Begin Again (8 page)

“You’re staring.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I like it.” He grinned. Then sniffed. “Do we smell?”

“I can’t tell. Magdalena always says it’s hard to see the picture when you’re inside the frame. I think that covers mud and grime.” She giggled.

“You think this is funny, woman?”

“A little.”

“Our date is ruined.”

She sobered. “Only if we let it be, Adam.”

He took a bead
on her, making her nervous. He lifted her chin and wiped a smudge of dirt off her nose with his shirt. “You’re completely right about that. I need to think more like you, Paulina. We’ll try to salvage the evening.”

Tony returned. She’d found out when Adam was comfortable coming through the back entrance that he and the owner were longtime friends. “One of my daughters lives upstairs with her
husband.” He held up a navy sweat suit for Adam and jeans and a long shirt for her. “Will these do? I’m afraid the kids don’t keep up with the laundry, so this is all that’s clean.”

“It’ll do for me.” She grabbed the clothes. “Thank you. I’m wet and cold.”

Tony directed her to the bathroom. Inside, she stripped off the soggy clothes—bra and panties included—and put on what Tony’s daughter
had provided. She absolutely refused to wear the dirty underwear even if it was obvious she was braless. It couldn’t be helped. The outfit was a size too big, so she rolled up the sleeves and jeans and looked in the mirror. “Oh, geez.” She wiped off her face. “At least I’m not grimy anymore.” But her hair was wet from the rain and wouldn’t dry anytime soon. She unclasped the sides and fluffed
it out with her hands. Most of her makeup had been washed away.

She returned to the break room to find Tony gone. Adam had changed into the sweat suit. She burst out laughing
.

“Don’t,” he warned.

“It’s…a little small.” The pants were halfway up his calves, the top barely covering his abs, the sleeves a foot short
.

“At least yours are big.” His eyes lingered on her chest. Uh-oh.
Suddenly she felt self-conscious.

“If you’re miserable, you can take me home and we can try this another time.”

He watched her, as if deciding something. “Do you want to do that?”

“
I’m
fine. You seem uncomfortable.”

“You hungry?”

“Famished.”

“Maybe Tony will let us eat back here?” He motioned to the break room. “You up for that?”

“I am,” she said, liking the choice
he’d made.

As Adam walked her to the door, he let his hand drift to the small of her back and stay there, press into her. “This wasn’t quite what I had in mind, but it worked out. At least I could feed you.”

She bit her lip and nodded to the too-small shirt. “Sorry about the beer.”

“Yeah, kinda fit the night, though.”

Paulina had asked for beer with the gnocchi
Tony had served them, and Adam said he’d join her in having one. When he’d opened the bottle, the liquid had spurted all over his chest.

“You have to admit all of this was funny, Adam.”

“I admit it in spades,” he said smiling. “And your attitude made the whole thing enjoyable.” They reached the front porch and turned to each other. “So,” he said, peering down at her. In the light from
the small lamppost, he could see her eyes were full of mirth. “Do you want to try this again? Maybe I can make a better impression on you.”

Cocking her head, she studied him. Then surprised him by looping her arms around his neck and moving closer. “Truthfully, Adam, tonight was a relief. I was nervous about going out with you.”

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “I was nervous, too.”
He brushed her hair out of her eyes. It was still damp. But it had curled some and was even thicker than the last time he saw it down. “Maybe this has an upside. Another date couldn’t be worse than this one.”

She placed her fingers on his mouth. They were warm. “Hush. You know as soon as you say that, it’ll happen.”

“Nah.”

“The Polish are superstitious.”

“Yeah?” He cuddled her
closer. “Tell me some.”

She fitted herself to him. “Okay, but not now. I don’t want to talk now.”

“What do you want, Paulina?” His voice was pitched low and curled inside her. “A kiss. Like the last one.” Her eyebrows raised. “It was pretty hot and I’ve been thinking about it since then.”

“Me, too,” he murmured. “I’ve been thinking about it, too.”

His mouth closed over hers and
he felt a jolt go through him. He lifted her up so her toes left the ground, held her tight against him and devoured her mouth. He lost himself in the sensations of her. When he finally let her back down, once again, they were both breathing hard
.

“Wow!” she said. “That was
better
than the other one.”

He threaded his hands through her hair. He had to touch it. Feel its heavy weight and
texture. “It was. Makes you wonder what the whole shebang would be like, doesn’t it?”

She laughed at him. Heartily and unselfconsciously. “The whole shebang? I never heard it called that.”

His eyes narrowed at her teasing and he met her forehead with his. “It makes me wonder what being inside you would be like.” There was sex in his voice.

“Oh, God.”

It was his turn to laugh. “So,
answer my question. Another date?”

“Yes. Yes. Yes.”

“Check your schedule and I’ll check mine. I’ll text you soon.”

She ran her hand down his cheek. “I hope it isn’t too long.”

“We’ll make sure it isn’t.”

“Good night, Paulina.”

“Good night, Adam.”

He waited until she got into the house and then walked to the car in the now-dry evening. Once inside, he sat and stared
at the Ludzecky home. This was by far the worst date he’d ever had in his life. But, in some ways, it had been the best. Adam would have to think about that. And the differences between him and Paulina. Because right now, a part of Adam wished he was more like her.

“This isn’t too bad, is it?” Paulina asked.

She and Nia had planned a special evening for the night of the father-son campout, even though it was a weekday. The kids were off school tomorrow for a teacher workshop day.

“It’s okay, Mommy.” This from Tommy, always her easiest.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” Ben put in. Under his breath, he added,
“Poor fatherless
children.”
Both Nia and Paulina recoiled. Nia asked, “Where did you hear that?”

“One of the youth group leaders said it to the other one. She wasn’t mean, though. She felt sorry for us.”

“She should have been careful that you didn’t hear, honey.” This from Paulina.

“Why?” Ben took a bead on his mother and aunt. “It’s true.”

“Is it always going to be true?” Tommy asked.

Sal’s
eyes rounded. “What does that mean, Mommy?”

Ben socked his cousin in the arm. “Maybe our moms’ll get married again.”

“Not my mom. She loves my daddy.” He glanced at Nia. “Right, Mommy?”

“How did we get on this?” Paulina intervened. She didn’t want her sister making any promises she’d regret. “Now, whose movie should we see first?”

Ben, of course, said, “Mine.” Hell, how did you
teach a kid who had not a speck of altruism in his little body to be more giving? Donnie would have known. He was always so considerate of others.

Sal sighed and Tommy looked away
.

Paulina took Ben’s hand. “Come help me get the pizza first, and we’ll decide when we get back.” Out in the kitchen, she turned to her son. “Ben, do you realize you always ask to go first.”

“Yeah. The other
kids don’t care.”

“I think they do care but are afraid to tell you or are unselfish enough to let it go.”

Suddenly, Ben’s eyes filled
.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

“I wanted to go on that trip. Sometimes when I’m mad, I wanna go first or say mean things.”

Paulina picked up the boy and sat him on the counter so they were eye to eye. “It’s okay to admit you’re mad. Say it out loud.
Then maybe you won’t grab for first or make mean comments.”

“’Kay.” He scrubbed at this face. “Sorry.”

“Just remember that for next time.”

“No, tonight. We can watch the Disney movie Sal likes.”

“That’s my boy.”

She lifted him into her arms. He held on to her. Luxuriating in the hug, she clung to him, then set him down and turned to the pizza
.

Ben asked, “So, are you?”

Going to the oven, she said, “Am I what?”

“Ever gonna get married again.”

Oh, Lord. She peered down at him. “Tell me the truth. Would you want me to?”

“Uh-huh. If we all liked him.”

Hmm, would they like Adam? Would he like them? She and Adam never had discussed anything about introducing him to her children. Of course, they hadn’t. They didn’t know each other well. Except, of
course, to want to jump each other’s bones.

Which fit nicely into her no-strings-attached attitude toward recreational sex. Nah, no need to introduce him to her kids for that.

The next day, Paulina watched as a cement truck poured concrete into the basement frames. She loved seeing the foundation go in, then the skeleton erected. She’d once told Donnie that a house going
up was like giving birth in stages. He’d laughed and told her that was why women shouldn’t be in building, they were too sentimental. She’d thrown a bucket of sawdust at him, and it had taken days to get out of his hair.

Smiling as the grind of the mixers stopped, she heard behind her, “Good morning.” The purr of Adam’s voice wended its way inside her. She straightened her back so a shiver
wouldn’t go up it.

Pivoting, she took in his pristine beige spring suit and crisp white shirt. Just for a minute, she regretted the…boyish…nature of her jeans and flannel shirt over a tee. “Good morning. I’m surprised to see you.”

“I figured this phase would be over by ten.” He held up a cup. “I brought you coffee.”

“Super.” She took it from him, sipped. And spit it out. “Ugh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The coffee’s so sweet.”

“Mocha-flavored latte.”

“That’s not coffee.”

His brows narrowed. “You’re welcome.”

“Oh, sorry. It’s just that it tastes like dessert, and I don’t like anything sweet in the morning.”

Moving in closer, he tucked back a strand of hair that had gotten loose from her braid. “What
do
you like in the morning, Paulina?” His blue eyes had
turned liquid, like the sea. This time, the shiver won.

“I like a lot of things.” She arched a brow. “I guess you’ll just have to find out for yourself.”

“I’m here to see the foundation
and
talk about that.” He glanced at the building. “God, I love this stage—where the drawings take shape, the structure starts to grow.”

“I feel exactly the same.”

“It should be dry by tomorrow.
Will you start the joists and floor then?”

She glanced up at the sky. “Yeah, if it doesn’t rain.” She frowned. “I hope it stays clear. The boys have their first soccer game tonight.”

“Ah, so you’re not free? I was hoping you were.”

“Did you drive all the way out here to ask?”

“And to see the base.”

“I’m going to be busy with these games twice a week now, and with practice two
other nights.”

For some reason, that irked Adam. She hadn’t told him about her sons’ games. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have given in to the urge to see her. “I see.”

“Adam, you were supposed to text me dates you were available.” There was a note of annoyance in her voice.

“I know.” He looked back at the building site. Okay, this was stupid. He had no reason to be mad. “What’s your
first free night?”

“Saturday would be best.”

He was busy. He had a date with Elyssa to take her to yet another fundraiser. “I can’t do that.”

“I could make Friday work. Nia has a PTA meeting, but I could ask Ana to take the boys.”

He wasn’t free, but he could change those plans. For a moment, he watched her. She was beautiful in the spring morning, the sun catching the highlights
in her hair, the sky behind her making her eyes a lighter brown. “I have to change some things. All right, let’s do Friday.”

Her delighted smile was worth the effort, and she touched his arm, squeezed it. “Great. But this one’s my treat.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m paying for the meal and I’ll decide the place.”

She was ingenuous in many ways. He had so much more money than she… “That’s
not necessary. I can afford a meal.”

“As can I. No dice without it.”

Adam wondered briefly if she was always this stubborn. “Fine.”

“I’ll text you with the place when I choose it.” She scanned his body. “And tell you what to wear.” She seemed amused by her comment and he didn’t know why.

“You’re on.” He leaned over
.

She jerked back. “What are you
doing
?” she whispered harshly.

Shit. He’d forgotten they were on the site. He raked a hand through his hair. “Something totally inappropriate. Sorry. You make me lose common sense, sometimes.”

“I do?” She blushed. “I like that.”

“I’m getting out of here. See you in few days.”

Adam walked away. This must be what compromise between couples was all about. He’d never had to think much about it as women he saw mostly
went along with whatever he wanted.

He wasn’t sure he liked meeting her halfway. But he knew one thing. He liked
her
, a lot!

At Serenity Yoga Studio in downtown Queens, Paulina watched her sister Sofia take her place on the instructor’s mat. Her expression was soft and gentle, like the woman herself. “We’ll start with
pranayama
. Breathe in slowly. Breathe out. Now repeat.”

Once or twice a month since Sofia had bought Serenity Yoga, she held a class for her sisters—whoever could make it—and then they went out to breakfast afterwards. The commitment was taken seriously by them all, so at least some of them got to see each other. Since the session started at 7:00 a.m., Paulina and Nia were only a bit late to work.
Matka
got the kids on the bus. The other girls came
out from the city when they could. Ana made it when Jared had their daughter overnight, like today.