Charity Case: The Complete Series Page 6

  “Hipster?”

  She laughs and points at me. “Don’t even say it. I told myself I’d try all flavors of men.”

  I raise my hands in a placating gesture. “Hey, I’m not laughing. I can’t even remember the last time I had any flavor at all.”

  Then we both laugh. Tears leak from the side of my eyes and Chelsea sounds like she’s hyperventilating she’s laughing so hard. “He had dark-rimmed glasses and a beanie and dressed like he grabbed his clothes off his bedroom floor.”

  The door opens, and Hannah stops in her tracks, staring over at me bent over and clutching my stomach.

  “You started the Monday morning divorcee dating recap without me?” she whines, tossing her bag on the chair in front of my desk, her hands cupping her coffee as she hurries over to Chelsea’s office.

  I grin inside. She’s so different than Jagger. He’d be barking orders at me before he even finished passing by my desk.

  She squeezes by me, plopping down, well, Hannah doesn’t plop anywhere. She slides into the chair with elegance and grace. Her tight dress and contrasting high heels will probably be the biggest trend next month. She’s one of those women who oozes class and is always a step ahead on fashion.

  “Give it to me. I need a laugh,” she says and takes a sip.

  “Chels went on a date this weekend,” I say, and Hannah’s smile tips up from ear to ear.

  I told you, Chelsea’s dates are like finding little chunks of gold in a sea of crap.

  “YAY!” she raises one arm in a little cheer. “How bad was it?”

  “Not too bad,” I remark and the phone rings, so I run over to my desk, letting Chelsea fill Hannah in on the details.

  “Good morning, thank you for calling the RISE Foundation, Victoria speaking, how can I help you?”

  “Is Hannah in?” the man on the line asks.

  “Can I ask who’s speaking?”

  “Mr. Bennett. She’s expecting my call.”

  “Sure thing. Hold please.” I place him on hold and head to Chelsea’s office where Hannah is laughing, slapping the edge of Chelsea’s desk.

  “I’ll pay you to go on another date with him. Maybe he’ll write a poem about you.”

  Chelsea flips Hannah off.

  “Hey, I’m your boss.” Hannah can barely spit out the words without laughing.

  “Then go and keep this place afloat. I’m obviously never going to meet a man who can handle me and take care of me.” Chelsea types something on her keyboard.

  “Hannah, there’s a Mr. Bennett on hold for you,” I say.

  Her eyes light up and her head tips back. “Yes, I need to talk to him. Forward him to my desk.” She stands and rounds the doorway of Chelsea’s office.

  “Hey, Vic,” Chelsea stops me before I follow Hannah. She looks like she’s seen a ghost. Her face suddenly pale and her features drawn. “Who’s Mr. Bennett?”

  I shrug.

  “Tax attorney,” Hannah hollers from down the hall.

  “Oh, okay.” Relief streaks across her face. “Never in a million years,” she mumbles more to herself than me I think.

  “Is everything okay?” I ask.

  “Peachy,” she says, but I’m not sure I totally believe her.

  “Maybe you need a guy like a tax attorney,” I joke hoping to lighten her mood again.

  “No, you need a man like that. Boring and responsible. I need a bad boy with a heart of gold.”

  “Pretty sure those two things are mutually exclusive, Chels.”

  “They’re like unicorns. Rare.”

  “But magical.” I smile brightly.

  She crumples up a piece of paper and throws it at me. “Go.”

  I run the small distance to my desk and pick up my phone.

  “I’m transferring you now, Mr. Bennett.”

  “Thank you.”

  I press the button and after I hear Hannah pick up, I stand and go over to shut her door.

  “He had a sexy voice,” I singsong, passing by Chelsea’s office on the way to take another stab at making the coffee.

  “A sexy tax attorney would be like discovering a real-life unicorn.” She follows me into the kitchen.

  Monday mornings are laxer around here than I’m used to, but we all work hard and get done what needs doing.

  I move about preparing the coffee pot and turning it on. “What happened to you experiencing all the flavors?”

  She shrugs. “Let’s talk about you. Maybe someone like this Mr. Bennett is the one for you. You said he had a nice voice.” She crosses her arms, bringing her Starbucks cup to her lips.

  “I’m anti-men, and honestly, who’s going to sign up for this train ride?”

  “I would,” she says, her perfectly straight white teeth sparkling. “Seriously, though, you’re hot and gorgeous. A total MILF. Jade is easy-peasy. Your ex is thousands of miles away.”

  “Sometimes there’s more baggage hidden than exposed.” I lean against the counter.

  “I get wanting to take time to get settled, but don’t underestimate yourself. Any man would be lucky to have you.”

  Chelsea is rarely serious, so I smile and accept her compliment.

  “I saw the best man from my wedding this morning.”

  Her eyes widen. “Details.” She pulls out a chair, sets her cup on the small table, and props her chin in her hands.

  “At first I didn’t recognize him. The last time I saw him was so long ago. He’s grown up a lot.”

  She purses her lips. “Grown up how?”

  “Chelsea,” I sigh.

  She giggles. “What are you hiding? A hidden affair? A secret kiss?”

  “No.”

  “Come on. You’re blushing, and you keep fidgeting. What am I missing?” She narrows her eyes. “Was he an a-hole? My ex’s best man was a piece of shit.”

  I shrug. “No, Reed was always respectful and nice.”

  “Oh, gotcha. Booorrriinnnggg,” she draws it out and I can’t help but laugh.

  “No, I mean he would joke around, was friendly, but I didn’t know him that well. Him and Pete had been good friends since they were younger. Went to college and then to law school together. When Pete and I were with him, it was like Pete only wanted to talk to him. Reed was always the one asking me questions trying to include me while I was trying to grab a little bit of Pete’s attention.”

  “Is Pete gay? Is that why you divorced?” she deadpans.

  “No,” I answer. “He’s heterosexual, just not monogamous.”

  She nods. “Gotcha.”

  I turn around to toss out the coffee filter now that it’s done brewing, busying myself to try not to think about my old life and all the feelings that get churned up when I do.

  After a moment I still and release a loud sigh. “I thought I was over it,” I admit.

  A chair slides along the floor behind me and I turn to face her. “You are.”

  “Then why do I want to hammer Reed with a million questions and ask if he ever saw Pete cheat on me? What did Pete say about it? About Jade?”

  She wraps her arm around my shoulders. “That’s just normal curiosity and if you ask me you’re more worried about what he thinks about you.”

  My head snaps in her direction. “No, I’m not. The last thing I’d ever do is insert myself into someone’s life who knows Pete. Especially the man who witnessed me make the worse decision of my entire life when I said I do.”

  “Hmm...”

  “Hmm... nothing. It was awkward, he acknowledged me and then hopped in the car before I could say anything.”

  “Is he hot?”

  I roll my eyes.

  “I’ll take that as a yes. Did you get that feeling?”

  “What feeling?” I want to deny that I know what she’s talking about, but I do, and I haven’t experienced that in so long.

  Her eyes flutter closed, and she inhales a deep breath. “Where you’re floating, and it’s like little fairies are hovering around his head.”

  I l
augh. “More like my stomach flipping and flopping and my mouth salivating like a Doberman in front of a steak.”

  “Ugh, I’m jelly. I’m in a drought. Chicago has lost all its attractive men.” She walks over to the chair again and falls back into it.

  “Come to school with me tomorrow and see for yourself,” I joke.

  “I might have to take you up on that.”

  “Okay, ladies, back to work.” Hannah knocks on the doorframe. “Chelsea come tell me about this new place we can hold the gala.”

  Chelsea follows but turns around at the door. “Talk to him tomorrow.”

  “No.”

  She tilts her head. “I dare you.” Her nose crinkles like she’s testing to see if I’m in fourth grade and don’t want to look like a loser.

  I shake my head.

  “Didn’t think so. I think I need to see Jade soon.” A conniving smile tilts her mouth and she heads down the hall before I can say anything.

  I don’t underestimate Chelsea. She’s the swinging single version of Darcie from St. Pats.

  Chapter Four

  I didn’t see Reed the rest of the week. He never showed up again during drop-off at St. Pats. So, it was probably like I figured—Weekend Dad.

  I didn’t dare ask my mom if she remembered him from my wedding and had seen him during pick-up. Jade never talked about the little boy, Henry. Darcie and Georgia never said another word about him.

  Monday morning rolls around again and as usual, I’m a complete shit show on the walk to school. I haven’t had time to get a coffee and Jade is eating a granola bar with a sippy cup full of milk. It was a bad morning for my mom, so we’re on our own today.

  “Grandma okay?” Jade asks, slowing her skipping.

  My mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and though her illness isn’t to the point that she requires daily care and someone to live with her full time, it made me realize that there’s no longer any reason for me to be so far away. I wanted to be here to help her when she needed it.

  “She’s just tired. We had a long day yesterday.” My mom and I took Jade down to the lakefront for a picnic and to see the fountain. Twenty minutes into our journey my mom looked exhausted.

  “Will she pick me up today?” Jade asked.

  “Maybe. If not, I’ll be here.”

  “Can I come to your office?” Her eyes light up. She’s the only girl I know who’s excited about the prospect of sitting in an office and coloring. Then again, Chelsea sneaks her candy and Hannah lets her play on her computer. They spoil her more than her dad. Sad but true.

  “We’ll see.”

  I’m at the edge of the tree-lined sidewalk when I spot the little boy climb out of an Uber car. A tingling sensation rushes through my body, as anticipation swirls with dread over seeing him again. My feelings are somewhat conflicted, to say the least.

  The door on the other side of the car opens and my eyes refuse to look in any other direction. The dark strands of his hair are gelled in place this morning. His tie is knotted and laying over his light blue shirt, and his teeth hold a silver tie clip as he adjusts the tie and puts it in just the right spot before taking it from his mouth and clipping it on.

  “Mommy.” Jade pulls on my hand and I stumble forward until I catch my footing.

  “Sorry,” I mumble, my gaze still on him as he smiles and nods to the moms and dads coming back down the stairs after dropping off their children.

  “Henry!” Jade screams next to me and Reed turns in our direction.

  Shit. I’m frozen in place as if I was touched in a game of freeze tag.

  The little boy waves and Jade waves back. Reed’s lips tip up and if I hadn’t sworn off men for the time being, I’d melt into a pile on the sidewalk.

  “You know that boy?” I ask.

  “Yeah, that’s Henry. He’s kind of quiet but really nice.”

  “Is that his dad?”

  Her face scrunches. “Henry doesn’t have a dad.”

  Boyfriend?

  Jade skips and stops where we usually say our goodbyes. “Please take me to your office after school.” She clasps her hands together and her voice holds the whine she’s used to get her way most of her life.

  “If not today, then Friday, okay?”

  She seems halfway appeased and wraps her arms around my middle. I kiss the top of her head. “Have a good day. Love you.”

  “Love you.”

  Then she’s gone, trampling up the steps talking to anyone and everyone who will talk with her. I’m so fixated on her I don’t notice Reed approaching me.

  Soon the new rain smell of a spring morning in Chicago is replaced with his scent—musky and manly. All my other senses fall to the sidelines while my sense of smell hijacks all others. For a brief millisecond, the entire world blurs like the backdrop of Jade’s school photos.

  “Do you remember me?” Reed’s deep voice draws me from my revelry and switches my auditory sense back on.

  “You hung on my wall for years.”

  I place my hand in his outstretched one. His hand is soft but callused and swallows my smaller one. Something happens when our skin connects. Something I’d only ever read about in books. Something I didn’t think was real.

  But I can’t deny the electric feeling that surges up my arm or the feeling of connection we share when our gazes lock.

  I swallow hard, hoping I’m not too obvious, urging my brain to help my body get a clue.

  This guy is the enemy.

  He chuckles, but there’s nothing egotistical or condescending about it. “Past tense?”

  “Don’t act like you don’t know,” I say wryly.

  He looks chagrined and bows his head slightly. “I was sorry to hear about you and Pete.”

  He seems genuine and I suppose I shouldn’t judge him yet, but it’s hard given my history. He hasn’t been a part of Pete’s life as far as I know for quite a long time.

  “So, Jade knows Henry?” he asks, moving off the subject of Pete and me.

  How on Earth does he remember her name?

  “It appears that way.”

  His smile grows. Did I just see a sparkle glimmer off his teeth?

  “Henry has a hard time making friends. It says a lot about you that Jade is so welcoming to him.”

  “Me?” I rock back on my flats, trying not to make direct eye contact with him so I’m not sucked into the vortex again.

  “Don’t you think that in this day and age a child’s behavior is a direct reflection of their parents? Maybe not when they’re teenagers or older, but at this age?”

  If anything, I’m snarky to people. Which he already knows.

  “I don’t know about all that. I’m not that pleasant to be around, but Jade makes friends with everyone. She has her father’s charm. The difference is, she’s sincere.”

  “I don’t think that’s true.” He slides his hands into his pockets and tilts his head to the side, studying me.

  “I tend to push people away. Keep only a handful close. I’m sure Pete must’ve complained about it.”

  Take the bait, Reed.

  “I haven’t talked to Pete in years…we had a bit of a falling out.” Before I can latch onto that he continues, “I remember you being pretty accommodating.”

  “Just what every woman wants to hear—that she’s accommodating.” My sarcastic tone only makes his smile wider and his eyes sparkle more. Damn it.

  “Well, you’d have to be to deal with Pete.” His gaze moves up and down my body until he locks eyes with me. “Let’s catch up. Coffee?”

  My mind is telling me to run. I’m not as accommodating as I used to be, Mr. Reed Warner.

  “I have to get to work.”

  He chuckles and sucks in his bottom lip, biting the corner.

  Okay, that was a direct hit to the center of my thighs.

  “Tomorrow?” he asks.

  “How about I’ll call you?”

  “You don’t have my number.” His eyebrows lift.

  �
��I have a busy life.”

  He says nothing. Just stands there and waits. Totally infuriating.

  “What?” I snip.

  “Just waiting to see how many excuses you have at the ready.” A shit-eating grin tips the corners of his lips up and I’m not sure whether I want to kiss it or smack it off his face.

  “Don’t you have a girl—”

  “Excuse me!” Darcie’s annoying voice interrupts me. “You.” She points to Reed.

  He turns in her direction and points his thumb at himself. “Is she really talking to me like that?”

  “Yep. Have fun with her.” I pat his arm, ignoring the bulge of his hard bicep and race down the sidewalk to catch my train.

  Look at that, Darcie’s going to do my dirty work because she’ll probably bother him so badly he won’t come back to St. Pats’ drop-off again. At least I can hope.

  My phone rings just as I step onto the train. “Hello?”

  “Victoria.” Darcie barks my name like she’s the head nun at a Catholic high school and I’m showing cleavage.

  “How did you get this number?”

  “I have my connections,” she says, and I already know from her tone that she’s about to ruin my day.

  “What’s up, Darcie?” I try to hide the irritation from my voice, but I’m not sure I’m entirely successful.

  “I just found you a partner to help with the carnival event.”

  I blow out a breath and find a seat in the back of the train. “I don’t need a partner.”

  “Well, he would only help out if it meant that he could work with you.”

  A million swear words set off like a round of fireworks in my head.

  “You’re kidding me?”

  She laughs. “I wish I was.” I detect a bite of jealousy in her tone. “If I was single…anyway, he requested you and we so rarely get fathers or father figures so in this case, I have to let him have what he wants. And for some reason, that’s you.”

  I watch the city skyline getting closer out the window. “Who is he to Henry?” I ask.

  She laughs and then I hear chatter behind her. I wish I was in front of her, so I could shake her shoulders and get her to focus on me.

  “Oh, you’ll find out.”

  “Henry’s mom’s boyfriend?” I ask.