“Hmmm.” She was right, of course, but I had no interest whatsoever in any of the men that surrounded us despite the fact that I might have the week before.
“I’m sorry. Maybe it will work out for you. I’m just saying you don’t know that now so have fun. Keep your options open.”
I may have known Will for only a few days, but I did know that I didn’t want any other options and that thought frightened me.
As the evening progressed, I became more obnoxious as the efforts to get my attention with horrible pick-up lines increased. At one point, I think I even told one of them that my father was in prison for assaulting a former boyfriend of mine. I said it with such a straight face that I think the guy believed me.
I could feel my pocket buzz, reflecting that I had received a text message on my cell phone. It was Will as it had been the past two nights around this time.
“Miss u. Don’t study 2 hard. C u tomorrow.”
“Not studying. Out w/Rachael since I’m c’g u 2morrow nite instead of going out w/her as originally planned.”
“Where r u?”
“Royalist.”
There was no response on the other end for a few minutes and I didn’t know whether he was unhappy about what I was doing or just busy with his work, whatever that was.
“Wish I was there keeping all those other men away from u.”
“What men?”
“Liar.”
“Hey!”
“U honestly expect me 2 believe ur standing there by urself?”
“Y not?”
“There’s no way.”
“All rt. U win. But I’m not interested in any of them. Promise. I’m here 4 Rachael’s sake. I’ll b going home soon. Alone. Rachael, on the other hand . . .”
“Rachael’s not my concern. U r. I know we haven’t talked about it, but I was hoping u wouldn’t want 2 date others @ this pt.”
“I don’t. Feel better now?”
“Yes. U had me worried.”
“Don’t b. I’ll c u tomorrow. I can’t w8.”
“Me 2.”
I would not have guessed that my coming here would upset Will. He couldn’t possibly have thought that, after last weekend, I would be out trolling for my next victim. True, we had only been together less than a week, and had not discussed any exclusivity. Nevertheless, considering the way I acted and the things I said, he should have known better.
Then, of course, my paranoia started to kick in - I noticed that he said he hoped that I wouldn’t want to date others. There was no mention of him not doing so. I am going to have to relax. Everything will work out the way it is going to work out whether I obsess about it or not.
I turned back to Rachael and my new friends, and tried to enjoy the rest of my evening.
Chapter Six
When I got home from school on Thursday, I showered and dressed. This time, I packed a long blue and gold silk nightgown for my stay. I couldn’t imagine that I was all that attractive in an oversized t-shirt the previous weekend and was determined to make a better appearance.
I was a half-hour early even after stopping at the gas station and to pick up a bottle of wine.
Colin let me in and I watched soccer on TV with Gemma, Kate and him for a few minutes in the family room.
“Where’s Stephen?” I asked.
“Work,” Kate replied, not expanding on the answer.
“I don’t mean to be antisocial, but I’ve got finals coming up. I’m going to study for a little bit while I’m waiting for Will. I’ll see you all later.”
As I walked into the back of the house, I thought I heard Colin say, “Did she really just say ‘you all’? Wonder if she’s from the South?”
That made me laugh. Boy, they really don’t hang out with enough Americans.
I started to review my notes for the closing argument I was going to give the next day. Seven o’clock came and went. Seven-thirty came and went. By seven forty-five, I was going out of my mind. A few minutes later, I finally heard Will’s voice coming from the family room, headed in what sounded to be my way. I piled up my papers, put them on the table and made it about halfway to the door before Will walked inside the room and shut the door quickly behind him. He was kissing me and walking me back toward the bed before I could even say “hello.”
“That was the most excruciating four days of my life,” Will said as I cuddled into him with my arm across and my head on his bare chest. “I can’t tell you how many times you almost had me on your doorstep in the middle of the night. I am so sorry I was late. I practically ran out of my meeting when we were finished. I should’ve called, but didn’t want to waste time trying to find my phone.”
“I was a little on the anxious side myself. You’ve really swept me off my feet.” My tone became serious. “But I have to ask you something. Why me? You treat me like I am the greatest thing in the world. I am so not. You must see that. I am just an ordinary girl like thousands, millions even, in L.A.”
“You are not ordinary. Can you really not see it? I knew it from the moment I saw you walk into the Royalist. Everyone in the entire room turned around to look at you and when you were talking to me, they were all wishing they were me. When you spoke to me, you were so clever and so much fun. And it’s been so nice just to be normal with you.”
“Normal? You call private rooms at the Royalist, catered lunches at your house, luxury suites at Staples Center and being on friendly terms with rock stars normal? I had known you just over 48 hours when I slept with you for the first time. I don’t know what normal is to you, but this is not normal for me.”
“I didn’t mean to show off. I just wanted to do things right and to share those things with you. As for sleeping with me, I’m not going to let you apologize for that. I’ve never been so attracted to anyone in my life and we fit together that way perfectly. You may have thought it was soon, but I can’t believe I kept myself in check for more than two whole days with you. I don’t think I ever want to wait another four again.”
With that, he kissed me and we were off to Round Two.
We emerged from the bedroom about an hour later and had managed to put ourselves back together enough that it wasn’t too obvious what we had been doing. I remembered that I had brought a bottle of wine and took it out to offer to the gang. With six people, we all received almost a full glass. Stephen and Kate shared one of the recliners, Colin and Gemma sat on the couch, Will sat on the floor up against the edge of the other recliner, and I sat back against Will.
“It’s so nice to see you again,” Gemma offered. “This is the first time we’ve seen Will smile all week.” I could feel Will flinch slightly like he was embarrassed.
We didn’t sit around talking long. Every time the conversation turned to the events of Will’s week without me, the subject changed. Finally, Will stood up, pointed at me and said, “This one has class in the morning. We’d better get to sleep.”
Once in the bedroom, I put on the blue and gold silk nightgown I had brought.
“Much better than the t-shirt, but you look beautiful in everything and especially nothing. You didn’t really think you were going to look that good and keep it on long though, did you?”
Luckily, I didn’t have to leave at the crack of dawn again. My class wasn’t until ten and I had a change of clothes with me so I didn’t have to go home first. I got up around 7:30, brushed my teeth, climbed into the shower, and was joined shortly thereafter by Will. I knew that getting up a little early would be a good idea.
As we were getting dressed, Will asked, “Let me drive you to class? I’ll get to be with you a little longer that way. I don’t have to be anywhere until later this morning.”
Unfortunately, I realized that this wouldn’t work. “If you do, I won’t be able to get to work Downtown and then back to meet you at the end of the day. Why don’t you meet me instead for drinks after work?”
Will agreed to meet me at my office at five-thirty, curious to see where I worked and with who
m after I told him they were almost all male.
The day somewhat flew by – Nell and I both did fairly well in our mock closing arguments so we were pretty pleased with ourselves. I actually was somewhat confident for once that I might get an honors grade in the class.
When I arrived at work, I asked the three associates who were my closest friends, John, Max and Daniel, to join Will and me for drinks after work. Daniel was closest in age to me, only a year older, had lighter hair and a broader build than Max and John, and was very vivacious, but without the sarcastic tone of Max. My three friends agreed to come out that evening with Will and me. They wanted to get a load of the new guy I was dating. I then realized that this was going to be awkward. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea that I introduce Will to my friends so soon. I asked Rachael to join us as well, but she was leaving early to visit her mother in Newport Beach for the weekend.
Our sixty-some-year-old receptionist called me when Will arrived. When I arrived to greet him, he was wandering around reception, examining the original artwork lining the walls.
Will looked gorgeous in a trendy blue suit and white button-up shirt, unbuttoned at the top with no tie. I led him back to my relatively small office decorated in mahogany modular furniture and hunter green fabric client chairs. The one thing my office had going for it was a pretty good view, looking west over Los Angeles. On the rare days it was clear, you could almost see the ocean in the distance. Will closed the door behind us and kissed me. After only a few seconds, there was a knock at my door - Max, no doubt.
The five of us walked the few blocks to a local Irish Bar with Will holding my hand. Will did not seem unnerved by the fact that the guys were staring at him intently trying to size him up. Upon entering the bar, we headed to the back of the room where it was less crowded and stood against the bar. Will bought the first round of drinks.
During the initial grilling by Max and Daniel, Will gave the spiel he had given me about having a flat in London, but working primarily here in L.A. for an American company. Will succeeded in dodging the particulars. Considering how well Will was dressed, it was obvious that he was fairly well off so the guys finally left it alone.
Unfortunately, from there, the discussion became embarrassing as the guys started to question Will about his intentions toward me. While I was talking to John briefly about how the Lakers were doing, I could hear Max tell Will how protective they all were toward me. I cringed. I looked over at Will and he smiled like it was the most adorable thing he had ever heard. I returned to my conversation with John, but a few minutes later, I noticed Will glance over at John unhappily for some reason.
After about an hour or so, Daniel mentioned that he had to get home to take his live-in girlfriend, Suzie, out to dinner. Max said he had to leave as well. John appeared reluctant when he said he had to go with them. They said their goodbyes and left together. Will and I remained.
I felt the overwhelming need to apologize at that moment. “I am so sorry, especially about Max. He means well. He can be a little hardcore sometimes.”
“I understand and I liked them actually. They’re smart and they really care about you. It’s John I’m worried about though. He fancies you.” He looked at me like he was waiting for my reaction.
“You’re crazy. He’s had the same girlfriend since high school. He doesn’t think twice about me other than as a little sister,” I responded a little shocked.
“That may, and I say may, be the case for Max and Daniel, but I don’t agree with you about John. He looks at you like I’m sure I probably do.”
“How’s that?”
“Like I want to devour you. Of course, lucky me, I get to do that later.” His eyes crinkled as he laughed. I barely stifled my swoon.
Will drove me to my car and followed me home so I could change and drop off my car. When we got up to my apartment, Will looked a little relieved that my sister was not home. Kelly had left me a note stating that she and her boyfriend, Matt, were at the movies. I wrote on the note that I would not be home most of the weekend. I packed quickly as Will seemed to be in a hurry to get moving.
Since it was getting fairly late and we decided we wanted some alone time, we called ahead to grab takeout Chinese food from my favorite place in Brentwood. Will mentioned that it was his as well. I thought at that moment that it was amazing that we hadn’t seen each other before we met since we liked so many of the same places.
When we arrived, I was planning on hopping out of the car and running in, but we found a parking spot very close. As we walked through the side of the restaurant to the back to pick up the takeout, we received more than a few stares, but managed to get in and out quickly.
“See, I told you that everyone stares at you wherever you go,” Will said with a smile that made me think that he was purposely misinterpreting the stares as being at me.
When we arrived at Will’s place, no one else was home so we had dinner in the dinette area near the family room. I couldn’t resist the spicy Thai peanut noodles, my favorite, even though I knew I was going to regret my breath later.
Will asked me about my week since we hadn’t spent much time talking the night before. I gave him the Cliff Notes version of my very mundane week without mentioning how I spent the entire time trying to distract myself from counting the minutes until I would see him again.
As I was just about to ask him the details of his week, he got up to get a drink and then came over to kiss me on the way back to his seat.
“Why do you do that?” I asked, no doubt sounding irritated.
“Do what?” he responded like he didn’t know what I was talking about.
“Whenever we get near the subject of your work, you change the subject or otherwise distract me.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. Is there something you don’t want me to know? It’s not illegal or anything?” I asked jokingly.
“No, of course not,” he grimaced, pretending to be insulted. “My job’s kind of boring, I guess. When I’m with you, I want to escape from it. I promise that, eventually, you’ll know more than you ever wanted to know about it. Just not tonight. Deal?”
“If I agree, what do I get in the bargain?” I teased.
“I’ll do anything you want.”
“You already do.”
He raised an eyebrow at me, knowing exactly what I meant. I smiled, a little embarrassed.
Chapter Seven
The next morning, I lay on my stomach on Will’s bed with my head at the foot of the bed and my books sprawled in front of me. I studied while Will leaned back against a pile of pillows at the head of the bed, reading a lengthy document. I couldn’t make out what it was. Intermittently, he would put it down, grab one of my feet sticking up in the air and massage it.
A little before midday, Gemma knocked at the door and asked if we wanted to join Colin and her outside for some pizza.
I looked at Will and nodded. Lunch sounded good. Will agreed, telling her that we would be right out. We threw on clothes and ventured outside.
It was a typical Southern California spring day – sunny and cloudless, with only a very slight breeze. From Pacific Palisades looking toward the ocean, you would never know that there was an almost constant smoggy haze just to the east. It was peaceful as we all sat at the table on the deck looking out over the ocean in the distance, eating pizza.
After eating one slice of pizza and part of another, I leaned back in my chair and it tilted out from under the umbrella so I could close my eyes and feel the warmth of the sun on my face. I was so comfortable that I was only half-listening to the conversation when my ears perked up.
“So when do you leave for New York?” Gemma asked Will.
As I sat up suddenly, I thought I saw Will glare at her quickly. “It’s just a turnaround trip. I leave Monday morning and return late Tuesday night.” He tried to act like it was nothing.
“You’re going to New York for two days?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes. I’m sorry. I meant to tell you.” He sounded guilty.
“No. That’s okay. I just meant, why wouldn’t you go for longer? It’s New York! I’ve only been there twice, both times briefly, but there’s so much to do.” It sounded exciting and I was jealous.
“I go there quite a bit on business so it’s not a big deal, and if I stayed longer, I wouldn’t get to be with you.”
I couldn’t imagine that I had heard him right. He’s giving up spending time in New York for me? I was incredulous.
A few moments later when it looked like the subject wasn’t going to go any further, I stood and excused myself to retrieve my sunglasses from my purse in the bedroom.
On my way back, entering the family room and walking toward the door, I thought I heard Gemma say, “You know, if you continue to go out with her, you’re going to have to tell her. It won’t be a good thing if she finds out on her own or, worse, she gets accosted when she’s out somewhere with you. She has to know what may happen. Otherwise, it’s not fair.”
I held back a little so that they wouldn’t stop talking upon seeing me, but neither continued. I saw Will move the heel of his left hand up his forehead and then run his hand through his hair as I walked outside. This can’t be good. I returned to the group with as authentic a smile on my face as I could manage so that they wouldn’t think I had heard a thing.
I was fairly quiet the rest of the afternoon, but since I was studying, I don’t know that Will noticed. As we got ready to go out to dinner, I remained silent.
Finally, Will walked over to me, kissed me on the forehead and asked, “Is anything wrong? You’re awfully quiet.”
“Well, yes, I guess.”
Will looked troubled as I said this.
“I thought I heard Gemma giving you a hard time earlier about not telling me something. What’s going on? What are you not telling me?” I asked with a hint of panic in my voice.
“Nothing awful, I promise. Don’t worry, it’s really nothing. She’s being overly dramatic,” he said casually.
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