Oh no, not Sarah again. Phil could talk about the-one-that-got-away for hours.
Phil stared into the traffic. “Maybe I should have just gone with her and stopped complaining.”
“You were just being yourself.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t that bad. Man, what I wouldn’t give to have another chance. I’d go to every museum in New York, even that American folk art museum. You know once they had an entire exhibit of quilts. Quilts.”
Brett tightened his lips to keep from smiling. Quilts weren’t exactly high on his priority list, either. “I get your point.”
Phil went back to his phone. “So what do you want me to look for?”
Brett told him about the restaurant up in Maine. He hadn’t mentioned Maine other than to tell people that was where he was from. Speaking of his hometown made me feel vulnerable, naked. “Can you search for something like that around here?”
“I’ll try.” Phil dragged his finger across the screen. “What about this?”
Brett glanced at a picture of a restaurant on a rooftop with a garden overlooking the city. “Kinda, but it’s not very secluded.”
“You want secluded? In New York?” Phil laughed. “How about this?”
A picture of a Moosehead beer on top of a bar came up. Brett shook his head. “Not nice enough.”
“Geez, aren’t you Mr. Picky?”
Brett stood. “Look, I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“No, no, no. It’s no bother. It’s just what you’re looking for doesn’t exist.” Phil shut off his phone and stuffed it back in the pocket of his jeans. “Too bad you can’t rent a jet and fly her there.”
Wait a second. Mrs. DeBarr had said to do whatever it took. Brett pointed at Phil. “That’s not a bad idea.”
Phil stood and they stared walking back to the construction site. “I was joking, man. Where you gonna get the money for something like that?”
Brett clapped his friend on the shoulder feeling more confident than ever. This would be a night she’d remember. “Leave that to me.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Looking Too Hard
Alaina paced the front of the lobby in her black heels. She’d found a dress like the one she’d worn last night, with a little more glamor. This one was black with a solid top and a lacy underskirt revealing her legs from her ankles to her upper thighs, with a mini dress underneath. It was elegant enough for a formal dinner with a subtle sexuality.
I hope he likes it.
She’d forgotten to ask what his car looked like. She could tell a lot about a man from the car he chose to drive, and she wanted to know more about Lance DeBarr. A lot more. There was something so different about him- a cool modesty and a relaxed simplicity that the other guys she met didn’t have. He wasn’t trying to prove himself to anyone. If anything, he was trying to blend in. She could learn from him. She shouldn’t always have to be the center of attention. Life would be much easier for her if she could learn to step aside.
Maybe then Bianca wouldn’t bother her as much.
A black limo pulled up to the curb. Anxious nerves climbed up her arms and legs. Was this for her? As much as she wanted to see his car, she never passed up a chance to ride in style.
Lance stepped out dressed in a crisp, white button down shirt and black slacks, looking laid back, yet classic. His dark brown hair fell in natural waves around his ears, and she longed to run her hands through it. Alaina took a deep breath and stepped through the revolving door.
The September air hit her like a brisk slap, and she wished she’d brought her fur coat instead of the little black leather one. But this one matched her dress better- and fashion came first. Especially on a first date. Later on down the line she could start bringing out the comfy clothes.
Lance’s face softened into a fond smile when he saw her, making her feel like they were best friends from way back. “Hi, Alaina.”
“Hey.”
His gaze glanced over her dress. The lace fluttered in the wind, and his eyes settled on the short underskirt. “I like that one, too.”
“I thought you would.” Any guy who complimented her on her clothes won extra points in her book. It showed he cared enough to notice details.
He opened the door for her and offered his hand to help her in. She slid her fingers in his, feeling the rough calluses and the warmth of his touch. She didn’t want to let go.
Alaina slid into her seat. Lance closed the door behind her and circled the limo. He said something to the driver, but she couldn’t make out any words.
The door on the other side opened, and he sat in the passenger seat behind the driver.
She adjusted her lacey skirt. “So where are we going?”
Lance shook his head and “tsked tsked” as though she’d been naughty. “Still a surprise.”
The driver took off, and Alaina wished she knew something about the evening he’d planned. She pouted her lower lip. “Can’t you give me a clue?”
Lance crossed his arms and scrunched his mouth to the side, like he was thinking really hard. “Hmm…it’s got something to do with trees.”
“Trees?” There weren’t that many trees in New York. “We’re not going to Central Park are we?”
He laughed. “No.”
“Good.”
His features turned vulnerable. “What’s wrong? You don’t like the outdoors?”
Did she like the outdoors? She’d never really thought of it before. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t spent much time outdoors. I grew up in this city and went to school at Julliard. Most of my time was spent studying and performing inside concert halls and practice rooms.”
He furrowed his brow. “Have you ever gone hiking?”
“Nope.”
“Canoeing?”
“Nope.”
“Camping?”
She shook her head. “Definitely not.”
“Wow.” He sat back stunned. An awkward silence fell between them.
Alaina played with her seatbelt, wondering if she’d already ruined their date. Was the outdoors so important to him? Maybe it was like someone telling her they’d never heard opera? She’d probably discount them like they were some type of fool. But was that the right thing to do? Would she want Lance to discount her just because she never held a canoe paddle?
Opera was the center of her life. But did it define her, or was she more than a beautiful voice? “Why do people go camping anyway?”
Lance laughed like he didn’t believe she’d just asked that. “The outdoors can be very relaxing. For me, it’s a kind of release, like breathing deeply after holding my breath for too long. It clears my mind and helps me sort things out.”
Her mind did feel cluttered at times from the traffic, the smog, and the perpetual noise of the city. Maybe she’d been missing out all these years? Alaina reached out and touched his hand. “Just because I haven’t had the experience, doesn’t mean I don’t want to try.”
Hope glimmered in his eyes. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” She meant it. Maybe she’d been too narrow minded, always thinking about her concerts and her practicing. “I’ve been focused on my career since I was five and my parents started taking me to auditions. I guess I’ve never had the time to explore other hobbies.”
He ran his fingers over hers and threaded heir hand together. “Do you have the time for me?”
Alaina didn’t hesitate. “I’ll make the time.” Once she said it out loud, she realized she had no other choice. She’d regret this for the rest of her life if she didn’t explore what she had with this man.
He relaxed his shoulders and smiled. “Good, because I think you’re missing out.”
Alaina glanced out the window. The limo had pulled into the back of the airport and parked next to a hanger. Her jaw dropped.
“No way. We’re not going on a plane, are we?”
He nodded and got out of the car. “A Pilatus to be exact.”
Alaina followed him into the hanger, where two p
ilots waited by a sleek, white jet. They shook Lance’s hand and helped them up the stairs. Eight leather seats stretched out across the back of the plane. Lance must have ordered champagne, because a bottle waited for them on a small pull out table. He opened it up and poured two glasses as Alaina took her seat.
“I thought this would help with the jitters.” He handed her a glass and sat beside her.
“Don’t worry. I fly all the time.” Alaina took the glass and sipped. Even though she did fly around the world- heck she’d gone to Italy last summer, her nerves were acting up. Was it the excitement of the trip or because she was there with Lance?
He took a large gulp of his champagne. Maybe she wasn’t the only one with nerves.
“Do you? So where does a beautiful and famous soprano like you go?”
She blushed. He just called her beautiful. “Oh you know. Here and there. Sometimes I fly out for an audition or a guest performance.”
His dark eyes turned dreamy, as if he imagined her life. “Where is the most special place you’ve ever sung?”
“The most special? Gosh, I have to think about that.” Most men asked her about how much she made, who she’d sung for, or what famous people she’d sung with. But not Lance. He didn’t care about name-dropping or money, only about what she liked.
“I guess it would have to be the vineyard I’d sung at last summer on my Italian tour.”
“What made it so special?”
“I sang well, for one.” In fact, it was that very performance that got her the newspaper quote that propelled her career. “But, it was more than that. There was something magical about the call of the birds in the background and the smell of the flowers. It was probably why I sang so well. I was inspired by the timeless atmosphere.”
His traced a line over her hand and up her arm, which sent shivers through her body. “Maybe you really do like the outdoors, and you just don’t know it yet.”
“Maybe I do.”
The plane took off, and Alaina gripped her seat. “How long is this trip?”
“A little under an hour. Don’t worry, I’ll get you home before curfew.”
She laughed. “I guess I do have a curfew now.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m volunteering at a local charter school for the arts. They start classes at eight am sharp.”
“I had no idea you were so kind hearted.”
Alaina glanced down, unable to hold his gaze. Should she tell him the truth? It was embarrassing, but she didn’t want to keep anything from him. Somehow, she thought he’d understand. If he didn’t then he wouldn’t like her anyway and this whole night was for naught. He had to know her, warts and all. She’d lost the Italian guy because she tried too hard to impress him with all her accomplishments. All that she had done was to push him away- right into her roommate’s arms.
Alaina breathed deeply. “I’m not. To tell you the truth, I’ve never volunteered in my life. I just never thought about it.”
He stared right into her eyes as if seeing her soul. “So why are you doing it now?”
“The board of directors of the opera put me up to it. I’m supposed to be cleaning up my image.”
He blinked as though surprised, then curled the right side of his lips. “Are you a late night party girl?”
Alaina slapped her hand on her forehead. “My god, no! It’s not that.” Her tone grew serious. “They don’t think I’m capable of the sweet unrequited love my character has to portray.”
He touched her hair near her ear, smoothing it down and studied her as if she was the most intriguing beauty he’d ever seen. “Are you?”
Staring into his gorgeous brown eyes, Alaina sure hoped so. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever been in true love before. It’s never seemed to last.”
“That’s because you haven’t found the right man.” His smile seemed to suggest the right man sat right next to her. Or maybe it was all her imagination.
Alaina traced a circle on the back of his palm. “And you’re an expert in such things?”
“Not an expert.” Lance glanced at his champagne, suddenly boyishly embarrassed. “Just an observer.”
Lance was so good at asking questions, Alaina had been talking the whole time about herself. She hadn’t learned any more about him. “What have you observed?”
He shrugged. “Love can hit you when you least expect it, but it never comes when you’re looking too hard.”
Alaina thought about how she’d pushed her relationship with the Italian guy. She’d wanted love so badly on that trip. Maybe it was because she was singing about a wedding, or because she hadn’t been in a relationship for a long time. Or it could have been the romantic Italian countryside. Whatever it was, by forcing it, she’d driven love away. “You’re right.”
The plane landed, and they stepped out into cool, misty air. Thick, tall pine trees surrounded a small, hole-in-the-wall airport with one landing strip and a run-down cabin posing as the welcome center.
Alaina hugged her shoulders against the chill night. “Where are we?”
Lance put his arm around her. “Northern Maine.” Pride surged in his voice.
“Maine?” She’d never been to Maine. She’d never had a reason to. Panic shot up her spine as she glanced at the pine trees stretching to the sky. She had a sudden urge to get back on the plane. “There are bathrooms where we’re going, right?”
He laughed. “Yes, very nice ones.”
“Thank goodness.” He had her scared for a minute there. He hugged her close. “Trust me. I know you don’t have much experience with the outdoors, so I’m introducing you in small steps.”
Did she trust him? She’d bought a twenty thousand dollar date, gotten into a dark limo, and onto a private jet. So yeah, she must’ve trusted him at least a little. “Okay.”
Another limo appeared from the empty road as if on command. Lance stepped toward it and opened the door. “After you.”
Alaina got in and sat down. What was in Maine anyway? George Bush Senior had a house on the coast, but she doubted they were visiting him. Lobsters and lighthouses; she knew Maine was famous for that. But not northern Maine. They must be miles from the coast.
The only other thing that came to mind was all those horror novels that took place in Maine. She grabbed Lance’s arm. “Tell me we’re not visiting Stephen King.”
He laughed. “No, we’re not.”
The limo drove through hilly streets with trees on either side and climbed a ridge, pulling up to a log cabin lit with golden light that overlooked the valley below. A sign hung on a carved tree beside the glass doorway which read Twilight Woods Inn and Resort.
Alaina stepped out and took Lance’s arm. Below them, the forest stretched for miles. Being so far from the city in a secluded area scared her. But, it was also freeing in a way she’d never felt before. “This is gorgeous.”
He placed his hand on top of hers. “I hoped you’d like it.”
They walked through the glass doors and into the main lobby. Everything was wood; the floor, the beams, the furniture, the stairs. It was like the whole place was carved from a giant piece of oak. At the center, a massive stone fireplace glowed with flames. It reminded Alaina of a time long past, when people sat by a fire and sipped cocoa instead of watching TV.
The lodging was off to the right, a spa branched to the left, and at the center, up the grand stairway the dining room bustled with activity.
Lance practically glowed as he led her up the stairs. His natural ease with the place made Alaina wonder if he’d been coming here for a long time. If so, he’d shared a special place that meant something to him, which warmed her heart.
A hostess greeted them with a big smile, then sat them down by a large window overlooking the valley. A crescent moon hung high above them and the vast forest stretched in all directions.
Alaina unfolded her napkin. “This is truly unique. Thank you for taking me here.” An actual social life existed outside New York- and one that she
wanted to be a part of.
He leaned back in his seat and breathed with relief as he laid his eyes on the forest. “My pleasure.”
“Of all the places in the north east, why Maine? Why this place?”
Lance glanced around the room. “I grew up around here.”
“You did?” She couldn’t picture Mrs. DeBarr hiking in the woods. “A summer home?”
Lance coughed and reached for the water. He took a long sip. “Of course. Yes, a summer home.”
“It must be beautiful. I’d like to see it.”
His gaze trailed off across the room. “It was.”
She froze with her glass halfway to her mouth. “Was?”
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “It was destroyed by a fire.”
Alaina’s chest tightened. The pain in his eyes cut right to her core. She reached across the table and took his hand. “Oh that’s horrible. I’m so sorry.”
He waved her concerns away. “I don’t want to spoil this night talking about the past.”
“Of course.” Guilt rolled over her for bringing such a painful subject up. And on a first date no less. Geez, she was striking out all over the place with her apparent inexperience with the wilderness, her sob story about her volunteering and now this. “I keep saying the wrong thing.”
“No. It’s not you.” He squeezed her hand. “You’ve been wonderful. You’re the reason why I had to confidence to come back.”
Alaina covered her heart with her hand. “You mean you haven’t been back since?”
He shook his head and gave her a look that would melt hearts. “I had to show you something special.”
Alaina covered her mouth, overwhelmed. “My goodness. I don’t know what to say.”
He laced his fingers through hers. “Don’t say anything. Just be here with me.”
CHAPTER SIX
Heroes and Villains
Brett had no idea that coming back would hit him so hard. The smell of the fresh pine brought a roaring wave of melancholy, making him wonder why he’d left. A sharp ache in his gut told him he’d had no other choice.
A Diva in Manhattan Page 4