First Course, page 6
“Call an Uber.”
“What?”
“An Uber, Carrie. Jesus, do you still live in 1990 or something?”
“Very funny. I know what Uber is.”
“So, call one,” Devon suggested again. Silence hung. “Carrie?”
Carrie groaned. “I have no idea how.”
Devon laughed easily. “Download the app on your phone.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Carrie, you have a degree from Yale for God’s sake.”
“I never took the Uber Course.”
Devon kept chuckling. Carrie might well be the most endearing person Devon had ever met. “Hang up with me, and I will text you how to set it up.”
“I can just drive there.”
“Yeah, you could. You could also hang up with me and let me help you out. And, then you could sit comfortably in the back of someone else’s car, avoid the traffic and parking nightmare, and probably save a buck or two in the process.”
“Are you on their payroll?” Carrie asked suspiciously.
“Hang up the phone.”
“Bossy.”
Devon chuckled. “Every boss needs a boss. Hang up. I’ll text you in a minute.”
“Okay.”
“Goodbye, Carrie.”
“Devon, what if…”
Devon laughed again. “Jesus, woman! Trust me.”
“Trust a hash slinger with my transportation needs?”
“You’ll find I can be quite versatile.”
“I find it interesting that a woman who can’t work a fax machine is so tech savvy,” Carrie commented.
Devon coughed. She was caught. “Not the same,” she attempted to recover. “Now, stop worrying about my technical abilities, hang up, and let me help you.”
Carrie smiled. “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”
“Doubtful.”
“Okay. If I end up in some alley…”
“Just use the force,” Devon teased.
“Cute.”
“I am,” Devon deadpanned.
Carrie wanted to reply, “Yes, you are.” She stopped herself. “And, quite humble.”
“See? Versatile? If it makes you feel any better, you can send me your Uber info, and I can watch where you are driving.”
“That’s a little creepy.”
Devon chuckled. “Why are you still talking?”
Carrie laughed. “Okay!”
“Talk to you later.”
“We can hope.”
“Goodbye, Carrie.”
“Bye.”
Devon looked at her phone when she heard Carrie disconnect the call. She laughed when Carrie’s text message popped onto her screen: Just remember, Han saved Luke’s ass. Hope you have the Falcon ready. “I am in so much trouble here,” Devon chuckled happily. Thursday suddenly seemed an eternity to wait to see Carrie again. “So much trouble.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Carrie had a mounting headache. She was exhausted. The only thing that seemed to be carrying her through this endless day was the knowledge that it would end in Devon Brine’s company. Pizza, she could do without. Devon? As unbelievable as it seemed to her, Carrie missed Devon. She’d puzzled over that for the last few days. She had talked to Devon every day. And, every night before Devon went to bed, Carrie got a text. Every night it was something different. May the force be with you. Don’t kiss any Wookies. By the way, can you levitate? Carrie chuckled softly as she recalled the last one. She had several clever retorts in mind for that one. She smiled despite the slight throbbing in her head.
“Carrie?” her intercom buzzed.
“Please, Heather, please don’t tell me it is Dar on the line—I beg you.”
Heather snickered. “No. It’s Tom.”
A call from Tom was not unusual. Dar was away for the next five days in Chicago with Leigh and her usual company looking at several prospective properties that Matthews and Mack were considering renovating into hotels. Carrie sighed. I’ve got it.
“Hey, Tom.”
“Hi,” Tom’s voice sounded shaky.
“Tommy?” Carrie immediately grew concerned.
“Carrie…”
“What? What’s wrong? Is CJ okay?”
“CJ’s fine. It’s my dad, Carrie.”
Carrie braced herself. “What happened?”
“Looks like a stroke. It’s not… I don’t know much, but I…”
“Do you need me to try and reach Dar?”
“No, I know this is a big trip for you guys,” he replied.
“What do you need?” Carrie asked. She heard Tom’s heavy, regrettable sigh. “Tommy, just tell me. You need me to take CJ?” she guessed.
“I booked a seven-thirty flight from Hartford. It’s the last one. I just… I don’t know how long I will be there. I can book her a…”
“I’ll come get you at four.”
“Carrie…”
“Tommy, don’t argue with me. You don’t need to leave your car there. I will come pick you up. CJ can stay with me until Dar gets back on Monday.”
“I hate asking you, but I wouldn’t want her to fly alone and I have no idea when I…”
“Stop.”
“I’m going to owe you a house soon.”
“I’d prefer a yacht,” Carrie joked.
Tom chuckled. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I love the ocean,” Carrie deadpanned. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours. Just make sure my Padawan is prepared for something besides pizza.”
Tom laughed earnestly. “I’ll plant the seed. Thanks, Carrie.”
“Anything for a yacht. See you in a bit,” Carrie said and hung up the phone. “Shit.” Carrie picked up her cell phone. “Shit.”
“Hey, there,” Devon answered happily. She heard Carrie sigh. “Oh, no. What’s wrong?”
Carrie sighed heavily. “Dev… I… Shit. I need to cancel our dinner. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t want to. It’s just…”
“Too much pizza?”
Carrie giggled. “I have a feeling that’s unavoidable.”
“Huh?”
“I have CJ for the weekend. Tom’s dad had a stroke and Dar is in Chicago until Monday.”
“Mr. Willis had a stroke?” Devon’s concern was palpable.
Carrie was confused. “Do you know Tommy’s dad?”
“God, yeah. Didn’t I tell you that?”
“No. I thought Tommy was friends with Bruce.”
“He is,” Devon replied. “Well, actually, we were friends with his little sister growing up.”
“You were friends with Julie?”
“Yeah,” Devon replied. “God, poor Mrs. Willis.”
Carrie smiled. She loved the Willis family. They had treated her as if she and Darlene were part of their fold, and still did even after Tom and Darlene’s divorce. “I know. Tommy was pretty shaken up.” Carrie’s headache was beginning to pound. Stress tended to do that. She sighed.
“Are you okay?” Devon asked.
“Just a headache. I need to pick Tom up at four to get him to Bradley for his flight in time.”
“Carrie, should you really be driving through traffic with a headache?”
“I’ll be okay,” Carrie said. “I don’t want him to have to make that ride alone. Plus, I know him. He’ll want every minute he can have with CJ, especially now.”
Devon didn’t need to see Carrie to know that she was not feeling like herself. “I’ll pick you up at three-thirty.”
“What?”
“What do you mean what? You have a headache. You’re upset. Contrary to what you might think, I can operate a car.”
“Better than a fax machine, I hope,” Carrie teased. “Devon, I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t; I offered. Actually, I am insisting.”
“Is that so?”
“You’re not negotiating your way out of this one,” Devon said flatly.
Carrie was beaten, and she was happy to let Devon win this argument. Her headache showed little signs of subsiding any time soon, and she wanted to see Devon. This was not how she had planned the evening. She sighed with resignation. “You know where I am.”
“I’ll see you in a bit. Do you need anything?” Devon asked.
Carrie couldn’t help but smile. She liked Devon—more than she wanted to admit. Devon was genuinely worried. “Just promise me we can visit Hamburglar on the way home instead of Chuck E. Cheese.”
“Always negotiating,” Devon said. “I think the Padawan might be a greater challenge on this one,” she said.
“She loves you,” Carrie said. “She’ll do whatever you say.”
Devon laughed. “Take some Advil or something.”
“I will. Dev?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“See you in a few.”
***
Devon looked across Carrie’s living room at her friend’s tired brown eyes. Carrie was helping CJ remove her coat. Carrie had pushed herself through the day. Devon could tell that the headache Carrie had been battling all afternoon had refused to abate. She admired Carrie’s stamina, but she did not enjoy watching Carrie suffer. It tugged at her heart. Her heart. What was happening to her? She had liked Carrie from the moment they met. They had barely gone a day without speaking since. Two weeks. It had only been two weeks. When was the last time Devon had felt drawn to a woman so powerfully? It had been longer than she cared to recall. No, that wasn’t true. She could recall. Ellen. Devon was not prepared to visit that reality at the moment. Right now, her concern was for Carrie.
“Debon?” CJ broke Devon out of her musings. Devon turned her attention to the little girl now standing beside her. “Daddy says you’re funny.”
Carrie smiled at Devon. Tom had been surprised to see Devon driving Carrie’s car—pleasantly surprised. Seeing Tom smile had brightened Carrie’s spirits. Devon had helped take Tom’s mind off the reality he was facing. She had him reminiscing and laughing. Tom had told CJ and Carrie a story about how he and Devon had saved her Auntie Julie and Devon’s friend from the middle of a lake after they had flipped their canoe. What had promised to be a solemn drive had turned into an hour and a half of giggling and lighthearted banter. Devon had been its cause. Carrie had found herself sneaking long glances at Devon as Devon drove. Every so often, Devon would cast a glance in Carrie’s direction, and Carrie’s heart would flip over perceptibly.
“Funny, huh? Just remember,” Devon looked at CJ “Looks aren’t everything,” she said and made a funny face. CJ erupted in delighted laughter, not understanding the joke, but loving anything Devon said. Devon looked back at Carrie and caught Carrie massaging her temples for the millionth time in the last few hours. “Hey, Padawan,” Devon called for CJ’s attention. “I think your auntie is kind of tired. What do you say I help you get ready for bed?”
Carrie cocked her head in surprise. “Dev, you don’t have to…”
“I have three nieces. I haven’t damaged any of them yet. Well, at least not permanently,” Devon said.
“Dev,” Carrie’s voice dropped to just above a whisper.
Devon winked and turned her attention to CJ “Ready?”
“Can we watch Nemo after?” CJ asked Carrie.
“We can watch Nemo,” Carrie replied.
“Wif Debon?”
Carrie smiled. “You’ll have to ask the Hash Slinger if she’s up for Finding Nemo.”
Devon didn’t miss a beat. “Is he lost again?” she asked.
CJ laughed. “Yeah, but don’t worry. Dorwie will sabe him, Debon.”
Devon clutched her chest dramatically to signal her relief. CJ laughed harder, and Carrie rolled her eyes.
“Where should I lead the Padawan?” Devon asked Carrie, grabbing hold of the R2-D2 backpack that sat at Carrie’s feet.
“She can show you her room,” Carrie replied. Devon’s surprise was evident. Carrie shrugged. “She’s here a lot. I have three bedrooms. It made sense.”
Devon turned her attention back to CJ “So? Where is this room of yours?”
CJ reached out and grabbed Devon’s hand. “Dis way, Debon!” CJ pulled excitedly on Devon’s hand. She pointed to the backpack in Devon’s other hand. “Auntie got me D2,” she said. “She got me Yoda too. He’s in my room.”
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me,” Devon chuckled as she followed the toddler up the stairs.
Carrie watched the pair trot off, amused by the entire scene. She closed her eyes for a minute, pleading with her headache to leave her alone. She hadn’t had a full-blown migraine in over a year. She hoped that she could avoid one now. Experience had taught Carrie that sleep was the only way to accomplish that. Carrie took a deep breath and headed for the kitchen. Advil and popcorn. That was her current mission. She pulled a box of microwave popcorn down and reached into another cabinet for her secret stash of emergency pain reliever. She glanced upward when she heard the sound of CJ’s jubilant cackling and shook her head affectionately.
Carrie popped the bag of popcorn into the microwave and moved to pour herself a glass of water, and popped four Advil into her mouth. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second. She opened them when she heard Devon laughing hysterically, followed by a familiar four-year-old squeal. She chuckled. Whatever Devon was doing to entertain CJ, it was working. Carrie loved to hear CJ laugh. She delighted in being the cause of that laughter.
“Debon!” CJ’s giggling voice screamed. Devon’s laughter filtered down the stairs. Carrie smiled. She loved Devon’s laugh. It was rich and honest. The microwave beeped and Carrie winced at the sound. She reached for a large bowl seated on the highest shelf in one of her many cabinets and became unsteady. Carrie was surprised at the firm but soft form that caught her.
“Easy,” Devon whispered in Carrie’s ear.
Carrie sucked in a shaky breath.
Devon closed her eyes, afraid that the feel of Carrie in her arms might cause her to waver. She hadn’t intended to find herself this close to Carrie, at least, not yet. Instinctively, she tightened her hold. She didn’t want to let go. Devon leaned into Carrie’s ear again. The faint scent of Chanel and Carrie’s coconut shampoo invaded her senses. Devon breathed it in. It was intoxicating—Carrie against her—the way Carrie felt, so soft and warm. Devon’s heart began to thunder. “What are you doing?” she asked Carrie without letting go.
“Popcorn,” Carrie answered.
Devon smiled into Carrie’s hair. She reached over Carrie and pulled down the large bowl. When she reached over Carrie, her breasts brushed against Carrie’s back. Carrie thought she would fall over. Devon heard the slight gasp that escaped her friend. She turned Carrie gently in her arms. Carrie’s lips were just inches away. Devon desperately wanted to claim them with her own. She stopped herself and kissed Carrie’s forehead instead, letting her lips linger. Carrie’s hands found their way to Devon’s hips and held on. Devon sighed. “Yoda should probably keep the big bowls on the bottom,” Devon commented, keeping Carrie close. “Unless that levitation thing is real.”
Carrie chuckled. “Maybe Yoda should make sure the Hash Slinger is here to save the day.”
“Maybe,” Devon said. She placed another light kiss on Carrie’s forehead and pulled back. She could kiss Carrie right now. Carrie would welcome it. Devon sighed. CJ was waiting for them. One kiss was never going to cover it. She placed her palm on Carrie’s cheek. “You have no idea…”
Carrie took hold of Devon’s hand. “I do.”
“If I don’t put that popcorn in that bowl right now, Nemo will stay lost forever.”
Carrie smiled. “Dev…”
Devon winked. “You still owe me pizza. I intend to collect.”
“Is that right?”
“Mm-hum.”
“Debon!”
Carrie laughed when CJ appeared behind Devon’s back. She took the opportunity to step away from Devon. “Just getting our popcorn,” Carrie told her namesake.
“Kay,” CJ scurried back to the living room.
Devon filled the bowl with popcorn and started toward the living room. Carrie stopped her.
“Devon.” Carrie considered Devon’s eyes. Devon’s breath hitched. Carrie leaned in and kissed Devon’s cheek. “I promise; we will revisit this when there is no fish finding mission at hand,” she said before disappearing into the living room.
“Nemo!” CJ cried out excitedly.
“Damn fish,” Devon grumbled.
***
Carrie had fallen asleep halfway through the quest to find Nemo. CJ had followed closely behind, curled up against her favorite auntie. Devon laughed at her predicament. Carrie’s legs were resting across her lap. She was enjoying watching Carrie sleep. Carrie looked peaceful, free from her headache, and off in some mystical dreamscape. Devon briefly wondered if she might make an appearance in Carrie’s dreams. She clicked off the television and gently extricated herself from underneath the weight of Carrie’s legs. She grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and placed it over the two sleeping bodies.
“Sorry,” Carrie mumbled.
“For?” Devon whispered.
“Falling asleep on you.”
“Nah. You fell asleep on Nemo. Do you want me to take the Padawan upstairs so you can go to bed?” Devon asked. Carrie shook her head, and Devon chuckled. “Okay,” she said. She couldn’t stop herself; Devon leaned in and placed a kiss on Carrie’s head.
Carrie smiled contentedly. “Dev?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a spare key in the cabinet next to the refrigerator. Lock the door when you go.”
Devon kissed Carrie’s head again. “Okay. Are you going to be okay here?” she wondered. Carrie nodded. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” Devon promised.
Carrie nodded and promptly fell back asleep. Devon regarded her for one last moment before making her way to retrieve the spare key. She noticed the small notepad that sat beside Carrie’s house phone. Devon took a moment to scrawl out a short note. She secured it on the refrigerator with a Princess Leia magnet. “You are something else, Carrie Maynard.” Devon glanced back into the living room one last time before leaving. She laughed softly. “So, much trouble, Devon.”
***
