in her regular voice, which was also sort of sing-songish.
“I’m sorry,” Rick said. “I should get it.”
His host skills left much to be desired, but Rick didn’t entertain often in his two-bedroom apartment. Occasionally an old college buddy would come to town. Not to see him so much, but to crash on his couch and avoid paying for a hotel. Together they’d usually hit the bars or a ball game. His buddies made their own coffee. It looked like Trudy would, too.
“No, you sit.” She hustled off to the kitchen.
“Black,” he called after her. He didn’t want any of that froufrou flavored creamer.
It seemed babies came in handy for a little extra consideration.
When she returned with the coffee, Trudy sat next to him on the bench seat instead of across from him, which struck him as a more preferable distance. Babies apparently gave people permission to invade the comfort bubble of whoever held them. She played with the kid’s toes and fired off little baby-like noises at her. Coral responded with mouth bubbles.
He’d wanted Jade to sleep in, but now wished she’d wake up and intercede on his behalf or entertain their houseguest. She played hostess far better than him.
“You’re up early,” he said, for lack of anything intelligent to say.
“To me it’s midmorning.”
Damn the jet lag.
She yammered to him about the sights they’d seen the day before, the weather and the flights. Very benign conversation in which he impressed her with statistics about average rainfall, fun facts on travel, and tourist trivia he’d never known he’d find a need for.
“You make such a cute family.” She beamed a terrifyingly fake smile at him through soggy eyes that threatened to leak tears. He feared she wanted to steal the baby. Or eat her. Instead, she brushed her fingers through the hair at his temples, which seemed to him weird and inappropriate. Her lips crossed clumsily and blindly toward his face on account of her eyes being squeezed shut.
Rick jerked right, then left, to avoid a facial collision. He wasn’t certain what she was aiming for, his lips, cheek, or forehead. If not for the baby, he would have sprung from his seat and sprinted away. “Mrs. Honeycutt, please.”
Her eyes popped open. He could imagine the horrified look on his face, which spoke volumes about rejection. Something he knew a little something about. Her hand flew to her neck. “I’m so sorry.”
“I…I love my wife…my life…my family,” he stammered. Don’t even get me started on your husband and what kissing you would do for my economic future, not to mention my potential health . “I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my marriage. Ever. Under any circumstances.” Despite his lying disability, these declarations came tripping out of his mouth easily enough and with believable conviction. Without thinking.
“Of course…I…I’m so sorry.” She bolted up from her seat and scurried away.
Rick took a couple deep breaths. What if, in a moment of weakness, she told her husband? Why would she? What if she told her husband that he made a pass at her ? He dragged his hand down the length of his face. What if she dangled the money like a carrot? What would he do for the money? His entire life’s work boiled down to this deal. He’d married a call girl to close this deal. What else would he do to make his dreams a reality?
“There you are.”
He jerked upright at Jade’s words. “I wasn’t…nothing…what…don’t scare me like that.”
“Jeez, Rick.” She sauntered over, wrapped from neck to ankle in a fluffy robe. “Get a grip.” She bent over to take a peek at Coral. “Good morning, sunshine.”
He liked that she didn’t go overboard on the baby talk. Rick zoomed in to steal a morning kiss from her plump, pink lips. Not at all like the way Trudy had tried stealing one from him moments earlier. Jade barely even flinched. She didn’t recoil in horror. On the contrary, a faint smile greeted
“I’m sorry,” Rick said. “I should get it.”
His host skills left much to be desired, but Rick didn’t entertain often in his two-bedroom apartment. Occasionally an old college buddy would come to town. Not to see him so much, but to crash on his couch and avoid paying for a hotel. Together they’d usually hit the bars or a ball game. His buddies made their own coffee. It looked like Trudy would, too.
“No, you sit.” She hustled off to the kitchen.
“Black,” he called after her. He didn’t want any of that froufrou flavored creamer.
It seemed babies came in handy for a little extra consideration.
When she returned with the coffee, Trudy sat next to him on the bench seat instead of across from him, which struck him as a more preferable distance. Babies apparently gave people permission to invade the comfort bubble of whoever held them. She played with the kid’s toes and fired off little baby-like noises at her. Coral responded with mouth bubbles.
He’d wanted Jade to sleep in, but now wished she’d wake up and intercede on his behalf or entertain their houseguest. She played hostess far better than him.
“You’re up early,” he said, for lack of anything intelligent to say.
“To me it’s midmorning.”
Damn the jet lag.
She yammered to him about the sights they’d seen the day before, the weather and the flights. Very benign conversation in which he impressed her with statistics about average rainfall, fun facts on travel, and tourist trivia he’d never known he’d find a need for.
“You make such a cute family.” She beamed a terrifyingly fake smile at him through soggy eyes that threatened to leak tears. He feared she wanted to steal the baby. Or eat her. Instead, she brushed her fingers through the hair at his temples, which seemed to him weird and inappropriate. Her lips crossed clumsily and blindly toward his face on account of her eyes being squeezed shut.
Rick jerked right, then left, to avoid a facial collision. He wasn’t certain what she was aiming for, his lips, cheek, or forehead. If not for the baby, he would have sprung from his seat and sprinted away. “Mrs. Honeycutt, please.”
Her eyes popped open. He could imagine the horrified look on his face, which spoke volumes about rejection. Something he knew a little something about. Her hand flew to her neck. “I’m so sorry.”
“I…I love my wife…my life…my family,” he stammered. Don’t even get me started on your husband and what kissing you would do for my economic future, not to mention my potential health . “I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my marriage. Ever. Under any circumstances.” Despite his lying disability, these declarations came tripping out of his mouth easily enough and with believable conviction. Without thinking.
“Of course…I…I’m so sorry.” She bolted up from her seat and scurried away.
Rick took a couple deep breaths. What if, in a moment of weakness, she told her husband? Why would she? What if she told her husband that he made a pass at her ? He dragged his hand down the length of his face. What if she dangled the money like a carrot? What would he do for the money? His entire life’s work boiled down to this deal. He’d married a call girl to close this deal. What else would he do to make his dreams a reality?
“There you are.”
He jerked upright at Jade’s words. “I wasn’t…nothing…what…don’t scare me like that.”
“Jeez, Rick.” She sauntered over, wrapped from neck to ankle in a fluffy robe. “Get a grip.” She bent over to take a peek at Coral. “Good morning, sunshine.”
He liked that she didn’t go overboard on the baby talk. Rick zoomed in to steal a morning kiss from her plump, pink lips. Not at all like the way Trudy had tried stealing one from him moments earlier. Jade barely even flinched. She didn’t recoil in horror. On the contrary, a faint smile greeted
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