Free Accidental Meeting by Susette Williams Page B

kitchen.
    While
she was gone, Abbey and Bruce locked gazes. He sat down and rested his forearms
on his legs. “Why don’t you have a seat?” Bruce nodded towards the chair
nearest him. “I was hoping we could talk for a moment before we go.”
    Abbey
heard Jean’s heels tap against the linoleum and she looked up. Jean grabbed her
briefcase and smiled at Abbey. “It was nice to meet you.”
    “You,
too. Congratulations on the new baby.”
    “Thanks,”
Jean answered, then turned her attention to Bruce. “I’ll call you later.”
    “Okay.
Thanks, Jean.”
    As
soon as Jean had left, Abbey couldn’t help but blurt out, “She doesn’t look
like she just had a baby.”
    Bruce
laughed. “You should have seen her when she was pregnant. She looked like a
toothpick with a bulge.”
    Abbey
giggled. “She must have if she got her figure back already. I hope I’m that
lucky when I have children.”
    “Would
you like some coffee or something, Abbey?”
    Bruce’s
chocolate, brown eyes melted her to the core and made Abbey’s heart race. She
loved it when he said her name softly. In fact, she loved everything about him.
From the way he looked at her to the way his musk after-shave tingled her
senses and even the way he defended her in the incident with Gary.
    They
hadn’t talked much about his firing Gary. He had only told her in a gentle
voice that she should have told him about her run-in with her ex-boss. There
was nothing condescending in the way he said it either.  Abbey could tell
he felt concerned even if it wasn't his fault. The fact that he had taken
action meant a lot to her. If things were different, she would love to continue
working with Bruce. But how could she continue to hide her feelings?
    Bruce
was nothing like Gary. She knew Bruce would never cross the employer-employee
line. But, as long as she worked there, she would never have a hope of their
relationship turning intimate. And, seeing that his cast would be coming off in
a week, there wouldn't be time to find out anyway. Abbey hoped that they would
keep in touch. Losing him and his friendship would break her heart.
    Bruce
reached out and took her hand. “You didn’t answer me.”
    “Hmm?”
    “Would
you like a cup of coffee?” Bruce repeated.
    “Oh.
No thank you.”
    “I
was hoping we could talk, Abbey.”
    Abbey
nodded. Her mind felt like a jumbled mess, especially when he looked at her
with those dreamy eyes that made her melt.
    “I
don’t want you to leave.”
    Abbey
blinked rapidly and looked from him to the door and back again. “What do you
mean?”
    Bruce
smiled. “I don’t want you to leave Abbot & Ellingsworth .
I need you, Abbey.”
    “You
don’t need me. You’ve got Jean back now and in a week your cast will be coming
off. You’ll be as good as new.”
    “I’d
still hate to lose you, Abbey.”
    “You
can always call me if you can’t find something. Plus, nothing says we can’t
keep in touch.” Abbey forced a smile, stood, and paced across the room, leaving
the possibility for any chance of seeing each other in the future up to him.
Her heart skipped a beat, hoping he would reach out and seize the opportunity.
If Abbey had been anything like Monica, she would have come out and told Bruce
how she felt, but her parents had always stressed that the man needed to be the
one who pursued the young lady. Abbey's parents never allowed her to call boys
when she was in high school either. It wasn't easy to change what had been
ingrained in her through her youth.
    She
bit her lower lip. No matter how much she wanted to try, she couldn't bring
herself to tell Bruce how much she wanted to see him outside of work, like they
had on Easter. But to him, maybe it was only work. Abbey playing the Good
Samaritan. Bruce hadn't responded. She turned to look at him.
    His
lips were pursed. “Okay, Abbey. You