Page 70 of A Better Place

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

James

She actually said yes. No hesitation. No nervousness. Well, a little nervousness, but I just seem to bring that out in her. She seemed… ready. And excited. Few times in my life have I felt this excited, and I have not a single clue what I’m going to do for our date. For all the hours I spent waiting and hoping this day would come, I never actually envisioned what it would look like.

As much as it pains me to admit it, I need help. I haven’t been on a date — much less a first date — in more years than there are iPhone versions. And that help? It comes in the form of three enabling little brats.

I pick up my phone and shoot off a quick text, telling both Lauren and Tess to meet me at Dreamin’ Beans, hoping that Christine is working. They both respond with telling me they’ll come, as long as I get them coffee.

After I throw on a ball cap and walk down the stairs from my apartment above Balance, I walk out into the frigid air for ten steps into Christine’s coffee shop.

I step inside, letting the warmth and scent of coffee wash over me. I make my way to the register and order a black coffee and one of her out-of-this-world cranberry and orange scones for me, a caramel latte, and cinnamon roll for Tess, and a pumpkin-spice latte and apple muffin for Lauren. She has the best pastries here.

“How you feeling, sunshine?” I ask her when she groggily emerges from the kitchen area.

“Ugh,” she responds as she pours herself a cup of coffee and grabs a muffin.

“Yeah, that’s about how Carly was this morning, too.”

She waggles her eyebrows. “Oh re-e-ea-l-ly?” she teases as she loops her arm with mine. We make our way to the couch that’s set next to the fireplace and take a seat.

“Oh, stop. You know it wasn’t like that.”

“I know.” She sighs. “One can only hope, though.”

“It’s your hope that I spend the night with Carly? That’s kinda weird.” I smile.

“Shut it. You know what I mean. She’s happy with you, James. I’ve only known her a short time, but I see it. When she first moved here…” She shakes her head. “…I don’t know. It was bad. She wasn’t in a good place. Everything spooked her. I don’t know her story, not fully, anyway, but I know what I see now. And what I see now makes me happy.”

“Jack told me some stuff last night,” I confess.

“He did?” she asks, her eyes wide.

“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m not going to breech their confidence because it’s kind of obvious she wants that part of her life to stay private. But I’m just saying, if I can give her happy now, after what she’s been through, that’s more than anything I could hope for.”

“You’re a good guy,” Christine tells me.

“Thank you. And I gotta say, so is Andy.”

“Hmmm?” she says looking away.

“You heard me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says, deflecting quite well. “Tell me. How was Carly feeling this morning?”

“Nice. Diversion. I’m very well-versed at this. Well done.” I bow my head toward her.

“Why, thank you, sir.” She smiles.

“She was feeling rough,” I admit.

“I feel like such a giant shit. I didn’t know she didn’t normally drink!” I hear Lauren shout. “She did it so well! I mean, until the end, I guess. Then she kind of went from let-the-good-times-roll to completely passed out.”

“She did,” Tess agrees.

My sister leans over first to give me a hug then takes a seat next to me as Lauren sits on the oversized chair to the side of us.

“Your sustenance, ladies,” I tell them and point to the table in front of me. When they notice their pastries next to their coffee, they both groan and dive for them.

---