by Cee, DW
“Hey. After bonding over Chinese take-out and a scary movie, you think you can stop with the Mr. Taylor? Like Jake said, I feel like your father’s friend whenever you call me Mr. I’m not that much older than you.”
She let out an almost scoffing laugh. “Mr. Taylor, you are a decade older than I am. When I was eleven, you were of legal drinking age, and in college, dating someone a decade older than you. Let’s stick to our usual M.O.” What! The! Hell!
“Delaney.” Let’s get this out in the open! “Did I wrong you somewhere along the way? I remember you being spunky and happy whenever we hung out. Somehow, I lost that with you. Shit, you didn’t even recognize me the other day. When did we become strangers?”
“Were we ever anything but? Goodnight, Mr. Taylor. I’ll see you again.”
What the fuck!
I woke up in a funk after last night, but once my day got started, I was too busy to think much about Delaney. Jane had texted asking to have lunch, and since I was in an all-day meeting on the Westside, I offered to take her to dinner, instead.
Running late from my meeting, I hurried into the restaurant and found Jane, sitting at our booth, drinking her cocktail.
“Have you been waiting long?” I greeted.
“No. I got here a few minutes ago and ordered myself a prosecco. You want a glass?”
“Sure. Did you drive here?”
“Nope. Caught a ride with Simon as he was leaving for home, and I figured you’d drive me home. Then, I can have a glass of wine or two with the promised truffles without worrying about driving.”
“Good thinking. I have the company car again so we can both relax tonight.”
Time spent with Jane was always free from angst, unanswered questions, and unspoken words. I liked how open and honest we were with our friendship. This was why I believed we’d work as a couple. Two good friends eventually becoming a couple—it didn’t get any more ideal than that!
“What’s the deal with you and Laney?” Where the hell did that come from? Jane had a way of surprising me.
“What about Delaney?” I wanted to see where she was going with this, and how she even knew I spent time with her cousin.
“Why were you hanging out with her the other night?”
“Why the sudden interest?”
“That’s what I should be asking you. Why the sudden interest? She’s like a decade younger than you.”
This was getting cute. “Miss Jane Sydney Reid. Do I detect a note of jealousy? I don’t think you have any right to be jealous about what I do with my evenings when you can’t even dance a waltz with me without your bodyguard’s approval. How’d you get out tonight? He actually let go of you for a few hours?”
“OK, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. If you are/were attracted to me, why haven’t you asked me out in the past? Is it something that just developed when I came back to LA? I’ve told you I’ve crushed on you since I was seven. I’m sure you and my brothers all knew even before I admitted it at the Laker game.”
I was not in the mood for anything complicated tonight. However, Jane needed an answer so I gave her a few, starting with blaming Jake for keeping us apart. I told her I was interested in asking her out but one issue or another popped up, and nothing ever happened between us. I should have explained my jest of a statement up in San Francisco, but since Jane didn’t bring it up, I chose to keep silent as well. Seeing that all was well with her and Max, she probably understood I didn’t mean what I’d said.
When she was satisfied with the answer about herself, I gave her one about Delaney. “And as for Delaney, as you stated earlier, she is a decade younger than I am. I find her to be an attractive girl, but I’m not attracted to her. She’s way too young for me. Plus, I get the feeling I’m not her favorite person.” That answer did the trick and the rest of the evening turned into two friends sharing a delicious meal, rehashing old times. As always, a meal with Jane was simply entertaining.
I dropped her off at home and told the driver to leave. As tempted as I was to stroll over to Delaney’s house, I walked over to Jake’s instead.
“We’re seeing a lot of you these days.” What kind of greeting was that from a best friend?
“Jane and I had dinner on the Westside and I had the driver drop us both off here. I sent him home so I need a ride home from you...” I noticed Delaney turning around, gathering her stuff as soon as I finished the sentence. Shit! She heard me say that Jane and I had gone out. There was a look in her eyes that made some unknown part of me feel guilty. “Hey Delaney.” I wanted a positive reaction from her. But instead, she did a quick turn, greeted me with a good-bye rather than a hello, and tried to leave. “Where are you going?”
“Home.” With a one-word answer, she attempted her escape.
“Wait!” Surprisingly, she stopped and stared. Shit, what was I going to say to her? I asked her to wait but had nothing to say.
She waited longer than I expected, and left when I couldn’t engage her in a conversation.
“You losing your touch?” Jake laughed at this asinine scenario. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride home.”
“Would you like to stay for a cup of coffee? I have a coconut cake in the refrigerator.” Emily offered, and was already getting it prepared for me to stay. “Laney?” Emily was on the phone even before I put my briefcase down. “Can you come back here? We didn’t have cake and coffee.” It sounded as if she was refusing. “Jake purchased two 10” cakes. There’s no way even I can eat all this by myself.” There was a pause and then a soft, “Yes.” I paid careful attention until I saw Emily’s pretty smile. “Great! See you soon.” She turned to me specifically and said, “She’s joining us,” and let out another brilliant smile.
“That grin on your ugly face better not be for my wife.” Jake whispered before helping his wife set the table for the four of us.
When Delaney finally arrived, she had changed. No longer was she in figure-hugging jeans, a fashionable sweater and motorcycle boots. She had transformed into sweats, no makeup and a ponytail. She was no less beautiful.
“Hi.” I smiled, hoping for some affection.
“Hi.” The return smile was more like a grimace. At this point, I’d take it. Anything was better than apathy.
“How was your day?”
“Good.”
“Did you have school today?”
“Yes.”
“Anything new happening in your life?” Keeping a conversation going by myself was damn difficult. “Well?” For some reason Delaney stopped talking, and she and Emily sent each other messages through osmosis. “Is there something you’d like to share?”
Delaney looked one last time at Emily who encouraged her to share, but her final answer was, “No.”
Since we sat to coffee and cake, I’d received a “hi,” “good,” “yes,” and “no.” This girl was so much more work than Jane or any other woman I knew. Without a doubt, there was nothing easy-going about our friendship.
I pretty much stopped talking the rest of the evening because that was the only way I could hear Delaney talk. She regaled us with details about her life as a senior, and Jake and Emily continually urged her to date more, right in front of me. Not that it should have mattered to me whether she dated, but it bugged the crap out of me. As it was, this little girl dated too much, in my opinion. That older brother in me came out and I discouraged her from dating so much.
Looking at me with an I-dare-you-to-challenge-me face, Jake told Delaney, “Let me set you up with my buddy Aaron. He works with me at the hospital, and your dad knows him well. He’s well-liked by all his patients, and the female doctors and nurses love him. Aaron actually approached me the other day and asked about you.”
“How would he know anything about Delaney?”
I hated Jake’s devilish glint. He knew how irritated I was with this conversation and he continued it with great joy. “He saw Laney at the university, found out that she wa
s a Reid, and asked me for an introduction.”
“That could’ve been Sam.”
Jake quirked an eyebrow and answered, “We don’t have any other ‘blonde-haired blue-eyed stunner’—Aaron’s words—in the Reid family. We all have dark hair. What do you say?”
“How old is he?” I butted in again.
“The same age as you,” Jake answered.
“That’s way too old, don’t you think Delaney? He’s old enough to be an uncle. What good intentions would a man a decade older than you have toward a collegian? What could he see in such a young girl?”
She sighed quietly and answered, “Yeah. I’m sure you would know. Why would any good-looking, well-established, popular man be interested in me? I have nothing to offer. Thank you, Jake, for always looking out for me. Don’t worry,” she half smiled, “I’ll find a man who’ll want me one day. I’m sure I’ll have something good to offer him in a few years.” She quietly got up and said her good-byes.
“Good going, Moron!”
“What?” I asked Jake, astounded at his unspoken accusation.
“Let me take you home before that foot of yours chokes you on its way down your throat and hopefully will kick your ass along the way.”
“You coming to Dad’s birthday party?”
“Of course, Jane!”
“You want to catch a ride with us? Gimpy has use of the company car so I’ve been bumming a ride with him every day.”
“Can’t. Some of us have to work because we don’t have a ‘Gimpy’ in our lives.”
“Yeah, well some of us have a ‘Gimpy’ because her own grandparents favor her older brother,” she answered with a smile. “See ya later. Gimpy says we’re only working half-day today.” Jane walked off laughing at me, who still had a stack of documents to read.
I cut my last meeting of the day short and raced to join the Reids in their festivities. It was Jake’s dad’s birthday and a chance to make amends for that stupid comment I had made to Delaney the other night. I hoped she wasn’t one of those women who remembered everything and harbored grudges.
“You made it.” Jake greeted me, and handed a very happy Elizabeth Reid over to me.
“Hello, Beautiful.” I kissed her chubby cheeks, and she rewarded me with a slobbery kiss of her own. “What a welcome.” I wiped off the drool and walked this little Reid over to the older Reids.
“Hello, Pretty Ladies.” I greeted the four ladies engrossed in a conversation.
“Hey Donovan.” Jane was the first one to respond, and as a friendly gesture, I kissed her on the cheek as I’d kissed Ellie. I leaned over with a baby in my arm to give Sam and Susan a hug and kiss, too. Delaney watched me only for a second, and walked away without a word.
“Hello, Delaney.” I literally had to reach out and hold onto her arm to stop her. She tried to shake me off, but I wouldn’t let her. She looked upset with me. I guess she still remembered that conversation about Aaron.
“Hello Mr. Taylor. What are you doing here? This is a family event.” Her statement had a now familiar bite. Our friendship was still at the starting blocks and only moving backwards.
“Your cousin Jake and your Aunt Sandy invited me, so I came with my parents. Since I practically lived in this house during my childhood, I almost grew up a Reid. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll marry a Reid and then we’ll all be family.” That was meant as a joke, but obviously, she didn’t take it as one. She looked over at Jane and after giving her shpeal about living in London, she took Ellie with her and played with the twins.
“What’s with the hostility between you and my cuz?” Jane asked.
“Who the hell knows? Everything I say to her is apparently the wrong thing to say. Is she normally so sensitive?”
“I don’t know.” Jane shrugged her shoulder. “You seem to bring out the ugly in her.”
“No kidding. I’ve never had any woman so hostile toward me in all my life.” I continued to watch Delaney laugh and play with both kids. The way she handled them, she’d make a fantastic mother one day. Some lucky guy would live with that gorgeous woman and have adorable kids with her. “Where’s your keeper?” I continued my conversation with Jane.
“He’s at the hospital. He couldn’t get out of rounds today.”
“You happy with him?”
I had stumped Jane. She only nodded her head in the affirmative. That was all I needed to know. I wanted Jane happy, regardless of how good I thought we could be. I gave her another familial kiss expressing my approval, only to find Delaney watching our exchange.
It was time I had a talk with Delaney and cleared up this damn misunderstanding of sorts. She obviously was upset with me for something I’d said or done in the past. We’d resolve any issues and I’d rid myself of this silly obsession. I was headed her way when Roland waylaid my plans.
“Everybody...may I have your attention?” Roland called the group together.
Roland gave a loving and sentimental speech about his sixty-year relationship with Gram in front of family and friends before he proposed to her. It was odd watching two people in their eighties expressing their love for one another, but no less beautiful. We were all in smiles and tears for the happy couple.
While we cheered them on, James took his first steps, Ellie said her first word, and there was commotion everywhere but on Delaney’s face. She blinked back sad tears on this momentous occasion. I wanted to comfort her and learn why she was down on such a happy day.
“Hello?” I stood next to her and called out several times but received no response. For the first time, a lack of response wasn’t a personal affront.
“Mr. Taylor!” She finally looked up, stepped away from me, and schooled her emotions. “Can I help you?”
“You were in such a daze. I saw your face go from smiles, to tears, to something that looked close to sadness. You don’t approve of your Gram marrying Roland?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Of course I approve. In fact, I adore Sir Roland and can’t wait to call him Grandfather.”
“Then why the long face? My heart did this weird-ass somersault when I saw you go from tears of joy to tears of sadness.”
“I didn’t know you had a degree in facial expression. There were only tears of happiness.”
“Tell me one thing, Delaney. Why are you so hostile toward me?”
Today was apparently stump-a-girl day. Delaney stuttered, “I’m...I’m...”
“Yes?”
“I apologize if I come off gruff. That’s not my intention. I guess I need to work on my interpersonal skills.”
“There’s not one thing wrong with your interpersonal skills. You are beautifully lively and comical with everyone, but me. I want to know why.” I brought out my mean lawyer questioning techniques.
She responded like a hostile witness. “I like Max. He’s genuine, kind, and he loves my cousin.” Where the hell does Max fit into this conversation? Did Delaney have a thing for Max? “You...I’m unsure if I like so much. You’re hard to read, only nice on the surface, and you only love yourself.” What the fuck?
I didn’t like her answer, but I liked that she gave me more than a one-word answer.
“Stay,” I demanded when she slowly scooted away, then commanded, “repeat what you just said.”
“I forgot?” She sounded like a scared little girl, and sidestepped away.
“What makes you think you know me so well? ‘Hard to read, only nice on the surface, and you only love yourself,’ is what I believe you said.”
“I plead the fifth?!?” She was adorable squirming her way out of this dilemma.
“So that’s why you’re hostile toward me? You think I’m fake and narcissistic?” It was damn hard not to laugh at her freaked-out, bugged-out, but still incredibly lovable face.
“Now you’re putting words in my mouth. I don’t believe I used such negative words.”
I let out a laugh bordering on a bellow. “I’m going to give you
a few days to come up with an explanation to your accusations. Next time I see you, you had better be able to explain why you think I’m a phony, egotistical man.”
She barely nodded and got the hell away from me.
SHIT with a capital SHIT! I couldn’t get that picture of Delaney off my mind since early yesterday morning. Life sucked sometimes. All was going swimmingly since Roland and Gram’s engagement and I was happy to greet Becky who came into town for Ashley’s engagement party. I drove her to a pre-party dinner with Ashley, Jane, and Evie, and told her I’d be back after my dinner with some buddies.
When I got to the restaurant, Jane asked to spend the night at my house, and I figured she wanted to hang out with Becky. I learned later that Jane and Max had had an argument. In the back of my mind I knew it could be trouble to house her overnight, but since Becky was around, I figured all would be all right.
Well, all was not all right the morning I dropped Jane off at her home!
First, we met up with the angry boyfriend.
Jane was so scared and tense when she saw Max waiting for her at her door, I jokingly told her I’d be waiting for her if things should go sour with Max and kissed her on the head. I only wanted to make her feel better. I didn’t mean any harm. Max obviously didn’t care to understand. He was shooting daggers and if looks could kill, I’d be chopped in pieces and thrown to hungry alligators.
As Jane got out of my car, I saw Delaney getting into her car, one driveway over. I felt no guilt toward Max because I knew Jane would set him straight concerning our platonic situation, but I panicked over Delaney’s thoughts. Most likely, she had seen our exchange and before I could figure out what to say to her, she left.
The tender look in her eyes killed me. It was like that of a wounded animal, not knowing where to retreat after she’d been attacked. Since yesterday, I’d been inventing ways to ameliorate this problem—if it was a problem at all. If I called her, what would I say? There was no reason to assume she was affected at all by what she saw. She’d never expressed an interest in me after the age of ten, and I knew I wasn’t interested in her in any other way than physically. This was stupid of me to feel such annoyance and alarm, but I couldn’t get rid of the distress.
