Perfectly Unpredictable (9 page)

Mack sat at his computer, almost frustrated
enough to give up. The European contract had been sent to him. Normally Renee
would take care of it, but the day before, she had landed in the hospital with
appendicitis. Since the papers had to be signed and sent back in seventy-two
hours, he was the default.

Normally he wouldn’t mind. The contracts
were all fairly standard except for the actual dates and revenue split. But
this one was in German. He hadn’t been expecting that. And after spending all
day with an online translator and only getting a paragraph done that still
didn’t make sense, he was ready to check into the hospital himself.

He tried putting in shorter phrases and individual
words, but it hadn’t helped. He raked his hands through his hair and decided to
take a break and order Thai take-out.

He reached for the phone and placed his
order for delivery.

“I’m sorry, sir. Our minimum order for
delivery is fifty dollars.”

“What? Really? Is that new?”

“Yes, sir. It is. Would you like to pick
that up instead?”

No, he really wouldn’t. Shit. He really
felt like Thai, but there’d already be plenty for leftovers. Should he scrap it
and order pizza instead? He sighed. He glanced out the window and saw Kalia outside
playing with Mani on a blanket. He wondered if Gay Momma liked Thai food.

“Give me the same order twice and pack it
in separate bags,” he decided finally.

“Okay. Two of everything on your order. It
will be there in half an hour.”

“Great. Thanks.”

Mack went back to his computer and
painstakingly continued the translation.

When the doorbell rang, he paid the driver
for the food and took one of the bags. “Could you deliver the other half of the
order to the house next door?”

“Yes sir, no problem,” the driver said with
a wave.

“Thanks.” Mack carried his order inside,
reached in the bag, and pulled out a carton. He ripped open the chopsticks and
sat at his dining room table, working while he ate.

Later in the evening, Mack heard a knock at
the front door. He contemplated ignoring it. He wasn’t expecting anyone and
wasn’t in any mood to deal with whoever was there. When he heard the knock
again a few minutes later, he got up with an oath and went to answer it.

He pulled the door open, scowling, and saw
Kalia with a grinning Mani in her arms.

“Hi,” Kalia said, her smile faltering as
she looked at him. “Rough day?”

“A little,” Mack said, controlling his
features as he looked at Mani.

Kalia held up a little paper bag. “I
believe I got all the fortune cookies,” she said. “Thank you very much for the
Thai food. What a lovely surprise! It was delicious, and it was such a treat
not to have to cook.”

“Ah, you’re welcome. It’s a great little
take-out place, but you need a hefty order for them to deliver.” He smiled. “I
thought I would share.”

“Well, thank you very much for thinking of
us. I can pay for half of it,” she offered.

“No, that’s not necessary. It’s on me.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Well, thanks again. We’ll have to pay you
back and have you over for dinner.”

Nice,
but how would that work with Screaming Baby?
He
nodded vaguely.

“Okay. It looks like we interrupted you.
We’ll say good-night.” She handed him the fortune cookies. “Mine said I will
find peace and quiet,” she said with a laugh. “I’m hoping that will mean Mani
will sleep through the night again. Have a good evening.” She turned to go.

“Auf wiedersehen,” he muttered under his
breath, stepping back to shut the door.

Kalia turned. “Gute nacht,” she said with a
perfect accent.

Mack stared. “What did you just say?”

“I said good night. Do you speak German?”

“No.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I
know ‘good-bye.’ That’s it. I’m trying to translate a German contract, and it’s
a nightmare. I have exactly forty-eight hours to figure it out and the last
twelve haven’t exactly been a walk in the park. Sorry,” he said. “I’m bad
company. You caught me in the middle of it.”

“You’re trying to translate a contract from
German to English?”

“Yeah. Know any German?” he asked with a
crooked smile.

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

Mack blinked. “Seriously?”

“Yes. I’m fluent in German.”

“It’s pretty technical.”

Kalia smiled. “I could probably help.”

Mack thought about the agonizing hours he
had spent and the little progress he had made. And the time crunch they were
under.

“I could look at it and tell you whether I
could help you with it,” she offered.

“You don’t know how much I would appreciate
that.” He stepped back and invited her inside. “You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” Kalia followed him into the
kitchen. “Oh, I like this. It’s a bit different than my place. I have a desk
where you have your dining room table. But I like your idea of putting a comfy
chair to sit and read in the nook.”

“Yeah, it works for me. Excuse the mess.”
Mack cleared away the scattered papers and reached for the empty take-out containers
littering the table.

“Is it on your computer?” Kalia asked,
eyeing the laptop.

Mack nodded. “But I’ve printed out a hard
copy and was using Google Translate.”

Kalia laughed. “Well, I definitely can do
better than that.” She looked at Mani. “If I could set him down on a blanket,
he’d probably be content to play with his rattle.”

“I’ll grab one.” Mack left and returned a
minute later with a blanket. He spread it out on the floor.

“Perfect,” she said. “If he starts to fuss,
music works. Can I use your computer?”

“Sure.” Mack opened it up and found the
contract. He handed Kalia the hard copy.

Kalia flipped through. “Only four pages
long. It’s probably easier if I start from scratch.”

Kalia sat at the computer, and with fingers
flying she moved between reading the contract and typing. She asked one
question to clarify a point but otherwise didn’t chat and didn’t hesitate as
she flipped from one page to the next.

Mack thought about offering Kalia a coffee,
but she was so intent on the job he didn’t dare disturb her. He set a glass of
water on the table for her, and she reached for it, her eyes never leaving the
computer screen.

Mani started to gurgle and squirm, so Mack
picked up his guitar and played the new riff. Mani quieted, and his eyelids
slowly drooped and closed.

Strumming idly, he watched Kalia. He really
shouldn’t stare, but she was a stunner. Her skin looked soft, and when she
smiled, she smiled with her eyes. He’d seen what was under that shirt –
more soft skin. It was an image that was hard to erase. Her fingers flew over
the keyboard. No wrinkled brow. No frustrated sighs. Just cool as a cucumber.
It was sexy as hell.

He winced. He needed to dial down the lust.
It was a one-way street to nowhere.

Mani rustled in his sleep, and Mack glanced
over at him. He was cute – took after his mom in that regard. The
screaming was hell, but to give the tyke credit, the daily screaming seemed a
thing of the past.

Kalia cleared her throat. Mack stopped
strumming and looked at her.

“There you go,” she said. “I finished the
last of it and saved it to your hard drive. It wasn’t difficult. It looks fairly
straightforward, but there were more specific terms on the last page.”

Mack set his guitar aside and stood up. “You’re
done? I’ve been at it for a full day and only managed half a page. How did you
do that?”

Kalia smiled. “It’s what I do for a living.
I provide translation services.” She shrugged. “I’m working part-time now
because of Mani.”

“That’s amazing. Thank you. Really.”

“No problem. It seems like a small payment
for everything you’ve done for Mani and me. I didn’t realize you were Shades,”
she said sheepishly. “I didn’t put it together. I love your music.”

“Thanks.” He hesitated. Did a straight guy
ask a gay woman, who was involved in a relationship, for a drink? Or was that
weird? It felt weird. “Would you like a beer or wine or something?” But out it
popped.

Kalia looked down at Mani, sleeping soundly.
“Sure, thanks. I’d love a glass of wine.”

She seemed to take that in stride, Mack
thought. What was he doing? She was so damned sexy. And smart. And didn’t seem
awed or star-struck over the band. But she was gay. She wasn’t the first gay
person he had come across, but she was the first he felt a pull with.

It felt weird.

He felt unsure.

He hated feeling unsure.

Kalia wandered over to the island in the
kitchen.

“White or red?” he asked.

“White, please.”

Mack reached into a wine fridge and
selected a bottle of white wine and grabbed two wine glasses from an adjacent
cupboard. He frowned. “This won’t hurt Mani?”

Kalia smiled. “No, an occasional glass with
breastfeeding is safe.”

He opened the bottle deftly, poured them
each a glass, and handed one to Kalia. “To friends with useful talents.” Mack raised
his glass.

Kalia laughed and clinked hers to his. “I
can drink to that.” She took a sip, closed her eyes in appreciation, and then
looked at Mack. “So what’s your hidden talent?”

Is
she flirting with me?
His brain scrambled to sort
through the weird. What the hell? He was game. “Fast fingers and endless
patience are all I’ve ever needed,” he drawled.

Kalia stared. And swallowed.

“How about you?” he asked.

“Hmmm,” she replied. “Knowing how to use my
silken tongue is really all I’ve got.”

Mack felt himself harden. “Probably all you
need,” he acknowledged, saluting her with a tip of the wine glass. He took a
big gulp.

Kalia smiled.

Mani cooed from his spot on the floor.

Kalia looked over at him. “You awake,
little one?” She finished her wine and set down her glass. “We should get going.
I’m trying to keep a routine for him, and it’s time for his bath and bedtime. Thanks
again for the take-out. It was a fun surprise.”

“Wasn’t it just,” Mack murmured under his
breath.

Kalia picked up Mani and cuddled him close.
Mani quieted and rooted for a breast.

Kalia laughed and a flush spread over her
cheeks. “He’s got a one-track mind,” she commented.

And I’m part of that club, Mack thought as
he admired her curves. Focus, he chided himself. “Kalia, thanks again for helping
with the contract,” he said as she walked to the door.

“My pleasure. See you around.” She smiled
and waved and sashayed across his front lawn to her house.

Mack waited until she was safely inside her
house and then closed his door and blew out a breath. Next time he should just
order pizza.

Kalia filled the bathtub with warm water
for Mani’s bath. She trailed her fingers in the water, testing the temperature.
Mani sat in a little bucket seat on the floor next to her playing with his
rattle.

It was fun flirting with Mack. She missed
that. He was clever, and she could stare into those green eyes all day. She
chuckled at their “hidden talents.” Fast fingers and endless patience. Mmmm . .
. sign me up.

Kalia shut the water off. She undressed
Mani, tickled his belly, and lifted him to lie on a terry cloth recliner she’d
put in the bathtub. He was a slippery little devil in the tub. Luckily, Teresa,
being the wise and experienced parent of two, suggested she use this support –
a light metal frame covered in terry cloth. Now Mani reclined in the tub,
playing with a rubber duck, while Kalia splashed warm water on him and
carefully shampooed his hair.

She dried Mani off with a fluffy towel and
dressed him in his pajamas. She cradled him, all snug and warm, and read him a
story. He actually followed the pictures. Of course, he was brilliant. He was
hers.

Life was good. Mani was healthy. She felt
more rested. She loved this little house and was grateful for Teresa and the
other moms she’d met at the park. Experience really was the best teacher and
every little bit of advice helped.

She thought about Alexandre, and she felt
love. She smiled. It was such a relief to feel love, not grief. Not guilt. Not
sadness. Well, maybe a bit of sadness, but healthy emotion that told her she
was on the right track.

That was probably thanks to Mack, too. The
lead guitarist for Shades, and he played to soothe Mani. Her heart stirred.

Dating and relationships were going to be
more complicated now with Mani, she thought as she stroked his hair. As it
should be. But maybe a bout of hot, sweaty sex with Mack didn’t have to be
complicated.
His fast fingers and my
silken tongue
. She chuckled.