by Sonia Belier
“I’m so sorry sir, I swear I thought this was my car!”
He took one look at me and started laughing uncontrollably, holding his chest firmly.
Was he mocking me? Some audacity! Here I was trying to be civil and explain the situation while trying not to pass out, and he thought it was funny? Some nerve!
“Are those Barnie slippers keeping your feet warm there?”
Barnie slippers??
My face turned flush when I looked down at my feet. Oh goodness…This situation just couldn’t get any worse.
I stacked my feet on top of each other as if that would make my feet disappear.
“Look, I’m sorry! I’m just going to go now!” I made an escape for the apartment building when he grabbed my arm in protest.
“Lemme give you a lesson on cars real quick before you go. This right here is a Subaru WRX STI.” He pointed at his car with an indignant smirk wrinkling his mouth on his face. “Brembo brakes, 350 horsepower engine, solid suspension, spoiler for aerodynamics and drift. That kinda thing. What you’re looking for is over there I think.” He waved in the direction of my car, “A rust bucket little Honda. Don’t see how you could’ve gotten these two mixed up.”
Honestly, I completely tuned him out.
I know nothing about cars, if it wasn’t obvious by my little gaffe. And besides, from what I could see in the dark he was pretty cute. Like, “steaming pile of sexy man” cute.
He rose an eyebrow at me and looked curiously.
“Earth to lady! Are you in there?” He playfully tapped the side of my head and I wafted his hand away.
“Yeah, lady is in there.” I mocked playfully.
“I’ll walk you to your car. Don’t let me catch you breaking into cars again, ya here?”
He seemed awfully serious but playful too, in some weird kind of way.
“What’s your name?” I asked cautiously as we walked to my car.
“You get one question and you just used it. Name’s Forest, inquisitive one.”
“Forest Lock?!” I held my mouth and stared at him with wide eyes. “You went to Pleasant Tree High right?! Do you remember me?!”
He softly dragged his hand through his hair and squinted his eyes.
“The girl who was always scribbling pictures on the desk next to me in homeroom. Of course, I remember you. Jamie. Who forgets the weird artsy types anyway?”
He remembered me. I felt strange at the thought and then suddenly curious. I’d never gotten to know him in school. Preferring instead to keep secret admiration. I figured that would be better anyway.
“It’s been a while. What are you getting into these days Forest?”
“I run a car shop about ten minutes from here. I don’t figure I’ll ever see you in there seeing as though you can’t tell the difference between a Honda and a Subaru.” His voice was dripping with a condescending sarcasm and I chose to focus on the small plumes of air coming from his nostrils at the cold air.
“I’ll make sure to never disturb your shop with my lack of knowledge then.”
“Please don’t.”
He was so smug, just as I remember. I guess it was true that people really don’t change much over the years.
I unlocked my car and grabbed my paper portfolio out of the glove compartment. For some reason, he waited by my car with me. If I was so annoying, why didn’t he just go home?
“You know, you don’t have to wait out here with me. You can go back home Forest. You live somewhere around here right? I don’t want to keep you.”
“I live in your building. The nice thing to do would be to wait until you’re done.”
“Wait a minute, you live in my building?!”
“I didn’t stutter. Yeah, I live in your building. I’m not too much of an ass to leave you out here. Just hurry up. It’s cold as hell.”
How long did he know we lived in the same building? And he never thought of saying hi? Well, it’s not like it was in his character to be nice…
“I appreciate it. You didn’t hav-”
He cut me off abruptly, “Don’t get used to it. I’m not a doorman, bug eyes.”
“I do not have bug eyes!” Embarrassingly, I took a quick glance in my car window just to confirm.
He started to walk ahead of me smugly after his swift insult. I followed quickly behind him.
“Listen Forest, I don’t know why you’re being so rude to me. I don’t recall ever doing anything to you in high school.”
He stopped walking and shook his head from side to side. His eyes moved from the ground and up my body to my eyes.
“I’m not in the business of being nice Jamie. I caught you in the middle of the night trying to break into my car. Not exactly sure I should even be talking to a thief at all.”
“I am not a thief. I told you already it was an accident.” He punched in the key code to our building and opened the door for me.
“Let’s make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Dispersing from the lobby we walked towards the elevator. I swiped my hand back from the call button quickly after our hands hovered over each other in an attempt to press it.
I felt embarrassed. Almost child-like.
“What floor are you on?”
“Floor three please.”
He pressed the button and we rode the elevator in silence to my floor.
Occasionally I glanced at him. He’d become considerably more muscular than I remembered. My brain created some stupid vision of him lifting heavy weights, body soaked with sweat and I shook of the thought in awkwardness.
“You okay over there?” He glanced over to me.
“I’m fine, thanks.”
I booked for the exit when we got to the third floor and we almost collided into each other.
“Watch where you’re going bug eyes!”
“Hey, you bumped into me!!”
I dusted my shoulders off and began walking quickly down the hall to my apartment. Glancing back, I saw him following behind me.
“So I’m a thief, but you’re the one following me back to my apartment? Give me a break you creep!”
“You’re not the only one that lives on this floor. God, you’re such a damn nuisance!” I marched to my apartment and fumbled to unlock the door. He was standing right next to me unlocking his own door, but I was too fuming to notice.
“Since I’m such a nuisance, good night!”
“Ehh, whatever...”
We both slammed our front doors in unison.
I couldn’t deny it, something about Forest was endearing.
Okay, maybe not the fact that he was a completely condescending asshole. But I could see some little semblance of likability under his rigid exterior. Dispelling that horrid thought quickly, I flung my coat inside the shoe closet and dozed off on my bed.
I woke up the next morning with an unyielding feeling of nervousness pouring over me. Delving Smith would be looking over my portfolio and either telling me that I would be the next Van Goh, or the next employee of the month at the Java Mug. Hoping that a good breakfast would ease my tensions, I cracked an egg for scrambling.
Healthy streams of light lit up all corners of my studio and I was feeling pretty good. That is until a blaming knock on my front door disrupted my bliss.
I ran from the kitchen and open the door to be greeted by the less than enthused face of Forest Lock. In the light of the morning, I got a much better look at his face.
He was tanned, almost sun kissed. He had deep brown eyes and firm jawline. He had to have been at least eight inches taller than me I thought, mentally revising my earlier estimation.
Even I wasn’t too prideful to say the man was beautiful.
“Look, I wanted to apologize for last night…”
Wait a minute- he was apologizing? Maybe he wasn’t as much of an ass as I previously thought.
“…I shouldn’t have been so harsh on you about your shitty car. But your brakes are rusted and I bet your suspension is bad. That’s dangerous. So out o
f the little bit of pity I have for you, I’ll offer to give you a tune up. For free.” He folded his arms and stood in my doorway. Judging by the look on his face, I could tell he was content with himself. Like he was performing some kind of public service by mixing a little bit of kindness with a whole lot of jerkiness.
I shouldn’t have thought anything was attractive about that. But I did.
“I really don’t need your pity, and my car is just fine. Rather than standing in my doorway though, you can come inside if you want.”
He took me up on the offer without even uttering a thanks, and helped himself to the barstool in my kitchen. He glanced around my apartment at the canvases spread throughout, and let out a low chuckle.
“I see you’re still scribbling around huh? Looks like you got better.”
“It’s not like you’d know anything about painting.” Waltzing haughtily passed him, I went back to scrambling my eggs. “Would you like any breakfast?”
“You suck at playing tough guy you know that? You can’t try to be a hard ass one second and then offer me breakfast the next.” The leather jacket he was wearing draped over the chair he was sitting at, and he hung one arm over the back of it.
“Well I do have manners you know.” I threw some bacon on a skillet and turned the heat on.
Maybe my cars suspension was bad. It might be a good idea to let him take a look at it.
“You know what Forest? I’ll bring my car into your shop. But I’m paying you. I don’t do hand-outs.”
“Suit yourself. I won’t beg you.”
He sat in silence for a short while, while I finished preparing breakfast.
“Here you go.” I put the plate before him and he scrutinized it for a second.
“You didn’t poison it did you?”
Was he ever the jokester…
I rolled my eyes as far back as they would go, “No. If you don’t want it, you don’t have to eat it.” Before I could get the last word out of my mouth he was already crunching down loudly on a crispy piece of bacon. “Never mind I guess!”
I could not for the life of me, understand Forest. He was cruel, sarcastic, funny, sexy, interesting and- well, maybe I was thinking too much.
“Bring your car in around 3pm today. Here’s the address. I’ll take a look at it, personally.” Handing me a small piece of paper, he cleaned the plate of food that I served him and put his leather jacket back on. Walking towards me in the kitchen, he poked my forehead playfully with his finger. “Don’t be late. I’m a busy man.” Forest said nothing else as he walked out my front door, closing it behind him.
“What on earth is his deal?”
I finished my own breakfast shortly after and grabbed my purse and portfolio.
“Excuse me, where can I find Delvin Smith’s office? I have an appointment with him today.” After thirty minutes of sifting around through the sinuous hallways of Vox Museum, I finally decided to ask for help.
Being stubborn really wasn’t getting me anywhere.
The woman at the front desk was barricaded behind a glass window. She barely looked up from her papers to give me a response; her beady eyes hardly moving from behind the cat eye glasses she was wearing.
“What’s your name?”
“Jamie Jordan. I’m here to discuss my portfolio with Mr. Smith?”
She flipped through a small stack of papers and dragged her finger across a name I was assuming was mine.
“You’re the ninth person today. Don’t get too excited. We are a very prestigious Art Gallery if you can’t tell.”
Oh yeah, prestigious alright.
As if the marble flooring, gold encrusted ceilings and porcelain carved pillars lining the hallways didn’t tell me that enough. I brushed off the inane pot shot.
“That’s precisely why I decided to submit my portfolio. I only aim for the best.” Shooting an innocent and confident smile disarmed her cattiness.
“Well good luck. Mr. Smith’s office is on the second floor. Office room 202.”
I waved the woman off and headed from room 202.
Was it normal to just instantly loose all confidence when you just felt on top of the world? I couldn’t help but glance at my own printed portfolio after gazing at all of the beautiful paintings decorating the museum.
“I really hope I’m not going to embarrass myself.”
I rode the elevator to the second floor, and was relieved to find Delvin’s office right in front of me. Giving the door two gentle knocks, I stood outside and wanted melt into a puddle of nerves. All of my paintings of the last five years were getting ready to be put on the chopping block.
My mind had already convinced my senses that I sucked. Making peppermint frappuccino’s for the rest of my natural life would be my fate.
Delvin opened the door and greeted me with a warm smile.
Alright, at least he’s nicer than the woman that the front desk…
“I’ve been waiting for you Ms. Jordan! Come in please!” Waving his arms, he motioned me in.
Delvin was really short, but gained an extra five inches with the bright purple heels he was wearing. He donned a blue polka doted bowtie that matched his blue suspenders. His blonde hair was slicked back and green eyes were obstructed by a large pair of glasses frames with no lenses.
All over his office were paintings of the exact same thing.
One giant blue dot.
Wow. This was going to be interesting.
“So Jamie, I called you here because I’m interested in three of your portfolio pieces. As you know, the Vox is all about finding the next stoke from the soul of a brush that pushes that wow and pizazz that sparks the love and light of our museum!”
Umm, was he speaking some different language or something?
“W-well, I’m glad you found some pieces you like. It’s really is an honor to me.”
He reached for the printed portfolio pages I placed on his desk and took a large blue permanent marker.
“Let’s see here…This one, and that one…” He flipped a few pages and shrieked when he got to the last page. “…This one here as well!! These are the ones Jamie.”
Handing me the paper, he flipped through the pages to all of the pieces he circled.
They. Were. All. Blue.
I sighed of relief.
They were the only blue paintings in my portfolio. This guy obviously had a fetish.
“I’ll be drafting a contract that you’ll have to sign to allow us to display your work in the museum.’
“Wait a minute, that’s it? That’s all you needed to do?”
“Honey, I’m an art curator. This isn’t a job interview. We want to purchase these three pieces from your portfolio. All you need to do is sign the rights over to us.”
“They’re yours!” I wasted no time in my answer.
“Perfect! Come back at the start of the next week and I’ll have all of the paperwork done. Wish I could chat longer, but I’m all booked for the day. We’ll talk soon Ms. Jordan.”
Sure it was strange and sudden, but I didn’t want to kill the moment with rationalizing. As far as I was concerned, the man loved the color blue. And that sure as hell was good enough for me!
I dialed up Gina’s number.
“Hey Jamie, what’s up?”
“You won’t believe me when I tell you that the museum just purchased three of my pieces.”
“You’re kidding. Are you serious?!”
“Yes. Drinks on me Gina!!” I held the phone away from my ear as she shrieked in excitement.
“How about at three? There’s a few bars that do happy hour by my apartment.”
“Shit, can’t do three. I have to bring my car in to the shop! How about I text you and let you know?”
“Sounds fine with me. Congrats girl!!” She ended the call and I glanced down at my watch.
“It’s 2:50?! I’m going to be late!” There was no way I was going to tolerate Forest talking down on me for being late.
I hopped in my
car and drove to his car shop.
Forest
It was going on 3:00.
I had no intention of working on her car if she brought it in just a minute late. Can’t follow directions? Car won’t get fixed.
“Lock, where’s that chick you said would be coming into get her car looked at.”
“She’s late. If you don’t see here in her at 3pm on the dot, don’t let her in.”
Derrick was the lone sap that I could count on to help run my car shop. He was smart, hard-working, and knew his was around under the hood.
And that was more than enough for me.
“You mean, let her in, but you’re not workin’ on her ride right?”
“Yeah, sure…something like that.”
I hardly remembered her from school. It’s not like she made much of an effort to be memorable. Her scribbles on her desk in class was about the only thing that stuck with me. She was a bother. An annoying little voice picking at my eardrums. But I couldn’t stand seeing such a shitty car driving around on the road.
Sliding from under the car I was working on, I wiped my hands clean of the oil that stained them.
It was 2:59. Times up.
“Hey Lock, she’s here!” Derrick called out on the intercom.
She was peering into the work room and talking Derricks ear off. Annoyance overload. Had she never been to a damn shop before? Judging by the look of her Honda rust bucket, I’d say not. I begrudgingly walked into the lobby to greet her.
“Well well well bug eyes, seems like you made it at the last minute.”
“I got here as fast as I could. I was all the way downtown by the way.”
“Whatever. Did you park right out front?” I walked by her and walked outside, with her taking large steps behind me. No need to by a cat anymore. Jamie was doing the job just fine.
“My car is here. Be careful with it. I’m not exactly rich you know.”
“Obviously not. Keys?”
She handed me the keys and I could see her eyes peer down to the floor. Not that I really cared what was on her mind (there was no way in hell you could ever know what a woman was thinking anyway). But I thought to ask anyway.