Chapter Twenty-seven
I stare at the clock in my office. 3:30pm.
It’s been almost forty-eight hours since Sierra left. I was sure she’d be back by this morning. All kinds of scenarios play out in my head. What if Grant didn’t go to work yesterday as expected? What if he came home when they were trying to leave? What if he followed them and made good on his threat to kill Tara if she ever left? What if I’ve lost my sister before we even got the chance to be sisters?
What if I just made the worst mistake of my life?
Movement by the door catches my eye. Seth Kingsley, another teacher here, is perched in my open doorway. We crossed paths at Gallaudet years ago when I was a freshman and he was a grad student TA.
“You okay?” he signs.
I nod.
He motions to a chair across from my desk and I invite him in.
“You know what you need?” he asks.
I shut my laptop. “What?”
“Tacos.”
“Tacos? It’s not Tuesday.”
He laughs. “Still. Donovan’s Pub makes the best shrimp tacos I’ve ever had.”
“I haven’t been there yet.”
“How long have you lived here?”
“More than a month.”
He stands. “Nobody should go that long without trying Donny’s famous tacos. I was thinking of heading over after work. Come along? They have killer margaritas too.”
I’ve accepted exactly one work invitation for drinks since moving here. And that was from my boss the first week I was on the job. Seth and a few others have asked, but their days end at four and mine don’t end until six. Which reminds me, I need to start preparing for my appointment with Blake and Maisy.
“Work,” I sign. “I’m on my way out to see a student. I’m sure you’ll have fun with the others.”
“You work too much.” He stands and goes for the door, turning to tell me one last thing. “To be clear, I was asking you on a date, Ellie. There aren’t any others.”
Oh. I scrunch my nose guiltily, feeling stupid that I haven’t picked up on any vibes from him. He’s single. He doesn’t have any exes in rehab. No children from past relationships. He would seem the safe option. He’s tall, dark, handsome… and deaf.
He’s perfect for me.
So then why do I feel nothing when I look at him? I shrug. “Sorry.”
He clutches his chest as if I’ve mortally wounded him. Then he winks and walks away.
My desk vibrates and I look down at my phone. Blake is… calling? I pick up the phone and stare at it. Why would Blake call me? My heart races. Has there been an emergency with Maisy? I go to text him, but before I can compose it, a text from Blake appears. And a picture is attached.
Blake: Look what came in the mail!
I zoom in on the photo. It’s Maisy’s new birth certificate. And it lists Blake Montana as the father.
Me: Wow! I’m so happy for you.
Blake: Hopefully the next step will be changing her name. Listen, I thought instead of our regular session at my house you could join us for a celebration. I was thinking Donovan’s.
Okay. Wow. Two invitations by two hot men. To the very same place. Yup, Calloway Creek is definitely a small town.
It’s probably not a good idea, having a meal out with Blake and Maisy. It’s been my goal not to send her the wrong signals. She’s finally settling in with him. They’re becoming a family. Sharing a meal with me might be confusing.
Why, then, do my fingers seem to take matters into their own hands and text him back before my brain can protest?
Me: Sounds great. What time?
~ ~ ~
I walk up to the pub thinking this was exactly what I needed today, something to keep my mind off Sierra and her mom. It’s been too long, and I know it. If they aren’t home by tomorrow, I’ll have no choice but to go to the authorities. Sierra is flying out of the country on Friday. Surely she needs time to prepare. If she’s not back, it’s because there was a problem. And not the flat tire kind of problem. The life and death kind.
Entering the restaurant, I do a visual sweep, happy I don’t see Seth. That might have been all kinds of awkward. But then a different awkwardness slams into me when I see Blake and Maisy sitting at a large table with family and friends.
So Blake wasn’t asking you on a date.
This thing with Sierra has me misreading all kinds of signals. Of course he’d want to celebrate this with more than just me. Heck, inviting me could have been an afterthought.
Maisy sees me and her mouth opens. She must have squealed or something as everyone at the table stops what they’re doing, looks at her, sees her looking over here, and then all eyes are on me.
It doesn’t escape me that Sarah and Allie share an amused look when they see me approach.
Allie hops up and offers me her chair which is directly across from Blake’s. I’m introduced to several people I hadn’t met before: Cooper Calloway and his wife, Serenity. Dax Cruz. And a bunch of Montana cousins, along with Blake’s aunt and uncle. The last person I meet is Lissa, Lucas’s fiancée.
I get my phone out.
Me: Tell Lissa congratulations on her upcoming nuptials.
When Blake relays the message, Lissa turns to me. “You should come.”
Not sure I read her lips correctly, I flash Blake an expression of uncertainty.
Blake: It seems you’ve been invited to the wedding.
“Me?” I point to myself. “Why?”
Blake: I think she assumes we’re dating. I think a lot of people here assume that, El.
Oh?I look around to see most people watching me. I sign, “I guess you should—”
A hand touches my knee under the table.
Blake: I should, what? Tell them they’re wrong? Come on, go with me. It’ll be fun. The event of the year.
Lissa says something to Blake, but her head is turned away, so I don’t pick it up. But I do pick up his response. “Ellie says thanks for the invite and she’ll be happy to go.”
I kick him under the table. “Seriously?” I sign.
He responds with a cocky smile.
I roll my eyes.
Allie grabs my attention and starts signing, showing off her new ASL skills. I’m impressed by how much she’s learned.
Plates and plates of food are placed on the table, and I’m shoving a second taco into my mouth when I look over and see Seth Kingsley walking in the front door followed by fellow teacher Jake McSweeney. Seth stops walking when he sees me. He shakes his head, looks away, then sits down in a booth across the restaurant, his back to me.
I feel about two inches tall. I told him I had to work. Technically, I am on a ‘home visit.’
“Excuse me,” I sign to Blake, and get up.
I cross the restaurant on the way to the bathroom and stop at Seth’s table. I say hello to Jake, then tell Seth, “Sorry about this. I am working. Sort of. There was good news concerning Maisy and I was asked last minute to come here and celebrate.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” he signs.
“I didn’t want you to think this was something it’s not.”
“So you aren’t dating Blake Montana?” He raises a brow.
I look behind me. Blake’s eyes are glued to me. Or more precisely, to Seth. I turn back and shake my head. But I must not be very convincing.
“Watch out for him,” Seth warns. “He has a reputation. Having a kid he didn’t know about dropped on his doorstep should tell you what kind of man he is.”
I raise my hands to defend Blake, but decide against it, wondering if Seth is simply watching out for me, or if he’s… jealous. The way Seth glares past me to where Blake is sitting clues me in to the latter. If that’s the case, nothing I say will make any difference. “Enjoy your dinner,” I sign, then walk to the restroom.
When I emerge, Blake is leaning against the wall opposite the ladies’ room. He nods to a door on his left, opens it, and waits for me to follow. We end up in the restaurant office.
“Who is that guy?” he asks.
“He works at school.”
“He didn’t look happy.”
I shrug. “He asked me on a date.”
He narrows his eyes. I did a sign he doesn’t know. I fingerspell, “Date.”
He backs up. “He asked you out?”
I nod.
“Just now? When you’re here with me?” He forcefully jabs a finger at his chest.
Me: To be fair. I’m not here WITH you. I’m part of a large celebration for Maisy. But no, not just now. He came to my office earlier and asked me.
“And what did you tell him?” He crosses his arms, waiting.
It’s hard not to laugh or even smile. Is this Blake being jealous? I didn’t think that happened to… guys like him.
Me: I told him I’m not dating. Anyone.
It’s a lie. I didn’t tell him that. And I’m not really sure why I even said it.
“Semantics,” I think he says. “Not dating, but…” His lips stop moving and he does the sign for ‘fucking.’
My jaw drops and I swat his hands.
“What?” he says. “It’s true. Or it was last week. I’m hoping it will be true again on Friday.”
Why is it that every time Blake talks about sex, my cheeks flame?
He smiles and does my name sign.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He steps toward me, presses me into the wall, and leans down for a kiss.
His lips are firm, warm, and inviting. And completely wrong for me. The guy in the booth—he’s the one who’s right for me. He’s the one who gets how frustrating it is when hearing people don’t include you in conversations. He’s the one who understands how vulnerable I feel when using my voice.
But as Blake’s mouth devours mine, how come all I can think about is how much this man gets me?
Movement to my right startles me. Cooper Calloway walks in the office. He holds his hands up. “Sorry.” Then he backs out of the door.
Blake: Caught red handed. I guess there’s no going back now.
I’m staring at his text, wondering what that even means, when I’m reminded of the call I got from him earlier.
“Why did you call me?” I sign.
He looks guilty, and he may have said a curse word under his breath.
Blake: It was a stupid mistake. I was so excited to share the news about Maisy’s birth certificate that I forgot. I didn’t realize my mistake until I heard the robot voicemail greeting.
Before I’m done reading the text, he sends another.
Blake: I mean, I didn’t forget you were deaf, El. I just… shit… I’m sorry.
Me: It’s okay. Sometimes I forget you can hear.
He looks up. “You do?”
Me: I spend all day signing to colleagues and children. So, yeah, sometimes I forget that when I get home, not everyone is deaf.
He chuckles. “I thought that you just liked to challenge me with complicated ASL conversations.”
I laugh. “I do.”
“So, we’re good?”
I cock my head.
Blake: We’re good? As in I’m the only one you’re ‘not’ dating?
I roll my eyes.
Me: Yes, Blake. You’re the only one I’m NOT dating.
He leans in for one more kiss. It’s just a peck, but it has me wanting to speed up time so I can NOT date him on Friday.
“You should have brought Sierra.”
And, now reality strikes again. I’d almost gone five whole minutes without thinking of my new sister.
I shrug and sign, “Let’s go.”
He takes my hand like it’s a habit. Then both of us look down, surprised at his gesture. He releases me and smacks his forehead with his palm as if to say ‘what was I thinking?’
I swallow, because for a moment, I didn’t want to pull away. Then I see Seth’s warning in my head and know pulling away is exactly what I should want to do.