by S. E. Lund
"I don't know about you, but I want to get into my jammies and watch a movie. What do you say we watch whatever blockbuster is on the pay-per-view?"
"It's a plan.
So we did.
By midnight, I was exhausted and hoped that Josh would text me soon, so I could go to sleep.
JOSH: How was your day of fun with Steph?
I smiled when I saw his text and replied.
ELLA: It was perfect. We ordered room service for breakfast, Reg ghosted us all afternoon while we did touristy things, and then we had a lovely diner at the restaurant. We watched a movie and now, we're both in bed, ready to sleep.
JOSH: In bed??? Both of you??? Enquiring minds...
ELLA: In our separate beds.
JOSH: A man can dream. :) Seriously, I'm glad you had a good day. That's why I wanted to get the hotel suite for you while Steph is there.
ELLA: How about you? How was your day?
JOSH: It went by. I'm spending the night with David. We had a nice day by the pool and a barbecue for supper.
ELLA: What about the personal issue? Did you take care of that? Are you going to tell me about it?
JOSH: I will. It's not something I'm proud of. When I get back, we'll sit down, and I'll tell you. I'm just glad I had to chance to make things right -- or at least try to.
ELLA: You know you can tell me.
JOSH: I know. I will, in person.
ELLA: Okay. You have me worried about what it might be.
JOSH: It's a sensitive issue. I want to do it justice and I can't via text. I hope you feel you can trust me.
ELLA: I do. When you're ready to tell me, I'm ready to hear it.
JOSH: I appreciate your patience. I needed to take care of a thing and so I did. I was in the area and decided to stop in and check on David. He's not doing as well as I would like.
ELLA: Oh, I'm so sorry. Is he having trouble getting over his surgery?
JOSH: No, he has survivor's guilt. He feels responsible for Terry's death. I've tried to convince him that he's mistaken, but he's pretty down about it. I think he needs therapy and am trying to encourage him to get some help. I may have convinced him.
ELLA: It must be so stressful for you. You're a survivor of that accident as well. How are you doing?
JOSH: I'm fine. I'm managing.
ELLA: Any more nightmares.
JOSH: Yes, but that's probably because of Grant. I'll be fine.
ELLA: You need to look after yourself as well. You're the big brother but you may need therapy as well.
JOSH: When I get home, I want you and I to take a trip out to the house in Montauk. I want to spend the entire weekend just lying around on the sofa in front of the television. And enjoying each other.
ELLA: That sounds wonderful.
JOSH: Great. I'll make it happen as soon as I get back.
ELLA: I can't wait.
JOSH: I'll let you go to bed now. I miss you.
ELLA: I miss you, too.
I put my cell down and lay back on the bed, glad that Josh wanted to go to Montauk for a weekend. I missed him, and as much as I was glad to have Steph in town, I wished I was in bed with Josh instead of being alone.
The next day was a blur of personal indulgence in the hotel spa, in the restaurant, and during our touristy trip around Manhattan, always followed or accompanied by Reg, my trusty bodyguard. Josh would be coming home early in the morning on Tuesday, so he'd miss meeting Steph, but we agreed to meet up one weekend when we went to Concord -- maybe for Thanksgiving. Josh would meet Steph then.
Reg drove Steph and I to Penn Station on Monday after lunch to catch her train back to New Hampshire leaving at two o'clock. We hugged each other before she had to leave to catch her train.
"I'm so glad you didn't let me buy you a ticket back to Concord that day you called me," Steph said, tears in her eyes. "You got it good here. I can't wait to move here, too, and hopefully, Josh can introduce me to one of his hunky friends."
"That would be awesome," I said and squeezed her tightly. "Make sure to Skype me whenever you feel like it."
"I will."
She left me and went to her track, waving at me as she went down the stairs. Then she was gone, and I was alone. I sighed heavily, happy to have had Steph for the weekend, and sad to see her go, knowing I probably wouldn't see her again until Christmas, which was almost a whole month away.
I turned and saw Reg standing by the stairs, his hands folded as he waited patiently for me.
"Well, Reg. I guess it's time to go home."
"Lead the way," he said and pointed to the escalator that went to the upper platform. He followed me up and out of the station to the vehicle and opened the door for me when I arrived. I sat inside in the back and watched the streets of the city pass by on the way back to my apartment in Chelsea.
Once there, I paced the space, feeling a bit lost now that I was alone. Josh was still in California with David and Steph was on her way home to Concord. I was alone. I stood at the window and looked down at the courtyard behind the apartment building. It was late afternoon by then and I wondered what secret thing Josh had to tell me that he felt so embarrassed about. While I stood there, I saw a man enter the alley behind the apartment building and felt a shock go through me when I noticed he was wearing a fedora.
I picked up my cell and took a quick picture of the man and then called Reg.
"Hey, there's a man in the back alley wearing a fedora. Should I be worried?"
"I'll check it out. Stay in your apartment."
I ended the call and watched from the window, standing behind a sheer curtain, hoping that it hid me from his view. He was standing smoking beside a door to another apartment building across the alley and for all I knew, he was just a resident there and wasn't Mr. Fedora, but I wanted to be sure.
Soon, I saw Reg crossing the alley and approaching the man. They spoke and finally, the man threw down his cigarette and left the alley. Reg watched him and then returned to the apartment building. I'd given him a spare key, so he could come in and meet me when I needed him, so he came right up to my apartment and knocked at the door.
I opened it after looking through the peephole.
"It wasn't the same man," Reg said. "He's a resident of the building and can't smoke in his apartment because of his wife's emphysema."
"I'm so sorry," I said and shrugged. "I couldn't tell if he was the same man from my apartment. It's far enough away that I couldn't make out his face."
"No problem," Reg said. "Better safe than sorry. If you ever have any fear about a situation, if anything raises your alarm bells, call me and I'll come right away."
I frowned. "Do you think I'm a target? I thought you two figured the man was after Josh."
"Can't be sure until we know who he is. Both you and Josh could be targets, although given his wealth, Josh is more likely the one someone would be interested in."
I nodded and felt a little better. At least the man knew Josh was aware of him and that Josh had a body guard to watch over him -- over us.
"You can go home now," I said. "I'm going to stay inside tonight. I'll call you when I'm ready to go to work tomorrow morning, but it'll be the usual time."
"See you then. Good night.
"Good night," I replied and closed the door behind him, locking and double locking the door.
Reg went back to his vehicle.
I went to bed early that night and before I went to sleep, I texted Josh, wanting to connect with him in some way.
ELLA: Hey, there. How was your day? Steph is gone and I'm all alone back in my tiny studio apartment on my Murphy bed. I expect you're on your way to the airport to catch your red-eye flight. Can't wait to see you when you get back.
I didn't hear back from him right away, so I pulled my covers over my shoulder and closed my eyes, hoping that life would return back to normal the next day, but there was a tiny bit of unease inside of me as I tried to go to sleep.
Who was the man with the Fedor
a following Josh and me? What had Josh done that he wasn't proud of relating to Grant?
16
Josh
I spent the the next three days in LA with David, trying to feel him out and decide whether I should stay longer or whether he was good enough, so I could leave him. Luckily, a couple of his band members came by later in the afternoon on Monday and they convinced him to go into the studio and practice their new songs for the EP. I saw him brighten up considerably and thought that as long as he was busy working on the new release, and had people around him, he'd be okay.
I had dinner alone by the pool, leftover food from the night before, while the band played, totally absorbed in whatever song they were working on. Finally, around eight, about half an hour before I was scheduled to leave, David emerged from the studio, his expression satisfied.
"That was a good day's work for a change," he said and plopped down on the lawn chair beside me. Up above us, the sky was clear, and the stars were beginning to peep out in the growing dark. "Sorry if you were all by yourself."
"I'm a big boy," I said and smiled. "I caught up on some reading and got my dose of Vitamin D to last me for the rest of the year."
"Oh, yeah. You have to go back to Manhattan and winter. I don't know how you can live there. I need sun and surf to be happy."
"I think I'll take Ella out to the house in Montauk, speaking of surf. The weather isn't all that nice at this time of year, but we can walk the beach, and enjoy the house."
"Sounds like a good escape for you. You've been working extra hard the past few months."
"Year," I said, thinking about how focused I had been since Christie and I split. I had a one-track mind after we broke up and it had kept my mind off my heartbreak. "It's going to pay off. The paper is starting to take shape. I think by the new year, it should be ready for re-launch."
"Cool," David said. "I'll make a trip to Manhattan for the event."
"That would make me happy. When do you think your EP will be released?"
David shrugged. "If things keep going well, maybe before Easter. That would be optimal, so we'll get a lot of sales and then maybe, I can do a tour in the spring once we see how sales go."
"I'm sure sales will be fine," I said, surprised that there was even any question. "People are already calling it the band's 'much anticipated new release'."
"Yeah, but every new release is still a gamble. We've done some different things this time, and now with a new member, well, the feel will be different from what our fans are used to. I just hope people are happy."
"I'm sure they will be."
I stood. "Well, I have to pack up and get the car ready for the drive to the airport."
"Sorry I missed supper with you, but when you're in the groove, you have to stay there until it's over."
"I totally understand," I said.
David followed me into the house and to my room on the second floor. I finished packing my overnight bag and then I grabbed my jacket and slipped on my shoes.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Good to see you again, brother," I said, and we hugged. I kissed him, and we patted each other on the back before breaking the embrace.
"Anytime, bro. You bring that pretty little woman out with you the next time you come, okay? I'm dying to meet her."
"I'll try," I said. "Maybe you can come out east for Christmas."
"I'll see where we're at with the EP and let you know, but I'll do my best to make it, no matter what."
"Good," I said and got into the rental car. "Take care."
"You, too."
Then I drove off, watching him standing in the driveway in my rear-view mirror. I felt a little better leaving him, knowing that he was happier with the way the recording of their EP was going. Hopefully, he'd get better and better, and the success of the new record would make Terry's loss easier to bear. I imagined all the brothers sitting around a big table at the house in Montauk for Christmas and decided to make it happen.
I arrived at the airport and turned in the rental car, then checked in for my flight back to JFK. I boarded and sat in my first-class seat, then after getting settled in, I checked my messages.
ELLA: Hey, there. How was your day? Steph is gone and I'm all alone back in my tiny studio apartment on my Murphy bed. I expect you're on your way to the airport to catch your red-eye flight. Can't wait to see you when you get back.
I smiled and sent her a reply that I knew she wouldn't get until she woke.
JOSH: I had a good day. David and the band practiced and recorded all afternoon, so it was me alone by the pool. I'm on the plane and will be home soon. See you tomorrow in the photocopy room at some point for a squeeze and kiss, and more if I can manage it.
Then, I closed my cell and leaned back, planning to catch some shuteye after the plane taxied down the runway for takeoff and we were finally in the air.
I arrived back at JFK at eleven o'clock the next morning and was met by Reg, who drove us back to the apartment.
He told me about the small bit of intrigue when Ella saw a man wearing a fedora in the back alley behind her apartment in Chelsea and I thanked him for being there to calm her fears.
"No sign of Mr. Fedora since the day you spoke with him?"
Reg shook his head. "No sign. We'll keep an eye out for anyone or anything suspicious."
"Thanks," I said. I went up to the apartment and had a quick shower and then made my way to my office to try to get a few hours of work in before I popped in to see Ella. I'd been away for three days and while I was on top of my email, there were papers to sign and reports to read. Plus, editorial meetings I had to attend and prepare for.
Just before two o'clock in the afternoon, I sent a text to Ella.
JOSH: Come up to the apartment if you can on your break for a kiss and squeeze.
Ella responded right away.
ELLA: No can do. I'm in a meeting with Sharon until four, but I could see you then.
JOSH: I'm in a meeting at four with the finance guys. How about we order dinner in at seven and call it a day in my apartment, so I can ravish you several times.
ELLA: I'll meet you up there at seven, ready to be ravished several times.
I smiled and put my cell away, then found something else to do for the next hour until my meeting.
The rest of the afternoon went by quickly, and finally, seven o'clock rolled around. I checked my watch and packed up my laptop, cleaning off my desk before saying good night to my receptionist. I took the elevator up to the penthouse and was surprised to hear water running in the bathroom when I arrived.
I went into the bathroom, already unbuttoning my shirt, and saw that Ella was naked and bending over the bathtub, her back to me.
She was there and preparing to be ravished.
So, I ravished her.
Later, we sat in our bathrobes at the dining room table and ate Chinese take-out by candlelight.
"So," Ella said and played with her chopsticks, trying to pick up a shrimp but failing. "When are you going to tell me about your mysterious trip?"
"Oh, that," I said and sighed heavily, not sure I wanted to get into it at that moment. "Can we wait on that? I don't want to ruin the evening."
She didn't look happy at my request to delay discussing it. "It's that bad, is it? You're making me nervous."
"Don't be," I said and reached out to take her hand. "It just cuts close to the bone, that's all. I'd rather talk about something positive."
"Okay," she said, and then we moved on as easily as if she'd never even asked.
I was glad. I still felt this incredible sense of guilt about how I'd treated Penny -- callous and instrumental, treating her like she was a toy I enjoyed playing with rather than a person with a mind and heart of her own.
We slept in late, deliberately turning off the alarm so we didn't rush out and instead, took our time, enjoying a shower together, another round of lovemaking, and then breakfast together.
"So, what's up for you today? More meetings?"
"More meetings," I replied. "I sometimes wonder if I do anything else. What about you? More manuscripts?"
She laughed. "More manuscripts. I never wonder if I do anything else. I don't. That's all I do, and I love it."
"Do you really?" I asked, watching her while she poured herself a cup of coffee in her travel mug. "Don't you get sick of all the dreck?"
"It's great when you find something that holds your interest, that has an interesting voice. That makes the manuscripts that aren't quite up to snuff worth paging through."
"I'm glad you feel that way," I said. "It makes me feel better that we're getting good books."
"It's been my dream for several years, so nothing could make me happier than doing this for a living. Maybe I'd like to have a slush reader and me as the editor, but I know if I want to get there, I have to start here. I'm good."
We went to the elevator together and went down to our floors. When my floor came up, I bent down and gave her a warm kiss. "See you after work? I have a meeting over lunch with one of the IT guys."
"Sure," she said and waved at me as the doors closed.
I spent the morning in meetings, as I said, but then after a quick lunch at my desk, I met during the lunch hour with Jerome, one of the IT guys who did work for The Chronicle.
"What's up?" I asked as we sat at the boardroom table and were joined by conference call with another IT guy who was at the other building.
"We wanted to let you know about some hacking attempts on our server. We had a couple of phishing attempts recently, and we're afraid that one attempt was successful and one of the admins in personnel was hacked and the hacker gained access to our files."
"Damn," I said, not happy to hear that. "Who was it?"
"One of the newer staff who was tricked into changing her password and who had her account hacked. The hacker gained access to our email server, unfortunately. We caught it that day, due to regular monitoring, but our server was compromised before we could get it secured. Everyone is being asked to create new passwords."