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The door opens with vigor, rebounding off the wall.
“I’m back, babe! Bumped into Casey downstairs. Lookin’ hot, as per usual. Wanna go grab some lun—Oh, holy mother of dragons! What the shit is going on here?”
I shove away from Avery and push my hair off my hot cheeks, fluffing up my skirt, you know, in case it needs…fluffing.
Vivi shrieks. “Cha-Cha!” She wiggles in Avery’s hold until he puts her down, running at full speed toward Charlee who catches her and squeals just as excitedly.
“Baby girl!” Charlee coos, spinning her around. She hugs her close and smirks at me and Avery. “I see you two found each other.”
“Shut up,” I mutter, turning on my heel and stalking off toward my desk. “Yes, let’s get lunch. We just have to bring Viv.”
“Not a problem. Just us gals.” She looks sideways at Avery. “Sorry ‘bout your luck, dude.”
Holding his palms up, he shakes his head. “I’d hate to interrupt girl time.” He turns and saunters over to me while I stuff my phone in my purse. “Well, I know your first and last name, I know where you work, and I’ve already met your best friend, your brother, and your niece. Think I can get your phone number now?”
“Nope.”
“No?” He leans over my desk, covering my hand with his. I stare at it. “Come on, Claire.”
“I already told you, I’m not fucking you,” I whisper-yell.
“So? We don’t have to fuck. Right away,” he adds with a cheeky grin and a wink. “Let’s go for dinner. Or lunch. Or dessert.” I think dessert is code for fucking, but I’m not going to ask, because if it’s not, it’s just going to give him ideas.
So I just smile up at him and sling my purse over my shoulder. “Gotta go. See ya around.”
I don’t make it two steps before his hand wraps around my wrist and tugs me back to him. I stare up at him with huge eyes. It’s incredible—incredibly annoying—how this man can turn me from strong, independent woman, to weak-in-the-knees schoolgirl in a split-second.
The way Avery’s eyes cloud over makes me utterly confused, to say the least. My breathing kicks up, matching his rhythm, the rise and fall of his chest. He drops his face, the tip of his nose grazing across mine. “Bye Claire,” he whispers.
He brushes the softest, lightest, almost-not-even-there kiss against my lips, and then strolls out of the office, but not before planting a quick cheek-peck on both Vivi and Charlee.
Charlee’s jaw hangs as we stare at each other.
Vivi snickers, covering her mouth with her chubby little hands. “A’wy and Care Bear kiss.”
Thirty minutes later, I’m sitting on a patio with my two favorite ladies, enjoying the warm afternoon, but mostly enjoying watching Vivi blow bubbles in her chocolate milk. It makes her so damn happy. She keeps squealing and clapping her hands. I miss when happiness was that simple. I’d blow the shit out of some chocolate milk to be even half as happy as she is right now.
“Still no word from her m-o-m?” Charlee asks, her gaze flipping to Vivi as she pretends her pizza is a dinosaur eating a french fry.
“Nope.” And I hope it stays that way.
Charlee purses her lips to the side. “That’s sad.”
“Not really.” I lay the menu down on the table. “She’s better off without that awful bitch—I mean, not nice lady—in her life.”
That woman doesn’t deserve someone as beautiful and pure as Vivi. She didn’t want her. She fought tooth and nail to get rid of her, right up until the last minute. She signed over all her parental rights—all too gladly—and got the hell out of Dodge. Her only regret was that Casey didn’t go with her.
“Yeah,” Charlee says on a heavy exhale. “You’re probably right. Plus, she’s got you.”
I smile and squeeze her hand. “And you.” Charlee’s been an amazing help to Casey, and another auntie to Vivi. They love each other unconditionally and it makes me so incredibly happy. I never fail to realize how lucky I am to have Charlee in my life.
I watch the two of them gab back and forth. My phone dings in my purse and I dig it out. I’ve been waiting to hear back from a contractor about some prices on the kitchen expansion. Fingers crossed it’s him, because he’s been taking his sweet-ass time.
I blanch at the name rolling across my screen with its text message.
Avery: How’s lunch with the girls?
My fingers fly over the keys at a furious speed.
