by Paula Cox
“You can keep your heart,” she snapped. Startled by her tone, he turned to face her. She didn’t look up. Instead, she washed her hands and then wiped them on a towel. Carefully, she glanced at him. “Sorry. It’s just…this whole thing is making me nervous.”
He knew exactly what she meant but he wanted her to say it. “What thing?”
She glowered as if she could tell that he was being deliberately obtuse on purpose. “You and me…this thing. This strange relationship that we have developed.”
“There is nothing strange about it.”
“Maybe you are in the habit of falling in bed with strangers, but I am not,” she said in an abrupt manner. “This is new territory for me and, frankly, I don’t like it.”
Delighted as he was by her words, Riley couldn’t take too much pleasure in them. He felt pretty much the same. “I don’t pick up women at random. You’re…a different ballgame even for me.”
“So what are we going to do?”
A good question, indeed. His instinct was to tell her that they should call it quits. Nothing good could come out of it. “The easiest thing would be to not see each other again. You don’t have complications, and neither do it.” Was that disappointment that gleamed in her eyes? Or perhaps relief? He couldn’t be sure. “I’ve steered clear of such issues all my life. You can say that I’ve made a career out of it.”
She put a hand on the counter. “So have I.”
He stared at her, not sure what she was really thinking. If he put his heart out there and she stomped on it, he would lose his dignity along with his sanity. But the woman was well worth the pain. He would never ever find someone quite like her. It wasn’t just her beauty that held him captive, but also her inner strength, her sharp mind, and her attitude. If there was someone for whom he could risk his independence and freedom, she was the one.
“But if we were to try and see how this ended, it would be far more exciting.” There he said it. She didn’t speak. He felt compelled to add something. “Not that I am sure where it would lead us, but I am just saying that it might be a good idea to continue to be together for some time. What do you think?”
The silence stretched out, long and heartbreaking. Maybe she thought that he was an idiot. Perhaps inside, she was laughing at his audacity. He gave up hope as she didn’t say anything. It was a mistake. He should leave now while he still had some shreds of his ego.
As he turned to collect his things, she spoke. “I think it’s a good idea.”
He whirled to face her. What did she just say? “You do?”
She nodded, and he could the see the amusement that lurked in her eyes. She could sense that he was desperate to hear this. Was she toying with him? “I want to see how this ends. I like you, Riley. A lot. It’s kind of crazy because I’ve never let a man become so important to me, but, now that we’ve reached this juncture, I want to continue the journey.”
He whooped, picked her up, and twirled her around. “Sweetheart, you’re not going to regret this.”
Although he meant those words, Riley didn’t know that he would soon feel sorry that he ever uttered them. Being with him wasn’t good for Tania – but she didn’t know it, and neither did he.
Chapter Eight
As they talked and laughed, time flew with an amazing speed. Once, she had thought she would never find a man with whom she would be content to stay at home and do nothing for hours, but now that was all she wanted to do. It felt good to sit with him and discuss topics like their favorite TV shows, or actors, or the mayhem that gripped the world, the wars, politics, and food.
Riley was a man of various interests. After much pleading and begging, he finally started to teach her how to ride a bike. Initially, he sat with her every time she took it out, but, lately, he was beginning to trust her a little more with it. She could sense he loved his bike with a passion that she found amusing, but she shared it a little bit. It was heady to ride a bike and feel the wind behind her. It made her feel strong, powerful.
It was the fifth day since they began to openly date. Well, dating was perhaps the wrong word since they spent most of their time with each other. Tania didn’t like staying in his apartment so he was over at her place most evenings and ended up staying the night. She didn’t know what he did during the days because she was busy in the office. Presumably he contacted his mates or the people for whom he worked and did his job.
“Xavier has not been picking up my calls,” she said. It was Saturday afternoon and they had spent half the day lolling in bed. Although Tania told herself she didn’t want to discuss this with him, it was high time they did so. Unless the warehouse deal was sorted out, she would never be able to truly relax. “Have you tried to call him?”
He didn’t quite meet her eyes. “I have, but he hasn’t been picking up my calls either.”
“Do you think he decided to go with another buyer?”
He chewed on his bottom lip, looking worried. It wasn’t often that she saw him in this state, so, naturally, Tania was a bit concerned. Was there something that he wasn’t telling her? Maybe it was silly of her to trust him so implicitly when he was in direct competition with her regarding this warehouse. If her boss knew, he would hit the roof.
“I’ve no idea what’s going on. Although I called my board members to tell them, they didn’t appear that concerned. I told them that they needed to release some advance…perhaps that would turn him around, but they told me not to bother too much,” he said.
“An advance?” She stood and stretched. “That’s not the norm. How can you give some money when no papers have been signed? And he agreed to sell it to you verbally?” She frowned. Had he cracked the deal and not told her? That would be a breach of her trust. If she heard form Xavier, she would tell him. Why couldn’t he be just as honest?
“I’ve not talked to him.”
She didn’t quite know whether to take his words as truth or not. What if he was stringing her along and finalized the deal without her knowledge? She had not told him her career hung in the balance. The pressure on her was building up. If she didn’t manage to sign this deal, she might lose her job. It was a sobering and scary thought. Her career was what sustained her for a long, long time. She wasn’t willing to bid it goodbye just because she had a man in her life.
As she stared at him, she could tell he wasn’t feeling all that comfortable. It could be because they decided early on not to discuss this topic again and again, or because he was hiding stuff from her. She didn’t quite know what to do say or do.
“What should we do?” she asked him in the hopes of getting some response from him regarding this situation with Xavier.
He stood and walked over to the window. Lifting the curtain, he peered out. “It’s a beautiful day. We should go out.”
She frowned. “What?”
“There is a fun fair at the park. Let’s go there.”
She didn’t quite know what to make of this weird statement. As he turned to face her, she was taken aback by the excitement on his face. Did he actually mean it? Or was it just his excuse for changing the topic? “Fun fair? How old are you?”
“Never mind that.” Marching forward, he thrust out his hand at her. “It will be fun. Come on. You’ll love it.”
Tania didn’t quite remember the last time she went to a fun fair. It had to be way back when she was in school. Crazy as this idea was, it also appealed to her. It would get them out of the house and anything she did with Riley was always bound to be exciting. Taking his hand, she stood. “What will be next? A circus?”
“That might not be a bad idea. Come on, you felt the same way about bikes and now I can’t get you off mine.”
She was actually thinking about buying one of her own. “I seriously doubt that I would feel just as excited about a fun fair.”
“Wait and see, sweetheart. You’ll be singing a different tune in a while.” He grabbed his jacket with hers. “Let’s go.”
They walked out and she locked t
he house. Tania eyed the bike. “I want to drive.”
“Ah!” he protested. “You did it yesterday.”
She picked up the helmet and wore it. His fingers moved nimbly under her chin as he closed the straps. “I need practice.”
He sighed and let her sit on the driving seat. After taking a seat behind her, he gripped her waist. She could feel the strength and warmth of his hands on her skin through the t-shirt she wore. It felt great to ride through the streets. Now that she was with Riley, everything felt different, better. She loved this new life. It was exciting and comforting to have someone with her.
When they reached the park, she parked the bike. They strode inside, hand in hand. Kids raced past, heading for the gate of the fun fair while their parents marched behind. After getting the tickets, they entered. Stalls were set up in a circle. In the middle were games and rides. She saw a rollercoaster and a pirate ship. Loud music blared from speakers.
Riley rubbed his hands together as if he couldn’t wait to begin. “So what should we do first? How about the pirate ship?”
She eyed the boat that hung high up. People sat in and yelled loudly as it heaved form one side to another at a great speed. Tania felt the color drain out of her face. She was never excited about the prospect of risking her life. “I don’t think so.”
He yanked her forward. “You’re brave. You’re strong. You can do this.”
“You’re crazy. You’re a maniac. Leave me alone.” Laughing, he made her stand in the queue for tickets. They bought two and then climbed abroad the ship. “I hate this. If I die now, my ghost is going to haunt you for all eternity.”
“You’re not going to die,” he assured her in a calm voice.
“I might puke on you.”
“Try to do it on the other side,” he said in a clam voice as if he was sure that she wouldn’t do something like that. “After this, we do the roller coaster.”
“I don’t know what I saw in you.” She gripped the handle fast when the ship began to swing in the air. “You’re trying to kill me, I know that. That is your secret plan. Why didn’t I see it before?” She moaned as they swung high up, the ship almost vertical. She could see the bottom. If they fell, it was going to be a long fall. If the steel cables that held this monstrosity broke, they would all die or get seriously injured.
She gripped his hand. As they swung back and forth, her grip tightened more so. People around them were squealing and yelling, but she kept her mouth shut. Tania was scared that if she opened her lips, she wouldn’t ever stop until this thing came to a stop. As they continued, she began to enjoy it. It was fun in a strange sort of way.
When the ship came to a halt, she opened her belt and stepped out. Rubbing his arm, Riley got out. Her gaze traveled to the bruises she made where her nails dig in. “I am so sorry,” she said.
He put his arm around her shoulders. “No worries, sweetheart. Now, on to the roller coaster.”
She groaned but allowed him to lead her that way. She didn’t remember the last time she enjoyed such an activity. She never would have considered doing it with another man or even her girlfriends. It sounded so childish, and it was in a lot of ways – but it was also carefree and fun. She loved it. After the roller coaster ride was done, he bought a hot dog for her. They walked along and played some games. He shot six straight bullets into a cardboard ring and won a fat, purple teddy for her. Carrying it, she felt as if he’d given her the most precious gift.
They walked into a photo booth and took pictures. She messed up his hair, stuck her tongue out, and posed like a demented person. Dividing the pictures into two sets, they each put two in their wallets. It was a great memory. Perhaps, one day, she would show them to her children and tell them how it had been.
Children? What the hell was she thinking about? Tania never thought about such strange notions ever before. What was it about Riley that made her ponder over her future? He awakened some desire in her to nestle in a house and have three kids. What a crazy notion. She didn’t want it. She never gave marriage and kids a second thought. She was too young, and she never met man with whom she could think about spending a life time. Riley could be that man. The thought was sobering that she halted.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, clearly noticing.
“I…not…just…”
“I know, I am tired, too. How about we get a cone of ice cream and then head home?”
Yes, that was a good idea. She needed to wrap her mind around the silly thoughts she harbored. It was stupid of her to think they would last for a long time. Riley was a free man. He wasn’t the sort who put in his roots anywhere. Soon he would move, find another woman, or, perhaps, just shift in a different direction. If she thought about a long-term with him, she was setting herself up for disappointment. He wasn’t thinking along these lines, and she should stop doing so. It was enough that they enjoyed this time together – and it had to be enough for now, and, perhaps, forever.
Chapter Nine
Riley checked the messages on his phone as he waited for his contact to arrive at the café. The board member was at least fifteen minutes late and Riley didn’t know if he was actually coming. When he tried to call the man, his phone was switched off. Damn it. Something was going on within his gang. They weren’t telling him everything about this deal, and he couldn’t figure out why they would be so cagey.
He’d done many such deals, but he was never kept out of the loop before. He’d asked to be called to the next board meeting, but, instead, he was told to meet one of their members in this café.
Riley checked his watch again. If the man didn’t turn up soon, he would leave. Much to his relief, Charlie Brown sauntered in. He was wearing dark, blue jeans and a white collared shirt. Charlie was one of the oldest members of the gang and a very respected member. After Mark, if there were something going on, he knew about it. Riley wondered how much information he could pump out of the fellow in this meeting. The more he knew, the safer he would be.
“Hi, Charlie, thanks for seeing me at such short notice.”
“Riley, our man. How are you doing?”
“Not so well, Charlie. Xavier hasn’t returned any of my calls and I’m not sure where this deal is headed. I asked the board to advance me some money to make the initial payments, but they haven’t done so, and now I am wondering if they are still serious about this deal.”
Charlie scratched his cheek and then beckoned the waiter. “A cappuccino for me. What will you have?”
“A Coke,” said Riley. For some reason, the fact that Charlie refused to meet his gaze made him edgy. Something was going on in the gang, and he was being deliberately kept away from some news. Had they decided to go with another property? If so, why didn’t they tell him? Didn’t they have enough funds to buy it? Or, perhaps, they were playing with Xavier and letting him think they weren’t so interested so he would reduce the price.
They both waited for the waiter to depart. Charlie drummed his fingers on the table. “The deal will go through, and we are very interested in that property. In fact, you can see that we’re pinning our hopes on it.”
Riley had always found the man a bit slick, but right now, Charlie looked downright sleazy. He wasn’t telling Riley the entire truth and, of course, he did that at the behest of the other board members. What were they planning? “What does that mean?”
“Just that you can relax. You did your job.”
“I haven’t done anything.”
The waiter brought their orders and, once more, they waited for him to leave. “You found the place. It’s perfect for what we had in mind. The owners are ready to get rid of it quickly, and that’s just great.”
“It’s also in a great location. Our distribution costs will come down,” Riley added. Didn’t they care about that? That was the most important quality of the property as far as he was concerned, but, obviously, Charlie wasn’t as thrilled. That was strange. What other value could the property hold for them?
“Yes that,
too.” Charlie drank his cappuccino. “Look, Riley. You need to back off a little. Let me assure you that we are on top of this deal. It will go through, so you don’t need to worry.”
The deal would go through? That was news to Riley. If so, he needed to inform Tania. They had promised to tell each other everything if any of them got some news, but this wasn’t anything that he could explain to her. She would want to know details, and he didn’t have those. If he simply told her that they were buying the property, she would want to know the price and other stuff, and if he failed to provide that information, she would think that he was lying.
He didn’t like Charlie’s attitude or the way he was withholding information. Something told him the gang was doing something that wasn’t quite kosher, but, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what it was. He decided to be upfront with Charlie. If they were doing an illegal activity, he didn’t want to be a part of it. That wasn’t the reason he joined the gang. He loved to ride, and he liked to spend time with like-minded people, but if they were doing something unsavory, he wanted to be miles away. “Are you guys doing some underhand deal with Xavier?”
