“I think our selection would be more than adequate to fit your needs, Mr. Belvedere, but I’ll have to discuss the sheer volume of the potential order with my manager first before we can set up an order. Okay?” I said as I clutched the phone tight to my ear.
Unexpectedly, a knock sounded at the door and I gasped. Could it be him this time?
“Like I said, Mr. Belvedere, I’ll call you back as soon as I’ve got the confirmation. It’s been lovely chatting with you. Bye now.” I hung up the phone before running my fingers through my hair and checking for any blemishes on my face in my little compact mirror. Once I was certain I looked good enough to see my boss, I called out, “Come in!”
To my utter dismay, however, it wasn’t Quentin at the door. It was Peter.
“Good afternoon, Billie,” he greeted as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
“Good afternoon, Peter. What’s up?” I asked with a polite smile.
“Nothing much,” he admitted and shrugged. “I’m just checking in to see how your work’s going.”
“It’s fine,” I told him. “You know me, if I had any issues, I’d come to you.”
Peter nodded. “Then why don’t you tell me how you and Quentin are getting along…” he trailed off suggestively and waggled his eyebrows in my direction.
Ahh, so that’s what this was really about… I let out a little laugh. I knew how close Quentin and Peter were. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was aware of our little situation.
“Everything is fine between us as far as I’m aware,” I told him. “We very rarely even see each other. He only talks to me if he has to, but…”
“But?” Peter probed as he approached my desk with a curious expression.
I smirked. “Well, Linc might have invited me to his birthday dinner on Friday,” I began. “And I might have said yes.”
Peter made a noise that sounded somewhere between a groan and a laugh. “That… That sounds like a recipe for disaster.”
I shrugged. “The little guy invited me. What was I supposed to do? Say no?”
“You’re right,” he admitted. “That kid has been through a lot in his short little life. He deserves to have a good birthday party. Make sure you get him a decent present, okay?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Well, good luck and if you need any help with anything work-related then you know where to find me.” With one last nod, Peter turned and left the office.
I shook my head and leaned back in my chair. Peter’s words stuck with me. What was it that Lincoln had been through? Whatever it was, he didn’t deserve it, I knew that much. He was a wonderful young guy and I knew I needed to make his birthday as special as I could.
I tapped my forefinger against my lips as I thought long and hard about what I could get him. What does a five-year-old boy want? I wondered. I spent the rest of the afternoon only half-focused on my work while that thought and that thought alone reverberated through my mind.
The closest mall was only a short drive away and I was grateful to Lincoln for giving me a good reason to get out and explore more of this beautiful county. The outside of the shopping center was surrounded by palm trees and long blades of grass which gave off a fresh natural scent. As I walked down the concrete path toward the entrance, I thought long and hard about what I’d learned about the youngest Wendall. It should have been easy—he was a talkative little man! Yet, as I entered the building, I found myself lost.
What do kids like? I asked myself as I passed a 7-Eleven and a Forever 21 knowing that nothing inside there would be even remotely suitable for what I wanted. My eyes surveyed the signs of each shop that I passed, but nothing really caught my eye. At least, not until I turned the corner and spotted a brightly colored exterior right in front of me. A huge sign read ‘Cooper’s Toy Emporium’ and I smiled.
“Jackpot.”
With a determination I couldn’t quell, I strode toward the store and peered in the shop windows. There were elaborate displays of assembled toy structures including castles and Victorian houses which decorated the shelves, but still, nothing struck me as being the perfect present for Lincoln.
“Excuse me, miss, can I help you?” an attendant dressed in a striped shirt asked from the doorway. He had an average build and a tanned complexion. His name badge read ‘Tom’.
I smiled and nodded. “Actually, I’m looking for a present for a five-year-old’s birthday. Do you have anything for that age?”
“Of course,” he told me. “Come right this way and I’ll show you.”
I nodded gratefully and followed him inside. As soon as I stepped in the door, I was bathed in bright, white light and the vibrant orange, green, and yellow of the store’s décor shone invitingly. I looked around at the baskets of plushies and ornaments, keeping an eye out for anything that would remind me of Lincoln.
“Here we go, miss. Let me know if I can help you anymore,” Tom told me before turning around and walking toward a family who were looking at Wendy houses.
The selection of toys in front of me was excellent. There was such a variety and everything looked well-made. I brought a finger up to the shelf to peruse the boxes when I came across a section that piqued my interest.
“Science…” I whispered to myself. “That’s it.”
I recalled Lincoln mentioning he wanted a cake with planets on it for his birthday, so I rifled through the shelves to find the perfect gift. There were chemistry sets which seemed a little too old for him and a few crystal growing sets which I considered for a moment, but then I found one labeled ‘My First Science Kit’ and I picked it up with confidence.
“This is perfect.”
Just as I turned to go and pay, however, I caught a glimpse of a picture of the solar system. I turned my head and read the black box which stated ‘Solar System Model for Kids’. Before I could think too much about it, I snatched that toy up too before heading to the cashier. I hope I get this right…
After I finished up at the toy store, I headed toward the food court when I bumped into a friendly face. It was Tracy. She was carrying a couple of bulky and heavy-looking bags as she stared down at her phone. Her head was free of her hair net for once and her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders. I thought it looked lovely.
“Hey, Tracy!” I called out before sprinting to catch up to her.
She turned and looked at me with her eyebrows drawn together before smiling. “Billie! I didn’t recognize you at first. What are you doing here?”
“Just a little bit of shopping. What about you?” I asked.
“Same,” she replied and lifted her bags in indication.
“They look awfully full, Trace. You want me to give you a hand?” I offered.
She nodded gratefully and passed me one of them. “Thanks so much, Billie.”
“Anytime. So, what are you doing now?”
“Well, my boyfriend, Al, his parents own one of the restaurants in the food court here. He works here from time to time to fill in for them. I was going to meet him when he finishes, but it won’t be for a few hours yet.”
I nodded in understanding. “How would you like a friend to help you kill some time?”
Tracy’s whole face brightened. “That sounds wonderful. Did you have anything in mind?”
I shook my head. “Oh, wait. I’m actually starving. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch.”
Tracy grinned and pointed ahead of us. “Over there is where Al’s working. I’ve eaten there a couple of times with him before. It’s actually great! Do you like Italian?” she gushed.
“Who doesn’t like Italian?” I replied easily. “Let’s go.”
The two of us closed the small distance to Al’s family restaurant while making small talk about the weather. When we arrived, Al seated us while giving Tracy a lovely smile. A waiter came by to see how we were doing and after much discussion, I settled on the salmon risotto while Tracy opted for a simple carbonara.
“And what
would you have to drink, madams?” the waiter asked as he collected our food menus.
“White wine for me,” Tracy said with a grin.
“You’re drinking?” I asked, shocked. “But we have work tomorrow.”
Tracy giggled. “One little drink won’t do any harm.”
I smiled. “Okay, prosecco for me then. Thank you.”
“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” the waiter told us before turning away and walking off.
In the end, Tracy and I spent a few hours together. It was easy talking to her, surprisingly. Even though the meeting was spur of the moment, neither of us seemed out of our depth or awkward. Instead, we were getting along like a house on fire. We got along so well, in fact, that I even considered telling her about the whole Quentin situation, but I didn’t.
For now, I wanted it to be my little secret.
16
Quentin
By the time Friday rolled around, Lincoln was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement for his party. In the morning, his enthusiasm for his presents was soon replaced by impatience for time to move quicker.
“Is it time for my party now?” he asked while I grabbed my keys from the coffee table.
“Not yet, Linc,” I reminded him for the fifth time. “Not until tonight. You know Daddy has to go to work first.”
“Aww, but it’s my birthday!” Lincoln protested, stamping his feet on the ground and pushing his bottom lip out.
“I know, I know. That’s why Nanny Mandy is going to take you to the playground this morning, okay?” I assured him as I shrugged my jacket on.
“That’s right, Linc. We’re going to have lots of fun together,” the nanny agreed with a nod.
“Fine,” Lincoln said with a huff. He folded his arms across his chest adorably and I couldn’t stifle my laughter.
“I’ll see you both after lunch, okay?” I called as I opened the door and glanced back at my son and his nanny.
“See you after lunch!” they chimed together. I closed the door behind me happily, knowing full well that Lincoln was going to be taken care of.
Even though I was only intending the stay for half a day, my time at work was dragging. As I tried my best to focus on numbers and figures, I was getting distracted thinking about my son. I needed to get home as early as possible in order to have enough time to set up all the decorations, cook dinner, and still have time to shower and get ready before guests arrive.
I was tapping my fingers on the steering wheel impatiently when I finally began driving home. As expected, when I arrived back at my apartment, Mandy was waiting patiently with an excited Lincoln who was busy coloring on the floor. After a quick conversation about how he’d been that morning, Mandy left promptly and my son and I were alone again.
“Are you ready to set everything up for your party tonight?” I asked him as I ruffled his soft hair.
“Yes!” he practically screamed before jumping up from the floor and scattering his papers everywhere. “Let’s start with the cake!”
“Whatever you want, birthday boy,” I told him with a big smile.
After that, Lincoln ran for the kitchen. It was difficult to get the enthusiastic little guy to concentrate on the instructions and actually put the right amount of ingredients into the bowl, so I ended up getting him to focus on making the decorations instead. Once the cake was mixed, we placed it into the oven and while I began to clean the whole apartment, Lincoln played with some of his new toys.
It didn’t take long to get the apartment looking presentable and by that time, the cake was ready to be placed on the cooling rack. I gathered the different colors of fondant icing that Lincoln liked – green, blue, and yellow – and checked that everything else was ready for the final touches.
Spending a quiet afternoon with my son was more relaxing than anything else I’d done in a long time. I baked a lasagna ready for our guests while he rabbited on about his new toys and his party. In spite of how enjoyable the time we spent together was, I couldn’t help wonder if something was missing.
“Daddy, is the pretty lady from your office coming still?” Lincoln asked as I checked the bubbling cheese on the top of the lasagna.
I sighed. “Her name is Billie, Linc. While she’s here, you’ve got to call her Billie and nothing else. Okay?”
“Why?” he asked, tilting his head to one side.
The infamous ‘why’ question asked by every toddler and dreaded by every parent. I gave him my best attempt at a smile in spite of my inner ire. “Because people like being called by their names okay. You can’t call them something different without their permission. Okay?”
“Oh, okay.” Lincoln shrugged and carried on playing with the new set of dinosaurs I’d bought him for his birthday.
I was glad he seemed to understand what I meant. I’d already had to explain to him earlier in the week that just because he liked Billie, it didn’t mean she was going to be his ‘new mama’. It was a lot more complicated than that and while I couldn’t expect him to understand, at the very least, I didn’t want to disappoint him. I also didn’t want him to bring up such an awkward topic in front of Billie either. Not while I was still struggling with how I felt about her.
Just before six o’clock arrived, I’d finished putting up all the party decorations perfect for a science geek’s birthday. The living room looked livelier than it had done in months and I couldn’t help but smile. When the buzzer rang, my heart began pounding in my chest. Was it her? Was it Billie? There was only one way to find out.
With a spring in my step, I hurried to the door and pressed the intercom. “Hello?”
“Hello, Quentin. It’s Mom and Dad. Buzz us up!”
I let out a sigh of relief and pressed the button to let them in. As soon as they walked inside, Lincoln’s whole face lit up and he rushed toward them. “Nana! Papa!”
“Happy birthday, Linc!” they exclaimed in unison.
“Have you had a good day so far?” my mom asked him and he nodded in response.
“Did you get any new toys, son?” my dad questioned.
“Yeah! Daddy bought me so many! Come see!” He grabbed my father’s hand and dragged him toward the living room where the majority of his new toys were strewn across the carpet.
“I’ll check on the food, dear,” my mom said before leaning in and kissing my cheek. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too,” I told her with a smile. “You know, the lasagna is almost—”
The buzzer rang again and I was interrupted. “Don’t worry about a thing, dear. Go see to your guests,” my mom told me with gentle eyes and a kind smile. “I can see you’ve put a lot of hard work in today. I’m here to help.”
“Thanks.” I returned to the intercom totally unprepared when I heard Billie’s voice through the speaker.
“Quentin? It’s Billie, you know, from work?” she spoke with confidence.
“I know who you are,” I replied quickly. “The door is open.”
“Thanks.”
And just like that, the girl of my dreams was climbing the stairs up to my apartment and I was beginning to feel a little panicky. I’d been trying so hard to avoid her and yet, somehow she’d ended up worming her way into my life. The worst part about it all was how much everyone in my life seemed to adore her—especially Lincoln.
As soon as I opened the door to her, my son had beelined straight for her and was hugging her legs tight. “Billie! Billie! Billie!” he cried excitedly. “You’re here! You’re at my house!”
She laughed and it was a beautiful sound. “Of course I am, little dude. I told you I was coming didn’t I? I always keep my promises.” She smiled down at him and I couldn’t look away from her naturally attractive face where her soft, round cheeks were tinted pink from the cold evening air outside.
“Are those for me?” Lincoln asked as he glanced up at the packages in her hands.
It was the first time I drew my eyes away from her face and I realized that Billie
had brought not one but two presents for my son’s birthday. I quirked an eyebrow at her as though to let her know that she had gone overboard, but she didn’t seem to care.
“Of course, they are! You’re the only birthday boy here, aren’t you?” she told Lincoln and he brightened up.”
“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” I interjected in a disapproving voice. I instantly felt her disdain for me when her eyes finally flicked away from my son and she looked at me heatedly.
“I do a lot of things I don’t have to, Quentin,” she retorted sassily. “It’s the best part about being a free woman.” She turned back to Lincoln soon after that and kneeled down to hand him his presents. “Here you go, buddy. I hope you like them.”
“You can open them after dinner, Linc,” I told him. “Go put them on the pile.”
Despite her obvious teasing, I couldn’t help but smile at Billie. She’d always been a little mischievous and sassy around me and I hated how much I liked it. My dad and mom were just as happy to see Billie as Lincoln had been and both of him gave me meaningful glances whenever they could. It was clear that everyone was onboard the Billie train. Everyone except for me, of course.
Thankfully more guests turned up before my parents could get too carried away and dinner was soon served to the happiness of everyone. Lasagna was always a crowd pleaser and I knew Lincoln would enjoy it since it was his favorite. I was grateful to my mom for teaching me how to cook from a young age.
“This is delicious. Did you make this, Mrs. Wendall?” Billie cooed in between bites and I couldn’t help but preen.
“No, actually,” my mom replied with a small smile. “I just served it up, this was all Quentin.” The two of them looked my way. My mom’s expression was proud while Billie’s was intrigued. I couldn’t help but enjoy her attention, even though I knew I shouldn’t have.
Forbidden First Times: A Contemporary Romance Collection Page 48
