She dropped her purse on the table and headed into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine before stepping onto the deck. A brightly colored bistro table and a few potted plants, wilting in the unseasonal spring heat, made the small space seem more homey. It was twilight, but the air still retained the heat of the day, and she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as murmurs of conversation spilled from open windows and drifted around her, mingled with the shouts and laughter of a few boys as they kicked a soccer ball around a small patch of weedy grass that separated her block from the next. The sounds dissipated as the light faded and the boys were called inside, and windows were closed for the night.
Her mind wandered back to the conversation she’d had with Pat in the elevator. Was it possible that the man who couldn’t even deign to notice her had actually spoken so highly of her? She took a sip of wine. The relationship between her and Lee hadn’t always been this cool. When she’d first started working at Quigs, six years before, they had been good friends. They both loved the mountains and found they had similar tastes in music. Heading downstairs to get coffee together had soon led to long lunches, where the time slipped by so quickly they had to race back to the office to avoid their absences being noticed. Conversation came easily and was interspersed with much laughter. But then Lee had gone to Toronto for a three week project, and when he returned, he was a different person. Gone were long conversations over lunch, replaced with an icy aloofness. He barely acknowledged her presence; his interactions with her became strictly professional, to the point where he addressed her as Ms. Hewitt. He spoke to her only when necessary, with a look and a tone that suggested he did so under compulsion. She’d tried, at first, to find out what had brought about the change, but when her attempts to talk to him were repeatedly rebuffed, she’d finally given up. When she returned to Quigs the next summer, it was as though they were complete strangers.
But she missed Lee and the easy friendship they’d had. The conversations and laughter. And she wondered, for the umpteenth time, what had changed. How he could have come back so different. And which one was the real Lee. Sometimes, in unguarded moments, she felt his eyes on her, and when he brushed past her in the passage, it was almost as if he did so on purpose; but then she’d see his cold, distant expression, and she’d know she was mistaken. Still, it added to the strangeness of the situation, and she found herself imagining it was all just a show. As though they were acting roles in a play, presenting an air of indifference to the world, while secretly their friendship continued. It was just a silly notion, of course, but it made it that much harder for her to get him out of her mind. For a few short months he’d been her best friend, and then he was gone.
It was the stirring of a cool breeze that finally brought Melissa to her feet. Only a faint smudge of light still hung on the horizon, while a single street lamp at the end of the pathway cast a dim glow on the surrounding buildings. Melissa picked up her glass, but before she headed inside a dark shape against the wall made her pause. She peered into the shadows, her eyes intent, and when a pair of green eyes turned to her, she stumbled backward. They held hers for a moment, then blinked into darkness as the creature rose and disappeared around a corner. For a single instant, one foolish moment, she was sure it was the panther from her dreams. She laughed shakily. There were no panthers around Calgary, and even a cougar would not venture this far into the city. It was just a cat – a very large, very black cat, but still just a cat. The wine glass in her hand was shaking, and she took a long, slow breath before heading back inside and into the light.
Chapter 2
Melissa was seated in the boardroom one week later, waiting for the rest of the team to arrive for the weekly meeting. She was the first one at the table, and she reviewed her notes as she waited for the others. The door opened and Lee entered the room. He paused for a fleeting moment, then closed the door behind him.
“Morning, Ms. Hewitt,” he said as he dropped his notes on the table and took a seat.
“Morning. I’m not sure where everyone else is.”
“It’s just us. Let’s get started.”
Melissa glanced around in confusion. “Just us?”
“The others are needed on another project, so we’ll wrap this up without them.” He was studying his notes, but he glanced at Melissa when she didn’t respond. “We already have everything we need. It’s just a question of pulling it all together into a presentable form. You’ve written reports before, haven’t you?”
“Yes. But what about the client meetings? Will you go on your own?”
Lee leaned back in his chair, his gaze finally meeting hers. “I could. Or you could come with me.”
“Me? With you? But I’ve never attended a client meeting before.”
“Then now’s a good time to start, isn’t it? You know the data, probably better than anyone else on the team, and you’ll be writing the report. Isn’t this what you want?”
“Yes, of course. And I’m ready. I was just taken by surprise.”
“You’ll do fine. We have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Hong next Friday, so I expect a finalized report by Wednesday.” He rose and walked out the door without waiting for her agreement and after a moment, Melissa hurried after him, her mind spinning. From junior analyst to writing the final report and attending client meetings – this was the chance she’d been waiting for. The opportunity to show Lee what she was really capable of. She hurried to her desk, her mind already picturing the charts and diagrams she’d include in the report.
When Friday morning rolled around, Melissa took her time choosing an outfit. The pantsuit was too earnest, and her long skirt not earnest enough. She finally settled on a black-and-white print dress paired with a black jacket. Not a power suit, but still professional. She scraped her hair into a bun and slipped her feet into a pair of black kitten heels, then picked up the report and left her apartment. Although she could list the numbers it contained without even glancing at the page, she had brought it home to run through the data one last time. When she saw Mr. Hong later that day, she’d be able to tell him anything he wanted to know about his company. She reached the office a short while later, smiling at Mary as she walked past reception.
“Hey Melissa,” Mary called, scratching through a pile of notes on her desk. “I have a message for you.” She pulled out a piece of paper and adjusted her glasses on her nose, squinting as she deciphered the writing. “Lee says he’ll meet you at, uh, Mr. Hang’s office at one.”
“Mr. Hong’s? Lee’s not coming in?”
“No. He said he’d be in meetings all morning and will meet you at the client’s.”
“Thanks, Mary,” she said, pushing away her disappointment. She’d hoped Lee would be there to encourage her before her very first client meeting, but then again, he’d probably just ignore her.
Melissa arrived at the offices of Hong Industries a few minutes before one to find Lee waiting for her outside the building. He watched as she stepped out the taxi, his eyes lingering on her for a moment. “Nervous?” he asked as they walked into the office tower.
“Maybe a little,” she admitted. “I don’t know what to expect.”
“It gets easier each time,” he said. “You’ll do fine.” They were ushered into Mr. Hong’s office a few moments later, and the small man hurried around his desk, his hand extended in greeting.
“Welcome, welcome,” he said with a brief bow. He pulled out a chair. “Sit, please. I’m most eager to hear your report.”
Melissa sat down and handed him a thick document, then opened her copy to the first page. “Let’s start with management,” she began.
Two hours later, they left the offices of Mr. Hong, who was clearly a satisfied client. “Well done, Ms. Hewitt,” Lee said as they stepped into the sunshine. “You did an excellent job. I’m impressed, although not particularly surprised.”
“No?”
“No. I knew you’d do well.”
“Really?” Melissa said, not bot
hering to keep the wry tone from her voice.
Lee stopped and faced her. “I’m well aware of what you’re capable of, Melissa.”
She remained silent, squelching the retort that rose to her lips. It hadn’t escaped her notice that he’d used her first name, and she wondered what it meant. Had presenting the client report given her some new status? Or had it just slipped out?
Lee sighed. “Look, why don’t we go for a drink? I think you’ve earned it.”
Melissa frowned. “I, uh, I have to be home early tonight.”
“It’s only three-thirty, and we won’t stay long. You’ll be home in time for whatever hot date you have this evening.”
“You’ve barely spoken to me in six years, and now you want to go for a drink?”
“To celebrate a job well done,” he said. “We all need to do that from time to time.”
Melissa nodded slowly. “Okay,” she said as she slid into a waiting taxi. “Let’s go celebrate.”
Lee directed the taxi to a pub near the offices and they arrived after a short ride. They weaved their way past the bar and out to the patio, and she removed her jacket as she took a seat at a small table. Across from her, Lee loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves as they gave the server their orders. His arms and the back of his hands were covered in a light dusting of dark hair, and Melissa could see the start of a tattoo that stretched up his inner arm.
He leaned back in his seat. “So now that the meeting’s behind you, you can think about the weekend. Are you going hiking?” Melissa glanced at him in surprise. “I remember how much you enjoyed the mountains. Has that changed?”
“No,” she said. “I just hadn’t expected you to remember.”
“I remember everything you told me,” he said. She frowned and traced the pattern on the tabletop with her finger. “So, are you hiking?” he repeated.
“I haven’t decided.”
“Do you go with friends?”
“Sometimes.” She looked up to meet his gaze. “But I enjoy the peace and solitude.”
“You shouldn’t hike alone. There are dangerous things out there.”
“Like bears?”
“And cougars.”
“Cougars don’t come near people.”
“Unless they feel threatened.”
The server returned with their drinks, and Melissa took a sip, watching Lee over the rim of the glass. “Why this sudden concern?” she said.
“There’ve been cougar sightings on some of the hiking trails lately.” He lifted his drink. “Why doesn’t your boyfriend go with you?”
Melissa leaned back in her chair and looked at him narrowly. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Why not? You’re attractive and pleasant enough.”
“What a flattering commendation.”
Lee frowned. “That came out wrong. But I expect there are plenty of men lining up to date you.”
Melissa raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking me about my dating life?”
“Yes.” Lee’s mouth lifted in a slight smile. “So tell me what you look for in a man.”
“Tall, dark and handsome.” She said the words flippantly, then flushed when she realized that she was describing Lee.
“Tom Cruise?”
“Ugh, no! He’s too … slick. Besides, he’s not tall.”
“Then who?”
“Well …” Melissa thought for a moment. “Hugh Jackman.”
“Wolverine.”
“Les Miserables.”
“Of course – you enjoy musicals! So why don’t you have a boyfriend?”
“I just haven’t met someone I want to be with. What about you? You have a girlfriend, don’t you?”
“No.”
“What about the girl at the last Christmas party? What was her name?” She’d had long, blond hair, a dress that barely covered anything, and four-inch-high stilettos. She’d clung to Lee all evening, but now that Melissa thought about it, he hadn’t returned the attention.
“You mean Amber? It wasn’t anything serious.”
“And the woman from the previous year?”
He frowned. “I don’t remember.”
“Black hair, red dress.”
“Ah, yes. I know who you mean. I’m surprised you remember.”
Melissa snorted. “She was difficult to forget.” The woman had climbed onto the table after a few drinks and shown off more than her dancing skills. “So why don’t you have a girlfriend? You’re good-looking and – what was the word? – pleasant.”
Lee’s lips quirked. “I just don’t.”
“So you can ask me personal questions, and I can’t ask you?”
“That’s right.” Lee drained his glass and placed it in the center of the table.
“Hmm.” She took another sip of her drink.
“So if you don’t have a hot date, what are you doing tonight?”
“I volunteer at the Children’s Hospital.”
“Really? What do you do?”
“Hang out with the patients. A lot of them are alone. There’s one girl – Emma – who was in a car accident a few months ago. Her mother and baby brother were both killed, and she was seriously injured. Her dad farms out near Lethbridge, so she doesn’t get to see him much.”
“That’s pretty rough. How did you meet her?”
“An old friend of my mom’s works at Children’s. She thought I could help Emma since my dad was killed in a car accident.”
Lee stiffened. “Killed? When? What happened?”
“Drunk driver. Four years ago. He died on impact.”
She watched the server weaving between the tables, but could feel Lee’s eyes on her. He leaned closer. “I’m really sorry, Mel,” he said. “I wish – I wish I’d known.”
Melissa bit her lip. Her sister had already moved to Vancouver when Dad died, and she’d been alone in Calgary. She could have used a friend.
“It was a long time ago now.”
There was a moment of silence, then, “Can I come with you to the hospital one day?”
Melissa looked at Lee in surprise. “If you want.”
“Thank you.” He watched as she finished her drink. “Ready to go?” he asked.
They walked the few blocks back to the office in silence, but Melissa could not help glancing at Lee beneath her eyelashes. For just a few hours, he’d been the man she remembered. The guy who’d held her hand when she related the details of her mother’s death from cancer. Who was interested in a little girl in hospital, and concerned about the loss of her father. Could he still be hidden away in there? she wondered. Or had it just been a mere flicker of his former self? By Monday would be back to his usual, detached formality, all intention of visiting Emma with her forgotten? It would be interesting to see.
Chapter 3
Melissa was still thinking about her conversation with Lee when she drove to Children’s Hospital later that evening. She could not understand why, after six years, he was suddenly interested in talking to her. She tapped the steering wheel with her finger. It didn’t make any sense. The memory of the afternoon taunted her, reminding her of the friendship she had lost, and the rhythm on the steering wheel quickened. She reached the hospital a short while later and eased into a parking space in the underground lot before striding into the brightly painted building.
“Hey kiddo,” she said with a smile as she entered the six-year-old’s room.
“Hi Mel,” Emma said. She lay against the white sheets, a light sheen of sweat covering her forehead.
“Bad day, hey?”
“Pamela was being mean.” Emma had been trapped in the car after the accident, her skull fractured, both arms broken, and her legs crushed by the mangled steel as she waited to be rescued. Numerous surgeries had saved the limbs, and Pamela was helping her relearn how to use the damaged muscles.
“I heard that,” Melissa glanced up to see Pamela’s smiling face at the door. “If you’re not careful, I’ll show you how mean I can really be.”
/> Emma pulled a face, but Melissa could see the grin she was hiding. “You’re such a meanie, you can’t be any meaner than mean!”
“Can’t I?” Pamela said as she walked toward Emma with her fingers wriggling in the air.
“No! Don’t tickle me!” Emma shrieked, pulling the sheet over her head as Melissa laughed.
“Don’t believe a word she tells you,” Pamela said to Melissa. “She’s doing a fantastic job, and she’ll soon be running and jumping with all her friends.”
“Oh, I know,” Melissa said. She smiled as Pamela left the room and turned to the girl. “Okay, Em, how about we read a story?”
“Will you lie down next to me?”
“Of course.” Melissa took a book from a pile on the nightstand and waited as Emma scooted over in the bed before climbing on beside her. She opened the book to the first page and began reading. “Beauty and the Beast,” she read as she wrapped her arm around Emma’s shoulders. “‘There was once a very rich merchant…’”
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