of a grimace. I need to snap out of it and be a host or this night will be ruined.
I clear my throat. “Josie you remember my wife, Aubrey. And this is Liam.” I’m speechless when Liam steps forward and shakes her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Aubrey.”
“Nice to meet you too. Thanks for coming.”
“Oh here,” Josie holds up a plastic bag. “We brought Chinese. I hope you like it. I know Nick and Liam do, but didn’t really know what you liked, but I thought that most people like Chinese –”
“Josie,” Liam interrupts her.
“What?”
“You’re rambling. I’m sure Aubrey likes Chinese. Let’s just eat or whatever.”
“Here, let me get these out of the cartons and on the table. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable. Nick, why don’t you get drinks for everyone?”
Aubrey takes the bag from Josie and gives me a kiss before she retires to the kitchen. I watch as she retreats.
“She’s very pretty, Nick.”
I nod, not ready to take my eyes off the entryway leading to the kitchen. I sigh and finally look at Josie who now has Liam’s arm around her waist. “She is. What can I get you to drink?”
“Whatever you have is fine.”
“Liam, do you want a beer? I have these new microbrews that I picked up.”
“Yeah, sure, that’d be great.”
I excuse myself and almost collide with Aubrey when she comes out of the kitchen. I kiss her briefly on the cheek. I hear her talking to Josie and it makes me smile. Maybe they can be friends. Aubrey could use a friend, but I wouldn’t want her to feel awkward.
I pour Aubrey and Josie each an iced tea and grab beers for Liam and me. When I get to the dining room area, they are all sitting around chatting, even Liam, which surprises me. He thanks me and twists off the top before taking a sip.
I sit next to Aubrey and we all dig in. Maybe it’s best that we eat before we get down to business.
“So Aubrey, what do you do?”
Aubrey sets her fork down and holds her napkin got her mouth while she swallows her food. “Nothing yet.”
Josie’s eyes go wide and I know what she’s thinking.
Aubrey waves her hands in the air. “Oh no, don’t think anything bad. This is my first time in the US. Nick wanted me to get to know Beaumont before I find a job.” She looks over at me and smiles. She’s right. She doesn’t need to work.
“Well if you find yourself bored, I’m hiring.”
“What happened to Jenna?”
Josie looks at me. “Jenna is still there, but the shop is busy.”
“Thanks for the offer, Josie, I’ll consider it.” That answer seems to be enough for Josie, she nods and continues to eat. Aubrey looks at me, her eyebrows go up, her silent way to telling me to ask the question that brings us all together, but I can’t seem to find my tongue.
I shake my head and continue to eat refusing to make eye contact with her or anyone else at the table.
Liam and I help ourselves to seconds, as the ladies chat about everything from fashion to the latest movies. They seem to be getting along great and that means a lot to me. I’d like for Aubrey to have some friends here and it’s not that I’d expect an invite to Katelyn’s for Sunday football, but it would be nice to have my friends back.
Liam sets his fork now and clears his throat. He rests his hands on the table and folds them. I don’t know what’s about to happen, but I have a feeling I’m not going to like it. The Liam I know from high school wasn’t reasonable and he has no reason to be now.
He’s about to rip my heart out of my chest and there isn’t shit I can do about it.
Chapter 9
I resign myself to accepting the worse. If I was in Liam’s shoes I wouldn’t want my son to have anything to do with his mother’s ex. I should never have asked. I should’ve just waited until I saw him again and asked how he’s doing just like any other doctor would do and forget the countless hours I’ve spent with him. After tonight all I’m going to have is
I clear my throat. “Josie you remember my wife, Aubrey. And this is Liam.” I’m speechless when Liam steps forward and shakes her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Aubrey.”
“Nice to meet you too. Thanks for coming.”
“Oh here,” Josie holds up a plastic bag. “We brought Chinese. I hope you like it. I know Nick and Liam do, but didn’t really know what you liked, but I thought that most people like Chinese –”
“Josie,” Liam interrupts her.
“What?”
“You’re rambling. I’m sure Aubrey likes Chinese. Let’s just eat or whatever.”
“Here, let me get these out of the cartons and on the table. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable. Nick, why don’t you get drinks for everyone?”
Aubrey takes the bag from Josie and gives me a kiss before she retires to the kitchen. I watch as she retreats.
“She’s very pretty, Nick.”
I nod, not ready to take my eyes off the entryway leading to the kitchen. I sigh and finally look at Josie who now has Liam’s arm around her waist. “She is. What can I get you to drink?”
“Whatever you have is fine.”
“Liam, do you want a beer? I have these new microbrews that I picked up.”
“Yeah, sure, that’d be great.”
I excuse myself and almost collide with Aubrey when she comes out of the kitchen. I kiss her briefly on the cheek. I hear her talking to Josie and it makes me smile. Maybe they can be friends. Aubrey could use a friend, but I wouldn’t want her to feel awkward.
I pour Aubrey and Josie each an iced tea and grab beers for Liam and me. When I get to the dining room area, they are all sitting around chatting, even Liam, which surprises me. He thanks me and twists off the top before taking a sip.
I sit next to Aubrey and we all dig in. Maybe it’s best that we eat before we get down to business.
“So Aubrey, what do you do?”
Aubrey sets her fork down and holds her napkin got her mouth while she swallows her food. “Nothing yet.”
Josie’s eyes go wide and I know what she’s thinking.
Aubrey waves her hands in the air. “Oh no, don’t think anything bad. This is my first time in the US. Nick wanted me to get to know Beaumont before I find a job.” She looks over at me and smiles. She’s right. She doesn’t need to work.
“Well if you find yourself bored, I’m hiring.”
“What happened to Jenna?”
Josie looks at me. “Jenna is still there, but the shop is busy.”
“Thanks for the offer, Josie, I’ll consider it.” That answer seems to be enough for Josie, she nods and continues to eat. Aubrey looks at me, her eyebrows go up, her silent way to telling me to ask the question that brings us all together, but I can’t seem to find my tongue.
I shake my head and continue to eat refusing to make eye contact with her or anyone else at the table.
Liam and I help ourselves to seconds, as the ladies chat about everything from fashion to the latest movies. They seem to be getting along great and that means a lot to me. I’d like for Aubrey to have some friends here and it’s not that I’d expect an invite to Katelyn’s for Sunday football, but it would be nice to have my friends back.
Liam sets his fork now and clears his throat. He rests his hands on the table and folds them. I don’t know what’s about to happen, but I have a feeling I’m not going to like it. The Liam I know from high school wasn’t reasonable and he has no reason to be now.
He’s about to rip my heart out of my chest and there isn’t shit I can do about it.
Chapter 9
I resign myself to accepting the worse. If I was in Liam’s shoes I wouldn’t want my son to have anything to do with his mother’s ex. I should never have asked. I should’ve just waited until I saw him again and asked how he’s doing just like any other doctor would do and forget the countless hours I’ve spent with him. After tonight all I’m going to have is
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