by Shayne Ford
Laughing, he stretches out his hand and helps me out.
“I’m too old for this shit,” I say straightening and trying to regain some of my lost dignity.
He bites his lip to silence his laugh while I waggle my finger at him.
“I’m not amused. Rain must’ve noticed that I was missing too. She probably checked my room.”
“It’s a big house. You were downstairs to get a glass of water or a cookie.”
“I’m not five.”
“You were looking for someone to steam your dress.”
“Not plausible.”
“You found something to read in the studying room. And you lost track of time.”
“How do you know about the studying room?”
“I’ve been there before.”
I flick my hand dismissively.
“Okay, all right. I’ll see you downstairs.”
“No kiss?”
I toss him a frown.
“Seriously?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
He closes the space between us, shoves his hand into my hair, runs the neckline of my top down, and kisses the root of my neck. It’s the kind of kiss that goes from soft and sensual to passionate within mere seconds.
He has a way.
I freeze, although a fire starts blazing in my belly.
And then he lets go of me.
“You’re going to pay dearly for this,” I say.
“I can’t wait,” he tosses at me, cupping his groin, the outline of his erection visible against his shorts.
“Showoff,” I mutter, grinning. “Let me go, or you’re going to spend the next hour explaining to James why I was here and what I was looking for in your room.”
He lifts his hand, a playful smile on his face.
“That’s another possible explanation. You came into my room to make sure that I’m okay.”
“Oh, please.”
Smiling, I roll my eyes, his laugh ringing out behind my back. Smoothly, I crack the door open, look up and down the corridor, and step out. The place is empty, mingled voices drifting from the first floor.
Perhaps, I should go to Rain’s room first and try to explain to her why I wasn’t there, I muse, as I walk briskly down the hallway.
I tip my gaze down. Before I do that, I need to change.
The voices echo not far from my room now, prompting me to make a last moment maneuver and hide around a corner. The staff walks past me.
I wait a moment longer, making sure the corridor is clear before I walk into my room.
The place looks just as I left it last night when in a fit of impatience I decided to pay Tiago a visit.
I search for my phone. It’s on the nightstand where I set it.
I would’ve been wise to take it with me instead of leaving it here. I swipe the screen with my thumb, anticipating a flurry of messages.
I find nothing.
Okay. That’s strange.
I take a quick shower, find something nice to dress, brush my hair, and walk straight to Rain’s room. As expected, she’s not there.
I find her in the kitchen.
“There you are,” she says, her face lighting up with a smile as I enter her line of sight. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah,” I say, somewhat relieved. “You?”
She looks at me, distracted.
“Yup. Sorry... My mind is spinning three things at once. We’re leaving in an hour or so. I’m so exciting.”
“I bet you are.”
“Would you like something to eat? A cup of coffee?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go to the dining room. I’ll ask the staff to set the table for you.”
“No need to. I can grab a bite in here.”
“No worries,” she says, grabbing my elbow and nudging me out of the kitchen. “Tiago didn’t have breakfast as well.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah,” she says, smiling. “I hope you’re going to be okay with him here while we are gone.”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“James thought that you two could help each other to get settled.”
“Did he plan all this?”
“No. He had no idea that Tiago would show up. They talked about it, but he didn’t know Tiago would come here so soon. I had no idea he offered him a job.”
“What about his girlfriend? Is she moving here too?”
“He didn’t say anything about her,” she says as we enter the room where the two brothers chat over coffee.
James tips his gaze to us first.
“Good morning,” I say, smiling.
He nods, his eyes staying on me as I round the table, and take a seat across from his brother.
“Tiago,” I say.
He watches me from above the rim of his cup.
“Eve,” he mutters in an even tone. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes,” I say in a breath, trying to keep my face straight while sensing a blush blazing across my cheeks.
Luckily, the staff walks in bringing food, and the conversation shifts to the weather, and James and Rain’s upcoming trip.
They keep Tiago and me company as we have our breakfast and two hours later, we all say goodbye as they climb into a limo and pull away from us.
Tiago and I remain standing at the top of the stairs leading to their home as the luxury limo glides away.
The gray clouds fly across the sky, the sunlight chasing them away.
“The weather gets better,” Tiago murmurs, his eyes set on the horizon.
I study his profile for a moment before he shifts his gaze to me, the moment of nostalgia coming to a swift end.
“So, Miss Malone... What would you like to do now that we’re alone?”
EVE
I stretch my legs as I sprawl in my seat, glancing at him from time to time.
Slowly, he lets James’ Bugatti roll.
By the time, we slide past the iron gates, bright sunlight sparks across the roads, the meadows, and the distant town.
He rolls the windows down, letting in the fresh, crisp air.
“It smells like spring,” I murmur for myself as we head downtown.
The landscape here is so different than New York, the open space, wild nature, and scattered homes painting a contrast to the city.
And then there is the sound of singing birds resonating in the air every time we stop at crossroads.
“How was life here when you grew up?”
“Unforgettable.”
My answer makes him shift his gaze to me.
“It was magical,” I continue. “At least, that was how I saw it as a young girl.”
He trains his eyes on the road while my gaze sweeps the meadows on my right.
“I need to make a stop at my parents’ house,” I say after a moment.
“Okay.”
I give him the directions, and fifteen minutes later, we pull to a smooth stop in my parents’ driveway.
“It would only take a moment,” I say, looking at him, already opening the door. “Do you want to come in or wait here?”
“I’ll wait.”
I slip out of his ride and straighten my back before I make a beeline for the entrance when I notice movement inside the house and the door opens.
My mom greets me.
“I thought you were never gonna come,” she says, pulling me into a hug.
Her gaze slides to the car waiting for me.
“I thought James left.”
“It’s not James.” She looks at me, baffled.
“Who is it then? And why is he waiting in James’ car?”
“It’s Tiago, his brother. I only need to get some clothes. There was no point in dragging him inside.”
“No way,” she argues.“You can do whatever you want, but I can’t have him wait in front of the house. It’s impolite.”
Before I have the chance to say something else she’s already rounding the car and starts talking to him.
It doesn’
t take long, and Tiago turns off the engine and steps out of the car. Sheer admiration glows across my mom’s face as she takes him in.
Chatting, they stroll to the house.
He looks devilishly good in his short coat and gray suit.
“Are you hungry?” mom asks as we all walk in.
“We just ate.”
“Coffee then?”
“Sure,” Tiago says, secretly winking at me as we both follow my mother inside the house.
She brings a platter with two cups of coffee and a plate of freshly baked toasted almond biscotti to my room–– as always she’s made them from scratch. She sets everything on the table in the covered patio.
This is the same spot where Rain and I used to sit and watch the ducks gliding onto the lake every summer, and stare at the shimmering scenery in the winter.
The view is not that great right now, as the snow is melting and the ground is dark and soaked with water, not to mention the dead leaves loitering the landscape and the faint light painting the sky gray, but it’s still as serene as it’s always been.
My mom sets a couple of napkins on the table while I pack a few sweaters before she spins to me.
“He is so handsome,” she says, motioning to the kitchen where Tiago talks to my father.
I laugh quietly
“He’s James’ brother. What did you expect?”
“He likes you...”
For a moment, I can’t tell whether it’s a question or a conclusion, so I toss her a questioning look.
She nods.
“Yes, he does.”
“How can you tell?”
“The way he looks at you.”
“They all looked at me like that.”
She shakes her head.
“No. Not the ones before him. This one really does.”
I laugh again.
“Yeah... Go ahead. Fill my head with nonsense, mom.”
Smiling amused, she signals to me to keep it low as the male voices travel down the corridor.
Tiago enters the room first while my dad stops in the entryway.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” Tiago says as he gets a glimpse of the table set on the patio. Coffee is enough.”
“You have to taste my mom’s biscotti first and then argue with her,” I say, grinning.
“They’re really good,” my dad comments.
“We could’ve sat in the kitchen,” Tiago says.
My mom gestures faintly, disagreeing.
“This has always been Eve and Rain’s favorite spot, but since her friend got married, they rarely have the chance to spend time in here. The view it’s really nice,” she says, inviting Tiago to take a seat.
She spins around and tosses me a quick, pointed gaze.
“Are you done? The coffee is getting cold.”
I get the hint and move to the patio while she finishes packing up my things.
A few moments later, she leaves the room while Tiago and I taste my mom’s biscotti and look at the water. I toss him a side glance as I lift my cup of coffee to my lips.
It feels surreal to have him here, sitting in Rain’s chair, his face a copy carbon of James’.
“Do you like it?” I ask as I notice a melancholic look in his eyes.
He tips his gaze to me.
“Mmm-hmm. It’s really nice. Your parents are nice people too.”
“Yes, they are. Thank you.”
He shifts his eyes back to the view.
“So, this is where you grew up, huh?”
“Yes.”
I dip biscotti into coffee and take a bite. He does the same. The flavor is amazing–– the roasted almonds are fresh and crunchy.
Chewing slowly, he looks at the lake again.
“I start to see what all the fuss is about this place.”
His comment makes me smile.
“You don’t sound very convinced.”
He looks at me, smiling softly.
“No, I am. I actually am.”
We both turn our eyes to the lake.
“We used to ride our bicycles up and down that road,” I say, pointing to a narrow patch of dirt and a slight slope. “Every summer, we would go downtown to get a cup of gelato from the best ice cream parlor in town. It was fun.”
“I bet it was,” he says, smiling.
A few minutes later, we finish our coffee, and we leave–– to my parents’ regret.
“They really like you,” I say as we wave them goodbye and walk to the car.
“I like them, too.”
He is honest about it.
We leave my parents’ home and take the road downtown.
First, we drive through the Main Square and past City Hall, and then we find a parking spot and spend the entire afternoon browsing the small shops lining the cobblestone streets before we work up an appetite and start looking for a place to eat.
“Since we’re already here,” he says when we return to our ride, “let’s eat at Red’s.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I don’t remember when was the last time I ate at the club. I think it was... never?
He steers the car left and rolls it along the main street. The sidewalks are animated with people, the store windows embellished with heart-shaped, pink balloons, and flowers.
“Oh. I almost forgot about it...” I say, gazing at the lights and the eye-catching displays.
He doesn’t say a thing.
Minutes later, we enter the private parking lot at Red’s. The gate slides shut behind us.
A parking valet rushes to the car.
“Mr. Rossi,” the man says, recognizing him immediately.
“Has he seen you before?”
“I doubt.”
“How does he know your name?”
“I think James made an announcement.”
We both step out of the car and head to the back entrance.
A manager greets us, holding the door open for us.
“Your table is ready, Mr. Rossi.”
I look at him, surprised.
“I called them ahead of time,” he says quietly. “It’s not as if they read my mind.”
I grin, amused.
Moments later, a hostess leads us to a table in a VIP booth. As we walk across the venue, guests toss us glances.
It must be the resemblance with his brother–– I don’t think many people know me, for that matter.
We finally get seated at our table.
It’s tastefully decorated with pink roses, ribbons, and chocolates wrapped in golden foil. A bottle of champagne waits for us, tucked in a bucket of ice. A sweet, sour aroma hovers over the table as soon as a waiter opens the bottle and pours the champagne into our glasses.
“Ready to order?” the man asks.
I pick up the menu.
We order several appetizers, salad, blackened salmon for me, and grilled steak with sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes for him, and we share most of our food once it arrives.
We’ve truly worked up an appetite all those hours we’ve spent roaming downtown.
The hostess and the waiter cater to us for the next hour or so, and as I look around, I realize the place has changed somewhat over the years, more families and couples frequenting the establishment now.
The skimpily dressed pole dancers have been replaced by a variety of entertainers. That’s not to say that the women working here are not as beautiful as they always were, a couple of them staring openly at my man.
Hmmm. My man.
This will be interesting to watch. Him running the establishment. Me, losing my temper once in a while.
“Is something wrong?”
I shift my gaze to him.
“No.”
“You’re really quiet.”
“Everything is fine.”
“Food?”
“Oh, it’s delicious.”
The waiter approaches our table to refill our glasses.
Tiago makes a clipped gesture, stop
ping him in his tracks and pours the champagne himself.
We clink our glasses.
“For us,” he says.
“For us,” I mutter.
I take a sip of the fragrant, bubbly, drink, enjoying the taste as the liquid rolls over my palate.
He holds my gaze as we both drink champagne before we set our glasses down.
He glances to the side.
I notice a dancer who can’t take her eyes from him, and also another woman at a nearby table who studies my face.
“They keep staring at you,” I mutter, shifting my eyes away from the women.
“Not only me... it seems,” he says as the woman eyeing me rises to her feet, and makes a beeline for us.
As she gets closer, I realize that she looks somewhat familiar.
She stops by our table.
“Good evening,” she says politely.
Tiago nods at her before she shifts her eyes to me.
“Eve Malone?”
I look at her, making an effort to place her.
“You don’t recognize me, do you? I’m Noemi, your classmate.”
I look at the woman, trying to match her face with some old memory when it finally hits me.
“No way. Noemi Klein?”
She nods, amused by my reaction.
“Uh-huh. I’ve changed a bit. I’m a little more, um... grown up. I have two kids now.”
“Oh. I’m so happy to hear that. I had no idea.”
“Are you visiting? I thought you lived in New York,” she says her eyes swinging to Tiago for a moment before she brings them back to me.
“Um... Actually. I’m starting a new job here next Monday.”
“Here?”
“I mean in town. At Sexton International. I’m working in advertising.”
“Nice.”
“You?”
“I’m a teacher. You know that’s always been my dream.”
“You like it?” I ask, smiling.
“I love it.”
“That’s good to hear... Oh, I’m so sorry. I forgot to make the introductions.”
“Tiago Rossi. Noemi Klein.”
They shake hands.
“I see you’re celebrating,” she says, shifting her gaze to me.
“Um...”
I look at Tiago who lifts an eyebrow and smiles.
“Yes. Well... I’m showing Mr. Rossi around. He’s new to town. He’s also James Sexton’s brother.”
“No way. I’ve noticed the resemblance. It’s stunning. I only saw your brother on TV,” she says to him.
He smiles, flattered.