Sugar Pie by Victoria Pinder

19

Kerry

The hardware-meets-everything-for-the-house store was more interesting than I remembered. We walked into the kitchen-model area, and I pointed to what I thought was good and not good.

Then I found the best one and folded my hands on the counter. “When I think of kitchens, I need lots of counter places, and white is so much easier to see stains to clean right away than dark.”

He leaned next to me. “Of course.”

I traced the side and smiled as I imagined having strong, white cabinets and not the thinner laminate material used in our apartment. A home with the kitchen I had in my mind was brilliant. I stood. “I know white is maybe trending away, so we’ll check on color to see what’s hottest. Either way, the traditionalist in me still says white—it illuminates whatever needs fixing fast so the kitchen remains clean as a work room.”

He nodded, but in my mind’s eye, I saw the structure. I led him to the appliance aisle. He narrowed his gaze as we passed the food processors and asked, “So why are we here?”

I pointed to a few bigger boxes on the shelves. I needed him to see my plan. “Let’s say the client wants a convection oven, a pizza oven, a hood, and a microwave all built in. We need to find a vendor that’s flexible and not just use block cutouts like the ones you were installing in that house.”

He offered his arm. “You noticed them?”

I brushed against him but then put my hands to my sides instead of reaching for him. His touch set me on fire. “I just think cutouts are important.”

He stayed next to me. “You’d want a pizza oven?”

I let out a laugh. Cooking was always fun, and if I had a real pizza oven, we would be eating it more. But the fantasy of him coming home to me wasn’t professional. My cheeks felt hot. “You have no idea.” I almost told him how much I wanted to hold him and fall into his arms.

The words were on my lips, but then he tapped my shoulder and stepped back. “Hold on.”

He scooped up a doll and followed a woman with a baby carriage. “Excuse me. Your son dropped this.”

I followed behind him as the woman nodded and took the toy. “Thank you.”

Then he made a funny face at the baby, who laughed.

The mother smiled then continued on her way.

He returned to my side. I knew that one day, he would be a great dad. When he pressed against me to continue, I said, “The boy liked you.”

He shrugged like it was no big deal. “He reminds me of my new niece.”

Nice to kids meant he truly was a keeper. My heart melted. “How old is she?”

“Three months.” We walked outside, and the smile on his face was brighter than the setting sun over the green horizon. We walked back to the truck as he said, “My brother Arman was super happy the day he and his wife brought their baby girl to family dinner.”

I imagined a huge family where everyone knew each other. “You can fit all those people at one table?”

A group of women stopped in front of us as if they wanted to talk to Warren, but he led me around them as if he hadn’t noticed any of them. “Yes. Maman always planned for all of us to marry and produce children, so she made sure we had the room. And for all celebrations of togetherness, like my birthday, my parents tend to bring us together as a family meeting over dinner.”

With twelve boys, parents, and their families, I half imagined a castle table long enough for state dinners. “That must be quite a table.”

He opened my door for me, and for that second it was like the world didn’t exist outside of us. “My mother will ensure that we’re all well-fed and that we stay connected.”

“I like that.” My lips tingled for another kiss.

My eyelids fluttered, but then he left my side and headed around. He hopped beside me and asked, “Should we go out to dinner?”

Maybe I was wrong about everything and didn’t need to stress. If all he wanted was a no-pressure relationship, I would be happy. But dinner meant talking, and if we continued, I would wonder if we were in for the long haul. I couldn’t offer that, so I shook my head. “I want to go home, I think.”

He started the truck. “You seem pensive.”

I’d almost changed my mind about dinner out and talking, and my cheeks heated as I nodded. “Only for a minute.” Every second with Warren made me ache with temptation and desire.

His phone rang. I sat back and handed it to him. “Answer your phone. It’s Gerard.”

He answered and after hellos, he asked his brother, “What’s going on?”

I glanced out the window on the short drive. Warren would make an amazing dad. But however quickly that thought hit me, I wasn’t ready to think about family and another relationship. My divorce was fresh.

He said, “I’m glad you told her to move out.”

I tilted my head. I hadn’t expected to listen, but it sounded like his brother was in a tough spot.

Warren then said, “You’ll find someone better.”

True. Warren might too. We weren’t a forever thing even if I saw myself with him and his children. It was clearly a daydream that ended in the blink of an eye.

“Talk to you soon,” he said into the phone.

We were almost home, and I needed to get out of my own head. “Your brother’s girlfriend?”

“She tried to move back into the condo. He’d been away, and when he came home today, she was there and had clearly been living in his place.”

Wow. I pressed my hand on his heart. “After she cheated on him.”

We stopped at a red light, and he briefly met my gaze. “He felt guilty about kicking her out.”

I took his hand. Touching him sent a burning need through me. “I don’t get why she’d come back after she destroyed any chance of a relationship. I’d never go back to Romeo, and he didn’t cheat on me, as far as I know.”

The light turned green. He winked and proceeded on. “Not everyone is you.” Once our small building came into view, he asked, “You sure you don’t want to go out and maybe get a drink?”

I didn’t want to promise a relationship. It was better not to go out. I sighed. Once he parked, I said, “No. All day, I kept thinking about the kiss and how we should keep things casual.”

He turned toward me. “I don’t want anything casual with you. You get all jittery when we discuss ‘us.’”

“I can’t. It’s not that easy.” I would never hurt him on purpose. I swallowed and scooted closer.

He lowered his lids as if to kiss me. “Good, because I want you.”

I threw my arms around him. I desired him more than I’d ever wanted anyone in my life. Our lips met, and his kiss burned through me.

We came up for air, and I scooted away. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Maybe if he saw that casual was better, we would both be better off. Forever wasn’t a good fit for me.