lately. With her feelings running amok. Out of
control. All since meeting Brett.
“I just couldn’t be that disciplined, that’s all.”
His head dropped back against the desk. “I guess I’m just too laid back.”
His face was relaxed. Not a care in the world. His
feelings completely under control.
“We’re different,” she said softly.
“Yes we are.” He reached over and touched her
chin. “Opposites in a lot of ways.” He leaned in closer. “And exactly alike in
others.”
She leaned back. “Brett, we’re in my office.”
“But we won’t always be.” His eyes twinkled.
#
"Put that cabinet against this wall."
Allison motioned to an area on the left side of her office. Sinking against the
corner of her desk, she sighed. "Thank goodness that's the last of
it."
"Now what?" Brett stood next to her,
folding his arms across his chest, his elbow grazing her shoulder.
"Well." She peered around the office and
shifted away from his touch. He was always so close, crowding her thoughts,
distracting her.
"I...uh...need to go through some of the
files we just put away. They should be organized according to...” She placed a
finger over her lips. She couldn’t think with him in her office, most less
organize files. "But not today."
"You tired?” He gazed at her profile. “I was
beginning to think you never quit work."
His head inched closer. Her heart beat faster.
“Maybe we can take a little break and...
She slid to her right. "I need to get home
and meet Kelly."
"Where's she been? With a friend?"
"No." Allison knelt behind her desk to
retrieve her purse. "With her father. He picked her up yesterday after
school and he's dropping her off this afternoon around five."
"So, he lives around here?"
"No.” She dug through her bag, wasting time.
“He flew in from Raleigh."
“Hmmm. Another missing parent.”
He paused.
What was he thinking about? He so seldom looked
serious. His ex-wife? Is she a missing parent, too?
“Does Kelly see him much?"
She hesitated, not used to talking about James. It
opened the door to so many questions. Uncomfortable questions, with awkward
answers.
Brett stood in front of her desk, watching her
every move, his hands stuck in the back pocket of his jeans, waiting patiently.
He might not push today, but he’d ask again. Most
people didn’t ask much about James, but Brett would. She couldn’t avoid talking
about him forever. And Brett was raising a child alone, too. They did have that
in common, even of there was little else.
"He thinks he spends a lot of time with her.
But he doesn't really." She sank into her chair, rubbing the sides of her
neck with her fingers. "He'll see her every few weeks for several months
straight and then not at all for...I don't know. I guess the longest time was
around six months." Six months of her agonizing over Kelly’s feelings,
trying to decide whether to make excuses for him or let Kelly decide for
herself about her father. "He really does love Kelly and she loves him.
He's just different and ..."
"What?" Brett encouraged.
“Well, the two of us just don’t...” She stopped.
Not sure how to explain.
"The two of you don’t agree on how to raise
Kelly."
"Yes.” She raised her head in surprise.
Perceptive man. “How did you know?"
"I'm divorced too, remember. With a child.
With an ex-spouse." His mouth formed a thin line. "An ex-wife who I
disagree with on almost everything."
"Oh?" So maybe she’s not so perfect
after all.
The ringing phone erased her wonderings about
Brett’s ex. It could only be Kelly calling. And that wasn’t good.
"Hello."
She slung her purse over her shoulder as she
jumped out of her chair. "Don't worry, sweetie. I'll be there in a few
minutes. Be sure to lock the door."
She slammed the phone down. "See. That's just
what I mean." Surging from behind her desk, she pointed to the phone.
"Kelly said they were having a fine time until he got a call and suddenly
he needed to
control. All since meeting Brett.
“I just couldn’t be that disciplined, that’s all.”
His head dropped back against the desk. “I guess I’m just too laid back.”
His face was relaxed. Not a care in the world. His
feelings completely under control.
“We’re different,” she said softly.
“Yes we are.” He reached over and touched her
chin. “Opposites in a lot of ways.” He leaned in closer. “And exactly alike in
others.”
She leaned back. “Brett, we’re in my office.”
“But we won’t always be.” His eyes twinkled.
#
"Put that cabinet against this wall."
Allison motioned to an area on the left side of her office. Sinking against the
corner of her desk, she sighed. "Thank goodness that's the last of
it."
"Now what?" Brett stood next to her,
folding his arms across his chest, his elbow grazing her shoulder.
"Well." She peered around the office and
shifted away from his touch. He was always so close, crowding her thoughts,
distracting her.
"I...uh...need to go through some of the
files we just put away. They should be organized according to...” She placed a
finger over her lips. She couldn’t think with him in her office, most less
organize files. "But not today."
"You tired?” He gazed at her profile. “I was
beginning to think you never quit work."
His head inched closer. Her heart beat faster.
“Maybe we can take a little break and...
She slid to her right. "I need to get home
and meet Kelly."
"Where's she been? With a friend?"
"No." Allison knelt behind her desk to
retrieve her purse. "With her father. He picked her up yesterday after
school and he's dropping her off this afternoon around five."
"So, he lives around here?"
"No.” She dug through her bag, wasting time.
“He flew in from Raleigh."
“Hmmm. Another missing parent.”
He paused.
What was he thinking about? He so seldom looked
serious. His ex-wife? Is she a missing parent, too?
“Does Kelly see him much?"
She hesitated, not used to talking about James. It
opened the door to so many questions. Uncomfortable questions, with awkward
answers.
Brett stood in front of her desk, watching her
every move, his hands stuck in the back pocket of his jeans, waiting patiently.
He might not push today, but he’d ask again. Most
people didn’t ask much about James, but Brett would. She couldn’t avoid talking
about him forever. And Brett was raising a child alone, too. They did have that
in common, even of there was little else.
"He thinks he spends a lot of time with her.
But he doesn't really." She sank into her chair, rubbing the sides of her
neck with her fingers. "He'll see her every few weeks for several months
straight and then not at all for...I don't know. I guess the longest time was
around six months." Six months of her agonizing over Kelly’s feelings,
trying to decide whether to make excuses for him or let Kelly decide for
herself about her father. "He really does love Kelly and she loves him.
He's just different and ..."
"What?" Brett encouraged.
“Well, the two of us just don’t...” She stopped.
Not sure how to explain.
"The two of you don’t agree on how to raise
Kelly."
"Yes.” She raised her head in surprise.
Perceptive man. “How did you know?"
"I'm divorced too, remember. With a child.
With an ex-spouse." His mouth formed a thin line. "An ex-wife who I
disagree with on almost everything."
"Oh?" So maybe she’s not so perfect
after all.
The ringing phone erased her wonderings about
Brett’s ex. It could only be Kelly calling. And that wasn’t good.
"Hello."
She slung her purse over her shoulder as she
jumped out of her chair. "Don't worry, sweetie. I'll be there in a few
minutes. Be sure to lock the door."
She slammed the phone down. "See. That's just
what I mean." Surging from behind her desk, she pointed to the phone.
"Kelly said they were having a fine time until he got a call and suddenly
he needed to
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