by Bird, Peggy
She snatched her hand away, leaving cold air behind.
A waitress with a purple streak of hair added a place setting to the table. What was it with this area? Couldn’t women leave their hair a natural color? His eyes strayed to Annie’s curls and he wondered if she was a natural blond.
“Whenever you’re ready, I’ll take your order,” the waitress said.
John glanced at the menu and selected the steak special. “Enough about me. Tell me about you.”
Elizabeth spoke up first. “I own a business here in Costanoa — skin care.”
“And you?” John looked at Annie.
“Me?” Her eyes widened and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Um … I’m a project manager.”
John cocked his head. “I’m not sure I know what that means.”
She licked salad oil from her lips and John felt his blood quicken as the tip of her tongue circled her mouth. “It’s a bit like being a mother. You make sure people know what they’re supposed to do and when it’s supposed to be done. Then you make sure they do it.” She leaned forward and grinned. “I’m really good at it.”
“I bet you are.” He drew out the words slowly and smiled.
A red blush crept up her neck.
“How’s your business going?” Elizabeth asked.
He wondered how he could get Annie alone and have a more intimate conversation. “I’ve got my work cut out for me with the bookstore. The Crawfords built an institution, but I think they were getting tired at the end. Maintenance slipped a little and they bought too many books that didn’t sell. It was still in the black when I bought it, but barely. The popularity of Amazon isn’t making it easy.”
“What are you going to do?” Annie asked. Lines of worry crinkled her forehead. She’d be a terrible poker player.
“Fortunately, I’ve got loyal customers.” He grinned. “Like you.”
“I’ll have to prove my loyalty more often,” she said. “Do you spend all your time at the store?” she asked.
“The store, my novel, and the house search take up a lot of time. But I’m sure I could squeeze in one more activity.”
“You’re writing a novel?”
“Not a very good one, I’m afraid. It’s gotten twenty-five rejections from agents so far.”
Her luscious lips turned up in a smile and her eyes focused on his. “I’m sure it’s good. You just haven’t found the right person.”
Were they still talking about agents?
Annie took another bite of salad, once again licking the oil from her lips. He watched, fascinated, until the waitress plunked his plate in front of him.
“Where are you looking for a house?” Elizabeth said. “There’s an agent in town who’s really good at finding the perfect place. Lots of my friends have used Beth Brighton and they rave about her. I think there’s a stack of her cards on the hostess stand.”
If only he could get Annie alone.
As if she heard him, Elizabeth stood up. “I’ll be right back.” She headed toward the restroom.
“I need to do something,” John admitted to Annie. “I’m living in a dump. And any time I want to see Starfire — that’s my horse — I have to drive from Santa Cruz to Soquel. With the traffic you folks have around here, it can take a long time to get from one place to another.” He cut into his steak. “I took the first thing I could find when I got here, figuring I wouldn’t have to stay in it too long. But with the bookstore — ”
“And the novel,” Annie interjected.
“And the novel,” he added, “I haven’t had time to look.”
“Maybe you should make a list,” Annie said. “Write down what you want in a new place, like number of bedrooms, and give it to a realtor. Finding a home is important — probably more important than other activities you could squeeze in.”
“I don’t know about that. Living alone is hard — no matter how nice your place is. No one to share news with at the end of the day. I suppose I haven’t looked hard for a house because I’d rather complain than face the fact that no matter where I go, I’ll be alone.”
“Sometimes it can be lonely. No one else to depend on. I’m sorry about your wife. You must have loved her very much.”
He looked intently at Annie and longed to take her hand in his, to feel her soft skin next to his again. “You’re right. I loved Jessica a lot, but enough time has passed. I’m ready to date again.” At least, I hope I am.
Leaning forward, he asked, “Would a woman consider house-hunting a real date? I could use someone to show me around.”
A shadow crossed Annie’s face and her smile disappeared. Damn! He’d gone too far too fast.
Chapter 3
Annie had to tell him. Flirting was one thing, but leading him on wasn’t fair.
“Do you work ‘over the hill’?” He picked up his knife and cut another piece of steak. “I love that expression. You can pretend that it’s an easy drive to San Jose, rather than the white-knuckle commute that it is.”
“Yes, I work for JCN in South San Jose.”
“But not much longer,” Elizabeth added, returning from the restroom.
“Well, not much longer in San Jose,” Annie corrected. She looked at John, suddenly reluctant to tell him about the move. It’d be fun to date, even if it was only temporary. Maybe they could have one of those commuter relationships she’d read about.
“I’m taking a transfer to New Jersey,” she blurted. And immediately regretted it.
“Oh.” He frowned.
“It’ll only be for a year or two. Then I’ll be back!” She smiled.
“A lot can happen in a year or two,” he said, frowning more deeply.
“Yes, it can!” Annie called on every perkiness gene she owned — all three of them. She pushed her salad plate toward the candle in the middle of the table.
“I’ve never been to the East Coast,” he said. “I know nothing about it. What’s it like?”
“Well, it will be a change, that’s for sure. But there’s a lot to do and I’ll be able to take my son to museums and events in New York. It’ll be good for him.”
“Isn’t there something around here you could find, rather than New Jersey?” he asked, his eyes staring at a spot somewhere over her left shoulder.
Her determination to be in control wavered for an instant. “No,” she said. “I have too much in seniority and benefits to leave. I … I … have a teenage son that I have to think about. When you’re the only support of your child, sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want to do. I’m sure you can understand that.”
John nodded slowly. “How’s your son taking the idea?”
“She hasn’t told him yet,” Elizabeth said.
“Oh.” John looked thoughtful. “What is New Jersey like?” he asked again.
“It’s industrial in parts — that’s what everyone always thinks about — the New Jersey turnpike. The corporate offices for JCN are down near Princeton. I was there once and it’s much more rural. Very pretty with a whole lot of history.”
“Doesn’t Springsteen come from New Jersey?” he asked.
Annie nodded. “Bon Jovi, too.”
“And ‘Old Blue Eyes.’”
“Who’s that?” Elizabeth asked.
“Sinatra!” John and Annie answered together. They glanced at each other and grinned.
“Seriously,” John said. “I do understand. When you have responsibilities, you can’t always make the fun choices. I wish you weren’t going, though. It would have been nice to get to know you.”
Annie’s heart thudded to her stomach. She looked into his eyes for a few moments, wishing that life were different, that she wasn’t moving. He held her gaze. Finally, she looked away from him.
He stood up. “It’s been entertaining, ladies, but I’ve got to go.” He waved for his check. “I’m still sorting out the best way to keep Ocean Reads in the black. I have some reports I need to read tonight.” He glanced at the check and put a n
umber of bills on the tray. “That should cover it.”
“See you again, I hope,” he said to Elizabeth and turned to Annie. “When will you be coming back to the bookstore? I want to make sure I treat my loyal customers well.”
“Um, I’m not sure,” Annie said, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.
He looked at her steadily. “I’ll be watching for you. And if you decide not to move, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee in celebration.” He waved and walked out of the restaurant, his boots ringing against the stone floor. Annie stared at his back, feeling emptier than she had before they sat down for dinner, as if her happiness was walking out the door.
Mandy whipped by their table to collect the dishes. “Who was that?”
“New bookstore owner,” Elizabeth replied.
“He’s … ”
“Uh-huh,” Elizabeth and Annie said at the same time.
“Pie?”
“Uh-huh,” the women repeated. Mandy rapidly reappeared with a generous slab of strawberry pie covered with a dollop of whipped cream.
“He could be right for you, you know. He seems interested,” Elizabeth said as she took a bite of pie. “I know you don’t want to discuss it, but are you sure that moving is the right thing to do?”
Annie laughed. “You’re always an optimist! I just met the man. And I’m not going to make life decisions based on a guy I’ve met twice.” Annie savored a bite of pie. “Remember, ‘a man is not a plan.’ I need to run my own life.”
“Didn’t you ever believe in the knight in shining armor rescuing you?”
“My knights don’t look so good when they take off their armor.” Annie chuckled. “Remember when I tried online dating? The ‘five-foot five-inch forty-five-year old’ who was really a five-foot one-inch sixty-year-old? And he smelled like baby powder. That’s the kind of knight I get!”
“They do background checks of knights now. You can x-ray the armor and see what’s under there before you go out with him. That way you can be sure he’s a real knight.”
Annie laughed and shook her head. “It would be nice to live in a world where wishing made everything come true.” She took another bite of pie. It really would be nice to believe in pixie dust and magic wands again.
“This is great pie,” she said. “But I have to stop eating it, or I’ll need to do another hour of exercise tomorrow.” She sat back. “Now that we’ve dissected my love life to bits, how’s Bobby?”
“Bobby’s great. I wish he’d get off this marriage kick, though.”
“Why not marry him and make him happy? You could get free pizza at George’s place if you were part of the family.”
George was one of Bobby’s brothers. His mother had taken the church’s words about procreation to heart. There were seven children — all boys who doted on her.
“I already get free pizza. And I like things just the way they are. Bobby and I have our time together and I have my time alone. Why can’t he be satisfied with that?”
Annie shrugged. “Beats me.” She glanced at her watch. “I need to get going. Fred should be dropping David off about now.”
“What do you think David’ll do when you tell him?”
Annie twirled her fork. “He’s a lot like me. He figures out what needs to be done and then he knuckles down and does it. It’s what makes him such a good soccer player and why he’s getting straight As. I think he’ll be upset at first, but then he’ll make the best of it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Mandy stopped at the table, a black folder in her hand. Elizabeth reached for it. “My treat.”
• • •
“Damn!” A bright pink envelope was tucked under the wiper blade of Annie’s car. “I could have sworn I put in enough quarters.” She grabbed the parking ticket and tossed it on the front seat. Ugh! One more thing to add to her list: 11. Pay parking ticket. Reality was back with a vengeance.
Wouldn’t it be nice to hope that love was possible? Could someone like John be as good as he seemed to be? That would be a true knight — someone who was exactly what he appeared to be. No lying, no game-playing. And good-looking on top of it all. She shivered as she thought of the touch of his hand, his thumb rubbing on the top of hers, sending electricity to the marrow of her bones.
The waves crashed beyond the breakwater. Annie stared out the car windshield at the inky blackness beyond the shoreline. What would it be like to date a good man? Could life actually turn out like one of her favorite novels? Or was a solid relationship only an illusion — smoke and mirrors at a carnival show?
She’d never find out. John didn’t seem interested in seeing someone who was leaving. He’d definitely chilled after she told him she was moving. Besides, she knew what she had to do. Her life was in her control. If everything went the way she planned, they’d be in New Jersey by summer.
And John would still be in California.
She pushed aside the fantasy and started the car.
The thump of loud bass greeted her when she opened the front door to her house. Annie went straight to David’s room and pounded hard on door. The thud of sneakers hit the floor. A second later, the stereo volume fell to an adult level. She grinned. David always cranked up the music when she was gone, just as she’d done when she was a teen. She rapped on the door and heard a faint, “Come in.”
David was sprawled on his bed, studying a labeled diagram of a human body in a thick textbook.
“How was your night?” she asked, stroking his head with her hand.
“Okay,” David replied.
“Where’d you and Dad eat?”
“Usual place.”
“Hungry?”
“No.”
“Okay. If you are, I think there’s still some Top Ramen left. You have a biology exam?”
“What’s with all the questions, Mom? It was a normal Wednesday with Dad. I’m full. Yes, I’ve got a test tomorrow. I’m fine.”
And testy, Annie thought to herself. The moodiness was new. Elizabeth had told her that teenagers exhibited some strong emotional swings. All those hormones. This mother-of-a-teenage-boy stage of life was not going to be easy.
“If you need anything, I’ll be in the kitchen,” she said. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, Mom,” David mumbled.
She quietly closed the door. She missed the days when words spilled out of him, when he couldn’t wait to tell her every detail of his life.
When she got to the kitchen, she checked the message machine. No blinking light. No handset, either. Where could she have left it? She hit the retrieve button and listened for the answering beep. Silence. Maybe David had it. If he was studying for an exam, he didn’t need to be on the phone.
She trotted back down the stairs.
The rumble of David’s low voice came from behind his closed door. She rapped and heard him say, “Gotta go,” followed by, “What?” Taking that as a signal to come in, she opened the door.
“I was looking for the phone. Who were you talking to? I thought you were studying for a biology test.”
“I was talking to Larry. I’m done studying.”
“It’s a little late, isn’t it?”
“Mom, everyone talks on the phone all night. I’m not a baby anymore, you know.”
“Do I know Larry?”
“Mom, what’s with the inquisition? You’ve met him.”
Annie thought about David’s friends but couldn’t come up with anyone named Larry. “Which one’s he?”
“You met him at the mall last week.”
“The one with the grungy shirt and big pants?”
David nodded.
“Isn’t he a little old for you to be hanging out with?”
“He’s fun to be with.”
“How old is he?”
“He’s 19. He’s in a band and sometimes he works at the mall. He’s okay, Mom.” He stood up, handed her the phone and gave her a hug. “G’night, Mom.”
Carrying the phone, Annie slowly clos
ed his door and walked back to the kitchen. The move to New Jersey was sounding like a better and better idea.
• • •
The following Saturday, Annie roused David early for the soccer tournament. He sprang out of bed, but the energy disappeared the moment he flopped into the car. He clicked the seat back and closed his eyes.
She took the southern route over the coastal mountains, climbing the switchbacks to Hecker Pass on Highway 152. The road always soothed her, even though its twists and turns required concentration. Glimpses of Watsonville’s morning-lit strawberry fields framed by the curve of Monterey Bay lifted her heart as she ascended. The early spring air was clear, washed clean by the rain of the previous two days.
The landscape abruptly changed from sunlit ocean edge to secretive forest when she crested the summit. She always felt as if she was entering a fairy forest. Maybe this was where the mountain knights lived. Maybe that wasn’t a patch of dogwood in the trees, but a white steed, ready for battle. Song of India played on the car radio and she could almost believe in dreams coming true.
Almost, but not quite.
But it didn’t matter. She peeked at David. No matter what the difficulties, she was glad she’d had him. He was growing up so quickly. Every moment with him was precious.
He was stirring by the time they got to Morgan Hill. She was starving and figured he was, too; he always seemed to be hungry these days. She dropped him off at the soccer field to register and then went to the nearby Safeway to stock up on Starbucks, lunch items, a cardboard flat of water, and bag of oranges for the boys.
By the time she got back to the acres of soccer greens, David’s team was warming up on one of the fields near the tree line. She left the food in the bags and the cooler in the back of the car, grabbed her folding chair and “boredom bag,” and strolled toward the cluster of parents on the sideline. A few of the other parents smiled at her as she set up her chair. They’d been together with the team for years. She chatted briefly with them, settled down in her chair and pulled her “to do” list from her bag.
1. Tell David
When was she going to do that? Maybe after the soccer game if they won. Or would that be the wrong time? He’d hate to leave a winning team. Maybe she should tackle something else on her list.
