“How do you know anyone is going to watch?” the same woman asked again.
“Great question!” Dhalia replied enthusiastically. “Mr. Hotman asked the same one when I proposed the idea to him, so I will let him answer.”
With that segue, Bradley stood and Dhalia took the opportunity to ogle him. He was so beautiful. His presence seized everyone’s attention in the room.
He looked at all four panel members and said, “You get ten people fighting for Worlds titles and four coaches looking for the prosperity of harboring a champion living in the same quarters, eating the same food, breathing the same air, and I guarantee you, ladies and gentlemen, that, pardon the expression, the shit is going to hit the fan. That is what your viewers want to see. Stuff hitting the fan. I would stake my reputation on it.”
The board members whispered amongst themselves.
Bradley sat down and Dhalia looked over at him awestruck. She didn't think anyone ever looked more gorgeous to her than he did at that moment. One of the male panel members rose and said, “Okay, thank you. We’ll be in touch once we discuss your proposal.” They shook hands and hurried out of the boardroom. Dhalia summoned the limousine driver on her cell. They took the elevator to the lobby and waited until they saw the car pull up. Neither of them said anything to the other until they slipped into the backseat.
Bradley gave Dhalia a slow congratulatory hug, gliding his hand up and down her back, before putting on his seatbelt. Dhalia closed her eyes, savoring every inappropriate second of it. “Great job! It’s in the bag!” he said. Dhalia felt perhaps she was reading too much into the hug.
She felt her cheeks glowing. Her nerves vanished and the sexual tension between them returned. Universal’s decision was out of her hands. She snapped her seatbelt in place and the limo glided into traffic.
“How long do you think it will be before we hear back?” she asked.
“Not long,” Bradley replied. “Not long at all.”
They got back to the Association and Dhalia said good-bye to Bradley before heading towards Ryan’s office. Ryan was in so she tapped lightly on his door. When she heard him respond, she opened it.
“How did it go?” he asked. “Did they like your presentation?”
“Totally fantastic! I wish you could have been there,” Dhalia said excitedly.
She was secretly glad that wasn’t the case when she was in the elevator and in the limousine with Bradley. She was more than happy that Ryan wasn’t with her then.
“I wish I could have been there too,” Ryan lamented. His eyes were drawn to her. He could tell she put special care into her appearance for the meeting and she looked like a million bucks. It was one of those moments they truly would have liked to share with each other, even though the ink on their divorce papers was far from dry.
“Remember when we skated our program flawlessly at the Olympics? That rush of adrenaline and joy when it was all over?”
“Do I ever,” he responded. “It feels like such a long time ago.”
“I know, Ryan, but that’s how I felt when we finished the presentation at Universal. Honestly, it was amazing.”
“I’m proud of you, Dhalia. I hope you get everything you wish for. This could be a real boost for your career here.” Ryan's support through trying times was endearing to Dhalia. It made him indispensable in her life.
“Thanks. Me too. Oh, Ryan, I just want you to know, I always wish for nothing but good thoughts for you as well.” Dhalia walked over to him and he held her in a very long, congratulatory hug.
“I know,” he confided.
After a brief chat, she left Ryan and went back to her office. Dhalia had pictures of the two of them when they won the Olympics, and the last photograph of her parents together when her dad was still alive, on her desk. Her father passed away at the height of her skating career just months before she and Ryan won the Olympic championship. Sadly, her Dad was only fifty-five. Dhalia missed him as much as the day it happened. Her mother moved to Florida to stay with her sister when they lost Dhalia’s dad. She was doing okay up to this point, but Dhalia didn’t think she would ever recover from her loss. Truly, nor would she.
The Offer
Later, Dhalia made herself a coffee with her handy one cup brewer and sat in her luxurious black vinyl chair daydreaming about what happened at the studio. She really hoped the powers-that-be were impressed with her idea. A tap at her door startled her back to reality. “Come in.” To Dhalia’s surprise, it was Bradley. Oh be still, Dhalia admonished her heart. She offered him a coffee, but he declined.
“I want to take you to dinner tonight and I won’t take no for an answer. I’ll pick you up at your condo at seven.”
Dhalia wondered, how did he know she lived in a condo or even where she lived? Then she remembered the man most definitely had connections and where his connections may fail him, her personnel file would not. Bradley turned and left without giving her a chance to respond. She couldn’t imagine one woman in her right mind who would ever turn him down for a date. Was THIS a date? Puzzled, Dhalia finished the last sip of her Americano coffee and assessed herself, not too old-fashioned, and a tiny bit of a feminist. Yes, a nice mix she was.
Dhalia busied herself the rest of the day until 4:30. Everything dragged for the next half hour. She kept finding herself looking at the clock in anticipation of 5:00 rolling around. She couldn’t wait to go home and get ready for her dinner with Bradley! This was going to be her first dinner date since Ryan and her split, if you could call it that.
The second she stepped through her condo’s doors, she was glad to be home. When she and Ryan divorced, she insisted on residing in their previous dwelling they shared as man and wife. Ryan was indifferent to the condo where they lived, so it didn’t matter that he had to give it up to her. Dhalia jumped into the shower without a minute to spare. She rinsed off quickly and immediately dried herself and dressed.
She chose a form fitting backless red dress. The skirt stopped just above her knee. Her legs were silky soft after the shower. Her dress covered her well. She preferred a more classy, elegant look over sexy. Her mother seemed to have sayings for every situation, in particular: the way you dress has an impact on the type of men who are attracted to you.
To complete the outfit she chose black patent leather designer shoes and a classic Louis Vuitton evening handbag. She was no different from most women; she would go without food to buy a designer bag. She had to admit that most of her financial problems were self-induced. It was important to her that any man she was with be the breadwinner.
The buzzer sounded at 7:00 p.m. sharp. “I’ll be right down,” she said into the intercom. She switched off the lights in her condo and locked the door. Bradley was waiting for her on the ground floor wearing a black Hugo Boss suit that looked like it was tailored for him personally. He had on the shiniest black shoes anyone had ever seen. Bradley was twenty years her senior but that made him so much more appealing in Dhalia's eyes. She appreciated the security in a mature, more established man. He was the type others assumed was so far out of her reach, unobtainable in every way. He was too everything: smart, classy, wealthy, smooth.
“You look absolutely stunning,” he said, eyeing Dhalia from head to toe. He held out his arm to escort her to his black ’58 Corvette. She was weak in the knees for him. He opened her door and guided her into the front seat. He then got into the driver’s seat and closed the door. “I’ll help you with your lap belt,” he said huskily, and he leaned towards her, his body brushing up against hers. She could feel her nipples poke against the material of her top as he accidentally stimulated her. He noticed and looked into her eyes.
Once Dhalia was strapped in, Bradley buckled himself in. She could smell the musky scent of his cologne. She breathed deeply as he started the motor. The Vette woke with a roar and rumbled beneath her. She was feeling over stimulated. This was going to be a long dinner that she hoped would lead to much more, that is, if he liked her, which she wasn’t ev
en sure he did.
Bradley took Dhalia to a restaurant everyone at the office was abuzz about. It had opened on the other side of town and was called Acquolina in Bocca. She thought the English translation was melt in mouth. The restaurant was old school Italian in its decor and the food was authentic. Her friend, Marielle, told her about it one day when they were working together, if she remembered correctly. They were seated immediately, and from what she knew, this was absolutely unheard of. This indicated Bradley had major connections, because she didn’t see any money exchange hands and there were loads of people waiting for a table.
The host showed them to a secluded table far from the entrance and kitchen. It was perfect. The waiters were attentive. There was no single server for any one table. The restaurant was run differently. You never felt as though you were waiting or being neglected. There was a light hum of background noise, wine glasses clinking and distant laughter. The atmosphere was, to say the least, relaxing.
Dhalia decided to keep it simple and ordered chicken parmesan with a chef salad on the side. Bradley ordered veal with pasta. They discussed the meeting and the sheer decadence of their food. They both agreed it was the best Italian food they ever had. Their conversation was flirtatiously light and fun. They laughed and joked with each other and they tried to predict what was going to happen with Dhalia’s proposed reality show. She was having a good time, but her mind kept wandering, hoping that tonight would lead to something romantic between them.
Dhalia was feeling bold at one point in the evening and asked, “If I were to check your Facebook status, would it say you were in a relationship?” Despite her attempts to be cute, Dhalia immediately regretted asking, because that sort of inquiry insinuated interest in a relationship, taboo between coworkers in the business world.
“In fact, I’m not. I have dated, but nobody has ever been able to hold my attention for very long.”
Feeling as though she had nothing to lose because he wasn’t obtainable, Dhalia gave Bradley her honest opinion, “That’s too bad, because you are very personable.”
The waiter came by their table. “Would either of you care for a digestif?”
Bradley ordered glasses of Italian Classico for both of them. He took her hand, weaving his fingers between hers, and looked into her eyes. “I really enjoyed you this evening.”
Wow!she thought. He wouldn’t hold hands like this with someone with whom he was just conducting business. So the elevator, the limousine, must not have been my imagination. Dhalia had definitely entered the taboo world of dating one’s boss.
“I did, too, and, Bradley, I really appreciate the support you’ve given me. I hope one of these days I can return that favor, if you ever need me to.”
Bradley raised his eyebrows. “You’re welcome, and I’m sure you’ll return the favor.” His eyes flashed mischievously at Dhalia. “I want to see you outside the office again.”
Caught up in the moment and influenced by the alcohol, she gushed, “I would love that.”
Bradley, sober as a judge at this point, looked at her with a hint of worry etched in his forehead. “I do have a few concerns we should discuss.”
“Oh? What would those be?” she questioned.
"Primarily, I know it's not always a good idea for people to, well, become involved with each other at work. You just, you seem different from the other women I’ve dated, and I want to explore this."
Dhalia’s eyebrows raised at what she understood to be a compliment. "We are consenting adults."
"Then there's the matter of-"
"Yes?" she interjected too enthusiastically.
“Ryan.” Simply hearing Bradley say her ex's name put a damper on the conversation to follow.
“Don’t even worry about him,” she reassured. “We were history when we stopped skating together; it just took us a long time to figure that out. His feelings for me are long gone.” Deep inside, she knew that Ryan's feelings would never dissipate for her. If she were to admit that to everyone she dated, she would be single the rest of her life. Dhalia felt she had to break the ties Bradley was still able to associate with Ryan and her.
“I’m not so sure about that,” he said suspiciously.
“I am.” Dhalia had no choice but to lie.
“What about your feelings for him? How would you classify them? Your divorce, is it finalized?”
“My feelings for him are what someone would have for a friend, and yes, just the other day.” She left it at that because she didn’t want to be dishonest. Dhalia wanted Bradley to be reassured, but she didn’t think she convinced him.
They finished their drinks and Bradley took Dhalia back to her condo. He escorted her to the door.
“Dhalia, thank you again for the lovely evening. I hope we can do it again...soon.” His lips were inches away from hers, but he made no advances. She felt like he was teasing her, or remained hesitant because they worked together. Dhalia anticipated this moment before their date even began, so she was determined not to let it slip by.
She wanted Bradley to kiss her desperately. She looked at him coyly. “Kiss me,” she urged in her most seductive voice. Her lips were so close to his, from certain angles, one would think they were already kissing. He drew her closer, and his lips gently brushed against hers. He pulled away, his eyes opened and scanned hers, then he came in for a kiss that owned her, leaving her breathless and wanting more. At that moment, her appetite for him became insatiable.
The News
The next morning, Bradley came into Dhalia’s office. She was disappointed he was all business. "I wanted you to know I received a call from the station."
"Good news? Oh my God, don’t make me wait. What did they say? Oh, where are my manners, please sit, sit.”
"I'm fine; I'll stand." Then with unspoken surety her heart sank. She saw melancholy in his eyes. He was taking pity on her. His tone was flat. He didn’t have to say anything. She already knew her idea was rejected, just by the manner in which he was acting.
He moved towards her and put his arm around her. Normally this proximity to him would have boosted Dhalia's spirits, but the news he was about to share with her was too dismal for them to be lifted. “Look, it's not the end of the world. Come on, let's go for coffee.” She felt her eyes tearing up as her aspiration for success grew bleak. Bradley kept his arm around Dhalia and he led her out the door. She felt like it was back to the drawing board. With that station's rejection, she would never be able to catch up with her bills or stop worrying about how to pay them. The anxiety and hardship were weighing heavily on her, oppressing her, suffocating her.
They didn’t walk far because Starbucks was on the lower level of their building. They passed Ryan’s office on the way out. His door was open and he automatically looked up as they passed. Dhalia hated that he saw her with Bradley’s arm draped over her shoulders. Her heart quickened, feeling as though she was doing something wrong, namely cheating on him. It was irrational since he was her ex-husband, but it was a legitimate feeling for Dhalia. She wasn’t worried about the inappropriateness of them being together, as much as she was worried about Ryan’s jealousy of a new man in her life. She knew it was time for Ryan to move on, but she didn’t think he was ready for that. Ryan didn’t have a chance to react since they passed his office so quickly. This day just kept getting worse for Dhalia.
Bradley and Dhalia arrived at Starbucks. Dhalia ordered her usual, a grande five pump, nonfat chai latte, with no water or foam. Bradley ordered a bold coffee and drank it black. Dhalia thought his order at Starbucks depicted his personality.
Bradley suggested they go outside and talk. Toronto was experiencing an Indian summer so she was relieved to be out of the office, particularly when she was this out of sorts. Dhalia followed Bradley, all the while trying not to cry and attempting to hide her disappointment. She ached inside, almost like when one felt like she was coming down with something, but in Dhalia's case, disappointment was the cause.
Bradley stopped a
nd put his coffee on one of the benches under a tree and faced Dhalia, who chose to sit on the bench. He put his foot on the bench and looked into her eyes. “You have to keep in touch with me when you’re in Alberta. I’m going to fly out to see you as often as I can and make sure things are going well.”
She gasped with excitement. “They liked my idea?”
He continued, “They loved it. You will have support in Alberta as well as from home. I will be managing you directly. Your expenses will be covered by the Association. You will head the entire project and control all editing before anything is televised. You will be on location in beautiful Calgary, Alberta for the period of one year. Should the pilot take off, you may be asked to stay for another year.”
Relief washed over Dhalia, and before she could stop it, tears of happiness were falling freely from her eyes.
Dhalia could barely suppress a grin but said nothing as she listened to Bradley. His words sung out like music to her ears.
“A part of me didn’t want to tell you,” he confided. “I feel like I’m going to be losing you.” He spotted the tear and wiped it with his thumb. “I want to kiss you right now, but I can’t, damn it!” he cursed.
“You know where I’ll be,” she reassured.
“I’m going to miss you,” he admitted.
“Then you’ll have to start asking me out more and visiting me after I move.”
“You’re glowing,” Bradley remarked.
“I have you to thank.” She touched his shoulder. Throwing her professionalism out the door, she leaned over to give him a hug. Her body pressed firmly against his, and she ran her fingers through the short, spiky strands of hair at the bottom of his neck. She could tell he liked it because he didn’t move.
Kiss & Cry, Where Passion Awaits Page 2