Henry and Gracie

by Marilyn Jeulin

  “Don’t be. I’m sure that he found someone to do.” I notice the mortification in her eyes and try hard to keep a straight face.

  “So, were you with Henry during the weekend?” she asks, placing several papers and files on my desk.

  “We went ice skating,” I reply, moving the stack of papers.

  “I can’t understand why you two aren’t together.” Leticia frowns. “What does it take?”

  “We’re just friends,” I lie smoothly as she rolls her eyes. “Close intimate friends?” I add as she arches an eyebrow. “I’ll meet someone in the future, and Henry will be a bachelor forever, and that’ll be that.”

  “Yes, everyone can see that’s a lie.” She moves to get the papers from my out tray and then stops. “Do yourself a favor, Gracie,” she starts as I look at her. “I’m telling you this because I love you. Get yourself a boyfriend of your own, who wants the same things as you, before Henry breaks your heart.”

  “He’s not going to break my heart,” I say without missing a beat. “He’s my best friend.”

  “And shag buddy,” Leticia drops her voice. “You’re totally smitten with him. Drop him before you find yourself in too deep,” she says once more before leaving the office. The truth is that I know it’s too late for that.

  ***

  Covent Garden is a beehive of energy. An opera singer is captivating her public by delivering a beautiful, yet mournful rendition of a sad and melancholic aria. I stare at the girl waving her arms around when my eyes move past her. Right behind the two tourists looking at their watches and ignoring one another is Jared. My eyes fall on him as he mouths a simple ‘hi’. I tuck my hair behind my ear, immediately hating the fact that he looks good. His hair, which used to be ginger when we were dating, is now bright blue. He’s wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and slacks. His green eyes give me a once-over.

  It seems to take him forever to get to where I’m standing, but I don’t move, staying firmly in place. Of course, there’s nowhere to escape to. I agreed or, rather, this was imposed on me, but I didn’t back out as Henry said he hoped I would.

  “Hey,” Jared says, standing tall in front of me. His locks are a mess as his green eyes meet mine. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to come and see me.”

  “Diana said I had to.” My voice is a bit curter than I want it to be, but what the hell.

  “Of course.” He looks around half as lost before pointing to the other side of the piazza. “I made a reservation at Opera Tavern,” Jared states as I nod.

  “Great, I’m starving,” I say, making sure that I put enough distance between us when he starts leading the way. “So, how long are you going to be in London for?”

  “I’ve moved back permanently,” he replies as we walk around the crowd of tourists walking at snail pace.

  “Really?” I ask, surprised and half annoyed at the fact that Diana didn’t mention this. “Why?”

  “I don’t know, maybe it’s all about settling down. My roots are here,” he says as his hands move around to emphasize his words. “I can’t live anywhere else in the world. I mean, I have, but I wanted to come back here since I left.” He quiets down a bit and looks ahead.

  “Well, it’s nice that you can do that now,” I reply, trying to keep the bitter tone to a minimum.

  “Diana said you’re staying here.”

  “I don’t know,” I reply without thinking as he stops and opens the restaurant’s door for me.

  “Well, I guess that’s a start.” He waits for me to walk in.

  For a second, I wonder what would happen if I turn around and leave. Another second later, I want to know what he’s going to be doing here in London. I step in the restaurant, and just as I’m about to take my coat off, I hit someone with my elbow.

  I turn around to apologize and the word sorry dies in my throat as I see that the man I bumped into is none other than Henry.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “It’s fine,” he says without looking at me, his eyes right on Jared. Henry then glances back at me. “Fancy seeing you here.” He clears his throat a second later as Jared is getting ready to take my coat.

  “You, too,” I say as the leggy blonde from Ally Pally joins him.

  “Hi,” she says. “Oh, you’re on a date?” she asks as she ogles Jared.

  “Yes, I guess I am,” I tell her without looking at Henry. “Like Henry, we’re on a date.” She smirks and I glare in his direction.

  “See you later, Henry,” I say without bothering to introduce him to Jared.

  “Bye, Gracie,” Henry calls as I stop and then turn around to look at him. The girl’s holding on tightly to his arm. I have half a mind to shout he’s not a life saver, but that would amuse him way too much.

  “Enjoy your evening,” Henry says before the maître d’ leads them to a table in the back of the room.

  “Colleague?” Jared asks.

  “A friend,” I tell him before glancing toward Henry, who’s looking my way.

  Once at our table, Jared places his cell phone on it as the waiter fills our glasses. I take this opportunity to check my work emails since I’m waiting on a signed contract.

  “Come on.” The irritation in his voice makes me smile as our waiter promises to be back. “Turn it off and we can have a wee chat.”

  “I’m not turning my cell phone off for you.” The hostility is palpable in my words as he leans closer.

  The frown on his forehead deepens before he leans back against his chair, defeated. “Look, I know I was an asshole, Gracie,” Jared begins as I look away from him.

  “I don’t want you to apologize now… It is nine years too late,” I say, looking right into his eyes.

  “I know.” He frowns, watching me. “However, don’t you ever wonder if our pact, if that’s the reason we’re still single?”

  “Our pact?” My eyebrow rises and I try hard not to let out a sardonic laugh. “Are you insane?” I fix my eyes on the menu in front of me as if that was my life line.

  “Come on, we were young, but…”

  “You proposed to me, and then, the night before my birthday, you broke up with me because you’d cheated on me. You said you proposed only because you felt so… what was the word? Oh, yes: guilty,” I say, trying to keep my voice from rising, but as people start turning their heads toward us, I know it’s not working.

  “I’m really sorry about that.”

  “Twenty-four hours after proposing? Four hours after introducing me to your parents and having your mother talk about the wedding?” The grief I didn’t allow myself to feel back then cuts through me.

  “I know I hurt you…” Jared’s voice is sincere, but I can’t look at him. “Baby…” He reaches for my hand, but I pull them both under the table.

  “Don’t,” I say, shaking my head. “What do you think I am? I hear nothing from you for nine years. You broke my heart and trampled on it to make sure that not a piece was left for anyone else and now, after nine years, you think you can ‘baby’ me?” My voice raises a few more decibels.

  “Don’t make a scene,” Jared hisses as a single ha leaves my lips while heads whip around to look at us.

  “You arrogant prick!” I say before throwing the freshly served glass of water in his face. Then I lean in closer and whisper, “That’s how I make a scene,” before I walk out of the restaurant.

  ***

  Back in the flat, I stare at the phone before sipping the whiskey I poured earlier. Henry’s not called, and neither has Jared. I groan, dropping the phone on the table on my way to the kitchen to grab the last tub of Cherry and dark chocolate ice-cream when I stop on my tracks.

  Outside my door someone’s playing Enchanting Echo’s I Can’t Live Without You. I move closer to push the window to open it fully, however, when I do, that I can’t hear the song any more. Frowning, I pull my head inside and as I’m closing the window, I can hear the song again.

  It sounds as if it’s coming from the hallway. Wondering if one of
my neighbors is having a date, I move closer to the door. Opening it slowly, I see a dark coat that I know so well standing outside the door holding out his phone, which is, of course, playing the song.

  “Henry?” I whisper, confused.

  It takes a second to register that he’s pushed me inside and kicked the door closed before crushing his lips to mine. I can’t breathe. I kiss him back, letting my hands move to pull him closer while clothes trace our route from the door to my bedroom.

  Clothes fly around, falling all over the floor. Never breaking the kiss, Henry carries me back to my room. He kisses my neck, my jaw, muttering my name as a sigh escapes my lips before laying me down slowly on the bed.

  “What are you doing?” I whisper the moment he pulls away enough for our eyes to meet.

  “I want you,” he says as his hands explore my body. “I want you, Graciela.”

  “Wh-what are you saying?” My heart hammers against my chest. Instead of responding straight away, he kisses my forehead, my eyes, my nose, then my lips.

  “I want you,” he mutters as he glides into me, and my body moves slowly against his.

  The confusion in my mind is slowly replaced by a lustful heat spreading through my body. My hands move to his cheeks to stop him from kissing me again. I just want to look at him and understand where is this desperate need of his coming from? What has changed?

  “Tell me,” he murmurs against my hand before kissing it. “Tell me, Graciela.”

  “I want you, too,” I whisper before getting lost in his kiss once more.

  My hands move down his back while Henry peppers my chest with soft kisses, which make my body go into overdrive. We’ve made love probably thousands of times in all these years, and though it’s been sweet, sexy, and hot, it’s never felt like this.

  Henry’s teeth graze my skin; his body claiming mine in a frenzied dance that only ends when our bodies lie intertwined, completely spent. A soft contented moan escapes my lips as he rolls on his side and pulls me closer to him.

  We don’t speak; instead, our bodies lay tangled, accompanied by the sound of our breathing. I rest my head against his chest and close my eyes.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t punch Jared for you,” he pants softly, running his fingers through my hair.

  “It’s okay.” I lift my head off of his chest and look at him.

  “The water to his face was really classy.” I cover my face with my hands and he pulls them away.

  “Stop, what I really wanted to do was…”

  “Punch him,” Henry says, pulling me closer for another kiss.

  “Yes.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The next morning, I wake up to the scent of fresh coffee and Henry singing along some old ‘80s song. I sit up on the bed, looking for my phone before I hear something falling in the kitchen.

  “Bugger!” he exclaims as I frown.

  “Are you okay?” I call from the bed, half-surprised, half-dreading going into my kitchen.

  “Yes… shit! Bugger, sodding shit!” he says as a series of pots clank around the room.

  “Do you need help?”

  “No,” he replies irritated. “Take a shower,” Henry adds and I bite my lip.

  For a moment, I hesitate before coming to the conclusion that I don’t want to see the disaster in my kitchen.

  After a shower, I walk out of my room to find Henry rushing around, looking like he’s lost the plot. He moves in and out of the kitchen as I can hear the water from the tap running and a few more swear words escape his lips.

  “Did you try to blow up my kitchen?” I ask amused, leaning against the wall the moment I catch his eye.

  “I-this is a really small kitchen,” Henry stops scraping whatever he’s trying to get off the stove, then throws the towel in the sink before washing his hands. “I made crêpes, coffee, and bacon.”

  “Yum, but aren’t you late?” I ask, pointing to the clock behind him.

  “They can wait.” He shrugs, following me with his eyes making me feel self-conscious.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “About last night,” I stop reaching for the plate and look at him. “I-I’m not good at this,” he concludes as my eyebrow shoots up.

  “Good at what?” I ask, walking around the counter and sit down in the tiny space that I call a dining room.

  “This…” He scratches the back of his neck. I wait for him to explain himself, but it’s clear that if I don’t prompt him, this conversation will go nowhere. “You know why I’m still single.”

  That first night together, Henry told me that he loathed his reputation as a serial monogamist. Women usually sought him out for sex, and then went back to their husbands, boyfriends, lesbian lovers. I never knew if he was joking or not. He seemed as broken as I felt back then, so it was the perfect arrangement.

  Per his own admission, the death of his wife and baby had broken him probably forever. Henry shied away from relationships because he never wanted his heart broken like that again. And who could blame him for it?

  “It’s fine, Henry.” I touch his cheek before I force myself to look at the food. “I’ve never asked you to commit… we both know how that would end up,” I say, lifting a piece of bacon to my mouth.

  “Gracie…,” he says, looking past me. “It’s not.” He sits in the chair opposite me and picks one of the bacon slices off my plate. “Graciela, you’re perfect,” he finally says, staring at the bacon before popping it in his mouth.

  “Thank you?” His words make me self-conscious as I try hard to look past whatever this whole conversation means.

  “You deserve someone who can make that sort of commitment to you. Marriage, children, the whole nine yards.” He nods as I watch him intently. Something in my chest shifts and a sudden heaviness settles in.

  “Henry, that’s very sweet of you to think, but I’m not there. Quite frankly, I like my life as it is now.” I tell him. “But if you’re trying to accommodate some more girls in your week…,” I tease him as he shakes his head, taking my hand in his. “Thank you for breakfast.”

  “Day six of thirtieth.” He stands up before he walks back to my bedroom. “Don’t forget about dinner tomorrow night.” How could I forget?

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The day went by rather quickly, considering I spent most of it with Leticia discussing contract renewals. Once I have my coat on and I’m reaching for my oversized bag, there’s a knock on the door. I glance at it and see Andrew, Leticia’s secretary. Rather than rolling my eyes like I want, I offer him a half-smile and tell myself it’s better to be nice. He’s been catty all day and getting on my last nerve. However, he’s a good secretary and he does try to keep everyone happy in the office.

  “Yes?”

  “Well… I know Leticia’s trying to set you up with some people.” He walks in and then clears his throat.

  “And?”

  “Well, I don’t usually do this, but I know someone who is in town and is very handsome,” he tells me as I arch an eyebrow.

  “Andrew…”

  “Hear me out, Grace.” His voice is soft and I take a deep breath to prevent myself from calling him something not very nice. “Dimas is the CEO of his own financial consultant firm. He’s thirty and he’s single.” He reaches in his pocket and then shows me a picture on his phone.

  I can’t really tell him I’m not interested. Not when things with Henry are the way they are. Also, Andrew’s making an effort to be nice and I don’t want people to say that I’m an ungrateful cow. I take another look at the picture. The man’s wearing a very expensive Italian tailored suit, his jet-black hair is styled to look as if he just left his bed, and his beautiful chocolate-brown eyes look like hot fudge.

  I weigh my options because for the past year, I’ve gone on more blind dates than I care to admit, and every time I end up in bed with Henry. Maybe it won’t be a bad thing to go on this date. After all, I remind myself, Henry’s not relationship material.

  �
�Okay.”

  “Meet him at the Bao Fa Garden, 9 p.m.,” he calls over his shoulder, walking out of my office.

  ***

  After checking on the temperature and noticing that it would be reasonably cold, I pick the charcoal grey sweater dress; it hugs my curves in the right places and looks rather cute with my new red ankle boots. On my way out of the flat, I glance at my reflection, making sure my long hair looks like a cascading mane of locks rather than a bird’s nest.

  On the way to the restaurant, I stop near the London Eye and pick up a bottle of water and a packet of Twiglets from one of the local vendors. After dropping both in my bag, I move slowly across the sea of tourists, all vying for a spot near the water.

  I turn when I see the sign for Bao Fa Garden, where Andrew said Dimas would meet me, and walk to it. The place is deserted. The first thought in my mind is that I hope this isn’t a prank. It wouldn’t be the first time that stupid Andrew has played one on me. It’s clear that the restaurant is closed to other patrons, but the staff seems to be working.

  With half a mind about leaving, I take a step toward the door when I hear my name. “Miss Grace?” The hostess calls in a friendly way and I make my way toward her. “Mr. Petrov is already here. Please, follow me.”

  I arch an eyebrow, looking around before we reach the bar. A man walks out of the kitchen, looking pretty much like the picture Andrew showed me earlier.

  “Grace?” he asks, walking over to where I am. Without hesitation, he takes my hand in his and kisses it swiftly before letting it go.

  “Nice to meet you, Dimas,” I say, hoping that this is a preview of what is to come. If he’s this nice for real and a gentleman to boot, this date can’t go wrong.

  “Your table is ready,” a server announces, and Dimas waits for me follow the waiter first.

  After pulling the chair out for me, I take a seat and glance around the restaurant.

  “I hope you don’t mind… I don’t like tourists, even though I’m one.” He states. “I thought it was better to have the restaurant to ourselves, then we can go on the London Eye.”