Dani laughed at the picture Carl had painted. From one phone call he had decided he didn't like Michael DeCara, and she suspected it was because of his insistence on seeing her. She should have felt offended by Carl's protective attitude toward her, but instead she felt lucky to have a boss who was looking out for her.
"He's not quite the tyrant Trindell made him out to be," she assured Kelly. By then the other sales assistants had joined them, curious about the mysterious visitor. "As a matter of fact," Dani continued, a bit sarcastically, "he will more than likely be very charming to you all."
"Why, thank you, Miss Westerly. I couldn't have asked for a more pleasant introduction."
Dani recognized the voice behind her instantly and her back stiffened with outrage. She turned to find Miguel directly behind her, his ever-present smile upon his lips.
"Good morning ladies," Michael DeCara approached the group, looking fresh and crisp in his navy silk suit, his damp overcoat slung over his arm. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. The janitor was kind enough to let me in early and direct me to the coat department." He smiled warmly at the other women before turning his gaze to Dani. Standing directly beside her, he winked at her familiarly, bringing an angry rush of blood to her face.
"Mr. DeCara," Dani said crisply. "I'd like to introduce you to our Coat Department Manager, Kelly Suther, and her two full-time assistants, Cris Eastman and Jamie Carlson. I'm sure they can answer any questions you have about the department."
Michael gave Dani a sideways glance, laid his coat over the counter and approached the group of women, his hand extended. "First of all, please call me Michael. I'm not so old that I'd want you lovely ladies to refer to me as Mr." He smiled as he shook each woman's hand in turn, holding each hand for longer than necessary and giving a warm personal comment to each.
"I'm pleased to meet all of you," he continued. "I enjoy knowing the people who sell our merchandise. It's nice to be able to put a face to the names I hear over the phone."
The group of women beamed like schoolgirls, obviously entranced by Michael's good looks and manners. Dani rolled her eyes at his overbearing charm. It took more than a silk suit and polished shoes to impress her. She knew what he was like on the inside.
For more than an hour, Michael discussed the winter line with the women, going over details they might have missed, which would help them in their sales presentations. He discussed fabrics, washing instructions, snap-off collars and linings. He complemented their displays, suggested different ideas for merchandising and joked about ways to sell to the hard-to-sell customer as the three women hung on his every word. Dani had to admit he knew his product well, but was continually annoyed at how hard he was working to impress the other women.
The store had opened by now and Dani tried unsuccessfully several times to end the meeting. Just as her irritation began to peak, Michael pulled a long, red wool coat from the rack to show the women. "This coat definitely looks better on a person than on a hanger," he told them. "Dani dear, would you come model this for us?" He turned back to Kelly, Cris and Jamie. "You know, she'd make a perfect model. Personally I think she should be modeling these clothes instead of hiding behind the scene buying them."
Dani was outraged. How dare he belittle her job when, thanks to him, it was all she had? Or ever would have. She wanted to scream her anger at him, but with the women watching her and customers wandering between the racks, she had no choice but to comply with his request.
Michael slowly slipped the coat over her shoulders and stood close behind her longer than necessary. Dani stepped away from him and buttoned up the coat. Michael only smiled and began showing off its detailing to the saleswomen and a few customers who had gathered around them as Dani seethed with anger.
"Remind me to send you this coat," Michael whispered into Dani's ear. "It looks stunning on you."
Dani had had enough. "It's time we let these women get back to work," she said, taking off the coat and flinging it at Michael. She walked quickly out of the coat department and down the aisle and could faintly hear Miguel thank the women for their time and say goodbye. Dani was at the house wares department by the time Michael caught up with her.
"Hey, wait up. What was that all about?"
She stopped abruptly and faced him. "How could you!" she accused him. "It's bad enough you conned your way in here with this 'tour' crap, but then to purposely embarrassed me in front of the people I work with. I've worked hard to earn the respect of my co-workers and you blow it all away by suggesting I should be some air-headed model."
Michael looked stunned. "I thought it was a compliment."
"Well, it wasn't," Dani kept her voice low, conscious of the customers and salesclerks around them. Venom spilled from her tone. "I take my job seriously. I work hard and I expect to be treated as a professional. And I expect the same treatment from you."
She spun on her heel and walked away toward the elevators. Michael had no choice but to follow her. As he did, he couldn't help but puzzle over the constant hostility Dani expressed toward him. What had he done to make her so angry? Had she hardened so much with life? No, he couldn't believe that the young woman he had once known could change so completely.
"I'll take you up to the offices," Dani said coolly as they reached the elevators. "I think Mr. Trindell plans to meet with you up there."
The ride in the elevator was a silent, tense one. Michael was afraid to say a word in the chance he'd make her angry again. Dani was too upset to say anything.
The doors opened to the large room crowded with desks and partitions. Dani snapped on the lights, a bit perturbed by the fact that Carl wasn't already there. She had hoped to deposit Miguel on him and leave. It was already close to eleven and she wanted to be on her way to her parent's house by noon.
"Is this where your office is?" Michael interrupted her thoughts.
Dani laughed. "I don't have an 'office'," she told him. "This is where my desk is." She waved her hand to the row of desks separated by partitions.
"Show me your desk," Michael asked.
Dani stared at him, surprised. "Why?"
"Because, I'd like to see it. You can tell a lot about a person by their desk." Michael smiled at Dani's frown. "Besides, you got to see mine at home. It's only fair."
Dani shook her head at his childishness. "It's over there," she pointed. "The second one down from Mr. Trindell's office."
Michael walked over and studied her neat, well organized desk. Everything had a place, but something was missing. He tipped his head a bit and scratched his beard as he tried to figure out what it was. His gesture was such a common one, yet one so familiar to Dani, that it tugged her into the past for a brief moment.
"Interesting," he commented.
"What's interesting?"
"Your desk is neat and organized. It shows you're a very good worker."
"So."
"It's missing something. How long have you worked here?"
Dani couldn't figure out where he was heading with all this, but she answered him out of curiosity. "Fifteen years."
"Fifteen years," Michael's voice trailed off a moment. "That's a long time. Yet, there's nothing here that says 'I'm Dani's desk'. No pictures, no mementos, not even a coffee mug with your name on it. Seems strange for having been here so long."
Dani looked closely at her desk and then slowly studied those of her co-workers. He was right. They all had pictures of family on their pin-up boards or in frames on their desks. Plants, flowers and even stickers with funny sayings were strewn around other work areas. Little things that made their work stations personal. Even Traycee had already begun personalizing her own area and she'd hardly been there six months. Yet, Dani's desk looked like anyone could have worked there. The thought depressed her and she was irritated by the fact that Miguel was the one to point it out. But before she could make a smart comeback, Michael changed the subject.
"Do you want to see my latest picture of Michelle?"
Dani's face s
oftened a bit. "You know I do," she told him.
Michael pulled out his wallet and sat on the corner of her desk, flipping through the photos. "Here it is." He handed her the wallet.
Staring up at Dani was a curly-headed little girl with a smile as wide as her face. The emerald dress she wore only added to the brilliant green of her eyes. "She's adorable," Dani said. "So much like Vanessa."
Michael beamed with pride. "I knew you'd appreciate it."
"You always did know where my soft spot was." Dani said the words without thinking. She began flipping through the other pictures. There were others of Michelle at different ages, Vanessa's senior picture, another of Miguel and Vanessa walking down the aisle at her wedding. Dani smiled softly at the pictures as Michael watched her transform back to the girl she'd been.
"I'm sorry I embarrassed you downstairs," he told her. "I really did mean it as a compliment."
Dani closed the wallet and handed it back to him. "It's okay. I guess I am a little sensitive about my job."
Michael reached for the wallet, but instead clasped Dani's hand in his. He looked deeply into her eyes. Yes, the warmth was still there. If only he could penetrate it.
Suddenly uncomfortable by their closeness, Dani pulled away and looked at her watch. "I wonder where Trindell is?" she said aloud. "It's almost 11:30."
Michael saw the mask come down over Dani's eyes and was annoyed that the moment had passed so quickly.
"Oh yes, Carl Trindell," he said. "I spoke with him on the phone. He seems very protective of you."
Dani didn't like the implication of his tone and immediately became defensive. "Carl Trindell has been my supervisor for many years," she said coolly. "He's also a very good friend."
"I'm sure he is," Michael said with a smirk.
Dani wanted to slap the smile right off his face. "Not everyone thinks, or acts like you," she told him, anger once again seething inside her.
"Oh, and just how do I act?" Michael asked, still looking amused.
Like an egotistical, manipulative jerk, Dani wanted to shout out, but she never had the chance. The elevator doors opened and out stepped Carl Trindell.
Trindell felt the tension in the room immediately and once again reprimanded himself for being late. He didn't understand the relationship between Dani and DeCara, but right now he could see it was hostile.
"I'm sorry I'm late," he said, his attention directed more toward Dani than to the both of them. "The rain was much heavier than I'd realized. It took me longer than usual to make the drive in." He looked at Dani with questioning eyes as if to say 'Are you all right?' and noticed the apparent relief in her eyes at his appearance.
"That's okay," Dani reassured him. "We were just looking over the offices."
Dani turned to Miguel. "Michael DeCara, this is Carl Trindell, our Executive Merchandising Manager."
The two men shook hands and exchanged greetings, both a little wary of the other. Although Trindell really wasn't much older than Michael, he had a fatherly look about him. Michael could have kicked himself for making his offhanded accusation to Dani about her relationship with Trindell.
"Well," Dani announced. "I will leave you two to talk. I'll see you Tuesday, Carl."
Trindell walked her to the elevator with Michael tagging behind.
"Be careful driving," Trindell warned Dani. "There's a heavy downpour and strong winds. They've had severe storm warnings all morning."
Dani smiled affectionately at Carl. "I'll be careful," she promised him.
Michael extended his hand to Dani. "It has been a pleasure, as usual," he said smugly.
Ignoring his outstretched hand, Dani stepped into the elevator. "As usual," she replied and the doors closed in Michael's face. The iciness in Dani's words did not escape Carl.
Chapter Eleven
It took Dani much longer to reach her apartment than it had to get to the store that morning because of the heavy downpour. From time to time, the cars on the freeway were almost at a standstill until the rain would let up a little and everyone could continue. The trees along the freeway banks swayed furiously from side to side and the wind made it almost impossible at times to stay in one lane. Dani cursed Miguel several times during the drive and once more when the garage door opener for the apartment's underground parking garage didn't work and she had to park outside and run through the rain to her building. She was soaked to the skin in the few seconds it took her to get inside, which only added to her annoyance.
When she got inside her apartment, she was relieved to see that the electricity was still working and she quickly turned on the television to catch the weather report. Her hope was that the storm was only local so she could still drive up north to her parent's place, but she was disappointed to see the weather was bad throughout most of the state. "Damn you, Miguel," she swore for the hundredth time.
Mrs. Westerly was relieved to hear her daughter on the phone. "I'm glad you didn't try coming," she told Dani. "I was afraid you'd get stuck in this storm."
Dani told her she was disappointed. "This is the last weekend I can come up until the holidays," she complained.
"I know, dear. We wanted to have you here, too. But I feel better knowing you're safe."
Dani spoke to her mother a while longer until the static over the lines became so loud that they had to give up and say goodbye.
Still seething at Miguel for ruining her weekend, she decided that exercise was the only way she could relieve her anger. She quickly changed into sweats and popped her favorite movie into the VCR, then began furiously pumping the stair-stepper machine she had located behind the couch in front of the glass patio door.
As the rain pounded against her patio, Dani mindlessly pounded her feet, hardly noticing the movie playing on the screen. Her mind was still absorbed with Miguel and the events of the day. Why did he keep bothering her? She'd been obvious in her feelings toward him, yet he continued pursuing her. She just couldn't figure him out. He could be so nice one minute and then the next minute make some mean-spirited remark like his insinuation about her and Trindell today. The very idea! Just because he saw every woman as a conquest didn't mean all men thought that way.
Hot and sweating, Dani was surprised to see she'd been exercising longer than her usual twenty-minute workout when she looked up at the clock. She made herself stop, pulled the movie tape out and turned the volume down low, heading for the shower.
Later, wrapped in a white cotton robe, her hair toweled dry and hanging loosely, Dani curled up in front of the television with a plate of food. She felt much calmer after her workout and shower. Her anger with Miguel had subsided and she tried not to think about it as she ate and watched an old Bogie and Bacall movie.
The storm was still full-blown throughout the state, and tornado and severe storm warnings flashed across the bottom of the screen for several counties. Dani could hear the rain pounding outside one minute, and then softly falling the next against her patio window as occasional thunder and lightening rippled through the sky. Everything in the city was closing up and even the airport had shut down until the weather calmed.
Worn out from her hectic day and the workout and shower, Dani lay back on the couch and fell into a deep sleep. She hadn't even realized she'd been sleeping until she was awakened by the buzzing of her doorbell. The piercing sound startled her and it took her a moment to register where it had come from. Looking at the clock, she was surprised to see it was already 8:00 P.M. Had she really slept that long?
Again the doorbell buzzed. "Who could that be?" Dani grumbled walking to the door and looking out the peephole. When she recognized the face staring back at her, she was disgusted. "I can't believe it!" she practically screamed, and forgetting her appearance she quickly unbolted and opened the door. "What are you doing here?"
"So nice to see you, too." Michael DeCara smiled. "May I come in?"
"No, you may not!"
Michael's expression turned from a smile to creased frustration. "Come on Dani
, only for a few minutes. I have to talk to you."
"How many times do I have to tell you there is nothing to talk about? Don't you get it? There is nothing to talk about!"
"Just five more minutes of your life and I won't ever bother you again. I promise."
Dani narrowed her eyes. "Five minutes," she said, stepping aside to let him pass into her apartment.
Michael surveyed his surroundings. "Nice place," he commented, turning back to Dani. She had closed the door but her hand still grasped the knob. "Nice outfit, too," he teased.
Looking down at her robe, she was suddenly aware of how she must look. But she didn't care. "I wasn't expecting company," she replied crisply.
"I know, I'm sorry. Do you mind if I take off my coat? I'm dripping wet."
Staring at his trench coat, Dani saw the puddle that was beginning to form on the floor. She only nodded her assent and he hung it up on the coat rack by the door.
The silence was unbearable for both sides. As Dani continued standing by the door, Michael turned and walked over to the patio doors. Thunder rolled across the sky and lightening zapped in the distance. "That's some storm you're having here," he commented.
"You didn't come here to talk about the weather, did you?"
"No." Michael faced Dani. "I came to talk about us."
"Us?" Dani screeched, padding across the carpet and stopping only inches from Miguel. "What do you mean by 'us'? There is no us!"
"I mean the 'us' we used to be. The friends we could still be if you'd only let me."
Dani crossed her arms. "Why?"
"Because I remember the girl you once were. The girl I cared very much about. And I still believe that under all that hostility, I'd like the woman you've become." Michael's eyes softened as he looked into Dani's, but hers only glared back at him.
"The girl you knew is gone forever," she told him icily. "Thanks to you. And there's nothing left of her to revive. So just let it go."
"What do you mean 'thanks to you'? What did I do to make you hate me so much? All I ever did was love you."
Memories Page 7