Chapter 4 #2
He dropped his gaze to his own shoes, processing her invitation.
Was she asking him out? Interacting with her in a group setting was one thing.
It was safe and innocent. Sitting across from her in a coffee shop felt like something else entirely, and that something else made his stomach ache.
He didn’t want to hurt her feelings but. ..
You two looked plenty cozy.
Benjamin’s words echoed in his head. If his own brother had gotten the wrong idea, had Monica, too?
“Another time, maybe.” He heard the stiffness in his voice. “Mom has Jace, so I have to get home as soon as I’m done.”
Monica nodded. “Sure thing. Besides I just remembered that I have a flat to drop off at the tire shop before work. Enjoy your run.” She picked up her gym bag, moved to an empty patch of grass, and began her stretches.
Sean figured he’d ended their new friendship before it had begun.
***
TWO HOURS LATER, MONICA stepped into the break room at the veterans center. She was still fuming, more at herself than anyone else.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
She grabbed a coffee mug from the cabinet and thumped it down onto the counter.
“Whoa, girlfriend, what’s up with you?”
Startled by the voice, Monica looked over her shoulder to see that Bobbie Lowe had followed her into the room. She’d been too preoccupied to notice.
“Nothing.” Monica took a deep breath and coaxed her features and her actions into a calm she didn’t feel. And that was stupid too. Why did it matter that a man she’d had exactly three conversations with had turned down her coffee invitation?
Bobbie leaned against the counter, tossed her long brown curls over her shoulder, and crossed her arms. “Not buying it.” She studied Monica. “I thought I was your best friend.”
“Of course you are.”
“Then tell me what’s got you breaking china so early in the day. It can’t be work, since you just got here.”
Monica examined the sturdy ceramic mug for cracks, grinning a little when Bobbie hip bumped her.
“You know what I meant.”
Monica filled her cup with coffee, focusing on the task. The whole thing was too silly for words. Even if she wanted to explain, she wasn’t sure she could. She stirred in hazelnut creamer, then looked at Bobbie from under her lashes. “How was your weekend? Did you have fun?”
“Mom and I had a blast, but if you think you can change the subject that easily, you don’t know me very well. Now spill it.”
Monica’s sigh was heavy as she gave avoidance one last try. “We should both get to work.”
“I admire your stubbornness but it’s not going to work.
Kate and Nicolas had a meeting in the City today.
Even if they didn’t, what good is working for your grandma and grandpa if you can’t take advantage of it occasionally?
Astor is at the front desk if anyone comes in.
” She pointed to the single table in the corner.
“Let’s sit for a minute and you can get what’s bothering you off your chest.”
“You’re like a dog with a bone.”
“But I love you. Why should both of us spend the morning worrying about something you’re eventually going to tell me anyway? If you tell me now, we’ll both get more work done.”
Sipping her coffee, Monica admitted that there was a certain logic to Bobbie’s reasoning. She stepped to the table, pulled out one of the two chairs, and sat. Once Bobbie was settled, she leaned in and lowered her voice as if the walls might be listening.
“I met a guy.”
Bobbie’s eyes sparkled behind her glasses. “Oh, wow. Straight to the good stuff. Tell me more.”
“You’re a goof.”
“Maybe, but I’m a goof who’s listening.”
“Oh, all right.” Monica started with the adorable Jace and her quick introduction to his handsome father.
She detailed their conversation the night before, her pleasant surprise at seeing him at the track this morning, and his quick dismissal of her coffee invitation.
“You know that part-time chaplain position Kate and Nicolas mentioned?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s a minister and I thought, since he just moved back to town, a part-time gig might be a good fit for him. I wanted to invite him to come in and talk to the boss.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“I thought so, but he turned me down.” She started to stand. “So, it really wasn’t anything, and now we both need to get to work.”
Bobbie grabbed Monica’s arm and held her in place.
“Let me see if I have this straight. So this handsome guy with an adorable baby moves back to town. Someone you enjoyed talking to, someone you share interests with, and you’re upset that he turned down your coffee invitation because you didn’t get to tell him about a job opportunity? ”
“Yeah.”
Bobbie sat back and closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I have failed as a best friend.”
“What are you talking about?”
Bobbie opened her eyes and pointed at Monica. “You like him.”
“Of course, I like him. I wouldn’t want him around here if I didn’t.”
Bobbie shook her head, her expression bordering on pity. “No, you like him.”
“I don’t like him, and even if I did, he’s carrying around way too much baggage. I don’t have time for that in my life.”
Bobbie raised her eyebrows, challenging Monica to object further.
In the silence that stretched between them, Monica considered Bobbie’s words. Was she right? Was it even possible? Could serious like develop on the substance of three conversations? Her head said no in capital letters. Her heart whispered yes in the tiniest of voices.
Don’t be ridiculous, her head chastened her heart. Yes, you want a guy. Yes, you want a family. But this isn’t the time. Not with a move to Arizona on the horizon. And Sean isn’t the guy.
“Well?” Bobbie prompted.
“It’s time to get to work.”