by Aria Grace
“Her omega dad passed away a year ago,” I said quietly. “And it’s been just the two of us since then.”
“I’m sorry. That must be hard.”
I gave him a glance. That was something I couldn’t get into at the moment, so I just shrugged.
“It is what it is. He was wonderful. We’ll manage, I’m sure. Want a coffee before we start?”
“Sure. In the meantime, I’ll take a walk around and check out your soil.”
Glad to have changed the subject, I hurried inside and brewed us a couple of cups.
“How do you take it?” I called out the kitchen window which looked out onto the backyard.
He stood up, looking befuddled. “Sorry?”
“I mean your coffee. How do you like it?” I let out a chuckle. It seemed as if everything turned into innuendo with him, but I didn’t mind.
I sneaked another glance at him through the window as I prepared his coffee.
He was adorable with that tousled hair and a smear of soil on his cheek.
When I went back out and handed him the coffee, I was rewarded with a bright smile.
“Thanks so much. You’ve got a great place here. Good soil, great sun exposure. We’ve got some plants for the shady areas, as well.”
“Yeah, it’s not bad.” So, he wanted to stick to business talk. I could deal with that. It was probably for the best, anyways. My friends and family would probably think I’d lost my marbles if I got involved with someone almost twenty years my junior.
He shared his planting plans with me, and after I gave the all clear, we got to work executing his vision.
I wasn’t exactly a gardening expert, despite owning the center. It’d been passed down to me when my father retired a few years ago. He’d tried his best to bestow his knowledge on me, but I wasn’t a very good learner back then. I’d been too busy partying, and then I’d met Justin. We’d been inseparable, and although he’d been supportive of my involvement with the business, I’d preferred spending time with him rather than at the center with my dad, covered in dirt. Thank god for competent managers. Without them, the business would have been a shitshow.
Rudy and I worked quietly, side by side. That awkward silence hung in the air until we took our next break. I stole glances at him now and then, and the urge to reach out and kiss him was almost overwhelming at times. I could practically smell his heat, that’s how strong it was. But I controlled myself, and was quite proud of the fact, too.
I ordered pizza and it arrived just as we finished planting the last of the flowers. We washed up and I brought some plates out to the patio table along with a couple of beers.
“Here you go,” I said, sitting down across from him. “Dig in. Don’t be shy.” I offered him a smile, hoping to put him at ease.
“Thanks,” he said, taking a couple of slices. “I should get back to work soon, but I’ll treat this as my lunch break.”
“Sure, whatever.”
“Where’s your daughter? I mean, I hope I’m not being nosy. It’s a beautiful day and I’m sure she loves playing back here.”
“You’re not nosy at all.” I chuckled. “She’s at my parents’ place. She spends one night a week there and stays for some of the next day. It allows me some ‹me time’ on the weekends. I’ll pick her up in a bit and we might go to the park up the street later.”
“It must be difficult, raising her on your own. I mean, kids must be a lot of work.”
“Totally. I’m completely out of my league. She’s high energy, and she’s smart. She’s already got me wrapped around her little finger. I try not to spoil her, but it’s hard. During the week, I work in my office upstairs or else in a shared office space with my brother. Maybe I should spend more time at Woodhill and learn more of trade. What do you think?”
His face brightened.
“You should. There’s something oddly relaxing about gardening. I think it’s because you’re so close to nature and really connect with something higher than yourself, know what I mean?”
He was wise beyond his years, and I suddenly saw a new side of him. “You’re right. I mean, I haven’t felt that, because I don’t do much gardening myself—yet—but it makes sense. Maybe you can teach me?”
Rudy shifted in his seat.
“Sure, I could…but didn’t you say your father wanted to do that?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, he does. I love the man, but he’s a tough teacher. I’d rather take lessons from you. Only if you’re comfortable with that, of course.”
Rudy nodded. “Yeah, I don’t mind at all. Why don’t we exchange numbers and we’ll set something up?”
“Sure.” I whipped out my phone and dialed the number he gave me. A little voice in my head chastised me, but I shushed it. I was not using my position to corner him at work. I genuinely had a lot of shit to learn and preferred to learn it from a non-judgmental and nice young man, who also happens to be great in the sack. Fuck my life.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Rudy during the drive to my parents’ house. Ellie was probably itching to come home by now, and I missed her a lot. It was great having some time to myself, but when she was away for too long, I felt the pull.
Rudy had made a hasty exit after lunch, and I couldn’t blame him. He had a shift to finish, and knowing Larry, he was probably counting the minutes until Rudy got back. I’d have to talk to that guy about employee morale. It was true that I didn’t spend a lot of time at the center, but I’d gotten feedback from some of the employees that he could be heavy-handed at times, and I didn’t want that kind of atmosphere at my business. Otherwise, he was a great guy.
The more I thought about Rudy, the more confused I got. I wondered if pursuing him was worth it. On the one hand, we had great chemistry and he was fun to be with. He was more mature than I initially gave him credit for, as well. However, there was still a big age difference, and we were in different places in our lives. I wasn’t one to worry about what others thought about me, but it also figured into the equation. Besides, I had a daughter, and Rudy probably wasn’t up for the whole package at his age. Hell, I wasn’t sure I was even over my ex yet. I’d loved him so fiercely and with all my heart, and it was difficult to imagine replacing him.
I parked in front of my parents’ house, jumped out and walked to the front door with an extra bounce in my step. Ellie jumped into my arms as soon as she saw me.
“Daddy! You’re here!” She buried her face in my neck and clutched my shoulders with her little hands.
“Oh, my sweetie, come here.” I held her in my arms and squeezed, careful not to crush her. There was nothing like holding your child in your arms and feeling her little breath on your skin.
The light blonde hair that she’d been born with had turned dark blonde, almost light brown, with tight little curls at the ends. She had a perfect button nose with pink cheeks and bright brown eyes.
Mom invited me in and sat me on the couch, bringing out some tea and cookies. Naturally, she offered me lunch.
“Thanks, Mom, but I’m full.”
“Don’t be silly. You’ve been working way too hard and I know you don’t eat well. What did you have for lunch? I bet it was pizza or something like that.”
It was hard to argue with her, because she had a point. My ex had been the cook in the family, while I’d taken care of other chores, like laundry and clean up. I wasn’t proud of it, and as I watched Ellie scarf down my mom’s delicious lentil soup, I knew I had to try to do better.
In any case, I explained to Mom about the gardening and the pizza, and she finally let it go. I asked her about Dad and was told he’d gone fishing with my brother. I was slightly annoyed that they hadn’t invited me, but then I remembered all the times I’d made excuses not to go with Dad. I made a vow that one of these days, I’d take him up on his offer.
When Ellie was done her soup, I thanked Mom for watching her and packed her stuff into her glittery pink backpack.
“Okay, Ellie. Say thanks to Grandma and le
t’s get going.”
She ran to my mom, who kneeled and took her in her arms.
“All right, thanks for everything, Mom. I’m going to clean the barbecue tomorrow, and maybe you and Dad could drop by sometime during the week. I’m going to learn everything I can about grilling by the time you get there.” I winked at Mom and could hear her chuckle behind me as we walked through the door.
“See you soon, my sweethearts. It’s always a pleasure.”
I opened the car door for Ellie and she climbed into her seat. I gazed into her eyes as I clicked her into the harness. Whatever decision I made about Rudy and our future, I had to consider Ellie’s happiness and welfare, first and foremost. I owed that to my princess.
26
Rudy
“Hey, Rudy, is there anything I could help you with?” asked Alex from my living room.
The poor guy was hungover and looked like hell, so I let him stay planted on the couch. I’d gone out with some friends the night before, and since my apartment was close to the bar and we were all smashed, two of them had crashed at my place. Alex had slept on the couch and Jacob had roughed it on an air mattress.
Hanging out at bars and clubs every weekend wasn’t really my thing, but I had to do something to get Frank off my mind. It’s been two weeks since we’d first met, and we’ve already met up four times for his gardening lessons. I had my suspicions about his real need for these sessions at the center, though. There was too much tension in the air between us whenever we met, and it was obvious he was hot for me. I had to admit, to myself at least, that the feeling was mutual.
Everything about him made my mind and body buzz with energy and lust; the way he brushed the hair out of his eyes, to the way his biceps flexed when he lifted a heavy planter. I often found myself staring at him like a puppy dog when he wasn’t looking and wondered what he’d think if he caught me. So far, he’s been as professional as possible, given the circumstances.
I was hiding from Alex in the kitchen, because he’d noticed something was off with me and had started asking questions the previous night. Jacob wasn’t as tuned in, but it was only a matter of time until one of Alex’s questions piqued his curiosity.
They were going to be wowed by the brunch I was preparing. I was making an omelet with spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes, I was chopping a bunch of fresh veggies, and the bacon was already emitting its heady aroma from the pan. Oh, I couldn’t forget about the French toast, with none other than the Grade A Canadian maple syrup I’d managed to score at the specialty market I’d shopped at before our booze-fest.
I poured myself a coffee, brought it to my nose, and inhaled. It reminded me of Frank, there was no doubt, but then again, everything reminded me of him these days. Last night at the bar, I’d glanced around, wondering whether he’d make an appearance, but then I’d reminded myself there were plenty of bars in Unionville, and besides, Frank was a father and probably not out partying every weekend.
I turned the heat off under the bacon and snuck out on the balcony. I took a satisfying breath of fresh spring air followed by a sip of coffee. The scent of new life was in the air, with flowers blooming in the garden bed adjacent to my building’s front entrance and baby birds chirping on the tree branches that reached toward the sky.
Suddenly, my heart raced, and a momentary spell of dizziness swept over me. I fell into the chair behind me, grabbing the seat to steady me. It ended almost as quickly as it started, but I breathed heavily, scared out of my wits. What the hell was wrong with me?
I filled my lungs with air and exhaled as I leaned over and placed my head between my knees. Maybe it was the booze from the previous night, but I didn’t feel hung over. Perhaps I’d take a nap after the guys left, and call my doc first thing in the morning, before heading to work. I’d be pissed if I came down with something—it was a busy time at work, and I’d planned to start personal training sessions at the gym. The last thing I wanted was to be knocked on my ass for the next two weeks.
Once I calmed down and felt better, I headed back in and finished cooking. It was a big hit, and the guys filled their faces.
“Maybe you should quit gardening and open a diner,” joked Jacob.
I raised a brow. “Nah, I could never do this for a living. Cooking well under pressure isn’t my thing. Trust me, I’ve tried,” I said, remembering my stint at the bar and pub down the street. My parents had taught me how to cook from a young age, and it had paid off in spades. I had them over almost every weekend for dinner or brunch. This weekend was an exception.
“Maybe there’s another reason you won’t leave the gardening biz?” asked Alex with a smirk.
For fuck’s sake. Was he ever going to give it up? He’d started bugging me about Frank the day after that romp, after I’d made the mistake of telling him about our one-night stand. Like an idiot, I’d also told him that Frank owned Woodhill, so now Alex was having a field day. Poor Jacob looked on, none the wiser. I wasn’t one to gloat about my conquests, and Alex, for all his faults, was discreet at least.
“Do you guys want a coffee refill?” I asked, anxious to change the subject.
Alex got the hint and dropped the interrogation, and when he called me later, I didn’t answer. I was too confused and didn’t want to talk about my personal life. He’d probably ask me what I wanted to do with Frank, but how could I give him an answer when I didn’t know?
I had another dizzy spell in the afternoon, and was tempted to run to urgent care, but decided to google my symptoms first. Of course, most of the results were scary as fuck, and they weren’t maladies I could diagnose myself, so I focused on the ones that I could rule out.
There was one that made me stop scrolling. Pregnancy. I scrunched up my nose. It was possible, I supposed…we hadn’t used protection, and I’d been in heat. I wiped my sweaty palm on my jeans. It was something I could rule out ASAP, if I chose to test.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I grabbed my wallet and ran out the door. Twenty minutes later, I barged back in, tore open the box, and pulled out the pregnancy test. I’d never used one before, and I had no clue what I was doing. I was so nervous I had to read the instructions twice before I felt comfortable enough to make an attempt. Pee in a fucking cup? I rolled my eyes.
I followed the directions to a tee, and closed my eyes after placing the test on the bathroom counter. I opened one eye to check the time now and then, and when three minutes passed, I picked up the test and brought it right up to my face.
Two lines! Holy shit. I grabbed the instructions and checked how to read the results again. Wow. I was pregnant. With Frank’s baby. I rubbed my belly and bit my lip. How was I going to tell him he was going to be a father again? Much less after a one-night stand? I went to the living room and sank into the couch, staring up at the ceiling. I’d always planned to have a neatly wrapped relationship before having babies, but life wasn’t always predictable.
While thinking about my future and how I was going to deal with Frank, heavy fatigue washed over me. I pushed a throw pillow to the end of the couch and put my head down, letting my lids shut tight.
A shrill ring woke me, but I didn’t realize it was my phone until it’d already stopped ringing. Shit. I rubbed my head. I’d never felt so groggy after a nap before. Maybe this would be my new normal, at least until the baby was born. I’d always heard that pregnancy really did a number on your energy levels, but it was another thing to experience it.
Maybe it was my mom who’d called. It’s been a week since I’d last spoken to my family, and they must be wondering what I’ve been up to. They’re always on my case about settling down, never mind that I’d always told them I wanted to graduate before making that kind of commitment.
My eyes widened when the phone screen came into focus. Frank had been the one looking for me. Of course! He probably wanted to set up another lesson. Shit. I sucked at lying but I wasn’t ready to tell him I was pregnant and at this point, I didn’t know if I ever would be.
&
nbsp; I noticed tiny tremors in my hand and dropped the phone on the couch. Suddenly, I was a ball of nervous energy. I vacuumed, took my recycling downstairs, and made a sandwich. Basically, anything to avoid having to call Frank back. After scarfing down the sandwich, I knew I couldn’t put off the inevitable forever, and called him back.
Please don’t answer. I desperately wanted to hear his voice but didn’t want to talk to him. Fuck, I made no sense even to myself.
My heart thumped in my chest as ring after ring blared into my ear. Phew. It went to his voicemail. I waited for the beep and realized I had no idea what I was going to say. Before I could think about it, a nearly incoherent jumble of words came tumbling out.
“Hi Frank. It’s me, uh, Rudy. I saw that you called. I’m not feeling well and won’t be at work tomorrow. I don’t know about the next day, either. I’ll, uh, let Larry know right away, as well. Okay, thanks, bye. I’ll try to meet you for gardening as soon as I’m better. Okay, bye.”
Click. Fuck, I was such a dweeb.
I drank some water and got back on the phone to convince Vishank and Lucy, another awesome colleague, to take my shifts for the next three days. Then, I called Larry and filled him in.
I rubbed my belly as I lay in bed that night, and for the first time since finding out about my bundle of joy, an aura of warmth surrounded me. I felt as if two giant hands cradled and held me, as if to protect me from the world of uncertainty out there, and I smiled as I drifted off to sleep.
27
Frank
“What’s on your mind, honey? You seem distracted.” Mom interrupted my train of thought and placed a steaming cup of tea on the coffee table in front of me. Ellie and I had come to visit my parents, but when I’d said it was time to leave, Ellie had looked at us with those big brown eyes, pouted, and declared she wanted to spend the night. Mom’s heart had melted, Dad had also said she should stay, and since I figured I could use a free night, Ellie got her way.
