“I’m sure you don’t sit around waiting for approval from your baby brother,” he teased lightly.
She gave a weak laugh. “No, fair enough. But still, thanks.”
“Welcome. Tell the boys they can call me any time they want to talk, and I promise I’ll answer.”
“Any time after they ask permission to use my phone,” she said, raising her voice at the end. Kingston grinned, picturing Shelton hiding around the corner listening to her.
After they said goodbye, Kingston stared at the street for a few minutes, his eyes unseeing. Divorce, he thought, rolling the word around in his mind. Doesn’t Mark realize how lucky he is?
He didn’t know what had gone wrong in his sister’s marriage, but the very idea of Raye getting divorced shook him more than he cared to admit. Rachel had always said she’d fallen in love with Mark at first sight, and the couple had seemed happy to Kingston. In fact, they had almost seemed like they had the ideal relationship, from the outside, at least, and hopeless romantic that he was, Kingston had always assumed that whenever he fell in love, it would be a fairy tale kind of thing, just like his sister. But now it sounds like the fairy tale is ending, he thought grimly. And who’s to say it was ever really there in the first place?
Subdued, he walked back to the office, trying to think of a way to help his nephews and his sister through the rough transition that was headed for them.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Even though she was dead tired, before Nora closed up the coffee shop that night, she tossed back a double espresso, and just before midnight, she headed down to Central Park.
Jerome waved at her when she got there, and Lynne came over to greet her. “Is everything okay with your family?”
Nora nodded. “My mom had a heart attack, but she’s okay.” She hoped that if she said it enough, she’d convince herself it was true. “She’s having surgery soon.”
Lynne gave her a quick hug. “I’m glad everything’s okay, but man, how scary.”
Nora’s gut clenched, and she just nodded. “Still,” she said, trying to sound chipper, “I’m glad to be back.”
“We’re glad to have you! Just in time, too; we’re ready to start.”
Her eyes skimmed the group, but she didn’t see the tall frame she’d been looking for. “Are we—are we all here?”
Lynne shrugged. “There were a couple of maybes tonight, so I’m guessing they just aren’t coming.”
Nora’s heart sank, but she tried not to focus on the lack of Kingston’s presence as they began to warm up. As had started to be her habit, she was running toward the back of the group, and it wasn’t long before her muscles were complaining from lack of use. Slowing her pace, Nora dropped back a little farther, still in sight of the group but no longer running beside anyone. I really shouldn’t have let so many days go by without a run, she thought, concentrating on her breathing.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and Nora automatically moved over to the right side of the trail to let whoever it was jog by, but no one passed her. Glancing up, she almost tripped on her sneakers when she saw that Kingston had fallen into step beside her. He caught her eye and grinned.
“Late start,” he said, his breath even and unhurried.
She smiled and nodded, but she didn’t try to talk. Her heart was beating erratically, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t just the exertion from the run. Nora kept waiting for Kingston to pull ahead and run with the front of the group like he usually did, and she was surprised when he kept pace with her for the entire run. She was acutely aware of the sound of his breathing, and her skin prickled from his proximity, making it nearly impossible for her to concentrate. Between the cramp that had started in her left foot and Kingston’s warm presence, Nora had what was probably the least focused run of her life, but by the time it was over, she didn’t care about the wasted training session.
Smiling up at Kingston as they started stretching out on the grass beside each other, she decided to figure out once and for all if he’d recognized her earlier that day. “It’s good to see you,” she began, pulling on the top of her foot and folding it toward her tailbone.
He nodded. “We’ve missed you these last few days, hon.”
So maybe he hadn’t recognized her. Nora wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing. “My mom had some health troubles, so I went home for a bit.”
“Where’s home?” He asked, sitting down on the ground and reaching effortlessly for the soles of his shoes.
“Outside Philadelphia. And you’re from Texas, right?” She already knew that, from the first time she’d seen him at the coffee shop, but she wanted to test him and see if he really hadn’t recognized her there.
“Yup,” he smiled. “born and bred with a Stetson on my head!”
She laughed. “So what brought you to New York? A relationship?” It had sure seemed like he was dating that girl she’d seen him with the first time they met, but she wanted to be sure.
“Nope. Work. I had a chance to transfer, and I’ve always wanted to see what the fuss was all about, so I picked Manhattan.” He paused. “And I’m glad I did, because there actually is somebody.”
I knew it. Nora’s heart sank, and she pulled her arm across her chest in a stretch, grateful that the shadows hid her expression. “Oh? Um, what’s her name?”
Kingston laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Funny thing is I don’t actually know.”
“Excuse me?”
“There is a girl I’d like to know better, but I haven’t found out her name yet.”
Had he had some random hookup? Nora didn’t think he was the type, but then again, she realized that all she really knew about Kingston was being close to him made her hyper aware of her entire body in a way she’d never really experienced. “Do I even want to know?”
“It’ll probably sound stupid.” He sounded almost embarrassed, and even though Nora really didn’t want to hear about his mystery girl, she was also decidedly curious.
“Try me,” she finally offered, studying him carefully in the shadows.
“Well,” he said, “there’s this little coffee place I go to sometimes.”
He didn’t see Nora’s startled reaction, and he kept talking.
“There’s a girl there who really sparked my interest, but I’m not sure if I should say anything. I’ll bet she gets hit on by all kinds of creepy customers, and I don’t want to be another one of those guys.”
Nora’s breath came a little faster as she asked, “What does she look like?” God, don’t let it be Laurel. If he’s fallen in love with Laurel, I don’t think I could stand it.
He stooped down to tighten his shoelaces. “You’ll probably think I’m a loon, but you sort of remind me of her.”
Nora’s heart skipped a beat before accelerating frantically. She tried to keep her voice neutral. “Really?”
Kingston nodded. “’Cept she wears glasses,” he said.
Oh my god. A slow smile spread across Nora’s face in the darkness. I think he means me! Just as she started to open her mouth, Kingston’s next words made her pause.
“She’s almost too pretty for words.”
He can’t possibly mean me, she thought, frantically sifting through the other employees at the coffee shop, trying to remember who else wore glasses. Caity sometimes wore a funky black horn-rimmed pair, without lenses, but Nora wasn’t sure if he’d ever been there when Caity was working. Unless I haven’t been there, she realized. Finally, she noticed Kingston staring at her expectantly, waiting for her to say something. Nora forced herself to smile. “Well, if you want my opinion, you should talk to her. I wouldn’t say no if you asked me out,” she added lightly, trying to ignore the way her heart clenched at the words.
Kingston held out his hand to help her off the ground, and when his strong fingers wrapped around hers, Nora’s arm tingled with awareness. He let go too fast, though, and she tried to mask her disappointment. “Thanks, hon,” he offered, giving her a wide smile. “T
hat helps a man’s confidence a bit!”
Before she could say anything else, another one of the runners gestured to Kingston, and with a quick wave, he left Nora standing there beside the path, feeling like her heart had been turned into a ping-pong ball. She watched as he jogged over to the friend who’d summoned him, and then she shook her head with a sigh.
“You shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up,” she whispered into the darkness. “You knew he couldn’t be talking about you.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Kingston was running late; he’d stayed at the office past ten, and he’d barely managed to grab a bite to eat before it was time to head over to the park. For a moment, he considered skipping the run, but he was tense and wound up, and he knew the only thing that would do him any good was slipping on his shoes and pounding the pavement. When he got to the park, however, he realized he was a few minutes late, and he started jogging the usual route, hoping he’d catch up with everybody.
He hadn’t seen either Nora or PB in a few days, and even though he tried to tell himself to focus on just one girl, his heart jumped into his throat when he spotted Nora’s ponytail bobbing near the back of the group. He pulled up alongside her and gave her a smile, and the grin that spread across her face was a warmer welcome than he’d expected.
Although he loved running with a group, he usually tuned out the other runners around him, letting the collective energy help propel him along when he got tired without stopping to notice the sounds of his running buddies. But for some reason, Kingston was acutely aware of Nora that night. He tuned into her without even trying, noticing that her breathing was a little uneven. For a moment, he considered slowing his pace in case she was trying to match his long strides, but then he realized that would look like he was more focused on her than on the run, and he didn’t want her to think that.
Even if it’s the truth.
As they ran, his thoughts swirled around, and he tried to make sense of the strange double attraction he was feeling. With PB, it had been an instant jolt; the moment she looked up at him with those big brown eyes, apologizing for jabbing him with her mop, he was a goner. But with Nora, his attraction had started slower; he wasn’t even sure what color her eyes were, since he’d only ever seen her in the darkness. But still, he felt an undeniable pull to her every time he saw her, and running beside her was just making that feeling stronger. It’s probably just because she reminds me of PB, he told himself as they finished the final lap of their run and started to cool down.
Still, he couldn’t deny that there was something comfortable about her that made it easy to be himself. He wasn’t naturally shy, but he’d never really known how to talk to women when he was interested in them. For some reason, he didn’t seem to have any problem with Nora. Now if only I were brave enough to talk to PB!
“Where’re you from, hon?” He asked Nora as they stretched out.
“Near Philadelphia,” she told him, bending effortlessly toward her extended foot. “What about you? Texas, right?”
He grinned. “Born and bred with a Stetson on my head!” The words sounded corny, and he winced, but her giggle set him at ease again.
“You don’t look like a cowboy,” she commented, sizing him up.
He pretended to be offended. “What, cowboys can’t wear running tights?”
Was he imagining it, or did her gaze linger on his legs a moment longer than necessary? Feeling an initial stirring of desire, he shifted uncomfortably and tried to keep his mind on stretching out his tired muscles. He was so distracted he almost missed what she said, but then he realized she’d asked if he had a girlfriend.
Should I tell her? He debated for a moment. He wasn’t always sure how to talk to women, but growing up with Raye had taught him one thing; if he told Nora he was interested in somebody else, he might as well say goodbye to the glimmers of attraction he’d been feeling around her; no girl wanted to be somebody’s second choice. But as charming as Nora was, he wasn’t ready to give up on the fantasy of PB yet.
Taking he deep breath, he said, “Actually, there is somebody.”
As soon as the words were out, his stomach clenched, and Kingston wondered if he’d made the wrong choice, but he pressed on, oblivious of the effect his words had on Nora.
She laughed when he said she reminded him of PB, and her next words gave him a surge of confidence. “If it were me, I’d date you,” she said with a smile.
For a moment, Kingston considered forgetting all about PB and going for the beautiful girl sitting on the ground in front of him, and time froze while he pondered on the best way to tell her. But just as he was about to open his mouth, he thought of his sister and her boys, and he clicked his teeth shut. Sometimes, he told himself, a fantasy is safer than going after something in reality.
As he waved goodnight to Nora, his heart was heavy because he’d realized that no matter how attracted he was to either woman, he wasn’t likely to make a move. He hadn’t known that the mess with Rachel and Mark was holding him back, but as he turned the key and entered his empty apartment, he realized that he wasn’t so sure he believed in fairy tales anymore.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Nora didn’t get any sleep after her disappointing conversation with Kingston, and her eyes were bloodshot when she got to Books and Brew the next morning. Luckily, she wasn’t opening with Laurel, so there wasn’t any added drama at the coffee shop, but when she checked the schedule, she realized with a sigh that Laurel would be there when she came back on for the second half of her shift. Maybe I can talk to Todd about switching the schedule, she thought hopefully. After all, he did say scheduling would be one of my new duties.
The store hit an unusual lull around ten that morning, and Nora took advantage of the time to look over the schedule binder and see if she could find a way to avoid Laurel as much as possible. There were more employees at Books and Brew than she’d realized, and it seemed like everybody had a complicated list of conflicts that kept the schedule nearly gridlocked the way it was. It looked like the only way Nora could avoid Laurel and her drama was if Todd switched shifts with her, and she didn’t think that was something she could ask for yet; she’d only been in the job for a few days. Better wait at least a month before I pester Todd, she told herself, trying not to be too disappointed.
She called home during her break between shifts, and was secretly relieved when her mom answered. At least that means she’s still okay, Nora thought with a sigh.
“How are you feeling?” She asked, dodging around a pile of trash on the sidewalk as she walked.
“Fine, sweetie. Just a little bit more tired than usual, that’s all. How’s the new job?”
Nora grimaced. “Okay, I guess.”
“What is it?”
“Nothing, Mom. Just one of the other girls there isn’t really happy about my promotion.”
Her mom snorted softly. “Then she should have worked harder, if she wanted it.”
Nora’s steps slowed. It had honestly never occurred to her that Laurel’s cruel treatment of her could stem from jealousy. “I guess,” she said slowly.
“You’re a good worker, Nora. Always have been, and I’m sure the people at that shop have noticed. Well, obviously, your manager noticed. But I’m guessing you make the other girls look bad, even before you got this promotion.” Her voice filled with pride. “You’ve always been so focused.”
She wanted to contradict her mom, but thinking back over her time at Books and Brew, Nora wondered if she was right. Other than the few times she’d been late after a run, she was always early for her shift, and she was usually the last barista to leave at night, even before she became assistant manager. “Thanks, Mom,” she finally said. “I guess that’s her problem then!”
“Darn right!” Her mom started to cough right after she spoke, and the raspy sound made Nora glance at the phone in concern.
“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”
“Don’t worry about me, sweetie. Just keep
focusing on your work. Are you still running?”
The change of subject didn’t surprise Nora; her mom had never liked the focus to be turned on her, even before the heart attack. “Yup,” Nora said, smiling wistfully at the thought of Kingston. “I joined a midnight running club, and it’s actually a lot of fun.”
Nora could almost hear her mom shaking her head. “I’ll never understand your definition of fun. Sticking your hands in the dirt is fun. Running? Not so much.”
Nora chuckled. “To each her own, I guess.”
“Absolutely.” There was a pause. “Look, sweetie, I’m sorry to cut you short, but I think I’m going to take a quick nap before your dad gets home.”
“Oh. Okay. Give him a hug for me, I guess.”
“Of course. Love you.”
“You, too, Mom.”
When Nora hung up, she stared at the phone in concern. Never in her life had her mother taken a mid-afternoon nap; the woman always seemed to have boundless energy, even though Nora never saw her drink more than one cup of coffee a day. If she’s napping, maybe she really isn’t feeling well, she thought, chewing on her bottom lip. Maybe I should take some time off this weekend and go home.
But her worries about her mom were pushed to the side when she got back to the apartment; a guy she’d never seen before was sitting on the couch, and Nora let out a little scream after she let herself in the door.
“Who are you?” she snapped, wondering if anybody would hear her if she stepped into the hall to call for help.
The guy stood up, unfolding his tall, muscular frame from the sofa and towering over her. “Reggie. I’m sure Carl’s mentioned me.”
Nora glared at him. “He hasn’t said much, actually.” Other than that you broke his heart.
Carl came out of the bathroom and stopped when he saw Nora. “Oh,” he said, his voice hesitant, “I forgot you’d be home right now.”
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