Accidentally Yours

by Bettye Griffin

  “No, of course not.”

  She wasn’t convinced. “Let me tell you a few things,” she said, stopping and turning to face him. “First of all, I’m not a jinx. Second of all, neither of these men were dates. In both cases we had just met. So what if one cut his arm? People have freak accidents like that all the time. It was pretty mild as those things go. And people also get hurt skiing all the time. A twisted ankle isn’t a serious injury. The way Gordon was tangled up in his skis he’s lucky he didn’t break his leg. These two incidents are nothing more than unfortunate coincidences, and I think you’ve got a lot of nerve suggesting otherwise.”

  “I didn’t mean anything by it. You’re right, it’s just coincidence. And just to prove I don’t think you’re a jinx, let’s hit the slopes together.”

  “Only if you promise to run into a tree,” she snapped, beginning to walk again.

  Zack put his hand over his heart and looked wounded. “Ouch.”

  Vivian really didn’t wish anything bad to happen to Zack, she was just still smarting from his inferring she was bad luck. She remembered how Gordon twisted his ankle and hoped Zack wouldn’t feel he had to outdo her.

  As it turned out that was an unnecessary concern. Zack was an excellent skier, zigzagging down the hill with true agility and gliding to a smooth stop at the bottom. It was all she could do to keep up with him.

  “Hey, you’re really good,” she said to him as they rode the lift. “You’ve been at this for a while, haven’t you?”

  “Only a few years. NBP is big on skiing. I went to Switzerland with them last winter and practically lived on the slopes the whole time I was there. What about you?”

  Vivian recounted her background in the sport.

  “Ah, so you were one of those privileged Negroes from the suburbs.”

  “Why, where did you grow up?”

  “I’m a city kid from St. Nicholas Avenue, where we played on the sidewalks and any grass around was for viewing only and was cordoned off, like the Mona Lisa on exhibit.”

  “New London was a nice place to grow up. I guess maybe I was a little privileged. But does that have to be dirty word?”

  “No, of course not. It’s really what you make of yourself, not what your family has. And our generation had a lot of opportunities our parents, aunts, and uncles didn’t.”

  “That’s very true. I’m sure your family is proud of you. Where did you go to school?”

  “Howard.”

  “What made you choose emergency medicine?”

  “I know this sounds corny, but I wanted to help people. Believe me, there’s no difference in the length of time it takes to be an ER doctor than there is in being an ophthalmologist.”

  “That’s true. But it probably requires a lot more practice.”

  “All right. Now that I’ve told you all about me, don’t you think it’s your turn?”

  “All right. You know where I’m from. I went to U. Mass, and I’m a human resources administrator.”

  “You’re the one who summons the unsuspecting to your office on Friday afternoons and ruins their lives, huh?”

  “No, but I conduct their exit interviews. We leave the firing to the individual managers, although a couple of the bigwigs have occasionally been too cowardly to let their secretaries go. That’s fallen to my manager, not to me.”

  “Do I detect a bit of wistfulness?”

  “I guess you do. I love my job, Zack, but I’m ready to be a manager myself.”

  “So you can fire executive secretaries?”

  “No, silly. I just want to be a manager. I’m qualified. I’ve been working in human resources ever since I finished college. My goal is to become a vice president, but I need a manager’s position first, then a director’s position, before I can even think about becoming an officer.”

  “Ah, the pitfalls of corporate America.”

  “It’s not so bad. There are perks.”

  “Yes, I know. My buddy owns his own company, and every year he and his partner give themselves nice, fat bonuses.”

  Vivian almost said, “Austin,” but she caught herself. Once upon a time she had had an eye—all right, both her eyes—on the stealthily handsome Austin Hughes, whose parents lived downstairs from her, but then she met and became friendly with Desireé and learned she held the keys to his heart, so that was the end of that. Still, there was little doubt of whom he was referring to. Austin co-owned a travel consulting business, and his assignments took him to hotels and restaurants all over the world.

  Meanwhile, if anything progressed between she and Zack, he would eventually learn about her connection to Desireé and Austin and that he was her landlord, but a sixth sense told her to keep mum for now.

  “That’ll never happen working for a hospital,” Zack concluded.

  “It could if you were in private practice. I know you practice emergency medicine, but there are private clinics, acute care centers, whatever name they go by, all over the place.”

  “Don’t think I haven’t thought of it. I’d like to do that someday, but not in New York. Maybe some out-of-the-way place on Long Island or up in Westchester. Where do you live, anyway?” He already knew from Gary Allen that she lived in Mount Vernon, where he owned property; but that day she herself had only told him she lived in Westchester.

  He found himself glad she didn’t still live in Connecticut; that was awfully far.

  “I’m in Mount Vernon.” At least he didn’t ask where she ‘stayed,’ a ghetto-ish form of speech that was right up there with people driving the wrong way down one-way parking lot rows on her personal vexation scale.

  She waited for him to say he owned an apartment building there, but he only said, “Oh, yes. Convenient location.”

  Maybe he felt it was best if she didn’t know about his real-estate holdings. She couldn’t blame him. It would be difficult to make even a casual statement along those lines and not sound like he was bragging. Besides, he didn’t want to attract gold diggers, even if as an ER doctor his earnings probably paled next to specialties like cardiology or plastics. It was probably wise for him to keep that under his vest. “Yes, it is,” she agreed. “What about you? Where do you live?”

  “Harlem. You know what they say. You can take the boy out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the boy. So are you going to join NBP?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I’ll have to find out what the benefits are. All their events are open to the public, aren’t they?”

  “Yes. They give a discount on admissions and travel if you’re a member. That’s the main benefit.”

  The rest of the afternoon went by in a maze of trying different slopes and talking while riding the lift. Before she knew it, it was time to board the bus for the trip home. “What bus were you on, Zack?” she asked.

  “The last one. You?”

  She hid her disappointment. “Number two.” Gordon, too, was on the last bus. Neither man had asked about seeing her again, and while she found Zack infinitely more attractive she wasn’t ready to rule out Gordon. But time was running out. She wouldn’t see either of them again if they didn’t have any way to contact her.

  “I’m going to turn in my skis. Vivian, it was a lot of fun skiing with you. I hope we’ll get to do it again.”

  She forced herself to sound light and unruffled. “Likewise. You take care, now.”

  As she looked around the crowded lodge for Glenda she suddenly felt very tired. She hadn’t expected husband hunting to be this exhausting. She had thought things were going well between her and Zack, in spite of the rocky start. Why hadn’t he asked for her number? Had she turned him off in some way? Did the mints she consumed after lunch not cover the fact that she’d had onions added to her hamburger? Had her deodorant failed? Maybe she should have told him about knowing his friend, Austin, and Austin’s girlfriend, Desireé, after all; it would have provided a link…plus he’d know where to find her.

  She saw Gordon waving her way and went over to where he s
at, knowing that walking was difficult for him after his fall. “I’m glad I saw you before I got on the bus. I’d like to see you again. May I call you?”

  “I’d like that.” She had to force the enthusiasm in her voice. If she had her choice of just one of them, it would be Zack who asked for her number and Gordon who gave her a polite kiss-off.

  She scribbled her home number on the back of one of her business cards and handed it to him. “How’s the ankle?”

  “Now that my foot is elevated it doesn’t hurt as much. Danny is turning in my equipment.”

  “I’ve got to find my friend myself. I’ve barely seen her all day. Take care of your foot, Gordon.”

  “I will. Thanks for your help. I’ll call you soon.”

  Vivian gave up looking for Glenda in the lodge and went out to where the buses were parked, where Glenda stood waiting. “I was looking for you. I thought you’d be in the lodge.”

  “You know, I was just about to go in there, since I didn’t see you out here. It’s warmer, for one thing.”

  They climbed on the bus and took seats. “Ooh, my legs are sore,” Vivian complained. “Those ski boots must weigh ten pounds apiece.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not much for skiing. I probably need to stick to water sports.” Glenda lowered her voice to a whisper. “You seemed to have a nice time. Every time I saw you, you were in the company of a man.”

  “Well, let’s see. One of them twisted his ankle on the slope. Fortunately, there was a doctor who Ace wrapped it for him.”

  “A doctor? Was he with our group?”

  “Yes.” She paused. “It was Dr. Warner. Can you believe that?”

  “No!” Glenda exclaimed loudly.

  Vivian scowled and waved her hand, gesturing Glenda to talk more quietly. “He’s a member of NBP. And there’s more than that. He’s the same doctor Desireé Mack wanted to introduce me to. Can you believe that?”

  “How’d you find that out?”

  “By his first name. It’s Zack. The only thing I knew about him other than him being a doctor was his first name. When we were talking about working in corporate versus the health care industry and he said something about a friend of his who owned his own company I knew it had to be him. He was talking about Austin.”

  “You didn’t ask him if he knew Desireé?”

  “No. Maybe I should have. I think it came as too much of a shock. This man is my landlord, Glenda. He and Austin own the building I live in.”

  “So what happened?”

  “We went skiing. Gordon encouraged me to go ahead, since he was out of commission.”

  “And you’re going to see him again, of course.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean, no?” Glenda hissed. “This is the answer to a prayer!”

  “Glenda, he wasn’t interested in seeing me again. He didn’t ask for my number or anything. The only thing he did was ask if I was going to join NBP.”

  “We’ll have to make sure we go to their next event. It’s a dance, next month. He’ll probably be there.”

  “No. To me that’s the same as my going to the hospital looking for him. I wouldn’t do that, and I’m not going to do this, either.”

  “Don’t be stubborn, Viv. It’s not the same thing. There are interesting people at these events. You met someone new today, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, then.”

  Vivian had to admit that Glenda had a point. All she would accomplish by staying home was missing out. It was better to go out and have a good time than sit home alone.

  *****

  The other skiers were a raucous bunch during the ride back to New York, but Zack didn’t have much to contribute. His mind was elsewhere. He’d seen Vivian St. James again, and, once again, he didn’t give the slightest indication that he was interested. Instead, he’d put his foot in his mouth with his comment about her male friends having accidents, which had been innocent in nature, but with the wisdom of hindsight he realized could easily be taken the wrong way. Vivian was about as mad as a theater patron would be if Erykah Badu sat in front of them wearing one of her mile-high head wraps.

  After that fiasco, he thought it best to try to patch things up so they could part on pleasant terms when it was time. It shouldn’t be too long before he saw her again. His bet was that she would show up at next month’s dance at a Westchester country club. If she didn’t, he’d find her, even if he had to resort to using one of those ‘We Find Anyone’ services on the Internet. Seeing her again had convinced him that their meeting was not meant to be a one-time, brief, impersonal encounter in a hospital emergency room. He wanted everything to be perfect, and he didn’t want to rush and botch it. He’d antagonized her once, but from now on he was going to take it slow and easy.

  Vivian St. James was special.

  Chapter 5

  Scoundrel in a Red Jacket

  “Vivian, it’s Desireé.”

  “Hi, Desireé!” Vivian was genuinely happy to hear from her former neighbor. “Are you in town?”

  “No, I’m home in Colorado. I wanted to call and let you know…Austin and I are getting married.”

  Vivian covered the receiver and shrieked.

  Desireé laughed. “He proposed on Valentine’s Day, and I said yes.”

  “Of course you did! Des, I’m so happy for you!”

  “I know you are. You were there for me during the tough times in the beginning.”

  “Did you get a ring already, or are you going shopping for one?”

  “He gave it to me when he proposed. Pretty sure of himself, that Ozzie.” Desireé giggled.

  “So, it looks like I’m going to a wedding. Hey, where’s it going to be, there or here?”

  “We’re still talking, but I’m leaning toward having it here. It’s hard when the families are in two cities so far from each other.”

  “Maybe you can compromise and hold it somewhere in between, like Chicago.”

  “No, I don’t think that’ll work either. Then everyone will have to travel, and I’d prefer to be in the same city so I can meet with caterers and florists face-to-face.”

  “Have you set a date?”

  “We’re still deciding. I like September, but so do most prospective brides. Besides, I can’t help thinking it would be just my luck for us to get hit with a surprise early snowstorm, which none of the out-of-towners will be prepared for. My mother thinks July would be better, but finding a place that’s not booked up will probably be a challenge. If not, we’ll have to wait until next spring at the earliest. I don’t really want a year-plus engagement, but I might not have a choice.”

  “But, Desireé, you might have a hard time getting everything planned so quickly. July is less than six months away.”

  “Are you kidding? My mother has a collection of business cards from bands and caterers from every affair she’s been to. She’s already gotten on the phone to find out what they can do for us.”

  Vivian nodded knowingly. “Yes, I’ve forgotten about how mothers can be. Mine probably has amassed a similar collection she’s not telling me about until the far-off day I announce my engagement, at which point she’ll break them out, all yellowed and curling with age.” She giggled. “But you will tell me the date as soon as you decide?”

  “I promise. I want to give people who have to travel as much time as possible to plan.”

  “Thanks. In the meantime all my plans for that general timeframe will be considered tentative.” Vivian drew in her breath, suddenly remembering something she wanted to tell her friend. “You’ll never believe this, Desireé. I ran into Zack.”

  “You did? Was he visiting Ozzie’s parents or something?”

  “No. The first time was for professional services.”

  “The first time? How many times have you seen him?”

  “Twice, but the second was more social, although his medical know-how was needed then, also.” Vivian recounted the mishaps involving Gary and Gordon. “I don�
��t mind telling you I was very disappointed that he didn’t seem interested in seeing me again. I thought we’d hit it off pretty well.”

  “Did you tell him you were my friend, the one I had wanted to introduce him to?”

  “No. I thought about it but decided to let things progress on their own, which, of course, I know now was a mistake.”

  “I’m so sorry it didn’t work out. One thing I can say about Zack, he does tend to enjoy female attention…and he gets plenty of it. I’m afraid it’s swelled his ego just a little. He’s a bit of a scoundrel, but he’s so charming about it he manages to be loveable.”

  Something else had occurred to Vivian as she considered the reasons for Zack’s lack of interest in her, and she knew Desireé would understand. “Do you suppose…Well, is he one of those men who go for the Halle Berry type?”

  Desireé chuckled. “I haven’t met a man yet who wouldn’t go for someone who looks like Halle Berry. The girl is gorgeous.”

  “You know what I mean, Desireé.”

  “I do, and the answer is no. Zack likes all women, all shades.” Desireé did not add that she had asked Zack this herself before suggesting he meet her new friend. She and Vivian were both of a darker hue, and just like some white men preferred blondes, some black men wouldn’t look twice at a brown-skinned sister. “Maybe he thought he would see you when the buses arrived back in New York.”

  “If he did that wasn’t too bright an idea. It was dark by the time we got back to the parking lot we left from, and everyone was exhausted and anxious to get in their cars and go home. It was a Sunday, and most of us had to work the next day. But the club is holding a Valentine’s dance tomorrow night. I hope he’ll be there. He mentioned that his shift rotates.”

  “But Valentine’s Day is over, Vivian.”

  “I guess scheduling is hard when it falls during the week, even though I would have thought they would hold it the week before rather than the week after. Maybe the price to rent the country club went down.”

  “Well, please call and let me know what happens. Hopefully you’ll see him again…without anyone getting hurt.” Desireé chuckled.