Sugar Pie by Victoria Pinder
7
Kerry
I’d spoken to my lawyer, Jeff, and given him all of the information. I’d even explained how I’d been left alone in that house for three months without a car because I’d embarrassed Romeo at the holiday party.
He’d suggested I could get alimony if we fought for it, but I wanted freedom more than money. I would figure out how to earn my own way, and I insisted I wanted nothing.
Freedom was worth more.
Warren had mentioned that his brother was the moral, upstanding type, which I agreed with after speaking to him.
Warren was too good to be true—handsome, dreamy, and determined. If I’d met someone like him in college, maybe I wouldn’t have married the wrong guy. At least I’d finally gotten the courage to leave, the first step of figuring myself out. I refused to be anyone’s trophy wife ever again.
I’d even told Jeff how he berated me in the car for two hours because I’d worn sneakers to a golf club event and said he was taking my car from me again.
It was enough to make me jump. I spent one night with no roof over my head, scared out of my mind as I walked to Greenville. Then I took the job with Mrs. Morris, knowing it was temporary.
All the changes finally felt worth it. Warren made me feel safe, and my luck seemed to have changed. I hummed as I walked to an upscale condo building to meet a couple who had run an ad for a house cleaner.
While I’d never cleaned professionally before leaving my husband, I’d quickly figured out how to do everything. The week before, I’d handled all sorts of messes, and I figured a childless couple would be easy.
As I made it to the front door, my phone rang. I recognized the Connecticut area code, but the number was unknown. I answered, and a shiver raced down my spine as soon as I heard Romeo’s voice.
I refused to be nice. I’d blocked his contact information. I closed my eyes and pressed myself into the side of the building. If a car went past with him in it, I needed to blend in. “Romeo, you’re calling me from a new number.”
“I’m using the car service,” he said, “and I’ll send a car for you.”
Oh no. He knew where I was. I glanced around, and nothing seemed out of sorts. I lifted my chin. “No. I’ll be sending you divorce papers soon.”
“Don’t be rash. We both know you’re not made to rough it anywhere, and you haven’t used your cards.”
I hadn’t wanted him to track me with credit card information. I left the side of the building and paced. “Because I’m not depending on you anymore.”
“I’m letting you have your little fantasy so you stop complaining all the time, but just unblock my number or call this one. I’ll send someone to get you.”
His tone made my blood run cold. I’d never been anything but arm candy to him. “Romeo, I’m serious this time. I’ve hired a lawyer. I’m done.”
“You’re just off your medication, but we can fix that right away.” He sounded annoyed.
I was also done with being drugged to keep me compliant. I started to argue, but the hospital paged him. I breathed easier because he wasn’t anywhere near me if he was on call. I glanced up at the building. “I don’t want to be your wife anymore. I want a life you can’t give me.”
“I won’t be the first in my family to be divorced.”
“Not my problem.” For the first time since I tried to leave him before, I had the power, and I wasn’t giving it back. “Welcome to the twenty-first century. Don’t call me again.”
“Ker—“
I hung up and walked into the building. I headed to the elevator and blocked his number, vowing never to answer an unknown number again.
I made it to apartment 302 and knocked. A woman dressed in all black answered.
“Hi, I’m Kerry. I called earlier. I’m here because of the job.”
She shrugged and started to close the door. “It’s been filled.”
“Oh.” I stepped back. I hadn’t been fast enough.
I walked out, used the building’s Wi-Fi to find a second option, and emailed the client. I refused to give into fear. I needed to support myself.
As I walked, my phone rang. I cringed when I saw my mother’s photo on my screen. “Mom, did you give Romeo access to my phone data?”
She hummed, which was always her tell. “I did. He asked for it so he could find you. I thought you two should speak.”
I shuddered. Luckily, I hadn’t told her anything. “My lawyer is sending him papers for a divorce. Don’t give him any more information.”
“This is more serious. I think I should get you, and we’ll have an intervention.”
I sniffed the air. I needed to breathe. She wasn’t stopping me again. “Absolutely not.”
“But—“
I hung up on her. It wasn’t polite, but I was done being told what to do. I put my phone in my back pocket and headed up the street to another house with a potential client I’d emailed.
I arrived, rang the bell, and waited. A few minutes later, an older man answered.
“Hi. My name’s Kerry. I’m here about the job.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “It’s been filled.”
My eyes widened. “That fast? I emailed half an hour ago.”
He shrugged. “You should have tracked with the app before you knocked on my door.”
I pivoted as he closed the door. But as I walked back to the apartment, I imagined my mother figuring out where I was with the Find My Phone app. I shook my head. “Mom isn’t a techie. I’m fine,” I muttered.
Romeo was, though, and she’d given him access. He knew where I was, and if he wanted to, he would find me. I lifted my chin, refusing to be bullied.
Halfway there, I tossed my phone into the street then watched as a pickup truck ran it over.
I would need to find a new way to communicate, but I would not let them stop me. It was my chance at freedom.
On my way back, I bought milk, dinner, and a few small items for breakfast.
When I got home, I breaded the chicken then added tomato sauce and store-brand cheese. I was missing a few spices, but my breaded chicken didn’t look bad. I hoped it would taste good once I cooked it. I flipped on the oven to bake cookies when the door opened.
My heart stirred when I saw Warren’s broad shoulders and bright smile. My husband had never made me feel tingly like Warren did. He closed the door, came up beside me, and said, “You didn’t answer your phone.”
Fair. I hadn’t thought about him. “I had to trash it, but I talked to your brother before that, and my papers should be served today. I hope you can call him now that you’re home.”
He nodded and held my arm gently. “Are you okay?”
The world went hazy when I was near him. I swallowed. “Is the job you mentioned earlier still available?”
His eyes widened. “Yes. With your help, I’ll work faster, and we’ll help each other achieve our dreams.”
His dream was more tangible, but the offer meant I would earn income to survive. Although my contracting experience was limited to years of decorating my house, my only interactions generally with the delivery people, that might come in handy if I needed to give a suggestion on the best lighting or kitchen schematic.
Either way, I wasn’t sure I had a tangible dream other than to sever all ties with Romeo. Second might be explaining to my parents that I was fine, but I’d have to show them stability for that. I reached for the oven to put the cookies in. “I can’t search for jobs anymore with my phone.”
He reached over me and turned off the burner and the oven. “Let’s go to the store and get a cheap phone and price out a laptop.”
He hadn’t asked what happened. Tension rose in my body. I wasn’t a charity case. Heat rose to my face. “I don’t want to burden you. I figure I’ll get a new phone once I start making money.”
He pointed me to my shoes near the door, and I put them on. “I’m telling you that you’re an investment, not a burden. We’ll call it a business expense, as you’ll need to make appointments for me. Then we’ll go home and cook together.”
He opened the door for me, and we walked out together. “It’s done. I just need to heat everything for about a half an hour.”
His eyes had a light in them that made my knees weak. I took a deep breath. “You’re a wonder,” he said.
Once we made it to his truck, I opened my own door before he even could offer. “Hardly. Cooking isn’t rocket science.”
He walked around the truck and took the driver’s seat.
The music on the radio kept us silent, which was good.
We drove to Best Buy and parked near the back of the full lot. His eyes widened at the number of people filing in and out. “Kerry, for most of my life, I had personal shoppers going into stores to get supplies. I’m not sure how it works.”
Shopping had kept me almost sane for a while, which only gave my parents and my husband more reason to say I’d spent cash needlessly. I took Warren’s arm to lead him to the electronics section. My fingers sparked with awareness, but I refused to let him go, as I was happy near him. I kept my head up and said, “I’ll guide you. It’s pretty easy, and I used to go to stores to fill my days. Personal shopping sounds like a fun job, to be honest.” I directed him to the back, past the TV section.
“Why didn’t you work before?” he asked.
Interesting choice of words. I shook my head and said, “I grew up privileged and wasn't expected to work. My parents earned a good living and afforded me a decent education, though my arts administration major was meant to get me a job in a museum, where I had no passion. My mother and grandmother told me it would help me as a wife, and then I married a doctor.”
He smiled at me as we made it to the computer section. “Ah, my brothers Cyrus and Elon are doctors.”
My gaze narrowed. Maybe he’d been as privileged as I had been, or maybe he and his brothers were just smart. I tilted my head as we scanned the laptops. “In New York or California?”
“California and New York.” He grabbed one and put it in the cart. “Elon set up his practice in California, and Cyrus worked in New York, though he took time off to bond with his new family.”
So he was younger and not making the big bucks yet. Family were supposed to invest in each other, but maybe that was all just a rumor about how people were supposed to act. I rubbed the back of my neck. “Romeo’s older and an anesthesiologist.”
We walked over to look at the phones. “That’s your ex’s name?” he asked.
“Romeo Cartier.” My voice went higher. Maybe his brother also studied the same group.
He shrugged and showed me a phone that cost two hundred dollars. There were fifty-dollar ones that had data plans, and I showed him one.
He shook his head. “Quality,” he mumbled.
I didn’t argue that it was an older model, as it was better than nothing at all. He put it in the cart, and we went to the cashier in the section so they could activate the line. He seemed confused that there was more than one place to pay and said, “You won’t regret trusting me.”
“I don’t.” I wanted to kiss him, which was silly. We waited in line, and I playfully bumped into him. “So if one brother is a lawyer and your other brothers are doctors, what happened to you?”
He stared down his nose, and I swore my toes tingled from the attention. “I… I like to build things from the ground up.”
I brushed my shoulders and nodded. He was right—we would help each other. I gazed into his eyes. “Well, I have a feeling you’re going to be successful. And I’m here to help.”
We made it to the register, and I glanced at his license, catching the name Norouzi.
“You’ll be great, Kerry. It’s why I asked for your help. I have a good feeling about you.”
His last name was vaguely familiar, but I brushed it off. It would have been rude to mention I’d read over his shoulder. “That’s one of us, then. I can only hope you’re right.”
He took the bags from me to carry. On our way out, he said, “Step one is believing in yourself. Everything else happens fast.”
When we made it to the truck, he opened my door for me, and I didn’t argue.
A country song played about trusting after being hurt, and I listened as goose bumps grew on my arms. I’d never once thought I would go near another man, but Warren was nothing like Romeo.
As we parked, I glanced up at him. He was sexy and muscular and made me feel safe. We walked up the stairs then slipped into the small apartment. As he closed the door, he said, “We’re home.”
I patted his shoulder like we were still just friends. “We are. I’ll heat up dinner.”
He shook his head and cut me off. “Thank you. I want to set up the computer, but afterwards, we can talk about my skills and the sites I’m using to book myself some jobs.”
Right. Work.We were a team, and I wasn’t only a cook and cleaner in my house. I smiled. “Sounds perfect.”
However, as I opened the box and glanced at Warren in the kitchen, I wished my life was different and free because I wondered what his kiss might taste like.
