Panzina's Passion

by Teresa D. Patterson

  “I’m finished,” Trevor’s voice startled her. She turned and the plate slipped from her hands. She reached for it at the same instant that he caught it, just before it crashed to the floor. Panzi felt the jolt that he had spared the plate.

  “Excuse me, I didn’t know you were standing there,” she told him, a bit breathless.

  “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that.” His hands still covered hers. He took the plate and placed it on the kitchen counter. “You were in here for so long that I’m already done with the loading. We can go if you’re ready.”

  “Sorry for leaving you to do it by yourself. I lost track of time. I’m ready,” she said softly. Her gaze rested on his lips. They were so firm, so inviting. She had to tear her eyes away before she made a fool of herself. She was tempted to do something stupid; like press her own moist lips against his.

  “It’s all right. Dishes won’t do themselves,” he joked.

  Panzina laughed through her nose. “Still, I should have helped. The dishes could have waited.”

  “Speaking of getting things done. Panzina, I’d like to clear the air between us,” he said. “I was out of line yesterday. I should have never stuck my nose into your personal business. Sometimes I have a big mouth. If I made you uncomfortable in any way or angry, I apologize,” he ended. His words held all sincerity. Their eyes locked for a moment.

  “I accept your apology,” she replied. “And since we’re on that subject, I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have snapped at you the way that I did. I guess I realized for the first time that my relationship with Telvin isn’t quite the way it should be. You hit on a nerve and I lashed out at you.”

  “I’m glad we’re past all that.” He stepped closer to take the dishtowel from her hands. He placed it neatly beside the sink, and then turned to face her. “Everything is on the truck. I put the nice, Sunday outfits in the backseat. After we drop everything off, would you like to get something to eat?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “What do you have a taste for? It’s up to you,” he told her.

  “What about some Chinese food?”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “It is. I love Chinese food. I eat it all the time.”

  * * *

  The restaurant was nice and quaint, one of those hole-in-the-wall places with hand-made signs and a delicious smell that drew people in off the streets. They sat at a mismatched booth and contemplated different choices on their menus. A waitress appeared, stopping to place a pot of steaming, hot tea on the table, along with two glasses of water. A little boy clung to her apron strings, but she managed the task with grace. Seeing that the two weren’t quite ready, she went to assist another customer. When they had made up their minds, she returned to take their orders then left them alone.

  Trevor didn’t want to upset Panzina but he was dying to know a bit more about Telvin. He had behaved himself all morning while they made their deliveries.

  Not surprising at all, Panzina had refused to donate the clothing to Goodwill or any resale shops. Instead, they had driven to her pastor’s house to inquire after needy ladies of her own parish. The good man had made a list of women who desperately needed the clothing and had even provided addresses. Most were formerly battered women who were trying to get their lives back together. They were extremely grateful to have clothes that they could wear to an office job or on an interview. Aunt Gertie had had impeccable taste in clothes.

  He was glad they had made an early start because Panzina had insisted on helping each of the women try on the clothes and select what they wanted. She made sure that they had complete outfits, sorting through the carefully packed boxes for matching shoes, belts, bags, hats, earrings, and stockings.

  It took hours, and Trevor had gotten to warm a lot of couches during that time. As the women modeled, he always managed just the right amount of enthusiasm and praise. Their quick trip had quickly turned into a mission of faith and love.

  And now he was starving.

  “Do you and your fiancé come here?” he asked, nonchalantly.

  “Of course not. Telvin hates Chinese food.” He watched as she squeezed a slice of lemon into her glass or water then added a Sweet-n-low. She didn’t immediately answer.

  “You could have just ordered lemonade, you know?” he teased her. She looked up and her eyes glistened. Feeling sure that she would not attack him for prying, he continued.

  “What do the two of you do together?”

  “Not too much,” she said and began to stir the drink with her straw. “Telvin is a homebody. He prefers to just sit around and watch movies and of course, sports.”

  ““Of course.” He took a drink of his tea. “What about you? What do you prefer?” he asked curiously. He had already made up his mind about Telvin. In his opinion, Telvin was a young, selfish boy who wouldn’t recognize a good woman when he saw one. Telvin’s loss would be his gain. Telvin certainly couldn’t hold on to Panzina when he’d chosen to remain away from her, off at college. Just from the small amount of information he’d gathered, the young man probably wasn’t taking his engagement seriously at all.

  “I like to do different things. You know what I really want to do?” Her eyes shined with excitement as she spoke.

  “What?” He smiled as he gazed at her.

  “I want to go skydiving,” she admitted.

  “Skydiving?” Trevor sat back in his seat and looked at her in disbelief. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with that one. Now, if you’d said camping, horseback riding or maybe even canoeing, I’d probably be able to accommodate you. But, skydiving? Nope! Just can’t do it.”

  ”Why not? Are you afraid of heights?” She gave him a smug look. “You can’t be.”

  “How about, I just like living,” he told her and she laughed.

  “That is living. It would be exciting, a rush.”

  “I get a rush every day when I leave work; rush hour traffic,” he joked.

  It pleased Panzina that Trevor had a sense of humor. He wasn’t as superficial as she’d thought him to be. She felt ashamed because she’d unfairly prejudged him. Her aunt had taught her better than that. She felt that it was safe to give Trevor a chance. So she decided to let her guard down a bit and relax.

  Trevor could immediately since the change in Panzina. It pleased him that she’d discarded the wall that she’d put up. He felt a sense of pride when she asked his opinion on what to do about her car. Once she’d told him the mileage and let him know how much it would cost to rebuild a transmission, he shook his head.

  “It would be better for you to get a new car. With that amount of miles on it, something else is bound to go wrong. It may be the engine next. That’ll be another costly repair.”

  “I don’t know anything about cars. My aunt gave me that one. Should I get another Ford?”

  “You know what they say Ford stands for?”

  “No.”

  “Found On Roadside Dead.”

  “Trevor! That’s awful. You have a Ford,” she reminded and he smirked good-naturedly. “Well, I guess I’ll buy something else. I just don’t know what would suit me.”

  “I think you’d look great in a convertible Benz.”

  “I can’t afford anything that fancy. Besides, that’s not my style.”

  “How about this,” he leaned back and pursed his lips. “I’ll take you to a couple of car lots and maybe we can narrow it down to one or two choices.”

  “You’d do that?” Again, she found herself wondering why he was being so nice.

  “Of course. You need a reliable car. “ What he wanted to say was that he’d do back flips for her, if it made her happy.

  When their food arrived they both ate heartily. Trevor had ordered pepper steak, which was a popular dish. Panzina had chosen Moo Goo Gai Pan, a little known favorite that she considered her own delicacy. The food tasted delicious.

  “Don’t forget your fortune cookie!” Panzina told Trevor as he retrieved the bill fr
om the table.

  “You believe those?”

  “Well, sometimes they are true,” she told him. “But mostly they are like self-fulfilling prophecies. You read it, and you want it to come true, so you subconsciously do what is necessary to make that happen.”

  Her outlook amazed him.

  “What does yours say?” he asked. He waited as she crumpled the cookie and took the small slip of paper from inside.

  “It says, “You will come into a substantial amount of wealth,” she laughed.

  “You believe that?” he questioned, skeptically.

  “Well, it could happen,” she said. “Open yours!”

  “These things are for the birds!” He crushed the cookie and took out the fortune. A smile came to his face as he read.

  “Well, what does it say?” she wanted to know.

  “Passion can be yours if you act now.” His brow lifted.

  “You’re joking!” He handed her the message and she read it herself.

  “Hey, I’m starting to like fortune cookies. I actually think I’m becoming a believer,” he said. He smiled at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

  “Now that’s a prophecy that I wouldn’t mind fulfilling.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Panzina’s heart fluttered like butterflies in a field of wildflowers when she looked up and saw Trevor enter the boutique. Thanks to him, L’ Fragrance was back in business without missing a beat, and she still had a job doing pretty much the same thing she had done before he had come to her rescue. She considered him to be a lifesaver and a true hero for all that he had done. With his help, she’d purchased a brand new Toyota Camry and he’d even managed to talk the salesperson down on the price.

  “May I help you?” she asked, playing the role of the dutiful employee with a teasing smile on her face.

  “Yes you may, lovely lady. Will you accompany me to lunch?” He smiled his dashing smile and she couldn’t refuse.

  Leaning on the counter, she said, “I don’t know. I’ll have to check with my boss first.”

  Playing along, he asked, “This boss of yours is he a generous man?”

  She let a silent moment lapse before giving him an answer. She was in a teasing mood today. “He’s a very professional businessman…but the most generous man I know. I’m sure he won’t mind if I slip out for lunch. “I’ll just lock up the place,” she said.

  “Glad to hear it,” he answered as she grabbed her purse from behind the register and rounded the counter. When they reached the front door and he opened it for her, he said, “I hope he’s not working you too hard.”

  Panzina laughed as she crossed the threshold and stepped out onto the sidewalk into the afternoon sun. “Are you kidding? I barely have time to stop and smell the roses.”

  This time, it was Trevor’s turn to laugh as she turned the joke on him.

  Once again, she found herself in Trevor’s sleek Mercedes being driven to yet another elegant restaurant. This time, the place was Greek. Panzina, having never tried Greek food, tried to hide her skepticism.

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll order something for you,” Trevor offered when she remained undecided after surveying the menu. “I promise you, you’ll like it.”

  True to his word, her meal was a hit. It amazed her at how wonderful the food tasted. Or maybe it was the company? All seemed right in the world when Trevor Grant was with her.

  “I need to get out more often,” she said. “Broaden my horizons.”

  “I’m your man for the job. I definitely like experiencing different culinary dishes. Have you ever tried sushi?” She frowned. Picking up on her hesitation, he said, “Hey, don’t knock it until you try it. It’s actually delicious. There’s this Sushi Bar that I’ll have to take you to one day.”

  Panzi smiled. She wouldn’t mind trying octopus if it meant she’d be in Trevor’s company. The two of them had been getting along so well, since they’d called their truce. And she really liked the idea that he saw them together in the future. It meant that he desired her company, craved it more than the delicious sushi, which he described. He had a plan, albeit short-term, and she belonged in it. One day it was sushi, the next it was forever. One day at a time.

  Halfway through their meals, a tall, thin woman with a cat-like appearance approached the table. Her keen eyes seemed to take in everything. Trevor had noticed her watching them enter the restaurant and he’d felt her stare them down since they’d taken their seats. He was her main focus. It was no unknown fact that she wanted him. She was conceited and vain enough to think that no other woman could compete with her model figure and photogenic features. She probably wanted to know the 411 on Panzina and wouldn’t leave until she got what she wanted.

  “Well, well, well,” her husky, feminine voice purred behind Panzina. “What have we here? How cozy.” Panzina turned around and Trevor looked up.

  “Marshayla,” Trevor managed to say through stiff lips. Panzina noticed that he didn’t seem too pleased to see the woman. Panzina remained quiet. She didn’t want to jump to any conclusions.

  “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me to your little friend?” Marshayla asked.

  Panzina gripped her napkin to hide the fact that she resented being referred to as Trevor’s little friend. She was curious as to who this woman was and where this conversation was headed. Obviously, neither diner wanted her interruption at this point.

  “I’d rather not,” Trevor practically barked. “Now, if you will excuse us, we are having lunch.”

  “Darling, my name is Marshayla Forbes,” the woman said to Panzina. She ignored Trevor’s impoliteness and extended her well-manicured hand. “Charmed, I’m sure.” As an automatic response, Panzina’s hand dropped the napkin and reached out to meet the woman’s hand. Sometimes it had a mind of its own. Marshayla Forbes’ hand felt cold as it touched Panzina’s briefly. It was more of a brush than an actual shake, and Panzina wagered it was all for show. The other woman didn’t wait for Panzina to introduce herself, even if she could manage to get the words out. As it was, Panzina was completely tongue-tied at the woman’s brazen behavior. Marshayla just pulled up a chair and joined them without an invitation. “I hope you two don’t mind?” she stated, ignoring Trevor’s glare. She didn’t appear to care.

  “Of course we-” Trevor began.

  “I was getting dreadfully bored sitting over there waiting,” she interrupted.

  Panzina found the exchange to be rather amusing, if not a slight inconvenience. Trevor fought hard to keep his temper under control, she could tell. He had moved his chair back and had struck a defensive pose with both arms on the table up to his elbows.

  She had taken a psychology course in high school once and learned that humans in the caveman days had used this stance to protect their food. Through the years, man had lost the need to protect food, but still struck that pose subconsciously when dealing with someone disliked. Apparently the woman was not one of his most favorite people.

  “Darling, how could you possibly bring anyone to such a dreadful, little place as this?” Marshayla said distastefully. Panzina always preferred hole-in-the-wall establishments, so her eyes grew wide with disdain. “If it wasn’t for my photographer with his crazy ideas, I wouldn’t be caught dead in here. It’s God-awful! I mean, look at the décor.” She waved her hands around as Panzina instinctively followed her with her eyes. “Blah! And the curtains are just all wrong. And those waitresses should absolutely demand higher pay. I mean, God! Look at what they have to wear! I’ll be sure to tip them for having to endure the embarrassment.” She stopped complaining as her attention drifted elsewhere. “Oh, I see my entourage now. I must hurry along.” She stood up to leave. “Trevor, Darling, I’ll stop by. Please be home. We simply must talk about the way you’ve been treating me. I don’t appreciate being snubbed this way considering the history we have.” She glared at Panzina with ice in her eyes, turned on her heels and flounced away.

  Trevor knew that Marshayla was fumi
ng as she headed to her own table. She’d probably felt slighted by him and that definitely wasn’t something she was accustomed to. He saw her eyes fling daggers over at their table. From across the restaurant, she was probably contemplating a plan to put an end to what she felt was a threat. Trevor could see that her eyes shone bright with visions of malice as she left with her group.

  Marshayla reeked of scorned lover syndrome, and Panzina felt somewhat bad for her. She knew Trevor was capable of leaving heartache in his wake. They weren’t even a couple, and already Panzina felt extremely attached. He was a part of her life. If only she could put her finger on exactly what part that was or what it meant to her current engagement.

  “I think you’ve stirred Marshayla’s curiosity,” Trevor remarked to Panzina. “I’m sure she has a lot of unanswered questions.”

  Panzina agreed because she had some questions of her own. Trevor had some explaining to do. If she had just made an enemy, she would at least like to know how the woman was involved with Trevor.

  “Who was that woman?” Panzina asked after a few moments of silence. She could still feel the woman’s cold eyes boring into her back and the icy grip of her hand.

  “Marshayla Forbes is one of my models,” Trevor replied in a casual tone.

  “Oh? She works for you?” she questioned. She didn’t want to sound like a jealous girlfriend when she had no such claim.

  “I am a fashion designer, Panzi, or did you forget? People wear what I design. It’s called promoting,” he all but snapped.

  “Don’t patronize me, Trevor. I’m not a child!” she said sharper than necessary. She took a deep breath. “I can see that you are a bit put off by Miss Forbes’s appearance here. Maybe it’s best that we leave, too.”