Hat Trick

by Morris Fenris

  Still feeling frazzled, he unlocked the side door of his office credenza and hauled out a bottle of his favorite scotch. It was almost full, proving how little it had been used in his years of doing business. But today he definitely needed a drink.

  Late on a Friday, as this was, Thomas Yates Investment offices might have been some vast concert hall on Sunday morning. Empty. The place was deserted, and everyone had gone home to enjoy the weekend. All except yours truly, who was moping in solitary splendor like a rejected suitor.

  Something positive had to be done about this situation with his wife. The two of them needed to resolve whatever was bothering her, or it would eat away at and finally destroy their marriage.

  *

  “I really like this place, Livvie. Something different.”

  “You haven’t been to the Castello Bellissimo before?”

  “Nope. I wanted to leave the choice up to you, because I didn’t know how familiar you were with the neighborhood. How’d you happen to find it?”

  Olivia smiled. “I asked at the hotel where I’m staying, and this restaurant came highly recommended. So here we are.”

  Although they had been seated at an intimate table for two in a street-level setting, Bellissimo combined the look of a cozy brick-walled Italian trattoria with the clean white accessoried allure of a modern bistro. The effect was charming. And so, Jeff realized, was his dinner companion.

  By God if she hadn’t shown up in yet another hat! This proved to be a small fedora, in what he was beginning to see had become her signature colors of turquoise and black, tipped a little forward from its saucy perch on the side of her head. A crumpled net veil played peek-a-boo over the auburn locks trimmed into her stylish chin-length bob.

  As for the rest of her attire, Jeff mentally crooned, Oh la la!

  A fit and flare cocktail dress in shimmery teal, it was too modestly cut to be considered sexy. Sleeveless, with a high neckline and a knee-length hemline, despite his random hope for seeing more sweet feminine flesh. Certainly nothing that Annajane, with her cool blonde complexion and superb show-off figure, would ever consider wearing. No, his wife preferred to stand out from the crowd, usually choosing very low-cut or very high-cut gowns, glittering with beads and sequins and all manner of eye-popping materials. Whereas Olivia apparently preferred to blend in.

  Except for her hats. There was just something about those hats…

  “Huh? I’m sorry, Liv, did you say something?”

  Her slightly angled smile gave every indication that she understood exactly what spell he seemed to be under, and why. “I was just wondering if you had much work to catch up on, after I left your office earlier.”

  “No, very little, exactly. Friday, you know; kinda slowing down by the end of the week. No market crashes or financial crises to deal with at the moment.” He offered a smile in return. “Here comes our server. Have you decided what you’d like to drink?”

  As they relaxed over a glass of white wine for her and a martini for him, Jeff loosened his tie and leaned back to enjoy the view. Although he’d put on a clean shirt at the office, and freshened up, he hadn’t gone home for a change of wardrobe. He was glad Olivia had done so.

  “We’ve taken care of the business aspect of our meeting,” he said now. “So, now, how about the personal? Tell me more of what you’ve been up to, Liv. No wedding ring, I see; that must mean you haven’t gotten married?”

  “Marriage hasn’t really been in the picture, Jeff.” After a thoughtful sip of wine, she confessed, “I’ve really been too busy putting my company together to spare any time for dating.”

  “I can understand that. There must be a lot of yourself in each of those fascinating creations of yours. And when you’re trying to forge ahead, and make a name out in the fashion world, well—” He shrugged. “Not much energy for anything else. Oh, and, by the way—I really like the hat you’re wearing right now.”

  “Oh, do you? Thanks, it’s one of my favorites.”

  “A real head-turner,” he assured her with a grin. “How’s your drink, want another one?”

  “No, this is plenty.” She studied him as he signaled the waiter for a refill. “Rough day, Jeff?”

  Request granted, he scrunched up his choir boy’s face into mock amusement. “Yeah, a few unpleasant things goin’ on. Nothing to bother with right now, though. We were talking about you. Okay, so no wedding. Do you have a steady fella in the background?”

  “Why all this interest in my love life?” Her pretty smile took a little of the edge off her words. “No, no—steady—fella.” The hesitation indicated, what? That there might be someone casual hanging around? “Same reason—just too darned busy.”

  “As I recall, you were involved with good works back in college. Still doing those?”

  She sighed. “Alas, no. However, even though I’m not able to physically support my pet causes, I’m now able to financially support them. And that eases my conscience.”

  “Cats? Dogs?” His admiring blue eyes twinkled over the rim of his glass.

  “Both. And lots more. I have a whole list of animal agencies I contribute to. If you’d like, I can give you the names of those I especially—”

  He held up one hand, palm flat. “Probably no point in that right now. I’m sure my wife has a number of projects already on tap.”

  Was he? Did she? Of the gazillion dollars tucked away in her voluminous portfolio, were any charities included in Annajane’s list of monies spent? Or was any list possibly just a scam, like those so many other unscrupulous billionaires pulled for the write-off factor on their federal tax bill?

  He had never really checked. Had never been allowed to check. Because the bulk of AJ’s estate lay securely under lock and key with a legal firm which kept a tight rein on all information.

  “Jeff?”

  “Uh. Sorry.” He shook his head to clear away the cobwebs. “Woolgathering. How’s your family?”

  She eyed him curiously. “They’re fine. Still living in Falkirk.”

  “They must be royally proud of you, and what you’ve done.”

  “Yes, they are. My parents have given me so much support and encouragement over the years; I wouldn’t have made it here without them.”

  Support and encouragement and so much more. Life itself, and a reason to go on living.

  “Well, that’s one thing anyway,” he said vaguely. “Good to have a system in place.”

  “You must have the same thing, don’t you? Your dad, your stepmother—”

  His bark of laughter stopped her midsentence. “Four, Livvie. My father recently married his fifth wife, who did, I believe, just graduate from high school a few weeks ago. After he dumped my mother, he’s been like a rutting bull set loose with a whole harem of cows. So, no—’fraid none of that crew has taken much interest in me.”

  Flinching from this astonishing revelation, Olivia seemed to tighten in on herself, muscles tensing as if in sympathy. “I’m sorry, Jeff. That isn’t a very comfortable situation to deal with.”

  “Nope. It’s not.” Gulping down the last of his second martini, he signaled the server for a third. “But that’s water over the dam. Last I heard, Dad was on the West Coast somewhere, exploring the pleasures of fracking.”

  “Of what?”

  “Fracking. You know, hydraulic fracturing, that process to break up rock in a wellbore to more easily extract natural gas. Lots of investors just panting to do more. Helluva mess,” he added gloomily. “Wrecks the environment, destroys the water table, and causes earthquakes.”

  Her green eyes, beneath the nifty little frippery on her head, widened with surprise. “Now that’s an attitude I hadn’t quite expected from you.”

  “No? Maybe I’ve matured a bit since college. You’ve got some siblings, if I recall correctly. What are they up to?”

  “Goodness. You certainly are into the personal this evening, aren’t you?” Considering, she took a sip of her wine, then gave a quick rundown. “My oldest broth
er is Randall—Ran—recently promoted to sergeant at the Falkirk PD, married, with two children. Next is Charlie, who’s making a name for himself in the history department at a small local college, engaged to be married next May.

  I’m in the middle. Then comes Jason, currently wading his way through law school, and, like me, too busy to take up with the opposite sex. And last is Austin—”

  “Baby of the family.”

  “Yes. Completing his senior year at Milwaukee University and having the time of his life. Young Master Austin, unlike two of his siblings, seems to have plenty of free time for every lady who crosses his path.”

  “Hmmm. Sounds like someone else I used to know.”

  Olivia’s eyes glinted a sudden feral green. “It does indeed. Well. There you have it, my family in a nutshell. Anything else you want to know?”

  Setting aside his empty glass, Jeff leaned forward to cover her hand with his. “Lots more,” he admitted in a husky tone. “For one, where are you staying while you’re in town?”

  “Ah, you assume I’m just visiting here?” Gently she eased free from his clasp to pick up the inches-thick menu. “I believe I’m ready to order, Jeff. How about you?”

  Feeling rebuffed—and, probably, rightly so—Jeff quickly scanned his choices. “Huh. Lots of pasta, I see. What appeals to you, Liv?”

  “I think I’ll have the spinach salad with vinaigrette, a serving of the warm French bread, and the bowl of tomato bisque soup.”

  Out of nowhere, their server had appeared, pad in hand to make note of this evening’s selections. “Very good, ma’am. And you, sir?”

  “Hmph. Any meat dishes around, or—oh, here we go. New Zealand Beef Rib-Eye, topped with roasted vegetables and red wine sauce. Also, a baked potato with sour cream, and some butter on the side.”

  “Of course, sir. I’ll put your orders in right away.” Rather nondescript in the room’s softened lighting, yet anxious to please, he scurried off.

  “Gee, Livvie, that doesn’t seem like much of a meal. You could’ve had steak, or some kind of fish, or lamb, or seafood that—”

  “Jeff.” She spoke quietly but compellingly. “I’m vegetarian, Jeff. I have no right to demand that another living being be killed for my plate.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Like many men who preferred to saw away at a great chunk of bloody half-raw meat, in the manner of a caveman, he found the choice of plant fare alone to be quite beyond comprehension. But neither would he criticize anyone’s personal taste. “Will it be offensive if I don’t join you?”

  “No, not at all. Although,” she softened her disclaimer with a smile, “I will try to convince you otherwise. Jeff, you look tired. And, if you’ll forgive my mentioning it, a little frazzled. Everything okay?”

  God, he’d forgotten what it was like to bask in the solicitous glow of someone’s concern! Annajane was usually so wrapped up in her own pursuits—whatever various social functions, lunches and dinners and shopping with friends, an on-again, off-again decorating venture—that she found little energy to spare for the closeness Jeff had once fondly hoped for. Too often, each went his or her own separate way. It was true that staying busy was a method to keep thoughts at bay. He should know; he’d done it many times himself.

  Still, his old habit of reserve took hold. If one did not reveal vulnerability to another, one could not be so easily hurt.

  “Everything’s just peachy keen. Ah, your salad arrives. Thanks, Henry.”

  Over the meal they shared views on the continuing horrid state of the economy, and the president, and the situation abroad. Views surprisingly similar, as it turned out. And any point on which they mildly disagreed became a good-natured give-and-take discussion.

  By the time Henry brought the dessert menu, and they were deciding on the merits of a fiery chocolate volcano versus cherry amaretto cheesecake, a new sense of comfortable camaraderie had set in.

  Finally Jeff leaned back with a snifter of very expensive cognac in his hand. “I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed myself more,” he confessed. “Except that I feel I should be quietly loosening the buckle on my belt, before I explode. That was a damn fine dinner, Liv. Tell your hotel people that their recommendation was right on target.”

  She had refused the offer of more alcohol in favor of hot herbal tea. “You may have more exciting things happening, from here on, but some of us need to sleep tonight.”

  At that he crassly jumped in with both feet. “Alone?”

  “That,” she told him coolly, “is none of your concern.”

  Since he was already in over his head, he decided to wallow a bit. “It could be.”

  Her steady look across the table, in the midst of other satisfied diners and soft classical music playing in the background, was reproachful. “I think not. We had that opportunity, long ago, and it’s come and gone.”

  “As far as timing, you mean? Don’t you believe in second chances? Maybe what was intended to be, then, but was missed, can take place, now. Fate. Destiny. Serendipity.”

  “Brave words, but no. You’re married, and I’m here on business. I’ve really enjoyed this evening with you, Jeff, catching up, and so on. But that’s the end of it.”

  A healthy slug of brandy, then a disappointed sigh. “Well, you’re losing out on a lot. Just so you know.”

  Olivia’s smile held a whole mixture of nuance: melancholy, affection, exasperation, and something else that he couldn’t recognize. “You’ve forgotten that I sampled all that, many many moons ago.”

  “I hadn’t forgotten, Liv. Just sorta thought that—”

  “What, that we could pick up where we left off? It’s all still so easy for you, then?”

  “That wasn’t at all what I had in mind!” he protested. “I’m not like I was in those old college days, Livvie. Well, maybe somewhat. But not like you’re thinking. I don’t—I haven’t—with Annajane, there’s been no—”

  She tilted her head slightly, as if the delightful little hat were suddenly weighing her down. “Trouble in Paradise, Jeff?”

  The long-lashed blue eyes, that had always seen so much, so deeply, so intensely, lifted for a level gaze across the table. “You don’t have to sound so snarky about it.”

  “You’re right. I don’t. And I apologize. Now, it’s very late, and I really need to return to my hotel. Would you mind asking the maitre d’ to call a cab for me?”

  “Call a cab? I’ll do no such thing. My chariot awaits outside, and I’ll be happy to drive you.”

  “Chariot, hmmm? Would that be with four horses, or six?”

  “Naw, I’m pretty sure there’s closer to 350 tied up to the engine.” He grinned proudly. “A cobalt blue Jaguar XE awaits your pleasure, madam.”

  “Riding in style, then. Wonderful. I’ll be happy to accept your offer. Lead on, McDuff.”

  He would have enjoyed visiting her suite at the Farraday Hotel. Possibly doing more than just visiting. But she didn’t invite him to join her. Ever the gentleman, he escorted Olivia inside the lobby and left her at the bank of wood-paneled elevator doors with a quick, light embrace.

  Speeding home a little later, wrapped in the much-deserved luxury of his sports car’s interior, he pondered their evening together. Upon his suggestion that they meet another time, to enlarge upon the renewal of their friendship, she had slowly shaken her head.

  “Probably not very wise, Jeff.”

  “Turning me down flat, huh?”

  Turning to touch the Call button, she shrugged. “Unfortunately, when it comes to the personal aspect, the past insists upon intruding.”

  The hotel’s interior lighting, even at eleven o’clock on a pitch-dark June night, shone so brightly that no expression could be overlooked, no quirk or frown misunderstood. Jeff deliberately hesitated. He didn’t want to leave yet. But by prolonging their time together, he risked making a great mistake as to what he was semi-hoping to achieve. Her reaction, while he was finishing with a couple of questions, plainly showed reluctance to respond.
/>
  When he asked how long she would be in town, she avoided an answer. The address listed on all her financial accounts, now entrusted to the expertise of his Thomas Yates Investment training, showed some street in some town he had never heard of, located in neighboring Connecticut. When he asked how far away her home might be, for convenience, same lack of response. At last he had been forced to give up, leaving only his business card in the palm of her hand. And a request that she call him, at her convenience.

  Too many details of their brief affair during that senior college year had resurfaced, forcing him into painful reminders of his own callous behavior.

  She had not pursued him then; he had pursued her, just—truth be told—for the thrill of the chase, because she had kept refusing his appeals until he had finally worn her down. The outcome had been disastrous. Her first and only time spent in his bed, only to be, immediately afterward, dumped like some trollop he had used and discarded. How badly had he hurt her? How much damage had he done?

  He remembered her sweetness, her fight to be strong and independent in what was still, essentially, a man’s world, her generosity, and, most of all, the flattering way she had admired him.

  By leaving her flat and cold, as if her timid lovemaking had failed to keep him interested, he had only proven what so many inferred about his character: Jefferson Quinley was a selfish, conniving bastard, who should be avoided at all costs.

  Had he matured since then? Had he somehow miraculously grown into adulthood, become a better person?

  He hoped so.

  Trouble was, Olivia Bower wasn’t about to take a chance on finding out.

  And, if his whole purpose in trying to see her again was to seduce this unexpectedly beautiful woman from his past, then apparently he hadn’t changed at all. And she would be absolutely correct in her judgment of his many flaws.