“Hi.” I’m nervous, which is weird because it won’t be the first time I’ve worked as a server, but it’s been years.
“Welcome aboard,” Ian says and smiles warmly.
“Thank you.”
“There are clean aprons in the changing room. Then you can join the other guys in the training room. It’s next door.”
“Sure.” I withdraw and retrace my steps to the changing room. I grab a clean apron from the shelf and leave my purse in an empty locker with a password.
A minute later, I’m knocking on the door marked training room, and a female voice calls out that I should enter. There are at least ten people in the room, and the trainer stands out as she’s standing in front of the room. My nervousness dissipates as I join them, and the training starts. Serving is not rocket science as long as you’re a reasonable, polite human being. The most important thing is to keep your cool as you get all sorts of customers.
Halfway through, we are served bacon sandwiches, coffee, or tea. Perfect timing for me as my munchkin and I are starving even though we had breakfast at home.
Training takes most of the morning, and as agreed, I text Thomas to let him know that I’m ready to go home. I have my own car, but he insisted on picking me up.
Before Thomas comes, I pop in to tell Mom and Ian goodbye and pick up my shift schedule.
“How was it?” Mom asks me.
“It was fine. The trainer is awesome, and everyone is pumped for the opening on Friday.” I am too, and I’m grateful that she and Ian offered me a temporary job.
“Good. We are too, right, honey?” she asks Ian.
He smiles at her, and for a few seconds, I feel like an interloper as they exchange a long loving look.
“Anyway, I’m off. I’ll see you on Friday.”
Seeing my mother lavishing love and attention on another man will take getting used to. It’s natural to feel uncomfortable at first. Besides, I have my own personal issues to deal with. I won’t have time to think about them.
Outside, I pick a spot in the sun to wait for Thomas and enjoy the warmth. I spot his car minutes later and go to the passenger side when the car stops.
“Did I keep you?” he says.
“Not at all; I was basking in the sun and loving it,” I tell him.
He leans across the gearshift to kiss me. “You look like you enjoyed yourself.”
“I did. It’s relaxing not to be the one thinking of the bigger picture. All I have to do is make sure that my customers are happy and having a good time.”
He laughs. “You make me want to apply for a job as a server.”
We chat easily on the way home, and then my phone rings from my purse. I take it out and glance at the screen. It’s my sister, Adeline.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey,” she says. “I’m at work, so I’ll make this a quick one. I spoke with Mom last night. Is it true what she said? That you might be going to work at that bar?”
I draw in a breath. My answer is not going to please her. “She was right. I’ve just come from the training.”
“How could you?” she explodes. “How can you agree to work for a man who is fleecing out mother in a business that he set up?”
I let out a sigh. “Adeline, I think we should consider the idea that we might have been wrong. What if Ian is the one person who can make Mom happy?”
“Let’s not have this conversation again,” Adeline says tightly. “I’m honestly disappointed in you.”
I try one more time. “Give them a chance. You never know.”
“Absolutely not. I can’t believe you’re supporting a scheme to rob our mother.” She disconnects the call.
I let out a sigh just as Thomas and I get home. He parks the car, turns off the engine, and turns to me. “I think you’re awesome.”
The compliment is so unexpected and so nice that tears fill my eyes. “Thanks.”
“Let’s go in. I’ll draw you a bath, and while you soak in it, I’ll make us dinner,” Thomas says.
At a loss for words, I take his hand and squeeze it.
“I want to take care of you,” he says and then gets out of the car.
I’ve never dated a man who wanted to take care of me. I like my independence, but I’m learning that it’s nice sometimes to let go of the reins and let someone else steer the ship while you take a breather.
Thomas does as he promises and goes straight to my bedroom bathroom to fill the bath. I undress and wrap myself in a large warm towel.
“It’s tempting to get in with you,” he says. “But I’ll resist temptation and leave you to relax.”
I drop my towel and step into the bath, ignoring Thomas’s hungry stare.
“You’re a mean woman, Cora, do you know that?” he says.
I let my laughter escape. He leaves the bathroom without a backward glance, and I sink into the warm water and allow all the day’s stresses to seep out.
“You look like a different woman,” Thomas says when I return downstairs wrapped in a cozy robe.
“I feel like a different woman.” I was more exhausted than I thought, but I’m sure it had more to do with my emotions as opposed to physical exhaustion.
He pulls out the chair. “Your dinner is ready, ma’am.”
I giggle at his French accent. “Thank you. I like my servers a little less dressed.”
He bows low. “I shall remember that next time.”
Dinner is macaroni and cheese, and it’s delicious. Thomas has impressed me with his culinary skills. I voice my thoughts.
“I never knew how to cook before Tessa died. I’m ashamed to say that she did all the cooking. She used to say that she loved it, but that’s no excuse. Anyway, I had to learn fast,” he says.
I love watching him while he eats. I love the movements of his lips, and I find my mind meandering to thoughts of kissing him.
“I made a lot of mistakes in my marriage,” he says, his voice wistful.
My heart squeezes with pain on his behalf. There’s nothing worse than the pain of regret, especially for something that you can’t go back and rectify.
“I’m sorry.” It seems so inadequate to say sorry.
“What’s the longest relationship you’ve ever had?” Thomas asks me.
“Me?” I squeak, the question taking me aback.
He laughs in response. “Adeline was right that first time we had dinner with your family.”
The memory makes me smile. “I was so angry with you. What was Adeline right about?”
“She said you were secretive when it came to your relationships, and I agree with her. You know all about my past marriage, but I know nothing about your romantic past.”
“That’s because there’s not really much to tell. What do you want to know?”
“Have you ever been in love?”
I have to dig deep into the trenches of my memory to answer that question. I’m not one of those women who fall in and out of love five times a year. I take years to be in love with one man. A case example being Thomas.
“Of course, I have. His name was Alex, and he worked for a marketing farm. He was ambitious as hell, and marriage was not on his list of priorities. Which was cool except he only let me know his views after we’d been dating for three years.”
“What a jerk,” Thomas says hotly. “I know I have issues with long-term relationships, but you should come clean and not give someone false hopes.”
Hearing him admit that he has issues with long-term relationships hurts the slightest bit. It’s a reminder that no matter how good it gets between us, we’ll never be permanent.
“What about you? Before Tessa?” I ask him.
He grins. “You’ll never believe this, but I never had a long-term relationship before Tessa. She hadn’t either.” He shrugs. “Maybe that was the problem. Maybe we needed more experience.”
For all his worldly experiences, Thomas has had very little variety when it comes to love. Listening to him, it’s easy to see now w
hy the thought of long-term relationships frightens him. The one and only time he gave his heart away, it was broken. Then just when he was healing and trying to move on with his life, he found out that his marriage was not what he thought it was.
It will take a big leap of faith for Thomas to believe in love again.
Chapter 33
Thomas
I’m reading an online medical journal when my laptop beeps with a new email. I click on it, and my heart beats faster when I see that it’s from the recruitment agency.
“Yes!” My voice echoes in the living room as I read the email letting me know that I am the top candidate for the position at Mercy Hospital.
I’m beyond thrilled. I’m ecstatic. I shoot them an email to formally accept the position and shut down my laptop. It’s been months of grueling interviews, and sometimes I’d lost hope that I would get it. I feel as if I’ve run a marathon and I’ve just crossed the finish line.
I glance at the time. It’s four. Cora has two more hours on her shift. I’m too jittery to wait until she gets home to share the news with her. I’ll go and have a drink at The Caroline to celebrate.
I sprint upstairs and swap my shorts for a pair of denim trousers. My black T-shirt is decent, and after grabbing my car keys, I head out. I take the long route to avoid traffic. It takes me by Cora’s apartment building, and as I drive by, I’m surprised and worried to see how fast they’re moving. Everything looks perfect from the outside. There’s no sign there had been a fire only months ago. In fact, it looks ready for people to move back in. I try to imagine Cora not in my house, and a sick feeling comes over me. I’ve gotten used to having her around, and when she leaves, it’ll take time, but I’ll get used to not having her around.
At The Caroline, I park next to Cora’s car and make my way to the front entrance. The air is buzzing with conversation, and the bar is already three-quarters full. Every time I’ve come for a drink, it’s been like that. Ian and Caroline hit the jackpot with the location and ambiance of the bar. It’s patronized by professionals like me looking for a nice classy joint to have a drink and a conversation.
I don’t see Cora when I enter, but as soon as I slide onto a barstool, I see her walking from the kitchen carrying a bowl. It’s as though she senses my presence because she glances to the right, and our gazes meet. A look of joy flits across her face. I grin like an idiot and blow her a discreet kiss.
“Hey, Thomas,” Tom, the giant of a bartender says. “Nice to see you. What can I get you?”
“Hi, I’ll have a cold beer, please.”
I swirl my chair around and watch Cora as she goes to another table with four men. She takes their order and laughs a lot as she does so. I can tell they are flirting with her, and a sharp stab of jealousy goes through me. I swirl my chair back to find Tom holding my beer and staring at me. Embarrassment washes over me.
“My girlfriend is a bartender too,” he says as he places my beer on a coaster in front of me. “I make a point of never having a drink in the bar where she works if I can help it.” He winks at me and then leaves to serve someone else.
I feel like an idiot and resist the urge to follow Cora with my gaze. I realize that it’s creepy and might result in me being banned from the bar.
Soft hands go around my shoulders, and I know immediately that it’s Cora. She kisses my cheek and walks around my stool.
“What a nice surprise,” she says, smiling at me.
“Yeah, I got an email that made me want to celebrate with you.”
Her eyes widen. “You got the job.”
“I did.”
“Congratulations,” Cora shrieks.
“What are we celebrating,” Caroline says, leaning on the counter. “Hi, Thomas.”
“Thomas applied for an opening at Mercy Hospital in the obstetrics and gynecology department, and he just got it,” Cora says.
Caroline grins. “Congratulations. That’s a huge deal. I’ll be able to boast to my friends that my son-in-law is a top guy at the hospital.”
“Mom, Thomas is not your son-in-law,” Cora says.
“Not yet.” She winks and leaves.
“Forget about her,” Cora says. “I have to go. Will you wait till the end of my shift?”
“That’s the plan,” I tell her.
Tom serves me another beer, and as I sit there enjoying my drink and the atmosphere, my thoughts return to Cora and the day she’ll move out. It’s approaching very fast. Soon she’ll get a letter telling her that it’s safe to move back into the building. Will she be comfortable with moving back into her building? I know I won’t, which is irrational thinking as they’ll have done all the checks to ensure that it’s fit to be lived in.
If she moves back to her apartment, who will be there to take her to the hospital when it’s baby time? Yes, I know she’ll have her phone, and she can call me or an ambulance when the contractions start to come. Unexpected things happen, though, and babies have been known to make their way out of their mothers without warning. Cora could be one of those women. I need to be close by to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Then there’s also the issue of taking care of a newborn while she’s healing from the birthing process. She’ll need help, and I know how to take care of a baby. By my sixth glass of beer, I’m a hundred percent sure that Cora staying with me is the best idea.
I also suspect that I might have celebrated too hard and drunk more than I should have.
“I’m done,” Cora says, coming to stand by me clad in her street clothes.
I swirl around. “I’m ready.” My voice is slurring. I stand and follow Cora out.
As we walk to the car, she looks at me and laughs. “Are you drunk?”
An avalanche of emotion comes over me, and I lunge for her and pull her to me. The wave of emotion I feel makes me want to hold her as tightly as I can, but there’s the baby to think about.
Cora laughs and tries to push me away. “Let’s get in my car. We’ll leave yours here and get it tomorrow. You’re in no state to drive, Doctor Clarkson.”
I’m not going to argue about that. In the car, I fasten my seat belt and then turn to Cora. “Stay with me.”
She looks at me quizzically. “I am staying with you.”
“I drove by your building.” I’m struggling to get the right words out. Fuck. I’m a lot drunker than I thought. “The building is almost ready to be occupied again.”
What I want to say is important, and I don’t want to fuck it up. I gather my thoughts before speaking again. “What I mean is that you could stay with me until after the baby is born. I’m good with babies, and you’ll need more space than you have in your apartment.”
She raises an eyebrow. “How much space can a baby take, honestly? If your worry is space, don’t worry about it, we’ll be fine.” She turns the ignition key and reverses the car out of the parking slot.
“It’s not just the lack of space.” Nobody has ever accused me of lacking persistence. “It’s also about having someone to help you with the baby. Babies are deceiving. They look very tiny and peaceful, but the little rascals are a lot of work.”
She laughs, giving me hope that there’s a chance she might say yes.
“Let’s talk about it tomorrow when you’re less inebriated,” she says instead.
“Isn’t it easier to say drunk?” I ask her.
“Maybe, but it sounds nicer. Drunk sounds common, and if there’s one thing you’re not, it’s common,” Cora says with a laugh.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, mother of my baby.”
We get home, and getting myself to move from the car to the house is a bit of a struggle. I stagger toward the living room, but before I get to the couch, Cora grabs my arm.
“I think it’s better if you go straight upstairs,” Cora says.
My male senses perk up. I encircle her waist. “Just what I need. I can’t wait to get you naked and make you scream.”
“You’re not going to make a
nyone scream tonight,” she mutters as we climb the stairs one at a time.
It’s slow progress, but somehow, I can’t make my feet move faster. I use the wall for support and make my way to our bedroom.
I collapse heavily on the bed and sit down at the edge.
“I’ll get your shoes off,” Cora says and kneels in front of me.
“I can do it myself.” I make a move to bend forward, but I guess the wiring in my brain is messed up because I flop down the opposite way and land on the bed facing up.
Cora giggles. “You’re funny when you’re drunk.” She lifts my legs and swings them to the bed. “Your legs are dead weight.”
Her voice sounds like it’s coming from very far. I raise my hands in a gesture that she should get on top of me.
Chapter 34
Cora
I’m on my second cup of tea when Thomas walks into the kitchen looking like he’s been run over by a truck. He looks sinfully handsome with his hair messed up and his eyes straining to see. I laugh.
“Morning,” he mumbles and comes to kiss my forehead.
He’s wearing boxer briefs only, and my gaze is drawn to his big, sexy frame. I have a sudden urge to fold myself against that massive chest and have his strong arms encircle me.
“Morning.” I get up and pour a mug of coffee for him.
He takes it gratefully and wraps his big hands around the mug. He takes a sip and then another. “Ah, now I’m beginning to feel human. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I sit back down and observe him as he drinks his coffee.
There’s so much I want to ask him, but I have to wait for the right time, not jump on him when he’s just woken up. Forefront on my mind is what he asked me last evening about staying with him. I don’t understand what he meant. I stayed awake half the night figuring out what he might have meant. Does he want us to try and make it work between us? That thought excited me so much that it made my baby wake up and spend the next half hour kicking my belly.
“I feel like an idiot for drinking as much as I did yesterday. I’m sorry. Did I embarrass you at work?” Thomas asks.
The temptation to trick him is high. I wear a solemn face. “You did. We need to talk about that this morning.”
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