Count On Me

Part Fifteen

Before they had chance to speak again, the waitress appeared and filled the table with food, and it was all SO good. Oscar prodded her to try it all, and laughing as she moaned orgasmically at the fluffy pancakes, the spicy burrito and the melt in the mouth steak.

"I thought you were going to be away all day."

Lizzie had placed his knife and fork on her plate, done. She could eat no more. But the coffee was good...she was sipping at her third mug.

He chewed on his steak for a moment as she helped Nate to cut up another pancake.

"I'm flying into JFK; I have to be at the airport in about an hour."

She nodded, "so your offices are in Manhattan?"

He shook his head, "Brooklyn. Not far from the airport." He chewed again thoughtfully, "I'm trying to get some leeway, that I can spend more time with you guys, back in Manchester. More than just the few weeks they have already agreed to."

She wasn't sure how she felt about that, but when he dropped them back to the warehouse, giving her a quick hug, she felt more than confused, she needed space, time to herself...yet she missed him the moment he disappeared.

"So how has your day been?"

Her phone buzzed late afternoon and she smiled to see Oscar's name there. He was thinking of her, knowing that he'd dragged her across the Atlantic and then abandoned her.

"Good. Your sister is a great hostess. Been to what she called her favourite tea shop. Hectic with the kids, but fun. Nate's sleeping now. Been a long day."

That was the truth. The kid was exhausted, but then she couldn't let him sleep too long, otherwise this pattern would continue. She'd promised him a trip to the cinema later, something fun. Coop was going to drive them there as it was a bit too far to walk, and tomorrow, he'd promised to take Nate skating...Elena was already skating too apparently though she was only just walking.

"Feel a bit like a bully, dragging you out here..."

That made her smile, a free holiday, and a break she needed was hardly bullying, that didn't mean that it was perfect. But no, he wasn't bullying her.

"Not sure where I am in space and time, but that's not a bad thing. This is a cheap trip for us...I couldn't afford a holiday anywhere else."

She stretched out on the sofa feeling a little tired herself, but the phone once again buzzed.

"Almost a compliment? OMG!"

That made her literally laugh out loud. He wasn't a bad man, was he?

Oscar landed at about half past seven, it had been a long day, that was without the jetlag of the previous day and the lack of sleep the night before...not for the reason that Krystal was hoping. He'd left her at the club and turned off his phone, he didn't know when he'd see her again. Her behaviour had stunned him, she'd always been reliable, yet unobtrusive, in fact, before he'd heard about Janis's death he'd been the one pushing for more commitment, more time. But it seemed he'd dodged a bullet...though he had a feeling that she wouldn't let him go as easily as he'd walked out the previous evening.

His car was at the airport, and within moments he was driving across town to Coop's home. It was looking stormy, they had predicted snow, so he was glad to see the warehouse on the horizon and that the lights were on. pulling up outside, he reached for the woolly hat that he had on top of his bag and tugged it on, then braced himself for the rush across the road and up the driveway to the front door.