by Liz Gavin
She had never been a whiny bitch. She would not become one now.
Sliding her arm through the strap of her purse, she settled the leather strip on her shoulder, swung the door open, and got out of the car. Then, stomped to the restaurant.
Today was going to be a long day.
Moira smoothed the front of her crispy white button-down shirt and tucked in the stray hair that had rebelled against the tight bun she had tied to the back of her head. Then, got back to polishing the counter.
“I bet I could eat off that counter, it’s so clean. What’s eating you up?”
Tristan’s voice startled her out of her reverie.
“Hey, boss. It’s too early for you.” She taunted the partner who usually worked the closing shift. “Not complaining, but what brings you here?”
“Meeting Noah. Good try getting off the spotlight, missy. It didn’t work.” He covered the hand that was still scrubbing the wooden surface of the counter with a rag. “What’s going on?”
She pulled free and dropped the rag in a bucket on the floor. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking, but no need to worry.” She didn’t look up at him and proceeded to pick the glasses hanging over the counter and wash them.
Tristan turned off the tap and waited for her to find his stare. “You don’t respond well to people trying to help you. I get it, and I respect that. Hell, I relate to that. So, let me put this in another way. I’m concern with the extra expense, not your well-being. If a staff member washes clean glassware or mops spotless surfaces, the restaurant loses money. Makes sense?” His wink broke her defenses. “Not to mention, said staff has a compulsion for cleaning that gets close to obsession when she’s upset.”
Moira slouched her shoulders and dropped the sponge inside the sink. “Point taken.” She still didn’t feel comfortable unburdening her personal issues to her boss, regardless of his good-nature.
Or maybe because of it.
She didn’t want to take advantage of Tristan’s good heart.
“So? What’s the problem and how may I help you? Do you want me to put the fear of God in Aidan? I’d be glad to.”
She burst out laughing so hard tears trickled down her cheek. “Oh, God, no. Thanks for offering, though. He told me my friends warned him they were on to him. But that was months ago. Aidan’s been a saint since.”
“Good. You will tell me if there’s anything I can do for you, right?”
“Promise.”
There wasn’t any, so Moira mopped her hands in a clean rag and watched Tristan stroll to the office he shared with Noah.
Moira stopped sweeping the floor to stare Ana in the eyes. She held a broom with one hand and clutched at her hip with the other. The considerable difference in their height gave Ana some advantage. The fact that she was not wrong in her assessment also contributed to making Moira swallow a snarky remark.
Still, her voice went up when she stated, “I don’t need his charity. I can take care of my kids, thank you very much.”
“And you’ve been doing a great job at that. Nobody would dispute it. Dani and Filipe are what, eight and five?”
Moira confirmed with a head bob and resumed sweeping the floor. Opening time for the bar and the restaurant was fast approaching. “What about their age?”
“I mean to say they’re young kids, who get sick and can’t go to school. Then, you need someone to take them to doctors’ appointments. Without an extended family, you’ve been counting on your neighbor’s good heart, since you can’t afford a full-time nanny. See where I’m going?”
“No,” Moira deadpanned.
Ana didn’t take the hint.
Or chose to ignore it.
Either way, she rambled, “You rarely take days off. You work the busiest shift at Chez Nous, and you bust your ass to provide for your children. I get it. Now, if that A-hole ex of yours were to pay alimony, which is the least he should do for his kids, in my humble opinion, you’d have more time to spend with them. You wouldn’t be so exhausted all the time either. When was the last time you sat down to play with your kids?
Moira didn’t reply at first. She toyed with the idea of ignoring Ana and her insightful words. She decided not to, pulling a chair and plopping herself on it.
Moira sunk her elbows on her knees and hid her face in her hands. “I’m overwhelmed. Like, I’m not sure what I’m doing anymore, you know? My neighbor, Mrs. Oliveira, is a sweetheart for keeping an eye on Dani and Filipe for me, but she’s got her own shit to take care of.” Moira didn’t feel comfortable discussing her friend’s issues, so she left it at that. “Like tomorrow, for instance, she’s got a thing and won’t be able to take Dani to a doctor’s appointment it took me two months to get. I can’t cancel it. If I miss work, I don’t get the money from the tips either.”
Before either woman could say another word, the office door opened, and Tristan and Noah stepped out of it. Tristan frowned. “Is everything okay with you two?”
“We’re fine,” Moira mumbled as she unfolded from the chair and went back to sweeping.
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
Moira planned to leave the discussion at that.
Ana had other plans. “Apparently, Moira’s neighbor has a conflicting schedule tomorrow and won’t be able to take Dani to the doctor,” Ana disclosed.
“You need the money, so you wouldn’t ask another person to cover for you, right?” Tristan swung around and faced Moira. “You need the whole shift off?”
She shook her head. “A couple of hours would do it.”
“What if I covered for you? I haven’t bartended in a while, so it’ll be fun. That way, you’ll keep your share of the tips.”
“What about the band? We’re trying to get that gig. We need to rehearse for it,” Noah’s tone surprised Moira. He wasn’t the selfish type. “Sorry, Moira. I sympathize with your problem, but Big T always finds excuses to ditch the band.”
“Don’t be an ass. I’ll do both. I’ll leave rehearsal early and come here to cover for Moira.”
“You’d better.” Noah banged the office door shut as Tristan left the place.
11
Aidan
Dani and Felipe piled the dishes, and Aidan took them to the sink. As Moira put away the leftovers of the Irish stew he had cooked for them, the kids hopped around her.
“Could we take Lucius out to play?” Felipe asked for the fourth time.
“Still no,” Moira replied, closing the plastic lid of a glass container. “Aidan, thank you for cooking a delicious dinner for us tonight. We appreciate you for that, right guys?”
“Yes, thank you.” Dani patted his back as she went around the counter to get the container from her mom’s hands and store it in the fridge.
“Thanks, Uncle Aidan,” Felipe hugged his waist, and Aidan interrupted his chore to hold the little fellow tight against his hip. Maybe feeling safe, maybe because he was a fearless kid, Felipe tried again. “Mom, you promised we could play with Lucius tonight.”
“Your mom is tired. She worked hard all day. Tell you what, if you help her clean the kitchen, I bet she’ll be more willing to listen to you, don’t you think?”
Moira mouthed a ‘thank you’ to him over the head of her son, and the simple gesture warmed his chest. He was head-over-heels in love with the woman and her adorable children. He didn’t mind waiting for her. They had their lives ahead of them and she was worth the wait.
That did not mean waiting had been comfortable.
They had not been out on a proper date yet because Moira insisted they were good friends. Friends who made out in her car every chance they had, or in the couch after her kids went to bed, but still just good friends.
Aidan had been living off little moments like that, when she smiled at him, or their hands touched, or their legs rubbed under the table during dinner. He had treasured those moments, but his heart was hungry. His cock was starving. He prayed she would come around soon, or he would wear his fingers to the bones every night in t
he shower when he thought of her.
Then, later in bed.
Then, the next morning in bed.
Then again, in the shower before breakfast.
God, I’m pathetic.
Felipe’s face lit up. “That’s a great idea.” He ran to Moira and offered to put away the butcher knives she was drying with a cloth. “Let me get these for you, Mom.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think so. You could wipe the table, though.”
“On it.”
When the four finished, the dining room and the kitchen sparkled clean and smelled like fresh lavender.
Wiping her hands, Moira squeezed her kids against her body, but held Aidan’s stare as she spoke. “Good job, you guys. Thank you. We’ve got time for some cartoons before bedtime.”
“Or we could play with Lucius.”
“Yeah, mom.” This time Dani ganged up with her brother, and Moira caved.
“All right, you won. Bring the furry fellow into the living room.”
When the kids screeched all the way to the guest room, where they stored their games and toys, Moira turned to Aidan. “Something tells me I’ll regret that.”
“What’s wrong with their hamster?”
“Nothing wrong with it, but it always gets messy when the kids get Lucius out of his cage to play with him. Messy as in he poops everywhere, and he leaves crumps of whatever the kids feed him all over the place, and he chews on stuff.”
“Why don’t you have them clean after Lucius? That way, they’ll understand they’ve got responsibilities that go hand in hand with their fun.” Moira’s gaze pierced into his face for so long, Aidan got uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I spoke out of turn. I didn’t mean to tell you how to raise your children.”
He mentally kicked himself in the shin. Parents loved that kind of unrequited input from childless people. Damn it.
He breathed again when her lips curved in a full smile, teeth showing and all.
“Phew, you won’t bite my head off. For a moment, I thought you would.”
“For a moment, I considered doing exactly that. I’ve got to admit you’re right though. I didn’t expect you to be insightful about raising children when you’re an only kid. I’m not sure. Maybe I just underestimate you. Sorry.”
“No worries, and no apologies necessary. I think I got lucky with the suggestion.”
“You were spot on. I don’t ask the kids to take on part of their responsibilities. I tend to cover those for them. I’m not helping them in the long run.”
Aidan folded an arm around Moira’s shoulders, bringing her to lean on his chest. He rested his chin on her head. “You work hard, and you get home tired. It’s easier to do stuff than to argue about it, especially when the opponents are two small kids, am I right?”
Another long pause, Moira tipped her hear up to stare into his eyes. “Who the hell are you, and what have you done with my carefree friend, Aidan?” She kissed his chest over the thick fabric of his polo shirt, and it still burned him like a branding fire. He was hers, no doubt about it. “When did you get all mature and amazing on me? I did not notice that happening?”
Despite the loud shrills coming from the living room, he stooped to whisper into her ear, so the kids wouldn’t overhear him, “Maybe if you stopped focusing on my hot body, you’d notice my sharp mind and great personality.”
Her face turned a deeper shade of red, and his heart soared. Throwing caution to the wind, he pulled her face up and covered her lips. A brief, breathtaking exchange that left both panting and wanting.
When he let go of her tempting lips, Aidan stole a glance at the door to make sure they were still alone and whispered, “I meant that as a joke, woman. You cannot melt over a silly remark like that and expect me to keep my hands off you. I’m sorry, but it was too much for me.”
She giggled. “You make me feel like a teen sometimes.”
“Not helping, Moira.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll behave. After all, the taking it slow idea was mine, right.”
“I’ll say.”
Aidan watched Moira closely as she told the kids to clean the mess that Lucius had made in the living room and they obeyed without as much as a peep. Her expression was priceless. She arched an eyebrow at him and mouthed “what the fuck?” and Aidan raised his hands in a non-committal gesture, but his wide grin made his facial muscles ache.
He and Moira put the kids to bed, then sat on the couch to talk for a little while. It was a school night, and Moira preferred to sleep early.
“Thanks for the suggestion. Who knew it would be that easy? I’ve been parenting on my own for eight years, long before Bob vanished, so it might take a little getting used to having you contribute. I appreciate your input, though.”
“Anytime, ma’am,” he muttered, as his fingers glided on her arm.
He didn’t dare go much further than light touches when they sat together on her couch. He didn’t trust his self-control. Another reason he strove to talk about neutral topics on those occasions.
Moira’s fingertips playing with the buckle of his belt did not contribute for his well-being at that moment.
At all.
His cock throbbed painfully inside his suddenly tight dress pants.
“I see you’re as excited about the subject as I am,” she chuckled, her voice muffled by his shirt, as she kissed the base of his neck.
“Siren.” He stopped her fingers from slipping under the waistband of this pants. “You know how much I want to feel you around my cock, but not like this.”
“Oh, God! What am I thinking?” Her face flushed again. “I’m sorry. You’re right.” She buried her red face in the nook of his neck.
Not helping.
Aidan steeled his spine. “Glad we’re on the same page.”
“I’ve had a long day and a hard couple of days. I guess I lost the grip on my self-control.”
He probed her gaze. “We’ll revisit your comment about self-control and losing it. I’m very curious to know more about that.” He winked. “For now, let’s stay on the safer topics. What happened to make your days harder than usual?”
Moira hesitated. He was about to remind her she didn’t have to face everything alone anymore, when she explained. “Mrs. Oliveira is going through some issues with her health. Again. Last year, she had a cancer scare and now the doctors suspect it might have returned. If it has, she’ll move in with her daughter. In São Paulo.”
“That sucks, but it’s not a done deal. I’d say, worry about it if and when it happens.”
“Absolutely.
“Plus, I’d be glad to watch over the kids whenever you need me to. I’ve told you so, by the way.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
He raised his arms and twisted them to one side than the other, holding them on eye level, a deep crease marking the space between his eyebrows. When her laughter rang in the silent house, he joined her.
“Quit the visual aid, I get it. I’m not twisting your arm. Very clever, mister.”
“Exactly. Glad to know you can take hints. Sometimes I doubt it.”
“Some hints I choose to ignore.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing out on.”
“Pretentious much?”
He let his eyes drop to his crotch, where the hard-on still tented his pants, and waited for her to follow the movement. When she did, he retorted, “Not pretentious. Realistic.”
Her boisterous laugh caressed his ears. “You’re so full of it.”
“That I am, but still well-hung.”
Moira covered her face with her hands. “Oh, Lord.” After a long time, she peered at him through her fingers. “Can we please change the subject?”
“Sure. It’ll be still true tomorrow, though.” She fake-punched him on the shoulder and he captured her hand in his, kissing her knuckles. “I love this, you know? I love goofing off, making you laugh. These moments make my day.”
“Love them too.”
&n
bsp; Aidan settled Moira against his chest and tucked her head under his chin. “What else upset you at work today?”
“How do you know I got upset?”
“Because you said you had a long day. It’s the first time I hear you complain about work. I know you work your ass off, but you never complain about it. What changed?”
“Nothing changed, but Ana raised some issues that got me thinking. She was right to say I should go after Bob and get him to pay alimony for the kids. I wouldn’t know where to start, though.”
Aidan did.
“Remember my friend, Ricardo Alcantara?” Moira shook her head. “Duke? So, his on-off-on-again girlfriend is an investigative reporter, Vanessa Foster. I could easily put her in touch with you. I’m sure she’d be willing to help. She’s a great girl.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Moira’s response didn’t convince him, so he squeezed her against his chest.
“What? I said I’ll think about it. I will, but for now, I’ve got more pressing topics to focus on.”
“Like?”
“Coordinating my day tomorrow. Mrs. Oliveira has a doctor’s appointment and I’ll have to take Dani to her doctor. Tristan offered to cover the end of my shift, so I can get off work earlier. Still, I’ll have to take hyperactive Felipe with me to his sister’s doctor’s appointment. It won’t be fun keeping him out of trouble, while paying attention to what the doctor has to tell me about Dani.”
Aidan was dying to say something, but he didn’t bite her bait. Instead, he smoothed the skin on her arm with his fingertips.
And waited.
Moira needed to learn.
“I know you’ve got rehearsal tomorrow, but do you think you could give me a hand?”
His reply was covering her lips with his on a sweet kiss. When he pulled away, he nudged her nose with his.
“Thank you, Moira. I appreciate how hard it is for you to do this, ask for help, knowing I had other arrangements. Of course, I can do this. I’ll pick up Felipe after rehearsal, no biggie. I didn’t offer because I needed you to ask me. I need you to trust me, to know I’ll have your back no matter what.”
