by Jessica Gray
Michael wanted to grab her and keep her from leaving, but stood his ground, adopting his usual cynicism as a cover, “You know where to find me when you need to get rid of some frustration. I’ll be here another couple of months. No need to call first; just show up.”
Evelyn shook her head; no words came to her mind that were a fitting response. Walking out the door, she vowed he would never see her darken its threshold again, not unless he came groveling first.
Michael watched the door close and stood there for several minutes, hoping that she would walk back in and apologize. When the door remained closed, he wandered over to the window, just in time to see her car pull away from the parking lot. She was gone and he sensed she wasn’t ever coming back.
Friends Together
The next week was the longest and worst one of Evelyn’s life. Victor had immediately sensed that something was wrong, and been very supportive when Evelyn had shared her decision with him. He told her to stand her ground and make him come back begging. Michael had yet to beg for anything.
His attitude around the office had become surlier, and everyone, even sweet-tempered Mandy was now avoiding him. Evelyn found herself avoiding the hallway outside his office at all costs, and Victor had tried to intervene, but Michael was being his stubborn self.
Deciding to grab a sandwich at the deli across the street and eat in the park, she headed out. Just as she was entering the deli she heard someone call her name. Glancing around, she located the source of the voice and watched as Henry Taylor finished crossing the street and got to where she was standing.
“Evelyn, it’s so good to see you. How have you been?” Henry gave her a friendly hug.
Evelyn smiled at hugged him back, “I’ve been good. How about you?”
Henry smiled at her, “Good. Really good.”
“I was just about to grab a sandwich, do you have time to join me?” Evelyn offered, gesturing towards the deli.
Henry gave a sad smile and shook his head, “I’m sorry to say that I don’t. I have a meeting across the street with father’s accountants in 10 minutes. I would much rather join you for lunch.”
“I bet,” Evelyn chuckled. She hated going to see DFJ’s accountants and usually left that unpleasant task up to Victor.
“Hey. How about I take you to dinner tonight and we can catch up?”
“That sounds great. Do you want me to meet you somewhere?” Evelyn queried. Maybe a night out with Henry would help get rid of her melancholy.
Henry shook his head, “I’ll pick you up, around 7 o’clock?”
Evelyn nodded, “That sounds great. Any idea of where we’re going, just so I know how to dress?”
Henry winked at her as he said, “Doll yourself up baby and let’s hit the town.”
Evelyn laughed and for the first time in months, felt carefree and was looking forward to going out. “I’ll be ready.”
Glancing at his wristwatch, Henry grimaced gave Evelyn another hug, “I’d better go. The only thing worse than visiting the accountant, is visiting one late.” Releasing her, he started back across the street with a hollered, “I’ll see you later beautiful.”
Evelyn watched him cross the street and gave him a little wave as he looked back before entering the building.
*****
Evelyn was ready with fifteen minutes to spare and calmly answered the door when Henry arrived on time. He was stunning in coat and tie, and his endearing grin promised a fun evening ahead.
Evelyn had first met Henry at the board meeting where his father was informed that even though he owned 48% of Davenport Shipping stock, his voting rights were only 24%. Evelyn had been impressed at the young man who calmly waited his ranting father out. Henry had calmed his father down, and after much discussion, it had been decided that Henry would be attending all future board meetings, not Brad Taylor.
Evelyn had enjoyed getting to know the gregarious young man, and they had developed a sort of friendship over the years. Evelyn had no romantic thoughts about him, and since Henry had never made any romantic overtures in her direction, guessed he felt the same way.
“You look absolutely amazing. Turn around and let me get the whole effect.” Henry made a circle with his finger, indicating she should turn a circle for him.
Evelyn giggled, but complied. The green strapless dress had been an impulse buy two years earlier, and she had never had an occasion to wear it. It had a fitted bodice, with tiny straps crisscrossing the back keeping it from falling down. The hem flared out at her hips, ending several inches above her knees. The matching green heels gave her the added height, and yet she still was several inches shorter than Henry’s 6’2” stature.
“Wow. Are you ready to go, I made reservations in town, but parking is always problematic this time of night. I decided to use the car service this evening so we wouldn’t have to worry about that.”
Evelyn was pleased by his thoughtfulness and grabbed her wrap and purse. Henry held her elbow as they walked to the car and then opened her door, assisting her inside before going around and entering the car on the opposite side.
“This is really nice. Thanks for inviting me.”
“Thank you for coming. I’ll be the envy of every man tonight, with you on my arm.”
Evelyn blushed at his comments. Henry had a fun loving personality, and was often given to harmless flirting. Having it directed solely at her was a new experience, but not an unwelcome one. “Why thank you kind sir. You clean up very nicely yourself, if I may say so.”
“You certainly shall.” Henry and Evelyn shared a laugh and talk turned to the mundane and current events. Evelyn was surprised at how many things they had in common and the evening flew by. The food was wonderful and as they lingered over dessert, she found herself wondering what her life would have been like if she had married Henry. Would they have become friends, or bitter enemies at having been forced together? Would she have eventually found herself falling in love with Henry, and letting go of her dream of being with Michael?
So lost was she in her thoughts, she didn’t sense Henry had moved closer to her until he touched her chin, turning her face towards him. “Evelyn, I’ve enjoyed tonight so much. I would really like to spend some more time getting to know you.”
Henry let his eyes move across her face, memorizing her features and letting the back of his fingers travel from her chin to her ear. He felt the shiver that travelled through her and took it as a sign that he should proceed. Leaning closer to her, he tipped her chin up and was just about to kiss her when a voice to his left caused him to pause and turn his head.
Angry
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but Evelyn, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You’re needed back at the office immediately.”
Evelyn heard his voice, and her eyes told her that Michael was looming over their table, but her brain couldn’t quite comprehend what he was doing on her date with Henry. Henry had been about to kiss her, and she had been of a mind to let him. When she had heard Michael’s voice, it was like being thrown into a river of ice. Any attraction she had felt for Henry had shriveled up and disappeared.
“Michael, whatever it is can wait until tomorrow morning. As you can see, Henry and I were just finishing dinner. If you don’t mind, we can talk in the morning.”
“Actually, I do. Mind that is.” Michael reached out and grabbed her clutch and wrap from the empty chair, and then grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet and away from the table. “This emergency can’t wait and Victor can’t handle it.” Glancing back over his shoulder at her speechless date, Michael hid his smile and offered, “Harry, was it? Nice to meet you. Maybe next time we can chat and get to know each other. I’ll make sure Evelyn gets home after we take care of business at the office.”
Evelyn was trying to disengage her arm from Michael’s hold when she caught sight of Victor standing near the front of the restaurant. What was he doing here? “Michael…”
Glancing down at her, Michael cautioned
her in a tight voice, “Evelyn, don’t. Just come with me.”
Still struggling, Evelyn tried once again to get her arm free, “Let me g…”
Bending down so that it appeared as if he was whispering in her ear, Michael told her, “Evelyn, you are leaving this restaurant with me now. If I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here like a sack of potatoes, you are still leaving with me. How you exit this fine establishment is entirely up to you.” Meeting her gaze, he held her eyes until she finally sagged in defeat and relaxed the tension in her arm. “Thank you. Now, I believe Victor has already called valet service for my car. You and I are going to get in said car, and then you can say anything you want to.”
Steering her to the front of the restaurant once again, she turned once, to see Henry staring at them with a befuddled look on his face. It was obvious that he had no idea of what had just transpired. When they reached Victor, Evelyn gave him a beseeching look, silently asking him to rescue her, but he studiously avoided meeting her eyes and she finally gave up. Victor was definitely on Michael’s side at the moment. She would take that up with him tomorrow.
By the time the car arrived and Michael had Evelyn seated and belted into the vehicle, he was surprised there wasn’t steam coming from her ears. She was one mad woman.
The minute he pulled away from the curb she started talking, in a not-so-pleasant voice, “Michael Cavanaugh Jennings, I don’t know who you think you are, but that was incredibly rude, even for you. Poor Henry is still wondering what just occurred. And as for this supposed emergency, you know we don’t have nighttime emergencies so cut the crap!”
“Watch your language! And I could really care less about what Harry thinks…”
“Henry! His name is Henry!” Evelyn took a calming breath, angry that she had raised her voice at Michael.
Michael glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road, “You and I have unfinished business and you have no right to go out with another man until we get things settled.”
“No right? Things are settled, or did you forget? I broke the rules and fell asleep. You don’t want to admit you might have some feelings or emotions inside that heart and mind you keep so carefully locked away, and I won’t live like that. I’m not anyone’s dirty little secret.”
“For the record, I have never referred to you a ‘my dirty little secret’ so get rid of the drama.”
Evelyn stared at him and shook her head, “You just don’t get it do you? I won’t be the woman you use for sex so you don’t have to pay a street whore. I want a flesh and blood man, who likes spending time with me, who can communicate with me about more than what part of my body he likes most and what he plans to do to said body. I want someone I can dream with, and who doesn’t mind dreaming with me right beside him, while we ‘sleep’ together.”
“You don’t know what you want. Your body does though and I aim to remind you of that fact just as soon as I get home.”
Evelyn looked around her and realized that he was indeed taking her to his home, a place she had sworn she would never go again unless he was begging. He wasn’t begging!
She quickly tried to figure out a way to get away from him, and decided that when he stopped to key in his code for the security gate, she would simply get out of the car and walk away. He wouldn’t be able to back up without risking punching holes in all of his tires, and by the time he traveled around and came back to the exit side, she would be in a taxi and headed home.
Sitting back in her seat, she decided to just remain silent for the rest of the trip and ready herself to make her getaway.
Michael looked over to see Evelyn sitting back in seat, calmly waiting while he drove them home. Finally, it seemed that she was going to be reasonable about their interaction. Relaxing slightly, he completed the drive in silence, thinking of all the things he wanted to do to her once he got her inside his home.
As he negotiated the security spikes protecting the front entrance to his parking garage, he pulled to a stop and rolled down the window to enter the security code. When Evelyn opened her door and exited the vehicle all he could do was yell at her to come back and wait for the gate to finish opening. The code box prevented him from opening his door to chase after her, and he quickly pulled his car around the lot and returned to the exit side, only to find no sign of Evelyn anywhere along the street.
Evelyn hailed the first cab that approached her and sat calmly as it delivered her home. Once there, she left the lights off and took herself to bed, crying herself to sleep at how screwed up the night had become. Michael wanted her in his bed, but not in his heart. She wanted to share her life with someone who would share it back, but the only one her heart seemed to want was Michael.
Regrets
Michael drove as fast to Evelyn’s house as he could safely do. He passed a taxi exiting her subdivision and hoped that it was the same one that Evelyn had caught outside his house. As he pulled into her driveway, he saw that there were no lights on in the house and paused, wondering if she had decided to spend the night somewhere else; someplace where he couldn’t find her.
Glancing at the windows in Victor’s house, he saw those lights were off as well. Maybe she was hiding in the house hoping he would just go away. Not happening!
Approaching the door, he rang the doorbell and then knocked on the door. When she didn’t answer, he continued to knock on the door, and finally started talking to her, demanding she open the door and let him in so they could talk. So intent, was he on the front door, he didn’t hear Victor appear behind him.
“What in the name of all that’s sane, are you doing banging on Evelyn’s door like a lunatic? Do you have any idea of what time it is?” Victor demanded.
“Go away, Victor. This is between Evelyn and me.”
“In case you didn’t get the memo, she doesn’t want to talk to you right now or she would have opened the door. Michael, I let you get away with the shenanigans at the restaurant tonight, hoping that seeing Evelyn with another man might make you come to your senses. The evidence would lead me to conclude the opposite. Whatever you should have said, didn’t get said, or Evelyn wouldn’t be hiding in her bedroom right now, hoping you will just go away.”
“I’m not leaving until she talks to me. She got out of my car and ran away,” Michael whined.
Victor wisely contained his smirk, knowing that Michael needed a chance to calm down and think clearly. “Why don’t you come over, I’ll make some coffee and we’ll talk for a bit?”
“I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to Evelyn.”
“Do you have anything new to say to her?” Victor queried. He knew that Evelyn would be able to hear their conversation from her bedroom, which was directly above the front door. Maybe if Michael had come to his senses, she would relent and open the door.
“Why would I say anything new to her? Nothing’s changed. She’s with me until I say otherwise, and I haven’t said that yet.”
Victor shook his head at how ridiculous Michael sounded. He had to be one of the most stubborn men Victor had ever met. “Come next door and let’s talk.”
Michael shrugged his shoulders and followed Victor next door.
*****
“Michael, what are you doing?” Victor asked, handing the man sitting on his couch a bottle of water. Michael and Victor had been friends for what seemed like forever, but the man sitting on his couch wasn’t acting anything like the friend Victor remembered.
“What do you mean?” Michael drank deeply from the bottle of water before looking at Victor. He could feel the censure coming off Victor in waves. Victor had always been fairly easy to read. When he was mad, he didn’t try to cover it up, or pretend everything was okay. He let you know he was mad and why. He also wasn’t known for getting mad without a reason. Michael sighed as he thought of the lecture that was most likely on its way.
Victor held onto his temper, when everything in him was urging him to knock some sense into Michael. Punching
Michael would solve nothing, but it might make Victor feel better. He had watched Michael and Evelyn dance around each other for several months now. It was obvious to everyone that there was still chemistry between them, but Michael had gone out of his way these last several weeks to be hateful and downright mean to Evelyn every chance he got. More than once, Victor had wanted to pop Michael in the mouth for the way he had spoken to Evelyn, but he had stopped himself, hoping against hope that Evelyn would finally reach the breaking point and do it herself. It looked like that point had arrived.
“You know what I’m talking about. I watch you all week, treat Evelyn worse than a stranger on the street. You try to humiliate her and cut her down every chance you get. Then, I see you leaving her house at all hours of the night, or basically kidnapping her from a restaurant because she was there with somebody else. Man, you’ve got to get it together.”