My phone buzzed in my hand once again.Tommy.
My shoulders slumped, I sighed as I made my way back to the lockers.
I was only supposed to be at work tonight for a couple of hours, helping to cover the bar during the busy period. It was a rare situation where there was no one else available. Shaun, Jonas, and Sasha were all out sick, they must’ve caught the same bug and before they could spread it around to the rest of my staff I ordered them to stay off work.
It was utter bullshit and something that I really wasn’t happy about. It had been my night off, which was rare for a Saturday. I’d had plans to spend the whole night with Ava and Hallie.
I should’ve been threatening to fire people, but there was no use in that, after all, it wasn't their fault. And I’d hate to think of myself becoming one of those dictating bosses that everyone hated and talked about when their backs were turned.
So without any other option, that left me to help cover the bar during our busiest night of the week.
“Ava and Hallie O’Connor,” I said to the clerk behind the desk of the gym’s crèche. She disappeared for only a second before the girls came rushing out screaming. Their soft brown braids were messier than before and Ava had a small stain down the front of her top but they both had on their biggest smiles. They’d had fun.
“Mommy!”
“Thanks,” I said as she handed over their coats and bags. I picked Hallie up and held onto Ava’s hand as we made our way to the car.
“Do you have to work tonight, Mommy?” Ava asked.
“I’m afraid so, baby. Grandma will be coming over to watch you for a few hours.” I gave Ava’s hand a small squeeze. My heart cracked slightly when Hallie gave a huff and buried her face into my neck.
When I received my inheritance five years ago I thought I was doing the smart thing by building my empire. Making sure I always had a job and an income. If I could’ve traveled back in time with the knowledge that I had now, I think I would’ve talked myself out of it.
Leaving the girls, every day for only a few hours here and there was fucking hard. They were my life and I hated every second that I was away from them.
“How about we stop by the store on the way home? We can make pizzas for tea.” I said, trying to cheer them up. They loved helping me in the kitchen.
Both girls cheered as I strapped them into the back of the car. And then we made our way to the grocery store to collect our goodies for the night. I didn’t tell them that Mom was bringing over the latest Disney princess movie on DVD but I made sure to slip a couple packets of microwaveable popcorn into the basket. They skipped ahead and I giggled as they sang songs that I didn’t know the meaning of.
Like most six years olds, they were very happy little girls. And I reminded myself once again that despite hating it at times, I worked because it was the right thing to do. I was setting an example, showing them that they can do anything they set their mind to.
“Who’s the hunk?” Sasha asked eyeing up Callum, before turning a speculative eye towards me. “He’s been hanging around quite a bit lately.”
Hmm.
If only she knew. Well, she probably did, I would’ve been surprised if Bea hadn’t told her about her run in the other week. I was so glad it had been Bea that had walked in on Callum and I, it could’ve been so much worse.
If only they all knew that that man was Ava and Hallie’s father.
But then again, he didn’t know so why did they need to. Not to sound ungrateful, everyone here had been so supportive of my mom life - they were the girls’ extended family. But there were no go zones, their biological father being one of them. The only one who knew was Frankie, and that was because she was there. I’ve known the woman so long that the secrets are bound to have piled up.
“I heard the boss is cracking down on dilly-dallying.” I skillfully avoided her question and watched as she made a zipping motion over her lips with her hand. She quickly got back to work, scurrying after a customer’s drink order.
I turned back to look over at Callum.
He was in one of our raised booths lining the far wall, despite that, I could still see his eyes as clear as day. They were on me. They always were. They never once strayed.
Why would they?
He wasn’t there for the girls on stage, not the beautiful barmaids behind me. No, he was there for one thing, and he wasn’t moving until he got it.
He was there for me, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it. Or what he planned to do with me once I was in his grasp.
It wasn’t my job tonight but I did it anyway because I wanted to. About halfway through my four-hour shift, Callum was still sitting in his booth. He hadn’t moved all night, and I knew that because Sasha had been keeping tabs on him ‘for me’ she’d said.
I walked over, stopping in front of him our eyes locked their entire time. “Do you want anything?”
“You know I do.” His voice was low and felt like velvet against my skin.
