by H. B. Stumbo
“Okay but its things like you saying that, that makes this awkward.”
He grinned a wolfish grin and I could see we weren’t going to get anywhere, we were just going to go rounds.
“None of your other clients ever told you that?’
“No.”
“I bet they thought it.” His words were hoarse.
I shook my head and closed my eyes. At this point my blood was boiling and I was ready to go home. “Look, thank you for dinner, it was delicious but I’ve got to get going.” I grabbed my binder and stood up, Vance mirrored me and his smile still played on the corner of his lips.
I marched towards the door suddenly feeling several different emotions and I recognized a few; anger, embarrassment, confusion and last but not least desire. I don’t know why I desired him but I did, he was so damn good looking and every time he touched me, I felt something I couldn’t explain. Now I was pretty sure I could explain it; desire. I didn’t want to desire him, that part of my life and of my heart I had shut down completely and I wanted to keep it that way.
As I stepped out onto the porch and sucked in a huge breath of air I turned around and faced him.
“What’s your problem?” I shouted and he winced a little at my outburst.
“Nothing, I’m just trying to figure you out.” He said back calmly.
“You keep saying that and I don’t know why because you haven’t asked me jack shit about my life at all. Other than if I had one.”
He ran a hand through his hair again. “Look, I don’t know why but for some reason I’m attuned to you.” He stated flatly and I looked at him oddly bidding him to go on. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a loner out here and I like it that way, but you for some reason strike me as interesting. I want to get to know you.”
I scoffed at his answer and shook my head. “You are so confusing, Vance.”
He looked down at his feet and sighed. “I know. I’d explain things but you wouldn’t understand, not yet at least.”
I shook my head at yet another cryptic remark and sighed. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about. That was a confusing answer…I don’t understand you.”
Vance didn’t respond, instead he fidgeted with his hands and looked lost in a thought or possibly a memory.
I closed my eyes and counted to five before taking a deep breath and speaking. “Look I don’t want to sever our business relationship, but that’s all this is. If it gets to be a problem, I can have someone else take over in the office. All the design parts are done so you’ll be in good hands from here on out.”
He eyed me warily. “Please don’t do that.”
I narrowed my eyes at him and looked up at the sky and groaned. “We’re going to have to establish something here…you and I are working together, that’s it. No more calling me beautiful or inviting me to dinner, unless it is solely for work related purposes. I can’t cross work lines and besides that I don’t want to.” The last part may have been a slight lie but I wasn’t going to let him know how attractive I thought he was, I wasn’t going to let him know I desired him.
Vance blinked oddly at me. “Sure, sure.” He shrugged his shoulders and extended his hand to me; I shook it quickly trying to avoid that feeling, and turned and headed to my car. I didn’t give that feeling a second’s chance to make itself known.
I didn’t look back as I sped off into the early evening light and headed for the comfort of my home…alone. Solitude. It was what I wanted, what I craved, but right now I wasn’t going to admit that it wasn’t what I desired. I desired something else, someone else, but I was going to rid myself of that feeling pretty quickly.
Chapter 6
The next few days drug on boringly. I had contacted Vance about the contract and set up a time for him to come to the office and sign it with Rick. He was responding in cold, one word responses but it was for the best even though it did leave me a little disheartened. I had a crew at his house that Thursday evening to start prepping for the landscaping. I knew I’d have to stop in next week to see how plans were going, but for now I was in the clear. Besides the fact that I didn’t want to cross any lines with a client, I also wasn’t ready to jump back into any type of relationship or even flirtatious friendship with anyone. Jackson still invaded my mind and the hole that he created was less than filled in. I wasn’t ready to even make new friends, I just wanted to be.
It was Friday evening and I had been on lengthy house calls all day, mainly follow ups with a few remodels in the spring. I stopped in the office to check my voicemail before the weekend and hopefully check my emails if my computer was on. I walked through the parking lot and glanced at the few cars in the lot without thinking much about the expensive looking one I until I walked into the door and locked eyes with Vance Wait.
I swallowed instinctively as a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Charlotte.” His voice was low and hoarse; like it had been the first day we met.
I cleared my throat and glanced towards Rick who looked uninterested that we were talking. “Vance, it’s nice to see you.” I smiled sweetly and kicked at an invisible spot on the floor. “What are you doing at the office? You signed the contract earlier this week. ”
Rick approached us from behind and patted Vance on the back. “Vance came in to speak with me about a few things, and he’s offered to treat me to a meal.”
I eyed them both oddly. Vance set his jaw in a hard line and I instantly felt really embarrassed. Perhaps he was never flirting with me at all? Maybe he just liked to treat people to dinner and cook.
Maybe I had been a complete asshole to him for no reason, maybe I looked like an even bigger idiot than I was by assuming too much. I looked at him and his expression gave nothing away.
I stood there waiting for someone to speak and when I realized Vance wasn’t going to I shrugged. “Well you guys have a good time.” I smiled and Vance cocked his head to the side.
Rick grabbed his wallet and phone and shoved them in his pocket. “Any plans this weekend, Charlotte? Please tell me you won’t be working again.” He glanced at Vance and smiled. “She’s my only employee who will willingly give up her weekends and immerse herself in work.” He shook his head and laughed. Vance continued to eye me and smiled oddly.
“Yes, she did mention something about loving her job.”
Suddenly feeling like I needed to prove something to both of them I cleared my throat. “Actually no, I won’t be working at all. I’ve got plans tomorrow to go out with a friend.” Vance’s eyes darted to me and his lips pulled downwards.
“Ah, bravo my dear!” Rick clasped his hand on my shoulder and smiled. “You need a good night out. Going anywhere in particular?”
I shook my head, “Probably a nice dinner and then just some bars or something.”
Rick smiled and nodded towards Vance whose eyes were on me like a hawk. I smiled as sweetly as I could at him and I knew it was clear that I was forcing it. Vance’s jaw tensed up and I could tell he was clenching but I couldn’t understand why.
“Well my dear, have fun and be safe.” He winked at me and motioned for Vance to head out the door. “Come on Wait…since you’re buying I’ll drive.”
Vance eyed me up and down again as he walked past me, and I realized I was holding my breath. His gaze melted into me and heated my core. He turned and left without glancing back at me and I exhaled deeply.
I instantly grabbed my phone and texted Kim who was in Atlanta for a layover, I needed her, I needed my friend.
Tomorrow night, girl’s night…I need it badly.
My phone chirped a response almost immediately.
Kim; Hell YEAH, about time you say that! Wanna go all out?”
I knew Kim meant the full Monty; clothes, shoes, hair and makeup and I smiled at the thought of just letting loose. I hadn’t acted like that in years, I lost a lot of those years and I longed for a do-over.
Absolutely. I’ll text you details later.
Setting my phone
down I collapsed in my chair and tried to push Vance out of my mind and tuck him away somewhere between Jackson and work.
Saturday passed quickly and I was eager to spend the night with my best friend. Kim and I had decided on eating at my house to avoid the long lines at the restaurants in town. I was so happy to have her back in town even if it was for a week or so. I had spent the morning making lasagna, something to fill our stomachs and soak up the shots I knew Kim was going to force on me. When she showed up on my doorstep she hugged me tightly and refused to let go. I missed her so much and I never really grasped that until she came home. She had come over late in the afternoon with her entire makeup collection, five different outfits for each of us and what looked like a small salon. Kim was my go to person when I needed to look good. We ate the lasagna while sitting cross legged on my couch and she filled me in about her business trip in Santa Barbara. She had spent a few days up North in San Francisco and hated it, but it seemed like Santa Barbara kept her occupied. She was already planning to go out there again within a month or sojust because she liked it so much.
After we ate she sat me down and worked on touching up my wavy hair. She curled and sprayed and teased and fussed until she deemed it perfect. I asked her to go light on the makeup but when I saw her digging through her many eye shadow pallets I knew she wasn’t listening.
When Kim finally finished and revealed me to the mirror I gasped. I looked unlike myself entirely, but I did look good. She clasped her hands when she saw my reaction then pushed me out of the way and began working on her own hair. I was trying on one of the dresses she brought, a black short thing with a completely open back when she started prying for information.
“So what’s the deal with the night out?”
I rolled my eyes. “Work’s been…difficult, I just need it.”
She popped her hear around the corner and eyed me oddly. “Don’t lie to me, you suck at it. And wear that dress, you look hot.”
I blushed and sighed. “I got a new client and he’s…well, he’s gorgeous and arrogant and confusing.”
I heard Kim set the curling iron down and she walked into my room and sat me down on the bed. “Did you just say gorgeous?”
I nodded at her and put my face in my hands, “Really gorgeous…but a complete asshole and really confusing.”
“Okay…what happened?”
I began telling her about how Rick recommended me to this client who needed a remodel mainly with landscaping and how I went and met him and how gorgeous he was. I told her about him calling me beautiful, about the texts, the dinner and the weirdness between him in the days after.
Kim regarded me with a huge interest. When I finished she ran a hand through her long brown hair and furrowed her brow. “What a weirdo.”
“Yeah,” I looked down at sighed. “It figures the first person who actually hits on me after Jackson is a confusing yet hot asshole. Nothing like repeating the past.”
Kim eyed me oddly, she knows Jackson was still a tough subject and she pulled me into a hug and smiled. “Char, don’t dwell. Just be glad it didn’t go further than it did with this creep you’re telling me about. You could have reciprocated like most girls do after a shitty relationship, especially with the first guy that pays them any mind. You could have slept with him or something and then we’d be dealing with a whole different kind of situation.”
I laughed, Kim always could make light of situations; although in regards to Jackson “shitty relationship” only skimmed the edges of how I would describe things.
“Look, I know Jackson really fucked you up. I’m just glad to see you actually wanting to go do something. I worry about you, especially when I’m gone and Micah is away for so long.”
I pulled her into a deep embrace catching her off guard. She hugged me back tightly and then pulled away. “Come on – let’s finish getting ready. We’ve got a town to paint tonight.”
Chapter 7
We left my house at eight and headed to a local martini bar that only operated during summer when the tourists packed the beaches and the hotels. It was still early so it wasn’t too crowded; we grabbed a seat at the bar, ordered two cosmos and downed them relatively quick. A few of our classmates from high school were out and made it a point to catch up with us briefly. One of them, Lynn asked how I was holding up and I know she meant it in reference to Jackson. Kim spoke for me. “She’s obviously doing fine, look how fucking hot she looks!”
Lynn offered a weak smile and I blushed. It was hard knowing that almost everyone in town knew what had happened between us. Kim could tell I was uncomfortable and she made me finish my drink and pulled me to the next bar. Her goal was to keep me occupied; her goal was to not let me think about the past at least not tonight. I admired Kim’s guard over me and it made me love her even more.
We danced at a few spots, drank here and there and hopped to different bars throughout the course of the night. Kim was on fire and had managed to score us free drinks at almost every bar. A few guys approached me and asked me to dance, but I declined. For some odd reason, anytime I thought about dancing with someone, Vance’s eyes burned into my memory. I shook my head and did a shot that Kim gave me to try to rid my mind of him.
It was nearly midnight when we walked into a small dance bar called Reggie’s on the edge of town. The place was packed with people our age on vacation. We made our way to one of the bar and ordered drinks, I was feeling fuzzy from all the shots throughout the night and I finally wanted to dance. Kim cheered and pulled me onto the floor as a fast beat began to play. We danced with each other but I was hyperaware that someone was watching me. Kim started dancing with a dark haired guy who had been eyeing her at the bar. I felt someone come up behind me and say hi, when I turned around I noticed a good looking brown haired guy staring at me. I smiled and nodded when he asked me to dance, we began to move and I felt myself getting too close to him, but for some reason I didn’t care.
I had the feeling I was being watched again, but when I turned around, the only thing I saw was the handsome brown haired guy dancing against me and smiling. I shook my head and continued to move. When the song ended I was dying of thirst and kindly excused myself from the guy. I walked to the bar and ordered a water and guzzled it down. I had the feeling that someone was watching me again and I felt Goosebumps raise on my neck. I glanced around nervously and was caught off guard when at the other end of the bar, I noticed Riley smiling and talking to someone intently. His eyes met mine and he nodded in my general direction. I waved and suddenly a huge lump formed in my throat. What if Vance was here, too?
Kim pulled me out of my daze when she landed next to me at the bar. “This is fucking great!” She shouted over the music. I nodded and handed her the contents of my water bottle as she guzzled it down. “I’ve gotta pee, wait for me here, I’ll be right back.”
I smiled and leaned against the bar. As I waited, tall handsome brunette walked up to me and handed me a drink. I smiled at him, deep down inside I knew I didn’t need any more alcohol but he didn’t look like he was going to let me refuse it.
“Come on, the bartender said he saw you drinking these all night.” I smiled and accepted the drink. “I’ll meet you and your friend back on the floor.” He winked at me as I took a sip of the drink.
I nodded towards him as he eyed me up and down and headed back out to the dance floor. I continued to sip on the drink and wait for Kim, I glanced back at the bar where I saw Riley and noticed he was gone. I wondered if he was on the dance floor, I wondered what Riley was like when he was out and about and not confided in the walls of his castle.
After a few moments I felt something deep in the pit of my stomach. It wasn’t the feeling of someone watching me, it was that odd feeling I had every time Vance touched me. It was desire, the need to be around him. I turned to the side and two chairs down, looking gloriously sexy and confident, stood Vance Wait. I nearly choked on my drink and he eyed me nervously.
Walking towards him I eyed h
im coldly. “What are you doing here?”
He looked me up and down, that smile playing at the edges of his lips, “Hi to you, too.”
I shook my head suddenly feeling fuzzier than before. I glanced over and noticed my drink was already halfway gone.
“Sorry, I just didn’t expect to see you here.”
His eyes narrowed. “I could say the same thing to you.”
He was drinking a beer and not saying much. I chewed on my lip and recognize that the look on his face was making me feel uncomfortable. He looked at me and shrugged. “Do you need something?”
I shook my head and looked down. He was being the monotone rude guy that he was being at the office.
“Good. You should go back and dance with you friend. For being unavailable it sure seemed like you were enjoying your dance.”
I flushed five shades of scarlet as my words from the night at his house filled my head. “You were watching me?” My voice was angry.
Vance looked away from me then and back to the bar. His face was unreadable as he took a sip of his beer. The alcohol was making me brave and I stepped close to him. He turned and looked at me oddly, eyeing the proximity between us, his eyes seemed to burn.
“I’m going to ask you again, were you watching me?”
He smirked and turned his entire body towards me. “It wasn’t hard to spot you, and it’s not like I was the only one who noticed you.” He pointed around to a room full of other people who were just as drunk as me.
I grabbed my drink and tilted it back, finishing the remainder of the glass. He winced as I slammed the glass on the bar.
“You should watch how much you drink.” He rolled his eyes.
I staggered as I attempted to back away from him and he grabbed my wrist to keep me from falling.
“I’m fine,” I hissed and swatted my hand at him. “And you shouldn’t tell me what to do. What’s it matter to you anyway?”Where was Kim when I needed her? We scowled at each other and he shook his head and turned back towards his drink but refused to answer my question. I could have sworn he mumbled something under his breath but I was too mad and too drunk to ask any more questions.
