Our Finest Hour (The Time #1)(65)

Some of my irritation dissipates. Obviously her questions were really meant for her own daughter. I was just the lucky recipient.

I jump a little when my knee is squeezed under the table. I look to the hand, then up to the person it’s attached to.

Lauren offers a small, lopsided smile.

“I’m OK,” I say quietly. In a normal voice, I ask her about work. I don't want to talk about my absentee mother or the fielding of insensitive questions.

We spend the next ten minutes talking about three difficult children in her class, until a dessert tower is placed on our table. Claire's eye's gleam, making Lauren laugh.

“Just like Isaac,” she says, grinning.

I nod and chuckle. Isaac's excitement over sweets is cute. The way his mouth forms a small ‘o’ and then he says, “Ohhhh”. Chocolate is his favorite, so I guess the stereotype is wrong. Men can love chocolate too.

Lauren grabs a cupcake from the bottom tier and extends it across me to Claire. “Did I guess correctly?” She asks her.

Claire nods vigorously, reaching out. She licks some frosting off the top.

“Mmmm,” she smacks her lips.

I peel the wrapper off for her and help her eat it one-handed. Lucia sneaks her another when she thinks I'm not looking and they giggle together. When Lucia catches my gaze, she winks and laughs. I return the smile, but my insides feel like jelly. Claire has a loving, doting grandmother, a fun aunt, and a mother who loves her with ferocity. She’s beyond lucky, and she doesn't even know it.

After a closing speech from someone else on the committee, including a very obvious call-to-action, the brunch is over.

And me? I am so done too.

I want to go home.

The thought doesn’t put me at ease, though, because when I think about home, I realize I’ve pictured Isaac’s place. Not my dad’s house.

And I’ve put Isaac right in the middle of the picture.





Four months ago, if somebody had told me this would be happening to me, I would have laughed in his face.

Daughter? I don’t have any kids.

Girlfriend? Her name is Jenna.

Job? It just so happens I’m being considered for something in Boston.

Fast forward to now. Completely different answers.

I wouldn’t say Aubrey and I are dating. She’s too skittish for that. When our hours are up, we leave each other alone. Every day since the night I took her out almost two weeks ago, we’ve spent an hour together. It’s the reason for her nickname.

“Hey, Sixty,” I say when she walks into the kitchen.

She smirks and sits at the table with her coffee. “Hello, Doctor Cowboy.”

I think she really liked discovering my soft spot for country twang. She hasn’t let me forget it since.

“Good morning, Claire Bear. Are you excited for today?” Aubrey tickles Claire’s side.

“Yes,” Claire says through her giggles.

I come from the kitchen with Claire’s scrambled eggs. “Today is a big day.” I wink at her and set the plate in front of her. She digs in. It’s going to be different to see her with two working arms. I’ve only seen her arm once, when I was performing surgery on it. At the time I didn’t know she was mine. If I’d known, would I have stared at her arm a little harder, knowing that it would be a few months before I could see it again? Would I have been able to do the surgery at all?

A thought comes to me. “What do you say we celebrate?” I’m looking at Aubrey.

“Ice cream!” Claire yells. The child definitely has my affinity for sweets.

“Actually,” I say, “I was thinking of a weekend trip. Somewhere wooded. A little cooler. We can do an easy hike, and Claire can use both her arms to explore. What do you think?” My eyes haven’t left Aubrey.

Just a moment ago, she was so excited for Claire. Now she looks guarded. Wary.

“I want to go to the woods and hike.” Claire’s grinning. “Please, Mom?”

Aubrey hesitates. I point to her coffee cup. She looks down at the words on it and does a quick eye-roll.

I mouth the words to her. I Mom So Hard.

“Hiking and nature exploration sound like the perfect way to start using that arm again.” She smiles at Claire “If you’re finished, please go get your backpack. It’s almost time to leave.”

Claire runs toward her room. Aubrey turns her worried eyes on me.

“Is this a good idea?”

Knowing Aubrey, she’s drawing up a risk analysis in her head. She’s back to being careful Aubrey, but last night…

“Is it a good idea to skip breakfast?” I challenge her. I’ve discovered she needs it. The challenge, I mean. She’s competitive. Challenging her to something is the most effective way of getting her to open up.

“Typically, no.” She narrows her eyes. “Why?”

“You worked up an appetite last night, Sixty. I thought you’d be hungry this morning.” I take Claire’s empty plate and walk away, laughing to myself.

Claire returns, backpack dragging behind her.

Aubrey swoops it onto her shoulder. “We’ll see you in a couple hours.” Claire marches in front of Aubrey, so she can’t see her mother when she sticks her tongue out at me.

I say goodbye to Claire and watch them leave. I feel like celebrating. Not only did I get Aubrey to agree to a weekend away, but I won something else too. One more brick removed from Aubrey’s wall. Another chink in her armor. She’s a beautiful bronze statue covered in cement, and I’m the guy with the hammer and chisel, breaking apart the heavy burdens laid upon her.