by Lila Rose
“I’ve got it,” his rough voice said. I looked to see Mr. Salvatore staring at me.
“No, thank you, but I can pay—”
“Do you have to argue about everything?”
My lips snapped shut. I didn’t usually argue so much; it seemed Mr. Salvatore brought it out in me. Ignoring him, I pulled out some bills and—
“Adalyn,” Clinton called. “I’ve got it, honey. I was going to buy anyway as a thanks for sharing this moment with us and being a part of our lives.”
That was sweet.
Smiling, I blinked the tears away and nodded. I took the couple of steps to them and slipped my arms around each of their shoulders, bringing them in close. “Love you, guys, and congratulations again.” Honestly, I wished I’d have known Molly and Clinton longer than a year. They were amazing people.
Standing, I placed a hand on each of their shoulders and said to the table, “Enjoy the rest of the night, and it was great meeting you all.”
In their own verbal version, I got a goodbye from everyone. Only, when I glanced quickly to my boss, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he tipped his chin up.
Molly tapped my hand. I leaned back in. “Thanks for coming. Love you, girlfriend, and don’t fall over on the way out. He’ll be watching.” She grinned big, and I scowled back.
Why, oh, why, would she do that to me?
Great, I was going to fall on my face no doubt. She knew how flustered I got if I even had an inkling a stunning man was paying me attention.
Wait. No, I could do it. I could walk out normally, and nothing would happen because Mr. Salvatore didn’t affect me. He annoyed me. I was over his good-looking self.
Yeah, and that was why my heart beat a million miles an hour. My stupid organ had been going crazy ever since I’d heard his voice, had him near me, and when his alluring scent clung to my nostrils all night long.
Damn the good-looking man.
I forced out a fake laugh, and then through gritted teeth, I said, “I’ll be fine. Like I said… doesn’t affect me any longer.”
With a final goodbye, I turned, placed my bag strap over my shoulder, and with my head held high, I slowly walked toward the exit.
Easy. Simple. I can totally do this.
I would have been fine… if an idiot didn’t push his chair back as I made my way through two tables.
I would have made it if that chair didn’t slam into my hip and cause me to fall to the left, pushing a woman’s upper body into her food, and then she turned abruptly with her arm out ready to defend herself. Yes, I would have stayed on my feet if I wasn’t in her hitting distance and falling to the floor when she knocked the wind out of me with her elbow.
For once, it wasn’t my clumsy fault, and yet I still made a fool out of myself.
I knew some of the laughter would be coming from Molly and Clinton. The rest I didn’t have a clue. I lay on the floor dying from embarrassment and blinked up at the ceiling while people flittered around me.
Finally, my friend came to rescue me. With her hand out, I took hold, and Molly helped me stand on two feet. The man who pushed the chair into me came forward and apologized profusely, as did the woman who thought she was being attacked by her boyfriend’s wife. After I assured them I was fine, I turned to Molly and asked an important question.
“Did he see?”
She was friendly enough she at least tried to fight her smile. “Yes.”
Nodding, I bit my bottom lip and cursed under my breath. He must think I was a real head case.
“Not that I care if he saw,” I quickly added.
“Sure,” Molly drew out.
“I don’t. I mean, let’s be real here. He’s my boss, your brother, and he’s dating someone. Also, there is the fact his name is connected to adult films. Imagine if Drew ever found out.” I faked a shudder.
“How about we talk about this later when you don’t have a split in the back of your dress.”
My heart stopped, my eyes widened, and I snarled, “You could have told me sooner.” Reaching around, I covered my butt with my hands.
She shrugged. “It’s hard to understand Clint’s mime movements.”
“Oh, God. They’re all looking, aren’t they?”
Her lips thinned. “Maybe.”
“Kill me now.”
“Addy, here you go.” Clinton came up behind to cover me with his jacket.
Gripping the arms of the jacket tightly around my waist, I said, “We will never speak of this again. Any of it, except about the engagement part. The rest will be locked behind a solid vault.”
“But Vice—”
“No.”
“Adalyn, he’s not so bad. I’m—”
“No.” I shook my head, kissed her cheek and then Clinton’s with a promise to clean his jacket and get it back to him. I then fled the restaurant quickly. Only it got the best of me. Just before I was out the door I looked back and saw my boss gazing at me with a frown on his annoyed-looking face.
If I had anything to do with it, I would never see Mr. Salvatore again.
With luck—please shine down on me in this area at least—Mr. Salvatore would never step foot in the store again, and if he did, it would be at the same hours as last time. Which was when I wouldn’t be there.
At least I knew I would never see him at Molly’s. I’d been visiting her place for a year, and he never went there. Ever.
Chapter
Five
My dress was ruined, and it’d been the only black dress I owned. Mom said she could fix it, only she wasn’t the best seamstress, and honestly, all I wanted to do was forget the night ever happened.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to fix it?” Mom asked again as we sat in the seating area in the school gym. Drew was just warming up with his team. Seeing his infectious smile had me smiling also, even when my stomach was rolled up with regret from the previous night.
I didn’t like feeling regret, but I was.
Not only over my drama spat with Mr. Salvatore, but the way I had handled him calling my work lacking in the first place. People had their own opinion. If he didn’t like anything, that was his choice. I knew I hadn’t been the best salesperson around him. I think I overreacted to the word and rolled my emotions over John up into that word when it had come out of Mr. Salvatore’s mouth.
Usually, I wasn’t that crazy.
Okay, so maybe I was, but I could have held it back a little where I wouldn’t be worried about my future employment.
Shaking my head, I said to Mom, “No, it’s fine. I’ve already thrown it out anyway.” Even though John had had money, I’d never been one to spend it just for the hell of it. My parents had struggled, going from a week to week wage, but they did it happily. Dad passed away over five years ago, and it was a loss that hit us all hard. One I wasn’t sure Mom could get over. The only blessing after his passing was the insurance my dad had placed. He wanted to take care of Mom even when he wasn’t around.
“I worry about you, sweetheart. I want you to have what I had with your father. I thought you’d found it with John, but he turned out to be a dick. I know your sister won’t ever find it. She’s too wild to settle down, and I’m not sure a man could take her on full-time. But—”
“Mom, you do know happiness doesn’t revolve around having a man in my life? I’m happy. I really am. I have a great job, people are loving my jewelry. I have Drew. I have you and my friends. I’m happy. I promise you. And yes, a good time in the sack wouldn’t go astray, but I’ll never count on my happiness to come from one person since I’ve already got it from everyone and thing around me.”
“You’re a smart woman, my Adalyn.”
“I got that from Dad,” I teased.
She mock scowled, and with a slap to the arm, she said, “Why I never, you rotten child. I’m taking it back now.”
It was ridiculous how much I loved my mom, but I did. We were close, always had been since I was young and had been her shadow on everything she did. She
loved Dad like it was their first date each day of their lives together. I wish she still had that. I also would have loved to experience that type of love for myself, but I hadn’t, not even with John. Even though she kept herself busy, I still saw sadness lingering in her mom’s eyes, and honestly, the love that they had for one another that sadness would always live in her, like it did me. I could only hope she was happy and content with her life, like I felt with my own.
“Do you… are you happy, Mom?” Or do you feel you need a man to be happy? Was what I left off.
She reached over and gave my hand a squeeze, knowing where I was coming from. “I’m happy, sweetheart. I’ll always love and miss your father. The time I had with such an amazing man will be cherished until I take my last breath. My daughter is right, though. Happiness isn’t something to be found in a man because I’m happy as I am. Though, an orgasm from a man instead of—”
I covered her mouth with my hand, my eyes wide as I glanced around to the people in the stands. “Say no more, I beg you.”
A very manly chuckle sounded behind us. I glanced there to find a man who seemed to be around the same age as me, looking at me with a sweet smile. He was also a looker, and I would have thought my nerves would take over, but apparently, Mr. Salvatore had cleared them from my system.
“Sorry,” I said. “Not really a conversation to have at a child’s basketball game.”
He winked. “Hasn’t started yet, so all good.”
“Oh, if you’ll both excuse me, I think I need some refreshments before the game starts, and I need to call your sister,” Mom spat out quickly, and she was up and gone even faster.
My mother.
I wasn’t sure she’d actually call Camila, my sister, since Cammy never answered her phone when Mom or I called. She never liked being told what to do. In the end, her rebellion caused her to up and leave, only returning when Dad died and, even then, it was as though I didn’t know my own sister. It saddened me to admit that. But I wasn’t sure it would change until she did. Until she got over the “everyone hates me” complex. We didn’t hate her. We just didn’t like her choices, since one time it led her to a boyfriend who was a drug dealer. Thankfully, he wasn’t in the picture any longer, or so we heard. I had no clue where we all went wrong, why she was angry with us all. If I knew, I would fix it so Mom wouldn’t look at Cammy’s photo with tears in her eyes all the time. Mom thought I didn’t know, but I did, and her pain caused me pain.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I said to the man, “Sorry.”
He laughed and scooted down to sit next to me. “Not sure you need to be sorry about your ma giving me a chance to have a chat with you.”
The man was smooth, and I grinned at his play.
He held out his hand to me. “Name’s Den.”
Taking hold of his warm, rough hand, I shook and replied, “Adalyn. Nice to meet you.”
“You also. First time to the game?”
Placing my hand on each side of me on the bench seat, I nodded. “Yes. My son’s just started. It’s his first game today.” I pointed out Drew.
“I’m sure he’ll love it. My son, Rick, does.” He pointed to a boy just a little shorter than Drew. He was a total opposite to my son, who had blond hair and blue eyes. Den’s boy had black hair and dark eyes, much like his father, and was currently waving to his dad. Drew looked up at the same time, something passed over his face, but then he quickly smiled. He walked up to Rick and started to talk to him.
“Are you new to the area also?” Den asked.
Turning my attention away from Drew, I said, “Yes. We moved to my mom’s for a while since I couldn’t find a place I really wanted for Drew and me to live in.”
“I’m sure eventually you’ll find the perfect house.”
Smiling, I nodded. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
“So it’s just you and Drew living with your mom?”
A snort shot out of me.
He chuckled. “Smooth, I know. But I don’t see any wedding band on your hand.”
My brows went up. “You’ve already looked?”
He shrugged and actually blushed. “When I see something I like, I don’t care to hold back.”
It was my turn to blush. “Um, okay. Wow. No, I’m not married. Divorced two years ago.”
“Three for me.” He bumped my shoulder with his. “Hey, sorry if I’ve made things uncomfortable already. I heard your speech with your mom, and I just wanted to get to know you.”
“My speech?”
He grinned. “How happiness isn’t about having a man in your life….”
Oh, no. What a jerk.
“Are you offering a roll in the sheets?” I whispered with a hissed tone.
He coughed, shook his head and held up his hands. “No. Shit. That’s not why I caught your attention. I just liked how confident you sounded about your life.”
All right, maybe not a jerk then.
“Oh.”
He chuckled again. A whistle sounded and the game started. My heart jumped into my throat. I hoped Drew did well in the game.
“Sorry, ma’am,” Den said, and I watched him stand as Mom stopped just at the end of our seats.
“No, no. It’s fine. I’ll sit just in front.” She grinned.
My bloomin’ mother.
She was probably already planning my wedding to Den, and the amused look Den gave me told me he was maybe thinking the same thing. Den sat back down next to me, his knee bumped into mine, and my heart went crazy for a new reason. He was closer than he was before, but I kept my attention on the game and cheered when Drew made a shot for the hoop, only to miss.
“You’ll get it next time,” I yelled. Drew sent me a thumbs-up and a big grin before his attention went back to the game.
“He’s good,” Den commented.
“He is, never played really, but always knew he wanted to.”
“Must be in his blood.”
“Must be.” I grinned.
The game went on, and Drew’s team lost by one. Even though they lost, my boy, my sweet son came barreling over to me as soon as I was standing on the main floor and shouted, “That was awesome.”
Gripping the back of his neck, I applied pressure, and said, “You were amazing.”
“I know.” He smiled.
Laughing, I told him, “I think we need takeaway to celebrate.”
“Yes!” he cried. “Nana, did you hear that? Takeaway. Mom, can we have tacos? I love tacos.” Drew loved just about every kind of food. He ate enough to feed ten men, but he was a growing boy.
“Tacos sound good,” Mom replied.
“Hey, Mom. Can Rick come?”
I flicked my gaze to see Den talking quietly with Rick.
“I’m not sure, honey.”
“Please. He’s not in my class, but he said we could hang at recess and lunch. He’s really cool, Mom, and I think he’ll be a good friend.”
Gosh darn, since Drew hadn’t really talked about friends from his new school, I was more inclined to want Rick to come to dinner, but I wasn’t sure I could get out of not having Den join us as well. His attention made me nervous, in a small way. It was nothing compared to Mr. Salvatore, but it was still there.
“Hey, buddy. I’m Den. Rick’s dad. You did a great job tonight,” Den said, stopping just beside me with Rick on the other side of him.
“Thanks, Mr. Den. I was just asking Mom if Rick could come have dinner with us. Tacos,” he shouted.
“Yeah!” Rick cheered.
A smiling Den looked to me. “You okay with that, Adalyn?”
Glancing to Mom, who was nodding, I sighed quietly and said, “Sounds fine. Would you like to join us?”
His eyes twinkled with humor. He knew I was just being polite, yet he still said, “I’d love to.”
The boys ran off talking a mile a minute while I followed slowly behind with Den falling into step with me, and my mom was somewhere behind us.
“Could be good our boys
bonding.”
Could it?
I wasn’t sure.
“Yeah.”
“Relax, Adalyn. It’s all about the boys getting to know one another.”
He was right. I was being rude thinking he was expecting something from me when I wasn’t sure I could offer him anything but friendship.
“You’re right. Sorry.” I gave him a shy smile.
We drove separately to Taco Bell. It wasn’t far from school. Mom was fanning herself over Den, about how sweet and cute he was. Thankfully Drew was in Den’s car with Rick.
“Mom, I can’t get involved with him. If anything bad happened, it could cause Drew problems with Rick. I won’t risk anything, for Drew’s sake.”
“Darn. That’s too bad. I was sure the way his eyes were glued to your ass on the way to the car was a good indication you would get some.”
“Mom,” I groaned.
“What about… what’s that saying… friends with benefits?”
Laughing, I told her, “You’re shocking, you know that, right?”
“Yes, dear.”
Dinner was actually nice. The boys had a load of fun getting to know one another, and when they both found out they enjoyed Minecraft, a computer game I loathed, I was glad Rick would then be there to listen to Drew go on and on about it. I was sure my son knew I zoned in and out of consciousness listening to him talk about the game.
Den’s company wasn’t so bad either. I found out he worked for an insurance company that took him places all over the world when he had to check if claims were justified or not. He then told me traveling was the only perk in the job; the rest was boring as hell. I didn’t mention my job at the adult store, I wouldn’t in front of the kids, but I did tell him about my business. For once, a man acted like he wanted to know everything about it. At least that was what I assumed when he asked me many questions about it.
Once we were back outside, Den pulled me aside and asked, “I’d like to have dinner with just you and me. What do you think?”
Biting my bottom lip, I told him honestly, “I’m not sure. Since Drew and Rick are….” I shrugged.
He sighed and then nodded. “I get it. You don’t want anything to mess things up for the boys. Still, we could make it a dinner between two adults who enjoy each other’s company.”
