by Amy Isan
“Where are we going?”
He took a left turn. “A little sushi place that opened up about a year ago. Since it opened, that’s been my go-to for lunch whenever I’m here.”
“Oh, so nothing you haven’t taken any girls to before?”
He shook his head, “No, you’re the first to see this little secret.”
The radio was on, playing some smooth jazz. That must have been new too.
“You obviously don’t live here, or you wouldn’t have a rental.”
“I visit often. I get a lot of time off work, so it’s nice to come see something that isn’t the desert. We’re here.”
He parked the car, and I looked out the window to see what I was getting myself into. A small wooden sign hung from the side of the building, “Super Sushi,” specials were on posters on the outside.
“‘Super Sushi’? Sounds... interesting.”
“Shush, you’ll see.” We climbed out of the car and I followed him inside. He had his guard up, which was interesting.
The golden band on his ring finger was still bothering me too.
We sat at the sushi bar. Surrounding the chef’s preparation area was a moat with little wooden boats lazily gliding across the water. The lone chef was just getting started at slicing and dicing. It was odd being shoulder to shoulder with Hugh, rather than face to face.
I picked up my menu and stared at it, hard. My lack of hunger made it almost impossible to think of food. I thought maybe I could peek over at Hugh’s menu, but he hadn’t touched it.
“Cay —,” he said, touching my shoulder. I lowered my menu and sighed.
“God. You’re the only one who I’ve ever let call me that. You know that don’t you?” I felt a lump in my chest, this tightening.
“Really?” he looked amused. He pointed at the little wooden boats in the moat, “You don’t have to order anything, this is a sushi plate restaurant. They charge you per plate. They float down on these boats and you just pick whatever you want.”
“Oh,” I set my menu down, and looked at the floating boats. The chef started placing plates on the boats, and they drifted around the center island with a kind of lazy air. That’s when I noticed we were the only people in the restaurant.
Hugh took a plate and set it down. He startled me when he cracked open his chopsticks.
“You actually use those?” I asked.
“Of course! I have to keep my skill up. Who knows if I end up on some desert island without forks?”
I frowned. I didn’t know how to use chopsticks. I guess I’d be screwed on a desert island. Hopefully there were forks buried in the sand or something.
“So, Cay,” he began. That nick name only sounded good coming from him. “What brings you back to Maine? You said it was a long story, but now we have time. I’d like to hear about it.”
I smiled, even though I wanted to die inside. Admitting to him that I flunked out of college seemed like the least attractive thing I could do. I took my own plate of sushi. Picking it up with my fingers, I tried to ignore the chopsticks next to me.
I eyes grew wide. “This is really good!” I said, my mouth full. Hugh laughed in a way that made his eyes twinkle. I caught myself, covering my mouth with my hand and trying not to laugh.
I swallowed, and realized he was patiently waiting for my reply.
I braced myself. “I lost a scholarship.” He ate one of his pieces of sushi, nodding in response. “So I had to come home, for a little while at least.” That’s it?
He swallowed hard, waving his hand as if it was too hot. I chuckled again, feeling my cheeks turn red. “You’re here visiting your dad.” He nodded again, taking another plate of sushi off one of the passing boats. “What do you do for work?”
He raised his eyebrows, intrigued. “You want to know?” He ate another roll of sushi. I was losing ground fast, he already had three empty plates stacked.
I took a plate off the next boat and dipped the sushi in soy sauce this time. It was just as good.
“I work for Silver Energy in Nevada.” He chewed quietly, “I was interning there, and they hired me on. That was...” he looked up, counting. “Four years ago?”
“You must be doing pretty well if you can come visit Maine all the time. Nevada isn’t exactly next door.”
“I do well enough, that’s right.” His eyes followed the boats, before meeting my eyes. I felt like I should look away, like I was staring at the sun.
He grinned, and pointed at my hand. It felt gross and sticky, so I was hovering my hand over the bar. “Do you not know how to use chopsticks?”
I frowned, shaking my head. “Those stupid instructions on the package never worked for me. Unless it has a rubber band on it, I can’t do it.”
“I guess you’ll just die on that island then.” He took another bite, working his chopsticks like an extension of his hand.
I frowned. “I’m sure I’ll be able to find a fork or just use my hands.”
Hugh leaned close, and whispered into my ear. His breath was warm, and it tickled my neck. “You have to have some dignity. I’ll teach you.”
He reached across my empty plates and took my chopsticks, his cologne wafting up and meeting me. It was like getting a whiff of pure nostalgia, the kind that makes you wish you never had to leave.
He opened the package and cracked the sticks apart. “Here, give me your hand. You’re left handed right?” I nodded, lifting my hand to meet his.
His warm hand squeezed mine gently, or was that my imagination making my heart race faster than it should have? He put the sticks between my index finger and thumb. “Okay, now imagine you’re just pinching something.” I squeezed my hand and the sticks slipped out.
He picked them up and put them back in my hand, holding his over mine. “Okay, I’ll guide you now,” he placed his hand over mine again.
“Hold the bottom one steady, like it’s nestled right in that crack at the base of your thumb.” He demonstrated with his free hand.
“Then slowly pinch the top, guiding it with your index,” his hand teased my finger, slowly coaxing a lifting motion out of me. The tips met on the chopsticks.
“Now try.”
He let go of me, and I felt like gasping. I aimed my chopsticks, carefully hugging the sushi roll.
I squeezed, watching nervously, and was able to pick it up. My grip was too tight, and I pulled the roll apart, the pieces falling onto the plate. I laughed.
“Oh my god! I had just given up on that! I can’t believe you were able to teach me. No one else could before.”
He smiled, picking up his own sticks. I followed his eyes, and caught them flicking across my body.
“So listen,” he said. I turned to him, still feeling drunk off my success and his scent. “I’m only going to be in town for until tomorrow morning, so I wanted to see if you were free tonight?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Tonight? Well...” I thought about what that might entail. I glanced at this wedding band again.
He noticed. “I promise I’m not married. I’ll tell you the story, but not yet. It takes a lot out of me.”
I nodded. “Does this place have any Sake?”
“Sake? You want some?” he asked. “I suppose we could have a little lunch warmth, sounds good to me. What do you like?”
“Anything, I’ve never really had it. It sounds fun.”
He waved to the chef and ordered some sake for us, as a little lunch cap.
When the sake came, it was in two steaming glasses, about the size of tea cups. Hugh handed me mine, and took his in his hand.
He nodded and we cheered each other. “To a renewed life.”
“To a renewed life,” I repeated. We clinked the cups together, and brought them to our lips simultaneously.
I stared at Hugh over the steaming cup of sweet alcohol, a smile flashing across his lips before we drank. I was in for a ride wasn’t I?
***
After lunch, we ended up going back to his hotel. After h
earing about his job, I shouldn’t have been surprised when he handed his car key to the valet of the biggest and classiest hotel in town.
He nodded to the door man as we stepped inside. As I followed him to the elevators, I only got a quick glance at how the lobby looked. My throat felt tight, and my hands were shaking. It was like my eyes were just fixed on his back, on making sure I didn’t somehow lose him, or that he didn’t disappear if I looked away for too long. Am I rushing into this? What does he expect to get from me?
I watched him, thinking maybe I might somehow figure it all out. He gave me a funny look.
“What’s going on? You look a little white.”
I shook my head and waved his concern away. He called for the elevator, while I found myself staring at my reflection in the golden doors.
I kept my eyes fixed on my reflection. “You aren’t staying with your dad?” I asked.
“I don’t want to inconvenience him. He downsized after I went to college and there isn’t any room for me. Besides, it’s better to sleep in a company-paid suite than a fold out couch, you know?” He scratched his neck.
I nodded, trying to imagine if my parents didn’t have room for me anymore. I’d be on a couch, that was for sure. Not even a fold out.
We stepped into the elevator, and he swiped his keycard into the panel. The highest button lit up, simply titled “PH”. I stared, he wasn’t kidding.
I stared at the button, long after he pulled his finger away. The elevator jerked upward, and I found my tongue drying up. “Do you think Penthouse magazine is named after a Penthouse Suite, or is it the other way around?”
He laughed. “I don’t know, I guess I’ve never thought about it before.”
“Do they do photo shoots in a Penthouse, or do all the stories start with ‘I never thought this would happen to me... especially in a Penthouse suite.’” I was being ridiculous, my own delirium getting the better of me.
He laughed a little. “Maybe... that’s very interesting...”
I cracked a smile. “Are you already crafting your story?”
He shook his head, a grin on his face “Oh no. Of course not.”
The doors opened into his suite. I had never seen anything like it before. While I never thought I was poor or neglected, I suddenly realized how different everything was when you were rich. The expanse of the room was almost too much. A vaulted ceiling, with criss-crossed wooden beams. A ceiling fan graced the uppermost eaves. Shiny and glossy tile coated the floor between the bedroom and the bathroom, where a claw-foot tub and shower were hiding.
The living room had two velvet couches staring at a huge TV, which could be hidden inside the entertainment wall. Wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded the living room, which almost gave me vertigo just standing at the entrance from the elevator.
He took off his shoes and wandered into the bedroom. I kicked off my pumps as well. I traced his footsteps, taking the time to calm myself.
In the bedroom, he was leaning against the railing on the balcony, overlooking the city below. I looked around the room. The bed frame wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen in a hotel before. Intricate wrought-iron curled around the headboard. It had to be locally made.
I made a face, moving toward Hugh. He must’ve sensed me come up next to him. He put his arm around me, surprising me.
“This city is beautiful, don’t you think?” he asked. As he stared over the horizon, the glare catching his eyes, I studied him. “I always look forward to coming here, especially in the spring.” He pointed toward the same row of trees that I saw blooming when I came into town. He squeezed me against his chest.
I stared across the landscape, trying to make myself like it. “I guess I’ve never thought of a city as beautiful before...” As the words left me, I felt his eyes fix on me.
“Although,” he reached for me to face him, his frosty eyes penetrating me. He smiled. “I am here with you, and that’s the real treasure.” My mouth parted, maybe subconsciously. He cupped his hand against my neck, and held my head, leaning in.
My heart felt like it was going to explode, the loud and incessant pounding of blood against my ears was growing unbearable. His lips met mine, tentatively at first. Then our eagerness got the better of us. I clasped my hands behind his back, pulling him toward me, his mouth parting to meet mine. His tongue slicked against mine, and our bodies intertwined.
I pulled away from him, withdrawing. “I don’t know, Hugh.”
He breathed hard, “Don’t know what?”
“If we should be doing this. I just — don’t know what you’re expecting from me.” I looked away from him, over the balcony. “Do you even remember us dating?”
He stepped closer to me. “Of course I do. Why would you even ask?” He ran his hand behind my back and pulled me close to him. His body heat curling into me and making me melt. “Homecoming, senior year for me. I couldn’t believe how stunning you were in that dress.”
“So you do remember. What about our breakup?”
“What about it? That doesn’t matter anymore.”
I nodded slightly, seeing his point. Still, I couldn’t shake feeling nervous. Maybe it was because he still hadn’t said a thing about his ring. He leaned in and kissed me again, making me forget what I was even worrying about.
I let myself collapse into his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck as he groped me through my shirt.
Not letting go of each other, we stumbled back over the threshold back into the bedroom. We fell onto the bed, and he only released me to catch his breath.
He started unbuttoning his shirt. I stopped him, pushing his hand out of the way and undoing them myself. A kind of fire flickered in his eyes, a kind I hadn’t ever seen before, but that I understood.
I finished, moving my hand up and pulling the shirt off his shoulders, exposing his bare skin to me. I rushed to meet it with my lips, kissing his broad shoulders and strong chest.
He was stronger than he I remembered. Time had certainly treated his body well. I was nervous that he might think the opposite of me. He pushed me over, tracing the same kisses on my body that I had left on his.
“Your stubble,” I restrained myself from kicking him. “It tickles!”
“Good,” he said. He kissed my cheeks, leaving me blushing under each press of his lips.
He tossed my legs aside and ran his hand down my shirt, cupping one of my breasts. I reached up and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him toward me. Another kiss, accented with heavy breathing.
He reached his hand behind my back, threatening to unclip my bra. I moved to block him, still too jittery to let him go that far.
“Not yet, I’m — ” I whispered.
He finished my thought, “It’s okay. I understand.” He clasped my shoulder instead, diving in for another long kiss. The afternoon light filtering in through the windows, his body casting a shadow on my face.
I drank him in, savoring that flavor I had missed for so long. That all encompassing serenity I felt when I was with him. How did I ever compare that to anything else?
I pushed him away from me, trying to catch my breath. He was winded too, our bodies still glowing from our sudden reunion. His pants bulged with eagerness, but I knew I wasn’t quite ready for him yet.
He didn’t seem as disappointed as I thought he would be. I threaded my fingers in my hair, trying to fix it.
“I’m sorry. It’s a lot to take in... running back into each other.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “No. don’t apologize. It’s a lot for me too.”
As we regained our composures, I realized how hungry I was. Sushi was good, but not as filling as it was made out to be. My stomach rumbled, and I instinctively clutched it.
Hugh smirked a little. “Should we order room service?”
I let out a gasp. “Room service! I’ve never had had room service, ever.” He laughed as he pulled out the menu from the night stand. It was in a huge binder. After we put in our orders, we
talked to pass the time.
I pointed at his wedding band. “When am I going to hear the story about this?”
“Soon.” I could tell he was being as honest with me as he could be. “Listen, I know you probably think that I’m cheating on my wife with you right now, but trust me, I’m not.”
“I know. I do.” I surprised myself at how nonchalant I was being. When I first saw the ring, my mind burned with questions. But just being here with him, I felt like everything might be okay.
He exhaled and looked out the balcony window. After a moment of thinking, he spoke. “Come back to Reno with me. My flight leaves tomorrow, and I can get you on that plane.”
“Are you serious?” I sat up in the bed, my interest piqued.
“I am dead serious. What have you got going on here anyway?”
I didn’t answer. I thought about my parents, and about Aaron.
“If you want. Just think about it. Worst case is I’ll just take you back home tomorrow. If you want to come, you can grab your things there, and we’ll head straight for the airport.”
I nodded as the doorbell rang. I rolled over in disbelief that he had a doorbell, watching him dash to the elevator to let the waiter in.
As we ate, I tossed the thought around in my mind. Going to Reno with Hugh? I just met him for the first time in years... was it a mistake? Or was it fate?
I guess there was only one way to find out.
After finishing up dinner, we ended up watching some bad television. I was cuddled up next to him on the bed, pillows propping us up.
As our faces glowed with laughter and he teased my socked feet with his toes, I knew that I had to go back with him. What was the worst that could happen? Sometime after midnight, I fell asleep, my hands clutching Hugh’s chest.
***
A movement on the bed woke me up. I opened my eyes and saw Hugh slipping out from under the sheets, throwing his legs out. He turned and looked at me, a brief smile crossing his lips.
I groaned, shielding my eyes with my arm. “What time is it?” I asked.
“About seven in the morning. We have to make some extra time if we’re going to pick your things up from your house— ” he suddenly hesitated.