by Harmon, AJ
Focused on a picture of the lake with toy boats floating across the smooth surface a text flashed before her eyes. ‘Hope you’re having fun Mom! Make this a trip to remember. Luv ya’
It was from Tyler. A big smile appeared as she read the text again. Tyler and Adam had certainly grown into amazing young men. Her twin boys had arrived into the world four weeks early and had been tiny, spending almost two weeks in the NICU before she and Robert could take them home. She was barely an adult when they were born and in many ways she and the boys had grown up together. Now they were both over six feet tall, Adam playing on the baseball team for Oregon State and Tyler a wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks. Neither was planning a pro sports career after college. In fact Adam wanted to go to Medical school and Tyler was looking at an MBA. But they still had another year of college to go before they had to figure out how to finance more school.
Janie’s forehead wrinkled as she thought about the cost of more schooling. With scholarships and their college savings, the boys would make it through college with only a small amount in student loans. Janie had offered to pay those loans with money from Robert’s life insurance, but the boys had both been adamant that they were more than capable of taking care of their loans themselves. She was so proud of them both. They were her biggest and best achievement. There would be enough money to pay for a graduate degree and maybe med school if she went back to work.
She tilted her face up towards the sun and closed her eyes and sighed. Work! A job! She didn’t want her trip to be interrupted with that unwelcome thought. She hadn’t worked since Robert had been diagnosed. She had quit her job at the hospital three days after that dreadful day. At times she had missed the day-to-day routine. She had been an executive assistant to the Dean of Medicine, often a demanding job, but also enjoyable. Dr. Rodriguez had been wonderful to her and her family, and she knew if she wanted to go back he would make sure it happened. But she didn’t want to think about that now. Now was time to sit in the sun on a wrought iron bench in the middle of Central Park drinking an overpriced Coca Cola.
*****
Matt sat at his large glass desk staring at a spreadsheet on his laptop. It was the same spreadsheet he had been trying to work on yesterday on the flight back from Portland. But he had been distracted and couldn’t concentrate; reading words and numbers over and over again, forgetting them immediately. At first he attributed his lack of focus to being tired, although he rarely slept more than five hours a night, so that really was just a lame excuse. It was that woman next to him; all hair and big blue innocent eyes. Yes, Janie was the distraction. He was horrified at the memory of dumping his ice water all over her, but seeing her wet, breathing heavily, looking like a frightened animal had given him an immediate erection, and the sight of her breasts clinging to her t-shirt flashed before him every time he closed his eyes.
Matt chuckled as he recalled her expression when he sat down next to her on the plane. That had been a complete coincidence, one he was greatly pleased about. She really was adorable, so self conscious and guileless, nothing like the women who were constantly throwing themselves in front of him, like the hostess at the restaurant last night, shoving her tits in his face like that really pissed him off. He didn’t even have to work for it; women just handed themselves to him on a silver platter. There just wasn’t any sport in it anymore.
Janie Anderson was not like the women he had dated, or married, before. She didn’t appear hardened or cynical or a gold-digging social climber, like many of the female population he’d had experience with, and there were a lot of women in that group. Matt knew he was nice to look at, he was very aware of how women reacted to him. It was something he had dealt with since his teenage years. So at the age of 40, he was well-versed in the female persuasion. But Janie was like a breath of fresh air, not throwing herself at him, and Matt grinned at the memory of her total embarrassment trying to untwist her sweater to cover herself. He had wanted to reach over and touch the exposed skin with his tongue but had the fortitude to refrain. She had looked so peaceful sleeping in her seat, childlike even. He had guessed they were around the same age and had felt a wave of relief when she’d said she wasn’t married. Offering a ride had been a desperate attempt to give him more time to talk to her, to watch her chew on her cheek, a telltale nervous habit. There was just something about her that intrigued him, which made him want to see more of her.
Matt returned to the spreadsheet, trying to find the focus he needed, and waiting for IT to get him her phone number.
*****
Curled up in the corner of the plush sofa in her hotel room, Janie gazed out the window at the darkening sky. She had enjoyed a most excellent day wandering through the park and now she was content to spend the evening relaxing, dining in and flicking through the channels on the TV. Picking up the remote control, she pushed the power button and the bright light of the TV filled the room. Stopping on the USA channel, Janie immediately recognized the show and grinned; Law & Order SVU. Benson and Stabler were questioning a suspect in the grim interrogation room and she threw her head back and laughed loudly.
He was the perfect gentleman, thought Janie. IS the perfect gentleman. Her mind wandering back to that perfect kiss earlier, so mesmerizingly gentle and it had certainly left her wanting more.
Her cell phone rang and she grabbed it off the coffee table. Reading the number displayed, she didn’t recognize it, but it said ‘New York, NY’. There were only a couple of places that Janie had given her number to, the hotel was one of them. She pushed the button and said hello.
“Hi. How was your day?” The smooth silky voice on the other end was instantly familiar.
“Oh! Hi! Um, it was nice.” Janie tripped over her tongue trying to spit out the words. “How did you get my number?”
Matt chuckled at Janie’s suspicious tone. “You called my office and we have caller ID.”
“Oh,” came the reply.
“So what did you do today?” he asked.
“I spent the day in the park. It was such a pretty day so I thought I would explore. It really is big isn’t it?”
Matt could hear her relax as she spoke. “I guess it is. I don’t spend much time there. I am usually in meetings or on a plane.”
Janie frowned. “That’s too bad. You’re missing out.” She remembered the expanse of grass and the lakes and the fountains. “I thought it was amazing. To think in this massive city of bricks and concrete there is a huge oasis right in the middle. What do you do that keeps you in meetings or on a plane?”
“I am a real estate developer,” he said. “I buy land and build on it, or I buy existing buildings and remodel and lease, or sometimes re-sell.”
“Houses?” asked Janie, genuinely curious.
“Commercial mostly, although I have been known to buy an apartment building or two. In fact the very first building I bought was a brownstone that I converted into 4 apartments.”
“And that keeps you on a plane?”
“My company owns property all around the world.”
“Oh.” Janie really didn’t know what else to say.
“Well I am glad you are enjoying my city,” Matt smiled. He was going to have to walk through the park again. It really had been a long time.
“I am.”
“Er, Janie?”
“Hmm?”
“There is a charity fundraiser on Sunday evening that I have to go to. They’re usually quite boring but everyone dresses up and usually a famous singer or two perform and the food is pretty good.” Matt grinned as he recalled Janie’s rapture with a plate of ravioli. “Would you come with me? As my date?”
Janie’s mouth gaped open and she was totally speechless. Holy shit! He’s asking me out on another date!
“Janie? Are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m still here.”
“So… will you come with me?”
“It’s a formal event?” she whispered.
“Black tie.”
A b
lack tie charity fundraiser in New York City with famous people! “Thank you Matt. I’d LOVE to go!” Janie couldn’t contain her excitement.
“Wonderful. I’ll pick you up at 7. Thank you Janie.”
*****
Matt replaced the receiver of the phone and leaned back in his leather chair. He spun around to look out at the view from his office. The sun had set and night was beginning to fall. The lights were beginning to flicker through the darkness. He wondered if he should have called her and made another date. Was that smart? She was only here for two weeks and he didn’t want to screw with her “once in a lifetime” trip. He shouldn’t have kissed her this morning. She tasted so sweet and it took every ounce of control not to throw her on the bed and take her then and there. He wanted to feel her writhing under him, to taste her neck and those voluptuous breasts she kept letting peek out. And then she’d rubbed her lips after their kiss and she looked so beautiful. He was like a moth to a flame.
Angela interrupted his thoughts as she opened the door to his office. “Do you need anything else this evening before I head home?”
Matt turned from the window back to his desk. “Big plans for the weekend Angela?”
“No, just the grandkids coming for a sleepover tomorrow night. Once a month we take the girls so Liz and her husband get a Saturday night out. I think we enjoy it more than they do. Did you need anything Mr. Lathem?” Angela smiled brightly. She always did when talking about her grandkids.
“Yes. You know that fundraiser dinner on Sunday I declined?”
Angela nodded her head.
“I need two tickets.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Angela smiled, “Seeing as though you are one of their biggest donors.” Angela turned and headed back to her desk.
Matt needed to remember to thank his mother for making him choose an animal rescue organization as his company’s main charitable cause. “I like horses. Dogs too.” Matt grinned from ear to ear as he recalled the words of one Janie Anderson.
5.
If there was a city made for shopping, it was definitely New York. Janie spent all day Saturday wandering block after block, in and out of boutiques and department stores. By mid afternoon she had found the perfect dress to wear to the upcoming black tie dinner and the anticipation was mounting with each additional purchase.
Janie had entered a small boutique that had the most exquisite beaded dress in the window. It was a pale shade of blue and the detail was amazing. Of course it only came in sizes 2-6, so that dress was off the possibility list. The chicly dressed sales girl, Ruth, about the same age as her sons Janie guessed, had given her the once over and taken her to the “bigger” sized dresses. Since when is a size 10 considered BIG? Janie had wondered, but after looking at several dresses with Ruth she came upon the dress now hanging in her hotel room closet. It was a dark shade of blue, with an empire waist. It was made of soft silk with a taffeta lining. The bodice was snug and there were small gathered straps that went over the shoulders, so that you could wear them small and skinny, or pull them so that they covered a little more skin. The skirt, falling from just below her bust line, was straight but not tight, so that she could still sit and be comfortable. Janie envisioned it something Elizabeth Bennett would have worn to a ball with the elegant and dashing Mr. Darcy. The zipper was under the left arm and wouldn’t be a problem zipping up herself. One of the many things she missed about Robert was not having him to do up her zippers, or unclasp a necklace. She had tried on the dress and Ruth assured her that the dress was positively perfect; it was simple, yet dressy enough to pass even Tim Gunn’s inspection.
At Bloomingdale’s she had found a pair of silver sling back shoes and a small clutch that looked like they were made to go together. But Janie had almost choked when she handed the clerk her credit card and charged $983 to her Visa. She took the shopping bag and walked out of the store suffering from a strong case of buyer’s remorse. That’s almost a mortgage payment! she had thought. In fact it wasn’t far off their old payment. Janie and Robert’s house had been paid off when he died, thanks to an additional insurance policy Janie never even knew existed. He had taken care of them when he was alive and well, he was still doing it now after he had died. He had made sure that Janie and the boys would be financially healthy after he had gone, and for that she was grateful. But a twinge of guilt surfaced knowing that Robert probably didn’t have this in mind; a dress, shoes, clutch, and jewelry.
Janie soaked in the giant bathtub, relaxing in the warm water, her eyes closed. Her mind flitted back and forth over the last 20 years; memories of the boys and Robert fishing, photographs of their annual campout to Frog Lake on Mt. Hood - no females allowed, high school graduation, Christmas mornings, Robert lying in a hospital bed - frail and pale, the boys stoic on either side of her at his funeral. All the memories were there, the good and the bad. They had enjoyed a good life together, no regrets. Janie smiled as her thoughts drifted back to the boys. Next year they would graduate from college and then they would go off and start a new life. Adam was thinking about med school in New Jersey and Tyler wanted an MBA from Harvard. They would leave their roots in Portland and head off on their own path, leaving Janie. To what? Once the boys don’t need me anymore, what then? Do they even need me now? Janie sighed, Probably not.
Janie sat up and grabbed for the sea sponge and rubbed it up her arm over the tops of her breasts. Matt’s face appeared in her mind and she closed her eyes and shook her head violently. She could still feel his hand resting on her wet t-shirt, still hear the words ‘You’re definitely hot’ roll off his tongue. She could still feel his lips on hers and his thumbs caressing her cheeks. She blushed at the thought. Her nipples hardened and she felt a longing in between her legs. She was turned on by a memory, by a look, just by his innocent touch. Lord have mercy! And Janie pulled the plug and climbed out of the tub.
*****
Sunday morning was spent having breakfast and reading The Times. That’s what everyone did in the movies, so that’s what she was going to do. Room service delivered her bagel and cream cheese and a pot of hot coffee. Feeling like a real New Yorker, Janie sat up in bed with the paper spread all over her moving from one section to another.
At 11am, Janie took a long hot shower, making sure her armpits were perfectly clean shaven, as her dress would not be hiding any foliage growing under there. She deep conditioned her hair, hoping that it would behave and not frizz, and she shaved her legs out of habit. She stood under the flow of water anticipating how the night would go, excitement in the pit of her stomach. She had seen pictures in magazines of events like this and the thought that she got to be a part of it, just once, was amazing to her, to say the least.
She wondered what Matt would wear and was sure he was going to be sexy as hell in a tux. He was sexy in a dark grey suit, in blue jeans, and a dark blue suit. Hell, he’s just plain sexy! Once again Janie found her breathing a little shallow and her face flushed. “What that man does to me is beyond words,” Janie muttered, and turned off the shower.
Still feeling very self-conscious about the “eating” remark Matt made at the restaurant, Janie ordered room service around 3pm. She wanted to be able to eat politely at dinner, but not inhale all that was placed in front of her. After signing the receipt and handing over another tip, Janie wondered if the size of the bill was worth her pride. She ate her sandwich and finished the fries and hoped it would sustain her.
*****
Ray pulled the black BMW in front of the hotel and Matt jumped out and strode in with purpose. He headed straight to the elevator and once inside pushed the number 16 button and waited for the doors to slowly close. He fidgeted with his tie, pulled on his shirt sleeves and checked the cuffs of his pants. It was precisely 6:55pm when he stood outside Janie’s door and he took a deep breath. He was going for it. Two weeks would be long enough for him to have some fun, show Janie a good time, and then she could head back to Portland, leaving him to move on and reca
pture his focus. Yes, he would have her. He lifted his hand and knocked.
*****
“I love you too Adam.” Janie pushed the OFF button on her phone and placed it in her new silver clutch. Adam had called to check on his mom and Janie had wondered who the parent was. She loved talking to her boys and he had been excited to tell her about his weekend game. The Beavers had beaten Cal and Adam had hit his first homer of the season.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. The sound surprised Janie. She was just about to head down to the lobby to meet Matt. She wasn’t expecting anyone.
Janie walked quickly to the door and opened it. There stood Matt and her breath caught in her throat. He is beautiful! she thought. He was dressed in an elegant black tux with a perfectly tied bowtie. He was looking at her with wide eyes and his mouth was open; he looked surprised?
Janie immediately looked down and wondered if she was not appropriately dressed. He still had not spoken and Janie stopped breathing. Shit! What was I thinking? I must look like a country bumpkin! She had left her hair down, trying to make soft curls to frame her face. She had purchased a simple necklace with a lone diamond pendant that sat just at the top of her cleavage. She wore simple diamond studs in her ears and a silver cuff bracelet on her left wrist. And she had added the last touch of rosy pink lipstick, something she rarely wore.
She stepped backwards and Matt took a step towards her. Janie took another step backwards and Matt again stepped towards her, now being able to close the door behind him.
“You are breathtaking,” he whispered. “Absolutely breathtaking.”
Janie looked up and saw his expression changing. His mouth curved into a big smile and his eyes twinkled. Maybe I look okay? Janie thought.
“You look beautiful.”