up.
“Later. We had lunch today. Oh, that reminds me, I have to tell you about the two women and what they did.” I started for the door.
“Wait, short version,” she begged.
“When we walked into the pizzeria, he held the door for them, and their reaction was all googly-eyed and giddy, staring at us through the window even after we were walking to the table. Then when we were in front of my building, they came past us again but they took pictures of us.”
She looked disgusted.
“I know, right? Fucking weird.” I shook my head.
“That’s fucked up.” She picked up the rag and wiped off the bar mindlessly.
“I think I’m missing something. Am I not asking the right questions? Have I been so wrapped up in the way I feel that I’ve missed something major? Or—maybe I’m not. Maybe this is how the world works now, and I’m beginning to notice because I took my head out of my ass finally. I honestly feel lost, Rach. Brand new, right here.” I pointed both my thumbs towards myself as I hopped down from the stool to leave.
Mike said goodbye and Rachel gave me a quick hug.
Rachel held up her hand to stop me. “Oh, before I forget, I scheduled an interview with someone for Wednesday at two. She has ten years’ experience behind the bar,” she said. “I hope this one works out—I’m getting fried, and I haven’t had a day off in two weeks.”
“If you want to watch Emma, I’ll work. I don’t mind.”
“Nah, I’m okay for now. I need the extra cash for my Egyptian adventure.” She beamed as she walked back behind the bar.
“All right, just let me know if you change your mind.” I opened the door.
When I got back upstairs, Emma was done with her homework and showered.
The buzzer for the door rang. We were both thrown off because Rachel was at the bar, and normally just used her key.
“Who could that be?” She went to the window and poked her head through the curtain. “Mom, it’s a guy. I can’t see his face. He has a hat on.” She sounded confused.
I hit the button. “Yes?”
“Jordie, it’s me. I need to talk to you.”
“Ummm, now isn’t a good time.” Shit. It’s Nathan. My eyes locked with Emma’s.
“Please, Jordie, It’s important.” He had a hint of urgency in his voice.
“Okay, one second. I’ll buzz you up, but you need to give me a minute. I have some, um, explaining to do.” My eyes still rested on my daughter. I was trying to assess her expression.
Emma’s mouth gaped open and her eyes got wide. “Holding out on me, Mom? Are you sure you can be trusted home alone?” She exaggeratedly stretched and yawned. “I’ll be going to bed. Maybe you can tell me all about this tomorrow?” She smiled and came over to give me a kiss. “I.L.Y., Mom.” She practically skipped back to her bedroom and closed the door.
She took that rather well.
I opened the door to see Nathan standing there. He looked as gorgeous as ever but my stomach dropped. Something wasn’t right. He looked upset. He took his hat off, ran his hand through his hair, and sighed. His eyes burned right through me— oh, those eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I motioned for him to come in.
“I’m sorry, I know your daughter is home, but I just needed to see you.” He hugged me.
“Uh, are you okay?” I studied his face.
“Yeah, I’m okay... now.”
“All right, you’re kinda freaking me out.” I backed out of our hug. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“No, I can’t. I just really wanted to see you. I have to help Tyler set up a show a few blocks over and then I’ll be back. This way Emma will be asleep and you’ll be more comfortable. Can I come back around ten?”
“Yeah, sure.” I was confused.
He kissed me on the forehead. “I’m sorry, I know this must seem, well, major nut job-ish of me. I just... I can’t get you off my mind and, well, now I feel better.”
A small smile reached my lips as I focused on the floor. “I’m glad it isn’t just me,” I mumbled.
He placed
“Later. We had lunch today. Oh, that reminds me, I have to tell you about the two women and what they did.” I started for the door.
“Wait, short version,” she begged.
“When we walked into the pizzeria, he held the door for them, and their reaction was all googly-eyed and giddy, staring at us through the window even after we were walking to the table. Then when we were in front of my building, they came past us again but they took pictures of us.”
She looked disgusted.
“I know, right? Fucking weird.” I shook my head.
“That’s fucked up.” She picked up the rag and wiped off the bar mindlessly.
“I think I’m missing something. Am I not asking the right questions? Have I been so wrapped up in the way I feel that I’ve missed something major? Or—maybe I’m not. Maybe this is how the world works now, and I’m beginning to notice because I took my head out of my ass finally. I honestly feel lost, Rach. Brand new, right here.” I pointed both my thumbs towards myself as I hopped down from the stool to leave.
Mike said goodbye and Rachel gave me a quick hug.
Rachel held up her hand to stop me. “Oh, before I forget, I scheduled an interview with someone for Wednesday at two. She has ten years’ experience behind the bar,” she said. “I hope this one works out—I’m getting fried, and I haven’t had a day off in two weeks.”
“If you want to watch Emma, I’ll work. I don’t mind.”
“Nah, I’m okay for now. I need the extra cash for my Egyptian adventure.” She beamed as she walked back behind the bar.
“All right, just let me know if you change your mind.” I opened the door.
When I got back upstairs, Emma was done with her homework and showered.
The buzzer for the door rang. We were both thrown off because Rachel was at the bar, and normally just used her key.
“Who could that be?” She went to the window and poked her head through the curtain. “Mom, it’s a guy. I can’t see his face. He has a hat on.” She sounded confused.
I hit the button. “Yes?”
“Jordie, it’s me. I need to talk to you.”
“Ummm, now isn’t a good time.” Shit. It’s Nathan. My eyes locked with Emma’s.
“Please, Jordie, It’s important.” He had a hint of urgency in his voice.
“Okay, one second. I’ll buzz you up, but you need to give me a minute. I have some, um, explaining to do.” My eyes still rested on my daughter. I was trying to assess her expression.
Emma’s mouth gaped open and her eyes got wide. “Holding out on me, Mom? Are you sure you can be trusted home alone?” She exaggeratedly stretched and yawned. “I’ll be going to bed. Maybe you can tell me all about this tomorrow?” She smiled and came over to give me a kiss. “I.L.Y., Mom.” She practically skipped back to her bedroom and closed the door.
She took that rather well.
I opened the door to see Nathan standing there. He looked as gorgeous as ever but my stomach dropped. Something wasn’t right. He looked upset. He took his hat off, ran his hand through his hair, and sighed. His eyes burned right through me— oh, those eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I motioned for him to come in.
“I’m sorry, I know your daughter is home, but I just needed to see you.” He hugged me.
“Uh, are you okay?” I studied his face.
“Yeah, I’m okay... now.”
“All right, you’re kinda freaking me out.” I backed out of our hug. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“No, I can’t. I just really wanted to see you. I have to help Tyler set up a show a few blocks over and then I’ll be back. This way Emma will be asleep and you’ll be more comfortable. Can I come back around ten?”
“Yeah, sure.” I was confused.
He kissed me on the forehead. “I’m sorry, I know this must seem, well, major nut job-ish of me. I just... I can’t get you off my mind and, well, now I feel better.”
A small smile reached my lips as I focused on the floor. “I’m glad it isn’t just me,” I mumbled.
He placed
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