Reye's Gold (Indigo)

by Robinson, Ruthie

  Dallas, huh? What were the chances of running into him, anyway? She hadn’t heard from him, even after the breakup. Well, in all fairness, she didn’t know if he’d tried to call or not. She had thrown her SIM card away and later traded her number for a new one. She hadn’t wanted to run the risk of calling and begging him to come back to her; once had been enough. Looking back at that day still caused her to wince in pain.

  The problem with cell phones was that you didn’t really have to learn anyone’s number anymore. After the cell was gone, she’d regretted not memorizing his number, but it had saved him from her. She could laugh now about driving by his apartment, driving by the law school in hopes of seeing him, but it wasn’t funny at the time.

  Apparently it had been just about sex for him. To be fair to him, he’d never told her he loved her. He never lied to her by promising her anything. She still loved him, though, she didn’t lie to herself about that. She was still angry, but at least the urge to see him had dwindled. She put the invitation on the bulletin board behind her back and put the date into her phone.

  She wasn’t going to Dallas alone, that was for damn sure. The chance of running into him was small, but she could use the company nonetheless. She thought of calling Joe, but Joe had a girlfriend now. Actually, Joe had numerous girlfriends, too many for her to keep up with. Reye and Joe had become good friends, united in the purpose of making sure Shane stayed on track.

  She could always call Sam, who held her when she cried, dragged her out of the house to the movies, played soccer with her, and had even been willing to go to the mall, which he hated with a passion. He’d seen her at her worst, and she trusted him.

  She picked up her phone and dialed.

  “Hey, baby girl.” She liked that the men in her life called her that; it made her feel loved, and, since Stephen, she had needed mucho love.

  “Hello, big brother,” she responded, looking out of the window again. “You won’t believe this, but because of my work here with the kids, I was nominated for an award for outstanding volunteer in Texas.”

  “Why wouldn’t I believe that?” he asked. “Even I’ve noticed how hard you been working on behalf of those little rugrats.”

  “Well, I am to be honored, along with others like me in Dallas, at this ball. I don’t want to go by myself. Would you go with me?” She hoped she sounded upbeat. “It’s on December 23, and I know you aren’t teaching then. Plus I feel an obligation to help the women in Austin get a break from you and your infinite charms.”

  “I’m sure they appreciate your efforts on their behalf.” He chuckled. His voice changed from playful to serious. “Dallas, huh?”

  “Yeah, Dallas. I’m a big girl, Sam, or at least I’ve learned to be.” She knew where he was going with this line of questioning. “And anyways, Dallas is a big city. I’m sure I’m not in the same social circles as Stephen, and I can’t imagine him attending a charity event. I’m good. I just wanted someone to hang with. I didn’t want to attend as the hard worker for kids, the girl who is giving her life up for her career. You know the one, with no life as evidenced by her lack of a date or significant other.”

  “Have you told Mom and Dad?”

  “Nope, you’re the first. I’m calling them next. I am going to downplay it. I don’t want them to get worked up over it.”

  “Well, they are proud of you, and, in case I’ve forgotten to say it, so am I. You had me worried there for a while, but you pulled it together, so yes, I will be your escort to your prom.” She could hear the laughter in his voice.

  “Thanks. I’ll call you back with more details. See you soon.”

  Chapter 15

  Stephen leaned back against the kitchen sink, sipping from a bottle of water, his reward for having cleaned his apartment today. He was proud of the progress he’d made in his life over the last few weeks. That disastrous fight with his mom and the subsequent talk with his dad had allowed him to lance a wound he’d kept hidden from himself. One he’d created. Slowly, finally, he’d started to get his life back on track, now studying for the bar exam, running daily to get his body back in shape, and working at his dad’s law firm. With a bit of luck, he might just have a chance with Reye again.

  He remained standing in the kitchen, taking in the changes recently made to it and to the rest of his apartment. It had started one day a few weeks ago with a simple cleaning. He needed to bring order to chaos. Other more basic needs followed. Finding something clean to wear turned into purchasing a washer and dryer so he could wash clothes. Finding something to eat led to stocking the refrigerator with something other than beer, and growing tired of take-out required cooking, which required dishes, pots, and pans. He also broke down and bought some more furniture. He’d had some shopping to do.

  As a way to spend time with his mom, seeking to mend the rift that he’d created between them, he’d let her drag him all over town looking for furniture. They’d fought initially over where they would shop. His mom with her high-end taste and money to match wanted to pay for everything, but he’d refused, needing the autonomy that came from paying for his own things, being his own man. So they’d agreed to a moderately priced store that offered good quality furniture, preferably wood with clean, simple lines.

  He acquiesced over the accessorizing. He didn’t get the need for it, nor did he care. He picked out only one item for himself, a frame to hold a picture of him and Reye taken at the second soccer game played between their teams. In the picture, a smiling Reye stood with her foot on the ball, leaning into his chest, trying to move around him. He, with a matching grin, stood behind her, his hands on her hips. Using your hands was illegal in soccer, but he hadn’t cared. He was supposed to have been guarding her, preventing her from moving up field. A member of Reye’s team had captured the shot and had given it to her. He’d taken it, intending to make a copy, but had never gotten around to giving it back. Prior to the frame purchase, he’d kept it in the drawer of his nightstand, taking it out when he was alone and feeling sorry for himself. Now it was framed and prominently displayed next to his bed. He’d moved his box of condoms to the drawer, where they would remain for now. He’d chosen to forego sex for a while. As much as he wanted the release that a woman could offer, they weren’t the body that he craved. So, until he’d resolved this thing with Reye, either to put a period to the end of them or to move forward if she were willing, he would remain celibate.

  Finishing his water, he threw the bottle into the recycle bin and walked over to the couch and sat. He found a basketball game on TV and leaned back, lifting his feet to the ottoman in front of him, relaxed and more content than he’d felt in a long, long, time.

  * * *

  Saturday morning a week later found Stephen nearing the end of his morning jog, mentally compiling a Christmas list, bemoaning the hurried passage of the holiday season. Christmas was but a few days away, catching him unprepared. No time today either for the mall. Maybe tomorrow, he thought. The next destination after his run would be to the office for a couple of hours and then on to join his dad and a client in the afternoon for a round of golf. His day would end with his required attendance tonight at a charitable gala the firm had purchased tables for or underwritten, he wasn’t sure of the details. No getting out of that; he was still in make-up mode with his parents.

  Actually a large part of the trust and estate business required schmoozing, getting to know the players in Dallas, building relationships. So, going forward, he would be expected to attend balls, dances, dinners, parties, dinner parties, and golf, endless golf. Golf he could do. Although it wasn’t his best sport, he wasn’t a shankapotamus either. He’d grown up in one of the older country clubs in Dallas, and his parents held memberships at one more.

  One more block and he was done, finally. He stopped outside of his apartment building, catching his breath and looking around him, taking in others who were running, walking, or heading to the neighborhood Starbucks for a different kind of pick-me-up. He caught the eye of se
veral women while running who had thrown smiles his way.

  Opening the main door of his apartment building, he looked into the face of Henri, who appeared to be leaving. Henri’s face looked into his, undergoing several changes before settling on wariness. He looked like someone not sure where the next punch would land. Stephen had become familiar with that expression lately, having seen it on quite a few of his friends’ faces.

  “Dude,” he said. “How’ve you been?”

  “Fine,” Henri responded, stepping away from the door and moving toward a less active place on the sidewalk.

  “Do you live around here?” Stephen ran through his memory for any recollections of the last time he’d seen Henri. More importantly, Stephen wondered what he had said that warranted this cool response from his former roommate and best friend.

  “No, I was here visiting a friend.”

  “Oh, I purchased an apartment here. Didn’t know if you knew that.”

  “Yeah, I did,” Henri said, offering nothing further. Stephen chuckled a little. “So, let me apologize for my behavior, whenever it occurred. I don’t remember the specifics, but I do know that I haven’t been in a good place for a while. So I’m sure I’ve said something to you that I need to apologize for. My bad, man, it wasn’t meant to harm you. It seems that I’ve said something to hurt just about everyone I care about.” He extended his hand again to Henri.

  Henri’s expression cleared, a smile forming on his lips as he reached to accept Stephen’s hand. Stephen pulled him in for a hug. “I’m sorry, you were always a good friend of mine, I still consider you one,” he said. “What have you been up to?”

  “Nothing much, working at my dad’s business, starting from ground up. How about you?”

  “I’m studying for the bar exam finally, working for my dad, too, and, as you can see, or more likely smell, I’m trying to get in shape again.”

  “Hey, I’m glad for you. You had me worried for a while, I’m glad you’re back.”

  “Me, too,” he said, smiling.

  * * *

  Reye finished the final touches to her makeup and stood back to look at herself. Sam was waiting for her in the living room. As a treat they’d upgraded their room to a suite, two bedrooms and one sitting room.

  Perfect, she thought, examining herself in the mirror. The dress she’d purchased fit like a second skin, made perfectly for her athletic body. It a long white column with silver undertones, the color contrasting beautifully against the brown of her skin. Her locks, which she’d always worn short, shined and sparkled tonight, framing her face. She’d borrowed some of her mother’s dangling diamond earrings and a pair of silver high-heeled sandals, lifting her six-foot frame higher. Reye had practiced walking in them, wanting to feel comfortable and not like some little girl playing dress-up in her mother’s shoes. “You clean up well,” she said to the mirror, turning at the sound of knocking at the door. Opening it for Sam, she absorbed his reaction. It was a salve for her bruised psyche. She appreciated a positive male response, even if it was from her brother.

  “Wow, you look fantastic,” he said, walking into the room and taking her hands in his. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” She stepped closer to him and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Let’s go,” she said, grabbing her purse, making sure she had her room key. She followed him out of the room, and they stepped on to the elevators to take them downstairs to the ballroom. The gala coordinator had wanted the honorees to arrive early to be seated at the head tables, located front and center.

  * * *

  Stephen sat in his car, knee-deep in a long line of other expensive cars waiting for the valet to reach them, regretting his decision not to park the car himself in the hotel’s parking garage. It would have been faster. The golf outing earlier had lasted longer than he’d anticipated, forcing him to rush to be here on time. He had not looked forward to this evening.

  Finally a young valet, decked out in the required dress of black pants and white shirt, stood outside, opening the door for him to exit. “Good evening, sir,” he piped, all energy as he handed a valet stub to Stephen, who’d slipped out of the car, removed his tux jacket from the back seat and slid it on. Stephen walked through the hotel’s doors.

  This was one of the more exclusive hotels in town, and, as he’d expected, it was very much understated, adopting the less-is-more philosophy. He entered the doors and spotted a group of women who, judging by their attire, were headed in the same direction as he. All were attractive and about his age, dressed to appeal to the available men attending. Their gowns cuddled their bodies, laying open some very nice assets to those interested in assessing. He received a few sly and shy smiles, which he politely returned. He wanted in and out of this gig, the quicker the better.

  Outside the main ballroom doors, two long tables covered in white floor-length tablecloths waited for guests to receive their table assignments. Seated behind the tables were four ladies about his mother’s age. The three girls in front of him were helped first, and he walked over to the last woman. She was dressed in a sequined blue number that covered her arms and neck, reminding him of that woman who was in Mad Money. She smiled and looked up at him. “May I help you?”

  “Yes, I am Stephen Stuart with Stuart & Stuart law firm,” he said politely.

  She took a moment to locate the firm’s name. “You are at table six,” she said, handing him a program.

  “Thank you,” he said, smiling. He proceeded to the entry doors leading into the ballroom. It was opened by a hostess, a young woman with red lips and an equally red dress. A beauty, she was a slim brunette with enhanced breasts, and he’d seen enough to know. She looked him over and smiled, her eyes signaling to him that she thought he was her match in the beauty department. He was. He returned that smile and followed her to his table, which was located in the front of the room. What was the point of underwriting these events if you couldn’t be seen as the great benefactors that you were? And you couldn’t do that from the tables located in the back. He looked over and nodded to his parents, who were seated at the first of two tables reserved for his firm. The second table held two empty chairs, for him and a date, which he hadn’t found and didn’t bring. He thanked the beauty in red and sat down, smiling in acknowledgement at those seated at the table with him.

  In the front of the room, two tables extended from each side of the podium. He supposed that was the seating for the honorees. An older lady, dressed in a black sequined gown trimmed in black fur around the neck, stood at the podium in front, talking, providing the audience with the reason for being here tonight. He sat back, his gaze moving around, taking in the ballroom, amazed. Every table was full. He was surprised by the popularity of events like these. He’d expected less. Christmas was only two days away; perhaps the size of the crowd was due to the holidays and related festivities. This was one form of entertainment, not his preference, but he’d admit that the food was probably excellent, the drinks were free, and the company rich.

  Stephen turned his attention back to the woman speaking. “We are here to honor the outstanding volunteers of Texas. They have been nominated by their respective organizations for exhibiting heart and dedication to their causes and for persevering long after the lights are turned out.” Stephen glanced briefly over the honorees located to the left of the speaker, his inspection interrupted by the waiters delivering the salad course. The speaker continued. “Our first honoree is younger than most, having just received her teaching degree from the university.” Catcalls filled the air as the crowd cheered; they all loved the university. Waiting until the room was again quiet, she continued. “Reye Jackson has been nominated by the East River Community Center, where she has worked tirelessly with their after-school program. Her biggest accomplishment was the start up of a new and unique approach to their summer care program. I would like you to stand with me as I invite Reye to join me at the podium.”

  Reye stood up and walked over to join the speaker. “Let’s give Reye
an applause that demonstrates our appreciation of what she has done for children in Austin, Texas.”

  Shocked and stunned, Stephen stared, standing up to clap along with everyone else, not really aware of doing so. She was beautiful, better than he’d committed to memory. Her hair was still short and spiky, but she seemed taller. Heels, he guessed. The body he’d spent the better part of a year getting to know was still perfect. Her smile knocked the air from his lungs, sucker-punched him, leaving him shaken and dazed. He sat down before the others had finished clapping. Smiling, she moved to stand in front of the podium, adjusting the mike to accommodate her height, and said confidently, her smile huge, eyes shining, “Thank you for this wonderful honor. Believe me, if you all were given the chance to work with these kids, it would be you instead of me on the receiving end of this award tonight. Those kids make you believe that anything is possible, and if it isn’t, you feel compelled to do all within your power to make it so. They have been my saviors, and I love them tremendously. Thank you again.” She held the plaque up and smiled, stepping away from the podium.

  The speaker said, “Please, let’s give one more round of applause for Ms. Jackson.” Stephen remained seated, his eyes following her as she moved back to her seat, and moved over to the person, male, seated next to her. It was Sam, whose eyes met his with a look that was sharp enough to cut glass. Stephen didn’t blame him, recalling Sam’s talk to him months before on the soccer field about Reye. He understood the anger he saw in her brother’s eyes. He deserved it. His gaze swung back to Reye, who was now looking down, reading the plaque. Either she didn’t know he was here, or she wanted to avoid him.

  He was slightly aware of the waiter removing the salads and placing the main course before him. His mind now scattered, he wondered what he should do. He needed to talk to her, but how? What would he say? Thoughts ran like ants in search of food through his mind. Shit, he planned on going to Austin, talking to her in private, not here in front of all these people, but he didn’t want her to leave without talking to her. God, he’d missed her. All of the unsettled feelings from the past six months hit him, surprising him with their force. He sat back against his chair, tugging at the tie at his neck, needing to breathe.