It was Saturday morning, and Jany was opening the shop, so she could spend the day at home with Billy. Her feet stopped on the bottom step as she heard voices. Brad was still here.
Making herself walk into the kitchen, she found Billy eating his cereal and Brad leaning on the counter drinking coffee. He saw her and smiled, and it made her toes curl. Open and honest, it lit his eyes. His hair was mussed, shirt wrinkled, feet bare, and she wanted to walk over and lean into that lovely body of his. Let him rest his head on the top of hers and settle into him for a long cuddle. It was a scene that she was sure would be carried out in several houses in Howling this morning, but it shouldn't be happening here.
“Mom, Brad arrived early to check on Razzle, and made me breakfast!”
“Oh.” She shot him a quick look, but couldn't read anything in his expression. “That was nice of him.”
“Yup, and then we took Razzle out and he did a pee and poop on the grass.”
The puppy wandered over and dropped his butt on the floor before Macy, and looked up at her. To give herself time, she bent to pat him.
“You want coffee?”
“I—ah sure.”
“How do you take it?”
“Cream and sugar, thanks.”
Billy hopped off his chair and ran past her.
“I'm going up to get Razzle's bed. He may need it for a nap, ’cause Mac said he'd do that a lot while he's little.”
Macy didn't know what to do with her hands, so she stuck them in her back pockets.
“I'm sorry. I planned to get out before he woke, but I overslept. He doesn't know I stayed the night, Macy. He thinks I arrived early.”
“Sure, thanks.” Macy made herself walk to the coffeepot. “The thing is, Brad, this is what I didn't want to have happen, and because I put myself in this situation it has.”
“I told you I wasn't into hiding, Macy.”
“I know… it's just that he's so young, Brad, and he won't understand what's happening if he hears about you being here last night. So, this….” She looked at him briefly.
“Hot, bone-melting sex?”
She gave a jerky nod.God yes!“I can’t let it happen again. I thought I could, but I can’t.”
“Sure, if that's how you want it.” She took a step back as he pushed off the counter. His eyes were now cool, the blue depths empty, his emotions shut off from her, and that lovely morning smile gone.
“I-I'm just not like other women. I have a son, and I hope you understand I can't let him see me behaving like a….”
“Woman with needs?”
The words came out coated in ice.
“This is a small town, and people will soon know if this carries on. I should have realized that, or maybe I did, but—”
“You put yourself first for a change?”
“I’m not first, Billy is, and I don’t want him hurt.”
“I told you last night someone may have seen me pull up, Macy.”
“I know, and I thought I could handle it, but I can't.”
“Your phone is ringing.”
She hadn't heard it. Hurrying out into the hall, she answered it.
