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“But ohmygod!” I shifted in my seat and a pulse of excitement wormed its way through my body. “I won’t complain about having to stare at two men who are as hot as all hell. Sawyer might have the sexy, smoldering good looks but Kane?” I groaned and pressed back in my seat. “He’s like one of those underwear models that you convince yourself aren’t real because how can one man be so good-looking?”
“I’m jealous,” Bianca whined over the phone. “You get to look at sexy men all day and I just get dogs.”
“Dogs are cute though,” I pointed out. “You get to spend your day with animals which is infinitely better than people.”
“Maybe. Although,” Bianca purred slightly and I could hear the smirk in her voice. “Kane must have some kind of crush if he immediately asked you to stay in the meeting.”
“Normally I’d laugh you off,” I replied, “and say that it was probably a power trip with Kane showing he could order me around but when the meeting was over? He winked at me when he left.”
“See!” Bianca screeched. “Even if it is just to pull one over on Sawyer, maybe you’ll get a nice, juicy man steak out of it.”
“Oh please,” I laughed, forgetting to keep my voice low and earning an irritated look from another nearby passenger. “He seems just as firm as Sawyer though. They talked the same, never really saying what they wanted to but the way he helped me up after I fell? The way Sawyer helped me up?”
I puffed out my cheeks as warmth swept up my throat.
“Maybe it’s a boss thing.” Bianca rustled slightly. “Money and power make people a hard ass and helping you up saves them from some kind of lawsuit.”
“I’d believe that if I believed what everyone else said but I don’t think it’s that. I’ve seen Sawyer’s soft side. He hides it well.”
“And Kane?”
“Well,” I chuckled. “His hand did linger on my elbow for way longer than was necessary. A girl can dream.”
“If that’s all you’re going to be doing, you got to at least get me a picture so I can understand these men you’re lusting after,” she laughed.
Lusting felt a bit strong. Deep down, I knew nothing was going to happen, but I could fantasize a little—enough that my days weren’t so completely dreary.
“Okay, enough about me,” I declared. “Tell me about your day.”
Bianca immediately burst into a long rant about a client who had forgotten to pick their dog up for three days. She had to pull out the big guns when explaining that a Veterinary Practice was not a shelter for dogs and that if they couldn’t take care of their animal, then there would be consequences. Her rant led on to pouring our frustrations about her boss and his refusal to give her more hours but with a new big client secured there was a chance of a bigger bonus.
I ended the call when the bus pulled up to my stop and, after checking how late it was, I hurried across the street to the hospice currently caring for my mother.
Each day was a gamble. Would she recognize me? Or would this be one of those days where I don’t exist?
I got my answer as soon as I stepped through the doors, and the nurse flashed me a sympathetic smile.
“How is she?” I asked, pausing in the doorway to the lounge.
“It’s been a tough day,” the nurse replied. “A quiet day can be good but she didn’t recognize her nurse this morning and that caused some issues.”
“Is she okay?” Worry swarmed through my chest and I took a step forward, but as my mother’s eyes listlessly passed over me without a hint of understanding, I hesitated.
Having my own mother look at me as if I’m a stranger is a deep, unique pain that I’m not quite ready to take on board today.
“She’s fine,” the nurse assured me. “Although now that you’re here, I do have to remind you that your bill is two weeks overdue. You’re coming to the end of your grace period and I understand things like this can be difficult but I have to chase it up.”
Despite the kindness in the nurse's voice, there was a touch of irritation in his eyes. Normally, I’d sympathise with how hard it is to chase people for payment, but just a glimpse of my mother makes my heart heavy in my chest.
“I’ll get to it,” I replied sharply. “It’s been a tough month. I explained all this to you boss. I thought she agreed to give me an extension?”
“She did,” he replied with a tight smile. “But that extension is up next week and I have to remind you. I’m sorry, it’s policy.”
Of course it was.
“Alright, I understand. You’ll have your money by the end of next week.”
How I was going to get that money though, I had no idea. It looked like my evening of relaxing was going to turn into searching for another bank willing to give me a loan.
