Chapter 15
“Miss you,” I say into the phone.
“Miss you too. And Jess.”
“When will you be back stateside?”
“I’m not sure. Not for a while. I’ll let you know as soon as I know anything.”
My younger brother—by two years—Alex, is in the Navy. He’s been on a submarine for several months, but apparently he got a little break from his floating tin can, since he can’t normally call me while submerged in the ocean.
“Let me talk to my little niece.”
“One sec.” I turn my head and look around. “Jess! Uncle Alex wants to talk to you.”
The sound of a door opening breaks the silence a second later, followed by rapidly approaching footsteps.
A moment later she grabs the phone from my outstretched hand, no questions asked.
“Uncle Alex?” she yells with an enthusiasm that she doesn’t show for many people.
Smiling to myself, I head to the kitchen to heat up my mug of coffee that will soon be lukewarm again before I ever finish it. The cycle will repeat about ten more times. Moms never have hot coffee.
I hear Jess laughing, and it warms my insides.
Between her grandfather and her uncle, she’s got some awesome male influences in her life.
I don’t need another one for her sake, but am I lonely sometimes?
Probably. I’m usually too stubborn to admit that, though.
I mask it with excuses about Jess coming first or how I’m too busy with all my jobs and classes.
A few minutes later Jess comes into the kitchen, saying goodbye to her uncle and handing my phone back to me.
“Hey,” I greet him again, sipping my hot coffee.
“Hey. So how is everything with you? Almost done with your degree?”
“Yeah, almost.”
“And what are your plans after that?”
“I have no idea. I feel like I’m kind of floating right now. Like…a submarine in water.” I laugh at my own lame joke.
“Ugh. You really went there. That was bad.”
“I know. I’m so sorry,” I say sarcastically.
“Dating anyone?”
“Really? We’re going there? No…there’s no one.”
He chuckles.
“What about you?” I ask.
“Same answer.”
“Wow. We’re really pathetic, aren’t we?”
He laughs, and then I do too. We were always close growing up. Sure, we had our random sibling spats, but what siblings don’t?
“Pretty much.”
The conversation goes on for another few minutes, where I fill him in on what our dad is up to and what else is going on in our lives.
He brings up our mom and I change the subject at an impressive speed.
I don’t care to hear about her. He knows that.
Still, I cherish these phone calls, so I don’t let the mention of her get to me.
It rarely does anymore anyway. I’ve learned to let go of things that are out of my control. Most things, anyway.
**
Later that evening, when the house is quiet and I’m the only one left awake, I tuck my feet up under me and pull a fuzzy white blanket over my lap as I settle on the couch and turn on a movie.
I opt for a cozy romance this time. Lately, I’ve been choosing all the cheesy, feel-good films that make you giddy, which is strange, since usually this time of year I stick to spooky season favorites.
Yes, I have to be up early for school drop-off, but I have never in my life been an early-bedtime person. It’s even worse now that I have a whole child to take care of.
Something about late nights has always felt so peaceful to me. It’s the only time I can fully breathe. Like my body knows that half the world is asleep, and I’m far less likely to be bothered. The world feels quieter.
Two minutes into my movie, I get a message.
Jameson: Hey. Any chance I can borrow you for a few hours this weekend?
Carly: Yep. When were you thinking? I’m flexible.
Jameson: Whenever is good for you. I’ll make it work.
Carly: Saturday morning?
Jameson: Sounds good. But I require a coffee date first.
I’m not going to read into the fact that he used the word date. Also ignoring the way it made my stomach flutter.
Carly: Only if you try the pumpkin cold brew.
Three dots appear then disappear twice before he responds, and it makes me laugh. He must be having a serious internal conflict over this coffee.
Jameson: Fine. I’ll do it. Just for you.
Okay. More flutters.
Carly: I feel honored.
Jameson: You should.
Carly: Okay. I’ll see you Saturday.
Jameson: What are you doing up at this hour?
Carly: It’s not that late. Watching a movie.
Jameson: I guess I’m not used to people being awake at this time too.
Carly: Are you usually?
Jameson: Yes. Usually.
Carly: Same.
Jameson: You don’t have to be up early or anything? For school or…
Carly: I do. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
Jameson: I get it. Late nights are quiet. Peaceful.
Carly: Exactly. You do get it.
Jameson: Yep. Although you’re probably watching some creepy murder documentary.
Carly: Wrong. Romance.
Jameson: Damn. I guess I don’t have you pegged just yet.
Carly: Well, I am a scorpio.
Jameson: And what does that mean?
Carly: We’re supposed to be mysterious or something.
Jameson: I’ll figure you out.
Carly: Haha. What are you doing?
Jameson: Boring documents.
Carly: Enough said.
Jameson: Yep.
I’m starting to feel bolder from the wine I’ve been sipping on every time I await his response, and I almost send a silly question about his date comment from earlier. But then I delete it. Then I begin to type it again, and again erase it.
Jameson: What’s going through your mind over there?
Carly: Wine.
Jameson: What were you writing?
Carly: It was nothing.
Jameson: Okay. Well, I really should get going. I’ll see you Saturday.
Carly: Saturday. Coffee. Have a good night.
Jameson. You too, Carly. It’s a date.
Again with the date thing. And something about him signing off with my name like that gives me butterflies again. I’m so screwed. I think I’ve developed a serious crush on my older, very wealthy client.
I turn off my movie since I can’t focus on it anymore, and then I try to fall asleep, but I can’t stop thinking about his lean, muscular arms, the way he runs his veined hands through his hair, and that intense stare of his.
Yeah, I definitely have a crush on my client who is way out of my league.