“Well I don’t think you’re going to have to worry about that. I get the feeling you’re doing just fine,” she says before she switches off the tape recorder. “Thank you for your time Ms. Meyers. The article will be in the August issue. You can check the stands in another week or so.”
“Wow! So soon?” I know this already, but for some reason hearing her say it makes it seem more final.
“This is a last minute rush piece, and I have to get this in tonight. My honey is not going to be happy.” She doesn’t need to elaborate. I know what she means. I smile pleasantly and shake her hand before seeing her to the door.
I open the door. Megan nearly falls. She’s had her ear to the door the entire time. Ellie and I laugh again. I give Megan a scornful look—well the best I can muster anyway before I start laughing again. I can only guess that any phone calls went straight to voicemail. I seriously doubt Megan pulled herself away long enough to answer any calls.
Shelly would be pleased to know that I didn’t get angry during the interview. I held my temper when she started getting too personal, and I actually had some fun. Maybe she won’t be too pleased about the fun part, but I think I did okay. Then again, a friend told me reporters are a tough breed. That friendly interview might have just been a front to cover over the gavel that might be waiting to drop.
All eyes are on me as I take the short walk to Shelly’s office. I think they want to know how it went, but I’d rather talk with Shelly first. She’s waiting for me at her door. I figured she would be on edge, but I swear she is almost in tears again. I shut the office door behind me, and I tell her that I think it went well.
“Somehow we managed to spend most of the interview talking about me, planning Brendon’s wedding and we talked about the office. I think I put a good spin on things.” I say this quickly. I am sure she probably fears the office gossip will end up in the papers. “Shelly, I did the best that I could.”
“I know,” she smiles. “I had no doubt that you would.”
I know she didn’t or she wouldn’t have put me in that position in the first place.
If ever there were a time when I felt the need to kick myself now would be it. When I first started at Tiffany’s I saw Shelly as a hard-nosed, sophisticated bridal consultant extraordinaire. I prejudged her. Granted she did kind of toss that persona out there, but this crisis has showed me that Shelly is just as insecure as the rest of us.
Thankfully we all make mistakes, which means we’re all entitled to the occasional slip in judgment. Shelly turned out to be an amazing woman in more than just her business sense and her consulting, and I was determined to stick by her. My new mantra is bring it on.
Actually I am hoping Shannon won’t bring it too much because Shelly is slightly fragile right now and I’m not sure she is up for a fight. Then again with Brendon as her lawyer she doesn’t have to be, she just has to show up. He has enough fight in him to kill a buffalo.
Just the Facts
“Anise,” he smiles, and then he winks at me. It’s the same smile and wink he gave me when we first met. Shelly gives me a look that tells me she’s not pleased with the way he’s flirting with me. I am not sure if she is trying to warn me before he sweet talks me, or if she is telling me she can’t take another scandal. I can assure her there is no need to worry.
I long ago stopped falling for Brendon’s sweet talk. I stopped falling for it right after we got married. It’s when I realized that he was winning more arguments, not because of his legal skill, but because he could charm his way out of practically anything. Charm is how we ended up displaying that hideous china instead of leaving it tucked away in the cabinet somewhere.
Watching Brendon work has always fascinated me. He’s a legal genius. He’s the guy who always seems to have the perfect defense. He speaks at the right time, says the right thing and wraps the case up before the other guy knows what hit him.
Shelly seems to be doing fine too so I guess Mr. Legal Genius has won her over as well. I contemplate leaving. It’s not as if they really need me here. Shelly has the story in the bag and Brendon has that same glowing look on his face that he gets every time he knows he has winner. So when Shelly finally surfaces for air I stand to leave.
“If you all will excuse me,” I try to leave. I do have other things to do. Brendon grabs my wrist.
“I’ll need you here Mrs. Meyers.”
I want to remind him that the divorce made me a Ms., and that I don’t like the implication in his tone when he called me Mrs. Meyers, but the tape is still going and I am not sure who will hear it, so I refrain from airing our dirty laundry.
I sit back down in my chair, hand off a polite smile and nearly yank my wrist free from his hand. He is taking great liberties with my request for his help. Give that man a lane and he takes the entire roadway. If it hadn’t been for Shelly nearly breaking down on me I might not have called him in on this. Why give him the satisfaction of knowing I asked for his help if it weren’t absolutely necessary?
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” I see Shelly’s shoulders finally make their way down from her ears back to where they belong. “I think I can settle this out of court. I’ll have a talk with Shannon’s lawyer…” I listen to him ramble on, and as usual I drift off into what needs to be done next mode.
I start thinking about my brides. I try to calculate my time based on which brides are left and who needs what. I guess I should think about my one groom, as I haven’t actually talked with his bride. Most pressing is Brendon and Allison, and of course Evelyn. She’s getting ready to walk too. In fact she’s walking next weekend.
“Anise?” Shelly looks at me and I’m thinking I should really stop going a drift because I believe I have missed a question. “If you want me to stay,” she says. I’m wondering what happened in the few minutes I have let my mind wander to my list of things that need to be done.
“It’s okay.” I usually respond even when I’m not sure what’s going on, which usually gets me in trouble.
“It’s just a few questions about the interview,” Brendon says, and I think both Shelly and I relax a little.
“Well I’ll be in my office if you need me,” she smiled at me and then shook Brendon’s hand. “Thank you so much for your assistance Mr. Meyers. I know it’s short notice—”
“Don’t mention it,” he smiled.
We both wait for the door to close behind Shelly before we start speaking.
“I think the interview went rather well.” I ramble on about what I was asked and what I had to say. I skirt around some of the personal stuff, but I mention just enough to let him know we discussed it.
He’s frowning which makes me think maybe her questions about my relationship with my ex wasn’t exactly innocent, and maybe they’d have some impact on this case. I get a gut wrenching queasy feeling, and I’m sure if I find out I screwed up I’m going to cry.
“I thought it would be okay.”
“I’m sure you did fine I just wanted to talk to you about the guy in your house the other day.” He says this and I think that I’m going to have to remain calm. Once I start yelling they can hear me in China. I take a deep breath and I stand up.
“This conversation is over.” I’m leaving. At least I’m trying to leave, but he has my wrist again.
“I want a do over.”
“A what?”
“A do over. You, me, hot sex.”
“Let go of me.” I say this in a tone that will let him know I’m serious, but he doesn’t let go. Instead he pulls me in and plants his lips firmly against mine. He’s the master at kissing, and within moments his tongue is slipping inside my mouth. I’m not kissing him back…let me check…no I’m not kissing him back, but I haven’t pulled away either.
I plant my hands on his chest and push just a little; I don’t want to fall backwards. I want him off of me, but he pulls me in harder. I don’t have enough leverage to push him away with any measure of force, so I am now stuck in thi
s precarious position.
I pull my head back despite his hand pressing at the back of my head and then I manage to push against his chest a little harder.
“Brendon what the hell do you think you’re doing?” I’m still keeping a low tone. I don’t want this floating around the office.
“Just checking.”
My eyes narrow. I’m clinching my fist and grinding my teeth. I’m ready to let go with the full force of my wrath. I’m just barely holding on here.
“I wanted to make sure you weren’t just out with Ken because you’re trying to make me jealous.”
“His name is Alex.” I hate the Barbie reference. “And I have no need to make you jealous Mr. Meyers. You’re of no consequence to me.”
“Ouch.” He says, but he has a smile on his face. “I’m sure you’re not trying to make me jealous. If you had been you would have kissed me with a little more passion.”
“I didn’t kiss you at all.”
“I disagree.” He says in a sultry voice.
“You were never that great at facing the facts outside the courtroom Brendon. Let me spell it out to you. I don’t want you in my life. Not as a friend, not as a lover, not as anything. Once your wedding is over I want you to move forward in a northward direction while I move quickly south. That way there’s no chance of us meeting again.”
“Well that’s going to be difficult,” he says with a chuckle. I realize that Brendon is in lawyer mode. When he is like this I never seem to get a point across to him.
“Just the facts,” he states more than he asks. I wait to hear what he has to say. “You’re going to have a hard time avoiding me when Allison and I just bought the house across the street from you.”
He picks up his briefcase and walks out the door, leaving me standing there with my mouth open and a look of pure horror on my face. With Brendon across the street I’ll never get rid of him.
It’s Complicated
I gave Alex a key after I changed the locks. I knew there was no way he was getting drunk and giving Brendon a key, and I liked having Alex at my home. I liked being at his house too. If I plan to keep my sanity after Brendon moves in across the street I will have to spend more time at Alex’s house than at my house.
Alex having a key was convenient in more ways than one. I loved coming home to a nicely prepared meal. When I came home today and found Alex in my kitchen cooking and inquiring about how my day went, I hadn’t exactly expected to blurt out the truth. The truth was just too strange for reality, and I would have rather made up a story. I was getting good at that.
“It’s complicated,” I said instead. Standing there and watching Alex toss the salad made me feel like this was perfect. It was as if the last ten years of my life were leading up to this bliss, and I wasn’t about to ruin it with more news about Brendon.
“I’m listening.”
Suddenly, I was reminded of the fact that he was actually the type of guy who really wanted to know the answer to his question. He didn’t ask me how my day was to hear “it’s complicated,” he asked because he really wanted to know. My heart starts to ache because he really is the right guy for me and I really do love him. When you love somebody you just should be able to tell the truth. Then again, some truth is best left untold.
“Well?” He looks at me, and I’m ready to melt.
“Well,” I take a deep breath. I tell him about Shannon and the scandal at Tiffany’s. He nods in understanding. He too knows the reputation of Tiffany Weddings, so he knows this is not a welcome event. I tell him about the reporter my call to Brendon for Shelly. I emphasize “for Shelly,” and then I say, “I guess it’ll all work out.”
I turn to leave. I realize I haven’t asked him about his day, and I feel real guilty about that, but I’m trying to make a mad dash for the shower. I don’t want to answer more questions.
He’s smart. He follows me, and waits until I’m naked and incapable of running anywhere else before he corners me in the bathroom. I try to step around him and get in the shower. I have my fake debutante smile on my face, but he smiles and traces a line up my arm. Okay sex is a good conversation stopper. I link my arms around his neck and lean in for a kiss, but he moves my arms from around his neck and looks down into my eyes.
“You may be naked and enticing me, but we weren’t finished with the conversation.” He has too much self control for a guy.
“So what did Brendon say?”
“Oh not much.” I back away. Then I realize I shouldn’t lie because then he won’t be able to trust me and that’s divorce court 101; in this case it would be end of the relationship 101.
“He told me he bought the house across the street.” I point as if the house across the street is actually in view at this moment. “And he…” I can’t even look at Alex right now because I’m sure he’s got that really intent stare. “Hekindofkissedme.”
“Was that a language?” He obviously hadn’t made out what I said. The point is that I said it, and so I feel as if I have done my duty.
“Yes, English in fact.” I say this in a very casual manner.
“How about you back up to the last thing you said and say it slower.”
His eyes are forming into narrow slits and I’m not sure if he’s angry at me or Brendon. I know he hasn’t fully understood what I have said, but he translated enough to know he should be pissed. I can be evasive when I need to be, so I decide to play it cool.
“Yes…English…in…fact,” I say slowly as if I don’t know this isn’t the sentence he was talking about.
“Smart—”
“Hey! I may have a potty mouth when I’m angry, but I’m not a huge fan of people cursing at me.” He looks at me with that look in his eyes that tells me he isn’t in the mood for my sass.
“I said he kind of kissed me.” I try to walk away as if this is the end of the conversation. I’m going to take a shower because it was just a kiss—no big deal.
“He kissed you.” He states this in a very dry and almost angry tone. I’m starting to feel my stomach go queasy.
“Uh, yeah.” I say. “I pushed him away and then told him after his wedding was over I didn’t want to see him again, and that’s when he told me he bought the house across the street.”
He muttered a curse, I’m not sure which one, but I know it was a curse. He sweeps me aside and swiftly walks out the door. I follow because there is no way he is getting angry with me when I did not kiss Brendon back.
He’s out the door in what seems like seconds, and I’m right behind him. Mr. Webster is outside washing his car. I notice he’s staring in my direction. He seems to be washing the rocks more than he’s washing his car.
“Anise!” Alex yells and I finally realize.
“Oh my God!” I dart back up the walk. I’m stalk naked, and Mr. Webster isn’t gentlemanly enough to turn around or divert his eyes. I can’t help but think that he’s a dirty old man. He’s at least sixty and while that’s not really old, it’s old enough to know how to pay a little respect.
I try the door, and it’s locked. I have nothing to hide behind. My Arizona house isn’t exactly surrounded by trees and bushes. I push at the door again, until I realize I’m just making my breast bounce around even more.
I feel Alex behind me. He’s trying to shelter me so I turn into him. “Please tell me you have the key.” I say this in the calmest voice I can, but already I’m near dying of embarrassment.
“Uh, no. I don’t even have my car key, that’s why I turned around.”
I must have done something wrong when I was changing the lock because this isn’t one of those doors that should just lock automatically. “I’ll break a window.”
He assures me that I won’t. “We’ll just call the fire department.”
“No we won’t.” The fire department will not see me looking like this.
“It’s a small development they’ll come out.” He says, and I want to slap him.
“You were going to leave me.” I almost ye
ll, but my voice is coming out strange. Oh Christ. I’m hyperventilating. He tries to sit me down, but I don’t want my bare bottom down there with tiny crawling insects.
“It’s okay, just calm down. I wasn’t going to leave you.” He looked down at me and then back over his shoulder. Mr. Webster is still washing the rocks instead of his car while he tips and leans to get a better view.
Alex inched me closer and tried his best to keep me concealed. “I got all alpha male on you and I was going to kick his ass.”
Finally I start to breathe a bit more normally. “No, don’t move.” I say this because if he moves then once again I’m giving a peep show. “I’ll call Tay. Do you have your phone?” He does. It’s in his back pocket.
“You gave her a key?”
He looks at me, and his lips curl into a grin. I didn’t give her a key, but Dan happens to be a locksmith and he can get me in. I don’t know his number by hard. Without my phone I’m not getting in touch with him unless I call Tay.
“I am so never going to live this down. She’ll be angry that I didn’t give her a key and she’ll laugh at the fact that I’m outside in the buff.”
“Don’t worry. You look really, really good naked.” His lips caress mine, sweet and tender at first. I think we’re going to be in deep trouble. Sex outside in public is still against the law.
I catch a glimpse of movement out the corner of my eye. “Hi officer.” Alex pulls me into him a little more. I rise on tip toe so I can see the officer standing just off to the side. I’m sure I’m flushed, but I think it’s best if I explain why he caught a glimpse of my nudity while patrolling the street.
“I locked myself out—naked.” I say this as if he can’t see that I’m naked. I’m sure he’s fighting back a laugh. I’m also sure that he hasn’t tried to divert his eyes. From his angle, he has a barely obscured view of the side of my behind. I thought cops were supposed to protect and serve with dignity. Then again, it’s my dignity on the line.
The Bride Wore Black Page 8
