Page 59 of Waiting for Tuesday

I inched my body closer, concerned by the hush in his voice. I wasn’t used to seeing him so nervous. “Nothing. Why?”

He pushed my legs open so he could stand between my thighs. “I wanted to know if you’d spend the day with me, to celebrate.” He tipped his chin to the ad on the counter, and I found myself smiling with relief.

“I’d like that,” I whispered. “I’d like that very much.”

“Good.”

He placed his hand on the side of my jaw and traced my bottom lip with his thumb. “I’m going to miss kissing you every morning.”

“Me too.” It was the first time we’d acknowledged he’d no longer be here, and it was more painful than I thought.

He pressed his forehead to mine, and I swallowed back a ball of tears. “But I promise,” he continued, “no matter how late it is, I’ll always kiss you goodnight.”

I gripped the back of his neck and pulled him closer. “Good.”

The door to the back room opened again, and Becky walked onto the product floor. She put her hands on her hips and frowned. “You guys are so cute, it’s sickening.”

John’s smile widened, but his eyes remained on me. “We are cute, aren’t we?”

I nodded. “Very.”

He bent down farther, kissing me briefly before pushing away from the counter. He turned around and sighed. “I fucking hate work.”

I laughed, knowing exactly what he meant. “You’re mine for four more days, John Eaton, and I’m going to get my money out of you.”

He winked over his shoulder, obviously not intimidated. “You girls stay out of trouble.” Then he walked to the back room, in the relaxed way he did everything, and closed the door.

I bit my lip, wanting so desperately to follow after him, but knowing we both had work to do.

Becky came to stand beside me and stared at the closed door. “Does he have a brother?”

“No,” I said with a sigh.

“A friend?”

I shook my head. “Married.”

“Damn.” She bumped me with her shoulder, the way she always did before saying something meaningful. “He better be good to you, Tuesday, or I’ll kick his ass. He knows that, right?”

I laughed, burying my face in my hands because I was suddenly feeling emotional again. Being with John was making all my hopes and dreams come true. Actually, he was more than what I’d hoped for. He brought things out of me I didn’t even know were there, and it scared the crap out of me. I turned to face her, tears brimming my eyes. “Becky, I think I may be in love with him.”

She took my hands, a serious expression on her face. “That’s a good thing, right?”

I shrugged then lifted my glasses and wiped my eyes with the heel of my hand. “I think so. But it scares me.”

“Is that why you’re crying?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m at the top of an emotional rollercoaster, and I’m about to fall.”

She paused a second then looked me in the eye. “Maybe you’re pregnant.”

I frowned and cleared my throat. “Don’t even joke about that.” I turned away, but a sick feeling grabbed my stomach. I stared at her.

“What?”

My nose burned with unshed tears. “I don’t remember when my last period was.”

“Ha-ha. Okay, I know, it wasn’t funny, but I’ve never seen you like this before.”

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