by Gina Sturino
“Angels, saints, heaven… yes,” Dane answered, eyeing me. “But not ghosts.”
“She was an angel then, my guardian angel, like the doctors said.” Here I go, sounding crazy again.
“How do you mean?” Dane leaned in closer.
“Can we take this to go?” I nodded toward the door.
We silently gathered our goodies and deposited the plate into the bin by the trash, then walked out, each carrying a water bottle and a scone. We continued north, taking the sidewalk up the hill to Prospect Avenue instead of returning to the lakefront trail.
We walked a few blocks in silence before I spoke. “The night of the accident, I was coming home from the airport.”
“The airport?”
“Yes. I returned from London late. Cami left my car at the airport for me earlier in the day. She borrowed it while I was traveling, and couldn’t pick me up that night, so she left it for me and took a cab home. We’d been emailing back and forth, and I told her it was no problem for me to get a cab. It didn’t really make sense for her to drive my car to the airport only to have to cab it back herself, but she insisted. I was flying in late, and she said it was easier for me to hop into my own car instead of waiting in the taxi line with all of my luggage. Parking spot 514—May fourteenth is her birthday so it was easy to remember.”
Dane stopped walking. He took a big gulp from the water bottle, then turned to me. “Who’s Cami again?”
“Oh, my friend. We’ve been friends… forever. Anyway, she left a really sweet welcome home note on my driver’s seat along with chocolates and flowers. Calla lilies.” I grimaced, just now remembering the beautiful flowers—my favorite—that obviously didn’t survive the accident. “It was storming that night, really bad rain and wind, and I remember exiting—” I pointed in the distance, toward Interstate 794, although we were too far away to see it. “I was at the bottom of the ramp, heading onto Lincoln Memorial Drive.”
“Near Clybourn Street. I was at the Hilton that night—my first night in Milwaukee.” Dane nodded, still making no effort to continue on the walk.
I closed my eyes as I continued, and my voice lowered to a near whisper. “I came to the intersection, and the sky was blowing up—I mean, I just missed the fourth of July here in America, but I got my own fireworks display that night—so I was kinda taken off guard when lightning hit the water, and…” Now it was me taking a gulp from my water. “And, I saw a woman standing by the telephone pole, right where my car landed when it spun out. I was side-swiped. Another car came through and, well, hit my car.”
I shuddered, and Dane’s arm instinctively went around my back, rubbing away the horrible memory.
“But Pete read the police report. No car, no woman.”
“What?” Dane’s eyebrows shot up. “Huh?”
“The whole thing is crazy. Honestly, until Pete told me there was no woman, I thought… I thought she’d been crushed… killed. I swore, I felt… I saw death.”
“Nova, the human brain can be a mysterious muscle.”
“It’s actually an organ, not a muscle,” I corrected, and he chuckled. “So, there was no other car, no woman, yet every time I think of the accident, I see her, and… him.” I paused, now taking in a gulp of air. “I see Lucille and Neal.”
“Your aunt and your brother?” Dane was nodding now, as if agreeing. “Nova, it’s trauma, it’s only natural for your brain to create something to comfort you during a moment of trauma. You’re not crazy, you’re normal. Completely normal.”
“But Dane, you don’t understand. Aunt Lu was an old woman when she raised us. The woman I saw was her, but younger—my age. And I haven’t seen Neal since he was a teenager, but in my memory of the accident, he’d grown into a man.”
I didn’t realize until the moment I spoke out loud how fast my heart was racing or how nervous my stomach felt. Dane stared at my face for a minute, as if taking my words into serious consideration, inhaled long and deep, then blew out. It soothed over me, his breath a calming blanket that fell over my shoulders, settling my nerves. Taking my hand, he titled his head, again studying my face.
“Tell me the rest. How did the accident really happen?”
“Well, it was storming, and I guess there was road construction without proper barriers and signage. Negligence, I suppose. That’s why Darrell gave Pete my contact information, in case I wanted to take legal action.”
“But you don’t remember that?”
I shook my head. “No, but I must’ve given the police a statement. Cami said I was really out of it for a while, so who knows what exactly I said.”
“Cami, the friend who you lent your car to?”
“Yes. Actually, Dane, I’ve been meaning to tell you, because this is such a weird coincidence, she somehow knows your friend Liam.”
If I hadn’t been paying such close attention to Dane’s face, I possibly could have missed the sudden look of surprise in his eyes. He glanced to the couple walking past us before meeting my gaze. “That is a weird coincidence. Then again, Liam has been in and around this area for years. It’s a… much smaller world than we think. We’re all somehow connected in some way. Seven degrees of separation or something.”
“Yeah, I kind of wonder if they hooked up or something. She didn’t seem too keen on him.”
“Liam can be… intense.” Dane linked his arm through mine, and we began to walk down Prospect. “Let’s head back. I have a couple errands before our big night out. And I think I need a nap; someone kept me up way too late last night. Want to join?”
I snuck a peek, and as I suspected, he was grinning that devilish smile that not only made my heart skip a beat, but also made me realize how deep I’d fallen.
Twenty-One
As tempting as lying in bed with Dane sounded, I realized I legitimately needed rest. Instead of following him into his apartment, we parted ways at our respective doors with a kiss and a plan in place for the evening.
After a quick search on my cell for a restaurant, I reserved a table for two at Milwaukee’s finest steakhouse. With that out of the way, I shuffled upstairs to crawl under the thin layer of my purple duvet for a catnap.
Placing my cell on the nightstand, I hesitated before clicking it off. Pete had left numerous texts and a voicemail, but I didn’t check them. I wasn’t ignoring him per se. After the previous night with Dane, and an upcoming date at one of the city’s best restaurants, I knew I needed to have an honest discussion with Pete and let him know Dane and my relationship was progressing.
Sleep came quick and easy, and I woke over an hour later feeling sweaty and stifled under the duvet. Yanking it off, I climbed out of bed, only to stop as my feet touched the floor. I don’t know if it was a sound or a sensation, but my head jerked toward the window, which from my lofted bedroom was a wide arching pane above the sliding glass door. Noting nothing amiss, I swiped hair off my damp neck and grabbed my cell to check the time.
The phone powered to life, and a text notification popped on the screen. Another message from Pete. Sighing, I chucked the phone onto my bed and padded into the bathroom. I knew I should return his call. He deserved better than being ignored.
Although I’d taken a shower earlier in the day, I stepped under the stream to wake up and wash off the sweat from my hard nap. I used a loofah and bath gel over my legs while a conditioning mask soaked in my hair. After rinsing, the scent of coconut lingered on my skin, making me think of sun and sand. I dried off, rubbed on a layer of body cream—also coconut scented—and then an anti-frizz serum through my long curls.
With a round brush, I dried my hair straight, running the barrel from root to ends until it spilled down my back in a glossy sheen of silk. The vanity light illuminated my skin, and I studied the blemish above my left eyebrow. The bruise had faded, and the scar had lightened to a wisp. A barely-there reminder.
Slipping into a black, lacy cocktail dress, I returned to the vanity to add the finishing touches: blood-red lipstick and leather j
ewelry. The knotted bracelet and matching earrings—feathers cut from leather—created a hard contrast to the soft lace edging on my dress. I pulled open my closet to pick out a pair of heels, choosing the Manolo Blahnik stilettos that hurt like hell but defined my calf muscles.
Dane’s knock on the door had me rushing down the stairs, shoes in hand. Before answering, I clumsily stepped into the heels, and then stood tall, brushing my dress of any imaginary wrinkles. It fit like a glove, smoothly draping over my curves and falling just above the knee. My breath felt rushed, my pulse pounded. I’d spent almost twenty-four hours with Dane, minus the last few hours napping and primping, but as I opened the door and saw him standing under the frame, looking sexy as sin in dark trouser pants and a charcoal button-down, butterflies fluttered deep in my belly.
“Wow,” Dane murmured. His eyes slowing devoured me, eating me up like I was dessert—and the main course.
My cheeks reddened, and I resisted covering my face with my hands. I was a thirty-three-year-old successful woman, yet the appraising eyes of my suitor had me gushing.
Before I could return his compliment—because Dane looked damn good with his black hair, tanned skin, and striking blue eyes—he swooped in, leaning close to my ear and whispering, “You’re stunning.” Then his lips brushed my cheek.
I shyly smiled. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” He winked back.
“Oh! My clutch!” The shiny patent leather clutch I’d used for our night at Bar Continental still sat on top of the kitchen counter, already packed with gloss, a comb, and cash. I snatched it, grabbed my keys, and led Dane out of my apartment.
As the elevator descended, I glanced to Dane and caught his eyes on me. No longer hungry and lustful, they’d softened to sweet and focused. Gentle and consuming. The elevator door creaked open, and Dane placed his hand under my elbow, leading me to the front entrance. I assumed a yellow cab would be waiting at the curb, but instead there was a white stretch limousine with a tuxedo-clad driver parked in front of the building.
I grinned at the driver, then up to Dane. With a giggle, I asked, “Really?”
“Your chariot awaits, milady,” Dane said with a fake accent and slight bow.
The driver delivered a polite greeting as he opened the door. I scooted in, followed by Dane.
Inside there were two champagne glasses, a bottle chilling in ice, cheese, crackers, and a platter of chocolate covered strawberries. I looked around the limo, taking in the soft music that lulled in the background, the champagne, the food, and the man sitting beside me. A light, airy sigh escaped my lips.
“This is amazing.” My breathy voice came out light and airy. I felt light and airy, like a princess being taken to the ball or a teenager going to prom. “I’ve never been in a limo.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Dane beamed, then divulged, “I’ve never been in one either.”
Like two giddy teenagers, we both giggled. Dane filled the champagne flutes.
“We don’t have much time before our reservation.” I leaned into the leather cushion and looked up at the moonroof. “This is amazing. Look at the sky. Maybe I should change our reservations, or maybe we can get something to go? Eat in the limo?”
“What are you thinking?” Dane replied. The partition separating us from the driver rolled down.
With a big grin, I requested the most absurd option. “McDonald’s! Oh, the drive-thru?”
Dane twined our fingers together as he called to the driver, “Louis, the lady would like a Big Mac. Can you take us through the nearest drive-thru?”
As directed, Louis navigated to a restaurant a few blocks away, pulling forward enough so we could deliver our order through the back windows. Once we had our bags of greasy hamburgers and fries, Dane directed him to take us down Lake Drive.
The sun started to set. Through the moonroof, a haze of colors fell over the plush leather interior. Dane distributed the contents of the McDonald’s bag, and we ate in serene silence while light music murmured in the background.
Night slowly began to fall, and the stars twinkled in a clear sky. We finished the bottle of champagne, and Dane opened a white wine. Glancing at the label, I recognized the name of the local vineyard I usually bought. Dane must have noted my preference and stocked the limo with my favorites. The cheese was the same variety of sharp cheddar, Gouda, and Butterkäse I’d picked when we first bumped into each other at the grocery store. A tingle rushed through me from a mixture of happiness, sweet wine, and the man sitting beside me.
Louis didn’t ask for additional direction, but followed Lake Drive, a twisting road that hugged Lake Michigan. Moonlight bounced off the waves like little firecrackers. Feeling more and more like a princess, I took in everything—Dane, the silvery sky, and the music that seemed to be singing just for us.
At some point, Louis must’ve turned us around. The city’s skyline grew closer as we approached Lincoln Memorial Drive. I tensed, but Dane squeezed my hand and calmly spoke. “You’re okay, Nova.”
I took a deep breath as we passed the scene of the accident, but for the first time, thinking about it didn’t cause an ounce of anxiety or panic.
Dane hit the button for the intercom. “Louis, can you please stop at the art museum?”
A few minutes later, the limo turned onto the frontage road leading to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Since it had closed hours before, the streets and walkways were empty. In the dark of evening, spotlights glimmered along the crisscrossing walking pavers of the plush, manicured forecourt. Tall evergreen hedges dissected the expansive lawn. Intricate flowerbeds ran the distance of the garden and were flanked by large water fountains. Lake Michigan’s waves shone in the distance.
Dane shifted in his seat as Louis cut the engine.
“Want to go for a walk?” he asked. Under the stars, he looked boyish, less rugged, bashful. Almost unsure of himself.
I nodded as Louis opened the door. Dane climbed out and extended his hand, which I accepted as I tried to gracefully exit. Leading me onto one of the paved walkways, music from the limo notched up.
“Tonight is perfect,” I softly said. Inside, my stomach turned to mush and my heart swelled with the effort Dane had put into making this one of the most memorable evenings of my life. “Everything is perfect.”
Dane gave a lopsided smile, and his eyes fluttered down. “I’m glad you like it.”
Heat traveled through me, watching his reaction to my reaction. The pleasure and happiness he emitted from making me happy. In that moment, everything felt right; everything made sense.
I’d only known Dane for a short time, but he’d made his way into my head and into my heart. For the first time, I could envision a future. A future that included love. The kind of love that was tangible. A love that led to permanence. Marriage, children. A family.
The feelings may have been irrational—Dane and I hadn’t known each other long—and love certainly wasn’t something I was looking for. Marriage, children, and family weren’t on the horizon prior to my car accident. So focused on my work, I never looked that far ahead. I hadn’t thought of anything beyond the present.
Now I realized how desperately I wished for more—for a family.
Mother and child. Brothers and sisters. Husband and wife.
Dare I hope for such things?
The song in the background came to an end, and a slow ballad started. Dane extended his hand. “May I have this dance?”
My eyes lifted to meet his, and every feeling that had just run through my head and heart reflected in his eyes. I didn’t respond with words but took his hand and let him pull me in close.
The sweet ballad serenaded us, singing of the moon and sea, magic and love. Under the silver haze of the evening sky, and surrounded by the lull of Lake Michigan’s waves, the song was ours, articulating everything that remained unspoken between us.
Hope, peace, joy. Heaven on earth.
Tucked into Dane’s chest, his arms held me with his promise�
��they weren’t going to let me go. He wouldn’t walk away.
After several slow minutes, the song faded, yet I remained in Dane’s arms. His chin dropped to rest against my forehead. Endless seconds passed before his arms loosened.
“Nova? Will you come away with me?” His breathy question hit my cheek like a kiss.
“Hmm?” I looked up to catch the moonlight dancing across his strong features. Still feeling dizzy from the dance, I asked, “Away?”
“I need to return to Monterey,” he explained. “Will you come with me? We’d be gone only a week or so.” Dane stepped to the side, holding my hand and leading me along the path toward one of the fountains. “Will you think about it?”
I bit my lower lip, looking at his hopeful face, and gave a slight nod.
We stared quietly at the fountain, enjoying the calm sounds of water splashing into the basin. Dane glanced at his watch and then toward the limo.
“Time’s up?” I asked, feeling a bit like Cinderella. The night was beyond perfect, and I didn’t want it to come to an end.
Noticing our return, Louis hopped from the front seat of the limo and hurried to open the passenger side door for Dane and me. I entered first, sliding along the u-shaped seats, followed by Dane. After the door closed, Dane leaned in, his eyes serious.
“So, you’ll think about it?” he solemnly asked again.
“I’ll think about it,” I agreed softly.
Inside my conflicted head, the words yes and no echoed simultaneously. Traveling while unemployed hardly seemed prudent, but the more I tossed around the idea, the more it made sense. Hadn’t I recently proclaimed I’d never been on a vacation? And sure, I hadn’t known him long, but we connected in a way that defied sense and reason.
The limo maneuvered onto Lincoln Memorial Drive, carrying us from the most magical moment I’d experienced in my lifetime. I closed my eyes, committing every second to memory. By the time I opened them, we were in front of our building. Louis cut the engine and came around to open our door. My stomach sunk.
After guiding me out, Dane dropped my hand to shake Louis’s, and then escorted me inside and up the elevator. The door creaked opened to our floor, and Dane said what I’d been thinking.
