by Jacki Kelly
The aroma of garlic and butter drifted past her nose. Asa took a deep breath, savoring the rich scent. “Where are we going? The restaurant is that way.” Asa pointed beyond the bank of elevators.
“We’re having dinner in a private dining room, upstairs. Since I stood you up I thought I would make this dinner a special one.”
Asa’s legs began to tremble. If he wanted to sweep her off her feet, his plan was working. “I’m impressed.”
He gave her a wicked smile. “And you haven’t even tasted the meal yet.”
She gave his arm a playful slap and then cut her eyes at a young couple in front of them waiting for the elevator. “We’ll talk about this later, in private.”
The young girl wasn’t much older than twenty; her incessant giggles reminded Asa of falling in love, when the relationship was still in that sweet spot, where everything was grand and new. Too bad, relationships didn’t stay in that zone forever.
The young couple stepped into the elevator and held the door open for them.
“We’ll catch the next car.” Simeon waved them on.
Before the doors closed, Simeon leaned close. “Isn’t young love refreshing? Don’t you wish you were in love like that again?”
“No, thank you, I’ll pass,” Asa clasped her hands.
“Oh, come on, doesn’t every woman want to find true love?”
“Is there such a thing as true love or soul mates? It’s all a crock. It’s a story men tell us to get to the goodies.” She stepped closer to him. “You might as well admit it. I’m onto you.”
“Umm, I don’t know if I can answer for all men.”
“Then answer for yourself.” She studied his face, waiting for his reply.
An empty elevator arrived. He guided her in and then stood so close she thought he might hear her heart beating. The attention from him was exciting, but she wouldn’t wallow in fairytale land. Not again. He had something she wanted and the minute she forgot her purpose she could lose everything.
He must have read her thoughts. With no preamble he wrapped his arms around her waist and peered into her eyes. “I can’t get enough of you. I think I’m becoming addicted.” He pressed his mouth to hers.
Her body came alive with his touch. Yielding to the desire, she pressed her breasts, her stomach, and her thighs against his body. Her brain screamed for her to stop. His hands roamed across her bare shoulders, blazing a steaming trail she didn’t want to abandon. His solid body felt like hot steel in her hands.
The bell sounded when the elevator reached the second floor and the doors opened. Instead of releasing her, Simeon continued to weave warm, wet circles around her tongue. Forget dinner, she wanted to move to dessert.
“Excuse me, is this your floor?”
Simeon gave her a final peck before addressing the well-dressed hotel patron. “Yes, it is, sorry if we’ve delayed you.”
Simeon released her, grabbed her hand and led her out of the elevator. She giggled while matching his long strides.
“The private dining room is just down the hall on the right.” His voice sounded as giddy as she felt. A small table sat in the middle of the quaint, dimly lit private dining room. A single white tapered candle sat in a crystal holder in the center of the table.
“Very nice,” Asa entered the room. The appointments were as elegant as those in the main restaurant.
“I hope this means you forgive me.” Simeon held out the chair and gave a gallant bow.
“Yes, I forgave you the first time you asked.”
A server materialized from a side door and Simeon stepped away to talk with him.
Asa took a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth. So far, this was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. He could be the right person, but this was the wrong time. She placed her hands in her lap and closed her eyes. Focus.
She didn’t have time to get involved with anyone. Certainly not Simeon, they shared too much history—most of which was negative—to forge a serious relationship. His numerous rejections still scorched her ego. The next man in her life needed to show interest in her from the day they met.
Simeon was sophisticated and handsome as hell; but she did not intend to fall for that again. Fashion week was in a few months. She needed to focus on the final pieces. Chaos best described the state of her studio plans and the house. Keeping her focus on all of that should be enough to help her ignore his charm. But it wasn’t.
Simeon returned to the table and slid his chair closer. “So you’re not interested in settling down and finding true love?” His velvety voice scrambled her thoughts. He had to be trying to knock her off her game.
She examined his face. “Are we still on that conversation? No, right now I’m not thinking about any of that.”
His eyes widened. “Is that right?”
Asa rested her chin in her palm and peered into his eyes. Something twinkled in the dark pools. “Are you looking?”
“No. No I’m not.”
“Why not? Too busy enjoying your bachelor status?” She wanted to take the attention off her.
“There’s that sharp wit again.” He laughed. “No, my business keeps me pretty busy. I don’t have the time to devote to a serious relationship.”
“Surely, there is no shortage of women that would like nothing better than to tie you down on your terms.”
“I haven’t found the right woman yet.”
“Are you looking, or do you expect her to fall in your lap?”
Simeon reached for her hand. “When she falls into my lap, you better believe I’ll never let go.”
His baritone voice sounded convincing, but a man with everything going for him wasn’t single unless there was a glitch. Something must be wrong with him.
Asa swallowed hard. “Interesting. You sound convincing.”
“So, tell me, what went wrong with your marriage.” Asa shifted in her seat. Her hand trembled when she reached for the water goblet. Should she tell him the truth or give him the rehearsed version? She wanted to be honest.
“In the beginning things seemed wonderful, but maybe we were too young or maybe marriage wasn’t as exciting as he thought it was going to be. After two years he found more fun in anything and everything but me. He’d rather watch paint dry than spend an evening at home.”
“Ouch.” Simeon winced. “The man was crazy. What could be more exciting than you?”
“Well, let’s see; Yvonne, Marcy, Stacy, and a little redhead named Rebecca.”
“If this is difficult you don’t have to talk about it.”
“No...no, I don’t mind. I’ve moved on.” She paused for several moments. “I haven’t told my sisters all this yet. I blamed myself. My parents didn’t want me to get married. They wanted me to wait. But you know...youth, love, and all that stuff made a dangerous combination. I thought marriage would make me happy, improve my life.” She relaxed her shoulders, the tension eased.
“What was wrong with your life? Why did it need improving?”
She shrugged. “Something was missing.” Asa looked beyond Simeon at the gold flecked wallpaper.
“Did your parents know your marriage was in trouble?”
She dropped her gaze. “No, I tried to make it work. I never told them. My parents came for a visit the year before they died. I think my mother could see the stress in our relationship. She asked lots of questions.” Asa picked up the salt and pepper shakers and set them back down. “I remember the big cheesy smile I gave her when I told her Eric and I were doing just fine. I was belligerent, accusing her of wanting my marriage to fail when she continued to ask questions. Eric couldn’t even fake it for the week my parents visited. On their last night in town he didn’t even come home.” Asa ran her hand over the tablecloth. “I could see disappointment in my mother’s eyes, but she never said anything.”
Simeon covered her hand with his. “I’m sure your mother wanted the best for you.”
“Let’s talk about something more upbeat. Tha
t time is behind me. I want to forget it.”
“Fine. Then why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind tonight?” He added, “As if I don’t already know.”
Before she could respond, the server showed up. Simeon ordered a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. When the server walked away, Simeon folded his hands on the table and stared at Asa, waiting on her reply.
“We talked a little bit the other night about the house. I hope you’ve given it some thought. Maybe we can come up with ideas so the house doesn’t get torn down.”
He opened his mouth and closed it again. He released her hand and laid his palms on the table. “Asa, I know you want to save the house. I really don’t think there’s anything I can do at this stage to divert or change the project.” He spoke slow and measured. “The neighborhood needs access to affordable goods.”
“By tearing down the houses? Then there won’t even be a neighborhood.”
“This project will do a lot of good for a lot of people. It will create jobs.”
“Not everyone thinks it’s such a good idea,” Asa countered.
“Before we approached any investors we did our research. We performed several surveys. Your sister, Melissa gave us the okay. Neither of your sisters raised any objections at the time. Why is this becoming a major issue this late in the game?”
Their server cleared his throat and asked if they were ready to order dinner. Asa accepted the menu. She stared at the words until they blurred. Maybe if she had been straight with her sisters about leaving Atlanta and opening a shop in Delaware everything would have turned out differently.
The server listened to their dinner request without jotting down any notes. Afterward he nodded and walked away.
Asa sipped her wine, happy to take a moment to gather her thoughts. Simeon gazed at her over his glass. She would lose the battle for her house and for his love. The urge to flee swept over her.
That first night when he stepped on her porch, he tugged at her heart. Since then an inferno seized her. She was still in love with him. Pretending anything else was useless. She dropped her eyes, picked up the pepper shaker and moved it across the table.
“There’s nothing I can do. If our due diligence turns up nothing, we have to move forward.” He held his hands in midair.
“What if I wasn’t the only one that wanted that block left alone?”
“It wouldn’t matter.”
Moving back to Bristol was the right thing to do. Even without the house, living here made her happy and, content. She wouldn’t run away.
The server returned with their dinner. Simeon’s rib-eye steak sizzled in butter on his plate and the aroma of her seared sea bass made her mouth water. Without replying to Simeon’s comment, she tasted a piece of the flaky fish. Instead of talking about the house they chatted about some of their classmates. If she couldn’t work with Simeon to save the house, then she would work around him.
“The other day you offered me use of an office in your suite. Is it still available?”
“It’s all set up. All you have to do is show up.” He placed his knife and fork across the plate.
“I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to having you around.”
She suppressed the pang of excitement, his words stirred in her stomach.
After their plates were removed from the table, Asa surveyed his face. The dimples that showed up when he smiled and the high cheekbones make him even more handsome. Too bad they couldn’t seize the opportunity years ago when they had the chance.
“Why didn’t you like me in high school, Simeon?” She hadn’t planned to ask that question, but now she needed to know. Was her timing with men always off? Did Simeon have a reason for ignoring her; ditching her hopes even before they were fully formed?
Shock registered in his eyes. “Err...I...I...” he muttered.
“It’s not a hard question. You had to know I had a crush on you. I followed you around like a lovesick puppy. No matter how hard I tried to get your attention you ignored me. I just want to know why.”
“I didn’t know that...I was always trying to...” He reached for his wine and took a long swallow. “You were the girl that lived on the right side of the tracks. I lived on the wrong side. Girls like you didn’t date guys like me.”
Asa laughed at his reply. “What are you talking about? You’re kidding me, right?” She continued to laugh.
He looked at her and shook his head. “We were the poor family. My father made us the laughing stock of the city. Everyone knew Nolan Harper, the town drunk, and his tattered family.”
She stopped laughing and stared at him. Could he be serious? “We were all poor. I didn’t look down on you. You were the cutest guy in school. You were smart and so serious. Unlike the other guys in our class, you had a solidness about you that I liked. Besides, no one could have been poorer than my family.”
He cleared his throat and looked away. “It doesn’t matter.” He removed his napkin from his lap, folded it into a neat rectangle and placed it on the table. “I think it’s time I take you home.”
“Wait a minute.” Her eyes widened. “What about my house?”
“I think I know what you want.” He stood up. “I told you I can’t make any promises.”
“Have you at least thought about other options?”
“I have. Give me a few weeks.” He reached for her hand to help her up.
“Do I have a few weeks?”
“You do if I say you do.” Because this time I’m in control.
Chapter Eleven
Asa punched her pillow and turned over. It was too early to get up; she needed a few more hours of sleep. She wasn’t used to crawling into bed after three, but at least she’d finished cutting and pinning the asymmetrical jacket. The ruffled shawl collar would be an instant hit.
She turned on her back and opened her eyes. The morning sun streamed through the opened curtains, blanketing the room with blinding light. When Simeon kissed her good night, pressing his leg between her thighs, she almost invited him to spend the night. Lust gnawed at her willpower. Every time Simeon looked at her she wanted to open her arms and grant him his wish.
It was time to move to Plan B.
The lollipop ringtone from her cell phone shook her from daydreaming about Simeon. Instead she scrambled to find her ringing cell phone. She patted the bed with wild random swats. It was somewhere here.
What crazy person would have the audacity to call this early in the morning? Scruffy gave her a slow yawn as she smacked the bed. She found it buried under the top sheet.
Eric’s number appeared on the display. She contemplated accepting his call.
“Yes Eric, what do you want?”
“I’ve been calling you. Why haven’t you answered?”
“I thought after a while you’d get the message.” Her voice was terse, maybe that would shoo him away.
“Well, huh. You didn’t respond to the e-mails I sent either, so I decided to keep calling.” He paused. “I went past the condo the other day. They said you moved.”
Asa hesitated, not certain she wanted him to know where she’d gone. Eric never wanted to come to Delaware to visit her family. He made excuses why they couldn’t make the trip; it was too far, or too cold. She wasn’t worried that he would come to Delaware now. “I’ve moved.”
“Oh, I see. And you weren’t going to tell me?”
“We’re divorced, Eric, I don’t have to report in to you anymore.”
“You’re right, you’re right. My bad. I didn’t mean to pry. I only wanted to check on you. You know I still care about you.”
“I’m fine. Look, I’ve got to go.”
“So where are you? Maybe I’ll stop by and see you some time.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Besides, I moved back home.”
“Why the hell did you move all the way back up there? That’s pure stupidity. To go running back home like a baby.” His anger pierced the phone. “Whe
n are you going to stop worrying about what your family thinks about you?”
“Eric, don’t call me anymore. We’re done.”
“We’ll see about that. We’ll be done when I say so. I still love you and there isn’t a piece of paper that can shut off my feelings.”
Asa swallowed. She didn’t miss arguing with him. She didn’t miss the way he made her feel small and insignificant. And she didn’t miss him. Why he continued to call remained a mystery. His latest ladylove probably just dumped him and he wanted to return to something familiar. But she wasn’t that naïve girl she used to be.
“Bye, Eric.” She disconnected the call and dropped her head back on the pillow. “How long am I going to feel so crappy?”
The dog responded by nuzzling his head against her hand until she rubbed his chin. She contemplated the ceiling. A fresh coat of paint could hide that huge water stain. One afternoon and a little hard work would make this room happy again. She’d have to add that to her growing list.
She turned on her side. Last night’s dinner made her frown.
Nothing was accomplished. Last night put her no closer to proving to her family she didn’t always screw up. Sitting across the table from Simeon had fulfilled one of her fantasies, a date with her first crush, but nothing more. His charm nearly made her forget the purpose for the evening. Now it was time to step off the cloud and face reality.
They left the hotel before the pastry chef even served the special desert. The look that clouded Simeon’s eyes needled her. Growing up she never viewed Bristol as a place with a right side or wrong side of the tracks. Did he really mean that comment or was he trying to distract her?
The dog licked his right paw at the edge of the bed. He stopped for a moment to sniff her then resumed his task. She patted him on the head, enjoying the warm feel of his soft coat. Why couldn’t her love life provide the same kind of quiet contentment?
Scruffy yelped, giving her hand another stiff shove before jumping from the bed. At the door he spun around, his tail brushing the doorframe. She climbed out of bed and followed him downstairs.