by Ann Collins
Kara took a long, deep breath. Her hands were trembling so badly that she pressed them down against the desk to keep them under control. Tears stung her eyes, but she wasn’t sure if they were tears of sadness or of anger. What came out of her mouth was a blend of both.
“It would be best not to say anything else right now,” she said to Scott. “That goes for both of us. We are both on the verge of saying things we regret. Let’s just take a breath, and come back to this in a few days, when we can both think.”
“In a few days, after you have had time to make a date with him?”
“It’s not like that.” She was starting to regret she hadn’t taken Anders up on his offer. If you’re going to do the time, you may as well have done the crime.
“Bullshit,” he erupted, and Kara’s eyes popped open. She stared at him. Had he ever yelled at her before?
“You’re just moon-eyed over this guy. He’s a mechanic , for crying out loud! He’s got a list of bad credit a mile long and he probably has a rap sheet, too. Don’t deny that this is all about you wanting to explore some bad-boy fantasy.”
Kara sat silently, afraid of what she might say if she opened her mouth.
“And let’s not fool ourselves about what you’re doing here. You probably wonder what it’s like to hang out with the lesser crowd, don’t you? Wonder if the grass is greener on the other side of the fence? It’s not. It’s just a barren wasteland of dirt over there.”
“Scott…”
“What do you think your father is going to say? And your mother, she is rolling over in her grave right now! It’s like you have regressed to some thirteen-year-old girl who doesn’t know what’s good for her!”
“Get out of my office,” she said.
“Hell, you were always a little flighty, but never like this…”
“Get out.”
“You don’t want space, you just want to share space with someone else, and you don’t have the guts to say it to my face.”
“ Get out!”
She shouted the words at the top of her lungs, and that was what it took to finally break through. Scott stared at her with his mouth hanging open. It would have been comical if the situation hadn’t been so serious.
“You’ll come to your senses,” he said, still condescending. “You’ll come around. That Wallace guy certainly will. And real soon, too. You’ll see.”
He opened the door with a confident yank, and slammed it behind him when he walked out. Kara could feel the tears welling up, but she also felt angry and knew if she was going to react, it had to be now.
She jettisoned her chair behind her, charged out of her office, across the hall and into the car park, her heels jarring on the asphalt. To her relief, Anders was still there, his truck parked up. He was sat with his arms resting on the wheel, staring into space.
“Anders!”
He jolted to attention, and began winding down the driver-side window, a smile forming on his face.
“Change of heart?”
She pulled a notepad from her suit jacket, scribbled her address on it and tore it off. Anders took the paper, his fingertips brushing hers and staying there for a beat longer than was appropriate.
“My place, seven-thirty,” she said.
“You sure?”
“Never been surer.”
Chapter Nine
Anders spent the rest of that day on cloud nine, whistling as he worked, greeting everyone with a smile and even being congenial when one of his regular slackers called in ‘sick’ and said he needed the day off – two hours after he was supposed to be there, of course. After she said yes, there was nothing in the world that could dampen his enthusiasm.
Well, okay, perhaps one thing – Scott.
“Oh dear. Now you’ve gone and done it.” That was what he’d said, the menace in his voice seeming to hang in the air between them.
So there was trouble in the post. Quite what Scott had meant remained to be seen, but it was almost certainly related to his business.
I’ll just have to make sure I have a good time then .
Anders wasn’t surprised when he encountered a guard at the entrance of Kara’s gated community. After all, those with money had to protect it, and that meant that quite a few of them lived behind gates and well-tended guardhouses. The attendant had asked for his name, and then Anders was waved through immediately – she must have told the guard to expect him. But even that entrance hadn’t prepared him for where she lived.
The house was a three-story Tudor, set a few acres back from the road. The lawn was enormous – big enough to house a baseball diamond complete with bleachers had anyone taken a mind to mar the perfect green that stretched out from the enormous flower beds at the top. The driveway was white stone, leading up to a house that was blue with cream accents. The windows were huge, the garage held three cars, and as he drew closer, he even spied a flag in the backyard, one that had the telltale look of a golf course. Sure enough, he saw it when he parked – there was a small putting green in her backyard.
He got out of the truck and eyed the front door. It was absolutely massive, a double door with transoms and sidelights, the kind of imposing door that could only be found on a house like this.
“Or on a big castle,” he said to himself. “Jesus Christ…”
He had just screwed up his courage and headed for the door when it opened in a rush. And there she stood, wearing a red dress, one that flowed from a tight bodice down into a full skirt. It swished around her legs as she came out onto the wide porch and smiled at him. “You’re here!”
At the sight of that smile, his nervousness disappeared. He strode up the endless walk, smiling back at her. He didn’t say anything until he was on the step right below her, making their eyes level.
“So I am,” he said, and she surprised him by throwing her arms around his shoulders. She gave him a hug, not one that lingered but nor one that was too short, and then she stepped back.
“Just let me get my purse. I’ll be right back.”
He watched as she stepped away. Just inside the door he could see a grand staircase, one that curved all the way up, and an entryway that looked as though it was made of the finest marble. There was art on the walls, something that looked very big and very expensive.
Anders was blown away by the place, and she must have been able to read it on his face when she reappeared.
“Want the nickel tour while you’re here?” she said.
He gave her a smile that was a little tentative, but he nodded.
“You showed me yours,” she said with a naughty smile, “I’ve got to show you mine!”
She clacked through the house, leading him from one room to another. He stood silently in the dining room, taking in the long table and grand fireplace. He laughed out loud when he saw the kitchen, larger than anything she might possibly need, gleaming with a rich air. “You must get lost in here!”
Up they went to the second floor, where she gave him a tantalizing peak into the master suite. After a long moment, his voice cut through the silence. “This room is almost as big as my entire house.” The gulf between them became crystal clear. Surely she must be able to see the vast difference between them. Would he ever be comfortable in a place like this? Did she look down on him? Was this something that would break them before they even had a chance to get started?
He followed her up the stairs, where he glanced into the guest rooms along the hallway, and then he went up to the top floor, where there were even more rooms – the library and study, the game room, and what she called the “Sky Room” because it was filled with skylights that offered a perfect view of the heavens. Tonight the stars were everywhere, and Anders followed Kara’s lead in looking up at them, their hands clasped together.
He wanted her in a way that went far beyond the physical, but something about her suddenly seemed just as out of reach as the heavenly bodies in the sky above.
It was time to leave. She pulled the door closed behind t
hem, and he forgot all about the house as he took her hand.
“I’m so glad you changed your mind,” he said.
She looked up at him with eyes that were both sad and happy. “So am I.”
He watched as her long legs slid into his truck. He turned around in front of the garage and drove out, glancing once at the house in his rearview mirror. “That’s some house,” he said. That’s the understatement of the year , he said to himself as he drove down the quiet lane.
“It was my father’s house,” she said. “He moved out of it when I was old enough for a home of my own. I think he expected me to fill up all those rooms with his grandkids by now.”
“Grandkids? You seem like a career woman on the fast track. Would you have time for kids?”
“I always thought that when it happened, I would make the time.”
The ride to the restaurant passed by in a few pleasant minutes. But there was still a gnawing feeling that had come upon him while he was in the house, and hadn’t quite dissipated.
When he pulled up to the front, the valet looked the truck up and down, but kept his manners about him as Anders turned over the well-worn keys. He watched as the valet climbed into the cab and fought with the clutch until he got the big truck lumbering toward the parking lot.
“You enjoyed that,” said Kara, playfully.
Anders gave a little laugh, but there was that gnawing sensation again. What was that feeling? Oh yeah – inadequacy.
“Poor man probably hasn’t been inside a truck in years,” he joked, queasily.
Kara linked her arm through his. “I’ve never tried this place, but I’ve heard good things about it.”
“Let’s see if it’s up to snuff, shall we?” he said. Like he could tell a good top-end restaurant from a bad one.
He walked in through the huge doors into the foyer, elaborate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and ornate. Jesus what was this place? He felt woefully undressed. In fact he felt unprepared in general. But then what would be an adequate preparation besides growing up on the right side of town, attending the right college, and working in the right job for ten years?
They were greeted by the host who looked Anders up and down. It made him feel yet more self-conscious, if that was possible. “Does sir have a jacket?” the man asked.
Anders guessed he didn’t mean a leather. “No, I don’t. Is that a problem here?”
The host sized him up then left the room. “I’m afraid this is all we have,” he said on his return, and handed over a black loaner jacket.
Anders never paid too much attention to clothes matching, but even he could tell it looked bad. It got worse once he tried to put it on. It was at least two sizes too small, and for a brief moment he thought he might tear the arms clean off as he tried to squeeze his biceps inside. He gave up entirely on the buttons – he could just about manage one, but it was such a stretch that it pulled the front into huge laughter lines.
He felt like an idiot.
“Follow me please,” said the host.
Conversation at a table briefly stopped as he entered, the suited and coiffured guests all pausing to take stock as he entered. Yeah go on – take a good look .
Soon they were sat at the table, Kara looking delightful in her red dress and completely at home in her environment, while Anders shifted uncomfortably in his seat, still struggling with the fit of his jacket. It wasn’t the only thing he was having trouble with. What was all this stuff on the menu? He couldn’t pronounce half of it. Was he going to be judged on what he chose?
She ordered some exotic crab dish, leaving him still to decide. His eyes traced a line down and he found something that he thought was the safest bet.
“I’ll take the steak entrecote,” he said.
“What else, sir?”
“That’s the a la carte section,” explained Kara, “it doesn’t come with anything.”
Oh boy – and that on its own was ninety dollars. “Uh…forget it. I’ll take the crab, too.” Copying seemed like the easiest option.
He felt way out of his depth. The whole thing just felt like a series of tests to root out exactly people like him and let them know they weren’t welcome. Kara reached across the table toward him and took his hands. But although he loved the touch of her skin, he wasn’t sure if he felt comforted or just condescended to.
They sat waiting in awkward silence. This was a big mistake. What was he thinking? This woman had no real interest in him – what could he possibly offer her? Okay, so the sex was pretty mind-blowing, but as great as that was, there was surely nothing there for her long term, and no way they could work together. That house of hers. Jeez. He was a big guy, and it took a lot to intimidate him, but that thing made him feel very small indeed.
And what did that creep Scott mean with his snarky little comment? Was Anders going to go back to his business the next day just to find he didn’t have one? Had he just blown his entire livelihood – and that of his employees – for a date with a woman who was completely unsuitable and who probably had little interest in him beyond the novelty?
“Is everything okay?” she asked him.
“Fine.”
The crab arrived, along with a set of metal implements that a dentist would have felt overwhelmed by – pincers, forks and all sorts. Jesus. He was tempted to pick the damn thing up and eat it like a chicken leg.
As he wrestled with the shell, practically getting the thing in a headlock, he started noticing the conversation of the people at the table behind.
“The old boy next door wouldn’t stop complaining about the sound of the renovations. So we just bought his house from his landlord and doubled the rent. That soon fixed the problem!”
He could feel his temperature rising. These people were all the same – greedy, selfish and completely detached from the rest of the world. They didn’t know the meaning of hard work, didn’t know what it was like to earn an honest dollar. He thought about Scott, this guy who had everything, didn’t need Kara, probably didn’t even love her, but was quite possibly about to blow him out of the water like it was all just a game of battleships. Finally his insecurities got too much, bubbling up and cascading over the edges.
“You people,” he suddenly said to Kara, “you’ve no idea! When there are storms here, you all float about on the surface in your fifty-foot yachts, while the rest of us struggle to even swim.”
“Anders?” she said, taken aback by the outburst.
“It’s not the real world, you’re all in a cocoon! You and that boyfriend of yours, throwing his weight around, toying with folks’ lives like it’s all just a big game.”
People were starting to look round now.
“Why are we talking about my boyfriend? I’m out with you!”
She was visibly upset, but he was far from done. “‘I’ve put myself out here in ways you can’t even imagine. It’s all so easy for you. If it all goes belly-up – so what? For me, it’s my life. Everything I’ve worked for.”
“What are you talking about?” she said, the shock wearing off and her mood quickly catching up with his own. “Do you think this is easy for me? Do you think this is just some casual, throwaway thing that I did on a whim, with no repercussions?”
“I tell you what I think. I think I’m just your bit of rough before you get back to the serious business of earning millions and haw-hawing with all your fancy friends.”
There was no coming back from that. He ejected his seat and stormed off towards the host, pulling the jacket off and pushing it back at him, sleeves pulled inside out. He thrust some crumpled notes into the man’s gloved hand, much to his surprise and disdain and made to leave.
“You could call the lady a cab,” he said. “If it’s not beneath you.”
His truck rumbled up to adjoin the fancy steps out front and he climbed up into the driver seat. Kara, now in the foyer, stood watching, shaking her head, her mouth hanging open.
He’ll probably get his clothes dry cleaned after driv
ing it , decided Anders of the valet. Screw him. Screw them all. He pulled away in a cloud of angry smoke, grinding the gears as he went.
Chapter Ten
Kara rolled into her office on Monday morning with her head a mess. How could she have got it so badly wrong? She sat at her desk moving the mouse pointer aimlessly round on her computer, unable to focus on any work of any value.
Anders was hot, sure, but the whole chip on his shoulder about class – what was that all about? And being left in the restaurant like that was bordering on humiliation. Okay, she got that he didn’t know how to behave there, but she didn’t expect such a strong reaction from a grown man.
And Scott, well yes, he was a bit boring, and he definitely had some issues – that arrogance of his was a real problem sometimes – but it made a lot of sense for them to be together. And they had some pretty intelligent conversations from time to time.
Three smart raps and the door opened. She didn’t have time to invite him in but it didn’t matter because it was her father, and he never required to be asked. He came over and sat on the edge of her desk, looming over her, owning her territory.
“What’s going on, Kara?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Scott tells me that you’re messing him around. He tells me that some other guy is interested in you, and you’re not brushing him off. Not only that, but you’ve asked for space.”
She couldn’t deny it.
“This is not a playground, Kara,” he admonished. “You don’t get to kiss all the boys and decide which one you like. You’ve picked one and now you have to play fair. This business can’t afford for you to indulge your fantasies. You know very well how important Scott is to this business. Now quit playing around and start behaving like a grown up.”
Well why not start treating me like one?
She deeply resented his getting involved. But somehow, he had a control over her that other men didn’t, so instead of standing up and telling him where to go, she couldn’t help but say something placatory.