by Lynn Story
“Are you doing anything this weekend, boss?” Stephanie asked. It was an innocent question, but I thought Logan was going to choke on his iced tea.
“As a matter of fact, I am.” I smiled. Jared and Stephanie looked surprised but recovered quickly.
“That’s great.” Stephanie spoke first.
“What about you?” I said to no one specific.
“I’m going fishing.” Jared offered.
“I’m going shopping with my mom.” Stephanie smiled.
“Logan?”
He looked at the three of us. “Yeah, probably doing something. I don’t know yet.”
“You’re welcome to come fishing with me. I’m going out on a charter and we’ve got room. A buddy of mine owns the boat.”
“Yeah, I might do that.” Logan said noncommittally.
“Good deal.” Jared nodded and pulled out his phone and began texting someone.
Our lunch was served, and we all chatted about nothing in particular in between bites. Lunch took longer than I thought it would, so I had a few phone calls to return when we got back to the office. I took a break and sent a text to Kay. “Want to get together tonight after work?” I waited with bated breath that last night hadn’t been some sort of fluke.
“Yeah, what did you have in mind?” she responded.
“Not sure, wasn’t sure you would say yes.”
She sent back a smiley face.
“How about a dinner and a walk along the seawall?”
“Perfect. Time?”
“Eight. Pick you up at your place?” I asked. I put my phone away and went back to work. It was six o’clock when Stephanie left, and Jared followed her half an hour later. I turned off my computer for the weekend and stood up. “I’m calling it a night.”
“You want to explain yourself?” Logan asked.
“Is there a problem?” I asked not appreciating Logan’s mood.
“No, problem.”
“Then what’s with the attitude today?”
“I’ve just seen how you’ve been the past few years and suddenly you’re Mr. Personality and going out to lunch with us and now you have plans this weekend.” Logan stood up. “I want to know what gives? No one does a one eighty like this without a damn good reason.”
I was stunned.
“Okay, if you must know. I ran into Kay last night. And I didn’t get any sleep last night because I was at her house talking until this morning when she cooked us breakfast. I went home long enough to change clothes.”
“Are you serious? Do you think this is a good idea?”
“Logan, I’m a grown man and I’ve dated plenty of woman and even managed to get married and divorced. I think I can handle this.”
“You’ve dated plenty of woman before you got married but not in the past six years that I know about. I don’t want this woman to send you back into a spiral.”
“Look I appreciate that. I do.” I took a deep breath, “You and I have been friends a long time. Kay is different.”
He studied me for a moment. Then smiled. “As long as you’re happy.” He stood up and shook my hand. “See you Monday.”
I nodded as we both walked out of the office together.
“Hey Logan.” I called after him.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks, man.”
He nodded and turned back towards his car. He was a good friend.
Chapter Nineteen
Ethan
I pulled up in front of Kay’s house and rang the front doorbell. I felt a little nervous and I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like I hadn’t just spent several hours talking to her about everything I could think of that had happened in the past six years. At least the highlights anyway. So why did I feel like this was a blind date? I knew what to expect, didn’t I? I knew Kay, well enough not to be as nervous as a schoolboy.
I practiced some squared breathing I had read about in a magazine. When she opened the door. All the air left me, and I couldn’t speak.
“Hi.” She smiled at me.
“Hi.” I finally managed.
I stood starting at her unable to tear my eyes away from her. She was wearing a sleeveless dress with a neckline that was more suggestive than revealing. I didn’t need much encouragement in that department. The dress came below her knees and she was wearing low heels.
She reached for a lace wrap and her purse. I stood just inside the still open door and watched as she draped the wrap around her shoulders. It was the perfect shade of blue to match her dress with hints of yellow.
“You look lovely,” I said when my brain finally got with the program.
“Thank you.” She smiled.
“Did you make the wrap yourself?”
“No, a friend of mine made it for me a couple of years ago.” She laughed a small laugh, “and honestly this is the first time I’ve worn it.”
“It’s beautiful,” I said staring just a little too long into her eyes.
“Thank you.” She smiled sweetly. “What do you have planned for us this evening?”
“I thought we’d go over to the Garrison for dinner and then stroll along the seawall.”
The Garrison was an old brick building that had served as a military administrative building during World War II and had long been any number of things. It’s most recent use as a restaurant seemed to be a success. The building was three floors and the higher the floor, the more formal the attire. Tonight, we were seated on the third floor on the balcony overlooking the water.
“Oh, Ethan, this is a beautiful view. You know I have never been here before.” She smiled.
“I’m glad you like it.” I felt proud of myself for picking the spot.
I ordered wine before dinner.
“How was your week?” She asked.
“Better than most.” I smiled. Thinking that she was the reason it has been better.
“Well that is good, many cases?”
“Well, no, we had a missing person’s case and an investigation into civil rights violation by a local police officer. So, it’s been busy enough. Plus, we have some ongoing cases.” I didn’t want to get into the details and talk shop all night. “What about your week?”
“Oh, just boring CEO stuff.” She laughed.
“I doubt that seriously. Have you heard anything back from the hospital yet on your proposal?”
“No, not yet.”
She looked troubled and stared at her wine. I had the strong sense there was more to that story, I wasn’t going to push, and I didn’t want to spoil the evening before we had even really got started.
“I had a few meetings about some of our other facilities and we have another company offering to buy us.”
“Really, does that happen often?” I wouldn’t have expected that.
“Yeah, once in a while it does,” she replied.
“Are you considering their offer?” I asked.
“No.” She said simply.
I nodded. I could see she felt strongly about the family business.
“Do you not want to be a photojournalist anymore?”
She looked up at me in surprise.
“No, I’m done with that life. I never expected or planned to run my father’s business. Frankly, I’m surprised that he and or my mother didn’t sell it. Now that it is mine, I have to take care of the people that work for me.”
I nodded.
“Would they lose their jobs if another company bought them?”
“Probably. Another company would most likely move the manufacturing components to another country where the labor is cheaper.”
“Why haven’t you done that?” It seemed logical to me.
“Because, it is still a family business. Not just my family but the families of all the people who work for the company.”
I had to smile. The defiance that showed in her face told me that she cared about her employees. It worried me as well because there were few companies like hers today and they were often taken over in less than friendly ter
ms.
“Aren’t you ever worried about someone forcing you to sell?”
“What do you mean?”
We were interrupted by the arrival of our meal and the more serious conversation was paused while we ate.
The waiter came to take our plates. “Would you care for dessert?”
“No, thank you,” we said at the same time.
“Coffee, then?”
“Yes, that would be lovely.” She agreed.
The second waiter quickly appeared with our coffee.
“So back to your question about selling or not selling the company,” she said over the rim of the coffee cup.
“Yes.”
“There have been attempts in the past when my father still ran the company to force a sale.” She paused. “That is partially, why Eddie is so protective of me and has appointed himself my personal bodyguard.”
“Do you think maybe you should have actual bodyguards?” I was suddenly more concerned for her safety.
She raised her eyebrows at me. “No, I don’t need people following me around and getting in the way all the time.”
“Maybe that is what Eddie does but trained professional bodyguards are almost invisible.” I argued.
“Trained professionals are people I don’t know,” she said solemnly.
“What do you mean?” I was curious. She was getting into my world.
“I mean if I don’t know them, I don’t trust them, and bodyguards see way too much of my personal and professional life for me to not trust them. So no, that isn’t going to happen.” She explained.
I leaned back in my chair somewhat surprised at how vehemently she opposed the idea. I didn’t want to argue on our first official date, so I didn’t push the issue. I did make a mental note to come back to it at a more appropriate time.
“How about that walk on the seawall?” I asked, changing the subject.
She looked out over the water. “Sounds wonderful.”
I quickly paid the check and we walked to towards the back of the restaurant to the pedestrian seawall. The water curved out towards the bay here and it was nothing but inky blackness with the moon dancing along the rippling waves. We walked in silence just breathing in the salt air and admiring the view.
We walked far enough away from the populated area to find an empty bench.
“Would you like to sit?” I offered.
She looked up as if she had forgotten I was even there. “Oh, yes.”
We sat and I started to get that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach again.
It was as romantic an evening as I could imagine. Dinner on the balcony of a very nice restaurant and a moonlit stroll. Most men would probably be kissing Kay by now. I was too nervous and too unsure of how she would respond. I wanted to savor my moments with her and not rush into anything. But I remembered how sweet her kiss was six years ago.
“There is nothing like the smell of salt air on a warm spring night.” I said hoping I didn’t sound too lame.
“You’re right, nothing is as comforting to me as the smell of salt air, a warm breeze off the bay and even the smell of crabs; it all screams home to me.” She smiled looking up at me.
“Kay, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” She smiled again.
“Well, it’s something that has been on my mind lately and well I’m not sure…”
“Ethan, go ahead. It’s okay, whatever it is.”
“Well I, would you mind if…may I kiss you?”
She looked like she was in shock then she nodded ever so slightly.
I leaned in and she met me halfway.
She smelled sweet like vanilla and honey. And kissing her was everything I had dreamt it would be and more. It was like an electric jolt and fireworks exploding in my head all at the same time. When we finally broke away, I reached up and gently touched her hair. She closed her eyes and smiled, and I knew everything in my life would never be the same.
We sat for hours holding hands and watching the distant lights of the boat traffic on the water.
“I should probably take you home.” I said when I caught her stifling a yawn.
“I really hate for this night to end,” she said.
“I know, me too.”
We drove back to her house and I walked her to the door.
“Would you like to come in?” she asked.
I wanted to say yes. I wanted to sit up all night with her, but I knew we needed to pace ourselves and not try to fit an entire relationship into one night.
“No, you go get some sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow,” I told her.
“Okay. I had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you.”
She stood on her toes and kissed me again.
“No, thank you.” I kissed her back. “I’ll call you tomorrow and see if you’re up to another date.” I smiled.
“Please do.”
She opened the door and I backed down the steps.
“Make sure you lock the door.” I smiled.
She rolled her eyes at me.
“I will.”
I turned back to my car. I felt like I was walking on air. There was no way I was going to sleep tonight as I was too pumped up. I drove home anyway, excited about the prospect of seeing her again tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty
Kay
I slept better than I had slept in a very long time. I woke up at nine the next morning and I couldn’t remember the last time I had slept so long. I looked around the room. Sunlight was pouring in and I stood up to stretch. I had been a wonderfully perfect evening with Ethan. It was like something out of a book or a movie.
Despite the wonderful dinner I had the night before I found that I was starving this morning. I dressed in an oversized t-shirt and yoga pants and headed for the kitchen. I started the coffee and decided to make waffles.
My cell phone rang, and I nearly spilled my coffee trying to get to it fast enough in case it was Ethan.
“Hello?”
“Kay?”
“Sherry? Is everything alright?” Sherry had never called me at home on the weekend before unless it was something urgent for the office.
“Yes, of course. I was just calling to find out how your date went last night.”
I smiled and sat back down to my waffles. I shouldn’t have been surprised that Sherry wasn’t going to wait til Monday to find out what happened. “Well, first we went to The Garrison.” I started out.
“Ooh swanky, which floor did you sit on?”
“Uh, third floor balcony.” I said timidly.
“Ooh la la.” Sherry giggled.
“It was rather nice,” I admitted.
“Oh yeah. That is one of the most sought-after spots in the city.” Sherry assured me. “Did you have wine with dinner, too?” she went on.
“Of course.” I answered.
“Oh man, I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
“Sherry you need to get out more.” It made me very uncomfortable that she was living vicariously through my love life.
“Who are you telling? Got any candidates?”
“Gates Point is a big enough place that surely there must be someone?” I pointed out.
“You’d think, so wouldn’t you?” She sighed.
“Well, we’ll work on it.” I assured her.
“Never mind me, tell me more about your date.”
“We had dinner and talked, then coffee.” I recalled.
“Yeah, yeah!” Sherry urged.
“Then we went for a stroll along the seawall.” It was a little, dream-like.
“A stroll in the moonlight, how romantic.” She sighed.
“Yeah, it was. And then we sat down on this bench for a while watching the boats and he asked if he could kiss me.”
“What?” This was what Sherry had been waiting for. “He actually asked before he kissed you? Wow, his momma raised him right.”
I smiled. “Apparently so.”
“Then what happened?”
“Did he spend the night?” She was persistent.
“No.” I said, thinking that was a pretty personal question. But she was undeterred
“What? It’s the twenty-first century and you’re the owner and flipping CEO of a company. I don’t think anyone would fault you for going after something or someone you wanted.”
“I know. But, I went down that road with Mac and look where that got me.”
“Okay, sorry. What happened?”
“He walked me to the door, we kissed good night and he promised to call me today.”
“That’s it?” Sherry said sounding disappointed.
“Yep, just your typical first date stuff.” I said laughing to myself.
“Has he called yet?” She asked.
“No, not yet.
“Oh my gosh what if he is trying to call now and we are talking, I should let you go!”
“Sherry, I would know if he was trying to call while I was talking to you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Well, just the same I’d better let you go.”
“Okay, well I’ll let you know what happens on our second date, if there is one.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll call.” Sherry sounded sympathetic.
“I hope you’re right.” Up until this point I hadn’t doubted he would call. Suddenly I was second guessing myself and thinking I might be overly confident. Yes, he had been sitting outside my house but that was before he actually had to spend an evening with me. Maybe, last night he decided I wasn’t who he thought I was and decided not to call. I stared at the silent phone and lost my appetite. I threw away the remaining waffles on my plate and poured another cup of coffee.
I decided I needed to keep my mind off Ethan for a while and dedicated myself to doing the laundry and cleaning the house. I kept my phone nearby with the ringer turned up just in case. It was nearly eleven when my phone rang. “Hello?” I answered.
“Kay, it’s Ethan.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Hi, how are you?”
“Good, you up for a little adventure today?” He sounded excited.
“Sure, what did you have in mind?”