Page 12 of Daddy's Little Drummer Boy
Hope you have a scraper.
I wasn’t sure I had one for my car. I needed to check on that. I was going to need to drive to the mall later, the bus routes to that stop ending too soon for me to get home via public transport.
He replied with a selfie, holding one up like it was a fish for a dating profile. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
He looked good. But of course he did—it was Nick. I had a feeling that even first thing in the morning he looked like a full-ass six-course meal. Wait…were six-course meals even a thing? They had to be because he was that delicious.
Nick asked if I was on my way to work, and I told him I was. Then he asked if he could call. Instead of replying, I phoned him.
“Morning, Nick. What’s up?”
“I was calling to see what your schedule was this weekend and to ask if you might want to go on another date with me.” It was so good to hear his voice.
“I’d love that.” Which probably sounded more believable before I gave him my schedule, thwarting most all times we could get together.
I was working double shifts as the Drummer Boy when my day work schedule allowed it. Ron had quit the drummer gig, and I didn’t mind adding his hours to my own schedule money wise, but socially? It was not so great for starting a new…dating-ship. Was that what we were? It wasn’t a relationship—not yet. Yeah, dating-ship. I was going with that.
We made plans, and as my bus pulled up, I said goodbye and headed to work.
It was a long, boring day in the office, and when it was finally time to leave, I nearly bolted for the door. I stopped home just long enough to change into my costume for the mall drummer gig. Work there was getting hectic as Christmas drew closer and at least that made the time go more quickly than my day job.
Today was particularly chaotic. One of the elves had called in sick, which meant, I was on Santa-line duty. On weekends, the kids were generally better about waiting their turn, but during the school week, they were often overtired, their grumpiness shining through. At least it was an early night.
When I got home, I was burned out. After the world’s fastest shower to get rid of my makeup and sweat, I changed into my favorite dinosaur pajamas, filled a sippy cup with milk, and grabbed Rooney.
I dug through my little drawer until I found my rubber blocks. They weren’t as fun as the large set of building blocks I used to have, but they came in a small container, were easy to move, and didn’t make much noise. They worked for apartment life.
Sitting on the floor, I stacked the blocks one on top of the other. When I got to five high, Rooney would “knock” them down, and I’d start all over again. One time then another and another. I sipped my milk in between and, for the first time in a long time, slipped deeply into little space.
It was exactly what I needed.
Climbing into bed that night and hugging Rooney close, I told him all about Nick and how much I liked him. As I fell asleep, part of me felt guilty for falling so deeply for someone this quickly, especially after Daddy. But it had been years since he passed—not days.
This was what Daddy had wanted for me. He didn’t want me to be alone forever. He’d made sure I knew that.
This wasn’t about me replacing him or anything like that. Nick wasn’t very much like Daddy at all. Daddy had been stern and controlling, and I liked that. I thrived on it. But it wasn’t the only thing I liked or the only way I thrived.
The truth was, I liked Nick’s softer approach too.
Once upon a time, that wasn’t what I needed. But now…now, I was beginning to think it was.
I fell asleep thinking about him.
When I woke up, I was hard, and once again, I was thinking about him. It wasn’t the first morning I’d woken up that way, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.
Nick had that effect on me, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.
Chapter Ten
Nick
We hadn’t had dinner at Bobby’s apartment yet, but with the number of hours he was working, there was no way I would agree to him going to all the trouble I knew he’d go to for such an event. Instead, I suggested something he’d mentioned in passing that he’d loved to do when he was a child.
A boat parade on the river outside the city. I’d never been to it, but Bobby was so excited that when I picked him up, he flung his arms around my neck and kissed me, making all the arrangements I’d managed worth every minute. I had a big surprise ready for a certain boy, and I hoped he’d be as thrilled about it as I was.
When we got down to the marina, I walked him right past the seating area where people were getting ready to watch boats decorated with lights and ornaments go by. “Nick,” he said. “Aren’t we going to sit in the stands?”
“Not tonight, we’re not.” I looped an arm around his waist and guided him down to the dock where a friend from Chained’s boat was tied up. It was a forty-foot motor-sailboat, decked out from bow to stern with more decorations than were probably legal. As we approached, I saw a dozen or so people on deck, all from the club.
