some?”
“Actually, yes, I do,” she said and reached for the pizza. Aiden handed it over to her. A few mushrooms fell from the slice she’d selected, but she scooped them up and popped them in her mouth with a childish grin. He watched, mesmerized, as she licked her fingers clean.
“It’s probably a little cool now,” he said.
“Oh, I love cold pizza anyway. I give the crusts to Grace to chew.”
“Ha! I remember when my sister used to give my nephew a bagel to keep him quiet, and he would sit there, sucking it, the snot running out of his nose right over the bagel. Then my sister would wipe his nose, without taking the bagel away or anything, and the kid would just go on gumming it. I guess that’s a mother for you!”
Jordan laughed. “That’s so funny!” she exclaimed. “I do the same thing with Grace! I take it you don’t have any children?”
It was a bold question, as personal a question as she had asked him. Aiden looked up, taken by surprise. “No,” he answered, “not yet.”
“Grace is my parents’ first grandchild. They take care of her during the day. It makes it easier for me to work, not having to worry about her.”
“That’s a good arrangement,” agreed Aiden. He was sobered. The new, young mother, having to work more than full time for a man who called for her full dedication. His mother and both his sisters had been able to stay home with their children. It was a luxury he hadn’t realized before this. “Her father doesn’t participate?”
Was it the dim light or had he actually seen her face blanch a little? “No,” she said softly. “No, he doesn’t.” She looked away. Aiden dropped the subject and searched for a new topic of conversation.
“Do you know,” he started, struggling, “that when I asked the Inn owner where to get the pizza, she actually knew I was coming here with it? Doesn’t it infringe on your privacy to have somebody know your every move?”
Jordan took a sip of her beer. “On the contrary. It’s kind of comforting in a way. Everybody knows everybody. Families are intermarried, and it strengthens the fabric of the community. You know who somebody really is. You know their history. You know when somebody is competent in the job they’re being asked to do. You know who to depend on. There’s a network.”
Aiden snorted. “Seems like it compromises the privacy of an individual to me.”
“Well, not really,” Jordan explained. “Nobody really knows the details about what goes on behind closed doors, but the general feeling of camaraderie is there. Don’t get me wrong; people still have their problems. There’s divorce and disagreements and situations that arise, but by and large, everybody in town is his brother’s keeper, even when it’s only the tiniest bit. It makes a difference.”
Aiden watched her; he liked how open she’d become with him. She’d become relaxed, more comfortable, and seemed to now trust him. Their eyes met, but the spell was broken as her cell phone rang. She answered it quickly, and Aiden wondered if he should excuse himself from the room. He leaned forward to stand, but she smiled and gestured with a wave of her hand that he could stay seated.
“Hello?”
“Jordan?” Aiden could hear Fenton’s voice booming through her phone. Jordan’s demeanor changed in an instant. She caught Aiden’s eyes, and the look on her face was not lost on him. She held the phone away from her ear, allowing Aiden to listen in.
“This is Jordan. Mr. Fenton?” She watched as Aiden shook his head slowly back and forth.
“Sorry to call so late. I hope you’re feeling better. I was wondering when we might get together and finalize our agreement?”
“I’m feeling better,” said Jordan tersely. “Thank you for asking. As far as the agreement goes, I think ChatDotCom and Fenton Enterprises are too far apart for any finalization. I’m sorry, Mr. Fenton. I should have called you earlier. You shouldn’t waste your
“Actually, yes, I do,” she said and reached for the pizza. Aiden handed it over to her. A few mushrooms fell from the slice she’d selected, but she scooped them up and popped them in her mouth with a childish grin. He watched, mesmerized, as she licked her fingers clean.
“It’s probably a little cool now,” he said.
“Oh, I love cold pizza anyway. I give the crusts to Grace to chew.”
“Ha! I remember when my sister used to give my nephew a bagel to keep him quiet, and he would sit there, sucking it, the snot running out of his nose right over the bagel. Then my sister would wipe his nose, without taking the bagel away or anything, and the kid would just go on gumming it. I guess that’s a mother for you!”
Jordan laughed. “That’s so funny!” she exclaimed. “I do the same thing with Grace! I take it you don’t have any children?”
It was a bold question, as personal a question as she had asked him. Aiden looked up, taken by surprise. “No,” he answered, “not yet.”
“Grace is my parents’ first grandchild. They take care of her during the day. It makes it easier for me to work, not having to worry about her.”
“That’s a good arrangement,” agreed Aiden. He was sobered. The new, young mother, having to work more than full time for a man who called for her full dedication. His mother and both his sisters had been able to stay home with their children. It was a luxury he hadn’t realized before this. “Her father doesn’t participate?”
Was it the dim light or had he actually seen her face blanch a little? “No,” she said softly. “No, he doesn’t.” She looked away. Aiden dropped the subject and searched for a new topic of conversation.
“Do you know,” he started, struggling, “that when I asked the Inn owner where to get the pizza, she actually knew I was coming here with it? Doesn’t it infringe on your privacy to have somebody know your every move?”
Jordan took a sip of her beer. “On the contrary. It’s kind of comforting in a way. Everybody knows everybody. Families are intermarried, and it strengthens the fabric of the community. You know who somebody really is. You know their history. You know when somebody is competent in the job they’re being asked to do. You know who to depend on. There’s a network.”
Aiden snorted. “Seems like it compromises the privacy of an individual to me.”
“Well, not really,” Jordan explained. “Nobody really knows the details about what goes on behind closed doors, but the general feeling of camaraderie is there. Don’t get me wrong; people still have their problems. There’s divorce and disagreements and situations that arise, but by and large, everybody in town is his brother’s keeper, even when it’s only the tiniest bit. It makes a difference.”
Aiden watched her; he liked how open she’d become with him. She’d become relaxed, more comfortable, and seemed to now trust him. Their eyes met, but the spell was broken as her cell phone rang. She answered it quickly, and Aiden wondered if he should excuse himself from the room. He leaned forward to stand, but she smiled and gestured with a wave of her hand that he could stay seated.
“Hello?”
“Jordan?” Aiden could hear Fenton’s voice booming through her phone. Jordan’s demeanor changed in an instant. She caught Aiden’s eyes, and the look on her face was not lost on him. She held the phone away from her ear, allowing Aiden to listen in.
“This is Jordan. Mr. Fenton?” She watched as Aiden shook his head slowly back and forth.
“Sorry to call so late. I hope you’re feeling better. I was wondering when we might get together and finalize our agreement?”
“I’m feeling better,” said Jordan tersely. “Thank you for asking. As far as the agreement goes, I think ChatDotCom and Fenton Enterprises are too far apart for any finalization. I’m sorry, Mr. Fenton. I should have called you earlier. You shouldn’t waste your
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