“Danny! Of course, sweetie. Let me just tell Sheila and Chris that I’m heading out,” she said.
Julie loved when her husband surprised her with lunch dates. It used to happen more frequently when he worked at the Red Bar because his shifts started later in the day and ran until the wee hours of the morning, but a couple of years prior, the hours and scenes of club life had become too much to handle. They decided together that he’d enjoy the intimacy of a pub or bar like Chester’s or O’Brian’s.
That said, neither Danny nor Julie thought it would be smart for them to work and live together, so he found a job managing a bar that was a cross between the two places. While it wasn’t perfect by his standards, learning the business from the inside out was priceless. However, his hours mimicked Julie’s, so lunch dates became scarce as dinner dates became more common.
After popping her head into the back office to announce her lunch break, and after grabbing her purse and coat from the locker, Julie practically floated through the bar to where Danny waited. She rose onto the balls of her feet and wrapped her arms around his neck. The familiar scents of pear and driftwood, a combination that had become more of an aphrodisiac than the freshest oysters and finest chocolate, hit her nose, making her insides quiver. Hunger for more than food whipped through her body as she pulled her husband close, pressing their lips together. When his strong hand wove through her hair, cupping the back of her head, she practically purred in delight, giving Danny the perfect opportunity to claim her mouth.
“Ahem, this is a public place,” Chris teased from behind the bar, whipping Julie from her lust-induced haze.
“First of all”—Julie touched her kiss-swollen lips—“this is a bar. I’ve witnessed a whole lot more than kissing go on between these four walls. Second”—Julie glanced at the ceiling—“unless I’m mistaken, that, my friend, is mistletoe. You and Sheila are practically begging people to kiss. So as I see it, you should be thanking me for following orders…boss.”
Danny’s body shook with laughter as his arms wrapped around her torso. “Looks like she got you there, Chris.”
“I’d have to agree.” Sheila smiled as she joined her husband behind the bar. “You two go have lunch. I have to continue training my man here on management.” Sheila gazed lovingly at Chris. “It’s hard to go from being a silent partner to a hands-on manager, but I think he’s doing just fine.”
“It’s all the positive reinforcement you give me.” Chris winked, and Sheila blushed.
“Okay, umm, we’re out of here. Stay away from the mistletoe,” Julie teased before grabbing Danny’s hand and leaving the bar.
Sitting in a cozy booth at their favorite café, they chatted about a new employee at Danny’s job and Julie’s early morning conversation with Chester.
“Oh, I meant to tell you!” Julie’s insides bubbled with excitement. “I had to go to Home Depot yesterday for Sheila, and while I was there, I found the sweetest shade of pale blue paint for the baby’s room. I was thinking we could go back together and check it out.” Julie bit her upper lip, memories of the empty pink nursery gripping her heart. “We can buy it and wait to paint until a little closer to the due date.” Julie caught the frown that marred Danny’s lush lips before he had time to cover them with his palm. “Danny? What’s wrong?”
His chest rose with an audible heave of air, air that he seemed to hold for longer than Julie thought possible. She watched as his chest constricted slowly, silently.
“Honey, you spoken with Ivy?”
Danny’s question didn’t feel like a question at all. It felt like the beginning of something unpleasant. Like the lid of a box she’d rather keep closed. But Danny’s loving eyes implored her to open it. Her trust in him told her he’d be there no matter what was inside.
“Umm, kind of. Well, not really, but…” Julie replayed the past two weeks in her head. “She called the night of the ultrasound to thank us for the watch.” Julie had found the waterproof watch a few weeks earlier, after Ivy had talked about going to a beach for the summer to clear her mind once the baby was born. The card attached read, Have the Time of your Life.
“How ‘bout since?” Danny’s rigid posture had her on guard.
“She’s returned my calls, but I haven’t spoken with her. She’s busy studying for finals, and when she does call, it seems to be when I’m working. Why are you asking? What do you know?”
Danny frowned. “Is she calling you at home? Or on your cellular?”
“At home. Danny, what do you know?” Julie snapped, not noticing or caring about the prying eyes of other diners.
With brows pulled tight, Danny rubbed his hand through his hair. “Honey, I don’t know anything. But at the ultrasound appointment, I got a strange vibe after the technician announced that Ivy was carrying a boy. Something changed, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. I’m just scared, Jules. I’m worried that—”
“No,” Julie interrupted. “Don’t go there, babe. Please, don’t go there. That’s our baby, our son. Ivy is a young girl who has no plan, no support, and no clue. She’ll do what’s right for the baby.”
Danny nodded. His Adam’s apple bobbed as Julie forced air into her lungs.
“You’re right,” he finally said. However, there was no conviction in his face or his voice.
###
FOR FIVE DAYS and nights, Julie attempted to contact Ivy. She left messages on the young woman’s answering machine, and when no calls were returned, Julie contacted the adoption agency.
“What’s up, beautiful?”
Just the tone of Danny’s gravelly voice through the phone settled the nerves that had been churning in Julie’s stomach for the past ten minutes. “I just spoke with Ilene at the agency.” Julie barely recognized her own brittle tone.
“Go on.”
“She, umm, she’s got several appointments today but will be back in her office at five and would like to speak with us. Says we can either go see her there or talk with her over the phone.” Bile rose up Julie’s esophagus, threatening to escape, but she swallowed it back, refusing to make a scene at work.
“Julie, listen to me,” Danny spoke in a low voice. She knew he did that so she’d have no choice but to calm down and listen to what he was going to say. “I’ll be with you for that five o’clock call. I’ll come get you and bring you home. I do not want you driving, you understand? If you’re too upset, frustrated, angry, or just don’t want to be at work for any reason, call me and I’ll come get you. I can think of at least ten different ways we can spend our afternoon that will leave us exhausted but have nothing to do with work.”
Some flirtation was added to the command, but it wasn’t the playfulness she was used to. It felt forced, contrived, and she knew her husband was as scared as she was.
“Okay, sweetie.” I can fake flirty for his sake too. “I’ll tell Ilene to call us at home at five. And Danny, only ten things? Really?” She tsked. “I’m disappointed.”
His chuckle warmed what had been cold inside her since her talk with the agency worker. “I’m yours, Julie.”
“I love you, Danny.”
“Thank God for that.” The call ended, and Julie sighed. It was bound to be a long day.
Ever since it was decided that Julie’s position at O’Brian’s would be filled by Chris and moving the head waitress, Renee, up to floor manager, her work had become even more entertaining. For years, Julie had known Sheila and Chris as a strong couple, supportive of each other, and fun to be around. But with Chris working as an accountant and a volunteer firefighter, something he and Danny bonded over from the get-go, he’d never spent much time at the bar. Julie had feared how spending large quantities of time together would affect him and Sheila, but it only seemed to bring them closer together. Sheila was more relaxed, less tired, and when Chris walked into the room, her smile reached her eyes before it ever touched her lips.