Reluctant Romance

by Dobbs, Leighann

  “You did fine. But the problem is, I can’t hide our financials from him. I was hoping if I made it difficult for them to see the numbers and threw a few other monkey wrenches into the works they’d add it all up and decide they saw enough things they didn’t like and call the whole thing off.”

  “But they didn’t.”

  “Nope. I’m out of options. Next week, the accountant will be back in and he’ll find out how good we’re doing." Risa glanced nervously at the earnings report on her monitor.

  Jim Abernake would have access to the profit and loss statements next week and he’d be able to see for himself that the company was very profitable. She just hoped he didn’t dig too deeply into the transactions or there might be some questions she’d rather not answer.

  Risa felt her heart sink at Dana’s concerned look. “Don’t worry, I have an alternate plan that might save the clinic and help us keep our pet-friendly employee policies in place.”

  Dana raised a well-plucked eyebrow. “Do tell.”

  “Well, it was actually Meredith’s idea. I’m going to try to convince Connorn that even though the clinic doesn’t bring in any money, it’s good public relations for the company and creates customers through word of mouth. We’re going back to the clinic on Monday and he’s agreed to meet with some of the customers.”

  “Oh…do you think that will work?”

  “Well, I’ve coached the customers to make a big deal out of how loyal they are and how they spread the word about what a great company we are. If Dunn International buys us, all that customer loyalty and good public relations could potentially help out the main company and all their divisions.” Risa took a sip of coffee, then shrugged. “I think it might work. Dunn is a dog owner himself. I just hope he can be persuaded to see the value of the clinic as a pet owner.”

  “Oh, so he is human," Dana said with a smile.

  Risa felt her cheeks growing warm, which made her uncomfortable since she had no idea why. She also had no idea why she was refraining from telling Dana about running into Connor at the dog park.

  “Well, thankfully this weekend you’ll be able to forget all about this stuff for a while and relax.” Dana wiggled her eyebrows at Risa.

  Risa narrowed her eyes. “What? Why?”

  “The party, silly. You know at Bobbie’s on Hilltop.”

  “Oh. That’s right. I’d forgotten.” Risa felt a prickle of nervousness in the pit of her stomach.

  “You’re still going, right?” Dana tilted her head and gave Risa a look that told her there was no way of getting out of it.

  “Of course.” It was usually easier to give in than to fight Dana, especially when it came to parties. Even in high school, Dana was the one always dragging Risa out at night. Risa was more of a homebody, but she would have missed out on a lot of good times if it wasn’t for Dana, so she was grateful for her friend’s insistence.

  “Great. We’re going to meet at Deb’s around four. We’ll have a few drinks to unwind and then head off to the party. You know, like old times.”

  “Okay, well, I don’t know about the drinks. I’m not much of a drinker anymore, you know.”

  “Oh, come on, I have a special concoction that I’ve created just for you. You need to have a few and loosen up. Believe me, everything will feel a lot less stressful after I get done with you.”

  “Uh…huh." Risa nodded, her eyes narrowing skeptically.

  Dana stood and tossed her coffee cup in the trash. She walked toward the door, then turned back to look at Risa.

  “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 3:45. That way you won’t have to worry about driving and can really let loose.”

  Risa wasn’t sure she wanted to “really let loose” and opened her mouth to protest, but Dana waved her off.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you like I always do." Then she winked at Risa and disappeared out the door.

  Risa stared after her. She thought back to all the times Dana had “taken care of her” when they were younger. A feeling of uneasiness swept through her. Somehow Dana’s promise to take care of her had her more worried than if she was left to take care of herself.

  ###

  Connor’s stomach roiled in a mixture of nerves and excitement as he stared down at the shiny gold key in his hand. In the realtor’s office he had been so sure of his decision, but now he was second-guessing himself. Should he have taken more time to think about it?

  Being an analytical and cautious type of person, he never made snap decisions. Somehow buying the house felt like the right thing to do.

  He slipped the key into the lock. Turning it, he heard the hollow click, then he tested the knob. It turned easily. He pushed the door open and walked in, Picasso following at his heels.

  The house had new flooring and paint on the walls, but the layout was the same as it had been when Connor lived there as a child. Being inside gave him a warm, comfortable feeling. Closing his eyes, he could picture the floral couch they’d had along the wall in the living room, his father’s Lazy Boy beside it and the maple coffee table in front.

  His heart clenched as he remembered how his mother always insisted on having a fresh vase of flowers on that coffee table. He missed her so much. Taking a deep breath, he could almost smell the aroma of home-cooked food wafting out of the kitchen--the same comforting smells he had been greeted with every afternoon when he came home from school.

  He opened his eyes, breaking the spell. Glancing around the empty living room, he realized he’d need a couch to tide him over until he could arrange to have his own furniture shipped from his condo in the city. Naturally he wouldn’t have that done until the papers were passed on the house. He was only renting it until then. Maybe he could pick up a used sofa, or call Rent-to-Own.

  Connor couldn’t wait to get his own furniture in there. It would fit perfectly, and the long wall in the hallway was a perfect showcase for his art collection. He glanced out into the hall, already picturing in his mind where each painting would be hung.

  The sound of Picasso sniffing caught his attention, and he looked over at the dog who glanced up at Connor, a question in his big brown eyes.

  “Yes, boy, it looks like this is going to be home.”

  Picasso answered by shaking his whole body, then following his nose into the kitchen. The kitchen was what had sold Connor on the house. The last owner had done a total remake and outfitted it with top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances including a Jenn-Air stove with interchangeable cook tops. The dark contemporary cabinets and white quartz counters gave it the sleek modern look that Connor loved.

  He looked down at Picasso. “I can’t wait to take this kitchen for a test run. Maybe I’ll get some steak tonight and we can share.”

  Picasso’s ears perked up at the word “steak” but he didn’t look back at Connor. His attention was on the doorway to the backyard. He sniffed the bottom of the door vigorously then pawed at it, looking back at Connor.

  “Oh, you’re gonna love the backyard.”

  Connor crossed the kitchen to the door, unlocked it, and opened it wide for the dog. Picasso bounded out into the yard like a greyhound springing out of the starting gate. He ran zealously around the perimeter, stopping to sniff here and there.

  Connor surveyed the yard. The wooden fence was still in good condition, except for one spot where there were a couple of boards missing. He made a note to get that repaired as soon as the house was his. He didn’t want Picasso getting out or anything else getting in.

  His eyes came to rest on the giant oak tree at the back of the yard. He remembered many an evening spent playing on that tree when he was little. Glancing around the yard, childhood memories flashed through his mind, causing him to smile. Playing with toy trucks by the toolshed with Kenny when they were about seven years old. Swinging on the swing set that used to be at the back of the yard with Bill, Kenny, and other kids from the neighborhood.

  Practically every spot in the yard held a memory from his childhood. E
specially the big oak tree. In his minds eye, he pictured a twelve-year-old Risa Kennedy in her cut-off shorts, Keds and T-shirt. Her hair just as curly and unruly then as it was now. He remembered the rush of adrenaline and the warmth that would start to spread out at the bottom of his stomach whenever she would come over.

  He remembered how it used to be: Risa sitting on the limb of the tree, her legs dangling down, while he stood there scuffing the earth with his feet, his tongue tied in a knot with adolescent fervor.

  Connor turned away from the tree, shrugging off the warm glow, remembering the warning he had given himself the night before.

  Whistling for Picasso, he turned to go back inside. He flipped open his cell phone and looked for Kenny’s number in his contacts. It had felt good to hang around with Kenny and Bill the other night and he wanted to continue renewing his relationship with them, especially now that he was putting down roots in Gardners Grove.

  He smiled to himself, thinking he had made the right decision. The town had everything he needed, a nice house with a gourmet kitchen and a big yard, old friends he felt a bond with and a great location for working from home and for travel. Those were all good, practical reasons for him to buy the house. The fact that Risa Kennedy lived in the neighborhood had nothing to do with his decision whatsoever.

  Chapter Ten

  Risa sat on the floor of Deb’s spacious living room, her tanned legs stretched out in front of her. She’d agonized over what to wear and in the end opted for a plain cotton T-shirt with cap sleeves and a V-neck in lavender, denim capris and plain white flip-flops. It wasn’t anything fancy, but her mother had always said that shade of lavender was the perfect complement to her auburn hair.

  The other girls had similar outfits, except for Dana who was wearing a white denim mini-skirt with a striped off-the-shoulder top and four-inch platform shoes in a rainbow of colors. Dana always did like to be noticed.

  “Risa, I invented this drink recipe especially for you,” Dana said from behind the bar where she was bouncing around to the music, an array of drink ingredients in front of her.

  Risa watched her pour various things into a large glass, which she garnished with a wedge of pineapple before skipping out from behind the bar, the reddish-orange drink extended in her hand.

  Risa reached up to take it, her eyes narrowing at her friend. “What’s in it?”

  “Oh, a little of this and a little of that.” Dana gave her an exaggerated wide-eyed look.

  Risa took a sip. It was tasty. Fruity. “It’s good.” She nodded up at Dana.

  Dana whirled around with a satisfied smile on her face and flounced back behind the bar.

  “Okay, who’s next?” Dana asked. She was immediately answered with a chorus of “me” from each of the other girls, which sent them all into a fit of laughter.

  “I’m glad we decided to do this before going to the party,” Rachel said.

  “Yeah, I’m a little out of practice as far as the social thing goes, so a few drinks will help me break the ice.” Cara glanced over at Dana with mock impatience.

  “And we can hopefully avoid all the people who will go early with their kids,” Deb said screwing up her face.

  Everyone laughed. Most of their peers were married with kids. The girls often joked about how low their tolerance was for the little ones, although Risa suspected a few of them might be a bit envious at times.

  Dana came back around the bar with three more drinks and handed them to Rachel, Cara, and Deb, who each leaned back in their respective chairs, sipped and said “Ahhh…”

  Risa looked down at her own drink, surprised to find it was almost half empty. I’d better slow down. Risa wasn’t much of a drinker, and, since she didn’t cook, she often forgot to eat, like today when she had forgotten to eat lunch. She didn’t feel drunk, but she was feeling very relaxed.

  Dana handed another drink to Risa. Risa was about to protest until she looked down and noticed her other drink was empty. She accepted it and took a teeny sip.

  Dana sat on the couch with her own full glass.

  “Here’s to the good old days.” She extended her drink out, and everyone clinked glasses then took a sip.

  “So, what do you guys think. Will there be any good catches at the party?” Deb raised her eyebrows at the group.

  Rachel shrugged. “Who knows, probably just a bunch of old, balding men. Although I do have to say Kenny Graves was looking pretty nice at the bar the other night.”

  “You always were sweet on him in high School,” Dana said.

  “He’s probably married. All the good ones seem to be,” Cara cut in.

  Rachel shook her head. “Nuh-uh.” She pointed to her ring finger. “I didn’t see a ring on his finger.”

  Dana laughed. “Well, I think there will be plenty of fish for us to choose from. We gotta find someone for Risa, she needs a date.”

  Risa’s eyes narrowed. “Hey, I’m just fine with Bailey, Sylvester, and Tweetie.” Had she slurred the “S” in Sylvester?

  Dana cut her eyes over to Risa. “Uh…huh. You haven’t even been on one date in three years; you need to start getting yourself back into circulation. Don’t let one bad relationship rule your life.”

  Was that what she had been doing?

  “I just haven’t met anyone interesting,” Risa said, shrugging her shoulders.

  “Well, I’m gonna fix all that.” Dana glanced at her watch. “We should probably get going.”

  Risa stood along with everyone else. As she made her way to the kitchen, her foot got caught on the area rug and she stumbled forward. Dana caught her arm.

  “Whoa there! Maybe you should slow down. Did you eat today?”

  Risa giggled and shook her head. “I didn’t eat, but it’s not that…these sandals, I tripped on a piece of slate that was sticking up coming down my walkway on the way here too.”

  “Oy. We’ll get you some coffee on the way to the party and then something to eat as soon as we get there - sober you up a little.”

  Risa felt happy, tipsy maybe, but not drunk as they piled their drink glasses in the sink and made their way out to the cars. Dana was right, it felt good to loosen up with a few drinks and the party would be fun. As they drove down the street, the trees whizzing by made her a little dizzy, making her thankful that Dana had driven.

  ###

  Risa walked up the driveway behind Dana, Rachel, Cara, and Deb. The humid evening air was stifling. She pressed the ice coffee Dana had gotten for her at the drive-thru to the back of her neck, closing her eyes as she focused on the cool sensation.

  “You’re supposed to drink it, not wear it."

  Risa opened her eyes to see that the other girls had turned and were looking at her.

  “Oh, sorry,” she giggled. Putting the straw to her lips and taking a big slurp, she caught up to the other girls. The coffee had a sobering effect, but she was still feeling the drinks a little.

  In the backyard, the party was in full swing. Kids splashed in the pool, burgers smoldered on the grill, and people stood around in clusters holding giant red plastic cups. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

  “Do you see anyone we know?” Deb asked as they slowly scanned the party looking for familiar faces.

  “Over th-ere,” Risa hiccuped.

  Dana furrowed her brow at Risa. “Did you just hiccup?”

  Risa nodded, covering her mouth as another hiccup made its way out.

  “Oh, geez.” Dana rolled her eyes. “Let me get you something to eat.”

  Risa watched Dana march off in the direction of the grill as she followed the others toward the knot of friends she had pointed to earlier.

  “Hey, Rachel! Deb! Risa!” A short, plump dirty-blonde aptly named Sandy called out to them from the crowd. Like most of the people in the circle they were approaching, Risa had gone to high school with Sandy. She’d been thin then, but this was fourteen years and a couple of kids later. Risa looked down at her own trim figure and gave a silent prayer of t
hanks she’d spent all that time being faithful to her diet and exercise regimen.

  The two groups merged into one bigger group while they all greeted each other. Deb introduced Cara, who didn’t know most of the others.

  “Where’s Dana?” someone asked.

  Risa pointed toward the grill where Dana was strong-arming her way through the crowd. They watched with rapt attention as she pushed her way to the front, demanded a hamburger, and then sashayed off to the side to bury it in condiments.

  “She hasn’t changed a bit,” said one of the guys, Jesse, and everyone burst into laughter.

  Dana bounced back to the group, licking ketchup off her finger. “Hey, everybody.” She went round the circle greeting their old friends, then handed the burger to Risa.

  “Th-hanks,” Risa hiccuped, eliciting giggles from the other girls.

  She hadn’t realized how hungry she was, but the sight of the burger made her stomach growl, and she bit in with gusto.

  “Isss good." She chewed her way around the words. The beef was perfect, charred on the outside but rare on the inside. Dana had loaded the bun with ketchup, mayonnaise, and lettuce. Risa took another huge bite and a glob of ketchup escaped, dropping on her shirt.

  “Damn,” she said swiping at it with a napkin.

  Dana sighed. “We can dress her up, but we can’t take her anywhere,” she said to the crowd.

  Risa made a face at her, then, polishing off the burger she made her way to a large trash barrel setup on the edge of the yard to toss out the napkin, plate, and empty coffee. On her way, she passed someone handing out beer and took one, partly so she wouldn’t look funny standing around without a drink and partly to keep the nice buzz she had going.

  The party was fun. It was good to see old friends she hadn’t talked to in years, and there were plenty of them scattered around the yard, some single and some with their families. But after a couple of hours of mingling and reminiscing, and a few more beers, Risa was feeling bored and a little tired - not pass-out drunk tired, but the tired you feel when you’ve had a long, hot day of drinking.