by Jacki Kelly
“Oh, I’ve got a lot more stories. I’ll share them over dinner, tonight?”
“I’m looking forward to it. But I want you to know, I’m onto your plan.”
“My plan?”
“Aren’t you trying to distract me so I won’t pressure you about the house? You know with all the wining and dining stuff?”
His deep laughter resounded through the phone, making her smile. “Umm, I hadn’t thought about it, but that sound like a good plan.” He paused for a moment. She could hear him breathing. “I’ve got a late meeting, so I hope you don’t mind meeting me there.”
“It’s not a problem. I’ve got some stuff to take care of this morning.” She eyeballed the pile of wet plaster in the middle of the hall. “See you there at seven.” Asa disconnected the call.
Heat raced through her veins like an out of control fire. Simeon’s infectious charm ignited the dry tinder buried in her heart. The spark had already begun to mushroom.
“Hey, where are you?” Dakota called from downstairs. The dog released a loud yap as he charged out of the room. His barking grew fiercer as he neared the stairs.
“Up here, come on up.” Asa responded before reaching for the mop.
She watched Dakota’s lip curl in dissatisfaction. Scruffy’s barking only added to the chaos.
“When did you get a dog?” Dakota stood in the upstairs hallway with her hands on her hips.
“This is my ghost. I adopted him a few nights ago.”
“Can’t you shut him up?”
“He doesn’t like strangers.” Asa made a wide swipe with the mop.
“You were a stranger to him until a few nights ago. Give me a break.”
“I’m kinda getting used to having him around. It’s a good thing, too because the animal shelter says he doesn’t have a chip and no one has any idea where he came from.”
“I saw the flyers pinned to the trees as I drove up the block. Maybe you’ll get a response.” Dakota pointed to the water and plaster on the floor. “Now, what happened here?”
“I wish you called me before you dropped by.” Asa continued to mop up the water. “I would have asked you to buy trash bags to put this stuff in.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on here?” Scruffy gave Dakota another growl before running into the bedroom.
“The roof leaks. The ceiling fell in from the weight of the water. What in the world am I getting into here? The house is a wreck.”
“Umm hm, I told you this wasn’t a good idea. How are you going to stay here? Are you crazy?”
Asa swallowed her sharp retort. Instead she said, “Are you going to help me clean up this mess or are you going to stand there and watch me? I have an appointment downtown with a realtor.”
Dakota snatched the broom leaning against the wall. “I’m going to try to talk some sense into your head.” She pushed the soaking wet plaster into a pile. “You go from one harebrained scheme to the next. Why don’t you just come and stay with me?”
Asa chuckled. Dakota was always the messy one. “It’s just a little rain, Dakota.”
“Today it’s rain, tomorrow the walls might cave in, or the floor might buckle. Honey, maybe this house can’t be saved. Have you thought about that?”
“Nope, not once.”
“What about Simeon? Has he said anything positive?”
“Nope, not once,” she repeated. Asa stopped mopping. With one hand she swept her hair away from her face. “Let’s see... where do I start. I’ve seen him twice, we’re having dinner tonight at the most expensive restaurant in the city and he still hasn’t shown his hand. The house is still on the chopping block.”
“He invited you to dinner tonight. That sounds pretty serious to me.” Dakota made a large swipe with the broom.
“If he’s serious, he has a funny way of showing it. So far he’s given me a brotherly hug or a simple kiss on the cheek. I think all this attention has more to do with letting me know he doesn’t intend to change his plans.”
“Don’t be silly. He could have said that on a phone call, he’s got something on his mind. You.” She lifted a brow.
Asa shook her head.“Don’t give me that look. I know what I’m talking about.”
Dakota leaned the broom against the wall. “Besides this manual labor, what can I help with?”
“I might need help finding the best location for my studio. The realtor has several properties for me to look at this afternoon.” She glanced at her watch. “If I don’t take my shower and get out of here I’m going to be late. Don’t you want to take Scruffy for a little walk so he can handle his business?”
“Not on your life. I don’t do dogs.” Dakota scurried down the stairs. “Good luck with Simeon tonight.”
Asa laughed hearing the door close.
§ § §
Asa drummed her fingers on the plush linen tablecloth. Her first dinner in the Hotel DuPont Green Room and she couldn’t take her eyes off the gold gilded ceiling or the elegant decor. A woman played a harp on the small balcony overlooking the dining room. The heavy brocade drapes over the large domed windows blended well with the room décor.
Simeon was late.
Why would he pick one of the most expensive restaurants in Wilmington for dinner? She fumbled with the place setting before running her hands along her black crepe peplum dress.
The blaring alarms from passing fire engines barely penetrated the serene surroundings of the dining room. Everyone continued to eat and drink, ignoring the emergency vehicles outside.
She glanced at the list of exquisite entrees trying to choose one before Simeon arrived. This way he wouldn’t have to witness her indecisiveness.
“Ma’am, would you like to order a drink while you’re waiting?”
“Mmm, yes, I guess so.” Around the restaurant, tables were filling up. The noise level increased two octaves. Why would Simeon keep her waiting so long? “I’ll have a sour apple martini.” Before he could walk away, she raised her hand. “No, no make that a desert pear martini.”
The server nodded and hurried away. The host escorted a middle-aged couple across the dining room. Their arms were linked at the elbow. They reminded Asa of her parents and the love they shared.
The phone in her purse vibrated. After fishing around, she pulled it out and noticed Eric’s number illuminating the screen. Instead of taking the call she silenced the ringer and slipped the phone back in her purse. The love she’d thought she and Eric had shared faded before their first year was through. He’d get the message soon enough.
She craned her neck looking for the server with the martini. He was just arriving. She accepted the delicate stemmed glass from the server and took a long swallow before setting it on the table. Asa squeezed her eyes shut for fortification as the vodka slid down her throat.
From this side of the dining room, she couldn’t track the activity at the entrance. Each time the host escorted someone to their seat Asa glanced up to see if Simeon had arrived. He was twenty minutes late. If this meeting wasn’t so important she would drop some money on the table and walk out. Ten more minutes. She would give him ten more minutes to show up.
She suppressed a smile, if sitting a few more moments guaranteed her some time with Simeon then she was content to wait. She swung her foot to the slow melody of the harp and took another sip of her drink. The next gulp of her martini didn’t require a squint.
She finished the rest of the drink then pulled her pocketbook off the back of the chair. She extracted twenty dollars from her wallet, placed it on the table and raced toward the exit. If Simeon thought she would give up this easy, she had a surprise for him.
Two could play this game.
Chapter Five
Her Mercedes rattled and lurched as she pulled onto 10th Street. Maybe the car needed a tune up. After the long drive from Atlanta, the eight year old vehicle deserved a rest.
“Hold on until after the studio is opened, then it will be your turn.” She patted the dashboard
.
The sun faded from the sky as she turned onto the old family block. The full oak trees made a canopy across the street. It felt like driving under a leaf-covered arch. There was something magical about this street, about this house. Her grandparents’ house stood in marked contrast to the beauty of the trees on the block. Tomorrow she vowed to get the yard cleaned up. To bring the house back to some resemblance of its glory.
Once inside the house, she turned on all of the lights. Scruffy ran out of the kitchen, his tail wagging so violently his whole backside shook. She scratched under his chin. “God, it feels good to have someone happy to see me.” She picked up the puppy, rubbed his nose against hers then sat him on the floor.
“This house needs a little tender loving care. Just like me,” she said to Scruffy as he licked his paw.
She stifled a yawn while the dog gobbled up his kibble. Her phone vibrated again, startling her. It was Eric again. Twice in one night. He hadn’t showed that much interest when they were married, so what made her the center of attention now? She pushed the phone back in her pocket and headed upstairs with the dog in her arms.
The cold brass doorknob of her grandparents’ bedroom filled her trembling hand. She squared her shoulders before pushing the door open. After two nights, she needed to peek into the room to see the big bed where her grandparents let her sleep after a bad dream.
Asa gripped the doorjamb, her feet refused to move forward. With Scruffy squeezed against her chest her eyes darted around the room. It looked exactly the way she remembered. Her grandmother’s comb still sat on the dresser. The large four-poster bed faced the door. The patchwork quilt that she and her sisters used to build their playhouse was still draped across the corner of the bed. The room looked as if Mim had made the bed only that morning.
She inched forward and took a deep breath hoping to smell the inexpensive perfume her grandmother wore, or the tobacco from her Grandfather’s pipe. But the musty smell that permeated the rest of the house laid claim to this room as well.
§ § §
Three hours. Three excruciating hours, his millwright would be fine but a fractured arm should not take three hours to set. Simeon pulled his car out of the hospital parking lot and headed toward Interstate 95 South.
His presence had helped diffuse the uneasiness of the crew. They needed to know how much he cared about them and their families.
Building Harper Enterprise took several years and even more years of sacrifice. Giving up his time or changing his schedule all came along as part of the package. His father never understood anything about sacrifice, which reflected in the lifestyle he chose for his family. Give him a bottle of cheap wine and Nolan Harper was as content as a dog getting his belly scratched.
But this wasn’t the day he wanted to sacrifice his personal life for his business. He shifted in the car seat. Before today, nothing came before Harper Enterprise and certainly not a woman. He smirked, if anyone could make him push business aside, Asa would be the one.
“Call Catherine,” he spoke into the car’s voice command and waited for Catherine to pick up.
“Simeon, I got to the Green Room as quickly as I could. An accident or a fire or something had traffic tied up for blocks. By the time I got there, Ms. Conroy was gone.”
“Did you call the restaurant? Does she know something came up?”
“I’m sorry Simeon. I didn’t get a message to her. I didn’t think...I...I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, Catherine. I’ll handle it.” He disconnected the call.
Traffic through Chester, Pennsylvania along I-95 slowed. He inched along, strumming the steering wheel to channel his anxiety. Something always happened to keep him away from Asa.
Even now, success didn’t seem to be enough to bring him closer to her. The money, the large house, his own business and he still wasn’t any closer to Asa than when they were in high school. Somehow she remained beyond his grasp.
He swung around a slow moving car and accelerated. The dashboard clock read ten. He seldom paid house calls this late, but he needed to see Asa tonight. Sleeping would be impossible until he made certain she understood what kept him from dinner.
Finding his way to the house on Excalibur Avenue didn’t pose a challenge. He could find it in the dark, with a blindfold covering his eyes. Even the condition of the house wasn’t surprising. Before planning the Golden Leaf project he had ridden down this street every day. Since no one lived in her house or took care of the repairs, his decision was easier. Her house, her neighborhood reminded him of everything painful in his childhood. It was the constant reminder that his father loved the bottle more than he loved his family.
Now Asa wanted to talk about his project. As much as he adored her and wanted her, she wouldn’t change his plans. He’d made too many promises
Promises I plan to keep.
Chapter Six
The doorbell jarred Asa awake. She bolted upright in the bed. The dog barked. His body rigid at the foot of the bed. He sounded like a ferocious pit bull instead of a small mutt. She checked the time on her cell phone. Eleven o’clock. It felt later. Only a handful of people knew she’d moved into the house, but none of them would visit at this hour.
Asa burrowed under the blanket. If she stayed upstairs, maybe whoever was at the door would go away. The doorbell rang again. This time Scruffy hopped off the bed and bolted down the stairs.
“Scruffy, come back here.” Asa ran after the puppy, turning on the hall light as she made her way down the steps. She scooped the puppy into her arms just as the bell chimed again.
“Well, I guess we can’t hide now, can we? The jig is up, thanks to you,” she admonished the puppy.
Through the door side panels, she saw Simeon, dressed in a suit, looking as fresh as a brand new day.
“Oh, shit,” Asa whispered as she dropped the curtain covering the panel. She put the dog on the floor. Her hair must looked like she stuck her finger in an electrical socket and her gown almost exposed her butt. She threw up her hand. Why do I care what Simeon thinks? That freak stood me up tonight and now he has the nerve to show up here.
She snatched the door open. “I’ve invited you to this house a dozen times and the only time you show up is when I don’t invite you. Are you serious?” she lashed out at him. Scruffy continued to bark but now he stood behind her. Some guard dog. Simeon’s wide stance bordered on menacing. His hands were shoved in his pockets. From the porch’s dim light, she couldn’t easily make out the expression on his face. He almost looked like a detective that had come to arrest her for having too much mouth. She gave him a moment to reply. When he didn’t, she continued. “You have some nerve. Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“I felt like I owed you an apology. I’m sorry about tonight, there was an accident at one of the job sites and I had to go to the hospital. I tried to call your cell, it went directly to voicemail.” His eyes traveled the length of her body and stopped at the end of her gown.
Calm down. He’s only looking, the same way any hot blooded man would.
“You don’t look hurt to me.” She eyed him.
“Do you always have such a quick wit?”
“Only after ten o’clock. It’s my Cinderella thing.”
“I thought Cinderella’s bewitching hour was midnight.” His lip curled into a seductive smile that made
Asa forget her anger for a moment. “Yeah, well, I need my sleep.”
“I’ll make a note of that.”
“Does that mean you’ll keep coming back after my lights are out?”
“Again, I’m sorry.” He explained the accident to her. “Can I come in for a moment?” He removed his hands from his pockets.
Asa stepped aside allowing him in the hall where the light to shine on his face. She looked into his eyes, the black flecks danced against the hazy hall light. “I was sleeping...”
“I’ll only be a few minutes.” His deep voice went right to her heart, making it beat faster. He bru
shed against her as he stepped into the hall. His touch sent a current through her along with the realization that she was nearly naked, her nipples hardening against the thin fabric. She tugged on the gown.
Without moving he glanced into the living room. He seemed to fill the space, reminding her of her father and grandfather and their bigger than life presences. Before he uttered another word, she forgave him for standing her up.
“I’m listening.” She tried to sound indifferent. Scruffy stopped barking and wandered closer to Simeon. After sniffing his pants, he sat on the worn carpet.
“It’s not often that I allow work to interfere with my private life. I hope you can forgive me. We’re facing some tough challenges right now and I need to make sure my crews feel my support.”
“You didn’t need to come here tonight. You could have called me in the morning. I look a mess.” She pulled her hair up to fashion a ponytail.
“You’ve never looked a mess.” He cleared this throat and dropped his gaze. “I sent my assistant to the restaurant to take care of your dinner and let you know I wasn’t going to make it, but you had already left.”
Asa clutched her gown closer to her chest. “Oh, so you do know how to be nice. That makes twice.”
“You keep count?”
“It’s pretty easy with you. You’re up to two. You chased the ghost out of the basement and treated me to a nice lunch.” She held up two fingers. “This Simeon is much better than the one I went to school with.”
He arched a brow. “I...hope so. Hey wait a minute. I invited you to dinner tonight.” His electric smile sent a shiver across her skin.
“You invited me to dinner, and then you blew me off. I wouldn’t brag about that if I were you.”
Instead of commenting, he stared. A tingle traveled down her spine, enveloping her. She wanted to touch him, feel the warmth of his skin along his jaw. A static charge surrounded them. The blood rushing through her veins threatened to spring a leak and leave her useless in the middle of the hall.