way he held a bitch session.
When he pulled away, she realized she was struggling to think of any more complaints. The anger that had been building in her chest most of the day was quickly diminishing.
“I didn’t mess up that stupid woman’s order. She asked for the special. I swear she did.”
“I heard her. She did ask for the special.”
Natalie frowned, confused. “But you told me to take the food back…to get her the hamburger.”
59
Mari Carr
“It wasn’t worth fighting about. Besides, Mrs. Davis is a regular in here. She mentioned once that she cares for her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Sometimes she’s just tired and grumpy.”
“Damn,” Natalie muttered. “Now I feel like shit.”
Ewan laughed. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad, Nat. You couldn’t have known that. I’m just trying to show you that sometimes you don’t always know what’s going on in another person’s life. That haggard mom is going through a nasty divorce. She’s way too slack with her kid, probably because she feels guilty for her failing marriage.”
She closed her eyes. “See, I am a bitch.”
He cupped her cheeks with his palms, pulling her face closer to his. “Open your eyes. Look at me.”
She obeyed, surprised to see his face so close to hers.
“You are not a bitch. You’re way too hard on yourself. You set these high expectations for yourself and I think you just hold other people to the same standards.
There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“So what’s the sob story on the bread guy?”
“Oh, he is just an asshole. You had him pegged right in the first minute.”
She laughed. “Well, thank the Lord. I’m one for twenty. That older woman, the one who sat in the corner table?”
Ewan acknowledged he knew who she was talking about with a nod.
“She was kinda cool. What’s up with her?”
“Mrs. Duvall. Her husband passed away a couple of years ago and I think she’s lonely. She comes in here twice a week for lunch and she always manages to find a way to call us all over to chat. I usually join her for a bit, but she seemed to prefer your company today.”
Once she’d returned with the woman’s dessert, she’d been drawn into a conversation that she’d genuinely enjoyed.
60
Friday I’m in Love
When she thought about it, she’d had more fun these past three days than she’d had in years and she suddenly wasn’t looking forward to returning to Palms Springs.
What if she went home and the heavy feelings came back? She wasn’t sure she wanted to go back to her monotonous days, her quiet apartment.
She tried to shut down her thoughts of leaving on Saturday. The unwelcome notion of leaving Ewan had jarred her more than once over the past few days. Now, like then, she put the nonsense away. He was an acquaintance, Teagan’s brother. Nothing more.
She couldn’t let him be anything more.
For now, she wanted to revel in the newfound lightness. Here in Baltimore she’d managed to find a place where she could relax, put away her worries, her gloominess, her sleepless nights, even if only for a week. She’d use this time to pick up the pieces and come Saturday, she would go home. She’d be strong again. Ready to roll with the punches.
“And now,” Ewan said, grasping her hand and tugging her behind the desk with him. “Maybe we could revisit that ‘making out as a form of relaxation’ lesson from last night. I mean, you’ve had a rough afternoon.” He lifted her shirt over her head, pulling it off before she had a moment to realize his intent.
“Hey. You know, just talking it out…I feel much better now.”
He frowned. “You do. You sure? I don’t mind going the extra mile if you’re still a little tense.”
She laughed but didn’t try to put her shirt back on. “You’re incorrigible.”
“I’m horny, Nat. Throw a dog a bone.”
“Look’s like this dog already has one.” She ran her hand along the front placket of his pants and he
When he pulled away, she realized she was struggling to think of any more complaints. The anger that had been building in her chest most of the day was quickly diminishing.
“I didn’t mess up that stupid woman’s order. She asked for the special. I swear she did.”
“I heard her. She did ask for the special.”
Natalie frowned, confused. “But you told me to take the food back…to get her the hamburger.”
59
Mari Carr
“It wasn’t worth fighting about. Besides, Mrs. Davis is a regular in here. She mentioned once that she cares for her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Sometimes she’s just tired and grumpy.”
“Damn,” Natalie muttered. “Now I feel like shit.”
Ewan laughed. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad, Nat. You couldn’t have known that. I’m just trying to show you that sometimes you don’t always know what’s going on in another person’s life. That haggard mom is going through a nasty divorce. She’s way too slack with her kid, probably because she feels guilty for her failing marriage.”
She closed her eyes. “See, I am a bitch.”
He cupped her cheeks with his palms, pulling her face closer to his. “Open your eyes. Look at me.”
She obeyed, surprised to see his face so close to hers.
“You are not a bitch. You’re way too hard on yourself. You set these high expectations for yourself and I think you just hold other people to the same standards.
There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“So what’s the sob story on the bread guy?”
“Oh, he is just an asshole. You had him pegged right in the first minute.”
She laughed. “Well, thank the Lord. I’m one for twenty. That older woman, the one who sat in the corner table?”
Ewan acknowledged he knew who she was talking about with a nod.
“She was kinda cool. What’s up with her?”
“Mrs. Duvall. Her husband passed away a couple of years ago and I think she’s lonely. She comes in here twice a week for lunch and she always manages to find a way to call us all over to chat. I usually join her for a bit, but she seemed to prefer your company today.”
Once she’d returned with the woman’s dessert, she’d been drawn into a conversation that she’d genuinely enjoyed.
60
Friday I’m in Love
When she thought about it, she’d had more fun these past three days than she’d had in years and she suddenly wasn’t looking forward to returning to Palms Springs.
What if she went home and the heavy feelings came back? She wasn’t sure she wanted to go back to her monotonous days, her quiet apartment.
She tried to shut down her thoughts of leaving on Saturday. The unwelcome notion of leaving Ewan had jarred her more than once over the past few days. Now, like then, she put the nonsense away. He was an acquaintance, Teagan’s brother. Nothing more.
She couldn’t let him be anything more.
For now, she wanted to revel in the newfound lightness. Here in Baltimore she’d managed to find a place where she could relax, put away her worries, her gloominess, her sleepless nights, even if only for a week. She’d use this time to pick up the pieces and come Saturday, she would go home. She’d be strong again. Ready to roll with the punches.
“And now,” Ewan said, grasping her hand and tugging her behind the desk with him. “Maybe we could revisit that ‘making out as a form of relaxation’ lesson from last night. I mean, you’ve had a rough afternoon.” He lifted her shirt over her head, pulling it off before she had a moment to realize his intent.
“Hey. You know, just talking it out…I feel much better now.”
He frowned. “You do. You sure? I don’t mind going the extra mile if you’re still a little tense.”
She laughed but didn’t try to put her shirt back on. “You’re incorrigible.”
“I’m horny, Nat. Throw a dog a bone.”
“Look’s like this dog already has one.” She ran her hand along the front placket of his pants and he
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