by Ellen Hutton
“Where are you heading?” he shouted across the hedge.
She looked over at him with concealed suspicion, but he didn’t allow it to faze him.
“I’m having dinner with Paige,” she replied.
He rolled his eyes. If he knew anything, they’d spend the entire night gossiping about him.
“Hey,” he said, willing her to come closer, “don’t believe what they say about me, okay?”
A small smile lingered on her lips.
“Things like what?” she asked.
“You know, they might say I’m the most handsome guy on the planet,” he replied, “but I’m technically just the most handsome man they’ve ever seen.”
She laughed, and he was stunned by the way her face lit up. It was a genuine little laugh. He had seldom seen anyone laugh with such abandon, and it was refreshing.
“I’m sure that’s what they’ll say” she replied. “I’ll try to remain objective.”
“Thank you” he replied. “By the way, how did it go with your parents?”
She looked a bit surprised that he had remembered her telling him that.
“It was good,” she replied, pushing her hair behind her ear.
He suddenly felt the urge to reach up and touch the golden locks.
“Yeah, did they like the place?” he asked.
He didn’t know why he was prolonging the conversation, but his day was bleak and she was like sunshine on a dark rainy day.
“Yeah, they love it,” she replied. “They think it could be better but it’s good enough for now.”
“Sounds like a tough evaluation,” he replied.
“You have no idea,” she replied. “It was a grueling process, but I came out of it on top.”
It was his turn to laugh as she mocked their lingo. They stood there for another moment of silence and then she glanced back towards Paige’s house.
“Look, there’s a community potluck on Saturday,” he said. “I don’t usually go but if you agree to be my company, I’d put in an appearance.”
She gave him a quizzical look.
“What makes you think I want to be seen with the playboy?” she asked.
“Well, I mean you’re standing here talking to me,” he said. “If anyone were to walk by, you’d be seen with the community playboy.”
She laughed.
“I’ll think about it” she replied. “I have your number, if I think it’s a good idea, I’ll call.”
“Sounds fair to me,” he replied.
“I got to go now,” she said. “Try not to get locked out tonight.”
He smiled and watched her as she walked away. She was so different from the women he usually met and very different from any woman who had ever come into his life. The main difference was that she didn’t seem to know of him or his reputation and she didn’t try to extort money or fame from him. It was refreshing to meet someone like that, but it was also a little off-putting. He wanted her, but she didn’t seem to share the same sentiments. He wasn’t willing to work to get her, but he decided that it would happen eventually. When he walked into his house, it suddenly felt lonelier than it ever had. The feeling of loneliness had become a problem recently, and he had tried to drown it out by having all these women around. Tonight, he would try to figure out what he could do to stop all these women in his life from going to the press. There had to be some legalities he could use to silence them.
Chapter 5
Taylor walked into Paige’s house and tried to ignore the pang of unease she felt after meeting Conner in her driveway. He looked handsome and disheveled, so she could tell why ladies liked him so much. But there was something sad lingering behind his eyes that she couldn’t quite figure out. From what she had heard, there was no shortage of excitement for him, so he had no reason to be sad per se, but he didn’t seem happy. She decided to banish him from her thoughts and focus on the night ahead. She had endured a very unsuccessful date the night before with her mother’s friend’s son and she just wanted to take some time and clear her mind.
“Pay attention, everyone,” Paige said, leading her into the dining room where everyone was seated. “This is our new neighbor, Taylor.”
Everyone in the room nodded, smiled and said hello. She walked in and took the seat Paige led her to. Beside her was an older woman but her face looked too perfect. Taylor could only assume she was using filler or Botox to keep her skin looking so young.
“Hi,” she said. “I’m Eloise, nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Taylor replied. “What do you do?”
“I’m a psychologist,” the woman said. “Best this side of the city.”
Taylor didn’t doubt it. To be a psychologist with that face, she would have to be the best.
“What do you do?” Eloise asked.
“I am a neurosurgeon,” she replied. “Just started my own practice.”
“So young”, the woman replied. “That’s quite impressive.”
“Thank you,” she replied, giving her a genuine smile.
The woman was her companion for the rest of the night and she soon learned the names and titles of all ten people who were there. She saw Paige’s husband and she laughed at the irony of being so wrong about his looks. Paige was married to a rather handsome man who seemed totally smitten with her. The other couples there were all well-educated and career driven. By the end of the night, she felt at ease knowing she was in good company.
When the dinner ended, Paige invited them into the living room for wine and chocolate.
“So, I saw you talking to Conner before you walked over here,” Paige said when they were in the living room. The men had decided to go to the den and watch something while the ladies remained to chat.
“You’ve spoken to Conner?” someone asked, walking over where she stood to talk to Paige. She looked up at the woman and tried to remember her name.
“Theresa,” Paige said, “are you eavesdropping?”
“Oh no, I just heard you whisper his name and I put the two together,” Theresa replied a bit defensively.
Soon the entire room was involved in the conversation and Taylor was at the very center.
“How did you two meet?” someone asked.
“Well, umm, he got locked out the other night and came knocking at my door,” she replied. “I let him stay the night.”
The shocked gasps could have drained the room of oxygen. Taylor tried to hide her amusement while the women began shooting disapproving looks her way. It was obvious that they didn’t like Conner and she found it comedic the way they all seemed horrified at her story.
“He came to your house?” Another woman she knew as Alison asked. “In the middle of the night?”
“He was locked out of his house,” she replied. “I didn’t think it would be neighborly to leave him out in the cold.”
“You’re a brave girl,” Paige said, patting her hand.
“Why? Should I be afraid of him?” she asked. “He doesn’t seem harmful at all.”
“Well, he doesn’t have the best reputation,” Eloise replied. “He is a player.”
“He’s harmless,” she replied, “plus the women he goes for aren’t really like me.”
“That’s the truth,” Allison scoffed. “Those women are the reason he’s like that. If he didn’t think he could get anyone he wanted, he wouldn’t be behaving like that.”
Taylor’s mind went back to what he had told her earlier. “Don’t believe them,” he had said. But she didn’t find them to be lying. She had seen a few of the magazines at the newsstand on her way to lunch, and after reading the interview, she found it funny to think that all these women threw themselves at him for money and pleasure and then were hurt when he let them go.
“I think maybe you guys should give him a chance,” She replied. “Maybe he would surprise you.”
“I’ve been surprised by him before” Allison replied. “His naked junk at six in the morning.”
The other wome
n gasped and laughed.
“Come on, Allison,” Paige replied, “I’m sure he didn’t mean for you to see it.”
“He didn’t seem to be ashamed I was seeing it,” she countered.
“Why would he be when he’s so well, you know,” Eloise laughed.
That led to another round of giggles and Taylor smiled and rolled her eyes at how childish they were behaving. For all the bad things they wanted to say about Conner, none of these women seemed to think he was inherently bad. It was good enough for her.
“All I’m saying,” Paige said, “is that you shouldn’t let that man anywhere near you.”
“Yes, you’re so precious. He could literally ruin you and you’re doing so well,” Eloise added.
Taylor nodded but she didn’t believe it. All these women were married, had children and adoring husbands. It was almost unreal how healthy their marriages appeared and although she had no intent on marrying someone like Conner, she wasn’t as alright as they thought. She was desperate for the companionship they had and she didn’t see a problem making friends with another seemingly lonely soul.
“I’ll keep him at arm's length,” she replied, “for your sakes.”
“Good girl,” Paige said. “Now, what about that other guy I saw walking out of your house on Monday?”
Taylor laughed. She couldn’t expect less from her nosey neighbor.
“Let’s just say he didn’t have much to talk about besides his pet snake.”
The room erupted in laughter and Taylor joined them. Her date with him had been such a failure. He had arrived late, the location was crowded and noisy, and she ended up paying for dinner when he had ordered twice the amount of food she did. In the end, he had made it clear that he was looking for someone to support him and she had done all but laugh in his face when she walked out of his car.
“It couldn’t have been that bad?” Allison said.
“He ordered lobster and caviar and then when he finished eating, conveniently remembered that he had left his wallet.”
There was another round of laughter and she knew these ladies were having too much fun at her expense.
“I didn’t think this would be what dating was like,” she said. “Where’s my prince charming to sweep me off my feet?”
“You’re going to have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find him,” Eloise replied, “but it’s worth the trouble if you want to find the right person.”
“That’s right,” Paige replied. “Just take the experiences as they come and don’t give up until you’ve found what you want.”
“She’s right,” Allison replied. “On my very first date, the guy threw up on me. It was terrible. I cried for two days.”
“That’s disgusting, Taylor retorted.
“Hey, I met and fell in love with his older brother after that, so it was worth it,” Allison replied.
“Yup, I can’t remember having many good dates,” Paige said. “Men aren’t really interested in making you happy if it’s not their goal to be with you. If they want you, they’ll make the effort.”
Taylor smiled. She knew that was true because she had watched her parents, and the way her father worked to accommodate her mother was something she always admired.
“You’ll meet a nice guy and he will sweep you off your feet before you even see it coming” Eloise replied. “Don’t think too hard about it.”
Taylor nodded and sipped her wine, wondering how she had managed to go through her life without experiencing what it was like to date or even fall in love. She was young and so inexperienced; most people her age would have already fallen in love and experienced heartbreak at least once before. It wasn’t because she was sheltered; rather it was her own decisions that placed her in this position. The conversation shifted but her mind remained on the fact that she was never truly going to experience love if she didn’t put herself out there. By the time she was ready to leave, she felt more overwhelmed than she had walked in. The short distance between her house and Paige’s was filled with inner musings on how she could get better at this. The thought of maybe joining an online site crossed her mind but then she shrugged it off. She had no experience, so she wasn’t going to make herself even more vulnerable than she already was.
Taylor was approaching her house when she caught sight of a light inside Conner’s house. She could see his silhouette as he took off his shirt and threw it across the room. From here, his body looked amazing. She stared at him and felt her cheeks heat up. Suddenly his eyes turned down and he saw her. She jumped and turned away, walking briskly towards her door without looking back. She was dangerously close to becoming attracted to this man and it was not a good idea.
Chapter 6
Conner couldn’t understand why he was suddenly so nervous. When Taylor had called, he had assumed it was to file a formal complaint about something he must have done, but he was mildly surprised that she had taken him up on his offer. Initially, it had been a joke to make her blush, and she had. But now, she called his bluff and was on her way over to accompany him to the community potluck.
The doorbell rang and he rushed over to open it. At the last moment, he stopped himself and took several deep breaths. He wasn’t acting like himself and if he wanted to keep it cool, this wouldn’t work. When he opened the door, he wasn’t sure that would be possible at all. Standing on the other side dressed in a beautiful pink dress was Taylor. She was a vision and he was feeling a bit uncomfortable as he stood there staring at her.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
“Yeah, sure” he replied.
She was holding a container in her hand and he suddenly realized that it wasn’t proper to arrive at a potluck without a pot.
“I forgot to get something to take with me,” he said. “They may crucify me.”
“It’s fine, I don’t think anyone will be expecting you” she replied, “and they’ll just chalk it up to your usual bad behavior.”
“Great so I can thank my bad reputation for something,” he replied sarcastically.
“Yeah, at least it’s worth something,” she said.
He laughed and together they began walking towards the community park where he could hear laughter and music. The sun hadn’t fully set and as they walked, he began to feel something he hadn’t felt for many years. It was strange how walking next to this beautiful woman made him feel like a nervous twelve-year-old all over again.
“So, how was your dinner party the other night?” he asked. “Did they reveal all my secrets?”
From the way she blushed, he could tell that she heard something interesting. He only hoped that it wasn’t too scandalous for her poor little heart.
“Not all,” she replied. “Just enough to encourage me to stay away from you.”
“Oh, the weak hearts,” he teased. “They never give me a break.”
“Rightfully so,” she replied. “They have you pegged correctly if I’m guessing right.”
“And what about you?” he asked. “What do you think of me?”
“Well, I can’t say for sure. You seem troubled and desperate for attention but I’m wondering how long that will last before you burn out,” She replied. “I have you on a clock, Conner.”
“Is this your professional opinion, Doc?” he asked.
“I have no professional opinion on the matter,” she replied. “I just think each person deals with their burdens in different ways.”
“So you think I act the way I do because something is wrong with me?” he asked.
“Well, why else would you act like that?” she asked.
He was silent. He didn’t have a good reason and he knew she was right. He had been messed many years ago and it had changed his life forever. Somehow, dealing with that problem was scarier than anything else he may encounter in life.
“I can’t say you’re wrong,” he replied, “but I won’t give you the satisfaction of telling you that you’re right.”
“How about you just thank me for giving you a
n opportunity to leave your house and not be a hermit for a day,” she said as politely as she had ever heard her speak.
“Thank you,” he said mockingly. “Your largess knows no bounds.”
“Good job,” she replied.
As they walked, he couldn’t help wondering what was going through her mind.
“So, you play sports?” she asked, interrupting his thoughts.
“I play sports,” he replied, “but I play basketball professionally.”
“That sounds interesting.” She replied. “Is that all you want to do in life?”
The question threw him off a bit. He didn’t think he had ever been asked that question by anyone except his high school coach.
“I want to practice law” he replied. “Basketball just makes more sense to me right now.”
“Really?” she asked. “I wouldn’t have pictured that.”
He laughed at the way she sounded when she was surprised. Her voice went lower and somehow sounded much sexier.
“I actually already have my degree” he replied. “I just don’t practice. I keep up with it and I do plan on starting once I’m too old for this.”
“You love what you do?” she asked.
“I do” he replied. “It’s familiar and it’s profitable.”
“I know” she replied. “I have a few athletes as clients and they’re well off.”
“You know basketball players?” he asked.
She turned and smiled up at him.
“You don’t think I know people?” she asked. “I know many players, footballers, basketballer, even hockey players. My father was a footballer years ago.”
He had to admit he was mildly impressed.
“So, you’re like a crazy nerd, right?” he asked.
“The craziest” she replied, “but someone’s got to do what I do.”
“I don’t mind” he replied. “If I ever get a knock on the head I’ll come to you.”
The way she laughed filled the air with a new and exciting sound.
They chatted a bit longer as they neared the crowd of people and he could tell by the surprised expression on his neighbor’s face that they didn’t expect him to come. A few of the children who recognized him ran to him and began bombarding him with questions. He fielded them one by one, allowing them to get as much out of him as possible. He was used to them and he much preferred the children to the adults here.
