by Tamie Dearen
“Okay, that’s a good idea.”
“When will I see you? That is, assuming Anna-Laure is fine and you get to come over here.”
“I am not sure. Probably, we will get together on Friday night. That is when I first come into the city.”
“That sounds great. I’m excited to finally see you again.”
She wanted it to be true. She ought to be thrilled that she would see Henri again. But for some reason her emotions felt flat.
Back at her desk, Steven addressed work issues, not mentioning the lunch incident except for retrieving Ellen’s contact information. Still, Anne couldn’t relax in his presence. He chose the afternoon for a lesson using his email correspondence. He was constantly brushing his arm against her while leaning over to identify specific terms on her computer screen. At one point he stood behind her and leaned across her shoulder, his face almost touching hers. For his part, he seemed totally unaware of the casual contact, but Anne felt a growing discomfort. He’d ruined her. Now his close proximity stirred memories of just how good his kiss had felt. She tried to concentrate on work, but was frustrated at her lack of progress and grateful when it was time to leave.
After Anne’s long subway commute, Rayna hurried out to stop her before she got on the elevator. “Hey Anne. What are your plans tonight?”
“Not much. I’m planning to change clothes and go for a run on the treadmill right now. But I’m free later if you want to get together and talk. Is something up?”
“No, I just feel like we’ve lost touch. I like to know what you’re up to.”
“Should I call you later?”
“Sure. That’d be great.”
Anne changed quickly and headed for the gym. She needed a good run to release some tension and get all thoughts of Steven out of her head. She chose a treadmill and started her run. She planned a forty-minute run, but she might go forty-five or fifty if she was feeling strong. She’d been running for about five minutes when Steven Gherring walked in front of her treadmill, blocking her view out the window. He was shirtless, of course. He leaned his elbow on the front of her treadmill, his biceps flexing.
“Hello, Anne. Just thought I’d say hi before I start my ride.”
Anne made a vain attempt to keep her eyes locked on Steven's face. “Hello.”
“I’m planning to ride for an hour. I’ve gotten behind on my training.” He stretched his arms above his head, flexing every sinewy muscle in his chest and arms. Anne watched him, mesmerized, and stumbled a bit on her track.
“Is there something wrong with the fancy exercise bike in your apartment?”
“Yes, it’s broken.”
“Should I call someone for you to have it fixed?”
“No, that’s okay. I don’t mind coming down here.” He stretched again. “I’d better get started on that long training ride. You could come and talk to me when you’re finished if you’d like.” He bent over to touch his toes and did a lunge stretch on each leg. Every individual strand of his clearly defined leg muscles seemed to dance and flex. Then he sauntered over to mount an exercise bike.
Anne felt faint. It was probably a lack of food. Surely it had nothing to do with Steven's effortless but effective assault on her senses. He did have an amazing body. And she’d seen him in nothing but a towel. Unbidden, an image invaded her mind. Steven was bending over the breakfast table, his body still damp from his shower, muscles flexing, straining the limits of the towel tucked low around his hips. She missed another step on the treadmill and barely caught herself before falling. She’d better cut her run short before she broke something.
She turned off her unit and dashed out of the gym quickly, avoiding eye contact with Steven. It wasn’t until she reached her apartment she realized she’d left her cell phone and keys upstairs in the gym. She returned to retrieve them, hoping to slip in quietly and escape another encounter with him. But when she arrived, his bike was empty, and he was nowhere to be seen.
She had to escape… to get away from everything that reminded her of Steven. It was dark outside, but still early. There were plenty of people on the streets. Surely it would be safe to go visit Mr. Hamilton. She hadn’t even run on the treadmill long enough to break a sweat, so she changed quickly and hurried out the front door, waving at Rayna who was busy talking to another resident. Antonio stopped her at the door.
“Hi Beautiful! Where’re you off to? Should I get you a taxi?”
“No thanks, Antonio. I’m just going a few blocks. And I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Are you sure? It’s already dark.”
“I’ll be fine. Tell Rayna I’ll call her later.”
She walked rapidly, but she didn’t feel any danger on the busy street. Mr. Hamilton’s light was on, but the door was locked. So she rang the doorbell and waited. Soon she heard footsteps and he appeared at the door.
“Come in, come in!” His eyes crinkled in a huge smile. “I’m so glad you came by. I was just making dinner. Would you like to join me?”
“I don’t want to impose,” she said, but her stomach gurgled at the scent of food drifting down the stairs.
He laughed out loud. “Your stomach says yes, so come on up.”
She followed him to his friendly kitchen and flopped into a chair at the table. He dished up two plates of spaghetti with meatballs and put a large bowl of tossed green salad on the table. Then he opened the oven and removed a pan of broiled garlic and cheese bread.
“If you don’t like Italian food, you’re out of luck.”
A loud growl answered him before Anne could speak. She giggled. “My stomach and I both love Italian. Thanks!”
She felt the tension melting from her shoulders as she chatted with Mr. Hamilton over dinner. She told him all about the stress of learning about the accident, and not knowing the outcome until arriving in Fort Worth. They discussed her new job and her misgivings about her abilities. But she purposefully avoided the subject of Steven Gherring, the source of a great deal of her anxiety at the moment.
After dinner, they went downstairs and he pulled out a vinyl record of The Lawrence Marable Quartet, entitled Tenorman. The sweet sounds of jazz filled the shop. He carved while Anne browsed through the shop. Once again, she was thoroughly fascinated, examining the precise fit where each of the puzzle-like carved figures intertwined. She went back to her favorite carving, Inseparable Love, marveling once again at the intricate pieces carved from a single piece of wood. A new sign, Not For Sale, had replaced the $7,500 price tag.
“How come you took the price tag off this one?”
He smiled. “A man actually tried to buy it from me last week. I had to make up a story about saving it for someone else. So, I decided to play it safe, since I don’t really want to sell it anyway.”
“Just out of curiosity, how much would it take for you to sell it? A million? Not that I’m planning to buy it or anything,” she chuckled.
“I don’t think I could ever sell it. I might give it to my granddaughter someday.”
“Wow—lucky girl.”
Her cell phone started ringing, and she ran to dig it out of her purse.
“Hey Rayna. What’s up?”
“Oh great, you answered your phone. I called thirty minutes ago, and you didn’t answer. I thought something might have happened. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine—I must’ve left my purse downstairs during dinner. I just had Italian food with Mr. Hamilton. He’s the one I told you about. You know, he lives above his woodcarving shop. You should come and see it sometime.”
“Okay, sure. But are you coming home soon?”
“Yes, I didn’t realize I’d been here for two hours already. I’m leaving right now.”
Anne heard muffled voices in the background and Rayna came back on the phone. “You really should take a taxi. It’s dark outside.”
“Maybe. But I’ll probably just walk. I need the exercise. I didn’t manage to finish my run tonight. Anyway, it’s a beautiful clear night, and I have
a warm coat and hat and gloves. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Rayna started to protest again, but Anne disconnected the call. She turned to Mr. Hamilton. “I guess I need to go. My friend Rayna has suddenly gotten very motherly.” She bundled up and gave Mr. Hamilton a big hug before dashing out the door.
Making her way down the deserted street, she had some misgivings about her decision. She would have hailed a cab, but there were no cars to be seen. She began to get a little nervous when a man across the street seemed to slow down as she came his direction. He was probably just looking at the street sign, but it appeared he was studying her, instead. She scolded herself for being paranoid and picked up her pace a bit, slipping her hand into her purse to find the comfort of a can of mace she’d had for ten years. Who knew if it even worked after this much time? The streetlights made shadows under the awnings, and she began to imagine someone hiding in every darkened doorway. Perhaps it would have been wise to get a taxi after all.
She saw a figure coming toward her on the same side of the street. He was making rapid time, although he didn’t appear to have on running attire. She stepped into a sheltered doorway to remain undetected as he passed by. But when he got closer, she recognized his face.
“Steven?”
“Anne!” He almost fell down as he skidded to a stop. He darted to her hiding place and pulled her into his arms. She sank into their safety and comfort, holding on as if she were drowning.
“You can’t be this stupid. You’re a grown woman—a mother! What would you tell your daughters about being alone on a deserted street in New York at night?”
“H-how did you know?”
“Because Rayna… she happened to be talking to you when I was walking out the lobby door.”
“You didn’t have to come,” she said stubbornly. “I only had another block or so. I would’ve been fine.”
“Really? And that’s why you were hiding in that doorway when I came by?”
“I have my mace.” She pulled the can out of her purse.
“You should keep that, but you should never put yourself in a place where you need to use it.” He kept his arm around her and started guiding her back toward the apartment building.
She began to shiver.
“Are you cold?” He pulled her closer.
“No,” she confessed. “I think it’s that adrenaline thing, like what happened after Jeff made that pass at me. I suppose it’s possible I might have gotten a little afraid when this huge thug came running toward me at a marathon pace.”
He chuckled. “I’m a huge thug now?”
“When you’re alone on a deserted street at night, everyone is a huge thug.” She sighed. “You’re right. I should’ve taken a taxi.”
“You could’ve called me. I would’ve gone with you.”
“I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone.”
“How do you know Mr. Hamilton, anyway? Wait, Gram introduced you. Of course.”
“I love his shop. His carvings are amazing.”
“I should visit the old guy. I haven’t seen him in a long time.”
They arrived at the apartment building. “Thanks for walking me safely home. You really are sweet, just like I said. I’ll see you later. Where was it you were going?”
“Oh—you mean where was I going before?”
“Yes, when you were going through the lobby?”
“I was just headed to the drug store down the block to… to get some… some aspirin. But come to think of it, I have some in the apartment.” He walked into the lobby with her.
Rayna grabbed her arms and squeezed, scolding. “Anne, you mustn’t go anywhere again without talking to me first.”
She stared at Rayna as if she had two heads. “What on earth has gotten into you, Rayna? You never used to worry so much.”
“I don’t know. Aren’t we friends?” Her voice was distressed as she cut her eyes toward Steven.
“Sure we are. I didn’t mean anything by it. Thanks for caring.”
But secretly, Anne was baffled by her friend’s sudden excessive controlling behavior.
Tuesday
Gram called to take Anne to lunch on Tuesday. “Time for another emergency meeting.”
“Everything’s an emergency for you, Gram.”
“That’s because I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be alive. I’ve got to get things done as quickly as possible.”
She laughed. “Okay, what’s the emergency this time?”
“This time the emergency is you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, I’ve decided it’s time you married again.”
“But Gram, I’m fine alone. I’ve already had the love of my life—ten wonderful years. And I’ve been fine for fifteen years without anyone. You should understand. You’re just like me. You’re single and happy and independent.”
“I have Steven to take care of me. And who knows, I may not stay single for the rest of my life.”
“What?” Was Gram contemplating marriage at the age of ninety-five?
“But we’re here to talk about you. You’re always taking care of other people. You’re taking care of your dad and your girls. You have to take care of my Steven at work. And now you’re taking care of Henri even though he’s in France. Anyway, my point is you take care of everyone else, and there’s no one to take care of you.”
“I have my family—”
“Pish-posh. Your family doesn’t live here. And your girls are grown. They have their own lives. They’ll probably be married soon.”
“My dad is kind of a wanderer. He never lives in the same place very long. But he always comes when I need him.”
“But you need someone to take care of you every day. You need a husband. And I intend to find one for you.” Gram crossed her arms, and Anne knew she had a battle on her hands.
“Gram, I have plenty of people here who care about me. There’s George and May, Rayna and Antonio, Katie, Ellen, Sam, and you. And Mr. Hamilton has been very sweet to me as well.”
“And Steven?”
Her face and neck grew hot. “Yes, of course Mr. Gherring has been very helpful and encouraging.”
“You don’t need encouragement—you need a husband.”
“Gram, I don’t think you—”
“Don’t worry, dear. I’ll be very discreet.”
Anne sighed in defeat. “Fine, Gram. How about I just keep you informed if anything happens on that front?”
“That’ll be your part, and I’ll do mine.”
“And what was that you said about you not staying single? Are you planning to get married again?”
“It’s always a possibility,” she said evasively. “Or… maybe we’ll just live together in sin.”
“Ms. Best,” said Steven, sticking his head out of his office door. “Would you double-check my tux is being delivered to the apartment tonight?”
“It’s that kind of benefit? Mr. Gherring, I’m not sure Ellen owns an appropriate dress for a formal event.”
“She does now. I bought her one.”
“I see.” Anne’s stomach churned. How could she be jealous of Ellen when she’d set her up with Steven in the first place? “And what time do you need the tux?”
“The dinner’s at seven, so five o’clock is fine. Thanks. Oh, and Ms. Best?”
“Yes sir, Mr. Gherring?”
“I want to apologize for getting so angry about lunch yesterday. I’m really glad you introduced me to Ellen.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Gherring. I’m really happy for you.” Her words should have been true. Perhaps if she said it enough, she’d believe it.
The rest of the afternoon, Anne worked alone at her desk. Every time she thought about Steven and Ellen together she had a queasy feeling in her stomach. By the end of the day, her body felt drained. Standing to stretch her tired muscles, she heard her cell phone ring.
“Hi Johanna. What are you doing calling me? Especially at this time? Isn’t it pretty late at
night in Germany? Is something wrong?”
Johanna laughed. “If you slow down for a moment, I will actually answer you. Surprise! We are here in New York. We just got in town. I talked Alexander into bringing me to see the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center. Would you like to come with us? They are lighting it tonight.”
Her fatigue vanished. “I’d love to go—I’m so excited. And I can’t wait to see you and talk to you. To tell you the truth, I was feeling a little glum before you called. And I’ve never even seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree.”
“I am so pleased. You can come and eat with us, as well. Do not dress up. Just dress warmly.” She hesitated and then added, “Feel free to invite someone along. Mr. Gherring, perhaps?”
“He’s busy tonight. He’s going to a benefit dinner. It’ll probably just be me. Is that okay?”
“Absolutely, dear. It is you I wanted to see. Alexander can talk business another day.”
Anne was practically floating as she walked toward the elevator. There were several other employees leaving at the same time, and all of them greeted her cordially. No one was acting awkward, so she felt relieved. Perhaps everyone had forgotten the rumor about her and Steven. Just as the door was about to close, Steven came running to the elevator and slipped inside. At his appearance, the elevator became stiflingly quiet.
He turned to Anne. “What are your plans for the evening, Ms. Best?”
“I’m going to see the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Rockefeller Center.” She couldn’t hide her growing excitement. “I’ve never been before. I mean, I’ve never even seen the Rockefeller Christmas tree.”
“You’re going by yourself?”
“No sir. I’m going with Johanna and Alexander. They just flew in from Germany.”
“That’s nice. Sounds like you’ll have a good time. I’m glad you won’t be sitting at home alone.” His voice sounded as though that’s exactly what he wished would happen. Was he jealous of Johanna and Alexander?
“I think they would have invited you as well, sir. Except you have that important benefit dinner tonight.” She added, “With Ellen.”