“Oh, crap-a-doodle!” My mother set her glass of orange juice on the counter, her eyes wide. “I forgot Pinky’s checkup is today.”
I knew from the way she pinned her gaze on me this was now my problem. “What time?” I sighed.
“Four.” She smiled. “I would take her, but I’ve got yoga at three thirty and you know how it is anytime you see a doctor. You wait and you wait.”
“Well, we can’t have you skipping your daily Downward-Facing Dog stance.”
“Ha. As if I can do that move.”
“Where’s your vet again?”
“Just down the way near 72nd Street. It’s called Paws For Care.” She finished off her juice and approached me on the couch. She settled next to me. “So how’s work?”
I grimaced. I knew she didn’t approve of my job as a bartender, but I had to give her credit for keeping her disapproval out of her tone for once. “Good.”
“Dating anyone special?” She examined her pristine red nails. “Any nice boys on the horizon?”
I restrained my laugh. “Nope.” I wasn’t looking to settle down, even though my mom hoped I would. Most of the guys I met were most definitely not “nice boys.” They were drunk and horny, not exactly long-term material. But I wasn’t seeking a real relationship anyway. I liked to play the field these days. There were a lot of hot, fun-loving guys in the city, and I saw no reason to pick just one.
She pushed her lips out in a pout. “You know, honey, when you were younger this was fine. But you’re thirty.”
I held up my hand. “Excuse me. I have one month left of being twenty-nine. Don’t rush me.”
She rolled her eyes. “My point is you’re not a kid.”
“I am inside.”
Running her gaze over my face, she shook her head. “Have you given any more thought to going back to school?”
I scowled. I should have known she couldn’t hold in her disapproval for an entire conversation. “What is this? Why are you nagging me so much lately? I make good money. The Shaker is a high-end bar, not some dive in Downtown Brooklyn.”
“I worry about you.” She patted her salt-and-pepper hair as she studied me. “You’re my only kid. Excuse me if I want the best for you.”
“I’m doing fine.”
She sniffed. “Your father, God rest his soul, made me promise to keep you in line.”
I laid my head back against the couch and groaned. “Oh, geez. Not the ‘your father made me promise’ speech again.” I rubbed my face roughly and then met her sheepish gaze. “If I was asking you for money all the time or complaining I was lonely, then I could understand your concern. But I’m happy, Mom. Or at least I’m happy enough.”
She squinted at me as if I was a foreign life-form. “And you don’t ever miss not having a special someone?”
I snorted. “No.” A special someone? Could she be any cornier?
“You just go home alone to your empty apartment at night and that suits you just fine?”
I smirked. “I’m not usually alone.”
Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of fuchsia. “I don’t understand your generation.”
“You don’t have to.”
She scowled. “How can you just want to jump into bed with someone with no real connection?”
I held out my arms and spoke to the room at large. “Is this really happening right now? I’m sitting here talking about my sex life with my mother?”
“You’re so dramatic.” She laughed and swatted my arm.
I turned to her, and her sincere expression softened me. “Look, I know you love me and you’re just trying to help. But I don’t want a boyfriend right now.”
“Is it because of Paul?”
My gut tightened and I kept my expression blank. “No. This has nothing to do with him.”
She leaned toward me. “There’s nothing wrong with admitting he hurt you.”
“That’s the past.”
“No one would blame you for being gun-shy about men after the games he played.” She sighed. “But most people aren’t like Paul. Most people truly are good.”
I grimaced. “Are you sure it was Dad who was the lawyer, and not you?”
“I took some pre-law classes.” She grinned.
“Well, don’t use them on me.”
She patted my leg. “Paul had us all fooled, honey, not just you.”
I raked a hand through my hair in frustration. “Look, the guy was a jerk. I was more naive then. I’m not like that now. I can read people better.”
“You’ve changed that much in a year?”
“Yep.” The key was that I didn’t let guys in emotionally these days. But since I was only dating the customers who came in looking for sex, it worked out well. I only went home with the ones who accepted my ground rules; I didn’t see any guy twice. So long as that was cool with them and they were sexy as hell, then we could have a good time together.
“I just don’t want you to die alone.”
I widened my eyes. “Jesus, Mom.” I gave a short laugh. “You’re really in a mood.”
She shrugged.
“What about you? It’s not like you’re dating.”
Her mouth tightened. “I had the perfect man. There isn’t anyone out there who could possibly fill your father’s shoes.”
“No one would have to. They only have to be good to you and care about you.”
She grinned suddenly. “My God, you’re as big a nag as I am.”
My lips twitched. “I learned from the best.” I stood and put on my jacket.
She followed me to the door. “You won’t forget about Pinky’s appointment later today?”
“Nope.” I kissed her on the cheek.
“You know I love you, right?” Her eyes were soft with affection.
“And I love you back.” I left her apartment and headed to the elevator. I went down two floors and got out to walk the carpeted hallway to my apartment. I’d moved into my mother’s building after my dad died two years ago. She’d been a complete mess, and it had been easier to keep an eye on her living in the same building.
My phone buzzed as I entered my suite. I recognized the number as a guy I’d hooked up with a day ago. Irritation bubbled inside of me. I’d made it clear our time together was a one-off. Why was he calling me? I pushed my phone back into my pocket, ignoring a twinge of guilt, and went into the kitchen to make myself some coffee.
I was annoyed my mom had brought up the subject of Paul. I didn’t like thinking about him. We’d dated a full year, and then I’d discovered he’d been fucking around on the side the whole time. The humiliation still made my skin flush with embarrassment. I’d always prided myself on being able to read people. What a laugh. He’d had me a hundred percent fooled with his lovey-dovey routine. The asshole had even almost convinced me to move in together. I shook my head and poured water into the coffee-maker reservoir.
I’d lied to my mom when I’d said he wasn’t why I was such a mess romantically. Ever since Paul had screwed me over, it was impossible to trust anyone anymore. Paul had been so charismatic, and he’d seemed so sincere. When I thought of the nights we’d spent together—candlelight baths and romantic dinners—and how much effort he’d gone to to fool me, it made me sick to my stomach. I no longer trusted my ability to judge people, regardless of what I’d told my mom.
I leaned against the counter and watched the coffee drip into the carafe. I didn’t understand what would motivate a person to trick another. Maybe that was part of why what had happened with Paul had been so damaging. I couldn’t see the reason or logic for playing me like a fool. Had he been after my parents’ money? My parents had always been loaded, and now my mom was twice as rich after my dad’s generous life insurance policy had paid out. But I couldn’t fathom using a person and trying to get them to fall for you just for money.
When the coffee finished its brewing cycle, I poured myself a big cup and sat out on my patio. The sun felt amazing on my skin, and I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of the city below. I pushed away thoughts of how nice it would be to have someone to share these quiet moments with. That kind of thinking would only lead to depression.
I needed to remember that I wasn’t really alone. I had plenty of male attention and enough acquaintance-type friends that I was rarely bored. Some people just weren’t meant to be permanently joined to another. I was probably one of those people. I winced when I remembered how sappy I’d been when I’d thought Paul was the one. I’d even considered maybe having kids one day. Not something I wanted now. The very idea made chills run through me. What kind of a horrible clusterfuck would it have been if I’d married Paul, adopted a kid with him, and then discovered he was an asshole? We’d have been connected for life to each other because of the child.
I shuddered at the close call I’d had. One of the reasons I enjoyed my job was I was surrounded by like-minded people for the most part. Very few of the people who worked at the Shaker were married or in a serious relationship even. It made my casual lifestyle easier.
I finished my coffee and then spent the rest of the afternoon reading and puttering around my apartment until it was time to take Pinky to the vet’s office. When four o’clock neared, I made my way to Paws For Care. I opened the door to the veterinary shop, but I wasn’t greeted by the usual cheerful woman at the counter. Instead, a cute blond guy sat in her spot looking like he’d rather be anywhere than where he was. His face was flushed, and he avoided direct eye contact. “Welcome,” he said stiffly.
“I have a four o’clock appointment with Dr. Hazelton.” Pinky squirmed in my arms and I kissed her furry little head.
The guy scanned the logbook in front of him. “Name?”
“Pinky.”
He frowned and kept his eyes down. “No, I mean your name.”
“Oh.” I laughed. “Sorry. It will be under Bernadette Franklin. I’m her son.”
He flicked his sky-blue eyes to mine and then down again. “Okay. It’s here.”
“Of course it is. Do people usually try to sneak in to see the vet?”
“Not really.”
When he turned his head toward the back, I noticed there was a long, jagged scar that ran along his jaw. My stomach tensed as I wondered how he’d gotten it. He didn’t look like the type who’d go in for plastic surgery. While he looked kind of rumpled, he seemed clean. His plaid shirtsleeves were rolled up, revealing muscled forearms, and he smelled like detergent. “You’re not the usual receptionist.”
His face flushed more, and he swallowed hard. “Patty had a hair appointment and she asked me to cover for an hour.” His thick dark lashes hid his expression. “I manage the kennel in back.”
“So you’re a jack-of-all-trades.”
“Hardly.” For the first time, he met my gaze squarely.
The punch of attraction that hit me when his light gaze rested fully on mine surprised me. He had a guarded but kind of innocent air about him that made my chest tight. I could see instantly that he’d been hurt horribly by someone. I was shocked I could read that so clearly on his handsome face, but it was there.
“You’re doing great.” I spoke firmly, wanting to reassure him for some bizarre reason.
His mouth tightened and he said, “Yeah, right.”
“I mean it.”
He shook his head and pointed toward the chairs behind me. “Take a seat. I’ll call you when the doctor is ready for you and Pinky.”
I moved to the seating area and sat where I could watch him. I knew I was acting kind of weird, but he intrigued me, and I didn’t get intrigued easily these days.