I pick up my coffee from the beverage holder and sip the goodness I’ve been craving since my alarm went off.
“This definitely puts you in Prince Charming territory.” I point to the cup.
“Hey now, I’m the one who stopped there,” Abe jokes.
“Thanks, Abe.” I wink at him in the mirror.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, no taking credit. You tacked on another five dollars.” Reed reaches for his own cup out of the holder and tentatively takes a sip.
Abe pulls away from the curb and we start our trek downtown.
“I was thinking maybe I’ll go ahead and take Henry every day,” Reed says.
“I never see who drops Henry off on the other days. A car pulls up to the curb, Henry jumps out and they pull away.”
He nods. “An old silver Chrysler, right?”
“Yeah.”
“His grandpa. He’s not big on socializing. I think they’re getting older and didn’t really sign up for all this, you know?”
Pete always feigned caring about other people. He’d say all the right words, but it came off empty. With Reed, you see in his face how much he cares for Henry and how much he feels for what the family has had to endure.
“I can’t imagine.”
“Me either.” He frowns for a moment, deep in thought.
We sit for a few seconds, trying to time our sips with the stop and go Chicago traffic. Abe has the same morning radio show on as last time, but so far, the Second Date Update hasn’t come on.
“No chance of seeing you until Friday, huh?” Reed asks.
Abe glances up to the mirror and then back to the road.
“I have school,” I say, sticking my bottom lip out in a pout.
“Every night?”
“Tonight, Wednesday and Thursday.”
“None of them are online?”
I shrug. “Some of the classes are, but I’m in my final year, graduating next December.” I raise my crossed fingers. “Hopefully.”
“I don’t think I ever asked you for what?” He shifts so he’s facing me more than straight ahead now.
“Business. General. Not even sure what I’m going to do.”
His arms stretch out to reach for my hand, his fingers playing with mine between us. “You’ll figure out what you love.”
The warmth of his hand in mine feels good. The way his thumb and fingers glide along my skin. Not smooth but not callused, a mix.
“It’s time,” Abe turns up the volume of the radio.
“Second Date Update,” Reed says, grinning like he’s been waiting all week for another episode.
The rest of the ride in, we listen to a man who doesn’t understand why he never got a call back, only to find out he had texted her asking for a hand job while they were watching a movie at the theater.
Reed looks over at me, waggling those thick but perfect eyebrows at me.
“No,” I mouth with a smile and he threads his fingers through mine, giving them a squeeze.
By the time we pull up to the curb, I no longer want to climb out of the car, content to stay here in close proximity to Reed for a while longer.
“What’s your views on PDA?” Reed asks, not opening the door.
“I’m a hard no.”
“Even with me?”
“Especially with you.” I give him a pointed look.
“Sorry, but it’s Abe or the morning rush?” He points outside where people are walking past with rapid steps, trying to get to work on time.
“I have a text to return.” Abe grabs his cell phone from the console and stares at it in his lap.
“How about a rain check on that kiss?” I say, trying not to laugh.
“Abe shut your eyes,” Reed instructs, not taking his gaze off me.
“Um…”
“Just one,” he says in a low voice that makes it hard to resist.
Then he slides forward, his strong thigh presses to mine, his hand moves to my neck and his lips land on mine. The kiss is brief but heart-stopping and by the time I’m opening the door to get out of the car, Abe’s cheeks are as flushed as mine.
“Sorry,” I mumble.
“No worries, I’ve heard worse.” He salutes me as a goodbye and I exit the vehicle.
Reed and I both laugh as he walks me to the door of the office tower. I bet Abe has some stories that are better than the Second Date Update ones.
“Don’t you have a job to get to?” I ask when he steps into the small foyer of the office building.
“I’m not sure I’m going to survive waiting until Friday.” He wraps his arm around my waist and hugs me to his body.
“Well, you’ll have to.” I kiss his chin, the stubble from his neatly trimmed beard pricking my skin.
“Keep doing that and I will stalk you.” He squeezes me tighter to his body.
I pull back. “Something tells me you know way more than you should about me.”
I know he has connections to a database that probably shows my underage drinking ticket from high school.
He says nothing which I take to mean he has looked me up. I don’t really mind though because in all honesty, I’d have done the same.
“Have a good day, counselor.” I let my hand drift down his back and take a quick squeeze of his firm ass.
“You’re playing dirty,” he whispers in my ear, my earlobe finding its way into his mouth.
“Two can play that game.” I kiss his lips, short and chaste. “Bye, Reed.”
“Payback is a bitch,” he says as he takes a step away, walking backward. “I’m going to open my door naked on Friday.”
A woman who looks to be in her mid-fifties is approaching the elevator at that exact moment and glances over to him in disgust.
“Sorry, Ma’am.”
She presses the elevator button as Reed and I stare at one another. I wave, and he steps back until the door is in his hand and he’s gone with only a smile.
The woman and I step into the elevator, each pressing the buttons for our floors.
“If I was your age, I’d be showing up in a trench coat with nothing but my birthday suit on under it on Friday.”
The elevator doors open on her floor and I’m too slack-jawed to respond.
I know that things with Reed will probably escalate into his bedroom, or more likely his kitchen table on Friday night and that has me mentally taking inventory of my body. My post-baby body. The one where nothing really went back to where it started.
I cup my breasts, lifting them then letting go, and watch as they fall back down like two sad sacks of flour.
I don’t even turn on my computer after I walk through the office doors.
“CHELSEA!” I scream. “Divorcee dating meeting—stat!”
Chapter Twenty-One
Chelsea walks out of the break room with a coffee in one hand and a donut shoved in her mouth, powdered sugar sprinkled down the front of her blouse.
“What are you doing?” I ask, tossing my bag on the chair in front of my desk. “Those need to leave this office immediately.”
I stomp past her and she follows me in.
“They’re sooo good though. A gift from the new bakery around the corner.” There’s a whine in her voice as she watches me throw them in the trash.