by Tamie Dearen
“What?”
“You know, if we were to stay together, I’d want her to be available to travel with me. I travel all over the world. I wouldn’t want a wife who has a job that ties her to the city. But Ellen’s really perfect. I admit I underestimated you. I’m sorry I gave you and Gram such a hard time.”
“Sure. No problem…” Would Ellen want to give up acting? She’d barely even gotten started. If she agreed to give up her career now, would she might resent Steven for the rest of their marriage.
I’ve made a terrible mistake!
“… Anne. Did you hear me?”
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked you where you’re going with Henri on Friday.”
“What? How did you—did I say I was going out with Henri on Friday?”
“You must’ve mentioned it. But you didn’t say where you were going.”
“I… I don’t know. Just dinner, I guess.”
“Dinner and then coffee upstairs?”
The blood rushed to her face. “Just dinner.”
“No coffee?” he teased.
Two could play that game.
“As a matter of fact. I think we might have coffee after all. I’ve got some new flavors I’d like to try. Some of them sound sooooo delicious. You know, the kind that makes your mouth water just thinking about them. Mmmmm! I just love experimenting with something new. I’ll bet Henri has a lot I’ve never sampled before. I’m glad you suggested it. I’m sure Henri will be grateful as well.”
“You win.” Steven’s eyes narrowed to slits. “I don’t really want you to have coffee with Henri. Or dinner either, for that matter. I was only trying to be a good sport about it. And it turns out I’m not a very good sport after all.”
Rayna called her over when she came home from work. “Hey Anne. How was work today?”
“Just routine. How about you? You and Antonio seem to be doing well.”
“I’ve always heard Italians were hot-tempered, but Antonio is hot-blooded instead.” She giggled. “But he’s also really romantic. He took me on a great picnic in Central Park. And he’s nothing like Eddie.”
“I’ve got the magic touch,” Anne bragged. “I’ve got a great track record. Maybe I should start a matchmaking website.”
“Maybe so. What are you up to tonight? Big plans?”
“I think I’m going for a run right now. I’m just planning to eat in the apartment. You could join me if you want.”
“No thanks. I’m watching the lobby tonight. And Antonio’s bringing me dinner.”
“Then I won’t interfere with your tryst.” Anne winked at her.
Just as she entered her apartment, her cell rang. “Hey Gram. What’s up?”
“You’re having dinner out here tonight. Sorry for the late notice, dear. Emergency session, you see.”
“But—”
“Dress nice for dinner, dear. The car’s coming for you in forty-five minutes.”
“But—”
“I’ll see you soon, dear.” And Gram was gone.
Anne was unsure what it meant to “dress nice” for dinner. She didn’t have that many nice things to choose from, so she opted for a straight wool skirt with a soft cream-colored sweater, and boots. She hoped wearing a skirt instead of pants would suffice as “nice.”
When Gram greeted her at the door of the mansion, she grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “Come, dear. Let’s warm you up by the fire.”
“I’m okay, Gram. I was only outside for a second. Is this outfit okay? I hope it’s dressy enough.” She took in Gram’s silk dress, with a lovely contrasting scarf.
“You look wonderful, dear.”
“So, what’s the emergency?”
“Michelle is back. I thought she was gone for good. But she’s back.”
“Gram, I saw her at the office yesterday. She was crying over someone else, I think. So, surely she’s not really after Steven.”
Gram raised her eyebrows. “And how do you think Steven responds when there’s a woman in distress?”
Anne considered her question. She knew exactly how he would respond—he’d do anything to help her. “But isn’t she gone now?”
“No, she came here to see me last night. And she was sweet and considerate, fawning all over me. I think she wanted me to invite her to stay here while she’s in New York. She’s not planning to leave until next week.”
“Oh.” Anne considered the problem. She’d once thought it might be all right for Steven to marry Michelle. But now she’d changed her opinion of the woman. She might be a problem.
“Gram, he started dating my friend, Ellen. He wouldn’t be with Michelle, while he’s dating Ellen. Would he?”
“I don’t think this Ellen girl is a good match.”
“But Gram, you haven’t even met her.”
“She might be okay as a distraction to keep Michelle out of the way. But then we’ll need to get rid of her.” She grabbed Anne’s arm. “Come, dear. I need your help before dinner.”
Gram led Anne into the dining room. Anne surveyed the ornate place settings on the antique table. “Gram, there are three place settings. Who else is coming?”
Steven came through from the kitchen with a crystal salad bowl. Gram said, “My chef, of course.”
Anne’s eyes bored into Steven's. “You could have given me a little warning.”
He laughed. “I only got the call at five o’clock myself. I’m merely the dutiful grandson-slash-chef.” He returned to the kitchen.
Anne attempted to pin Gram with a stern look, but she urged her toward the china cabinet. “Quick, quick. Help me put out another place setting before Steven comes back. We have a surprise guest.”
She rushed to assist. “Who else is coming, Gram? Is it Michelle?”
The doorbell rang, and Gram disappeared toward the front door. Steven came in from the kitchen, still wearing his apron. “Who’s at the door?”
They both trained their eyes on the dining room door until Gram reappeared, followed by a tall, handsome man with sandy blond hair, wearing an expensive-looking suit.
“Hello cousin.” The man stressed the word, smiling while his eyes crinkled with merriment. “Great to see you.”
“Evan,” said Steven, his voice conveying disdain.
“Play nice, boys. I won’t have a fight at my table tonight.” Gram led him toward Anne. “Anne, this is my grandson, Evan Sterling. Evan, this is Anne Best.”
“Grandson? I guess I didn’t think you had—”
“You didn’t think she had any other grandchildren, did you?” asked Evan. “That’s because Steven is the favorite grandchild. His father and my mother were siblings. And I have two sisters, as well.”
“Enough,” said Gram. “I practically raised Steven as a son. Your mother moved with her husband to the West Coast until you were in high school. And I’ll not be criticized in my own home.”
Evan grabbed her in a bear hug and swung her around in a circle. “I’m sorry, Gram. I’ve always been a little jealous of Steven, growing up in this house with you. But I promise not to spoil your dinner.”
“You’ve already spoiled mine,” muttered Steven.
Gram said, “Anne, you’re sitting there. And Evan, you’re next to Anne. Steven, you’ll sit on this side next to me.”
Evan grinned. “There’s an advantage to not being the favorite. I get to sit next to this beautiful woman. You were right, Gram. She’s gorgeous.”
Anne blushed furiously. “I… I’m not…”
Evan’s eyebrows arched high. “And not conceited either. How incredibly rare.” He took Anne’s hand and led her to her place at the table. “Come. Tell me about yourself, Anne.”
Tension filled the room, so thick you could almost touch it. There was no doubt Steven didn’t care for his cousin. Anne wondered why Gram would trick them into having dinner together.
“Steven, dear,” said Gram. “We’re ready to eat now, if dinner is served.”
“Cousin,” said Evan with a sly smile, when he tasted his first bite of seared tuna. “You’re an amazing cook. I can see why you never bothered to marry. So self-sufficient.” He leaned his head toward Anne, speaking in low tones. “Stevie has always been the best at everything. If he couldn’t be number one, he didn’t bother to do it.”
Steven flinched at the nickname. “I wasn’t that great at everything, cousin, but you were always around to make me look good in comparison.”
“Quite right. Stevie made it a personal goal to show everyone he was better than me.” Evan made a martyred face. “I’ve learned to accept I’ll always have to live in Stevie’s shadow. Everyone loved Stevie best, you know. Even my own mother was disappointed I wasn’t more like him. Whenever he bested me in school, she’d not speak to me for weeks at a time.” His voice cracked. “I used to cry every night…”
Sympathy tears sprang to Anne’s eyes, and she put her arm on Evan’s. “That’s terrible… children need their mother’s approval. I’m so sorry…”
“He’s lying, Anne.” Steven’s voice dripped disdain.
“I’m not lying,” Evan declared, putting his hand on top of Anne’s, clasping it in place on his arm.
“No daughter of mine would treat her child like that.” Gram furrowed her white brows.
“Okay… perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit,” said Evan. “But it’s the sort of thing I’ve always had to do to get attention when Stevie’s around. It does feel awfully nice to have your sympathy, even if I don’t quite deserve it.” His fingers caressed Anne’s, and she squirmed with embarrassment.
Steven’s eye’s sliced Evan to shreds.
“Steven, will you pass the rosemary potatoes, please?” asked Gram.
Anne tugged her hand away and made a vain attempt to soothe the tense atmosphere. “So y’all were in school together?”
“Yes,” said Evan. “We went all the way through high school together. I was captain of the lacrosse team. That was the only sport Stevie didn’t play, so I had a fighting chance.” He winked at Anne.
“What about you, Mr. Gherring?” Anne asked. “What did you do in high school?”
He glared at Evan, who was laughing uncontrollably. “What’s so funny?” asked Anne.
Evan chuckled until he caught his breath. “I’m sorry. It’s just the way Stevie flinched when you called him ‘Mr. Gherring.’ It was priceless!”
Steven didn’t deserve this treatment.
“Steven is my boss. I sometimes call him Mr. Gherring out of respect. I doubt you’ll ever hear me call you Mr. Sterling.”
“Oh! You cut me to the core. I’ll only ever be ‘Evan’ to you. Still better than ‘Stevie,’ I suppose.” He continued to chortle.
What little sympathy she’d had for Evan vanished. “I can come up with a name more suitable for you, if you like. But I won’t be able to say it in front of Gram!”
Now Steven's dimples made an appearance, and Evan donned a contrite expression.
“I’m sorry. I love my cousin even when I tease him. Won’t you both forgive me if I promise to stop?” His face was the picture of penitence.
“I might.” She gave Evan a taste of her mommy-disapproval glare. “But this dinner looks good, and I haven’t been able to eat a bite so far. And I get testy when something comes between me and my food.”
Evan’s eyebrows lifted in good humor. “I promise I’ll be good! Gram, you didn’t warn me about this temper. Had I known, I’d have been on my best behavior.”
“It doesn’t get any better,” Steven murmured.
Evan chatted through the rest of dinner, regaling Anne with stories of him and his sisters growing up. After dinner, he offered to give Anne a ride home.
“That won’t be necessary, cousin,” said Steven. “We live togeth… we live in the same building. I’ll make sure she gets home safely.”
“In that case, I’ll simply bid the lady adieu.” Evan took her hands in his and made as if to give her a peck on the cheek. But at the last moment, he brought his head around and brushed his lips against hers. He grinned as her eyes flew open wide. “Until next time, my fair lady!” And he dashed out the door.
Steven muttered something about hating all his relatives, and Gram smiled as if nothing had happened.
Anne barely interacted with Steven on Friday, as he had meetings with clients the entire day. She arrived home from work with only an hour to spare before Henri was scheduled to pick her up. Rayna stopped her on the way to the elevator. “So, tonight’s the big date with Henri, right?”
“Yes, it’s tonight,” she said flatly.
“You don’t sound very excited. We are talking about that incredibly yummy guy with the French accent, right?”
“I think… I think I may need to break up with him. Which is silly to even say since we’ve never really been together. Just a few dates and talking on the phone.” She thought for a moment. “He did take a train from Paris to Switzerland just to see me…”
Rayna stared at her. “That’s so romantic. Why would you want to break up with a guy like him? Is he two-timing you?”
“No, but I don’t think it’s going anywhere, and I don’t want to lead him on. The problem is he’s got a sick niece he’s really upset about, and he doesn’t deserve another emotional blow. I don’t know how to tell him.”
Her stomach was heavy, like lead.
“Why isn’t it going anywhere? Are you interested in someone else?”
“No… there definitely isn’t anyone else. Although Mr. Gherring’s grandmother is trying to find a husband for me now. She introduced me to another of her grandsons last night. I have to admit, he’s handsome and very entertaining. He had me in stitches.”
“But?”
“But I don’t know. Maybe he’s too slick for me? To tell you the truth, I’m not sure I met the real Evan. He and Mr. Gherring don’t like each other, so there was a lot of verbal sparring.”
“Don’t you like Mr. Gherring a little?” Rayna’s question sounded casual enough, but Anne noticed she was watching her response with a keen eye. Anne bottled up her feelings and put the cork in tight.
“I like him as a boss and all that. But we could never be romantically involved. That’s why I set him up with Ellen. She’s more his type.”
“I guess you think you’ve got this figured out because you’re some kind of master matchmaker, but I think your calculations may be a bit off on this one.”
“You’ll see,” she said, with a confidence she didn’t quite feel.
Anne went downstairs ten minutes early. She didn’t want Henri to wait. Especially because she didn’t want him to accidentally run into Steven. Exiting the elevator, she spotted Ellen sitting on a couch in the lobby. Facing the inevitability of the awkward encounter, Anne moved to greet her.
“Hi Ellen? What are you doing here?”
“Hi Anne. To tell you the truth, I don’t know why I’m here. Steven picked me up at six thirty for our date, and then he told me he’d forgotten something at the apartment. So, here I am, waiting.” She rubbed her hands in worried circles. “Anne, about Tuesday night—”
“No Ellen, that’s none of my business—you don’t need to explain anything to me. I’m the one who set you up, remember? I’m just glad you’re hitting it off.” Anne managed to say the words in a way that sounded believable. At least she hoped so.
“But I don’t want you to think—”
“Hello Ms. Best.” Steven approached from the elevator, scouring the lobby. “Where’s Henri? He didn’t come?”
“He’s not due here for another five minutes, so it looks like you missed him. I’m sure you’re terribly upset, since I know how much you like each other.”
Henri sauntered through the lobby door, and the Steven’s jaw hardened. “I like Henri just fine, as long as he stays in France.”
“I like Henri more when he’s here,” said Anne.
“I am so glad you like for me to be here.” Henri eased beside Anne, placing a
possessive arm around her back and nuzzling her neck. She did a reasonable job of acting as if this were a normal behavior. “You smell divine, mon ange.”
Steven laid his arm around Ellen’s shoulder. “Ellen, darling… I suppose I need to introduce you to Henri DuBois. Henri, this is Ellen Dean.”
Henri smiled at Ellen, but made no move to take her hand. “Ellen, you must be an amazing woman to put up with a man such as this one. My heart goes out to you.” He slid his hand up to Anne’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze, bending his head to kiss her hair.
Steven's smooth expression cracked, but he regained control. “I don’t think Ellen’s complaining too much so far.”
Ellen took this as her cue. “Steven’s been wonderful. Tonight he’s taking me to the Essex House.” Anne almost gasped, knowing this to be one of the most expensive restaurants in New York City.
“And where are the two of you going tonight?” Steven’s hand was stroking up and down on Ellen’s arm, and Anne couldn’t pry her eyes away.
“I have reservations at Daniel tonight. But only because I flew in town too late to go to Masa.”
Steven scowled at Henri’s stated plans, so Anne assumed the restaurants he mentioned were also expensive. The competitive testosterone was clogging the air in the lobby.
“You know Henri,” Anne said, “I don’t care where we go. As long as we’re together.”
Henri smiled and kissed her ear in response.
Steven’s foot tapped the floor. “So, Henri—will you be going with Anne to the Gherring Inc. Christmas party tomorrow night?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Really?” Steven frowned. “But—”
“And you must be going with Gherring, right?” Henri asked Ellen.
“I don’t know. Am I?” she asked Steven, with confusion in her eyes.
“Of course… I thought I mentioned it before.” Steven cast Henri an irritated glance. “In fact, I think you deserve a new dress for the occasion.”
“If you will pardon us, I have not seen mon ange for too long. I have not greeted her properly.”
Henri pulled Anne against him and kissed her full on the mouth. He painted shivers up and down her spine with the fingers of one hand. Her arms locked automatically around his neck. Releasing her, he guided her out the door and spoke over his shoulder. “Au revoir!”