by Rachel Cross
“Fine. I’ll give you a hint. The last exercise was about letting go and having fun. This exercise will be about building trust.”
“And why would I want to do that?”
“Exactly.”
She shook her head, not in the mood to have a verbal war with her confusing coworker. Reaching into her desk drawer, she grabbed her headphones and plugged them in. His next words gave her pause.
“I trust you, Tiana. I want to give you the opportunity to trust me too.”
She cleared her throat, clogged with emotions. A boulder had been lifted from her shoulders. As much as she hadn’t wanted to admit it, the thought of Nathan thinking that she would double-cross him had bothered her over the years. “I appreciate your trust.”
She took a deep breath, searching her brain for something to say that would navigate them away from the emotional danger zone. “I need to get ready for the shoot with Jake, so . . . ”
He raised his hands in the air. “Got ya. How’s it going by the way? I’m sure if you need more time to catch up with your accounts and with the Fiete commercial shoot, Isaac will understand.”
Tiana shook her head. “You and I both know he won’t. Besides, I got a lot done while I was out.”
“You weren’t out on vacation, Peaches. You were sick and supposed to be resting.”
She shrugged. “I know, but I couldn’t give you the competitive advantage because I was out for a whole week.” With a wicked grin she added, “I’ve still got a proposal and promotion to win.”
“So we’re back at it? The truce is over.” His tone was light, but there was a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking her need to go soft. The asshole, Greg, had used the same cajoling tone when he wanted to get his way. Sure, Nathaniel’s wasn’t as reedy and needy, and there was a spark of something genuine, but . . . No. I must be imagining things. Nathaniel is the ultimate competitor. Pulling out her headphones, she ignored Nathan’s stare. “One of us will be the winner. There was never a truce.”
• • •
“So where are we going again?” Tiana skipped over a crack on the uneven sidewalk. She was still uneasy about this stupid exercise Nathaniel was forcing her to do.
“We’re here.” He opened the door to what looked to be a restaurant.
She smiled, relieved that it wasn’t something wacky and in the mood for a nice dinner and a Cosmo.
Jumping when he put his hand on the small of her back, she grabbed her elbow. “We won’t be getting started for another ten minutes. Let’s grab a drink.” He steered them toward the bar and pulled out a barstool.
A young bartender with brown, spiky hair and sunglasses greeted them. “Nice perfume. Calvin Klein Euphoria?”
“Yes, it is. Good nose.”
The bartender did a mock bow. “One of my many talents. But I’m better at making drinks. What can I get for you?”
“A Cosmo for me and . . . ” She looked at Nathaniel.
“Whisky. Neat.”
“You got it.” The bartender walked away, grabbing a bottle and tossing it in the air.
“Wow. He caught that without looking,” she whispered to Nathaniel. “Wonder why he’s wearing sunglasses?”
Nathan’s shoulders shook, and he bit his lip. “All the cool kids wear sunglasses at night.”
Once the bartender served their drinks, they relaxed and discussed work, coworkers, and every other account except Fiete.
Then a petite, blond woman who reminded Tiana of a fairy walked up to Nathaniel. “Mr. Lawson, your table is ready. My name is Hannah and I, as well as Troy . . . ” She pointed to a tall geeky man behind her who also wore sunglasses. “ . . . will be your guides for the evening. Please turn off your cell phones and form a line at the door.”
“Guide?” Tiana whispered when she stood to follow them. “Why do we need a guide? And why do I have to turn off my cell phone?”
Nathan rubbed her shoulders. “Relax. Let’s just go to the line, and I’m sure they’ll explain everything.”
Scanning the room, Tiana counted around twenty patrons. She and Nathaniel were at the end of the line.
After a few minutes, Hannah raised her voice. “Welcome to Dining in the Dark. You’ll have the unique experience of dining in total darkness. I, along with the other guides who have introduced themselves, will assist you through a series of mazes that will lead you to the dining section.”
Tiana squeezed her hands into fists. “Really, Nathaniel?” she whispered. “Is this some sort of game?”
He bent down to her ear. “Shhhh,” he whispered back. “Listen to the instructions.”
Smothering her desire to smack him, she refocused her attention on the guide.
“If you can’t survive eating in the dark, there is a panic button. We also have infrared security cameras, so you are perfectly safe here. Place your right hand on the shoulder of the person in front of you, and we’ll get started.”
One by one, the line filed out. Once they entered the hallway, they were swallowed in darkness. Tiana stretched her eyes open as if widening them could make her see more clearly. Her shoulders tensed. She could hear the erratic breaths from the older woman in front of her, and the slow shuffling feet from the long line.
“We’re making a turn.” The voice of the guide echoed.
Left, right. Left, right. That’s it, T. You can do this. She’d lost count of the times her mother had forgotten to pay the electric bill. She was practically raised in the dark.
Nathaniel squeezed her shoulders. Could he sense her apprehension? She hated losing control.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve arrived at our destination. Please wait to be seated by your guides.”
Tiana took deep, measured breaths. It wouldn’t do for her to freak out and hit the panic button, wherever the hell it was. No, freaking out would give the jackass another thing to tease her about. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Instead, she would experience dining in the dark and in silence.
Nathan’s deep laughter intruded on her vengeful thoughts. “Relax and have fun with me, Peaches.”
The guide finally reached them after a few minutes. “Mr. Lawson? Party of two?”
Nathaniel didn’t answer. After a few beats, the guide asked the question again.
Fine, don’t answer. I’ll speak to her, but I’m still not speaking to you, jerk.
Tiana nodded then she slapped her forehead. “Sorry, I forgot you can’t see us. We’re the Lawson party.”
“That’s quite all right,” Hannah’s soft voice answered, humor dripping from each word. She looped her arms around Tiana’s. “Let’s get you both to your table.”
Thankfully, the table was a short walk from the hallway. Tiana waved her arms to find a chair.
“No need to wave around, ma’am. I’ll make sure you find your seat.” No missing Hannah’s amusement.
“We have a prix fixe meal this evening. I’ll return with the starters.”
“What are the appetizers?” Tiana asked.
“We don’t disclose what you are eating. We want you to be able to experience and explore the flavors of your meal. I’ll be back with your starters shortly.”
Crossing arms over her chest, Tiana slumped in her seat. No one could see, and she didn’t have the energy to feign good manners.
“Peaches, just because we can’t see, doesn’t mean we can’t speak to each other.”
Tina huffed and continued her silent treatment.
“I wish I could see you right now. I bet you’ve got your arms crossed and that bottom lip poked out, and you’re probably shooting daggers in my direction. Is that right?”
She shot him a bird. Too bad he couldn’t see that.
“Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, why not focus on what you can do?”
Nope. Not happening. Childish, yes, but she couldn’t help it. She felt stripped down, naked, and totally out of control. And who turned off cell phones in t
his day and age? What if Courtney, Casey, or Mel needed her? And what if someone tripped and knocked her over? No, she didn’t like this at all. Nathaniel knew she would hate this place, and yet he still tricked her.
“All right, then. I’ll talk, and you listen. I’ve actually been here once before. The first time was with the line brothers from my frat. Gerald has a genetic disease that was causing him to lose his sight. He knew it was coming, so he was prepared. But man, it was tough to see him go through that.”
Nathaniel paused, and she leaned in. His hypnotic, smooth-as-honey voice was even more alluring, drawing her in like a moth to a flame.
“So the brothers and I got together, told him we wanted to know what it felt like to be in his shoes, and found this place. I won’t spoil the experience for you, but I’m glad we got to do that for him. I’m not gonna lie. I almost cried like a baby after we left the restaurant. The brothers and I got to turn on the light and gain back our vision. But Gerald, no, that was his everyday life. This is ninety minutes, tops. Do you think you can relax and enjoy this experience with me?”
Well, when you put it like that . . . Tiana felt like a spoiled brat. He was sharing a beautiful and tragic piece of his life with her. She still didn’t appreciate the fact that he’d sprung this on her, but his heart was in the right place. Rolling her shoulders back, she exhaled slowly. “Yes, I can do that.”
A spoon was placed in her hand, and Tiana used the utensil to navigate the dish set in front of her. A bowl! She stirred the spoon and, with the other hand, felt the heat from the dish. Leaning in, she scooped the contents and let it slip and splatter.
A nasally sniff interrupted Tiana’s exploration. Nathaniel sounded like a bloodhound on a duck hunt. “Must you sniff so loudly?”
“Smell it. Try to figure out what it is before you taste it.”
She rolled her eyes, wishing he could see that, too. “Fine.” Leaning in, she lightly sniffed the food. “I smell pepper. It’s tickling my nose.” A tarty smell cut through the tickle. “And . . . some sort of fruit. An apple. Green apple, maybe?” She shrugged and leaned back. “What do you smell?”
“Same thing but also onions. Butter. Maybe something else dairy-based.”
“Oh! I smell it now.” Her voice rose. Their game actually intrigued her.
A clinking sound came from across the table.
“Mmm, good,” he said with an exaggerated slurp. “You can eat now. This is the second phase of the game.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re making this up as you go along, but all right.” Slowly, she lifted the spoon and leaned over the table so the soup wouldn’t splash on her blouse. The texture caught her by surprise—puree with pumpkin seeds. She tasted the flavors she’d smelled. “Butternut squash soup. I won this round.”
“We still have two more rounds. So, tell me something, Tiana . . . ”
“Anything,” she automatically answered. Her hand flew to her mouth. “Within reason, of course.”
“Of course,” his deep voice, with a hint of his Virginian roots, replied. “Why are you resistant to eating in the dark? Are you afraid?”
She shook her head. Damn, she forgot he couldn’t see her. “No, that’s not it at all.” I . . . I guess I didn’t like the idea of blindly following someone down long tunnels and eating in the dark. What if we got robbed? What if a fire broke out?”
“Mmmhmm,” he replied as if he were a psychiatrist evaluating a patient. His purposely-soothing voice raised her hackles. “You like to be in control. You like order.”
“I do.” Her tone was firm and unapologetic. “And I won’t be convinced that it’s a bad thing.”
“Being spontaneous, giving up a little control can be fun. And let’s face it, you can’t control some things that happen.”
“Oh, believe me, I know. I lived in chaos for eighteen years, and I have no plans of going back there. Having a solid plan, goals, being organized . . . ” She clapped the back of her hand to her palm to emphasize her points. “ . . . is what pulled me out of whatever hovel Katherine had us living in. It’s what got me a full scholarship to high school and college. It’s what made me able to raise my twin siblings into capable young adults.” Her voice rose at the end.
She knew this game he was playing. Confess her deep-rooted fears and secrets in the cover of darkness. She wasn’t one of his airheaded bimbos.
“Nice try, by the way, Dr. Lawson. Trying to get me to tell my life story. Lucky for you, I don’t shy away from my humble beginnings. We all aren’t fortunate enough to grow up with silver spoons in our mouths.”
He didn’t respond, but the heat of his anger was palpable. Hot, tangible, and searing. His anger flooded her senses and left a sour taste in her mouth.
“Just because I grew up in money doesn’t mean I grew up happy. Money can’t buy love. And nannies, as nice and kind as they were, don’t replace the love of a mother.”
That sour taste must have been the foot in her mouth. She needed to make it right. “The homemade soup you made me—your father taught you, right? So you had at least one parent there for you.”
He sighed, and the wave of anger receded. She relaxed; relieved his mood had lightened.
“Yeah, but Renita was set on keeping us apart. They divorced when I was five. Pops remarried, and she hated that. She would always say some snide remark about my father and his new wife Martha. My stepmom couldn’t have kids, and my mother had a field day with that.”
Light steps interrupted their conversation. “Your dinner,” Hannah announced.
Tiana immediately recognized the smell. “Fish.” She wanted to hear about his family, not play another guessing game. Despite her growing up in poverty and Nathaniel growing up in wealth, they’d had a similar upbringing. She knew the feeling of not being loved enough by her mother. A few weeks ago, she would’ve scoffed at the idea that they had something in common. But she could hear the anger and pain in his voice, and it chafed her skin. This was a man deeply wounded by the woman who was supposed to protect him. To teach him how to love and be loved by a woman. Is this the reason why he’s a womanizer? But he had his Pops.
“Tell me about your dad.”
“My dad, he . . . he’s the best. Came to every school function, game, and award ceremony. He’s the best person I know.”
Conversation seamlessly flowed throughout dinner and dessert.
Tiana scooped the berry cobbler, and the sweet tasty juices burst free on her tongue. “I have to admit, tonight was . . . ”
“Amazing. Life changing. Dare you say, fun?”
“Meh. It was cool.”
He didn’t answer, but she did hear a long exhale of breath.
“Fine. It was all of the above. There. Happy?”
“Ecstatic, Peaches.”
Chapter Twelve
Tiana meandered through the maze of chaos at the video shoot, proud that her team had selected the perfect location to execute her creative concepts. The agency had rented out a warehouse located in the gentrified Meatpacking District in Manhattan.
Busy shoppers bustling around the high-end retail district would never guess a million-dollar commercial shoot with superstar Jake Ross was taking place. The gleaming, fire red T-8 had been lifted in from the back dock and was now in the middle of the warehouse floor. “Tiana!” A familiar and much-welcomed voice called from behind her. Charlotte, a close friend and Damien’s media coordinator at his non-profit, hugged her close. “This looks amazing.” Charlotte spun around, bouncing with energy. “I’m so glad you invited me to shadow you and all your awesomeness today.”
Tiana grinned; remembering the devious plan she and Melanie had hatched a week ago to get Charlotte out of her Saran-wrapped shell. When Melanie and Jake faked their relationship, Melanie had discovered Charlotte’s crush on the rising baseball star. “Of course, Charlotte. As a media coordinator, you will most likely work with celebrities that volunteer with Refurbished Dreams. Things might get crazy, but holler if you have a questio
n.” She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned.
“Tiana.” Jake towered over her at six foot four. She stole a glance at her flustered friend who smoothed her burnt orange dress, then clasped her hand behind her back.
“Jake the Great.” Tiana did a mock curtsy.
“Aww, you gotta tell ya girl Mel to stop calling me that.”
“I’ve seen you play and I must say you are living up to the name.” Tiana jerked her head toward a squirming Charlotte. Damn, that girl needed to take a chill pill. “And I’m sure you know Ms. Charlotte Jones.”
“Yeah. Damien’s secretary, right?”
Charlotte’s smile slipped a mile. “I’m the media coordinator at Refurbished Dreams. Before then, I worked with Damien on your account for over a year.”
Tiana had expected Charlotte’s response to be hard and cutting, but it was soft and wounded. He really had no idea who she was. “Anyway.” Tiana clapped her hands, done with the disastrous matchmaking. “Let’s get you into makeup. The shoot starts in an hour.”
Jake nodded and turned to leave.
Tiana gave Charlotte a warm smile, trying not to give away her knowledge of her friend’s misguided heart. “Follow me, young Padawan.” Tiana wanted to say patience you must have, especially with the notorious baseball player, but Charlotte would have to learn the lesson of love on her own.
• • •
Jake stepped into the vehicle and, on cue, smiled and winked into the rearview mirror. Tiana frowned, drumming fingers over her mouth. She couldn’t quite place it, but something was off. She turned to Charlotte to get her opinion, but her starry-eyed friend was licking her chops like a lion on the Discovery Channel.
Then Tiana heard a deep voice. “You look uncomfortable, man. Do a chin lift in the mirror instead of winking.”
Her fingers dug into her palms when she recognized the voice belonged to Nathaniel. Tiana swung around, hands on her hips.
With a natural swagger, Nathaniel gave Tiana and Charlotte a two-finger salute and strode to the director.
Tiana felt her jaw unhinge as she took in the scene. Nathaniel, who was now talking to the director and Jake, pointed to the car and re-enacted his stupid chin bob.