Dreams of Reality

by Sylvia Hubbard

  “Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever met your fiancé.”

  “Oh I know you’ve been so busy and he doesn’t like visiting me on the job.”

  “Well, we’re going to have to arrange for me to see him one day before the wedding. How about I treat you to dinner?”

  “That seems fine. I thought maybe a home cooked meal would be so much better.”

  He perked up for this idea. “That would be excellent. At your mother’s?”

  Trisha laughed. “I’ll see what I can squeeze into your calendar. Have a good night sir.”

  When she was gone, he returned to his pondering. After a few moments, another knock came to his door.

  “Thad, it’s me,” a soft voice came.

  At first he thought it was Skye, but disappointment set in quickly as Nicole Anderson peeked in. Stepping in the office closing the door, Nicole looked well. Being a fashion model, she was downright gorgeous and with a flair for life unlike Thaddeus.

  She knew what she wanted in life when it came to the personal side, but Thaddeus thought it had been too much for him. After six months of going steady, Nicole was ready for marriage and had begun to make plans behind his back. Matter of fact, he discovered their intentions one month away from the date by an invitation shown to him by a business associate. He couldn’t believe her audacity, and it infuriated him to know she went so far in planning for a marriage he had never asked for. He broke off the relationship and decided he needed a rest.

  “How’s it going, Thad?” she asked.

  He tried to look happy to see her, but conquering a smile for her sake was too difficult. His lips gave a grim look. “Fine. How have you been?”

  “Perfect. I just thought to stop by because of your birthday.”

  “It’s not until this Saturday.”

  “I know, but unfortunately I will be in Paris and I don’t think I will be back in the states on time.” She stealthily moved to the desk and slid on a corner near him making sure he saw plenty of thighs as she purposely pulled up her skirt. “I thought we could celebrate early.”

  ‘“I don’t think that’s possible. I’m busy,” he lied.

  Nicole looked around the dimly lit office seeing there was nothing in front of him such as paperwork or even a file folder. His desk was clean and she could have sworn when she peeked in before saying something he had been daydreaming. Her tone became annoyed. “Busy doing what Thad? Working? All work and no play makes you a very dull boy.”

  “I like dull. I like simple. That’s too much for you.”

  “It’s not. Come on Thad.” She pouted seductively wrapping her arms around his neck. “One night for good old times. We can celebrate all night for no reason at all. You’ll enjoy every moment of it, I promise.”

  He moved her arms from around his neck. “I don’t think that will be possible, Nicole. I am honored by the thought that you would consider me.” Thaddeus stood to make his presence known that he was not pleased with her behavior. “I think it is time for me to go home.”

  Gathering his briefcase and laptop brief, he headed for the door. Even if his bedroom brought back too many memories, he would rather sit there and mope about Skye and the “Case” than to be in Nicole’s presence any longer than he had too.

  Nicole disappointedly followed him out the offices to the elevator. When they stepped on the elevator together, she whirled around to him with her hands on her slim hips. “So I guess that means no?” There was a lot of hurt and pain her voice, which she had tried not to show on her face.

  Thaddeus pushed the button to go down to the parking level where he was parked. “It’s been no since my business associate and my best friend showed me their wedding invitations. You took a perfectly good arrangement and turned it into a selfish affair. My trust in you is nil and I wouldn’t reconsider if we were the last people on Earth, you were lying naked and I was horny as a rabbit.” He stepped off the elevator to go to his car. Before the doors closed in her face, he turned to her, raised a dark brow in a wickedly amusing way, to ask, “Did I make my no clear enough?”

  She didn’t have a chance to respond before the door closed on her and she was headed back upstairs to the lobby.

  Getting to the apartment, he showered and then lay down with a grim look on his face. Skye had made no attempt to get in touch with him yet he wanted to contact her, without being pushy.

  She wasn’t playing hard to get. She just didn’t seem like the deceptive type although he had thought the same of Nicole. It was amazing how he had the greatest sense about business, but when it came to women in his personal life, he had never chosen well.

  Even though he had told himself after Nicole he would give up women, he had found the most extraordinary woman in the most ordinary place. Maybe it was fate or destiny. It didn’t matter, he wanted more than just one night from Skye Patterson. He wanted forever.

  Why shouldn’t he want any less? He was almost thirty, successful and single. It shouldn’t be this way, but he didn’t want to be unhappy and he didn’t want a woman who wanted him for just his success or bank account. He wanted a woman for her mind and what she did to his. Skye was this woman.

  Curiosity was also driving him to find out if she could be like his mystery woman. Would he ever know? It was killing him to know the identity of “the case”, which he had begun to call the mystery woman.

  Even as he tried to imagine her face, all he could think about was that she looked like Skye. But he swore it was his mind playing tricks on him. Next time, he would have more candlelight, so that he could see well. That way he could put a real face with the “case.”

  This was becoming a frustrating matter in his life; which woman he wanted. It was impossible to be in love with two women. He concluded the matter by lusting “the case” and being in love with Skye.

  Chapter 9

  “So you’ll be there, right?”

  Skye was a bit hesitant. “I guess. Do you want me to bring you anything?”

  Trisha thought about it a second, then declined. “No, you don’t. My mother will have everything.”

  “I appreciate you inviting me.”

  “It’s no problem. I appreciate you accepting.”

  Skye replaced the receiver thoughtfully. Dinner at Trisha’s mother eastside home would be tonight. Going down to the basement again, she picked up the red gown. She hadn’t been down there for five days. Skye had purposely kept herself busy so she wouldn’t have to think about the nightgown. Quickly she put the gown in the washing machine along with other delicate clothes.

  Before going back to work, she laid out a nice red cotton dress with black shoes and a matching jacket. Rolling her hair up tightly, she mailed some reports in that she had not done earlier, and then started typing again. It was going to be another long weekend for her, but she wanted a social life and Trisha was only being nice. Trisha told Skye that there was a birthday dinner party for a friend of the family, and it was perfectly fine if she attended. More people meant a bigger party and it would give Skye a chance to get out.

  At six, she finished her shower and began to dress. Getting into her Escort she wondered if she should take a birthday card. Going to the nearest Hallmark store, she found a simple, but funny card and also bought two movie passes. It wasn’t anything big, but she thought it would be nice instead of just crashing a party even if the daughter had invited her.

  “I must be crazy,” she told herself getting back in the car again.

  Arriving, Trisha came out the house and hugged her tightly. “Did you have a problem getting here?”

  “No, your directions were pretty good. Have the festivities started?” Skye asked timidly.

  “The birthday boy isn’t due here until late. Please come in, I want you to meet.”

  Meeting Trisha’s family made the time go by very quickly. She found them to be quite engaging and when it was known she was Sybil Howard, many women were intrigued and wanted to know when she’d be doing a book si
gning. One of Trisha’s sisters, Ella worked at a bookstore and insisted for Skye to come out and do a book reading at least. Since Skye hardly ever did appearances offline because of her shyness, she was always surprised at how many fans she really did have.

  Skye gave Ella her card and told her to call her with more information. Although she wrote extensively she had only done most of her book signing in Ohio and Illinois and the majority of them online. She had also gone to several book fairs out the state and even book fairs in Canada and Europe, but she never thought of a market in Michigan.

  “Detroiters read, we just don’t like to admit it,” Ella teased. “I can’t keep your recent book on the shelf. It would be so profitable for you to come in and do a book reading. Do you have one in works too?”

  “I always have one in work. Usually several, but I try to concentrate on one at a time, but it’s difficult with so much running through my mind and life.”

  Trisha cut in, “I must admit that I enjoy your plots as well as your love scenes. You have a way to make me rush past the love scenes to get the mystery out the way, then go back slowly and enjoy the love scenes even more.”

  “I know I just cried when Jackson in Daze of Summer found his father after all those years,” Trisha’s mother said. “Trish has me reading your books like crazy.”

  Trisha disappeared from the crowd of women, but returned immediately. “I must steal her away. Alan just came.” Trisha guided her through the old colonial house out to the back door on the large wooden deck.

  Trisha’s dad was over the grill with a cute red apron on that read, “Kiss the Cook.” He was sweating, yet there was an ethereal look upon his face that made him look at peace with himself. Anyone could plainly see this man took some sort of pleasure out of being the cook.

  A tall man about six feet tall with sharp features, turned towards them. Skye haltered a bit. His beady black eyes seemed familiar, but she couldn’t remember where.

  Trisha nudged her forward gently.

  “Skye, I’d like you to meet my fiancé’, Trevor-Alan Coleman.”

  He stretched out his hand. “Nice to meet you. Trisha speaks highly of you.”

  “Thank you,” she said still a bit bewildered by the man. His shake was firm and quick as if the more she touched him the more she would find out about him. Then out of nowhere, there was an echo in her head, “Make the bad man go away.” A shiver passed through her body and the beady black eyes that stared at her squinted hard.

  Backing away, she turned about. “I have to go to the bathroom,” she muttered and moved quickly in the house.

  Running up the stairs, Skye found the bathroom close to the top. Splashing cold water on her face, her body fought control of the panic attack gripping at her being. She purposely didn’t bring any medicine so she would not get disoriented. She had stopped taking them, but the panic attack was gripping her hard, enfolding her body like an envelope.

  Burying her face in the towel, she fought mentally to get control. Suddenly strong warm arms encircled her body.

  Initially, she tightened up closing her eyes tight, but then relaxed feeling light as a feather and warm all over. A comforting deep voice whispered in her ear.

  Skye immediately realized she was still at Trisha mom’s house and not alone. Looking up she gasped, tightening up again. How had he gotten here? Why the heck was he holding her? Pushing away, she was still disoriented.

  “I-I’m sorry,” she apologized.

  Thaddeus straightened his jacket a little. “No need. You were shaking and crying. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “I was?” she asked going back over to the mirror after neatly replacing the towel. She looked plain again. The lipstick she had on previously was gone. Reaching in her purse, instead of lipstick she found so Vaseline to apply to her lips to further enhance her dullness. Out the corner of her eye she was watching him watch her.

  “Thank you.” She put the Vaseline back in her purse. “I don’t know what was wrong with me.” She forced a smile to assure him and herself that everything was fine.

  “You seem to be out of it. Is everything really okay, Ms Patterson?” He was genuinely concerned stepping close to her.

  She took a step back, unsure what she would do with him so close. “Fine, Mr. Newman. I am fine. Thank you again. I didn’t realize I had caused alarm.”

  “You walked right by me downstairs?”

  “I did?” she asked surprised. “I didn’t see you.” This was the absolute truth.

  “Trisha asked me to come and check on you.”

  “Like I said, I’m fine.” She turned away deliberately so she wouldn’t face him.

  He relented. “Then I’ll see you downstairs.”

  When Thaddeus conceded she let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the sink in embarrassment. Why did he make her feel so uptight yet relaxed at the same time? Should she feel this way? Why was it so hard to maintain her equilibrium when he was around?

  * * *

  Thaddeus stopped at the top of the stairs. Why did he feel like an ass whenever he thought he was doing something good for her?

  Why was he persistent in seeing her when he knew she had no interest in him? She barely looked at him.

  Trisha saw him come down stairs not looking pleased. The grim expression on his face made him so unapproachable. He was the birthday boy and this was his party, yet he was choosing to look put out.

  Moving up to him, Trisha simply asked if Skye was all right.

  Thaddeus only nodded and then moved past her to greet her mother and father. Trisha went upstairs to see Skye putting on her coat.

  “Are you leaving?”

  “Yes,” Skye said, simply.

  “But the honored person, just arrived.”

  “That honored person happens to be a man I feel uncomfortable around and I don’t see why I should spend another moment here. All you told me was that it was a friend of the family open birthday party and dinner. You tricked me Trisha and I trusted you like an idiot.” Moving past Trisha she headed for the stairs.

  Trisha caught up with her begging her to slow down. “Just stay until after dinner and then leave. My parents won’t understand your leaving and my mother is so excited to have you. She thinks of herself as your biggest fan.”

  Skye knew she was only putting icing on a dry cake, and nothing would get better for her in this present situation she found herself mentally in. Things were not going to change about her new feelings for Thaddeus Newman. Being around him her feeling were destined to get stronger and she would not be able to control them anymore as she had been in the past.

  It would be horrible to have a panic attack in front of him and would only further his pity on her.

  He would never feel for her as she felt for him. Only in her dreams.

  Yet, Skye enjoyed Trisha’s family. They had a bond, which she wished she had grown up with. Especially Trisha’s dad who Skye could tell adored his daughter to pieces. She knew now why

  Trisha was so wonderful to be around, although she sensed some tension between Alan and Trisha’s father, that she couldn’t explain. Skye felt Alan was not welcomed in this house.

  Still she could not enjoy this time with Thaddeus so close. With a deflated sigh, she said, “Trish, I can’t. As much as I find him interesting right now, I don’t think I can enjoy myself being so nervous around him. I’d act like a ninny.”

  Trisha felt Skye deserved a good time and on the other hand felt warmly about Thaddeus too. He was her boss, yet he felt like a brother. She had been with him from almost the beginning, and she wanted him to be happy as well.

  Thaddeus had worked extremely hard to get where he was today and now that he was where he wanted to be on his business side, Trisha felt it was time to get what he wanted on a personal side and if Skye was what he wanted, Trisha would help him get her. Yet, Skye had also become a good friend and upsetting her was not Trisha’s goal. “Fine, but please let me have Alan walk you to your car.” Befo
re Skye could protest, Trisha said wickedly, “I insist unless you want me to get Mr. Newman.”

  Just wanting to get out of there without letting Trisha know how upset she was, Skye conceded. “That will be fine. I’ll be at the front door with my coat.”

  Trisha gave her a hug and went downstairs to find Alan. Before getting her coat, Skye washed her face again, and then she noticed she needed to refresh her lipstick. She had set her small purse down on the bed where all the coats were in the room across from the bathroom. Going in there without turning on the light, she heard someone stop at the doorway and begin to make a cell phone call. Thinking this was Thaddeus, she stayed in the darkened room unnoticed waiting for him to go away.

  He didn’t.

  The dark figure began to speak on the cell phone.

  “It’s Alan... Yes, I have it. I left the samples in my car, Dr. Himes.”

  The name certainly piqued her attention. She took a chance and moved closer to the doorway to see Trisha’s boyfriend, speaking on the phone. He must go by his second name, she deduced as she leaned near a dresser. She was covered just in case he decided to come in the room she could duck down.

  “The list is in my coat. I will be there after I finish the business I am at now. Let my father know she doesn’t recognize me. His fear was useless.”

  Skye frowned at this wondering what he was speaking about. She remembered what coat he was wearing when he had been standing out by Trisha’s father earlier in the evening when Skye initially met Alan. It was a short leather jacket that lay right near hers.