Gosh, how many more years I’ll be able to get away with that before he tells me I’m embarrassing him?
“Nana said I need to come hang out with you for a little bit,” he says just before Stella appears.
“Emett, if you’re planning to send me to an early grave, you’re going to succeed.” She plants her fists on her waist.
“Sorry, Grandma,” he says sheepishly, his tone full of guilt. “I just got too excited about seeing mom.”
“Let me guess, you ran across the street again?” I arch an eyebrow.
“I promise, I checked for cars. I really, really did.” He bulges his eyes all innocently at me. My son has a reckless streak in him and none of us know where it came from.
If I wasn’t there when he was born, I’d think he was switched at birth.
“Uh-huh, sure you did.” Stella pins him with a look but it’s never quite as intimidating as it is with all of her students and turns to me. “Sorry, I’m dropping him off with you before the end of your shift, but I have to make a run to Boston. I just found out there’s this surgeon there right now for a conference and I need to catch him before he leaves. I’d like for him to see Electra.”
“Do you think he can help?” I ask, hopeful.
“At this point, I’m willing to try anything. Not that I think she needs that kind of doctor, but it’s worth a shot. I’ve called the nurse back, she’s there with Seth.”
“Thank you. And of course, it is! Go!” All of us—apart from Electra herself—are willing to do whatever it took to get her walking again. “Call me if you’ll have any news,” I call out as Stella disappears with a wave back.
I look down at my son, who’s bouncing up and down beside me. “Okay, I’ve got another couple of hours in my shift. Do you think you could color a few placemats for me?”
It’s not often, but from time-to-time Emett hangs out with me while I work, so I’ve come up with a few ideas for him to kill some time. It’s not ideal, but it’s also my life, so what else do we expect?
He nods eagerly and climbs onto the last barstool at the very edge of the bar that he claimed as his own a while back, settingKevin the police bear right next to him. Liam, the bartender and the owner’s grandson, fist pumps Emett right away, setting a glass of cranberry juice in front of him. My son’s favorite.
Liam, Electra, and I all went to school together. He’s actually the one who helped me get the job here when my life fell apart. He’s good looking with a short buzz cut and muscular body, but he’s never been anything more than a friend, seeing as I was hung up on Joey at that time and he was hung up on Electra.
“Hey, bud, are you keeping me company today?” Liam asks Emett.
“Yep. Uncle Liam, there was an Outlaws game earlier today, can you turn it on?”
I roll my eyes as Liam chuckles, picking up the remote. “You know I always got you, bud. Recorded it just for you.”
“You know…it’ll save you a lot of time if you just skip to the end.” My limbs freeze. My heart skips a beat at the sound of that voice.
“Mr. Brick!” Emett shouts, jumping out of his seat and I turn around in time to see a smile so wide on Severin’s face, it shoots right through my heart as he catches my son and lifts him up in his arms. “You’re hereandon TV, that’s so cool!”
He’s just as beautiful as he was last week in his expensive clothes, with the only exception being that scuff on his face. It’s thicker and longer tonight. Even from a few feet, his warm scent wraps around me, drawing me like a stupid moth to a dangerous flame.
And then there’s me. In my serving uniform and a messy ponytail with my hair flying out of it in every direction.
“Mm-hmm, the coolest.” Severin keeps the smile going until it meets me and dies, instead his lips thin out as he sets his mysterious gaze on me. “Aurora.” He tips his head in greeting.
That smooth voice of his stirs a whole storm inside me.
I could’ve sworn I’d never see him again, yet here he was, standing in the middle of Blade’s, holding my son and greeting me as if I was on his mind as much as he was on mine with the only difference that his reflect that confusion and dislike.
“What are you doing here? Did you come to see Mr. Axe? I don’t think he’s here tonight. Is he, Mommy? I was looking for Mr. Axe too! I wanted to call you and say thank you for my bears! But Mommy doesn’t have your number and she couldn’t take me to see Mr. Axe, but I really love the bears!” He fires off rapidly. “You got me soooo many! That was silly.” Emett giggles. “Mommy, fast, give me your phone, we need to get Mr. Brick’s number!”
“Well, he’s here now, baby, so you can just thank him in person, right?” Emett seems to think my words over.
“Yeah, I guess I can. Thank you, Mr. Brick that was the bestest surprise ever!”
Severin clears his throat. “You’re welcome, little man. Was it the right one?”
“Nope, but I love him even more! Oops.” Emett clamps a palm over his mouth and whispers, “You don’t think my old Kevin the police bear can hear me up in bear heaven, do you?”
