive. I looked up to Amy’s room and back to the laptop. I flipped through the photos and smiled. It hadn’t changed at all.

  I walked in and looked around. I wasn’t sure why she had me come here. The neon was very bright, almost blinding when looking at it. Aside from the lights on the dance floor, the rest of the club was dark. The only other lights were behind the bar. I looked around for her again and felt as if I needed to find the counter for the roller skates. The club was more suited for skating parties and soda drinks instead of dancing and adult beverages.

  “It’s about time you got here!” Joy shouted behind me.

  I turned and smiled as she was still dancing. “Hi, there.” I looked her over. She had on tight jeans and sneakers. Her T-shirt was a little too tight for my comfort, but it was a bit looser than the jeans. “What are you wearing?”

  “What are you wearing? I told you we were dancing tonight.” She laughed as I pulled her close.

  “How can you move in this outfit? It looks painted on.” I twirled her around and pulled her against me again. “I thought it was a different kind of dance floor.” I nuzzled her neck.

  She pulled away. “Don’t start doing that just yet. I want to stay awhile.”

  “We can stay.” I smiled.

  “At least take your jacket off, lose your tie, and unbutton your collar,” she said as she loosened my tie. “Don’t you own any jeans?”

  I took her hands and kissed them. “I’ll buy some, but I can still dance in this.” I pulled her, as she laughed, out to the dance floor.”

  My phone buzzed me out of my memory. I should’ve gotten back to work anyway. I reached for the phone and was surprised to see it was Rachael. I smiled. “Miss me already?”

  “I wanted to say thank you again for everything last night.”

  “You’re welcome.” There was a long pause before she spoke again. I looked to see if the call had ended. She did have a habit of hanging up on me.

  “I need to be friends, Carl. I can’t continue to do this if you insist on bringing up the past. It doesn’t matter what almost happened. For whatever reason, it didn’t. It wasn’t meant to be. Please, just be my friend.”

  I could hear her fidgeting in the background waiting for my answer. “Friends. I would like that very much, Rachael.”

  “Good, so you’ll stop touching and bringing everything up?”

  “Yes, it’s a clean slate as long as it works both ways.”

  “Of course.” There was a brief pause and I heard the phone move. “Bye.”

  I smiled. She may have started to, but she didn’t hang up on me. “Bye.”

  A clean slate was exactly what I needed to get her back. It may have been starting over as friends, but I would get her back in my arms.r />
  “Someone had a great weekend.” Damon fell in step with me on the way to the office.

  I looked at him from the corner of my eye. We didn’t really share personal stories, so I was a little leery. “I’m happy your weekend was great.”

  “Oh, yeah, it was, but I meant you. You look as if you had a great weekend.”

  I scowled at him. “What makes you say that?”

  “Oh, well, just . . .” He waved his hand. “Never mind. I’ll see you at the meeting later unless you need me for something else sooner.”

  “No, I’m set.” I walked by Kylie as I turned for the office. “Good morning.”

  She looked up and did a double take before smiling big. “Good morning, sir.”

  I narrowed my eyes. I needed to get to the bottom of whatever was going on. First, I needed to prepare for my morning. I shook my head at a still smiling receptionist and walked into my office. I had just pulled everything out of my briefcase and started on the emails when the door flew open.

  “He has a busy morning!” Kylie was yelling at Cil as she barged in.

  “And I said I don’t care!” She looked at me. “We have things to discuss.”

  I looked down and rubbed my forehead, before nodding to Kylie it was okay. I’d been putting her off for a while, so the discussion was long overdue. “Kylie’s correct. I do have a busy morning. What would you like to discuss?”

  “You’re always busy.”

  “Agreed. Is that all?”

  She slammed the door and stomped over to my desk. “No, that isn’t all. You’re keeping me in the dark about what you’re going to do with Amy over the summer break. I need to know if I need to look for another job or not. You aren’t being fair.”

  “You’re right. It isn’t fair to keep you in suspense about your financial future.” I reached for the notepad on which I had been making notes about the new arrangement I wanted to put into place. “I would be happy to have you take care of my daughter, but there are a few things we will change. If you can’t agree to do the things I ask, then you will need to find another job. Is that clear?”