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He’d worked right across from me all this time and didn’t even tell me? Another laugh bubbled out of my throat. I wasn’t even surprised. If I hadn’t found the job posting myself, I’d say that he somehow engineered this whole thing so that he could watch me during the day as well as at night.
“Goddess, that phone call took forever. You’d think that a flower supplier would know the difference between gerbera daisies and sunflowers. They look nothing alike!” Gemma strolled out of the back room, her long sky-blue dress flowing behind her, adding to the ethereal quality that surrounded my boss. “What did I miss? Is that sexy Fed-Ex driver outside again?”
She stopped next to me, a look of disappointment crossing her face when she didn’t see a delivery truck. I kept my own features neutral. It’s not like I could say ‘Well, yes, Gemma, you did miss something—my stalker scaring away a customer followed by us making out like teenagers on the floor of your shop.’
“What’s that business, the one next to the bakery?” Distraction usually worked with Miles when he was upset that he couldn’t have cookies for breakfast. Turns out, it worked on Gemma, too.
“Ah, that’s Falls Security. It does seem ominous with its dark tinted windows and lack of signage. However, I know the owners well, hometown heroes in fact. Grayson James and Kane Rodriguez, they started the business when they moved back to town. Everyone who works there is a former Marine I believe, couldn’t have a safer location for my business.”
Interesting. Gray’s daughter was in Miles’ class but I’d never met the partner. I’d also never asked Gage what he did for a living. Hilarious considering what we’d done on my couch. I’d spent loads of time wondering what his profession could be. I knew that it couldn’t be something mundane or typical. I couldn’t picture Gage folding his massive bulk into a tiny computer chair to work on spreadsheets all day. Even though I’d had that one sexy dream where he took me on top of a desk, highlighters and notepads digging into my back.
Pulling out my phone, I googled ‘Falls Security’—nothing but an address and a phone number were listed. Unsurprising, the name itself conveyed that it wasn’t the kind of business that subsisted on Yelp reviews.
“Gemma,” I called out. She was currently bent over a Japanese peace lily, muttering sweet words that she insisted helped her plants grow ‘big and strong.’
“Hmm?” She glanced up with a kind smile, absently petting one of the plant’s glossy green leaves.
“What kind of business does Falls Security do?” Gemma had been in Little Falls much longer than me, she’d moved to town shortly after becoming a legal adult. Her parents were nomadic, never settling one place for long during her childhood. She’d told me that it had been amazing seeing so many different places and meeting all kinds of people while growing up but she’d always longed for more stability.
She moved on to a monstera sitting in a terracotta pot, checking it’s leaves and soil with her ringed fingers. “I’m not completely certain. Considering their military backgrounds, I’d hazard a guess that they are private investigators of a sort. They’re quite secretive, even Sam, and we’ve been in the same book club for almost a year. Goddess!” She clapped her hands loudly, sending dirt scattering to the floor. “You should join!” Gemma had that excited look that was usually reserved for when she got a bulk discount on ribbon.
“Oh, I don’t think I can.” It was my usual go-to answer anytime I was invited somewhere. I was really lucky that Mrs. Gonzalez was able to watch Miles after school and during the evenings when I waitressed. She had insomnia troubles and never minded my late nights. And only having one night a week meant it was doubtful that her book club meetings would magically line up with my schedule.
“Pfft,” Gemma waved her hands through the air like she was swatting away the negativity my words had invoked. “It’s a moveable feast, I’ll add you to the group chat and we’ll figure it out. I’ve already finished the book for our next get together, you can borrow my copy!”
Then she was gone. Disappearing once again into the back room in a cloud of rose oil and linen. Apparently, I was joining a book club.
* * *
Gettingto greet my son when he got home from school was a privilege that I hoped I never took for granted.
I’d had to spend far too much of his life away from him just so that I could keep us both fed and housed. There’d been a lot I missed in the early years, and though it still made me sad, I took comfort that I could be there for him now.
When Miles’ smaller body bowled into me with excitement, I hugged him close and let the joy of holding my child again flow over me. “Hi, baby. Did you have a good day?”
His little nose scrunched upward, “I’m not a baby.”
I slung my arm around his shoulders, unsurprised by his answer and waving to the bus driver when she pulled away. “You’re stillmybaby.”
“You always say that. Do we have any Goldfish?” he asked changing subjects as only a five-year-old could.
Mentally rifling through the food in our pantry, I was pretty sure we had half a bag of them in there. “I think so, is that what you want for a snack?” Miles had the appetite of a teenager lately. Another growth spurt must be around the corner, I’d wake up one day to his pants ending three inches above his ankles.
“Not right now, I want to take them to school tomorrow.”
“What? Last time I tried to pack you Goldfish for school you said you were allergic and could only eat graham crackers.”
“Graham crackers are cool but I want the same snack as Daisy.” He bounded up the stairs and kicked his shoes off at the door. Well, this was new.
“Daisy sits at your table, doesn’t she?” I tried to ask discreetly. If I showed too much interest, he’d get embarrassed and clam up on me.
“Yeah, she’s my friend.” He had two army men in his hands and they were battling their way across the kitchen table.
“That’s great, honey. Who else is your friend?” I kept the conversation going while I pulled his school folder out of his backpack and flipped through the papers inside. There was a drawing that looked like a giant bumblebee eating a polar bear and a reminder about the school field trip to the zoo in the spring. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw in bold letters that the school covered the tickets for the kids. Phew, one less thing to worry about.
“I don’t want other friends at school, just Daisy.” He dragged the small step stool in front of the sink and started washing his hands. Setting the folder on the counter, I flipped my locket in my fingers, trying to decide how to parent this situation, if it even needed parenting. Mrs. Gonzalez saved me by walking through the back door and giving Miles a big hug.
“How was the doctor today?” I asked her as I put a plate of cut up apples with peanut butter in front of Miles.
