by C. C. Wood
“She’s freaking adorable, so it’s not hard to like her. Besides, I like kids. Wouldn’t mind having a couple of my own someday.”
I smiled sleepily. “You’d be a good dad.”
I was vaguely aware that Charles replied, but I was already drifting off and didn’t catch the words.
MY PILLOW SHIFTED beneath me, jarring me out of a very pleasant nap. I grunted and tried to burrow deeper.
“Oh my!” My mother’s shocked voice had my eyes popping open.
I realized where I was and that I was still lying on my couch with my head in Charles’ lap. I also realized that, in my effort to hold my pillow still, my hand had crept beneath it and was resting precariously close to something that definitely didn’t feel soft.
I shot into a sitting position. “Holy shit!”
Charles winced as my mother and I both gaped at him, then one another as he discreetly clutched the pillow closer to his lap.
“Mom! What are you doing here?” I yelped.
Her face was bright red and, for the first time in my life, I saw my sweet Southern mama at a loss for the polite response. “Uh, well, sweetie, I wanted to drop by and see if I could take Carolena shopping with me this afternoon and give you a little break. I tried to call your cell and the house phone and couldn’t reach you, so I got a little worried and came by to make sure you were okay.”
I smoothed a hand on my hair, trying to calm down. “That was sweet of you, Mom. I know Carolena would love that, but she’s napping right now.”
My mother nodded, the blush finally leaving her face. Well, at least now I knew where I got the tendency to turn as red as a tomato. I realized that Charles and my mother were staring at me expectantly.
“Oh, Mom, this is Charles Faulkner. Charles, this is my mother, Carol Miller.”
Charles stood, displaying good old-fashioned manners that had a look of approval crossing my mother’s face. “It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Miller.” Like a proper gentleman, he waited until she offered her hand before he lifted his to shake it.
“Likewise, Charles. Please, call me Carol.” She smiled warmly at him, but her eyes turned slightly cool when she looked over at me. “I wish I could say I’ve heard all about you, but I’m afraid my daughter hasn’t told me much.”
He grinned affably. “Well, we’ve only been dating for a few weeks, so I’m sure she wanted to wait a while before mentioning me to her family.”
While my mother was polite to him, I recognized the look in her eye and I knew that I would be answering lots of questions about this man from both her and my sisters.
“Do you want something to drink, Mom?” I asked.
“That sounds lovely, dear.” Looking at Charles, she said, “Do you mind giving us a moment?”
Crap, it looked like my interrogation would start earlier than I expected.
“No problem,” Charles answered easily.
I followed my mother into the kitchen. As soon as the door shut behind me, she whirled, a huge grin on her face. Well, that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting.
“Yancy, why didn’t you tell me you were dating someone?”
I groaned and went to the cabinet to get a glass. “Like Charles said, it’s pretty early. Today was the first time he met Carolena. I wanted to see how things were going before I risked you people scaring him off.”
My mother scoffed. “Oh, we’re not that bad.”
I lifted an eyebrow at her as I put a few cubes of ice in the glass and reached into the fridge for a pitcher of sweet tea. “Not that bad?” I asked incredulously. “I can’t tell you how many boys you, Leslie, and Kelly drove away every time I brought them home from school.”
My mom waved a hand in dismissal. “They were all greasy-haired college boys. Charles is nothing like them. He’s the kind of man I expect for my baby girl.”
I rolled my eyes. “Mom, you literally just met him less than five minutes ago.”
“By the time you’re my age, you learn to read people quickly.”
I shook my head but didn’t argue. I didn’t want to get involved in a drawn out debate with Charles in the other room.
I handed my mother the iced tea and pointed a finger at her. “You’re allowed to ask questions, but if you start getting too nosy, like asking him about his feelings on marriage and kids, I’m kicking you out and you won’t get to take Carolena shopping for a whole month.”
My mother frowned at me. “Well, that’s just not fair!”
Perversely, I relished my next words to her, especially considering how many times I’d heard her and dad use them when I was growing up. “My house, my rules.”
She agreed in a huffy tone and we went back into the living room. Surprisingly, she behaved herself. I was pretty sure it had a lot to do with the fact that Charles was charming the heck out of her.
When I glanced at the baby monitor and saw that Carolena was stirring, I rose, but my mother waved me down.
“No, no. I barely get to see my grand baby. Let me go get her.”
After she left the room and I heard her feet on the stairs, I turned to Charles.
“Thank you so much for being patient with my mom,” I said.
He threw an arm around my shoulder and tugged me into his side. Smiling down at me, Charles pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Your mom is great. I can see where you get your beauty.”
“Yeah, well she’s crazier than a June bug,” I muttered.
Charles laughed heartily. “There’s no way she’s crazier than my mother,” he murmured, running his nose alongside mine.
Considering I’d heard his side of a conversation with her, he might be right. I felt like a puddle of mush because of his affectionate tone and gestures and the way he charmed my mother.
“Still, thanks for not freaking out and leaving,” I said softly, fiddling with one of the buttons on his henley.
Charles’ fingers slid under my chin, lifting it so that I was looking into his warm blue-green eyes. “I thought I made myself clear before, Yancy. I like you a lot. I want to know more about you, including your daughter, your mother, and your sisters. Even that douchebag ex-husband of yours. Every time I learn something new about you, I just want to know more.”
I stared into his beautiful eyes, speechless. That was probably the most wonderful thing a man had ever said to me.
I was saved from whatever embarrassing reply I might have had by my mother coming back down the stairs, a smiling Carolena on her hip.
“Okay, Yancy. I’ll have her home in a couple of hours,” my mother said lightly. “Nice to meet you, Charles. I hope I see you again soon.”
“I feel the same, Carol,” he responded easily.
“Nana!” Carolena cried, clapping her hands together and bouncing excitedly. She waved at me. “Bye-bye, Mama! Bye-bye!”
I stood and went over to my baby, giving her a kiss. “Thanks, Mom.” I made sure that my eyes communicated I was grateful for her restraint as well as her help with the baby.
“No problem, baby.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Have a little fun with your guy.”
I nodded. “Okay,” I said.
After my mother and Carolena left, I turned and looked at Charles. “So, you busy the next couple of hours?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Nope. But I have something in mind.”
Oh boy.
Chapter Sixteen
THE WEEKEND SEEMED to fly by, which was completely unfair because it had been wonderful. After my mother left with the baby, I assumed Charles planned to ravish me. Or at least kiss me stupid. Instead, he told me to grab my purse and phone and we went to Dave and Buster’s. For the next two hours, we played games and snacked on greasy junk food. It was the most fun I’d had in a long time.
When he dropped me off at home, he didn’t come inside, only walked me to my front door and laid a lip lock on me that made my knees weak. It took everything I had not to hop up, wrap my legs around his waist, and beg him to carry me inside.
Instea
d, I looked up at him and said, “Thanks for today. Carolena and I enjoyed it.”
He gave me another kiss, this one shorter and lighter than the other. “I did, too. Think we can try a dinner with the three of us sometime this week?”
I could barely stand, my knees were no longer existent after that question. The man was getting to me with very little effort. I nodded. “Okay.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll set something up.” He dropped one more kiss on my lips before bounding down my porch steps toward his car.
I unlocked the door and stood in the doorway as he climbed in and started the engine. With a wave, I went inside and shut the door behind me.
Now, it was Sunday night and I was waiting for Charles to call while trying to figure out if I should call Coop first or not. He’d been true to his word and hadn’t tried to contact me all weekend. I knew that he would start bothering me again if I didn’t contact him by tomorrow morning.
Reluctantly, I decided to hear him out. Before I could change my mind, I went through the contact list on my phone and clicked on his new cell phone number.
It rang three times before Cooper picked up. “Hi, Yancy.” I could hear relief and something else I couldn’t decipher in his tone.
“Coop.”
There was a drawn out silence.
“Yancy? Are you there?”
I sighed. “Yes, Cooper. I’m waiting for you to tell me what was so important for you to contact me after all this time.”
He cleared his throat. “Well, uh, I’d really rather talk about this in person,” he evaded.
My eyes rolled up to look at the ceiling. “Fine. Tomorrow, after work. I’ll meet you at the Starbucks on Spring Creek by Central Expressway at 5:30. If you’re not there, I’ll be leaving at 5:35. Am I clear?” My voice sounded colder than it ever had before.
There was another pause. I’d never spoken to Cooper like this. Even after he left, I’d tried to keep things civil for Carolena’s sake and he’d still fucking abandoned her. No more. “Okay, 5:30. I’ll be there.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Cooper.” With that, I disconnected the call and gripped my phone tightly until the urge to hurl it across the room faded.
When I was calmer, I decided that alcohol was a necessity. I wandered into the kitchen and dug through my pantry. Wine and beer wouldn’t handle the chaotic emotions I was wallowing in. I found the tequila. After a quick look through my fridge, I found some leftover skinny margarita mix from a girls’ night in last month.
I wet the rim of my glass with the lime mix and dipped it in salt. Rather than hauling out the blender, I combined the tequila and cocktail mix in my glass and tossed in a few ice cubes. Since I’d used a heavy hand with the tequila, the liquid burned as it flowed down my throat. I welcomed it.
I was halfway through my drink, and definitely feeling less tense, when my phone rang. I glanced at the screen and saw that it was Charles.
“Hi, Charles,” I chirped, draining the rest of my drink. For a moment, he didn’t speak. “Charles?” I asked.
“Hi, Yancy. What are you doing?”
I grinned as I mixed myself another margarita, heavy on the tequila once again. “I’m having a drink. You?”
“Um, nothing. Why, uh, I mean, what are you drinking?”
“Margaritas!” I said loudly. “And they are soooo good!” I knew I probably sounded tipsy, because I definitely felt it.
I sipped my second drink, marveling at the fact that I couldn’t even taste the tequila.
There was a smile in his voice when he asked, “And how many have you had?”
“Well, I’m drinking my second, but I made the first one stronger than usual. It burned a little going down. This one is much smoother.”
“I’ll bet,” Charles muttered before he chuckled under his breath. “So, what brought on your desire for margaritas?”
I groaned. “Just a chat with my ex. He’s insisting that we talk in person, so I’m meeting him after work tomorrow. I don’t even know what this is about. I haven’t heard from the asshole in almost a year. There’s not much to say after that, ya know?”
Charles’ voice was completely devoid of amusement when he asked, “So you’re actually going to meet with him? Alone?”
“Yeah,” I sighed again. “I really don’t want him showing up on my doorstep any more. It’s better just to meet him, hear what he has to say, and then tell him to buzz off. Then he can convince himself that he did everything he could and he’ll leave me alone.”
There was silence. Finally, Charles stated, “I’ll go with you.”
I knew that wasn’t a good idea. Coop pouted, a lot. If I brought the man I was dating to this meeting, he’d spend the whole time sulking and making nasty comments.
“No. I can handle it,” I insisted.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t handle it, just that I would go with you.”
“No, Charles. This isn’t your problem and you being there will only make things worse.” I knew I was saying the wrong thing, but I couldn’t seem to think straight.
“Not my problem?” he said, his voice dangerously soft. “Yesterday, you introduced me to your daughter for the first time. You and I both know that is huge. We’re building something here, which makes your problems my problems, and vice versa.”
Even with my fuzzy mind, I recognized he had a point, but I knew his presence wouldn’t help solve the problem. “Listen, Charles, it’s not like that. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Not that big of a deal?” he asked. With deadly precision, his next words sliced through me. “Yesterday, you had your goddamn head in my lap, relaxed and sleeping like a baby. Tonight, after one conversation with that dick, you’re getting drunk.” His voice was getting louder the longer he spoke. “Explain to me how it’s not that big of a deal if it makes you start drinking hard liquor when I’ve heard you say more than once you’re not comfortable with that when you’re at home with your daughter.” By now, his voice was really loud and I was holding the phone away from my ear.
When he stopped speaking, I took a deep breath. He was being logical, but he didn’t understand. He hadn’t dealt with Coop as often as I had. “Look, you have a point, but-”
“No buts. I’m right and you know it. I’m coming with you tomorrow.”
My patience disappeared with his condescending tone. “No, you won’t,” I snapped. “You don’t know Cooper Stevens like I do. If you show up, especially with this bossy attitude, you’ll only make the whole situation worse. I’ve dealt with his shit before and, if you do this, he’ll sulk and pout like a kid before coming back and making my life hell.” I took a deep breath in an effort to calm down. “I appreciate your concern and I understand why you want to help, but I need to handle this myself.”
“You’re not listening,” Charles said, his voice tight.
“Neither are you,” I replied, my tone just as unyielding as his.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow when you’re sober and can see reason.”
My temper, which was usually nonexistent, exploded, something that seemed to be happening more often lately. “We won’t agree, not on this. If you bring this up tomorrow, my answer will be the same! I’m not so far gone that I can’t think for myself, Charles. Don’t push me on this.” My chest ached and I realized that I was holding my breath in an effort not to scream at him.
“We’ll talk tomorrow,” he said again. “You need to get some sleep. Drink some water before you go to bed. It’ll help the hangover in the morning.”
With that, he hung up. I stared at my phone, torn between wanting to call him back and bitch him out and sliding to the floor and bawling my eyes out. I decided on a compromise. I set my phone on the counter and finished off my margarita before mixing myself another one.
Once I finished the third, there was no doubt about it, I was definitely drunk. I shouldn’t have done it, I knew that as soon as I started up the stairs, my phone and baby monitor in my hand. I jus
t hoped that Carolena didn’t wake up in the middle of the night. She rarely did anymore, but it would suck, if one of the few times she did, Mommy was a drunken mess. Guilt bit my ass with sharp, ragged teeth.
I changed into my nightgown, washed my face and brushed my teeth. When I was done, I took the glass off my nightstand and filled it with tap water. After I drained it, I crawled beneath my sheets and promptly passed out.
THE NEXT MORNING, I felt surprisingly spry. I awoke just before my alarm went off with only the tiniest of a headache. Definitely a blessing, considering it was Monday and I was going into the office today. Another glass of water and a couple of ibuprofen took care of the mild ache while I showered.
I was still annoyed with Charles. My sister, Leslie, said that I could hold a mean grudge. It wasn’t my intention, but I wasn’t quite ready to forget about his high-handed attitude. As if he had a right to tell me what to do.
I usually avoided fighting, but I was tired of being a doormat. Typically, I would listen to whatever the other person was saying and agree to disagree or just keep my arguments to myself. I did that with my friends and during my short marriage to Cooper. In Charles’ case, I couldn’t do it. He thought he was coming with me when I met Cooper later, and that wouldn’t be happening.
I finished getting ready for the day just as Carolena woke up at seven. After I changed her diaper and dressed her, we had come downstairs to find Kathy using her key to come in the front door.
“Good morning,” she said brightly.
“Morning.”
Carolena chose to let loose an ear-piercing squeal at that moment and I winced. Kathy smiled as she shrugged out of her jacket and reached for the baby.
“You okay, Yancy?” she asked.
I let Kathy take Carolena before we all headed into the kitchen. “Yeah. Just a little…out of sorts this morning.”
After we entered the kitchen, I realized I’d left out the bottle of tequila the night before. Kathy gave me a pointed look.
“Overindulge?” she asked.
“A little,” I admitted. After his surprise visit, I had told her about Coop showing up last week and warned her not to let him in the house, no matter what he said, and call me immediately if he came over unannounced. “I called Coop back last night. He wants to meet today after work. Can you stay until 6:30?”
