Holly
Three weeks. She couldn’t believe it had already been three weeks. When Frederick had said he would stay for a bit, she’d thought that meant a few days, maybe a week, but he was still here and still interested in her. Now if only she could make time go faster before tonight. Holly glanced at her watch.
“You have a hot date tonight?” Merribeth asked with a chuckle as she watched little Colin play on the floor. Merribeth was eight months pregnant again, so her days of playing on the floor with her son were over for now, but Holly didn’t mind filling in for her.
Holly had come over to spend the day with her friend, but the date with Frederick tonight consumed her thoughts. She’d been looking forward to it all day, and even Colin’s cuteness wasn’t enough to distract her for long. “I do, actually. Frederick is taking me to a pottery class tonight. I’ve never done one before but it sounds fun.”
“Frederick, huh?” Though subtle, Holly saw the shift in Merribeth’s posture. “I guess things are going well for you guys?” Her normally bubbly voice was stilted and she kept her eyes on the toddler, avoiding Holly’s gaze.
Holly eyed her friend. “Yeah, things are going well. Why do you say it like that?”
Merribeth sighed, and Holly knew she was choosing her words carefully. Always the diplomat, Merribeth was a master at thinking through her thoughts before sharing them which kept people from getting their feelings hurt, but often left her true thoughts hidden under her tact. “No reason, really. I just… I mean, he’s not staying long term, right? I just don’t want you to get your heart broken.”
“Why would I get my heart broken? Frederick has been great.” Okay, mostly great, she thought. He had a few quirks that bugged her but everyone did. “I don’t know if he’s staying. He’s between jobs and he seems to like it here, so maybe he will stay. Would that be a bad thing?” Why was she being so defensive? Merribeth was just looking out for her, but she felt ruffled all the same.
Colin toddled over to Merribeth and she scooped him onto her lap, trying to situate him comfortably against her very pregnant belly. “I didn’t say it would, but I have to be honest and tell you that something about him doesn’t feel right to me. Maybe it’s simply because I don’t know him as well as you do, but —”
“I think that’s exactly it,” Holly said, cutting her off. “You haven’t given him a chance. I mean, you’ve only met him two or three times.” Granted, the first get together had been awkward, but Frederick had just been tired that night. And Holly had tried to arrange more opportunities for Frederick to hang out with her friends, but something always seemed to come up. Still, that was no reason for Merribeth to think he was wrong for her. “I’ve got to get going, but I’ll show you you’re wrong about him.”
Merribeth nodded as Holly walked to the door. “I’m sure it’s just me. Have fun on your date.”
“I will.”
Holly was determined to have fun tonight just to prove Merribeth wrong, but as she pulled into the parking lot of the art studio her heart fell as she glanced around for Frederick’s car and realized it wasn’t there. Merribeth’s words echoed in her head, but Holly ignored them. Frederick had insisted they drive separately because he had something he was doing just before, so he was probably just running late. Briefly, she wondered what he was doing that he couldn’t tell her about, but it had only been a few weeks. It wasn’t like they were engaged or anything. In fact, Holly wasn’t even sure they were exclusive. They hadn’t really defined their relationship, probably something she should remedy if only for her own peace of mind.
When her clock displayed eight, the time for their class, she pulled out her phone and shot off a text message. “Here waiting. Everything okay?” She waited for the three little dots to appear that he was responding, but the screen remained blank. Where was he? Hopefully nothing had happened to him, but perhaps she should wait inside for him. That way, whoever was running the class didn’t think they weren’t showing.
The inside of the studio looked like a former warehouse — big and open. Easels were set up on one side and pottery stations on the other. A few people sat at the easels painting, but the pottery side was empty. Were they going to be the only ones in the class?
A woman with frizzy brown hair and a paint-splattered smock approached her. “I’m Elyse. Are you my eight o’clock? I thought there were two of you.” She glanced around looking for the other party.
“Yeah, he’s on his way, I think.” Holly hated the uncertainty in her voice and the awkwardness of having to appear alone.
“Oh.” Elyse’s eyebrow lifted as if she didn’t quite believe Holly. “Well, would you like to wait or go ahead and get started?”
“I guess I’ll get started if that’s okay.” As long as she was here, she might as well do something.
She had just sat down at a station when she heard Frederick’s voice. “Sorry I’m late. My appointment ran a little longer than I’d hoped.”
Holly thought about asking what appointment, but now was not the time nor the place. Instead, she pasted a smile on her face and forced her tone to sound cheerful. “You’re here. That’s all that matters.”
Elyse began her explanation of how to use the pottery station and they began to mold the clay.
As the silence stretched between them, Holly couldn’t contain her curiosity and the question slipped out before she could stop it. “So, what was your appointment about?” She glanced at him, hoping he wouldn’t feel like she was prying.
He smiled up at her. “It was for an apartment.”
She blinked. “An apartment? You’re staying?”
He flashed her a wink and a sly smile. “I thought I’d put down roots for a bit. Is that okay with you?”
“Of course it is, but what about work? I mean, do you have enough saved up or are you going to try and find a job?”
“I’ll be looking, but I thought maybe we could revisit that discussion of me working at the restaurant.”
Holly’s gaze dropped down to the pottery spinning on her wheel as she thought about how to answer. She’d been hoping he would forget about that. Yes hadn’t exactly been her exuberant response the first time he’d brought it up, but now she was even more sure it wasn’t a good idea.They’d tried cooking together, and it had not gone nearly the way Holly had hoped it would. It turned out they were both fans of being in charge, but Holly didn’t want a partner.
“Not like a partner or anything,” he continued as if reading her mind, “but I would have to get paid. Couldn’t work just for tips now. Guess you should have taken me up on that working for tips offer the first time.” He elbowed her and chuckled, but Holly didn’t see the humor. “You know I can cook and I could help up front or with paperwork. Whatever you need.”
Why did that feel weird to Holly? She trusted Frederick, didn’t she? And she could use the help, she supposed. There were enough employees to keep the restaurant running efficiently, but she was stressed any time one got sick, so maybe she could use Frederick as a floater. But what if he tried to take over? She didn’t need him offering suggestions and confusing her staff, but maybe if she laid down ground rules it would work. “I can take a look, but I can’t guarantee anything.”
“I understand. Just remember, you don’t have to do everything alone. You have someone now who can help out. Someone who knows the industry too.”
Holly fixed a smile on her face. “Thank you. I am glad you’re here.” And she was, but then why did his offer sit so oddly with her?