Clearing his throat, he said, "These are for you," and thrust the flowers forward.
The young lady swiveled her head and faced Brandt.
"They're for me?" Her voice was of perfect pitch and she sounded as if she were an angel.
"Yes, for you."
"Have we met? You look familiar."
"Sort of," said Brandt.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't I see you yesterday when our trains were traveling in the same direction? You had your face pressed hard against the glass."
"You're correct," said Brandt. "I've been searching everywhere for you since last week when I first saw you on the train. Please don't be alarmed by this, but I've never seen a woman as beautiful as you. Your eyes, face, clothes, are picture-perfect. May I ask your name?"
"It's illegal to stalk someone," she quipped.
"I know, but you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
"You've said that. I'm flattered, Mr. …?"
"I'm Brandt Dusting. What's your lovely name?"
"Alyssa, but I stand by what I said."
"Please, accept my small gift of flowers."
She eyed Brandt suspiciously.
"I'm not sure if I should," said Alyssa.
One hundred commuters watched Brandt grovel as they prepared to board the approaching train. Alyssa shot Brandt an innocent schoolgirl's smile.
"Judging by the looks we're receiving, I'll have to accept."
"Thank you."
"No, thank you."
A loud applause erupted from the commuters who had gathered closer to the edge of the train platform as the train rumbled to a stop.
Brandt asked his question over the squeal of brakes. "May I buy you a coffee sometime?" Alyssa's grin hid the fact that she was deeply embarrassed.
"That's the least you can do, seeing how you've made a complete jerk of yourself. I'm always at the office an hour early, so now would be a good time. That way, if you turn out to be a weirdo, I can leave and still be at work on time."
Brandt followed Alyssa into the train carriage and sat next to her on the seat closest to the door.
"What career field are you in?" asked Alyssa, starting the conversation.
"Television advertising," said Brandt. "I'm an advertising executive. What about you?"
"I'm not sure if I want to reveal my career at this early stage."
"I live about ten minutes from here," said Brandt. "Do you live close by?" His smile looked genuine as Alyssa focused on his eyes.
"I'm close, yes," answered Alyssa.
"I hope I'm not moving too fast, but can I have your phone number?" said Brandt. "I think that can be arranged. This is our stop." Alyssa stood and waited for the train's door to open before stepping onto the platform.
Brandt escorted her to the coffee shop, opened the door, and then closed it behind him.
*
Alyssa and Brandt had ordered their cappuccinos and were sitting in the two seats furthest from the door, waiting for their drinks to arrive. The café was unusually quiet. Only four other customers were sipping coffee, but they were seated at an outside table.
"Are you single?" asked Brandt.
"Yes, I am. Are you?"
"Indeed, yes."
Alyssa faked a smile. "I'm not the girl of your dreams, if that's what you're thinking."
"Why do you say that?"
"You don't know anything about me."
They took their coffees from the hands of a smiling boy in his late teens and fell silent, waiting for the lad to walk off. Alyssa felt uncomfortable at the overbearing man staring at her.
"I'd like to find out all about you," said Brandt. "Please give me a chance."
"I'll see what the weather brings. Hopefully it won't rain."
"Can I buy you lunch?"
"Okay. You seem like a nice enough bloke; you can pick me up outside the courthouse at noon."
"You're a lawyer?" asked Brandt.
"Sort of. I work for the tax department. I have to be in court to testify that someone had committed fraud."
"That sounds like an exciting career. May I sit at the back of the court, and we can walk out together?"
Alyssa's heart was starting to melt. Maybe there was a slim chance that the man sitting opposite her was indeed the decent bloke she had been searching for. Her eyes glistened as she spoke.
"I think I'd like that. It's been a tough case."
"May I walk you to the court house?" asked Brandt.
"Sure."
*
"Your Honor, the witness has stated he was drunk on the night of the alleged fraud and the disappearance of Mrs. Annette Craven. On that excuse alone, the witness' statement has been soiled," said Alyssa.
"Objection, Your Honor; we have established my client had only a few drinks," said a tall, heavy-set man in a black Italian suit.
"Where's this leading to?" asked the judge. "The court has already heard all of this."
"Your Honor, I'm trying to ascertain and discredit what the witness, Mr. Burrows, is telling us," said Alyssa.
The judge waved an open-palmed hand. "Continue, but get to the point."
Alyssa gave a sharp nod. "At one o'clock on Tuesday, the eighth of November, 2005, Mr. Burrows' statement reads, and I quote his exact words, 'I saw the accused, Mr. Jack Craven, deliberately and with a degree of accuracy, wearing a determined look on his face, cross the room, sit opposite a man and then proceed to write out a check for five hundred thousand dollars.' This statement is yours, correct?"
"Yes."
"How close were you to the scene?"
"About ten meters."
"Your statement continues, and you said that you followed the man who you have stated was Mr. Jack Craven to his home, then you hit a man over the head using a beer bottle. Then you drove the victim to the hospital. Is this correct?"
"No."
"It's your statement to the police," snapped Alyssa, crumpling up her notes in her fist.
"I'm confused," said the witness, starting to drum his fingertips together.
"You're confused because there was nothing to witness. Jack Craven paid you so he could have an airtight fraudulent alibi. There was no attacker and no beer bottle that was used as a weapon. Your Honor, this farce has gone on long enough. This so-called witness is, in fact, nothing more than a man hired to lie to this court. To sum it up, I have proof: two one-way airline tickets to England-one for Mr. Craven and one for Mrs. Craven-have been purchased."
"Objection."
"Overruled," said the judge.
"Okay, okay," yelled the man on the witness stand. He pounded the podium and, standing, pointed a stubby finger directly at Alyssa. The security guard grabbed his arm, forcing him to sit.
"I was paid to help stage Craven's disappearance," said the witness. "I was written in his will as the sole beneficiary. After I received the money from his fake death, I would join him and his wife in England. He owed a lot of money that he lost gambling. It was Craven who cooked up the scheme. Only thing I was going to get from Jack Craven was ten percent of his fortune, but I wanted it all. With Craven dead, that would give me the green light so Miriam, his wife, and I could have a great life together. We've been secretly seeing each other for the past ten years."
The judge stared at the man. "Case closed. Arrest him. Mr. Burrows will be sentenced in four weeks." The gavel came down and the courtroom erupted in a ruckus as the room was emptied.
"Alyssa, you were awesome," said Brandt, collecting her as she walked towards the exit. "You're as clever as you are beautiful."
"Thanks."
"Lunch?"
"I'd like to take a walk first. The walls have ears in a café." She looked directly into Brandt's eyes. "Please, don't take the idea of a walk the wrong way. After the courtroom fiasco, I'm a little drained and I always like to take a walk after a legal battle. You're more than welcome to join me."
Brandt and Alyssa crossed the road and entered the botanical gardens. The t
rees were blossoming and the birds were starting to build their nests.
"If you have a problem," said Brandt, "I'm here to listen."
"Thank you. You're most kind. If I may be blunt, I'm concerned about moving into a new relationship."
"It sounds like a case of cold feet," he said.
"I think it's more than that."
"Why?"
"The last man I was involved with turned out to be a bigamist. I was 24 then. That was two years ago. I found out the ugly news while standing at the altar in my wedding dress."
"I'd never do that," said Brandt. "I believe a woman should be treated with affection and admiration."
With flushed cheeks, Alyssa sat next to Brandt on a park bench that was shrouded in bright warm sunlight. She waited patiently for an elderly couple to shuffle past before continuing their conversation.
"Enough about my background. Tell me what you're working on."
"I have to come up with a slogan for hair shampoo," said Brandt.
"How's it coming?"
"Great. Want to hear it?"
"Ok."
"I based the slogan on someone I know," Brandt said.
"Who?"
"You."
"We don't know each other that well," said Alyssa.
"We don't have to. Seeing you has stirred my imagination. The TV advert starts when a girl notices a man staring at her. The actors will say something like, 'If you use this shampoo, men will notice you even when you're on another train.'"
Alyssa shook her head and chuckled.
"The work is unnamed at the moment, though I was thinking on the lines of, 'To Catch a Train and Your Mate in Seconds.' The whole ad will run something like this: two trains come together. The girl looks up and a man in the other train notices the shine in her hair. He sets out to find her and they get married."
"Because of the shampoo," said Alyssa.
"Yes."
"Corny."
"What do you mean?" asked Brandt.
"I think our time together is over."
"I can't allow it."
"I don't think so. Please respect my wishes and take no offense when I say that I never want to see you again," Alyssa said.
"I can't allow you to leave. You're my soul mate."
"I'm certainly not that."
"Please give me a chance, that's all I ask."
"Thanks again for the flowers." Alyssa stood to leave. She extended her hand for a business-like handshake and waited for Brandt to respond. He didn't shake her hand.
"Do you believe in love at first sight?" he asked.
Alyssa retracted her hand and put her handbag over her shoulder. "No, I don't. There's no such thing." Brandt watched Alyssa walk along the solid brick path. He smirked, then casually stood and strolled after her.
Alyssa's Best Friend
"Kaite, do I look like a man in this outfit?"
Alyssa's best friend stared at her with doubt written in her blue eyes. "With a figure like yours, no matter how hard you try, you'll never look like a bloke. I wish I had a figure as good. How many times have I said that you belong on the catwalk and not in the courtroom?"
Alyssa twisted and turned in front of a full-length mirror as she studied her new outfit. She had bought blue denim straight-leg jeans and a pale blue western shirt in a one-hour bargain sale from a small shop not far from the courthouse.
"Are you sure I wouldn't pass for a bloke? The mirror says otherwise."
Kaite rolled off the bed and walked over to the full-length mirror. "What gives?"
Alyssa had a sparkle in her eyes. "Does my shirt clash with my long auburn hair?"
"We've known each other since pre-school. In twenty-two years, have I ever lied to you?"
She put her finger to her cheek and grinned.
"There was that one time."
Kaite faked a smile and gave her best friend a poke in the ribs.
"I'm kidding," Alyssa squealed.
"Tell me the real reason you want to look like a bloke. I thought you wanted to marry and have a quiver full of little arrows."
"That was my plan."
"Was? What's changed your mind? Have you and Brandt been fighting again?"
"Yes. He has turned over a different leaf. He's gone from a rich green color to a rotting brown."
"Care to explain?"
"Not only had he turned into an obsessive monster, I asked him what he thought the perfect gift for a woman would be, and I'm happy I found out the truth. All he wanted from me was his stupid advertising slogans to save his job time after time."
Kaite shivered. "A bloke like that is one you don't need. What was his answer to your question?"
Alyssa sat on the bed and then flopped backwards. "He believes in that miniature brain of his that a woman only wants a fancy car and plenty of money to spend."
"You're joking, right?"
"No. I was hoping he was Mr. Right, but he turned out to be Mr. Wrong. Kaite, I'm fed up. All men lie and cheat. I've given up on thinking that a man would know what the perfect gift was."
Alyssa stood and walked to her seventh-floor apartment window, and then stared out across the bay. It was the day before Halloween, in 2009. Last year, at their Halloween party, Brandt had finally asked for Alyssa's hand in marriage. He officially announced it on an impersonal level. Everyone she knew was at the party: her parents, his parents, Kaite, and of course all of their friends. It was a great party. The music was great, the food was great. She had finally put the embarrassing announcement behind her and convinced herself it was only his nervous nature. After the party, they had sat on the beach to watch the full moon in the sky. Sitting on the sand under the stars was romantic, and then falling asleep in each other's arms as the sun came up was a moment she wanted to cherish.
Alyssa sighed and studied the lights of the city with longing. She loved Melbourne's nightlife. Lowering her gaze to the street below, she focused on the cars that zoomed past the building. They looked like toys and the people looked like ants as they hurried along, totally unaware she was watching where they were going. Ever since she and Brandt had broken up, she had lost the desire to party. She was very lonely and had yet to meet an honest man. Brandt was a good talker and he had treated her with respect, but he had become so obsessive that he was dangerous. Above all, and what had ruined her love for him, was that he had failed to discover the perfect gift. The gift she longed for. Was it possible there was no such thing?
She gave Kaite a sideways glance. 'If it wasn't for you, Kaite,' she thought, 'I wouldn't have made it through.' Alyssa returned her gaze to the skyline and studied the West Gate Bridge. She watched a ship slowly slip underneath its wide span. Overhead streetlights had blinked on. She smiled at their friendliness. Port Philip Bay looked inviting, and she imagined the long, hot days to come as people flocked to the water's edge to escape the heat of summer in Melbourne.
"Kaite, somewhere out there a man must be waiting for me. I wonder if he's lying on his bed looking up at the stars thinking where his Mrs. Right could be and what she might be doing. Or maybe he's being driven in a limo to a nightclub? Maybe he's a pilot preparing to depart for America or London or Jamaica?"
Kaite crossed the floor and put her arm over Alyssa's shoulders. Her free hand smoothed her long auburn hair from her face and she whispered in her ear. "You're rambling."
Alyssa grinned from ear to ear. "I want to find a man who is strong, honest and fun. Above all, I want him to give me the perfect gift."
"You won't find a man like that anywhere in Melbourne, especially at the tax office. I have a strong feeling a man like that doesn't even exist."
Alyssa's eyes glistened in the light of the bedside lamp. "I need a change."
Kaite frowned and wagged her finger. "You're scheming something? What is it?"
"Don't worry, I'm not going crazy." She walked to her bedside table, opened the top drawer and wrapped her French-manicured nails around a newspaper. She marched back to the window and flapped i
t in Kaite's face.
"What's this?" she said, clutching the paper before it had a chance to swing back and hit her in the nose.
"Read the situation vacant column and let me know what you think."
Kaite dropped the newspaper article to arm's length. "I thought you told me the tax office is a great place to work. You love the job."
"I do. I love all those numbers. I live to work."
"Then what's the problem?"
Alyssa's smile faded. "It's like you said: Mr. Right doesn't work in Melbourne."
"Two bad relationships and you want to throw in the towel?"
"I want to work where Brandt has no hope of finding me. I need to feel safe from his obsessive nature," Alyssa said.
Kaite lifted the newspaper and started to read. She looked up and grinned. "You're going to work as a waitress on a cruise ship?"
"No. My plans don't include water. You know I can't swim. Read the article underneath that one."
Kaite dropped her gaze and read on, mumbling the next job advertisement. It had been underlined. She dropped the newspaper on the bed and looked up. "This job sounds a little too drastic a change."
"It should be perfect," said Alyssa, beaming.
"You won't find decent men out in the middle of nowhere."
"Out in the Australian bush there are no beaches to drown in, either."
"There might not be much water, but there are a lot of spiders," said Kaite.
"I'll be fine, and thanks for asking."
"What about the notion that you love the action of the city?" Kaite asked.
"It's only for two weeks. Besides, it gives me an opportunity to forget Brandt and to clear my head. It'll give me a much-needed rest. Two weeks without thinking that a man only wants me for his job."
Kaite looked down her nose and shook her head.
"You don't have to scold me," said Alyssa.
"How long have I told you to move on and forget the bloke?"
Alyssa sat rigidly on the bed. "I was happy and totally in love. Brandt eventually showed his true self, though. I trusted him when he said he was working late. I even made up excuses when I called his mobile phone and Gina, his secretary, answered. What makes me choke is the fact that I discovered he took her to our place, the place where we had our first all-night date. It was the place where I gave him my heart. He called the place a sacred site. It was ours. He knew how much I loved it.
The Great Gift (Contemporary Romance - Urban Life) Page 3