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After they hung up, he lay back down against the pillows, thinking about Bridget, how different she was from Patty and how glad he was of that. Guilt over everything would keep him from true excitement about the new relationship, but he thought that might be good. It would prevent him from jumping into anything too quickly, or so he thought.
***
After talking to Tony that morning, Saturday couldn’t come soon enough for Bridget. It was a busy fire day with brush fires at the sides of roads, probably from smokers throwing lit cigarettes out windows. Big Mike was kind and solicitous toward her, and Bridget would let Tony know as soon as she could. All in all, it had been an excellent first week at work, made even better by the generosity of the Saints and their camper van.
Friday night after nursing Flynn and getting him in his crib, hopefully for the night, she adhered to her routine. After cleaning her apartment, it was all about self-care, not waiting for someone else to make life happen for her. She planned Friday nights down to a tee. Pizza—delivered, not frozen—a movie she’d looked forward to seeing, and one glass of wine. Any more than one glass and baby Flynn got an upset stomach. The pizza was a bit over the top, but it also lasted for the weekend, so she didn’t have to think about her solitary meals.
The date with Tony on Saturday had become an icon already, something she’d wished to avoid. Disappointment would be too powerful if he turned out to be a jerk. When the movie was over at nine, she did her weekly beauty routine. Instead of a morning shower, she’d get in the tub with a bath bomb. Legs and toes and even arms shaved if necessary, it was the scourge of her heredity.
“Clark women are hairy, so get over it,” her granny had advised the girls.
Since the baby, she didn’t have the time or the money for pedicures and manicures, and beauty night gave her the chance to do that, as well. But in spite of trying not to do it for a man, thoughts of Tony crept into her subconscious with each stroke of the razor.
“You will not take your clothes off on the first date!”
Looking into the mirror with tweezers poised at her eyebrow, she fantasized about the date, what they would do, how long they’d stay together, what they’d talk about. Thoughts of him definitely tantalized her. She’d have to stay on her toes every second.
The park they were going to was known as family friendly, with miles of walking trails and lovely picnic areas. A friend had lent her a baby carrier that she could wear, holding Flynn to her chest. It was going to be a new experience.
The next morning, she nursed Flynn and got ready for the outing. She wanted to meet Tony at the park, but he’d insisted on picking her up. A quick glance around her apartment confirmed what she was ashamed to admit: it was the home of a young, single parent. The furniture was cast off from her family: a couch from her aunt, kitchen table from grandmother, furniture from her girlhood bedroom. But it was neat and spotless. That gave her a sense of pride.
Promptly at eleven, she got a text.I’m here.
With a pounding heart that might have skipped a few beats, she texted back,Come up. Might as well get it over with. But he seemed pleased with her apartment.
“Wow, so this is your place. I’m impressed. You did this on your own.”
“I did. It wasn’t easy.”
“What kind of job did you do while you were in training?” he asked, curious about how she’d managed the rent.
“They pay you in training,” she said. “I worked at Starbucks, too. What about you? What did you do before firefighting?”
“Nothing. I went to fire rescue academy, and as soon as I was done with it, I hired on. I never had the desire to get a degree until now.”
Heat coursed in his veins standing next to her. He looked at her with such intensity she knew she blushed. It was clear in his face what he was feeling.
“Do you want to go?” she asked, thinking the best thing to do was move forward. “I’m all packed. It’s like going on a journey, taking a baby out.”
Pointing to a pile near the door, she laughed. “All that stuff goes. I have diapers, extra bottles of frozen breast milk on ice in case of an apocalypse, an umbrella, beach chairs, clothes for him for a week, and even clean clothes for me in case he poops or barfs on me.”
“You’re ready for anything,” he said admiringly.
She got the baby while he loaded up the truck. “I’ll get my car seat out of my car if you’ll take him,” she said.
“Oh, I bought one,” he replied. “Come see if it’s the right kind.”
“Wait, you bought a car seat for my kid?”
“Yes, of course. This way we don’t have to keep switching seats back and forth.”
“Tony…I…”
He laughed out loud. “You’re fine. It will be fine. I’ll sell it on Facebook if you dump me, and until then, he’ll be safe. You know what my mom said?”
“You told your mother about this?”
“She went with me to Walmart to buy it,” he said, strapping Flynn in the seat. “Check this. Do I have it right?”
