by Naomi Niles
Chapter Twenty-Three
Harrison
I hated that Caroline was bothered during our dinner. I felt that we couldn’t enjoy ourselves because of Johnathan, and now, more than ever, I wanted to wrap my hands around his neck and watch him struggle to get air from his lungs. I would never forgive him if his foolishness got between me and Caroline. Especially right now. It seemed like we were headed in a good direction, but with the way she was feeling, I wasn’t sure how things were going to go. The next morning, she sent me a text as a reminder that she was going out with Meghan.
“OK. I’ll call my driver. He will be downstairs in about 15 minutes. Have fun, babe. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“OK, thank you.”
I hoped that Meghan could help her see that things weren’t as bad as they seemed, but that was all I could do. After I had called my driver, I switched my attention to Brian. I knew he would be ecstatic that we closed the deal. “Brian?”
“Harrison. I was just thinking about you, man. How did things go?”
“Great.” I stretched my legs out in front of me as I sat in my chair. “We closed the deal.”
“No shit?”
“No shit. And Caroline was an excellent substitute. She knew a lot about the business, and she practically answered every question that the group asked. She was rather impressive, Brian. Seriously.”
“Wow. Wow. So,” he chuckled, “are you saying you will be replacing me for future meetings?”
“No. God, no. If anything, I will send the two of you along. You guys will be like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. My secret weapons that I deploy to close every deal we get.”
He laughed. “Yeah, man, I don’t mind the sound of that. Hell, if she is as good as you say, maybe you need to think about keeping her for the long run.”
I knew he was talking about the business, but I couldn’t help but think about her in my life as my bride. That was the long run that was at the forefront of my mind if we could get past this rocky moment that we were facing. “Yeah,” I said, coming back to the phone call, “yeah. She is set on leaving in half a year though, so we will see. How is your daughter?”
“Oh, she is good now. She’s back at home, running around like nothing was ever wrong with her. That stuff cleared up the day before the trip to California, but I figured I’d take the next few days off just to make sure my little girl was OK.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t have allowed you to come anyway. I said that you needed to be there with your little girl and I meant that. I truly meant it.”
“Yeah, I know, I know, and I appreciate that, brother. From the bottom of my heart.” A brief silence rested between us. “So, what do you and Caroline have planned for the last day in California?”
“Well, she is going out with a friend of hers today, so I am just hanging out around the hotel.”
“What’s going on with you two? I know you are just going to brush it off as nothing, but I’ve seen the way you look at her. I know there is something more between you two.”
I folded my leg across the other. “Nothing, man. Nothing. She is my accountant, who happens to be my daughter’s best friend. That’s it. She is a good girl and… I will be honest; I do believe that – if the chips fell the right way, I could see myself with her.”
“I knew it!”
“Yeah, man. That’s how I see it. She is damn near perfect for me, you know? Damn near perfect.”
We continued our conversation about her. He warned me how it would look from an outside perspective, but if I lived my life caring what other people thought, I wouldn’t have been as successful as I was right now. I didn’t allow other people to influence any of my decisions, and it wasn’t going to change right now. We stayed on the phone for almost 20 minutes before he scooted off the phone. “Man, the old ball and chain is calling my name. Listen, you two enjoy the rest of your trip and be careful, alright? And,” he lowered her voice as if he didn’t want anyone around him to hear, “if you happen to sleep with her, make sure you take your energy drink. That girl looks like she will give you a run for your money.”
I laughed as my mind replayed a few of our sexual encounters. I had no problem keeping up with her throughout the night. “Yeah,” I said with the smile still on my face, “IF it goes there, I think I will be alright. You take it easy, Brian. I will see you on Monday.”
“Alright, boss.”
I hung up the phone and tossed it onto my mattress. I figured that Caroline would be gone for a few hours, so I decided to head downstairs to the bar and have a drink or two while I waited for her to come back. As I walked through the hallways, I recalled the times I spent in this hotel with other women. Women that I met while I was on business and others that I met while I was on vacation. I laughed to myself, thinking about the number of times Sarah called me a man whore. She spoke her mind, whether it was good or bad, but I appreciated her honestly. The elevator buzzed when it got to my floor, snapping me out of my daydream.
I took the elevator downstairs and found an empty bar stool to sit on. There was a television right above the bar that played the Golden State Warriors game, so I figured I would catch a few quarters before I headed back up to my room. Just then, the bartender approached me. She was a short, brunette woman with one dimple on her left cheek. Her V-neck T-shirt was cut low in the front, and as she leaned forward to slide the coaster in front of me, she gave me a good view of what she had to offer. With a wink, she started the conversation. “What can I get a handsome man like you this afternoon?”
“Um, I will take a glass of scotch, please.”
“Scotch, huh? That is a classic choice. Anything else?”
“No. That will be all for now. Thank you.”
She smiled, then grabbed the bottle off the shelf and poured my drink. I analyzed her body structure. She was thick below her waist and a little pudgy on the sides, but she still maintained her attractiveness. Her hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, and it dangled to the middle of her back. Her skin had a perfect tan to it. I imagined the alternating colors on her bikini line as she brought my drink back to me and slid a straw into the glass. “There you go,” she said as she placed the drink on the coaster.
“Thank you.” I could sense the attraction in the air. I was the only one at the bar, so for the moment, I had all of her attention. “So, what is your name?” The crowd on the television jeered as Curry made a three-point shot to put them up by two.
“Amanda,” she said with a friendly smile. “But you can call me Te-Te.”
“Te-Te?” I asked, quizzically. “How did you come up with that nickname?”
Her smile remained as she looked down at her breasts, then back towards me, “Well, I can think of TWO reasons why,” she said, giggling. My eyes drifted to her breasts. They sat perfectly beneath her shirt as she stood in front of me. “But, that’s been my nickname since I was about 19. That’s when I started bartending, and you know, from there, it just stuck.”
“I see.” I took a sip of my drink. I knew she was interested. She looked to be no more than 25, and as far as her looks went, she was right up my alley. “So, how long have you been working here? I’ve stayed here a few times, but I think this is my first time meeting you.”
“Yeah,” she said as another customer sat a few seats down from me. “I started working here about two months ago. I just finished going to bartending school, you know? So this is my first job. Can you hold on for a second? I need to see what this guy wants.”
“Sure thing.”
She smiled, then headed towards the younger man that had just taken his seat. The crowd jeered again as Steph Curry drained another three-point shot. I took a sip of my drink as I covertly watched her interaction with the other customer. I wondered if she was just a friendly person overall or if she was interested in me. I glanced at her backside as she stood in front of him to collect his order. She didn’t crack a smile until she looked back in my direction while she made his drink. It�
��s me. I waited for a few minutes until she came back in front of me. “Look, I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but that guy that just sat down? He is so damned annoying. This is his fourth time at this bar today, and he always comes around trying to start small talk with me. I told him that I wasn’t interested, but he doesn’t get the picture.”
“Oh? Well, you can’t blame him for having good taste.”
She blushed. “I guess you’re right, but still. I just wish that he would bother someone else.”
I narrowed my eyes as I took another sip of my drink. Before I knew it, the bottom was empty. She whisked the glass away and poured me another before I could even ask for a refill. “You are good at your job,” I said as she placed my drink on the coaster.
“Yeah. That is not the only thing I am good at.” I smiled. Her eyes danced over my body until she spoke up again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”
“Harrison.”
She extended her hand to shake mine. “Well, Harrison, it is nice to meet a fine, distinguished man like yourself. Tell me, do you happen to be married? Perhaps, a girlfriend lurking around here somewhere? I don’t want to get you into any trouble.” I immediately thought about Caroline. Normally, there wouldn’t have been a thought of any other woman in my mind, especially when there was a temptation like this standing right in front of me. I glanced away from her for a second as if Caroline was going to walk through the doors of the restaurant at any moment.
“No, I am not married. However, I do have a girlfriend.” She wasn’t officially mine, but I just figured that it was only a matter of time before she was.
“A girlfriend, huh?” She gave me a once-over. Her full lips glistened with gloss as she spoke again. “Well, I can’t say that I am surprised. A sexy man like you? Yeah, I didn’t expect you to be on the market.” She reached into her pocket and slid her card onto the table. “I don’t know how long you are going to be here, but, if you want to have some fun for a night or two and then forget it ever happened, just call me. I’m sure we can find a few things to do to kill some time.” She brushed her hand on top of mine as she softly bit her bottom lip, then walked towards another customer that had arrived at the bar.
I finished my drink, pulled a 20 out of my pocket, and dropped it on the counter next to her card, then walked out of the bar. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t take her card. Normally, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but now, all I could think about was Caroline. It was hard to believe that she could bring so much change into my life by just being herself. I didn’t even recognize who I was anymore.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Caroline
I climbed into the car and called Meghan to let her know I was on the way to the beach to meet up with her. I felt a bit relieved to get away from Harrison for a little while so I could clear my mind. I knew he was a good guy, but I just had to get things sorted out before I continued with him in confidence. When I got to the beach, I sent Meghan a text. “Just arrived. Are you here?”
“Yes. Just have him drop you off, and I will take you back to your hotel. I will walk near the edge of the beach. You can’t miss me.”
“OK.”
I let the driver know that I would be fine by myself, and after he had helped me out the car, I scanned the beach for Meghan. Guys walked around shirtless with muscular, athletic bodies. Tall, short, long hair, and cropped. For a moment, I wished that my life could be that easy. Why couldn’t I find a young version of Harrison? Someone who was NOT Sarah’s father. Just then, I saw Meghan lift her hand into the air and flag me down. She wore a large hat and a skimpy bikini that showed off her body. I walked across the sand as the grains found their way between my toes. We embraced each other when I was close.
“Hey, girl! It is good to see you again! I thought I wasn’t going to lay eyes on you until I made a visit from Seattle in another year or so.”
“Yeah, so did I.”
She grabbed my hand and led me across the sand until we got to her spot. There was an umbrella perched in the sand, providing shade for two large beach towels that laid underneath. Clear blue water brushed against the shore as we laid down on the towels. Meghan removed her shades to get a better view of the guys that eased past us, smiling in our direction. “Umph. I wish I could take a handful of these men to Seattle with me. I am going to be so lonely out there.”
“No, you won’t. You’ll make friends easily. You are such a people person, and for some reason, everyone is drawn to you. You’re like a magnet for people.”
“Yeah,” she said as she placed her glasses back over her eyes, “you’re right. Everyone loves me.” She laughed as I rolled my eyes at her cockiness. “So, how’s the job going? Do you think it is enough to make you stay put instead of moving out here?”
I untied the towel from around my waist and leaned back underneath the shade. “I don’t know. I mean, I love the job. It is exactly what I went to school for, so I can’t complain. I just don’t know if I want to spend my life in Cottonwood.”
“Your life?” she asked, quizzically, “Who is talking about your life? I just mean for right now, you know? Get a few years of experience, so your options open up more once you do decide to leave.”
“Oh,” I said as she pulled me towards her train of thought. For some reason, my mind went straight to Harrison, as if she was speaking in regard to him. That was another thing about our relationship. I knew that he was probably set in his ways, and moving out of Cottonwood may not be something that he would want to do. I didn’t plan on living there for the rest of my life, though. We hadn’t talked about it, but we hadn’t even gotten to that point yet, and I wasn’t one to put the cart before the horse. “Yeah, for right now,” I continued. “Well, for right now, it is alright. I mean, the people are cool. It is close to home, and the pay is good, so for right now, yeah. It’s alright.”
She didn’t say anything, and after a few moments passed by, I turned towards her. She glared at me with one eyebrow lifted above the other as if she knew I was withholding information. “What?” I said, smiling. “Why are you looking at me like that?’
“Because, I know there is more to that story, Caroline. So, I will sit and wait for you to tell me everything else.”
“Everything else?”
She removed her glasses and placed them on the towel. “So, are you really going to think I don’t know anything about you two? Really? You do know that my little sister and my cousin still go to ASU.”
I sighed and shook my head. “Johnathan is a fucking bastard, Meghan. He is a fucking bastard.”
She laughed. “Yeah, he is. I could’ve told you that. He is a spoiled little punk, and I know you already knew it, but for some reason, you still wanted to let him hang around you like a little puppy dog, so… that’s what happened.”
“I mean, he looked at my phone when Harrison texted me and then jumped to conclusions after that. He is a fucking stalker, and I’m glad I smacked him in the face.” She laughed out loud as I continued, “It’s not funny, Meghan!”
She caught her breath. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I just can’t imagine you smacking anyone. Not a guy. Not in a million years.”
“Well, I did. I hit him pretty good, too. He deserved it.” Another group of guys walked by us, tossing a football in the air. One of them winked towards me, but I rolled my eyes, hoping that he wouldn’t try to talk to me. My heart wasn’t on anyone except Harrison, and as much as I didn’t want it to be that way, that’s just how it was. “Well, maybe he didn’t deserve it. I wasn’t up-front with him, and that’s what I get.”
“Yeah, but he was stalking you. That is not cool.” She stopped laughing and put her shades back on. “But back to you and Harrison. Are you two really fucking?” I hesitated to answer her because I didn’t know how she would react. Meghan wasn’t as judgmental as most people, but I felt like this situation could bring it out of her. “Caroline? Come on, tell me. Are you two fucking?”
I sigh
ed. “Yes. We fucked a few times and… I really don’t know how it happened. One minute, I was at his house consoling him and the next, he was on top of me.”
“He raped you!?”
“No, no!” I said, quickly putting an end to the thought. “No. I was completely willing to let him screw me. It was just… I just wasn’t supposed to happen.” I looked away from her as the sun beamed down onto the water. I could feel tears tiptoeing into my eyes as thoughts of Sarah filled my mind. “I mean, it just looks shitty, you know? It looks real shitty of me as Sarah’s best friend.”
I wiped my eyes as Meghan got up and put her arm around me. “I’ll be honest, it does look shitty, but nobody knows what is going on between you two. Well, what is going on between you two? Is this just like a fling or something? Or is it more?”
“I don’t know, Meghan. I like him. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t, but it’s just the situation that we are in. The way people think about us. The way people will think about me. You have already heard the rumors that Johnathan started at ASU. I just don’t want to deal with all that stuff, you know? I don’t want people to think that I am this shitty-ass person who fucked her best friend’s dad after she died.”
“Yeah, I can see some people coming to that conclusion.” I sighed. Meghan would always tell me what I needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear. I appreciated that about her. “But fuck them.” I twisted my face while I looked in her direction. “Yeah, fuck them. Fuck all of them. Fuck them at ASU and anywhere else that has anything to say about what you are doing with Harrison. You are a grown woman, and he is a grown man. What you two do is your business. I don’t know how you two got together, and honestly, I don’t care, because again, that is not my business. If you like him, or if you just want to get fucked for a little while by a fine-ass older man, that’s up to you. Fuck everyone else.”