by Casey Hagen
“We’ve talked about talking to strangers,” she said with a scowl.
Blake kicked his foot in the sand. “I know,” he muttered.
Ben nodded up to her. “She’s right, my young soldier. I could have had ill intentions.”
Blake squinted up at his mother. “He seemed nice enough. Now that you’ve met him, can I play with him?”
“Well, I haven’t really met him, uh—”
“My name is Ben.” He pushed himself up and held out a hand.
“Ben, is it?” She grinned at him, the gleam in her eye hard to read. “I’m Kate. And now we’ve met. I’ll be watching the two of you, so don’t get any ideas.”
“Never,” he assured her. “Your boy is safe with me.”
Ben dropped back down to the sand. Amazing… this little boy came along, and Ben’s first thought wasn’t of the one he’d given up.
“Wanna help me build the second story to the castle?” Blake asked.
“You probably should have put the second story on before you built the turrets,” Ben said as he looked over the structure. The boy had done well. The sand was packed just right. No cracks and solid around the base.
“Maybe we can take them off and rebuild them after?” Blake asked.
“Ah, but your fair maidens are in there. We can’t displace them. Lucky for you, I’m a builder.” Ben bent his head to Blake’s while they both looked over the structure. “Here’s what we can do…” Ben began.
CHAPTER FIVE
“ABBY, CAN I SEE YOU for a minute?” Dr. Worth said.
“Absolutely. I’ll be right there.” She finished collecting the leftover supplies from the last cleaning and dumped them into the trash. She dragged off her blue gloves, ducked into the bathroom to wash her hands, and found Dr. Worth in his office at the end of the hall.
She knocked on the doorjamb. “May I come in?”
He slid off his glasses, smiled, and stood. “Yes, please.” He waited for her to sit before he took his seat again. He interlaced his fingers and leaned forward, a handsome smile on his face. “So, it’s been ninety days. It’s time for your probationary review.”
She took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay.”
He laughed. “Don’t look so scared. You’ve done well here. Patients aren’t quick to drop positive Yelp reviews. Usually those come from the dissatisfied patients, but we’ve gotten five positive comments in the past ninety days. All of them singing your praises. One even mentioning your pants.”
She laughed, relieved. She had been kind, courteous, and as gentle as possible. She imagined her son with every patient who had sat in her chair. She’d ask herself how she would want someone to treat him, and made sure she gave the same kind of care she expected for her boy.
“Thank you, Dr. Worth. I’ve loved working here,” she said. She meant it, too. She remembered so many dentist offices being gloomy places with that sickly smell of antiseptic and fear. Here, though, each room had bright walls and a theme: Minions from Despicable Me, Dr. Who, Game of Thrones, Vikings, Batman, Wonder Woman, Katniss from The Hunger Games, and Black Widow.
Barbara, the receptionist, had told her that Dr. Worth had bought the practice and immediately shut it down for a week to give it a much-needed makeover. He’d asked them all to make a list of their favorite shows and superheroes. Those names went into a jar, and seven had been drawn for the makeover.
It seemed Dr. Worth had never quite grown up, and Abby loved it. They actually had patients who, when they booked appointments, booked special rooms.
“Well, our patients and staff have loved having you. So, as of today, you’re no longer in your probationary period, but a full-time, permanent employee of Tallulah Cove Dental. Your two weeks’ vacation time kicks in now so you can get it scheduled between now and the end of the year and you get a ten percent raise. Your benefits are locked in. Do you have any questions?”
She swallowed hard. She’d done it. She had secured a full-time job she loved and financial security. She didn’t even know she would get a raise. She’d done it. She’d really done it. “I can’t thank you enough. I love it here, and I appreciate you making me a permanent part of the team.”
“You do us proud. Now, I’ve had Barbara clear the rest of your afternoon. You get to leave early to celebrate, with pay, of course.”
She couldn’t help herself; she ran around his desk and hugged him. “Thank you. You won’t regret it.”
He patted her on the back with a laugh. “I don’t suppose I will. Now, go on. Celebrate. We’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
She practically skipped out of his office and grabbed her pocketbook out of the locker behind the receptionist station. “Bye, ladies; I’ll see you all in the morning!” she called out to Barbara and Annabelle behind the desk.
She hopped into her white Kia Rio, the only newer car in her price bracket, and headed for home. She rolled down the windows and let the warm California air flow over her skin and through her hair.
“Black Magic” came on the radio, and she sang at the top of her lungs, scaring the locals as she made her way out of the town center and eventually to her street.
Her sister’s car was gone; she probably still had Blake at the beach, so Abby took the extra quiet time to lavish herself with an almond oil bath and then a thirty-minute nap. She woke to the sound of Kate ushering Blake to the bathroom to rinse the sand out of his crevices.
“You’re home early,” Kate said, breathless from wrangling Blake.
“I am. I was made a permanent employee today. Two weeks of vacation, locked-in benefits, and a ten percent raise,” Abby said, still dancing on the balls of her feet.
Kate’s eyes lit up, and she hugged Abby hard. “Congratulations, honey! You should go celebrate.”
“I did; I took a bath and a nap. Both of which I wouldn’t have been able to do if it weren’t for you taking such good care of my son. Thank you,” Abby said, kissing Kate’s cheek.
Kate waved away her compliment, but her cheeks reddened. “Honey, have I taught you nothing? That’s not celebrating. That’s relaxing. I’m talking about celebrating. Put on a nice outfit and go out for the night. You deserve it.”
“Yeah, but it’s short notice, and I’m not sure anyone’s available.”
Kate put a hand on her hip. “And since when do you need anyone to go out with you? Get primped up and head back to the Little Laguna. Maybe you’ll run into your handsome, seasoned guy, and he’ll help you celebrate.” Kate let out a little laugh after she said it.
“You just want me to get laid,” Abby said, calling her out.
“Well, yes, damn it. Shouldn’t I? I mean, one of us should be getting laid,” she said with humor, a dose of frustration lacing her voice.
Blake popped out of his room then, in clean clothes, his nose pink from the afternoon in the sun. “Who wants to play Tell Me a Story?” he asked as he waved the cards from the game in the air.
Kate scooped him up. “I’ll play with you, kiddo. Mommy is going to get ready to go out for some girl time,” she said, effectively ruining any opportunity Abby had to beg out of going celebrating.
“Agaaaaiiinnnn?” he whined.
“Yes, Mr. Man, again. And you know what? If you’re good and let your mama go out guilt-free, we’ll all go to the movies tomorrow night to see the Detective Pikachu movie.”
Blake pumped his card-filled fist in the air. He totally knew which side his bread was buttered on. “Have fun, Mommy,” he said as he wrapped his skinny little arms around her neck and hugged her.
She kissed his curls and mouthed a “thank you” to her sister over his shoulder. They took the game to the living room while she got ready.
She left her hair down this time, her long bangs curving away from her face, and chose a turquoise-blue spaghetti strap sundress. The skirt flowed, the airy-light fabric brushing against the top of her knees. She slid on a pair of low-heeled, strappy sandals, brushing on mascara and lip gloss to finalize her look.
Looking in the body mirror hooked to the back of her bedroom door, she twirled. Pretty, but not too obvious. And, more importantly, not slutty.
She didn’t know if she would run into Ben, but she was going to the Little Laguna, so if she did, she’d be ready. He wasn’t a forever kind of guy for a woman like her, a woman with a young son, but he could be a guy for right now.
She took her car this time instead of walking the half-mile in heels. She parked in the far corner of the lot under a bright light, locked her doors, and made her way in.
The crowd was much like last week, only tonight there was a large group sitting at a cluster of tables in the middle of the dining room, laughing and making a bunch of noise.
She scrunched her nose. Actually, a little louder than she liked, so she headed to the other side of the bar, opposite of where she sat last week. She looked for smarmy guy, just in case, but saw no sign of him so she took a seat at the bar.
“Hey, you’re back,” the bartender from last week said.
“Yup, I’m celebrating.” She smiled and sat up a little straighter. It was her night, and he might well be the only company she had.
“Oh yeah, what are you celebrating?” he said as he laid a menu before her.
“Making it through my probationary period at work and a hefty raise.”
“Nice! Congratulations.” He leaned on the bar, his elbows almost touching hers. “So, what do you want to celebrate with?”
“You know what? I think I’ll start with the Pink Starburst Cosmo.”
“Nice choice. Will anyone be joining you for dinner tonight, or are you all alone?”
Cute. He was back to flirting, but she was starting to think that maybe that’s all it was. Nothing he had any intention of acting on. Or he had a brain injury and didn’t remember the debt and son.
“She’s with me,” a familiar voice said from behind her.
Her senses went on high alert. When Ben’s hand slid along the skin of her upper back and cupped her shoulder, goosebumps broke out over her skin. She felt that touch go straight to places that hadn’t been pleasured by a man in far too long.
“Well, I’ll get another menu then,” the bartender said, straightening and dialing his smile back to professional politeness. Another menu popped up, but she didn’t notice if the bartender brought it. She only saw Ben sliding onto the stool next to her.
“Hi, Abby.” He said it with a smile and a nod, putting a bit of distance between them.
“Ben,” she said, raising a brow at him.
“He likes you,” Ben said with a glare aimed at the bartender.
“And I like him,” she shot back.
A line formed between his eyes as his dark eyebrows slashed low. “Really? Should I leave you two alone?”
“Now, don’t go getting snippy on me. I came here tonight hoping I would run into you,” she said, her lips twitching.
“Is that right? Why me?”
“Why not you? You fascinate me.” She raised her glass and took a sip of the sweet Cosmo that arrived when they weren’t paying attention. “And I’m celebrating. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather do that with.”
He leaned forward and wiped the moisture from her lower lip with his rough thumb.
Her eyes drifted shut and before she could think about what she was doing, her tongue darted out and brushed his thumb. “Mmmm,” she purred.
He brought his wet thumb to his mouth and licked off the moisture. “Shall we take this to a table?” he murmured.
“Please.”
“Come on.” He took her drink and her hand and led her to a corner booth. He waited while she slid in, and he slid in beside her.
Heat radiated from him and washed over her. He’d dressed differently tonight. He still wore blue jeans, but instead of the t-shirt and flannel, he wore a black silk dress shirt that shimmered in the candlelight flickering in the center of the table.
She brushed her fingers over the fabric, right over his chest, and bit her lip. She didn’t know who she was tonight, but she was not Blake’s mother. She wasn’t Ken’s widow. She wasn’t the newly appointed dental hygienist at Tallulah Cove Dental.
She was a flesh and blood woman who had gone too long without the company of a man. “Is this the part where we go down a road that changes us both forever?” she said.
He cupped her cheek and gave her a sad smile. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve been down one too many of those already.”
“Me too,” she whispered, leaning into his hand. She couldn’t help herself.
“We’re not going to let it stop us, are we?” he muttered.
She turned her mouth to his palm and bit down on the meaty part of his hand, making him hiss. “Not tonight. Tomorrow is a different day.”
“Tonight then.”
It was like she and Ben had gotten locked in some sort sexual haze where everyone around them disappeared.
A waitress came by and took their orders, but she couldn’t remember her face or name.
The food was good, but she couldn’t specifically recall what it looked like or tasted like, because she spent the dinner overwhelmed by Ben.
His smell, his smile, the way his eyes lit up when he talked about something that excited him, especially his business. Gazing at him didn’t hurt any either.
When they finished their meal, he turned to her, his arm braced on the back of the booth while he played with strands of her silky hair. Goosebumps broke out over her scalp, eliciting tingles of awareness. He listened while she told him about places she wanted to see and things she wanted to do.
“Egypt. If I could go on only one trip overseas, I’d pick Egypt,” she said with a laugh.
“Why Egypt?” he asked.
“Why not? It’s the most unconventional location I can think of, and the pyramids? They’re magnificent. There’s so much history there, and the women, they are so exotic. I’ve fantasized about being one a time or two.” She gave him a mischievous look and sipped her drink. “What about you? Anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
“Australia.”
She blinked and tilted her head. “Really, why?”
He shrugged. “Crocodile Dundee was my favorite movie. I always wanted to be as cool as Mic Dundee.”
She threw back her head and laughed.
“Hey, it’s no funnier than Egypt. What do you think you’re going to find there, Brendan Fraser battling Imhotep?”
“Maybe not, but you’re not going to find some leggy blonde wanting to go on a walkabout with you either,” she said with a grin. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling. So much smiling her cheeks hurt. It might be time to lay off the alcohol.
He dragged his knuckle from her temple, down her cheek, over the edge of her jaw, and along her neck. “The leggy blonde is overrated. I find a freckle-shouldered brunette a bit more my speed.” His fingers caressed that freckled shoulder as he spoke, making her shiver.
She stared at his mouth, afraid to get lost in those blue eyes of his that had a way of holding her spellbound. “Do you think it’s strange, that after one chance meeting we’re comfortable enough to spend time together like this?”
He took her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. “No. Not after blurting out my deepest secret on our first meeting.”
“I wasn’t going to bring it up, but yeah, why did you do that?”
“It was that line you gave me. You know how many cheesy lines men have to avoid blurting out? Then this woman, clearly out of her element, captures me by reaching right inside me with the most intriguing request. You’re a powerful package, Abby.”
She searched his face. “You know, I don’t know quite what to make of you, Ben. I don’t know a whole lot about you, but I’m fascinated by what I do know.”
She never mentioned her family or friends, and neither did he. Their conversation had been both intimate and distant at the same time. For reasons she didn’t know, she held him at arm’s length from her present.
When it came to discussing the future, the “what-ifs,” she was all for it, but she avoided the present and the past.
“You want to get out of here?” he asked.
She didn’t know what he planned, but she was tired of the lights, the people, the distractions.
She wanted quiet.
She wanted him.
Despite all the reasons she shouldn’t.
“Yes,” she whispered, sliding her thumb along his chin.
He tugged her hand, guiding her out of the booth. Before stepping away, he dropped enough cash on the table to cover the bill and a hefty tip before lacing his fingers with hers and leading her out of the Little Laguna.
“How do you feel about a walk on the beach?” he said just outside the doors.
“I’d love it.”
“Come on,” he said and led her to his bike. Just a few feet short she froze, realizing he meant to get on the bike.
“Umm, I can’t get on that,” she said.
“What? Why not? I have an extra helmet.”
She shook her head, and took another step back and hugged herself. “I just…please. My husband died in a motorcycle accident. I can’t.”
He tugged her hand and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry,” he whispered against her hair. “Shit. We don’t have to go to the beach. It’s okay. We’ll do something else.”
She shook her head against his chest. “No, we can still go. Let’s just take my car…please,” she said, looking up at him through damp lashes.
“You miss him,” Ben said. It wasn’t an accusation. Just a quiet observation.
“I’ll always miss him. That’s not it, though. I just, I was never good about the bike to begin with, and after his death, well, my fear only grew. It’s probably stupid,” she muttered, glancing away.
“It’s not stupid. I get it. Where’s your car?”
“In the corner, over there under the light.” She pointed in the direction of the far corner of the lot, near the exit.
“Okay, why don’t you let me drive.”
She handed him her keys, and he opened her door for her. She stayed quiet for the entire ride to the beach, staring out the window. Memories threatened to resurface. Seeing Ken’s body, holding their young son in her arms while she said goodbye to the man who was supposed to spend a lifetime raising a family with her.
