Ready or Not

by Melissa Brayden

  And with a swift cleanup of the kitchen, the four friends were gone just as quickly as they’d arrived. Hope turned back to Mallory, who was nestled on the sofa. “Wow.”

  She shook her head and smiled. “They’re a handful, but they’re my family.”

  “Well, you should consider yourself very, very lucky.”

  “I do. And I’m not lying about how good you look in my shirt. I kinda think you’d look good out of it too. It’s hard to say which is better.”

  Hope didn’t need any more prompting. She slowly pulled the T-shirt up and off and inclined her head to the side. “I figured you needed all the information.”

  Mallory was up and moving toward her before she even finished the sentence. It turned out she really, really loved Saturday mornings at Mallory’s.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Sam, how are we coming with the vendor negotiation on that new hosting company?” Mallory asked.

  “We’re close, but not close enough. Why?”

  “Because Foster is having site problems again, and I swear we need a new provider.”

  Sam swiveled back to her computer. “Let me see if I can speed things up a bit. Work my mojo.”

  “I’m counting on it,” Mallory told her. “Hunter, any movement on the Serenity ad for July?”

  Hunter slid off the kitchen counter. “I emailed the final product to you an hour ago.”

  “My bad. I haven’t had a second to even check.”

  She turned to Brooklyn, who was staring at the wall, meaning she was in creative mode. “Brooks, I don’t want to interrupt, but where are we with Foster’s cereal line?”

  “I’m staring at the wall, Mal. I’m working on it.”

  Mallory knew when to be patient. “That’s exactly what I was hoping for, but is it at all possible to stare at the wall just a tad bit faster?” That earned her a glare from Brooklyn. “Or not. You know, take your time.”

  It was late Friday morning, and Mallory felt like she’d been going sixty miles an hour for the past three days. She’d yet to watch a television show, go running, eat a meal uninterrupted, and what was worse, lay eyes on Hope, for three days. Sometimes when it rained at Savvy, it poured. Unfortunately, it usually fell to Mallory to pick up the slack. True, she could ask for more help from her friends, but they were working hard as it was. Sometimes though, it felt a little like they went home to their own lives at the end of the day and she stayed back to live and breathe Savvy twenty-four / seven. She didn’t begrudge them the work. In fact, she loved it. But at times she wondered what it would be like to leave work at work too.

  Her cell phone, which she’d turned facedown on her desk to avoid distraction, buzzed against the hard surface. She flipped it over in case it was a pressing client concern, surprised and a little happy to see the incoming call was from Hope. She should let the call roll over and focus on her afternoon.

  She should.

  Good business owners did that.

  Mallory, however, was apparently onboard with going to corporate hell and thereby slid her thumb across the screen and accepted the call that already had her stomach tightening.

  “What are you doing?” Hope asked immediately.

  Mallory smiled against the phone, as the sound of Hope’s voice had a way of transporting her to someplace lighter. Just hearing the question had the world slowing down for her. “I’m about to spend an hour returning email. What are you doing?”

  “Waiting for you.”

  Mallory paused. “Waiting for me for what?”

  “To play hooky and spend the afternoon with me somewhere fun.”

  “While that sounds amazing, I can’t just skip out on work.”

  “Yes, you can.”

  Mallory stared at the ridiculous to-do list open on her desk. “That’s impossible. We’re already running behind on several deadlines.”

  “You need a break,” Hope said with authority. “Whatever you’re late on will still be late tomorrow morning, right?”

  “It will be later.”

  “And the world will still turn. Come out and play, Park Avenue. It’ll be a time.”

  Mallory took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling, now tempted in a way she never thought possible. She’d never played hooky from work. Hell, she came in when she was sick. Was she actually capable of this kind of corporate debauchery? Would she still be allowed in restaurants? Would people judge her on the streets? With her heart thudding away, she made an important decision.

  “Where and when?”

  Thirty minutes and a quick change later, Mallory spotted Hope right where she said she would be, in front of the Central Park Zoo. Hope stood as she approached and beamed at her, pulling her into her arms in an embrace that Mallory relished. She loved the way Hope smelled. She didn’t know if it was her cotton laundry detergent or the faint scent of citrus from her shampoo, or everything wrapped into one, but it reminded her of a breezy summer day, much like this one.

  “So, hi,” she said to Hope, releasing her but still keeping her hands at Hope’s waist and drowning a moment in those baby-blue eyes. Three days was too long. Too damn long. That’s when panic set in again when she remembered what she was doing here. “You should know that this is not at all like me and that I’m a little terrified right now.”

  Hope nodded. “I kind of thought you might be. But here’s the thing: you need to give yourself a break on occasion. Not every week, but once in a great while, it’s called for.”

  “There’s just so much to—”

  Hope touched her chin and gave the tiniest shake. “And you’ll get it all done. You might even do a better job if you allow yourself a chance to recharge and come back refreshed and ready to take on the world. Plus, I’ve never been to this zoo, and I wanted my favorite person with me to explore.”

  “So I’m your new favorite person?”

  Hope placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Did I forget to mention that? Because you are. You’re a variety of favorites for me lately.”

  Mallory smiled at Hope, grounded once again, and gazed at the entrance, the line to get in made up of families, tourists, and couples. “We used to come here when we were kids. I haven’t been back in years though. Let me ask you, why the zoo?”

  Hope gestured to the sky. “Well, have you seen today? It’s beyond gorgeous. I work in a bar, so seeking out the sunlight is a must, much the way it should be for you. Plus, something about a zoo says recreation. It’s hard to think about external struggles when there’s a baby goat cavorting in front of you.”

  Hope had a valid point, and suddenly Mallory couldn’t wait for the distraction. “Ohhh, take me to these baby goats.”

  “Gladly.”

  And not only did they see the adorable goats, but mountain lions, snow monkeys, red pandas, and more. But Mallory’s favorite, by far and away, were the sea lions.

  “Do you see his little face?” Hope asked, inclining her head. “I’d have to give him anything he wants. Five fish? Fine. Eight? Okay.” They’d covered the zoo in its entirety but had circled back to Sea Lion Park in the center to spend a little more time with the cute rascals.

  Mallory handed her box of popcorn to Hope. “They love the sun. Just look at them. I feel like they’d sun themselves on that rock all day.”

  Hope nodded. “These sea lions don’t mess around.”

  “Well, why would they? They’re city sea lions.”

  That got a laugh. “I forget that we’re still in Manhattan. It feels so removed out here.”

  Mallory nodded. “Right? It sorta puts everything in perspective though. In the middle of all the hubbub, gridlock, and foot traffic, these guys just want to take a nap in the sun and a dip in their pool. Maybe snack on some fish later.”

  Hope looked at Mallory pointedly. “You could take a page from their book, you know?”

  Mallory shot her a look. “Are you judging me right now?”

  “Nope. I would never, especially if it means I don’t get to put my han
ds on you later, because you’re wildly attractive to me right now, all relaxed and happy.”

  Mallory met Hope’s eyes. They sparkled and Mallory swallowed against the rush they gave her. “There might be some action later. But I’m not committing. It’s not like I’m easy.”

  “Trust me when I say nothing about you is easy, which is why you’re awesome.”

  “Good save.”

  “Thank you. But seriously, Mal, you need to cut yourself some slack now and again. Loosen up and live a little more.”

  She nodded. “I cannot believe I’m saying this, but you’re probably right. Thank you for today. I feel, I don’t know, like a human being again. I’ll have to pick up some pieces tomorrow, but it will have been worth it.”

  “I love that you feel that way. I was afraid you’d hate me for dragging you away.”

  “Not a chance. Now take a photo with me.” Mallory moved around behind Hope and rested her chin on Hope’s shoulder as they smiled at Mallory’s phone. The resulting photo was a keeper, she thought to herself. A reminder of how wonderful one afternoon could be.

  “Want to grab a beer at one of those outdoor cafés outside the park?”

  “Alcohol at two o’clock on a workday? I don’t think I’m allowed until after five. There’s gotta be some kind of law.”

  Hope looked skyward and paused, eyes closed. “I just checked and you are. It’s amazing! Let’s go.”

  Mallory laughed as Hope tugged her arm. “How did I get mixed up with you?”

  “I don’t know, but it’s kind of awesome.”

  “It is,” Mallory said.

  They paused outside the zoo and shared a kiss. A sweet, simple kiss that felt much like the afternoon—something to remember.

  *

  “So we have a problem,” Teddy said as Hope rounded the bar the following Sunday morning. She picked up a clipboard and surveyed the day’s work schedule. Four scheduled wait staff should be plenty for a Sunday. She might even need to cut one early.

  “Is it the grocery order?” she asked Teddy. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t get it in on time on Friday, but Sal promised he’d put a rush on it. Instead of morning, we’ll take a late-afternoon delivery.”

  Teddy’s face didn’t relax the way Hope expected it to. “Not the grocery order.” Okay, she didn’t like the way he was looking at her. She set down the clipboard.

  “What’s going on?”

  He glanced to his right at the maintenance guy she’d contracted to take a look at the blinking light fixture and dropped his voice. “Can we maybe take this in your office?”

  “Sure.” She followed him there, struggling to predict what was about to come her way. Teddy was the consummate calming force of the place. If something had him this concerned, it was bad. She closed the door behind them. “Give it to me.”

  “The night deposit is gone.”

  She paused. The sentence didn’t compute. “Explain gone.”

  “You were out last night, so I did just as I always do when I fill in. I moved the cash from the register to the deposit bag in your desk. When I came back later, the money was gone. The bag was empty.”

  She stared at him. “The bag had Friday night’s take too.”

  “What?”

  She shook her head. She’d stayed with Mallory on Friday night and had planned to deposit both nights together. “I never made it to the bank.”

  “Shit.”

  “Damn right, shit. Teddy, you should have called me.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “I was hoping to figure it out before I had to. This isn’t the kind of thing I wanted to admit happened on my watch.” He continued to babble on, to apologize and make excuses, but she’d stopped listening because she couldn’t afford to lose two nights of cash like that. She was already behind after the draw she’d made to help Kara.

  Wait. She paused as a memory sparked. When she’d counted out the money for Kara, she’d left the rest of it in a locked box in her drawer, one down from the drawer containing the deposit bag. Not her most responsible move, but it was too late now. The box had been locked and so had the drawer, but the thought that it might have been lifted too made her sick to her stomach. As Teddy talked, Hope tried the drawer and cringed when it opened without resistance. No box. Her eyes slammed shut at the sight, and her heart jumped into her throat.

  “Christ.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, Hope,” Teddy said.

  “Who was in here?” she demanded, standing.

  He held up his hands. “As far as I know, just me.”

  “Unless you took the money, someone else was here.”

  “Right, right. I know that.” She’d never seen him look that way, gray and wide-eyed. She took a moment and remembered herself. Teddy was a good guy and good at his job.

  “Hey,” she said, snagging his focus. “I didn’t say this was your fault.”

  He nodded. “I know. It’s just…fucked up and I’m sorry.”

  “Me too.” They took a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. “Maybe you should check on that maintenance guy. Give me a few minutes to think.”

  Once she was alone, Hope sank into her desk chair and tried to assemble the pieces, to find a way to make it all make sense. What was she going to do? It had been tight enough before all this, but with the loss of that cash, the bar couldn’t make next month’s rent. There’d be no way, and all her backup cash was now gone, so…if there was ever a moment to cry, this would have been it. Fortunately, Hope wasn’t built that way. She swallowed back the urge to knock everything off her desk and stared at the wall instead, imagining all the ways she’d failed.

  *

  Adolpho’s Ristorante was bustling when Mallory stepped into the entryway at eleven fifty-five that Monday. The Italian restaurant was a hidden gem that she and her father had discovered while walking a side street one afternoon when looking for a new place to lunch. It easily became their go-to. The quaint little eatery had black chairs with red-velvet cushions and guitar music piped in over the sound system. The eggplant Parmesan was to die for, but somehow all of those details rang hollow to her now as she inched closer to a conversation she quite honestly was dreading.

  She scanned the small dining room. As it consisted of maybe fifteen tables, she was able to spot her father easily enough. He stood when he saw her approach, and instead of the customary bear hug, he placed a kiss on her cheek and motioned for her to sit. The formality of the gesture seemed to match their new awkward dynamic. He was dressed in a suit, which told her he’d be appearing in court later that afternoon. The old version of herself would have asked about the case immediately. Today, however, she wasn’t much interested.

  “How was your weekend?” her father asked as they sat. She blew out a breath, so not in the mood for small talk.

  “It was fine. Thank you.”

  “And how have things been with that new potential client, the movie-theater chain?”

  She closed her eyes. “I can’t do this with you. Not after…”

  He nodded, seeming to understand. “I’m sorry that happened at the anniversary party. You shouldn’t have seen any of that, and I apologize.”

  “You’re sorry it happened, or you’re sorry I saw? Because those are two different things.” The waiter chose that moment to take their order. Somehow unable to order her favorite, Mallory opted for a small salad instead. A cold, crisp salad felt somehow appropriate to the occasion.

  Once the waiter had gone, her father studied his napkin. “I behaved poorly. There’s no other way to describe my actions.”

  “Ya think?”

  If he was startled by the way she spoke to him, he didn’t let it show. In typical attorney style, he’d always had a way of not showing his cards, a quality Mallory used to envy. “I know I screwed up,” he told her. “It was my anniversary party, for God’s sake, but sometimes the world’s more complicated than we want it to be.” He rubbed his forehead in the way he always did when faced with a problem h
e didn’t quite know how to solve. But that was the thing. He always solved it. He’d always been Superman in her assessment, and finding out he wasn’t that at all crushed her.

  “How is sleeping with your secretary complicated? It’s the oldest cliché in the book. How long has it been going on?”

  “Three years,” he said, meeting her gaze.

  She sat back in her chair with a thud, as she hadn’t been expecting that. “You’ve been screwing Janice for three years?”

  “I don’t want to hear that language from you. I know you’re mad, and you have every right to be, but it wasn’t like that.”

  “Then what was it like, Dad? Tell me.”

  “I’m in love with her.”

  Blow number two. Now that one she hadn’t seen coming and had to give her head a little nudge in order to process the information. “I’m sorry, you’re in love with Janice? What about Mom?” This couldn’t be happening.

  “Your mother and I had many wonderful years together, but we haven’t had a proper marriage for a long time now. Surely you picked up on some of that.”

  No, actually she hadn’t, because her parents had always projected a happy, well-balanced relationship that Mallory had long admired. She held on to the arms of her chair tightly as things seemed wildly upside down and images of her happily married parents flashed in succession behind her eyes. “Does Mom know?” she finally managed.

  He nodded. “We’ve never kept secrets from one another. I have the utmost respect for your mother.”

  “I don’t believe this. So you’ve just stayed together for what?”

  “For you kids, for our friends, for the convenience. It was a lot to undo. But this particular event—”

  “You mean me walking in on you at your anniversary party with another woman? That event?”

  He winced. “Yes. It made an impact. Your mother and I had a long, hard talk. This isn’t easy to say, but we’ve mutually concluded that we should divorce. She knows I’m talking to you about this, and she’s planning to call you later today.”

  And there was blow number three, right on schedule. This was shaping up to be just a fantastic lunch. Really, they should do this more often. “So that’s it then? You and Janice the secretary are going to ride off into the sunset together? What about Mom?”