Page 21 of Wishing for Love

He got two bottles and they made their plates and sat down.

It felt cozy, like a family meal she hadn’t had in a long time. She hadn’t realized how much she was missing it either.

Not that she ever had a nice quiet meal in her house, but not having any family around, it could get lonely.

Living here, she was positive she wasn’t going to feel that again and couldn’t wait for the next chapter in her life to begin.

Listening to her heart, she started to think that maybe all her negative thoughts on family were fading away.

8

BE ON TRACK

Phoenix was in bed with his laptop open trying to answer emails and not lose his shit over shipment deadlines and personnel issues five days later. Between dealing with product shipping and chemical supplies he needed to even produce the material to begin, then getting the shipments of plastics to his warehouse, not to mention a roof leaking and any other shit that could fall on his lap, sleep was the last thing he could do right now.

The pressure was mounting in his life and he wasn’t sure how much more he could handle before something broke.

When he heard a noise, he stopped typing and looked at the clock. It was a little after ten and the house was locked for the night. Elsie was in bed sleeping and had been for two hours. He’d put her there himself.

It felt like there was so much for him to catch up on now that Crystal was hired, but he didn’t want to come home late every night and make her regret the job.

Though he sure the hell didn’t regret anything.

Every day this week, Crystal was downstairs in the kitchen offering to get Elsie up for him before seven so he could leave,but he’d said no and went and got the little girl up himself. Gave her a kiss and rushed out the door.

He didn’t like asking anyone for anything and wouldn’t put more on her shoulders than what she was hired for.

Crystal took care of everything else though without him asking and it was a guilt he was carrying. She was even cleaning his damn house and doing Elsie’s laundry during the day before she picked her up in the afternoon.

He’d be home no later than six and dinner was on the table. He’d told Crystal that he’d never hold dinner up later than that, so she could feed Elsie if he wasn’t home and he’d find something else to eat.

He got home at five one day, and there was Crystal cooking. He wasn’t sure why and said she hadn’t needed to since he knew he’d be home.

She told him she liked doing it. Every day he made sure Crystal shared a meal with them too even though she’d offered to go upstairs.

It felt homey and reminded him of his days growing up and the family dinners debriefing their days over a meal.

Elsie was talking more about school with the urging and prompting of Crystal and life seemed to maybe be on track.

When he heard the noise again, a creaking in the house as if someone was moving around, he got up to go check on Elsie. He realized he only had his underwear on and grabbed shorts on the side of the bed to pull up quickly, then opened his door and stepped out.

The fridge door was open, and he could see the light from it, but not who was behind it.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

Crystal popped out from behind it wearing nothing more than a T-shirt that barely covered her upper thighs.

Her eyes landed on his bare chest and both of them were statues over the situation.

She spoke first. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I thought I could sneak down quietly. Had a chocolate craving and remembered the pudding I made with Elsie two days ago.”

She had the bowl in her hand and cool whip in the other.

“That looks good,” he said.

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Yeah. Get two bowls down. We can chat while we eat.”

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