by Tamie Dearen
“And get rid of a liability before I had a lawsuit on my hands. It was only a matter of time, you know.”
“Oh… I hadn’t thought of that… Then I take it all back, and I just promise to sleep in my bed from now on.” She nodded her head with satisfaction, and with a wry smile she added, “Alone.”
Gherring had to chuckle. “Finally—you’ve put my mind at ease.” The elevator opened on Anne’s floor, but he stopped her before she departed. “How about a lift tomorrow morning? Downstairs at six-forty-five?”
Anne thought about how tired she would be the next day. But she owed this to Gherring, so she put a bright expression on her face. “Sounds terrific.”
Emily had left several messages on her cell phone, so Anne returned the call.
“Hey sweetie. What’s up?”
“Just checking in. What’s this I hear about us going climbing with some guys?” Her voice sounded skeptical.
“No big deal, you don’t even have to climb if you don’t want to. But I think you would like it if you tried.”
“You know I don’t like doing dangerous things. Charlie got all the adventurous genes.”
“It’s not dangerous at all. And it’s just for an hour, with two cute guys. Oh, and now Mr. Gherring is going also.”
“Steven Gherring is going climbing with us? Ohmygosh! Have you told Charlie?”
“Nope, I just found out tonight.”
“Great. Don’t bother to call her. I’ll tell her all about it and save you the trouble.”
“Thanks a lot,” Anne said sarcastically. “I think this conversation sounds vaguely familiar.”
“I know you said he’s obnoxious and snobby, but I’m really excited to meet him.”
“I didn’t say he was obnoxious and snobby, did I?”
“Hmmm, no… I actually think you called him self-absorbed, selfish and conceited.”
“I said that?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
“I may have been wrong about him.”
“May have been? So I take it you’ve changed your mind about him? Do you like Mr. Gherring now?”
“Of course I like him. But I don’t like like him. You know…”
“I thought you liked Henri—”
“I do like Henri, and I’ve kissed him too. That counts for something I think.”
“And Mr. Gherring—have you kissed him?”
“No—of course not! He would never kiss me. We’re not like that. I’m just saying he can be pretty sweet when he wants to be.”
“Okay Mom, whatever. You seem a little defensive to me, though.”
“I’m just uncomfortable talking with my daughter about kissing men.”
“You brought up the kissing, not me.”
“Oh, right. How about, let’s change the subject.”
“Okay fine. So how was your day?”
Anne thought back to her morning—waking up on the roof with Steven Gherring, the phone call with Henri that was cut short, the scene with Jeff, and the evening working with Gherring. Emotionally, it was too much to process. “It was fine.” Now she understood why that was always the answer you heard from a teenager.
“Well, I still have to pack. But I’ll see you tomorrow. We should be at your apartment before you get home from work, unless our flight is delayed.”
“I can’t wait to see y’all. Rayna knows to expect y’all, and I left a key so y’all can wait inside. I’m sooooo excited!”
“Love you, Mom.”
“You too.”
Anne’s alarm shrilled in her ear. She reached for it and knocked it off the table. She hadn’t slept well, even though she was exhausted. She was afraid to take a Benadryl, even one, since her last experience with antihistamines had resulted in one of her most embarrassing moments. Bleary-eyed, she crawled out of bed and headed for the shower. She’d give herself a blast of cold water at the end to wake herself up.
She made it downstairs right on time, and found Gherring reading the paper with a cup of coffee. “I brought one for you if you want it.” He held out an insulated cup with a lid.
“Oh, I love you!” She snatched it from his hand. Only after she’d taken a sip of the still-steaming liquid did she realize what she’d said. Surely he would know it was just an expression. He wouldn’t think it was a declaration of devotion, would he? Should she try to explain? Perhaps he didn’t notice. He probably didn’t pay any attention. She glanced at Gherring. Nope, he noticed. He looked downright smug.
“I always heard the stomach was a way to a man’s heart, not a woman’s,” he remarked.
“Well, I’ve heard money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy coffee, and that’s close enough.”
“Yes, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
“Well now, that’s a horse of a different color.”
“Quit horsing around. It’s time to go.”
“Well, if ya gotta go, ya gotta go.”
Gherring led Anne outside to the waiting car. He opened the door and gestured for her to get in. “Ladies first.”
“I give! Uncle! I’m fighting a losing battle here. I should never have tried to go head to head with you. This is a last-ditch effort, but I might as well throw in the towel.”
“You win!” Gherring laughed. “It’s way too early for my brain to be this competitive. I should’ve known a country girl could out-cliché me.”
This time it was Anne who wore a smug grin, having won the battle of clichés while accomplishing the more important task of distracting him from her little slip-up.
“So what are you doing tonight?”
“Huh?”
“You and the girls, what are you doing tonight? Are you going to see a play?”
“We actually don’t have plans for tonight. We were planning a play for Saturday night because I can go get discount tickets in the afternoon. I don’t have time for that today. But we may go see Times Square at night. I was thinking about taking them to that bar in the top of the Marriott on Times Square—the view was amazing from there.”
“When did you discover that view?”
Anne realized she had been there with Henri on the night of the gala. Not wanting to bring up Henri, she evaded the question. “I don’t remember. I think I went with Rayna and Antonio.” She asked a quick prayer of forgiveness for the fib. Luckily, Gherring seemed to accept the answer. She breathed a sigh of relief. Lies always seemed to get her in trouble.
“That’s where we had the gala.” His was face inscrutable.
“Oh, that’s right… I uhmm… I must have gone there when we were planning the gala.”
“At night?”
“Yes, uhmm, I think I went with Katie.”
“So you and Katie went at night? Alone? To a bar?”
“Oh no, maybe Gary was there… I don’t remember.”
“We could ask Gary tomorrow. He’d surely remember.”
Anne knew her face was crimson. “Okay fine! I went up there with Henri the night of the gala.”
“You could have just said that.”
“But I know you don’t like him, and I didn’t want to make you mad.”
He frowned. “I don’t get mad.”
“Call it what you want. You always start yelling at me.”
“I’ve never yelled at you. I don’t yell.”
“Well… You used a yelling tone of voice.” They rode the rest of the way in silence as she swore to herself she would never lie again.
Gherring and Anne worked together in the conference room. The earlier tension was soon forgotten as they immersed themselves in the job at hand. She found she could concentrate around Gherring easily, unless he got too close or brushed up against her. At the slightest contact, she felt her heart rate accelerating. She determined the cause to be her people-pleaser personality. She always wanted to make everyone happy, and Gherring was particularly difficult to please. This made perfect sense to her. She couldn’t possibly be attracted to him. Well, maybe she co
uld be a little attracted to him… physically. He did look pretty good without a shirt on.
She watched as he leaned over to pick up a paper that had floated to the floor. That was a nice view as well. Hard, tight compact muscles. He turned toward her and flashed a distracted smile, his rugged face, blue eyes, and dimples a winning combination. Of course she was physically attracted to him. Any woman with eyes would be physically attracted. That didn’t mean she had feelings for him. She couldn’t have feelings for him because that would simply lead to heartache. After fifteen years she wouldn’t let herself fall for a guy she could never have. She was much better off with Henri. That relationship was practically impossible and therefore, felt incredibly safe. At least until she went to Paris….
She’d decided to Skype with Henri during her lunch break, so it wouldn’t be an issue with Gherring. But as lunchtime approached, Gherring asked, “Should we order in from Papa’s?”
She took a big breath. “I’m going to try something new and tell you the truth. I’m Skyping with Henri during lunch. There, I said it. So please don’t be mad and don’t yell at me.” She cringed, waiting for him to vent his anger.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m not mad. I’m… I’m… worried. I just don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.”
“To tell you the truth, I think you should be more worried about Henri. He seems—I don’t know—kind of vulnerable. I’m really taking it slow, you know. After fifteen years, I have pretty tight reins on my heart. I’m not sure I can ever actually fall in love again. I know what true love feels like—I’ve experienced it before. I’m just not sure that kind of thing could ever happen twice in my life.”
He was quiet a few seconds that seemed like an hour. “I sincerely hope that isn’t true, Anne. I hope you’re able to find love again someday. But not with Henri. I still don’t trust him—let’s just say I question his motives. And I’m definitely not worried about him.”
The conversation was cut short when her cell phone pealed out the Maserati song. “Oh, that’s Charlie!” She fumbled for her phone in her sweater pocket.
“Hey Mom, we’re on the plane, getting ready to take off. Oops, the stewardess is giving me a dirty look. Gotta go. See you soon.”
Anne heart swelled with anticipation. She couldn’t believe how much she missed her daughters. It’s not like she was used to seeing them all the time when she still lived in Texas. It was just the knowledge they were so far away from her now.
“They’re on the plane.” She couldn’t stop grinning.
“That’s an interesting ringtone. Is it for everyone or just for Charlie?”
“That one’s just for Charlie. It suit’s her personality. The Maserati going one-eighty-five, and losing your driver's license—”
“She’s done that?”
“No, but she probably would if she ever got to drive one. I don’t think she’s ever even seen a Maserati, but she got her fair share of speeding tickets in the little Honda Civic she drove.”
“What’s Emily’s ringtone?”
“Hers is piano music from Pride and Prejudice. That’s her favorite book and she loves the movie. She’s my ballet dancer and artist. Not one speeding ticket her whole life. She doesn’t even like to drive. She wants someone else to drive her everywhere so she can read on the way. She’d love New York. No one has to drive at all.”
Gherring chuckled. “And your names? Anne, Emily, Charlotte? Was that a conscious decision or an accident your names match the Bronte sisters?”
“It was on purpose. But I can’t believe you noticed that. Nobody ever does.”
“What can I say? I’m very observant.”
“Not me—I’m kind of absent minded. I get lost all the time and I forget where I parked my car in the parking lot. It’s like I don’t have room in my brain for those pesky details.”
“You mean pesky details like what time it is or where your bed is?”
“You’re sooooo funny.”
“Well, it’s lunch time… Time for you to call your French lover boy.”
“He’s not my lover boy.”
“Sorry if my choice of words offends you.” She didn’t hear the slightest bit of sincerity in his voice.
“You’re using that yelling tone I was talking about.” Anne scooped up her laptop and headed toward the door.
“I didn’t—”
“Yes you did.” She let the door slam behind her. For once, she got the last word.
“Henri.”
“Hello angel.”
“I’m so excited. My girls are in the air right now on their way to New York.”
“I am happy for you and jealous that I cannot be there to meet them.”
“How are your niece and nephew, and your sister?”
He smiled proudly. “Anna-Laure is riding on her pony. She holds the reins herself. My nephew is taking violin lessons. He is very talented. And my sister has broken up with the no-good boyfriend. I am so glad she will not marry him and take my kids away. They are like my own.”
Anne smiled. “I bet you’re a good dad to them.”
“But we should not talk about them. I want to know about you. What will you do with your daughters when they come?”
“Everything. We are going out to eat, going to a play, going to the Empire State Building. We’re even going climbing at the gym.”
“Just you and your daughters?”
“Yes, mostly just us. But I have a couple of young boys lined up to go climbing with us.” Anne refrained from mentioning Steven Gherring. She wasn’t hiding anything or being dishonest. Or was she? No, she just didn’t want to upset Henri. Steven Gherring’s presence at the climbing gym wasn’t really significant.
“Maybe I am jealous of these boys. Are they handsome? Maybe I don’t want you to watch these boys climbing. You may forget about me.” He winked at her.
“They might be good looking, but they’re way too young for me.”
“I do not like that I cannot keep an eye on my competition.”
“Believe me, those boys are no competition for you.”
“And what about Steven Gherring?”
“Uhmm, what about him?”
“Is he my competition? You are with him every day, and I know he does not like me.”
“Mr. Gherring’s just my boss. He isn’t interested in me. He knows just how goofy I can be. You know, Henri, when you get to know me better, you might not be so interested either.” Why did she say that? She sounded so needy, begging for compliments. What if it was true? Henri didn’t know her that well.
“I know enough. When you come to Paris you will see. You need someone who knows how precious you are. I will show you—I am that man.”
Anne felt a little thrill. It was nice to have someone put you on a pedestal, even if you knew you didn’t belong there. But maybe she was just being foolish, investing in an impossible relationship. A relationship with Henri was almost as impossible as a relationship with Steven Gherring, but for different reasons.
“But Henri, what happens after Paris? I can’t just date you over the computer screen.”
“Non, I agree. You are nice to look at, but the kissing is not so good on Skype. Please do not look so sad.”
“I can’t help it, I’m a worrier. I just don’t think it’ll work, and then you’ll regret spending all that money to bring me to Paris—”
“Non, I will not. The money is nothing to me.” He sighed. “I have something to tell you. I was waiting, but…”
“What? Is it bad? What is it?”
“It is good. I think… I hope it is good. After you come to Paris, one week after, I am coming to New York. Is that good?”
“Really? For how long?”
“I am coming just for the weekend, but I am used to travelling. I come to New York often already. I will just come more often. And you can come back to Paris and bring your daughters.” He paused. “That is good? Right?” His green eyes peered earnestly from the computer sc
reen, waiting for her reply.
“Yes, Henri. That’s good. That’s the weekend of Gherring Inc. Christmas party for all the employees. We could go together.”
“Now, I want to know all about your daughters and everything you are going to do in New York…”
After lunch, Anne returned to the conference room to see how much she could accomplish before the girls got to New York. It occurred to her Steven Gherring was going to the benefit with Sharon Landry that night. She decided to take advantage of the opportunity to help him see her good qualities. He seemed to mostly ignore Margo Milan at the big gala. Her plan would never work if he didn’t pay any attention to Sharon.
“So,” she said, summoning what she hoped was a casual voice. “You’re going to that benefit dinner tonight, right?”
“Hmmm? Yes, I guess so. I’d forgotten, but it’s on my calendar.”
“And you’re going with Sharon Landry, right?”
“Who?”
“Sharon Landry, you’re escorting her to the benefit. Remember? I put her file on your desk.”
“Oh, you probably did. But I didn’t look at it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t care who she is. She’s using me for publicity, and I’m using her to keep my life uncomplicated. And I trust my personal executive assistant to pick someone who won’t embarrass me.”
“But maybe this girl is different.”
“What do you mean, different?”
“She’s really smart and informed. She’s a television news reporter, and she’s beautiful.”
“That doesn’t change anything.”
She tried to hide her frustration. “But how are you ever going to find someone if you won’t even look?”
“Find someone? Find some—”
He furrowed his brows and leaned toward her until she cringed before him.
“Gram!”
“What?”
He stood and paced, flinging his arms about with unbridled fury.
“Gram—you’ve been talking to Gram. She wants me to get married, and now she’s enlisted my executive assistant.”
“I… uhmm…”
“That little schemer!”
