There you go again.
That wasn’t flirting. It was being a gentleman.
...seriously?
Shut up, brain.
I back through the door, balancing the loot, and call out, “Good morning.”
In unison, they all call back, “Morning!”
I place the stuff on the front counter and turn to find Tina waddling out of her office. Her eyes are narrowed and she has her cell to her ear. I grin. Ha-ha! Nik’s gonna get it.
He must’ve answered, because she immediately starts, “Nik, baby, you want to tell me why I have a delivery here this morning, with Max being the deliveryman?” And even though she’s pissed at him, she takes a second to smile at me and mouth, ‘hi’. That’s just how she rolls. Tina is the shit.
I don’t hear what he says, but she responds an annoyed, “I don’t need food. It’s ten am, for Pete’s sake! What are you trying to do, honey? Turn me into a whale?” I know the exact moment he gets sweet on her. Her shoulders slump and she sighs. “I know you want to take care of me. I love you too.” She pauses, then lifts a hand to cup my cheek. “Yeah. I love Max too.”
I lean down and kiss the top of her head. She wraps an arm around me and squeezes, then she’s waddling back into the office.
Mimi appears behind me. She jerks a chin to the box on the counter. “More food?”
I grin. “Yep.”
She shrugs then lifts the lid of the box, picking up a sandwich. “Don’t mind if I do.”
Lola walks down from the back of the shop, eyes wide in delight. “Are those free sandwiches?” Mimi chews while nodding. Lola makes a score motion in the air. “I love free sandwiches!”
Nat comes through the office door, her cell on her ear. “Lena, I love you. Really, I do, but this isn’t up for discussion. You’re going to have to learn to deal with it.” My brows bunch. This sounds serious. She walks towards me, spots the sandwiches, and does a little dance. She utters into the phone, “I’m turning you on speaker now. Because…sandwiches.”
I whisper, “What’s up with Helena?”
Nat, not caring Helena will hear, takes a bite of a sandwich and explains a garbled, “My sister has a problem with hearing me have sex.”
Helena gasps. “Oh God, you have no shame, you ho! And by the way, you moan so loud it sounds like I’m in the room with you. Yuck!”
Nat swallows and rolls her eyes. “Dramatic much? It’s sex! It’s normal! I’m married, for chrissake! It won’t be long before I have two babies to look after. I have to get the sex in now!”
Helena responds, “La-la-la-la-la!”
Nat turns to me. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”
Helena answers with what sounds like a pout. “I am at work. No one’s here yet. Well, people are here, but James isn’t here.”
James, is it? He always introduces himself as Whit. Why is Helena allowed to call him James?
Nat chuckles. “I was talking to Max, doofus.”
Silence, then Helena asks, “What is he doing there? Doesn’t he work?”
I sulk at her tone. “I work, thank you very much. I’m doing a delivery right now.”
At least she has the grace to sound apologetic. “Oh, right. Sorry.”
While I have her on the phone, I need to ask her to check Whit’s schedule for me, so I can come have a chat to him. “Hey, cupcake, you’re at the center, right?”
Her response is suspicious and drawn out. “Yeah. Why?”
“I need you to check Whit’s schedule for me.”
Confusion lines her voice. “I don’t have it.”
Having been at the center about a thousand times, I’m familiar with the surroundings. Very familiar. “That’s cool. You need to…wait. Where are you right now?”
“I’m in the admin lunchroom.”
I nod. I know where that is. “Okay, you need to head out of there, then turn right. Once you reach a wall of photographs, you keep going forward ‘til you reach the children’s playroom. You’ll see a giant whiteboard with everyone’s schedules on it. I need you to tell me if Whit has any time-blocks free.”
She utters an amused, “There are photos of Ceecee on here.”
I smile. “I know. Look for the one where she’s a pilot.”
Helena laughs softly. “Turning her chair into a plane…” She utters an awe-filled, “Genius.” A pause, then, “God, she’s grown.”
“I know. Like a mushroom.”
I hear the sounds of footsteps echo through the phone. “Okay, I’m almost there. Ah, yes! I see it.”
“Is he free today?”
“He’s got one pm free and two pm free.”
Cool. “Take a marker and put me in at two pm, will ya?”
Rustling, then, “Done. You’re booked in.”
“Thanks, cupcake.”
She responds quietly, “You’re welcome, Max.”
And that’s my cue to leave. “Okay. I’m out of here. Take it easy, ladies.”
As I walk away, they call out in unison, “Bye!”
Chapter Thirteen
Helena
I hate myself for watching the clock. Two pm is getting closer and closer, and I’m having real problems with my reaction to seeing Max. More specifically, to my wanting to see Max. It’s one fifty-three and the tummy flutters have started. I bounce my knee and tap my pen on the desk. Actually, I don’t have my own office right now, so really, I bounce the pen off James’ desk. He looks up from his paperwork and down at the pen, raises a brow, and looks up at me.
I drop the pen with a noisy clatter and whisper, “Sorry.”
I’ll be shadowing my boss for the next few days. I’ve already met the three other PTs on regular rotation. The only other man on the team is a guy named Kerr. He’s not very tall, but super muscular. He almost looks as if he’s a popped kernel of corn with all his bulging muscles. He’s got dark hair and eyes to match, and he’s so very gay.
How do I know this? I know this, because when Felicity—the token blonde bombshell of our team, with Restylane lips and the body of a salsa dancer—bent over to stretch, he did not look at her perfectly toned ass.
I know what you’re going to say: that means nothing. Right?
Wrong!
Exhibit B: When James took on the same pose, Kerr did not just look at James’s ass; he devoured it! Mentally, of course.