“Maybe it’s a new start, for both of us.”
Their coffee mugs clinked as they tapped them together. Debra laughed. “Not as classy as wine glasses—”
“No, but it’s more us.”
She blinked in surprise as he took the words right out of her mouth. Debra set her mug down on the kitchen counter and raised her lips for his kiss. He obliged, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. He tasted of coffee and whiskey. He smelled of cedar and firewood. A soft sigh melted out of Debra. Whatever happened later, she wanted this moment. She wanted now. She wanted him. “We’ve celebrated Aidan’s birthday,” she breathed into his ear. The tingle of anticipation shuddered through her. “Are you ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day?”
Chapter 8
Sean awoke the next morning to an unfamiliar bedroom and a slight indentation on the mattress next to him. He ran his hand over the fading warmth and inhaled deeply of the orange-scented sheets.
Debra.
The silence of the bedroom was dispelled by the sounds rising from the kitchen where Debra was probably preparing breakfast. A smile inched across his face, and thoughts of Debra widened it into a grin.
It felt good.
“Good” was enough for him. He did not want to dig too deeply. There was no need to put a name to anything he was feeling—not when large parts of him were still raw from his relationship with Romina.
Just live in the moment. Inhale. Exhale.
He closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling with each deep breath that filled his lungs. The aroma of oranges, infused with the bright promise of summer, surrounded him. The peace of the morning settled around him
The smell of butter and eggs rose to meet him as he made his way downstairs. For several moments, he stood by the kitchen door, watching Debra bustle through the familiar space, preparing breakfast for three in much the same way she had prepared dinners for three for several weeks now.
At that moment, however, she looked beautiful, her face lightly touched with makeup, and her long hair pulled back into a ponytail. A faint smile danced on her lips, but her economical movements were relaxed.
A stray thought flashed through his mind. I want to wake up to this every morning.
The words wavered and he had to clear his throat before trying again. “Good morning.”
Debra looked up with a smile. “Hey.” She tilted the skillet to slide the scrambled eggs onto a plate. “Sleep well?”
Sean nodded and shoved his hands into the pockets of his denim jeans. He stared down at the spread of toast, cereal, fruit preserves, and scrambled eggs Debra had laid out on the table. He searched for the elusive words. How did one say thank you for great sex? “Thanks for breakfast.”
“No problem. Aidan should be up soon, and I need to leave in a few minutes. I have to open up the café. If you leave after Aidan, can you lock the door on your way out?”
“Sure.”
“Oh, I might be a bit late getting home tonight. I need to run by the grocery store for basil. I have chicken stew planned for tonight.”
“The one with the tomato base that I like?”
She nodded.
“Don’t let me keep you from starting your day. I’m already counting down the minutes to dinner.”
She laughed and leaned in to press a kiss on his cheek. “Okay, I’m off. You have a great day.”
He stared at Debra’s back as she walked out the door. Was that it? No issues. No drama. Just “Good morning; enjoy your breakfast. See you tonight?”
He pressed a hand to his cheek where the warmth of her kiss lingered. Could life really be that simple? Was this what normal felt like?
Damn, but it wasn’t just good.
It was great.
Debra’s cell phone rang as she walked into the café. Juggling keys and handbag, she pulled out her phone and glanced at the caller ID before accepting the call. “Hey, Holly,” she greeted her one-time best friend who was once again her best friend, albeit with a eight-year interlude in their friendship
“How was Aidan’s birthday?” Holly asked.
“Could have been a disaster. None of his friends showed up.”
“What? Those little brats.”
“Weren’t they all in your class once?” Debra asked. Holly had been Aidan’s first-grade teacher, and she would certainly have known his classmates too.
“Yes. If I were still their teacher, they’d have several points docked off their good behavior chart.”
“Aidan had a good birthday anyway—by the way, we received the gift you sent. Thanks.”
“No problem. I hope he likes it. So, Aidan’s birthday. What happened?”
“All the families from the fire station came over instead.”
“Fire station…oh, Sean.” Holly dragged his name out in a knowing tone. “So, did something happen?”
“Something did happen, actually.”
“Oh!” Holly’s voice trilled with delight. “Was he good?”
“Holly, we’re thirty-two. We don’t ask these kinds of questions anymore.”
“Of course we do. Well?”
Debra smiled as she set her bag down and hurried behind the counter to get the coffee started. “He was wonderful in bed, but far better was talking to him in the morning about mundane things—like locking doors and buying groceries—the kinds of conversations people take for granted when the same person who falls asleep beside them also wakes beside them, and is around day after day.”
“I know what you mean,” Holly murmured.
“I can’t say I’ve missed them when I’ve never had them, but I’ve always wanted those conversations.”
“And now you have them.”
Debra nodded, a lump rising to block her throat. “He’s a good man, Holly. He’s done so much for Aidan and me, long before we meant anything to him.”
“I’m so happy for you, Debra. You deserve it. You’ve earned your happy ending.”
Had she?
After several more minutes of conversation, Debra hung up on her best friend, but Holly’s words cast a lingering shadow of doubt over Debra’s joy—like the premature congratulations of a pregnancy or engagement. How could she boast of a happy ending after her first night with Sean?
