The most telling part of the conversation was when he asked Ella about her life with Bob. Were they engaged? He felt he couldn’t stop himself, even if he wanted to. Her answer about being engaged or contemplating marriage stunned him. Ella talked about Bob more as if he was a roommate rather than a lover. But, she did speak fondly of him. Maybe he had a chance.
Those words told Ray all he needed to know. There were small cracks in the relationship. It was just as he suspected, a one way relationship where Ella did most of the giving and Bob did most of the taking. He suspected it was already over, but could sense she wasn’t convinced of that just yet.
Ella drove straight through only stopping at a gas station to use the bathroom and let Boomer outside. Ray went into the rest room, too. As he washed his hands he looked at his blurry reflection in the fluorescent lighting. He couldn’t imagine why she kissed him. He was just an ordinary guy. She could have anyone. But he knew there was something there; call it a spark of raw desire. He didn’t want to lose that spark. He had just put Ella through the wringer with his probing questions and felt a bit guilty about that. He stepped outside and she was pumping gas into the car. He approached her and she smiled, “All set?”
“Ella, I’m sorry about all of the questions about Bob. That is really none of my business.” Ray said sincerely. He stooped down to pick up Boomer. “I’m just concerned about your best interests. No, that’s not the full truth. I’m concerned about you and your peace of mind.”
She stopped and looked into his eyes for a long moment. “I know you are, Ray. I don’t mind your questions. But, when we get back in the car, it’s my turn.” She winked. He breathed a sigh of relief.
~ Ella ~
“Two more hours of driving,” Ella laughed. “Here’s a cold bottle of water. I’m thirsty, you must be, too.” She looked into Ray’s dark eyes and knew she didn’t want to drop him off at the train station. She didn’t want him to go back to New York City any more than he did. But, she couldn’t verbalize that. It wouldn’t be appropriate. But, he was still a man of mystery and Ella wanted to engage him in a personal conversation about his life. As the Honda pulled onto the highway, Ella began her question and answer session with him.
“So, you live alone in New York?” She started. She knew she’d have to work to get bits of information.
“I hang out with some guys from law school. Most of them are married. We watch sports at a local bar sometimes. I work at Tony’s on some Friday and Saturday nights as a bartender. The regulars show up, but once in a while the night can get a bit wild in there.” Ray spoke candidly. I have some long-time friends there, too.
“No girl friends?” Ella inquired.
“There’s a few dates here and there, nothing serious.” Ray replied.
Ella tried to gauge the level of truth in that statement. He seemed to be sending her a message without coming right out and saying it; he was lonely. She found it hard to believe that he had no love life. She imagined working in a bar where there were plenty of attractive women checking him out. And, he was, after all, a good looking guy, in a rugged manly sort of way. But it wasn’t just the outside that drew her to him. There was an intensity inside, a core of strength wrapped in tenderness. There was a loving heart inside this battered masculine guy that he allowed her to see this weekend. She had a feeling not everyone saw this side of him.
“Well, you were a perfect gentleman all weekend,” Ella said, “And, I am glad you stayed an extra night to go through father’s estate. You made a difficult situation comfortable. I feel like I’ve known you for a long time. And you found Boomer.” She felt she might start crying unexpectedly again. They were getting close to the train station now. She was envisioning shaking Ray’s hand and saying goodbye to this stranger who had been so empathetic with her during one of the worst times of her life. She swallowed hard. For a moment she didn’t want to think about saying goodbye to Ray.
A million things were going through her mind. Bob would be back tomorrow. There’d be an argument about the puppy. But, he would be in a good mood about the new client he picked up. And, he’d probably want to go to dinner at the country club.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Ray whispered, bringing her back to the moment.
“Oh, just thinking about Bob coming home from his trip,” Ella stated, “Sometimes he’s in a good mood if he’s landed a new client. But, he’ll be upset when he finds out about Boomer. I was just wondering how this will play out. I never know what mood he will be in.”
“How could anyone be in a bad mood with you?” Ray asked half-joking. Ella felt him staring at her in disbelief. “I’m sorry, Ella, but you’re a wonderful person. I can’t imagine coming home to you and letting anything put me in a bad mood.”
Ella felt her face heating up and she knew she was blushing. Not from the kind words Ray showered upon her but it was the heat of a long simmering anger. She knew he was right. She shouldn’t have to tip-toe around Bob’s moods. Walking on eggshells was getting on her nerves sometimes. But, then once in a while, Bob could be considerate and sweet. It’s just that the pendulum swung both ways and she couldn’t predict what was coming.
“Thanks, Ray.” She muttered.
She pulled into the train station at Portland and Ray took his gear out of the Honda. Ella slipped the leash on Boomer. The puppy was happy to be outside again.
“I’ll walk into the station with you and wait for the train.” She offered.
~ Ray ~
As they stood on the platform waiting for the train, Ray focused on Ella as she held Boomer in her arms. He wanted to remember the image and didn’t know if she’d be comfortable if he took a photo with his phone. But then he figured: nothing ventured, nothing gained.
“Would you mind if I took a photo of you with Boomer?” Ray asked, trying not to sound like he was crazy about her.
Ella was gracious in her response. “Sure you can, Ray. He is, after all, your namesake!”
Ray snapped a couple of photos with his iPhone. Then he got creative and set up his iPad with the timer and took a photo of the three of them sitting on the bench outside the train station. Ella probably had no idea how much he would treasure these.
“Thanks,” Ray looked into her beautiful hazel-green eyes in the waning sunlight. “You are so beautiful, Ella.” He slipped. He let her know. But, he made a quick recovery, “I’ll send these to you on Facebook.”
She didn’t respond for a moment, unless you count blushing as a response. “Thanks, Ray.”
He wanted more than anything to kiss her. She was standing so close, holding Boomer in her arms, and he was rubbing the puppy’s ears. He could smell her scent. It wasn’t perfume, but the scent of a woman, raw and sexy. No man-made perfume could match that. But instead of kissing her, he extended his hand. The train was pulling into the station. Ella’s warm hand in his felt wonderful and he held hers way too long. When her eyes met his it was as if she was pleading with him to stay. He knew there was something there, but she would not communicate it to him. Not verbally, anyway.
He walked to the train and found a window seat. Ella remained standing with Boomer in her arms. It was exactly 4:15 and the train began moving. He waved to her from the window. She waved back and was smiling. Within a minute she was just a blur on the horizon. And the train picked up speed and hurtled toward New York. Oh, the thought of going back to his mundane life after meeting Ella did not appeal to him. He knew he could draw this estate paperwork out longer and planned to do so. He would find another excuse to come to Maine to meet with her. He tapped the iPad and looked at the photos. They had only been taken ten minutes ago, but already caused his heart to ache as he gazed upon them.
~ Ella ~
She hoped Ray didn’t see the tears sliding down her face as his train left the station and he waved from the window. No, he couldn’t see detail from that distance. Plus, she had a phony smile plastered on her face. It was more like she was gritting her teeth to prevent the tears fro
m coming. She never cried when Bob left. But then she never watched him leave. She couldn’t really grasp why she was tearing up now. Ray was an attorney there on business. But, she sensed he really liked her as a person, as a friend. The moment she brushed her lips across Boomer’s fur, she thought of Ray, and how comfortable she felt with him for the last two days. How sensitive he was to her every feeling, every mood. She was raw with grief when she met him, but now felt a sense of tranquility after being with him.
She carried Boomer to her vehicle and got in with him. He was so cute, looking up at her, wagging his tail. Every time her eyes rested on him, Ray came to mind. She tried to focus on the coming week. Ray was going to prepare the paperwork; he told her she would hear from him. She knew it would take a few days, but he’d make it his top priority. She had no doubt.
Driving home, she knew tomorrow would be a busy day. She’d be returning to work as a real estate broker and her list of appointments was long. Plus, Bob would be flying home. He always took a cab from the airport. He was a frequent flyer and had it down to a science. If he had no flight delays, she expected him to be home by dinnertime.
Her phone vibrated and she touched the Bluetooth to answer. Cassie’s name came up on the display. “Hey, where the hell have you been?” Cassie’s voice was insistent.
“With the attorney, you know, the guy from New York?” Ella replied. Then she added, “Hey, you’ll never believe what I got!”
“What? An unexpected windfall from your father’s estate?” Cassie queried.
“No, I got a puppy!” Ella squealed, “A super cute puppy!”
“Are you kidding? I’ve got to see this. Does Bob know?” Cassie responded.
“Not yet,” Ella said, “But he’ll be home tomorrow late in the day. He will find out then.”
“I’ll be right over.” Cassie said and she hung up.
Cassie was ringing the doorbell within twenty minutes. As Ella opened the door, Cassie pushed past her, “Where’s the puppy?” Boomer was standing behind Ella and wagged his tail. Ella rested her eyes on Cassie as she cradled the dog in her arms.
“Oh gosh, he’s so cute, Ella! What’s his name?” Cassie asked.
“Boomer,” Ella smiled.
“What? Boomer? What sort of name is that?” Cassie giggled.
“I like it,” Ella stated, waiting for the questions she knew Cassie would blurt out within seconds.
“Okay, so it’s a silly name, but he’s a cute puppy.” Cassie gazed at her. “I sense there’s more to this, Ella. I need the rest of the story. Just what did you two do together for the weekend? I tried calling you but got no answer yesterday or last night. And, don’t leave out any details.”
“There’s no cell phone service at the fishing camp, silly.” Ella walked into the kitchen and Cassie followed. Over coffee, Ella described her day with Ray appraising the properties and the unexpected stop alongside the road to buy Boomer. But when she talked about the overnight trip to the fishing camp, Cassie’s eyes widened.
“You slept in the same camp together? Took a bath together?” Cassie was begging for details.
“We slept in separate rooms. Took separate baths. Damn it, Cassie, don’t make this out to be more than it is. He’s a nice guy, very accommodating. We had fun with the puppy. I laughed a lot with Ray. He’s a gentleman.” Ella stopped talking feeling as if she had already said too much.
“Does Bob know about this wild weekend adventure?” Cassie’s gaze was intense.
“Of course he does. He knows I met with an attorney.” Ella replied, now hoping to move on to another subject. She didn’t want to tell Cassie she kissed Ray. Not yet anyway.
“I think it’s so romantic. The whole weekend, I mean it had to be exciting at least.” Cassie wanted more details. “What did you eat, where did you go? Did you get to know him, at least?”
Ella gave Cassie what she wanted: details. She explained how Ray was patient with her in the building when she started to cry, but left out the fact that he embraced her. Ella explained how Ray noticed the sign on the side of the road and they stopped and she bought the dog. But when she told Cassie about the night at the fishing camp, she had to stop talking for a moment. She didn’t know if it was a good idea to tell her she was in Ray’s arms kissing him for a few minutes. It was so….private and sensual, the very thought of reliving the moment made her blush. No, this was not for Cassie or anyone else to know about. Ella decided this was hers alone.
“So, let me get this straight,” Cassie began. “This guy put his arm around you, drank beer with you, bought a puppy with you, spent eight hours in the car with you, slept in the same camp with you and he was some sort of Boy Scout?”
“Yes, exactly.” Ella responded. “He was more than a gentleman. I trusted him, completely. When I was with him it felt as if I knew him somehow. I know that sounds crazy.”
Cassie had to leave for a spa appointment and even though Ella would have loved to have gone with her, she needed to clean the house in preparation for Bob’s return tomorrow. He was such a stickler about that. Plus, she needed a hot shower. As she peeled off her clothes, she opened her Facebook page on the iPad, and the photos of her at the train station with Ray were posted on her timeline. She stared at them for a long moment.
The sidebar light was lit next to his name. She sent him a message, Thank you for the photos, I love them.
Ray’s response was quick: You’re welcome. I had a great time with you this weekend. I want to hand deliver paperwork. Are you free on Friday?
~Bob~
He glanced at his Rolex and asked the flight attendant in first class when the hell they were landing. It was the second time he asked her the question, and was getting impatient. He pulled the small turquoise box labeled Tiffany’s out of his valise and opened it. The nine carat flawless diamond cost him a cool $200,000 which was half of his bonus this year. But, he made the sacrifice because he knew it would be a big surprise to Ella. He couldn’t wait to see her face when he gave it to her. He had already made reservations at the country club, they could walk over from the house. That way having a few drinks wouldn’t matter. The weather seemed nice for a walk, a little brisk, but temperate. He wanted everything to be perfect. He’d call the club manager in the cab on the way home to make sure the setting was the way he’d requested.
He was hoping Ella’s windfall from her father’s estate was as large as he originally estimated. He was a bit concerned that John Wakefield had left assets to his wife and mistress. He had been under the impression that he would’ve left everything to Ella. She was all he talked about. Bob was sure that Ella was his top priority. The merging of their two fortunes would put them into another category of wealth on the scale of success he had been dreaming about. Millions marrying millions created exponential wealth. The flight attendant finally got back to him. They were landing within fifteen minutes.
“Oh my word,” the flight attendant stared at the small turquoise box in his hand. “What size is that thing? Is it real?”
“Yes, it’s real, all right.” Bob slipped the box containing the ring into his valise and zipped it. “I just hope she likes it.”
“What woman wouldn’t love that?” the flight attendant gushed. Bob loved the attention from the other passengers. Some of them offered congratulations once they realized he was holding an engagement ring. He nodded in affirmation and smiled.
As the flight landed, he walked swiftly to the baggage carousel and, exasperated, finally wheeled his baggage to the waiting cab at the curb. The cab driver hustled to put his bags into the trunk and Bob got into the backseat. The cab smelled of cigarette smoke, motor oil and some horrible pungent air freshener masked the smell of urine. Mentally, he made a note to use a private car service in the future. Who knew what happened in that cab to make it smell like that. Whatever it was, he didn’t want to be near it. Tapping his phone, he sent a short text to Ella, Honey, I’m home.
~ Ella ~
Ella heard her phone chim
e with a text and realized it was Bob. She read it and stood in the hall mirror applying lipstick and running her fingers through her hair, trying to decide if she should wear it up or down. Boomer seemed to be sensing her nervousness. She brought the dog outside to make sure there would be no accidents on the floor.
The kitchen and bathroom had been scrubbed with disinfectant and the windows opened to air out the house, to Bob’s liking. The bed sheets had been changed and his closet was organized the way he liked it. She had purchased his favorite imported Boursin cheese and organic red grapes and arranged them on the plate in the kitchen with the Rosemary bread he liked. Rummaging around in the wine cellar, she located the perfect pairing for the snack. Bob was always hungry when he traveled. He refused to eat any food on the plane.
Lounging on the sofa, Ella touched her iPad and her Facebook page came up. She had a message from Ray, How are you? I’m working on the paperwork and will drive up Friday. Would that be good for you?
Fallen for Her: Book 2 Page 2