Chapter 6

The following afternoon, having taken off early from work due to Greta’s Christmas concert, Charly, using her new borrowed wheels, dropped off a resume at a new dental office and got an on-the-spot interview. When she met up with Ares outside of Charly’s school, she practically exploded upon seeing him.

“I got it,” she exclaimed.

“Got what?”

“A new job.” Her lips curved. “I start after New Year’s.”

“That is fantastic!” He lifted her and whirled her around.

She laughed. “Thank you so much. Your help with the ride…” She shook her head. “I don’t know how I can repay you.”

“You already have by inviting me to a concert. I am stoked.”

Her lips pursed. “Says a man who’s never been to a school concert before. Let me tell you, it’s painful.”

“How bad can it be?”

Given Greta was in a split junior/ senior kindergarten, it involved some kids crying. One little boy, in absolute hysterics, kept reaching for his mother in the front row. Those not having a meltdown sang off-key while not always using the expected words. There was the kid who picked pompoms off his ugly sweater and threw them. The little girl who yanked another’s pigtails. And the finale included a fight over who would ting the triangle because, apparently, the second one went missing.

Despite the drama, Greta was perfect, singing with gusto, wearing a bright red dress Charlotte had picked up second-hand at a garage sale.

Ares beamed like a proud parent when Greta sang her two-line solo and gave her a standing ovation and a whistle at the end, which had her little munchkin beaming so hard Charlotte’s heart burst. How could this man who barely knew them act more like a father than Greta’s own ever did?

After they returned to her house, in two vehicles since he had his truck, he insisted they go to dinner, his treat. “Your choice,” he told Greta.

And of course, her kid, whose idea of fine dining differed from an adult’s, hollered, “McDonald’s!”

Hence why her first not-at-home dinner date with Ares occurred in a Golden Arches restaurant and not the fun kind she grew up with. It now resembled a black and gray box, but at least the food remained the same. The fries too salty but deliciously crunchy. The Big Mac just as yummy with its sloppy special sauce. Greta had a Happy Meal and was excited about her prize. Ares had a quarter pounder with cheese, a McChicken, nuggets, and an extra-large fry.

“Hungry?” Charlotte teased as he dug in.

“Always. Mickey D’s has always been a favorite of mine.”

“Me too,” chirped Greta.

“Apple or blueberry pie for dessert?” he asked.

“Ice cream,” giggled her kid.

A laughter-filled, family moment interrupted by a frisson going down her spine. Her head swiveled, and she scanned the patrons. No one familiar, yet she felt watched, and not nicely. The expression “someone walked across her grave” came to mind.

Ares reached out to grab her hand. “You okay? You look like you saw a ghost.”

“Fine. Just being paranoid.”

Surely Barry wouldn’t have seen the video. Wouldn’t have flown so far. Wouldn’t be here at this exact location at this exact time.

No way.

She couldn’t shake her unease though, and when she pulled the car into her townhouse driveway, she wasn’t ready to go inside. She glanced at him. “Do you have to leave?”

“Nope. I’m yours as long as you need me.”

She glanced at Greta in her booster seat in the back, which she’d snared from the local church that had resources for single, low-income parents. “Want to go see some Christmas lights?”

“Yesss!”

Ares tapped Charlotte’s thigh. “If you’ll let me drive, I know a house that has the most epic decorations.”

“Be my guest.”

She emerged from the car and, as she rounded the bumper to exchange spots, put a hand out to stop him.

“What’s up?”

“Thank you.” This time she didn’t kiss his cheek but planted a soft embrace on his lips.

He sucked in a breath but didn’t try and maul her. He murmured, “Good thing it’s cold outside ‘cause the shower I’m going to be taking later is gonna need to be frigid. Damn, woman.”

It gave her a thrill to know he found her so desirable, and it led to her boldly saying, “Or you could spend the night. I don’t work until nine.”

“Only if you’re sure.”

She cupped his cheek. “No. But that doesn’t seem to change the fact there’s something about you I can’t resist.”

“Feeling’s mutual.” He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Better get in the car before princess gets impatient.”

True to his word, he drove them past a house done up Christmas Vacation style with lights, RV, everything. They spent over an hour slowly coasting up and down the side streets, oohing and aahing at the shining lights. Holding hands, she should add. The car being an automatic didn’t need him shifting, and when he reached, she slid her fingers against his.

It felt warm. Right.

Until that moment, she’d not realized just how much she’d missed that intimacy and connection with another person.

It made her all the happier she’d asked him to sleep over. Although she might try and smuggle him out in the morning without Greta seeing him. She did not want to deal with those questions yet. It was too soon.

As they drove back to her place, with a sleepy kid in the back, they heard sirens.

“Sounds like something’s on fire,” he remarked.

As they turned onto her street, she gasped. Not her place, but the home next door had smoke seeping from a broken window. A truck with flashing lights was parked out front. A huge hose lay on the ground.

A cop stopped the car, and Ares rolled down the window. “Hey, Officer. Is the fire out?”

“Fire’s contained, but the area is off-limits.”

“But I live here,” exclaimed Charlotte.

The cop glanced behind him then back at them. “Afraid no one’s going to be allowed inside that block of homes until the inspectors deem them safe.”

“But…” Overwhelmed, she lost her voice, but Greta didn’t. “Where are we going to sleep?”

Trust Ares to have a ready solution. “My house.”