Ember In The Heart

Gathering myself together, I called after him, “I can look after Georgie until you find someone.”

Foster glanced back at me. “Like I said, I think that would be a terrible idea.”

It was clear, despite our personality clash and age difference, that there was a physical attraction between us. One I was quite willing to ignore now that my mind wasn’t lust fogged by his proximity. Yet, Foster was so horrified by the idea of being attracted to me, he didn’t even want to be near me?

Well that just pissed me off.

“Scared?” I taunted.

He turned to face me. “Excuse me?”

Ignoring his dangerous tone, I continued, “You have no logical reason for turning down my very kind offer. Unless you’re such a snob that you can’t even associate with a massage therapist with no known blue blood in her family history?”

“You’re determined to think the worst of me.”

I shrugged. “Change my mind.”

“Fine,” he bit out. “I’ll leave for work a little later tomorrow so I can be there to explain to Georgie you’ll be watching her this week. But I usually leave for work at six thirty. Is that too early?”

“Not at all.”

“Fine.”

“What time will I come over tomorrow?”

“Seven fifteen.”

“I’ll see you then.”

His gaze flicked down my body one last time and I saw a muscle tick in his jaw before he marched out of sight down the side of the house. Without saying goodnight.

“We really need to work on his manners.”

The jewelry in my store seemed to hold Georgie transfixed. I watched her look over the stands and towers and glass cabinets filled with jewelry, some costume, some handmade in precious metals. After I’d dropped her off at school yesterday morning, I’d switched around some of my clients so that all my appointments ended before the school day did. Those who couldn’t do that, my three other massage therapists covered for me.

My store was managed during the day by Raven, a friend from high school whose real name was Mindy Watts. Growing up she’d been envious of the unusual names my parents had given me and my sisters and so she’d adopted the name Raven for herself. To be fair, she looked way more like a Raven than a Mindy.

I’d let Raven go home to her teenage kids early, since Georgie and I could watch the shop until Foster showed. We did her homework in between customers.

The first day with Georgie had been good but slightly awkward. She was a shy kid and she didn’t talk much. That didn’t worry me. I used to be a shy kid. What worried me was the sadness in her eyes. No five-year-old should be that glum or serious.

My phone beeped on the counter and I saw it was a text from Foster. Swiping my phone screen, I leaned in to read it.

Sorry, meeting ran late, just getting out of the office now. Please can you provide Georgie with dinner. Foster.

I sighed. So goddamn formal.

I texted him back.

No problem.

I still wasn’t the most loquacious with Georgie’s dad, afraid that in being so we’d end up in another argument. Jumping off my stool, I grabbed my purse and called to Georgie, “Hey, honey, your dad is running a little late so we’re going to do dinner without him.”

She walked toward me. “Is he coming home?”

I frowned. “Of course. He just got out of the office, though, and the city is ninety minutes away so we’re going to close up here and grab some dinner. How does Penny’s sound?”

It was her turn to frown at me.

“You’ve never been to Penny’s Diner?”

Georgie shook her head.

“You like chicken nuggets? And milkshakes?”

Her eyes lit up, making me smile.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I held out my hand to her. “Penny’s is the best place in town for a chicken nuggets and milkshakes.”

As I ate Penny’s famous and delicious cheeseburger, Georgie dipped a nugget into ketchup and gazed around the diner at the other occupants. We were lucky to get a table since tourists descended on our town spring through summer. But I knew Geraldine, the head waitress at Penny’s, and she found us a small table in the back.

Noting Georgie’s gaze had fixated on something, I followed it and tensed. A mom and her daughter, around Georgie’s age, were settled in a booth, two older boys on the opposite side, and the mom and daughter had their heads together, giggling at something.

My chest ached at the wounded expression on Georgie’s face.

She was way too young to feel the horrible emotions she was experiencing right now.

God, I could kill her mom.

“You okay, honey?”

Her little mouth trembled as she replied, “Jenna Green said mommies don’t go away like Mommy did. Jenna said Mommy must have really not liked me and that’s why she went away to Parees.”

Ugh, that was a punch to the gut.