The Mute Mistress

The Mute Mistress: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The following morning, Nathan grew impatient. He was outside again before hoping to catch her the moment she left the guest house. Rarely had the distant sound of a door clutching shut given him the same effects of caffeine after running on empty.

Mary's head was upturned and cradling a big smile. Just what he needed. She hurried to the last step and Nathan stood before she made it to the table. She signed good morning formally and spent the next few minutes teaching him a few basic greetings.

Thoroughly fascinated, he had seen plenty of interpreters throughout his life, but he regretted being so unaware of a beautiful language. Already knowing a second language, Nathan memorized Mary's language easily.

They made for the kitchen when Mary noticed three coffee mugs in front of the dripping coffee maker. Admittedly, it warmed her heart. It wasn't impossible to imagine he would be attentive enough to make coffee. It was the inclusion. She didn't mind the thought of being on his mind before he saw her.

She checked her watch and saw they had about ten minutes until she expected Belle to glide into the kitchen. Nathan insisted she sit down, and he finished the task she started. He learned she preferred a little cream and two scoops of sugar. Thank god, she was polite. He had to figure out more ways to be of use to her and receive more 'thanks'.

The silence was perfect, drinking at the island with her. He could take more mornings in this manner. In public, Mary relied on her phone to communicate, but not all the time. She had turned on her stool to enjoy her cup with the sunrise. He was unusually present, though he frequented the future with her in it. The alternative universes or ideal cocktail hours he met her in all began with him seeing her smile or her gorgeous eyes from a distance. So many times had he imagined he would redo their first interaction. Nathan didn't shy away from how she might look underneath his weight, either. It'd been a long time since, but sober sex had a returned appeal.

"Good morning," Belle hummed.

Her arrival shocked neither of them, with her clogs echoing from the hall beforehand. He signed his greeting and Mary gave him a thumbs up. Belle's attention darted between them with amusement curving her mouth. Mary went to fill the third cup, when Belle reluctantly reminded Nathan of his priorities. "Nathan, I was CC'ed on the email from Abraham."

As expected, she saw the light in his eyes dim instantly. "Yeah."

"Normally, I am left out of these types of email threads," she said in a tone that looked for an explanation before asking for one directly.

Nathan took his coffee outside. Mary closed her eyes, feeling the quiver of disappointment ruining the streak of peace she shared with him. The gala was twelve hours away. She felt selfish for knowing it was coming, but refusing to ask him about it, wanting to preserve the memories of the day before. But why? She wasn't an option. No, she had to extinguish that fire desiring to imaging what he encouraged at the jeweler before clarifying the boundaries. Who was she kidding? His smile was honey, and she was the bee. She wouldn't know how to tell him how sweet he was if she knew how and could without feeling guilty. But she must stop venturing into a different universe, she reminded herself fiercely. Karina Burke was a real person with genuine feelings, no matter how abrasive she was. Mary couldn't keep lingering fondly after a man who belonged to someone else.

She joined him outside by the pool, and Nathan had a complaint ready for her ears. "This event is stupid."

The trickling water filled the silence of a pause before he read her phone. It's a big deal for Karina. I'm sure you can try to have fun.

Nathan scoffed. "If only you knew."

She looked at him earnestly, and he didn't avoid the opportunity to skim her features. Mary shouldn't have been as powerful as she was, but he struggled to withhold his thoughts. "I'm burnt out. I'm twenty-nine, and I feel exhausted at the idea of socializing with people who don't care to talk to you about real shit. Gotta throw back a few shots to tolerate it all."