“Snowplow man?” Riley asked in a shocked voice. “That was the snowplow man?”
“Yeah,” Connor answered for me. “He had a picture of a snowplow on the back of his jacket. Why?”
Riley turned her shit-eating grin on me. Its partner was on Mandy’s face. I was in trouble.
“That’s the guy Lexi mentioned last week. The one you gave free muffins to and who bought you lunch?”
“The one who saw you without a bra?” Mandy added.
“Whoa, Charles. I need to hear this story. You flashed the guy?”
“NO!” I shouted. I glanced quickly around and was relieved it was just us. None of my other customers needed to hear all this. “Jesus, you guys are making too much of this. He came by last week before I was open,” I explained to Connor, “and asked for coffee because he didn’t have any that morning. He was plowing the lot and I felt bad for him, and worried about him driving something that big without being fully awake. I gave him coffee and muffins and didn’t charge him because I didn’t feel like dealing with the register. He sent me lunch to thank me for the breakfast. He’s been in here every day since to get breakfast. There’s nothing else to tell.”
The three of them exchanged a look. I knew that look. It was one I gave Lexi when she was being an idiot. The one that told her she needed to pull her head out of the sand and see what was right in front of her.
I hated seeing that look directed at me.
“Charles, he’s into you,” Connor declared. “A guy doesn’t look at a woman the way he looked at you unless he’s dreaming about getting her naked.”
“Connor, I appreciate you trying to help, but guys don’t look at me like that at all. He likes coming in here because he likes muffins and cupcakes, not because he likes me.”
“Honey, listen. He can buy muffins and cupcakes from Wegman’s. Good ones. Not as good as yours, but still good. If he’s just here for the muffins and cupcakes he wouldn’t be in every day. The only people that come in here that often are here for you, not for the food.”
I hated the way my heart bloomed with the thought of Max coming into Bite Me! for me. I didn’t want to like him. Not that much. Liking him would only lead to pain later. I didn’t have time for a relationship when my dream was hanging in the balance. If we got involved at all, I would end up getting dumped when I couldn’t spend much time with him. The best thing for me would be to just shove him firmly into the customer zone and keep him out of the friends or more-than-friends zones.
“I can’t think about him. It doesn’t matter if he likes me or not, I’m not going there. I’ve got too much to worry about with saving Bite Me!” I picked up empty mugs and plates and dumped them in the sink, then wiped down the counter to keep my hands busy.
“Have you found a new place?” Riley asked, latching onto my subject change without a second thought. As a fellow business owner I knew she understood how devastating closing my doors, even temporarily, could be. Riley’s own business was always under threats because of the bigger bookstores, but she held on.
I shook my head. “I looked at a few places last week, but one was too small and the other didn’t have any space for seating, but had a great kitchen. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have three weeks left.”
“Do you want us to put out some feelers? See if anyone knows of a retail space that’s available now?”
I nodded. I hated putting my friends in the middle of my mess, but it was time to accept that I couldn’t do it. I was standing by every day watching my dream circle the drain. I needed to plug it. “If you hear of anything, I’ll look. I have a realtor who’s helping, but there just isn’t much out there. I’m starting to lose hope I’ll find anything. It’s pretty much guaranteed I won’t find it by the end of the year.”
“We’ll work on it, Charles. Connor’s got a lot of contacts and I see tons of people every day. Between the two of us we’ll talk to as many people as we can. We’re not going to stand back and watch you go under.”
“Thanks, Riley. It appears I can use all the help I can get.”
The rest of the day Mandy and I talked through ideas and browsed the real estate listings. The next day ended up being pretty much a repeat of the first, except Max actually said hello to Mandy. She liked him and made sure to tell everyone at our girls’ night how cute he was, and how into me she thought he was.
After their endless questions, that I avoided as much as possible, I finally managed to change the subject again, but couldn’t stop thinking about Max. Every day he came in I liked him a little more. He was starring in my dreams and had taken a starring role in my private fantasies, too. It was getting to be too much. I had to find a way to put him out of my mind so I could focus on saving my home and business.
Mandy’s third morning she came in looking like death warmed over. I could tell she’d barely slept. Her eyes were rimmed in red, her skin was pale, and her hair was only partly held back in a ponytail. Xander gave me a look that said he was worried and I returned my own, reassuring him I would call if she wasn’t better. He looked relieved to know I would take care of his wife, but he was still reluctant to leave her. She finally managed to shove him out the door and immediately laid her head down on the counter.
“Are you okay?” I asked when Xander was gone.
“I feel like shit, actually. I barely slept all night. This baby has finally gotten big enough that my back is aching all the time. I’ve had heartburn for the last day, which I blame on you since I’ve been eating so many delicious cupcakes, and I feel like I’ve gained another ten pounds this week. Again, your fault.”
“You make pregnancy sound so amazing. I can’t imagine why everyone isn’t jumping at the chance,” I teased her.
Mandy groaned. “It hasn’t been bad until the last day or so. I guess this little one is starting to prepare for his or her arrival.”
I smiled thinking of Mandy holding her little baby for the first time. She was going to make a great mother, loving and devoted. I could envision the picture of their little family, perfect and happy in their home. It was so starkly different than the way I’d grown up. Yeah, Grams loved me and I never doubted that. But forever I wished for a mom and dad who loved each other and loved me more than anything else in the world.
Mandy and Xander’s baby would have what I’d always wanted. Mandy and Xander had those things too, even though Mandy’s upbringing wasn’t perfect by any stretch. Her brother was cruel to her when they were little and she always felt like an outsider in her own family, even though she knew her parents loved her. Their baby was lucky, in a way I’d never been. It had a place it belonged, a place it would be loved unconditionally.
If I ever had kids I would show them that same love.
Even though Mandy wasn’t feeling great, she accepted a muffin. She ate it slowly while I helped the customers who came through in a slow trickle. The O’Neill’s sat down next to Mandy and asked her about her pregnancy and how she was feeling. While they were talking Max came in and I broke away to help him.
When I brought his coffee out from the back I glanced over to Mandy. She had turned white and was gripping the edge of the counter. Mrs. O’Neill was leaning over her, talking quietly to her. I handed Max his coffee and got his muffins and cupcake while watching Mandy. “Is she okay?” he asked as I handed him the bag and box.
“I’m not sure. Do you have a minute?”
Max nodded and I went to the other end of the counter.
“Oh, Charlie, Mandy here needs to get to the hospital now. She’s in labor and probably about ready to push. I wouldn’t delay at all, you need to drive her there now, honey.”
My heart dropped to the floor and panic settled over me. I had no idea what to do. I was completely paralyzed watching my friend as another contraction ripped through her body. She gripped the counter again and leaned into Mrs. O’Neill, who held strong despite her advanced age.
“Are you sure?” I finally managed. “She wasn’t in labor a minute ago,” I pleaded, hoping Mrs. O’Neill was wrong, knowing as I said the words she couldn’t be. Mrs. O’Neill had six kids of her own and a gaggle of grandkids and great-grandkids. If anyone knew labor, it was Mrs. O’Neill.
“She’s been in labor all night, Charlie. The back pain she felt was labor pains and the heartburn was her body warning her. Now her contractions are stronger and she needs to get to the hospital. She’s going to have this baby within a few hours, if not sooner.”
Max seemed to spring into action, thanking the O’Neill’s and ushering them out the door with promises I would call them later. He asked me where my car was and if I had towels on site. “I live upstairs so yeah there are towels. Through the kitchen and up the back stairs.”
“Stay with Mandy. Are your keys upstairs too?”
“Huh?”
“Keys, Charlotte. Where are your car keys?”
My brain skidded as I realized what he was asking. “Shit, my car isn’t big enough. I have a coupe. She won’t even be able to get into my backseat. Well, if she can, she won’t get out. We need Xander.”
“Who’s Xander?”
Mandy clenched my fist and moaned as the pain ripped through her again. I was vaguely aware that it had only been a couple minutes since her last contraction. She was going to have her baby, soon. There wasn’t time to get Xander.
“Xander is Mandy’s husband.”
“We can’t wait for him to get here first. We have to go now. Lock up.”
Max directed us out the front door and I locked it behind us. We loaded up into Max’s Explorer, me in back with Mandy and Max driving straight to the hospital. He drove with one hand and dialed Mandy’s phone with the other.
“Xander?” Max said into Mandy’s phone, then paused. “Yes, my name is Max. I’m a friend of Charlotte’s and I’m driving your wife to the hospital right now. I was at Bite Me! this morning when we realized she’s in labor.” He waited, listening to Xander. I could hear his loud voice from the backseat, although I couldn’t understand what Xander said. “Apparently pretty far along.” He paused again. “We couldn’t wait for you to get there. Meet us at the hospital.”
Max hung up and asked for Mandy’s doctor’s name. At the next stoplight he looked up the number on her phone and called the office, telling them we were headed to the hospital. “Is there anyone else we need to call? Her parents?” Max asked when he hung up.
Mandy shook her head. “You can call Claire and everyone, but they don’t need to be there now. Let’s just get to the- AHHH!” Mandy howled and grabbed my arm, squeezing.
I held onto her and let her barrel through it. She looked so miserable, but I knew she needed someone to be there for her. Max saved my life driving us. I never would have made it driving while Mandy labored alone.
He pulled up into the emergency entrance and threw the car in park. He came around and helped Mandy out of the car, half carrying her into the ER. At the desk he explained what was going on and helped get her settled into a wheelchair. Xander burst through the doors while we were talking to the desk. He rushed over to Mandy and kissed her forehead before they disappeared with a nurse.
“Call your friends, I’ll go park the car.”
Max vanished and I whirled around to the desk. “Where will she go?” I asked the woman who’d helped us get Mandy checked in.
“Fourth floor. There’s a waiting room up there. Would you like me to tell your boyfriend where you’re going?”
I shook my head, not correcting her error, and stepped toward the door to start making phone calls.
By the time Max came back in I’d gotten in touch with almost everyone. Drew told Carrie what was going on once Xander left and she was already on her way with him following soon. Carrie called Riley and Sam by the time I got to them also. Addi couldn’t get away from school, but promised to stop by after work. Lexi promised to come after work too, but Claire was on her way.
“Do you know where she is?” Max asked when I hung up with Claire.
“Yeah, she’s on the fourth floor. I can’t thank you enough for your help. I don’t think I would have made it if you hadn’t been there.”
“It was my pleasure. Is there anything I can do for you?”
I shook my head, not really ready for him to leave, but knowing there was no reason for him to stay. Someone would give me a ride home later so I didn’t even need him for that.
But I wanted him to stay. I couldn’t explain it, but I didn’t want to be alone. I knew it wouldn’t be long before my friends would descend on the hospital, each with her husband. For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t have a man to lean on.
“Do you, um… Do you want me to stay?” Max asked.
“No,” I said too quickly. “I mean, I’m sure you have other things to do today besides sit around the maternity ward and wait for a stranger to deliver her baby.”
Max smiled and stepped a little closer to me. He looked like he wanted to say something, like there was more lingering. “Is there anything I can do for you at your shop? We left in a hurry. A coffee pot to unplug? Lights to turn off? Anything?”
“Shit,” I said aloud. “I didn’t even think. I left everything on. Hell, I didn’t even lock the back door. I need to go-“
“Do you trust me?”