Maria Undone

Chapter 9 (Brian)

Maria: You sent this basket of muffins?

My face heated when I read her message. The muffins seemed like a good idea at the time. I was flicking through my social media, and an ad for a local bakery promoting their gift basket service popped up. Maria had been playing on my mind, so I thought: what the hell. It was a gesture to let her know I was thinking of her and looking forward to Saturday. 

But now I felt like a high schooler sending a candy gram to my crush on Valentine's. 

Brian: It's for you and your staff to share.

The dots moved and then faded before starting up again.

Maria: No one has sent me anything at work before.

My brow furrowed.

Brian: Not even for Valentine's or your birthday?

Maria: Nope.

That surprised me. If I had someone of Maria's caliber on my arm, she'd be on a first-name basis with the delivery person. She should have suitors banging down her door. Maybe she was too busy with her business that she didn't have time to date.

Brian: Well, I'm glad I was your first.

"What are you smiling at?"

Harry, one of the roofers I contracted, slammed a coffee in front of me before turning a chair around and parking himself on it. I was so engrossed in my messages to Maria that I didn't even hear him enter
the makeshift portable office.

I put my phone away before reaching for my coffee with a murmur of thanks.

"Well?" He wasn't letting it drop.

"I wasn't smiling at anything."

Harry raised his brow as he sipped the soda he brought in with him. "You were smiling at your phone like a twelve-year-old boy."

I scratched my nose and placed my coffee down. "Yeah, well, you gossip like a twelve-year-old girl," I deflected.

He let out a bark of laughter. "You setting up a booty call for later?"

My pride shouldn't have been offended by his comment. After all, I've made no secret that I liked to play the field. I've bailed mid-drinks with friends to see a woman, and they've seen me out with one or two in the wild. It just felt wrong to lump Maria into that list.

Instead of answering, I opened a drawer and grabbed an energy bar.

"Aww, boss, c'mon."

I glared at him. "Don't you have work to do?"

He sighed as he stood, shaking his head. "Fine. Keep your secrets. Tell Diane I said hi and thanks for those cookies she sent by yesterday."

A smile froze on my lips. "Will do. See ya."

My grin dropped when Harry turned back down the small steps, striding out of the trailer. I scrubbed a hand down my face.

Fuck.

Diane and Sarah had been bugging me to come over for dinner. It's something I regularly did - at least once a week - but lately, I'd made excuses not to attend. Yes, work was crazy at the minute, but not crazy enough that I couldn't make at least one meal. 

Guilt kept me away.

I couldn't say that I was falling for Maria yet, but I knew if our dates continued down the path they were taking, I could easily see it happening. I couldn't imagine loving someone as much as Hannah, and I probably never would, but something about Maria made me see the future I envisioned slowly revealing itself again. The future that I thought would happen with Hannah.