David pushed forward and grabbed Adam’s hand, and Adam showed his surprise. The little boy was still smiling wide, his eyes darting from one side of the restaurant to the other. “Is this your work, Daddy?” he asked. Before Adam could even answer, he asked, “Where’s your desk? What phone do you use?”
Adam let out a quiet burst of laughter and scooped David up into his arms. “Would you like to see my desk first?” he asked.
Carrie could barely focus on what Adam was saying because she was too busy dealing with the elation that she felt at seeing him with his little boy. David had always seemed just like his daddy to Carrie, but what she didn’t know was that all he needed was to be given time with Adam doing what Adam loved to do. She’d never seen David so happy, and she’d never seen Adam so relaxed with one of his children before. They were both in their element, and no one could have planned it—not even her. Watching the two of them feed off of each other was like magic, something bigger than all the strategies she’d learned being a nanny. Carrie blinked to keep the wetness in her eyes at bay. It hit her right in the heart.
“Why don’t you all go up to the bar and have a seat while I show David my desk?” Adam said, still holding David whose thick winter jacket had caused his cheeks to become bright red in the warmth of the brewery. “Drinks are on me,” he winked. Then he called to the bartender, “Can you get a pot of coffee going, Tom?” The bartender nodded, waving them all over. Carrie had a stab of fear as she saw Adam take his son through the door to his office. Was Andy back there? Would he see her, and the spell would be broken, causing him to realize that what they’d shared at Ashford really wasn’t what he wanted? She turned away from the door and tried not to think about it.
The bar and tables were still quite empty since it was barely brunch time, so they all took a seat, filling the bar. Carrie shrugged off her coat and hung it on the back of her chair. Olivia had climbed into the chair next to her, between Carrie and Joyce. She, too, took her little coat off and put it on the back of her chair, her pink snow boots swinging above the floor. Carrie let her eyes wander the substantial bar where she was sitting—its brass accents and beautiful grains. Behind the bartender, she saw more beers displayed like artwork, and she wondered if Adam had done the decorating or someone else. The colors on the labels flowed like a rainbow wave from one side of the display to the other, each placement clearly meticulously thought out. Her eye caught one particular bottle, causing her to smile. It was the Christmas bottle with the holly leaves that Adam had made for her.
While they all drank coffee, Olivia had milk—Tom, the bartender, was teaching her how to spin a quarter on the shiny surface of the bar. He held a quarter up on its side while Olivia flicked it, sending it spinning across the surface. Adam returned, holding David’s hand. “David just met Andy and most of the office staff,” Adam said, letting David crawl up onto a barstool and gesturing to Tom for another cup of milk.
Andy was there. Would she be coming out to say hello? Or more awkward, would she be joining them all for a drink? Carrie could feel the anxiety rising. She was almost certain that she hadn’t imagined the moment she’d had with Adam when they’d put the kids to bed, and she prayed that his kiss last night had been more than just the champagne and the magic of the evening. He hadn’t made any further moves. Was she supposed to do something? Anything more and she felt like she’d be throwing herself at him, or worse, she’d make a fool of herself. Adam told Tom that they were going to finish having their drinks at a table, so they walked over to an empty one with enough seats to accommodate everyone. They all sat down, Carrie holding her coffee mug with two hands, pretending to keep warm but really hiding her jitters. Adam sat down in the empty seat beside her.
Beside their table was a Christmas tree stretching up to the second-floor balcony. Carrie hadn’t noticed before now, but the second and third floors were open balconies, the original steel beams showing at the top. The whole building looked as though it had originated as some sort of warehouse or tobacco facility, the exposed brick giving way to patches of cement with artsy murals painted on it. The beams themselves at the ceiling still showed their rusted bolts, amidst the most gorgeous chandeliers Carrie had ever laid eyes on. Each one was so large that if she were standing beside it on the floor, it would be bigger than Adam’s dining table. Olivia crawled onto Adam’s lap, facing him, the lights from the tree causing a golden shine on the waves in her hair. Olivia was so small that she could crisscross her legs and still fit on Adam’s lap. Adam looked more confident with David. With Olivia, he looked as though he were worried he’d break her. He gently held her hands as she wriggled herself into a comfortable position.