by Glazer, J B
It’s been about a month since I’ve started at Hartman & Taylor. I’m fully immersed in the business and just sold my first campaign. I’ll be traveling next month on a photo shoot to Paris. I love my job! Granted, I’ll be working most of the time, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to do some sightseeing. When I traveled Europe after I graduated, I never made it to Paris, but it’s a destination that’s at the top of my list. I call Liv from work to tell her the news.
“Get out! Can I come with you?”
“Seriously, you could if you can get away. You’d get free lodging.”
“Lex, I’d love to. I’m sure the tickets are super expensive, though.”
“I’ll look up airfares and let you know. Do you have miles?”
“I do, but I’m saving them—just in case.”
I know she’s referring to her honeymoon. She and Jason probably will get engaged soon. “Save them. You can go to Paris with Jason.”
“Can you imagine? What a romantic honeymoon that would be.”
I actually wanted to go to Paris for my honeymoon, but Ben couldn’t get that much time off work. We were planning to go to Hawaii instead. After Liv and I hang up, I scour the web for cheap flights to Paris but don’t find any. I text Liv the news and tell her I’ll keep looking. I hear a knock on my office door, and it’s Michelle. “I’m heading downstairs for happy hour. You coming?” I’m tempted by the thought of seeing Jake, but I’ve spent a lot of late nights at the office this week preparing for our campaign presentation. “I think I’ll pass today. Have a great weekend.” I’m looking forward to a night of relaxation and getting caught up on my TV shows. Having a backlog stresses me out.
The next morning I get a call from my friend Brian. He’s been bugging me to see him since I’ve been back in town. We’ve been friends forever, since we were in grade school. Liv always thought we’d get together, but he’s like a brother to me. I never could look at him in a romantic light. He wants to know if I can meet for brunch. I don’t have much going on, so I agree. He recently moved to Lincoln Park, and we decide to meet in his neighborhood so I can see his new apartment. I take the El to the Fullerton stop and walk the familiar route to his place. It’s right by Clark and Fullerton, not far from where I used to live. He opens the door to greet me and gives me a big hug.
“You look great, Lexi,” he says, studying me. “Perfect as always.”
“And you look terrible,” I say. He laughs. “Seriously, you look really good,” I tell him.
He’s grown out his hair, and he’s tanner. Something else is different, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. His apartment is nice, with a great view of the lake. He shows me around, and then we then head to brunch. People are milling about on this beautiful spring day that feels more like summer. We weave through the crowd and make our way to the restaurant, which is packed. There’s a short wait, but luckily we get a table outside. He fills me in on what he’s been up to, and I do the same. He asks if I’ve spoken to Ben, and I tell him no.
“Lexi,” he says, “don’t you think you ought to talk to him?”
“No,” I reply tersely. “I have nothing to say.”
“I just thought it might help you get some closure—you know, understand what happened and why.”
“What’s to understand? He cheated on me with someone I thought was a friend. I’m not sure any explanation would help me feel better.” Suddenly I’m suspicious. “Did he put you up to this?” They became good friends when Ben and I were together and used to hang out a lot.
“No,” he says. “He’s called me a few times to see if I’ve heard from you, but that’s it. I swear.”
“I believe you,” I reassure him.
“I just want to see you happy. Are you dating anyone?”
“No, I’m not ready.”
Brian nods. “Don’t rush it. You’ll know when the time comes.”
I hope so. Then I ask him about his love life. Turns out he’s been seeing someone for the past month, and he seems really into her. I’m very happy for him. Brian’s a good guy but hasn’t had the best of luck with relationships. He’s such a sweetheart, and I think he always fit into the “friend” role. When I was younger, I didn’t like nice guys. I always was attracted to the bad boys who inevitably would break my heart. I told him that once we were older and wiser, girls would be knocking down his door. There comes a point when you realize you want the nice guy.
“I’d like to meet her sometime,” I tell him.
“We’ll see how things go. If we’re still dating in a few weeks, we could all meet up,” he says.
“I’d like that.”
Much to my protest, he pays for brunch. We start walking back toward his place when I hear someone call my name. I turn around, and it’s Jake walking with an adorable little girl. I’m struck by their strong resemblance and wonder about the nature of their relationship. She has golden-brown hair, big blue eyes, and a smattering of freckles on her nose. She crosses her arms over her Hello Kitty shirt, and I get the feeling she isn’t happy about the interruption.
“Hi, Lexi. This is my niece, Hailey,” he says. “Hailey, this is Lexi. We work together.”
Feeling relieved, I bend down and shake her hand. “Nice to meet you,” I say. “And this is my friend, Brian.”
Brian and Jake shake hands, and Brian gives Hailey a little wave. “Well, it was nice meeting you both,” says Brian. Then he looks at me and says, “I’m going to take off, OK?”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
“Thanks for coming my way. Take care, Lexi,” he says, as he envelops me in a big hug.
I turn back to Jake and Hailey. “I love your light-up shoes,” I tell her. “Do you think they make them in my size?”
She regards me for a moment then says, “No, you’re too big.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Where are you guys off to?” I ask.
“We’re going to the zoo,” Hailey says.
“Oh, the zoo, I love the zoo!”
“Really? What’s your favorite animal?”
I think for a minute then reply, “The monkeys. I love the monkey house.”
“Me too,” she says. “My favorites are the penguins.”
“The penguins are great. Have you ever seen the zookeepers feed them?” She looks at me with big eyes and shakes her head. “Well, hopefully you’ll get a chance to see them today.” I look at Jake and say, “It’s nice of you to take your niece to the zoo.”
“My sister is pregnant and could use the break. Besides, I love spending time with my favorite niece,” he says, smiling at her.
Could he be any cuter? “Well, have fun.”
“Will you come with us?” Hailey asks.
“Hailey,” says Jake, “I’m sure Lexi has plans.” He looks at me, and I tell him I was just going to go to the gym.
“But what if I have to go to the bathroom?” Hailey asks Jake.
“I’ll take you,” he says.
“But then we’ll have to go in the men’s room,” she says, pouting.
“She makes a fair point,” Jake tells me.
I try to read the situation. I can’t tell whether he really wants me to come or whether he’s trying to placate Hailey. The thought of spending an afternoon with Jake is rather tempting, so I say, “I’ll tell you what, how about I come with you for a little while?”
“Yeah!” says Hailey.
The three of us head toward Lincoln Park Zoo. I’m glad I wore something suitable for walking around in—a striped maxi dress and Tory Burch flip-flops.
“You look different,” says Jake.
“Probably because I’m not in heels.”
“That’s it,” he replies. “You definitely look shorter.”
“Thanks,” I say sarcastically. “Where do you want to start?” I ask Hailey as we approach the zoo.
“The penguin house,” she says.
Hailey leads the way, and we go inside. We’re watching the penguins through the glass when a zookeeper enters
the exhibit. “Lexi!” Hailey shouts. “Look! She’s going to feed the penguins!” The zookeeper tosses fish, and Hailey watches, fascinated. “I’m so glad you got a chance to see,” I say, kneeling beside her. I look at Jake, and he’s watching me, but I can’t read his expression. Embarrassed, I look away.
I wonder whether I should go, but Jake hasn’t said anything, and I’m having a really good time. We walk through some more exhibits, and then Hailey says she wants to get a snack.
“How about ice cream?” asks Jake.
“Yes,” she says. “I want ice cream.”
We find a vendor selling cones. “Lexi, do you want one?” Jake asks.
“Yes, I’ll have chocolate please.”
“Me too,” says Hailey.
Jake also gets one for himself, and we find a bench. “It’s refreshing to see a girl eating ice cream,” he says.
I’m not sure how to take his comment, but I’m guessing he means it as a compliment. “I have a sweet tooth,” I tell him. “Chocolate is my vice.”
“I’d never guess,” he says, looking at me.
“Why do you think I’m headed to the gym later?” I tease him. “Life’s too short not to eat dessert.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” says Hailey.
We all laugh. “What about you?” I ask Jake. “What’s your vice?”
He thinks for a minute. “Coffee. I need at least three cups a day to function. And beautiful women,” he adds, looking right at me. I blush, although I don’t know if it’s a compliment. He didn’t say I was beautiful.
“Will you braid my hair?” Hailey asks after we’ve finished our cones.
“Sure. Do you want a French braid?”
“No, I want it like yours.”
I’m wearing my hair down with a headband braid at the crown. I rummage in my purse and produce a brush. I braid Hailey’s hair then show her the end result in my compact.
“I love it! Don’t I look pretty like Lexi?” she asks, turning to Jake.
“Yes, you look very pretty.”
Hailey smiles at her reflection then says, “I have to use the bathroom.”
“Let’s go look for one,” I tell her.
“Wait,” says Jake. “Give me your cell number, just in case.”
We exchange contact information, and I’m secretly pleased I have his number. We return a few minutes later, and Jake says we have time for one last exhibit.
“I want to go on the merry-go-round,” Hailey informs us.
“OK, let’s go,” says Jake.
We head toward the merry-go-round, and I offer to take their picture. “Here, give me your phone,” I tell him.
“Just use yours and text it to me,” he says, as he tries to keep up with Hailey, who’s determined to ride on the panda. Once she’s seated, I take their photo and send it to him, but I can’t bring myself to delete it.
We head back toward the entrance.
“Where do you live?” I ask Jake.
“Not that far from here—in a brownstone on Orchard. But my sister is picking us up at the entrance. It’s a bit of a long walk for Hales.”
“Well,” I say, “it was so nice to meet you, Hailey. Thanks for letting me spend the afternoon with you.”
“Wait, I’ll drive you home,” Jake offers.
“That’s not necessary. I can take the El.”
“Really, it’s no problem.”
For some reason, I hesitate. The thought of being alone with him makes me nervous.
“Come on,” he says, “It’s the least I can do. My sister has an SUV so we can all fit.”
“OK,” I agree, because I don’t want to make a big deal out of a simple gesture. I wonder if he’ll invite me in. Jake’s sister pulls up a few minutes later. She’s very pretty, with light-brown hair and the same icy-blue eyes.
“Kate, this is Lexi. Lexi, this is my sister, Kate.”
“Hi,” I say as I climb into the car.
“Lexi and I work together,” Jake says. “We ran into each other on the way to the zoo, and Hales insisted she come along.”
Kate laughs. “Hailey can be very persuasive.”
We chat on the short drive home. I ask Kate when she’s due and she tells me November, which I’m guessing puts her at about twelve weeks.
“Are you going to find out the sex?” I ask her.
“No, we want to be surprised. How about you? Do you have any children?”
“No, but I adore kids. I have a nephew who’s a little younger than Hailey.”
“I’m four and a half,” she says from the backseat.
“That’s old,” I tell her.
“Do you see him often?” Kate asks.
“Well, I was living in New York until recently. But now that I’m back, I’m going to try to see him at least twice a month. I need to get my fix. It’s so nice to see the world through his eyes. Everything is fun and games.”
Kate nods. “It’s fun, but it’s also exhausting.”
We pull up in front of Jake’s place.
“It was nice to meet you, Lexi,” says Kate.
“Bye, Lexi!” says Hailey from the backseat. “Thanks for coming with me to the zoo.”
“Anytime,” I tell her. “It was fun.”
“I just need to grab my keys,” Jake says after Kate drives away. “Come on in. I’ll give you a tour.”
Jake’s place is fabulous. It’s a three-story townhouse with huge windows and lots of sunlight. It has a vintage charm, yet it’s been updated, and it has a nice contemporary feel. He shows me around, starting with the kitchen. It has white cabinets with black granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances, and a beautiful glass tile backsplash accented by sage green walls. An island with hanging glass pendants separates it from the family room, which has black leather couches and a large plasma TV mounted above the fireplace that’s finished in the same tiles as the kitchen.
“I love your place,” I tell him as we walk upstairs. “Did you decorate it yourself?”
“No. Kate helped me.”
I’m relieved he didn’t say it was an ex-girlfriend. The second level has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. He shows me the master, with its huge king-size bed, and I wonder how many women he’s taken here. I push the thought from my mind. “Here. You’ll like this.” He shows me his immaculate walk-in closet, which looks like something out of a California Closets ad. I look around in awe and decide it’s larger than my first apartment.
“Can I move in?” I ask. Jake gives me a funny look. “Just kidding. Haven’t you lived with anyone before?”
“No, you?”
“Yes,” I say, but I don’t elaborate.
We walk up to the third floor, which is a loft he’s turned into a den. It’s a guy’s space with a deep couch and two black leather recliners, a big flat-screen TV, and a small bar complete with a fridge.
“I bet you’re popular on game days,” I remark.
“Pretty much,” he says. “I’m a huge sports fan and love having the guys over.”
“What’s your favorite sport to watch?”
“Basketball, but football is a very close second.”
“I like football too. But only if the Wolverines are playing.”
“That seems to be the sentiment of most people who go to U of M.”
“It must be in our DNA.” I look around at his memorabilia and spy a photo of him in a team uniform. “Did you play any sports in high school?”
“Basketball and golf. You?”
“Tennis and dance.”
“Were you any good?”
“I was on the varsity tennis team all four years,” I tell him. “I wasn’t outstanding, but I was pretty good. I spent most of my summers at tennis camp. Do you play?”
“I’ve never had formal lessons, but I’m not bad.”
“Well, then I’m challenging you to a match.”
He looks at me for a moment and hesitates. “I’m usually pretty busy on the weekends. Come on, I’ll drive you home.”
I feel like an idiot for suggesting it. We just had such a nice time today, and he seemed to be dropping hints that he was interested. Maybe I read the whole situation wrong. He opens the garage and unlocks his car. It’s a black, two-door BMW convertible.
“Nice car,” I tell him.
“Thanks.” He smiles. “I bought it when I was promoted to vice president. I figured I’d been working hard and should treat myself.”
I get in, and he pulls out of his garage. “Aren’t you going to put the top down?” I ask.
“You’re OK with that?”
“Of course. It’s a beautiful day.”
“I wasn’t sure. Most girls are concerned about their hair getting messed up.”
I put on my sunglasses and enjoy the sensation of the wind blowing through my hair as he speeds down Lake Shore Drive. “Take the Oak Street exit,” I tell him. I give him directions to my building, and he pulls up in front. Suddenly I feel awkward. It’s not a date, but I don’t know what to say. Fortunately Jake goes first.
“Thanks for joining us. I’m sure you hadn’t planned on spending your day with a four-year-old.”
“No problem. It was fun. I hadn’t been to the zoo in a long time.”
“Any big plans for tonight?”
“Well, I’m off to Zumba now then drinks with friends later.”
“Zumba,” he says. “Isn’t that like Latin dancing?
“Yeah, it’s a Latin-inspired dance fitness program. I’m not one for lifting weights or running. I like doing classes, especially anything that involves dance.”
“Yes, I saw that,” he says with a smirk. I feel myself redden and ask him about his plans for the evening. “Just a typical Saturday night out,” he responds.
I want to ask him what that entails, but judging by his vague answer, I don’t think he wants to tell me. I thank him for the ride and wave as he drives away. I let out a deep sigh as the realization hits me: I definitely have a crush on Jake Hartman.
I poke my head in Nicole’s office on Monday morning.
“How was your weekend?” I ask her.
“Great,” she says. “I went out with Danny.”
I rack my brain. “Remind me—which one is Danny?” Nicole is always going out with some new guy; it’s hard to keep up.