Chapter 14 Slim Probability
SLIM PROBABILITY
“Why can’t I just pick up lunch for us today?” Jocelyn asked the next day.
“Because you and I never get to go to lunch together anymore,” her mother said. “It’d be nice. It won’t hurt for you to take a break. You get mad at me for working so hard, but you do the same.”
What was her mother up to? It wasn’t like her mother to push. There had to be more going on.
When her mother suggested ordering lunch today and then mentioned she’d like to try Rhea’s Chance again, she was all over it.
Running in there to pick it up might give her a shot to see Chance.
She hadn’t talked to him since Sunday. Which was forty-eight hours ago. It’s not like they were going to be in each other’s hair all the time.
He was working two full-time jobs and at the firehouse a lot this week.
She was busy herself.
“It’s not the same,” she said. “I’m trying to learn more.”
“And your father mentioned it was nice you went to the site. It’d be great if you did it some more.”
She sighed. “I planned on it when the time came. Right now there isn’t much call for it.”
There were always projects they were working on, but no reason for her to show up on a random day to watch the cranes and beams being put into place.
Which was wrong of her to think that. She needed to know more than she did.
“How come Gabe doesn’t have to sit in the office with me and learn how I close the month out?”
“Maybe he should. I’ll mention it to him. But he trusts you.”
“And I trust him,” she said. “But I will make the effort.”
“Wonderful. Now for lunch. I’ll come get you around twelve. We can get there early. Shouldn’t be too busy, right? Not this early in the week.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
She’d just have to get a grip if Chance was there. She knew he was working at some point today, but not exactly when. Still, the thought of walking in and seeing him again already had her pulse picking up.
Her mother had eyes on everything and would pick up on it.
Since he got out of work at seven this morning, she didn’t think he’d be at the bar this early. He had to sleep.
Wonder what he slept in? Boxers or nothing at all?
She hoped to find that out soon.
The dance they had going was more than making her warm. Her body was like an inferno when she was within five feet of him.
Which would be tricky around her mother.
She got back to work and debated reaching out and giving him a heads up.
Nah, he was probably sleeping and it was for the best.
Her mother was back in her office a few minutes before twelve with her purse on her shoulder and a massive smile on her face.
“Why are you so happy?”
“I’m happy to be spending time with my daughter. We don’t get that often anymore.”
Jocelyn couldn’t be mad over that.
She grabbed her phone and purse and they left, drove to the pub and parked.
She didn’t see Chance’s Mustang, but he might not have it today either. There were two trucks here, but she had no clue if one was his or not.
They walked to the front, opened the door, and stepped inside. Not that busy yet. Just three tables had people at them.
Chance’s grandmother came forward from where she was talking to someone at a table. It wasn’t as if she could greet the woman since Rhea didn’t know who she was.
“Table for two?”
“Yes, please,” she said.
They sat off to the side of the door but had a good view of the bar. Chance wasn’t behind it.
Dang. It was a slim probability that he’d be.
“Deanna will be your server,” Rhea said, handing them the menus. “She’ll be here in a minute.”
“Thank you,” she said, smiling.
“It smells good in here,” her mother said. “And I love the atmosphere. Kind of modern rustic with old cars on the walls. Movie posters. Oh, the original Top Gun over there. I loved that.”
Why hadn’t she noticed any of this before? That it really fit Chance’s personality.
Jocelyn looked closer and realized there was a grouping of old Mustangs, different styles, colors and years clustered together.
The same with Corvettes, Chargers and even some foreign cars.
One half-wall toward the bar was all framed firetruck pictures. Very fitting.
She’d been so lost in looking at the man, that she hadn’t seen the surroundings.
This place screamed his life’s work and hobbies.
“I’m Deanna. I’ll be your server today.” Their water glasses were filled. “What can I get you to drink?”
“I’m good with water,” she said.
“I’ll have a ginger ale,” her mother said.
“The specials are on a sheet inside the menu. I’ll get your drink.”
“Thanks,” she said, opening the menu.
She glanced at the specials, several sounded good, and knew she’d go with that.
“Do you know what you want? I hope you aren’t getting a salad.”
“No. I might get the shrimp tacos.”
“They sound good,” her mother said. “The same with the walnut chicken salad wrap.”
Deanna returned with the ginger ale, then they placed their orders, getting what they both said looked good.
“So, what’s really going on? Everything okay?” Jocelyn asked. “I just wanted to make sure there were no issues I had to be aware of. Did you want to talk about work?”
“I want to talk about you,” her mother said. “How are things going in your life? It’s been two years since Victor. You have dated little and I’m not sure why.”
She laughed. “I don’t have to tell you about every date I go on. You know that.”
“Oh. So you are trying?”
“I am,” she said. “Just striking out.”
There was no reason to bring up Chance. Whatever this was between them hadn’t been defined, and she doubted he had any intention of doing so.
She wasn’t so sure she did either for fear of pushing him away.
They had a great time Saturday and yesterday. She hoped to have some more. If their schedules could line up.
“Your father met with Grant today.”
“Yeah.”
“I know you don’t like what they do.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Not at all.”
“Hear me out,” her mother said. “You want what everyone else is getting. Right?”
She shrugged. “That’s always been my goal.”
“And by your admission, your luck isn’t so great. It’s not working out either.”
“Nope.”
“Why not let someone who is good at matching people think of someone for you? Give it a chance.”
Jocelyn frowned at the way her mother made that statement. “I don’t think so. I’m good on my own.”
“Clearly you’re not.”
“Stop laughing,” she said. “Victor was a dick. I get it. You didn’t even get to see what I did.”
No way she’d tell her mother what went on behind the bedroom door.
Victor appeared confident and cocky, then turned it all around on her.
When she finally broke things off, he cried for months, refused to let her go, called all the time, told her he loved her and asked what he could do to change.
Made a complete nuisance of himself so that Gabe and Jayce had to have words with him.
It was the last thing she wanted, but she appreciated the support.
“And before Victor was Jack.”
“Hey,” she said. “I was young and stupid.”
“We tried to tell you that would get messy, but you didn’t want to listen.”
“You and Dad liked Jack. He was working for you before me.”
“He was an asshole, but we didn’t want to tell you that when you were so taken by him.”
An employee of the company. She fell for his good looks and build. Something she’d never done before and went out of her comfort zone.
Jack was a good time and let her be a little freer in her actions.
Too bad he was eyeing moving up in the company and not really as into her as she’d hoped.
Two years he’d dragged her along until she found out what he was really after when he ran his mouth about her to other coworkers.
Her father couldn’t terminate Jack fast enough, and that only made it worse.
Did she like that she didn’t have to see him at work anymore? Sure.
But all it did was have more people talking about her and that her father and brother had to protect her.
From that point on, most of the employees steered clear of her.
Which was a light bulb moment too.
“You know, Mom, you and Dad give me a hard time about not going on the site, but some of it is your fault because of the way things were handled with Jack.”
Her mother sighed. “I told your father that would happen, but he didn’t care. So yes, we can take responsibility for that.”
“I don’t like being talked about and it was happening. Then most of the employees stayed away as if I was covered in bloody blisters they could contract.”
“I hardly think it was that bad,” her mother argued.
“Bad enough. Time has helped and I promise to be more involved.”
Especially if it put her in closer contact with Chance.
Their food was brought out and put down. “That was fast,” her mother said.
“We move quickly,” Deanna said. “No one likes to be kept waiting.”
She picked up her taco and took a huge bite. “This is awesome.”
Her mother did the same with her wrap.
They ate silently for a few minutes.
She was trying to wrap her brain around this conversation.
That her mother wanted to talk about her dating life at the same time she was interested in a guy was just bad timing.
But then when you factor in Grant’s name into the equation, it was pretty easy to do the math. Everyone knew she was good with numbers.
She might not have been opposed to their help prior, but she wanted to try this thing out with Chance on her own first.
Though the Fierce men knew Chance. And they were giving her and Chance odd looks a few weeks ago.
She was reading more into this.
“Why did you shake your head?” her mother asked. “Something not right with the food?”
“It’s great. Just thinking of something.”
“Are you going to share it with me?”
“I’d rather not.”
“Does it have to do with what we were talking about earlier with you and men?”
“How is everything going here?” Rhea asked. “Food good?”
“Awesome,” she said.
“Excellent,” her mother said.
Rhea nodded and moved off.
“Maybe,” she said. “I just don’t know if I want someone else getting in my business. But if I’m desperate enough I’ll think about it.”
Her mother grinned. “All I want is an open mind.”
“Did you get anywhere?” Jim asked her hours later.
“There is something going on with Jocelyn,” she said. “I know her well, but she wasn’t saying anything.”
“What did you see?”
“She spent a lot of time looking around the bar. Then looking at the bar as if she thought someone was going to appear. I was honest and brought up the Fierces setting her up. Told her they had an excellent track record and we know what she wants out of life.”
“What was her response?”
“She said that if she was desperate she’d think about it.”
“Jocelyn has never been desperate for anything,” Jim said.
“Nope, but I jokingly told her to give it a chance and put an emphasis on the word chance.”
“That is sneaky. What was her reaction?”
“Her eyes lifted some, she frowned, then she twisted to look at the bar.”
Her husband laughed. “And that gave you the answer you wanted, right?”
“Yep. I need to meet this guy, but he wasn’t there. If he were, I’m positive he would have come to the table.”
“How many times are you going to ask her to lunch before she catches on?”
“I won’t do it again. But you and I can try to go there one night for dinner without her knowing. You can point him out to me.”
“Sure,” he said. “We can do that.”
“Happy wife, happy life.”
He leaned down to kiss her cheek. “And you’ll be happy when all your kids are settled. Jocelyn might be easier than Jayce and even then I’m not convinced.”
“Let’s not talk about my other son whom I rarely see let alone talk to.”
“He’s living his best life,” Jim said. “His day will come.”
“With a bang, I’m sure. But for now, you’re right, best to focus on Jocelyn.”