Page 17 of Capacity
Maybe he wasn’t flirting. I’d gone so long without even looking at a man that my sensors were off-kilter.
The last man I’d been with was Kaiden’s father, Jacob. We were high school sweethearts that fell into a toxic on again off again pattern that lasted for years. When I got pregnant with Kaiden, he changed into a man I didn’t recognize. He denied Kaiden was his and became extremely scarce. Once Kaiden was born, Jacob was nowhere to be found.
I thought about hunting him down and demanding a paternity test. I thought about taking him to court for child support. I thought about smearing him in public and all over social media. My thoughts spiraled more than a few times.
I could never bring myself to do any of it though. I knew who my son belonged to because I wasn’t the type of woman who slept around. I wasn’t opposed to it but it wasn’t my thing. I decided not to take him for child support either because I didn’t want to force a man to support his own child. It would be more damning in Kaiden’s eyes to realize his father never offered to do one good thing for him out of the kindness of his heart. Besides, I didn’t want my child to see me fighting with his father. I shouldered everything myself and took the best care of Kaiden that I could.
I poured my entire life into him for as long as he lived. He was my world. I didn’t see any men. My job as a mother meant I didn’t have people traipsing in and out of my house or my life. Evidently, it also meant I was completely out of touch with how men worked.
“It’s fine,” I told Mr. Cunningham. I signaled to the bartender and he came over to take my debit card. “Is it okay with you if we take a walk? Just something to get you out of this bar.” When I stood, I felt Mr. Cunningham’s eyes take a quick trip up and down my body before landing on my face.
“You know what? I’m going to take you up on that offer because I really shouldn’t be here.” He looked longingly at the bar and the people sitting around talking before opening the door for me to walk through.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt your evening.” He slipped his hands into his pockets and looked down at his feet. Golden strands of hair fell in his eyes but it looked as if he wanted the veil. His humility was unexpected.
Usually, when guys looked the way Mr. Cunningham did, they had the arrogance and asshole demeanor to go with it. Not him though. He never even asked for my name last night after buying me and Coco a bottle of expensive wine. He didn’t expect to see me again.
“No, you didn’t. My friend, Coco, the crazy woman I was at the bar with last night, she was supposed to meet me at the bar so she could hear if I got the job or not but she had to run errands with her son.”
“So you’re free to walk your alcoholic boss around until the urge disappears. You’re a saint.”
“How long have you been sober?” I asked him, ignoring the self-deprecating comment.
“Eight days. Not long at all. Certainly nothing to celebrate.” His broad shoulders rose and fell.
“Eight days is amazing. Why aren’t you proud?”
“I talked to a guy last night who’s nearly a year clean and I feel this huge mountain in front of me.” He shook his head and furled his brows together before looking at me. Our steps fell perfectly in rhythm with one another. “I’m sorry. I have no idea why I have word diarrhea right now. This is way too much shit to put on you after you just accepted the nursing job. I promised you I’d be professional and…”
“I’m a nurse, Mr. Cunningham. I help people. It’s what I do.”
Even if I don’t have the capacity to help myself.
A tight smile pulled his lips up and he nodded at me before pausing in the middle of the sidewalk. “You’re extremely talented and like I said you have a big heart. I’ll be fine. I can walk to my car. Thank you for walking with me.” He held out his hand for mine and we shook.
Even though the air outside was chilly, something sparked heat when our hands touched. It was the same thing that happened in his office earlier. The heat wrapped around my wrists and climbed up my arms making me self-conscious of my scars as if he could see them through my sleeves. Still, the heat was so delicious.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Cunningham. I will see you bright and early in the morning.”
“I look forward to it.” After a few quick awkward moments, Mr. Cunningham and I went our separate ways but my hands still felt the warmth that jumped to life when we touched.
As I walked to my car, I looked at my open hand wondering if there’d be actual sparks dancing along the lines of my palm. There was nothing and I knew there wouldn’t be but something still made me look.
…
“I knew you’d get the job, Lumi!” Coco squeaked over the phone. I called her the minute I got in the house.
“Thank you.” I curled up on the air mattress in the living room and turned on the TV. “There’s something else. Something about my boss.” I felt another smile trying to burn its way onto my lips. It was the same kind of heat I felt when I shook Mr. Cunningham’s hand.
“Oh?” Coco said curiously. “Fat old bald man?”
“The complete opposite. Principal Cunningham is the hot blond from the bar last night.” I shut my eyes and waited for her reaction.
She drew in a quick, sharp gasp then there was nothing on the other end. Complete silence for at least a minute, which is unheard of for Coco.
“You’re lying! Is he really the principal?” When she finally spoke her voice was loud and bouncy. I held the phone away from my ear and smiled a little. “Oh my god, that had to be so fucking weird, Lumi!”
“You should’ve seen my face,” I chuckled. “He’s nice though. The interview went on for two hours because we kept talking. It wasn’t lava hot conversation that flowed but it was conversation that coasted. It was easy and I didn’t feel panicked.” I tucked my bottom lip between my teeth and realized that talking to Mr. Cunningham had been the first real conversation I’d had with anyone outside of my mother and Coco since Kaiden died.
