by P J Gordon
“It’s been nice spending the last seven months here with you, Manda,” Richard said, finally breaking the silence. “When we’re not touring I usually divide my time between the ranch with Sarah and Daniel and our apartment in New York, but I hate New York. I only go there when I have to. Being here has been a nice change. Living in the hotel for so long hasn’t been ideal, but it is close to you. Honestly, that’s the only reason we’ve stayed as long as we have—to be close to you.”
Manda felt as if the air had been sucked out of their immediate surroundings and she wanted to sit down, but she composed her face into a mask of calm and kept walking.
“We haven’t been able to get much work done, though,” Richard continued. “As much as we’ve enjoyed being so close, we’ve decided it’s time to move on. I just thought you should know.” He squeezed her hand as they walked but didn’t look at her.
Manda concentrated on keeping her feet moving and reminded herself to breathe. After he left, how often would she see him? Would she see him? Maybe he would invite her to come with him. Could she do that? Would he even ask? She reminded herself to breathe again.
“When will you go?” she finally asked.
Richard squeezed her hand again and finally stopped walking. “We were planning on moving out of the hotel on Thursday, but if I can get this business wrapped up today we’ll probably check out on Tuesday morning.”
“So soon?” Manda whispered in dismay before biting her lip and looking away.
Richard sighed. “It all depends on how things go right now, so why don’t we go upstairs and get this taken care of, okay?” He gestured to the building beside which they had stopped. “We’re a little early but maybe we can go ahead and get it over with.”
Getting it over with was the last thing Manda wanted if it meant Richard would be leaving even sooner, but she let him shepherd her into the building with an arm around her waist. Their walk had taken them to an area of old warehouses and industrial buildings that had been converted into lofts and high-end office space. They entered through a plain steel door into a tiny, empty foyer with only a small elevator door and an intercom panel. Richard pushed the buzzer to announce their arrival. A man’s voice greeted him, inviting him to “come on up,” and the elevator door slid open.
Richard tugged on her hand, half pulling her into the small elevator. “Come on, sweetie. Don’t worry. Everything will work out. You’ll see.”
Manda tried on a confident smile but it didn’t fit well and Richard sighed again.
The elevator ride was short and when it stopped they exited through a door opposite the one they had entered. A man in a suit was waiting for them, but the space wasn’t an office as Manda had expected. Instead they were in an open and airy loft apartment. It was unfurnished and smelled of fresh paint and wood. Expansive windows opened onto a terrace that commanded a striking view of the mountains.
The man in the suit extended his hand toward Richard with a warm smile. “You’re a little early. Eager to get moved in?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Richard answered, grinning broadly as he shook the man’s hand.
When the import of this exchange registered, Manda glared at Richard indignantly. “Richard Raines, that was just mean!” Tears of relief welled up in her eyes and she turned away quickly and stalked back to the elevator, mortified to be crying in front of a complete stranger.
“Will you excuse us for a minute, Wesley?” Richard said hastily over his shoulder as he followed Manda onto the elevator. Manda pushed the down button without waiting for Wesley’s reply. She stared straight ahead, not looking at Richard while she tried to compose herself.
“I’m sorry, Manda,” Richard apologized earnestly as soon as the door closed. “Please don’t cry. You’re right, that was a terrible thing to do and you have every right to be angry. I hope you can forgive me. I never meant to upset you.” He touched her shoulder tentatively.
Manda spun toward him, startling him when she flung her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. “I’m not angry. I’m just glad you’re not leaving!”
Richard wrapped his arms around her and exhaled in relief. “Manda Jensen, I’d sooner stop breathing than leave you. It was just time to find something more permanent. Did you seriously think I could just go like that?”
“Well, you’re just too good to be true. I always sort of half expect fate to correct its mistake at any moment and take you away,” Manda confessed.
“If fate made a mistake it was sending you to me, because I’m not even close to being good enough for you. I’ve done nothing but cause you trouble and make your life difficult.” His spoke lightly but his eyes belied his teasing tone. Manda saw real anxiety there.
“Richard, you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she stated with every ounce of conviction she possessed. Then, to drive the point home, she kissed him fervently.
“Now,” she continued breathlessly, “tell me about your new place?”
Richard briefly filled her in during the elevator ride back up...to the penthouse it turned out. He’d acquired the building and had the top two floors converted into a loft residence, while the next floor down was turned into a recording studio and rehearsal space. The remaining four floors had been remodeled into six loft-style apartments. Wesley was his real estate attorney and Richard just needed to sign a few papers and get the keys from him.
Manda strolled out onto the terrace, enjoying the view while Richard wrapped up his business. When Wesley had gone, Richard gave her the grand tour. One end of the top floor had been opened up to the floor below, creating a high-ceilinged living space on the main floor adjacent to the terrace. What was left of the upper floor was divided into four separate master suites. The main floor had a fifth bathroom and a spacious office, as well as the huge, undivided space that encompassed kitchen, dining, and living areas. The original hardwood flooring had been salvaged and refinished throughout and the perimeter walls were all the original exposed brick. Manda fell in love with it immediately.
The private elevator they’d come up in was actually the back door and that outside door would generally remain locked. Richard told her this as he slipped her a key and a slip of paper with an elevator access code...just in case she ever needed to get in. Another point of entry was the private four car garage that was connected directly to the penthouse loft by both stairs and another, larger private elevator. A third entrance was through the building’s main lobby and was monitored by around-the-clock security. Richard took her down to introduce her to the doorman on duty, and when they returned Josh and Mikey were buzzing the intercom, waiting to be let in via the back elevator.
Josh was as excited as a little boy with a new toy and insisted on completing Manda’s tour. He took her down to the studio and the rehearsal room. The recording studio was already fully functional and impressive, even if Manda couldn’t make heads or tails of most of the equipment there. The only thing in the rehearsal space, on the other hand, was a glossy black grand piano draped with a large drop cloth. It had been easier, Josh explained, to have it brought in before all of the interior walls had been erected and the new windows installed.
After this whirlwind tour of their new workspace, Josh dashed back up to the main floor, dragging Manda breathlessly behind him. When she rejoined Richard, Josh darted up the stairs to prowl through his new bedroom. She was amused by her friend’s enthusiasm. He’d been cooped up in that hotel for much too long and obviously couldn’t wait to move into their new home. She was afraid their timeline might be a little overly optimistic if they truly intended to check out of the hotel on Tuesday though. There wasn’t a stick of furniture in the place.
When Manda asked him about it, Richard put on his most charming smile and promptly talked her into spending the rest of the weekend shopping for furniture and other household basics. By Monday evening, much to Manda’s surprise, the essentials were in place and the loft was livable. While it was far from fully furnished and
decorated, there were beds and dressers in Josh’s and Richard’s bedrooms, a comfortable sofa and coffee table, and a dining table and chairs. Kitchenware, bed linens, towels, and all of the other essentials for day-to-day living were in place. Even Manda’s house was in fine shape.
Fulfilling his promise to help her with her household chores, Richard had arrived on Manda’s doorstep on Monday morning with a cleaning crew in tow. He’d driven her to work, leaving the hired-guns to do her spring cleaning for her. They were, he assured her, completely trustworthy, and Manda considered that high praise given both Richard’s tendency toward over-protectiveness and his understandable concern about privacy. She therefore put up only the most perfunctory resistance—her hands were still very tender, she rationalized to herself; it wasn’t that she was just glad to get out of housework.
Richard and Josh moved out of the hotel on Tuesday morning, right on schedule, and that evening they had an informal housewarming with Manda, Mikey, David, and Stacey. Richard had been in the office all afternoon and drove Manda over after work. She would have enjoyed the short walk to the loft, but the media had renewed their interest in her ever since her little fall. Now, however, their fascination was further fueled by speculation that she and Josh were having an illicit affair behind Richard’s back. Manda found rumors of this supposed love triangle ridiculous, and by mutual agreement, none of them would acknowledge them. Curt and Mikey both agreed that they would die down in their turn. In the meantime, however, Manda had to avoid the train again, and walking to and from the loft wasn’t an option either.
The loft began to come together as a comfortable home over the following weeks. Manda arrived one evening to find the water-colored photographs she’d given Richard for Christmas proudly displayed on a prominent wall. Richard informed her that he intended to decorate the entire space around them—with her help, he hoped. Manda was flattered but a little overwhelmed.
“I’m really not an interior designer or decorator. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather hire someone?”
“I’m sorry, Manda. I’ve been monopolizing all of your time, haven’t I? I shouldn’t have asked.” Richard was so apologetic that Manda couldn’t help but laugh.
“That’s not what I meant at all! I love helping you. I just don’t want to let you down. I don’t know the first thing about decorating.”
“You say that, but your home is beautiful,” Richard countered.
“Well, I know what I like. That’s not the same thing,” Manda argued.
“But that’s perfect,” he insisted. “Josh and I both love your home, and you know us better than any interior designer would; so between the three of us we should be able to come up with something comfortable. We don’t want some cold showplace. We want something that feels like home. So, will you help us?”
With Richard’s assurance that it would be a team effort, Manda agreed. They spent a good deal of their free time for the next several weeks shopping for things for the loft. Of course the press picked up on this and a new flurry of rumors resulted. Stories of Josh and Manda were replaced with reports that Richard and Manda had been seen shopping for furniture together, and speculation that they were setting up housekeeping as a couple. Manda ignored these rumors just as she’d ignored the previous ones, though she did sometimes secretly fantasize about what it would be like if they were true. She tried to keep such daydreams to a minimum though. Better to keep herself firmly grounded in reality. It was safer.
To Manda’s delight, their efforts to create a comfortable and welcoming home paid off. Richard’s tastes were traditional, while Josh’s were more contemporary. The result was eclectic and relaxed. As their home grew more comfortable, Manda expected them to spend more of their time there and less at the Aronson offices. Mikey had moved out of the hotel at the same time that Josh and Richard had, moving into one of the apartments downstairs from the loft, so it was no longer as convenient for them to be in the office every day. They defied her expectations, however, and were there as much as ever. Without the excuse that they were staying just downstairs, Manda realized just how much they were around while she was at work and she worried that others might find their continual presence inappropriate or an annoyance. She broached the subject with David during one of the few times when they were alone.
“Tell me the truth, Davie. Does it bug you that Richard and Josh are around here all the time? Do they get in the way or distract you?”
David, who was sprawled on the sofa with a sketchpad, shrugged absently. “Naw. I’ve gotten used to it. Most of the time I don’t even notice they’re here anymore. They try pretty hard to stay out of the way. Besides, it’s convenient since we’re working on their stuff so much of the time.” He continued his sketching for a few minutes, then narrowed his eyes and sat up as if something had just occurred to him. “Unless you want me to be bothered,” he said, regarding Manda speculatively. “If it bothers you having them around so much, I don’t mind if you want to put the blame on me. I honestly don’t mind having them around, but if you want me to I can ask them to stay away because it’s interfering with my work.”
Manda grinned. David really was a good friend. “Thanks, but that’s not necessary. I enjoy having them around...and yes, especially Richard!” she added in response to David’s arched eyebrows. “Do you think Curt has a problem with it though?”
David looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “You’re kidding, right? You seriously haven’t noticed how often our illustrious leader has been bringing clients by to ‘discuss’ projects with us lately?”
Now that Manda considered it, Curt had been stopping by with clients much more often in the last few months. Well, ‘much more often’ wasn’t very accurate, as Curt had never allowed clients into the creative area before. Manda had always gotten the impression that he disapproved of their unconventional environment and only tolerated it on Jen’s insistence.
“You’re right!” Manda acknowledged with a bemused smile. “He came by with that guy from WebStorm just yesterday!”
“I know,” David said with a laugh. “Since Richard and Josh have been hanging around he’s used any excuse to bring clients by to meet them. He’s been very subtle about it, except that he never, ever did it before they were here! I think it’s probably been pretty good for business, so I wouldn’t worry about the guys hanging around here if I were you. They aren’t bothering anyone and the prestige factor is pretty high.”
Relieved that she could continue to indulge in Richard’s company all day without fear of Curt’s disapproval, Manda’s outlook was optimistic…at least until the middle of April when she was forcibly reminded of her comment about Fate correcting its mistake.
* * * * * * *
Halfway through April, Emily and Andy and the kids were preparing to fly out for a vacation in Hawaii when Andy was called away on business unexpectedly. Rather than postpone the entire family’s departure until his return, they decided that Emily and the kids would fly out as planned and he would meet them after he concluded his business. The one glitch was that Emily refused to leave her car in the airport parking lot and had an almost pathological distrust of cab drivers. After seeing to Andy’s rushed departure, she phoned Manda a few hours before their flight was scheduled to leave and begged a ride.
“You can just drop us off at the terminal. You don’t even have to get out of the car. Please? I tried to call you earlier but you didn’t answer and I can’t find anyone else to drive us.”
Manda agreed without complaint. It wasn’t very much of a favor considering all Emily had done for her. Richard had just dropped her off after dinner and a play downtown (which was why Emily hadn’t been able to reach her…she’d had her phone turned off during the play), so she was still dressed. She could pick up Emily and the kids, drop them off at the airport, and be in bed by midnight, no problem.
Unfortunately, she ended up having to wait for Emily, who kept remembering last minute things she needed to do. Manda had to speed a little t
o get them to the airport on time. It had started snowing right after Emily called her and the roads were getting icy. Speeding in the increasingly slick conditions made her nervous and she was frazzled by the time she turned her car toward home. She was looking forward to cuddling up in her nice, warm bed for the night when she spotted a car pulled off on the shoulder of the road. Because of the blowing snow she didn’t see it until she was almost past it. A man was kneeling in a rapidly forming snow drift, attempting to change his rear tire in the darkness of the deserted road. She’d already passed him and was thinking about how miserable he must be out in the icy wind and wet snow when she realized that his biggest handicap was really the pitch blackness. She hadn’t seen any light aside from his taillights and headlights. She wouldn’t have seen him kneeling beside his car at all if her own headlights hadn’t briefly swept over him. If he just had some light the job would go much faster and he could get out of the cold sooner.
Without thinking twice, Manda turned her car around and circled back to where the man struggled with his jack. She stopped behind his car, so that her headlights illuminated the area where he worked.
The man looked up from his task and shielded his eyes, trying to see who had stopped. When he realized Manda’s intent, he waved and mouthed the words “thank you” before continuing his work. As Manda watched him, however, she realized that he was struggling more than normal to accomplish his task. He must have lost the handle to his jack, she decided, because he was attempting to crank it up using a small screwdriver.
Manda hadn’t intended to get out of her car. She’d only planned to give him the benefit of her headlights while she sat safe and secure with her engine running. At the rate he was going though, he would be at this for hours and the temperature was dropping. She had a perfectly good jack in the back of her car. If she lent it to him, he could be done quickly and they could both be on their way. Squaring her shoulders with this fresh resolve, Manda zipped up her coat, fished her can of pepper spray out of her purse, tucked it into her pocket, and opened her car door.