We’re both quiet, and all that is heard through the phone is our breathing.
“I saw you yesterday and already I miss you more than you know. Meet me tomorrow.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“You can and you will. Now be a good girl for me and go to sleep.” His voice is bewitching.
“Okay,” I say through a smile. I hear the phone go silent on Ryder’s end, so I hang up. I hurry back into my bedroom, and I crawl back into bed. Sleep finds me, immediately.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING I wake to my phone ringing…Jules.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Jules asks.
“Being a complete lazy ass. You woke me up. What is wrong with me?”
“Nothing, if I didn’t have to be in the office I wouldn’t.” She pauses then starts up again.
“Why don’t you get your pretty ass up and meet me for lunch,” she muses.
“Or I can stay here.”
“Or not.” She’s infuriating, but I love her. She knows exactly what I always need.
“I was thinking Fred’s.” She’s baiting me. She knows that Fred’s at Barney’s is my favorite lunch spot.
“You suck. Fine maybe I will meet you at Fred’s.” The only thing she could say that is better would be if she told me we would go shopping at Barney Co-op…
“Hmm, maybe? Okay, let’s meet at co-op then head up to lunch.”
“Dammit, Jules, sold. You don’t fight fair.”
“Who needs to fight fair when you have a store like Barney’s to bribe you with?”
“Touché…so how long do I get you today? Short lunch? Long lunch? You have any meetings?” I pray she says no.
“Nope, it’s fun Bellini time.” Happiness rushes through me with the prospect of an afternoon of drinking with Jules.
“Bellini time, challenge accepted.” We arrange a meeting place and time.
As I hang up, my phone rings again. Without checking the caller ID, I answer.
“Oh my God crazy girl, I said I would meet you.” I giggle.
“Actually, it’s me,” I hear Alexandre say, and instantly I’m on alert. “I just wanted to let you know we have dinner with my parents next weekend.”
“When did your father get back into town?” Alexandre’s father runs the business. He’s never around. Often traveling, they say for business, but I have my doubts. I wonder if he has a younger version of Lenore in every city.
“He actually isn’t, he’ll be arriving back from London on Friday. So we’ll be doing dinner the following Saturday.”
Great. Many feelings run through me…joy isn’t one of them. I can’t hide my displeasure, so instead of speaking and risking having to get into it, I settle for just one word.
“Okay.”
“Make sure you put it on the calendar,” I roll my eyes at the phone, “and I won’t be home ‘til late tonight.”
I start to get upset, imagining he’ll be out with Natasha, but then my mouth becomes parched as my thoughts drifts off to brilliant cerulean eyes. “So does that mean no dinner?” The words come out clipped, already knowing the answer. My mind battles an internal struggle. Let the anger surge or get lost in the sapphire that penetrates my soul?
“No, I won’t be eating at home.”
My thoughts have already wandered. I barely mumble the words as I am about to hang up. “Okay. I guess I will see you later.”
“Bye,” he mutters as the line disconnects.
My phone has officially become grand central station as it chimes in my hand again, indicating a text message has come through. I see a message from Ryder, and I instantly forget my conversation with Alex.
Ryder: I miss talking to you.
Me: Awe, I miss you too.
Me: What are you doing?
Ryder: Just writing, you?
Me: Meeting my friend for lunch, but then I’m alone the rest of the night
I wait and hope he takes the bait.
Ryder: I should be writing but I can’t write. I need to see you.
This need I have for Ryder has become all consuming; it infiltrates every aspect of my being.
Me: I need to see you, too.
Ryder: Meet me tonight.
This is it.
The moment…
Me: Ok.
IT’S AFTER 1 PM when I make my way into Barney’s, one of my favorite department stores in the city. On the 9th floor they have their world famous restaurant, Fred’s.
I’m dressed in a short, black, eyelet dress and cropped, tight-fitting jean jacket. Wearing a pair of black flats, my petite frame is even more noticeable. My lack of curves and this particular dress make me appear to be in my early twenties as opposed to twenty-nine. I wouldn’t be surprised if they card me today when I order a cocktail at lunch.