by Kris Calvert
“You can both go and do whatever you do on a Saturday,” Lewis said.
I tucked my new notebook and the iPad under my arm and nodded in Lewis’s direction, thinking that someone at The Path was feeding Lewis Thornbury confidential information and my first guess was Jonathan. I made a mental note to verbally kick his ass the next time we spoke. “Thank you, Lewis. Thank you for this opportunity.”
“I’m happy to finally have you around. Before you go,” he said, walking back to his massive desk and opening the drawer. “Take this with you. You might want to buy a few things before we leave.”
I walked to him again and took the white envelope from his hand and opened it just enough enough to peek inside. It was a check for fifty thousand dollars made out to me. My hand began to tremble when I saw the numbers. “Thank you…Lewis.”
David held the door for me and we walked into the foyer to wait on the elevator. “Oh my. I’ve never had this much money in my hand.”
David shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. To him it wasn’t. To me it was everything. “I hope I can live up to your father’s expectations. And yours. I mean working here.”
The elevator chimed and we climbed inside. David hit the button for the lobby and turned to me with a smile. “You’re going to do just fine.”
I took a deep breath and tucked the envelope containing the check into my purse with my new phone. “I’m sorry you have to take me home. I could call a car service. I’ve got a little money in my pocket and I wouldn’t feel the least bit guilty about splurging for a town car.”
“Nonsense,” David said as we walked through the lobby. “I was actually hoping you might have dinner with me. I mean, it is my birthday.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Have dinner with me,” he said as he stopped in the lobby and took my hands in his, giving me a tingle in all the places the boss shouldn’t. “You promised you would.”
It was true. I had told him I would have dinner with him another time. Was this another time? “What about your father?”
David looked to the sky, releasing my hands and shoving them deep into the pockets of his suit pants. “He doesn’t celebrate. Anything.”
I suddenly felt a huge hole in my heart for David Thornbury. Was he the poor little rich boy that no one cared about? That couldn’t be true. I knew he was a playboy in the Atlanta, New York City and L.A. scenes.
“Don’t you have some hot model girlfriend somewhere that’s waiting to jump out of a cake for you?” I asked the question and couldn’t believe I’d not filtered my own voice.
David tossed his head back and laughed as a wicked bolt of lightning lit up the sky. “No, I do not. But that sounds like fun. I just wondered if you might be hungry.”
My stomach growled right on cue and I gave in. If he was taking me all the way back to Barlow I should oblige him and be his guest for dinner—especially since it was the man’s birthday.
Six met us on the steps with an umbrella and escorted us down to the car. It hadn’t started to rain, but judging by the clap of thunder that seemed to shake the ground beneath my feet it wasn’t going to be long. “Holy hell!” I shouted as the thunder rang out in repeated patterns of fury.
“Exactly, Miss Indie,” Six said as he opened the car door for me and gave me a reassuring nod. David climbed in quickly and shut the door. Windblown, he ran his strong hands through his hair, smoothing it back as the wavy tendrils fell perfectly around his ears.
“Okay, let’s celebrate your birthday.”
“Let’s go.” He was watching the road, but I saw the huge smile on his face and I was glad that maybe I’d made one person happy today.
ELEVEN
As we made our way through the blinding thunderstorm I thought about asking where we were off to, but decided to sit quietly and let him take the lead. My nervous diarrhea of the mouth wouldn’t be a good start for me with David or the company.
“I hope you’re hungry,” he said.
As quickly as we’d driven from the office we were pulling up to one of Atlanta’s most exclusive restaurants. Known as a culinary event for anyone who should happen to be lucky enough to dine there, it was known around the world. I’d never been that lucky—at least not until tonight.
He parked right outside the door as if the spot had been saved for his fancy car.
“Let me come around and get you,” David said as he pulled a black umbrella from behind him.
David hustled around the car and thankfully opened the door, as I had no idea where the handle was on the very detailed interior. The wind blew up my dress again and I let out a little shriek as I unknowingly stepped into a puddle while trying to keep from showing my panties.
“You okay?” he asked. The concern on his face was genuine and I liked him all the more for it.
“I’m good. Sorry if I screamed in your ear.”
We hustled into the white building and were greeted at once. “Good evening, Mr. Thornbury. So nice to have you with us.”
David nodded and looked to me as he handed off the wet umbrella to make sure I was okay. He raised his eyebrows and smiled as he lightly touched my shoulder. A wave of pure pleasure ran through my body and any thought I’d had of Mike melted right out of my mind. I felt a little out of control as if my thoughts weren’t my own. He was making me think naughty things and I kept asking myself how could one man be so sexy? It was almost sinful.
“We have your table waiting, sir.”
“After you.” David held out his right arm and put his left hand into the small of my back to lead me into the room. “We’re going somewhere more private,” he whispered as I physically shuddered from the raindrops still on my skin and his warm breath in my ear.
“It’s beautiful. I’ve never been here but I’ve heard about it.” The maître d pulled out my chair and I sat, taking in the beautiful antique mirrors and Venetian glass chandeliers. The chocolate brown accents and golden antlers on the wall of the section we sat in were interesting and beautiful.
“I’ve taken the liberty of ordering our courses for the evening. I hope that’s okay with you.” David sat and didn’t take his eyes off of me. I kept looking away and every time I came back to him, there he was—staring.
“That’s good, because I’m not so sure I’d be able to navigate the menu.”
“Why not?”
“I never, and I mean never eat at places like this.”
“Well, that’s about to change. We’re going to embark on some amazing dining experiences in Italy. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.”
“Mine too. I mean, not that I’ve ever been before.”
“That’s about to change too.”
He watched me closely as our water glasses were filled and a bottle of wine was brought to the table for his inspection. With a single nod the sommelier handed the bottle to our waiter who made quick work of the cork. David carefully swirled the wine in the glass before inhaling and taking a sip. With another nod he was done with the waiter and focused all his attention back to me.
“I’m not giving up on this. Tell me about yourself.”
It was the kind of question I hated. I could tell him that my parents died on September eleventh and that my brother committed suicide after a long battle with drugs and alcohol, but those topics were showstoppers. It was David’s birthday and the last thing I wanted to do was to make him feel uncomfortable. I could talk about my job but that was also a bit of a downer. No one wanted to hear about taking care of people who were dying. No one wanted to talk about dying—period. Instead I stalled. “There’s not much to tell. I live a small life in a small house. I’m single, twenty-seven. I love to read and like you guessed, I love animals.”
“What do you like to read?”
“All kinds of things.”
“Do you have a dog or a cat?”
I took a sip of my wine and answered too quickly, almost choking. “Neither.”
He laughed at me. It was deep, reson
ant and contagious. I quickly joined in, not having any idea what was so funny. “What?” I drug the word out to let him know he was embarrassing me.
“What do you mean, what? You’re funny.”
“Oh…no.” I sat back and shook my head. “I’m not funny. I wish I was funny.”
“You are. You just don’t know it. You’re a beautiful bright light. I’m so glad to have you with us, Indie. We’ve needed someone like you for a long time.”
“Believe me…” I spoke and immediately lowered my voice as the waiter sat two plates in front of us. “No one wants a hospice nurse on their team. It’s like inviting the grim reaper into your home.”
“Prime beef tartar with radish, fennel and white miso.” The waiter gave each of us a split-second glance and waited for a response.
“Thank you,” David replied.
“I would never think of you as the grim reaper. You’re far too beautiful for that.”
“Sexual harassment already?” I asked with a smile. “Besides, what makes you think angels of death aren’t beautiful?”
“See? You are funny.”
I shook my head and then looked down to my plate. I was used to salads, ramen noodles and peanut butter and jelly. I had no idea how to navigate the gourmet fare sitting in front of me. So I faked it. “This looks amazing.”
“It is.”
“Why don’t you tell me about you? Your life is way more interesting than mine and besides, it’s your birthday—we should travel down your memory lane.”
“Grew up here in Atlanta—just me and the old man. Went to boarding school, Harvard and law school and came back to work.”
“But GlobalTech is so big. Does it run itself or do you really know everything that’s going on? I’ve always wondered about that. I mean, I’m a huge control freak so a corporate position where I couldn’t be hands on would probably drive me nuts.”
“There are a lot of vice presidents who do various things and just report to Lewis but I promise you—he knows all.”
“And…?” I asked, hanging on the word as I tried my appetizer.
“And what?”
“Do you know all too?”
“I’m working on it.” David let out a sigh and took a drink of the wine. I could tell he felt the pressure of being Lewis Thornbury’s son. Who wouldn’t?
I looked to my plate, rolling my next question over in my head. It was probably inappropriate, but I never minced words and I wasn’t about to start now. “Is that why no one knows of your father’s illness? You’re silently taking over everything, preparing for the day when he no longer runs the company?”
The smile he’d had all night left his face and I knew I’d hit a raw nerve. I regretted my decision immediately.
“Indie, my father’s a complicated man to say the least. I’m part of him, but I’m not like him—at least not one hundred percent.”
“How could you be? I mean, even though you never met your mother I’m sure you have many of her traits. People who grow up without a parent can eerily display mannerisms or tendencies their parent had without even knowing it. My Aunt Sally says I’m just like my dad.”
“Really?” he smirked a half grin before taking another sip of his wine.
“You seem skeptical.”
“Not at all. But if I am anything like my mother, I’d never know it. Lewis doesn’t talk about her. Ever.”
I nodded, knowing it had to be hard for anyone to lose a loving wife on the day she gave birth to their child. I quickly changed the subject. “Do you speak Italian?”
“Si. E tu?”
I smiled at his answer. “No. But I’d love to learn.”
The maître d came and took away our plates and set another course in front of me. I’d not had the chance to really eat, but I figured that was probably better. I didn’t know what was even sitting in front of me. The second course came to the table and he explained it pointedly. “Nantucket Bay scallops with cauliflower and shiitake mushroom.”
The presentation was once again beautiful and I made a mental note to try and make my dinner look better when I cooked at home, and then reminded myself that I didn’t cook. The food was almost art. In the time it took me to pick up a fork a new bottle of wine was coming to the table. The surprise must have shown on my face because David felt the need to explain. “Different course, different wine.”
“Ah.” I didn’t want to seem as overwhelmed as I was. Clearly I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding my awe.
“So you’d like to learn Italian?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you’ll get a crash course in Italy, but we could start tonight. Repeat after me—quanto costa questo?”
“Quanto costa questo.”
“Say it as a question.”
“Quanto costa questo?”
“Very nice.”
“What did I just ask you?”
“Something important. How much is this?”
I giggled. “What makes you think I’ll be shopping in Italy?”
“Darlin’, everybody shops when they’re in Italy. They have the best clothes, the best shoes, the best handbags—some of the most precious jewels and gold.” He paused and looked down before bringing his eyes back to meet mine. “You deserve the best of everything, Indie. Someone as beautiful as you are on the inside should have all the world’s beautiful things on the outside. Not that you aren’t gorgeous on the outside too, but you’ve already said sexual harassment, the two most dreaded words in corporate America, so I was trying my best to keep it politically correct.”
I blushed and brought the heavily starched napkin to my lips in an effort to conceal my embarrassment. David really knew how to chat a girl up, and I was sure it had worked on plenty of women. It was certainly working its magic on me.
“Do you mind if I ask how you found me? Why me for this job? Your father could have anyone in the world come in and take care of him in his last months.”
“True. But he’s been watching you for a while, I suppose. He doesn’t bring just anyone into the fold. I know he sees what you’ve done for other patients. You should take it as a compliment. My father only wants the best in his life. He only allows the best in his life. That, my beautiful new friend, is you.”
“Molte grazie.” I said one of the three phrases I knew and did my best to give it the gusto it deserved.
David broke into a wickedly delicious smile that made me dizzy all over again. “You’ve been holding out on me, bella.”
“Beautiful?” It was the second word I knew. “How do I wish you a happy birthday in Italian?”
“Buon compleanno.”
I raised my wine glass and waited for him to join me. “Buon compleanno, David.”
The crystal rang out as he touched mine with the rim of his glass. “Grazie, mia bella principessa di luce.”
“David?” I asked, still holding my glass steady in the air and raising a suspicious eyebrow.
“I merely thanked you.”
“Call me crazy, but that sounded like way more than thank you, but since I’m on my second glass of wine and I never drink I’ll just leave it.”
“Good idea.”
The third course was lamb, something I’ve never been fond of. It was beautiful on the plate yet again, but I moved it around with my fork more than I ate. The red Italian wine I did enjoy–immensely. By the time the plate of cheeses came to the table I was five glasses of vino in and feeling no pain—I also had no filter.
“So, David. You’re a real player, I understand. A lot of pretty women have come in and out of GlobalTech. I mean, between you and your dad—two incredibly handsome and charming men—there have been actresses, supermodels, professional ice skaters, come on—the list is kinda endless.”
“Don’t believe everything you read or hear, Indriel.”
“I like it when you say my whole name. I usually don’t because it was my grandmother’s name and she was so special.” I could tell I was drunk and rambling but I could
n’t seem to stop over-sharing my feelings. “But you say it with such conviction.”
“Thank you,” he said with a smile. “Truth be told, I like it when you say my name.”
Somehow the wine wasn’t affecting him the way it was me, and my blurring thoughts helped to keep my mind off of Mike. David was charming, right in front of me, and real. Suddenly I registered his comment. He was flirting with me and I needed to step up my banter-reflex. “Really? Why?”
David leaned into the table and using the back of his hand, stroked my fingers delicately from the knuckle to the tip. “Because you, Indriel Luce, are a great light in the world. And when you say my name something inside me—clicks—for lack of a better term. It feels right to be around you.”
He dropped his head and looked down as the cheese plate was taken away and two divine chocolate creations landed on the table. Happy Birthday, David was written in chocolate sauce all around the edge of his plate and a small white candle was aglow in the center.
“Happy birthday, Mr. Thornbury,” the waiter said.
He answered without looking up. “Thank you.”
When he brought his gaze back to me, the small flame of the candle set his eyes aglow and he looked otherworldly. He was beautiful. I was drunk.
“Make a wish,” I said, urging him to blow out the candle. I needed food and the chocolate cake and toffee gelato was right in my pedestrian-palate wheelhouse.
David closed his eyes and blew as I clapped my hands quietly. “Well done, sir.”
“Thank you for sharing my birthday with me, Indie.”
I took a bite of the cake which melted in my mouth, and made what I knew to be a moaning sound at its decadence. “It’s been my pleasure.”
“No, really.” He was suddenly very serious. “Tonight’s been—well, it’s been one of a kind. For me, that is.”
“Me too.”
David was silent on the trip from the city back to Barlow and I didn’t feel the need to permeate the quiet with mindless chatter from my slightly spinning head. As he pulled onto my street, I immediately came out of my dizziness realizing I’d not told him where I lived. And yet here he was turning onto my street, Oak.
