by J. G. Sumner
I take another sip and swallow slowly, giving myself a bit more time to decide what to say. “I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about. Let’s just enjoy one another’s company.” I motion to Jasper. I’m eager to take the focus off me. “So, Jasper, how long are you here for?”
It clearly hasn’t escaped Jasper, the tension between me and Tony. His concern is almost as palpable as Tony’s. I wonder how much he knows about what happened in Italy.
“I’m not sure. My client has given me an indefinite amount of time. It could be more of a permanent position.”
“Really?” I don’t know why I’m shocked. I really know nothing about his line of work. It just seems odd that someone would move to another country and not know how long their employment was going to last.
“Yeah, I’m looking to set up an office here and bring some of my employees over.” Jasper takes another sip of his beer.
“Was it hard to pick up and move?”
“Nah. I’m not married and don’t have any ties. I can pretty much get up and move anytime. It makes my job easier.” Jasper has an intense stare and doesn’t take his eyes off mine. It’s almost as if he’s studying me.
“Do you have any idea where you might want to rent some office space?”
Tony chimes in. “Jasper’s going to be our new neighbor. He rented a space on our floor.”
I look at Tony and then back at Jasper. He nods, confirming what Tony said. “Wow, that’s great. You’ll have a friend to hang out with.”
Tony laughs. “That’s the idea. When Jasper told me he was coming to the city, I told him about our building. It turns out it’s a perfect fit. He can have his office inside his apartment, and it happens to be close to his client.”
“Well, I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of you.”
“I hope so. It’s been great catching up with my old mate.” Jasper fist-bumps Tony.
“So, what’s on the agenda tonight, boys?” I’m feeling pretty good. There’s no residual stress. The Gimlet took care of that. I motion to the bartender for another just to ensure a nice evening.
“Jasper was getting ready to head out of here. He’s got some work to do. I was thinking we could go play some billiards.”
“Do you really have to go to work? It’s Friday night! We need to have some fun.”
Jasper takes the last swig of his beer. “Not tonight, my lady. I’m already behind. I’ve got to get back to the flat to set up my office and contact some of my people across the pond. It’s morning there, and I need to get a ton of work done.” Jasper stands up from his stool and gives Tony another fist-bump. I don’t know what it is about the bump. It’s something so manly, but at the same time it seems a little immature.
Jasper takes my hand and kisses the top of it before saying his goodbyes to Tony. “I’ll connect with you tomorrow, mate.” And just like that, Jasper vacates the bar leaving Tony and I alone.
“So, what do you say? Do you want to play some pool?”
The smile on Tony’s face is contagious. I want to say yes and follow him to the ends of the earth. Something about the interaction with Jasper isn’t sitting well with me.
“I don’t think so. How about you tell me what’s going on?”
“I’m not sure I follow you.”
I take a sip of the fresh drink that’s placed in front of me. The bartender added a cherry this time and I pop it in my mouth even though I know the dangers of bar fruit. “Why is Jasper really moving into our building? What’s he doing here?”
“You heard him. He’s working. I don’t know how long he’s going to be in the States, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to reconnect with an old friend. Our building happened to be just what he was looking for. Besides, I’ll have a buddy when you go hang out with your girlfriends.” Tony winked at me.
“You know I don’t go out with the girls.”
“Yeah, but you should. It’s time for you to get back to the life you had before you met me. I want you to have friends and be the carefree Kate I met in Italy.”
He rubs the back of his hand against my cheek. I instantly get a whiff of the cologne lingering on his skin. A fire of desire immediately surges through me.
“I don’t need to have girlfriends. I have everything I need right here.” I turn in my stool so I can face Tony easier. “We spent almost a year apart. I just want to spend every moment I can with you. I don’t want to lose any more time.”
Tony places one leg between mine and one on the outside. The pressure on the inside of my thigh does wild things to my inner core. I struggle to focus on this conversation when what I really want is to go back home.
“We have all the time in the world. I’m not going anywhere, and you certainly don’t have to worry about me cheating on you. I’m yours. There’s no other place I want to be. It’s important for you to have some time with the ladies and do some shopping therapy, lunch, and whatever else you women do when hanging out. While I love every moment with you, I’d like for you to find a new shopping partner. Donna Karan and Louis Vuitton may be your BFFs, but I could do without going to any more of their stores.”
I can’t help the loud laugh that escapes my mouth. It ends with an embarrassing snort. “Okay, point taken. I’ll call up Kendall and make a date to shop without you.”
“Oh, thank the good Lord.” Tony looks up at the ceiling and clasps his hands as though he’s praying. I give him a small slap on the shoulder.
“Okay, stop. It can’t be that bad spending every second with me.”
“Definitely not, but the shopping I can do without.”
We laugh. I love that he feels comfortable enough that he can tell me these things. We communicate better than Mike, my ex-fiancé, and I ever did. I take another sip of my drink and look around the bar. People are genuinely laughing and having a good time. In some ways, I’m envious. They don’t seem to have a care in the world. I know that’s just outward appearances. Heck, I put on the same show day after day. I long for the day the panic attacks go away, and I don’t always feel like I have to look over my shoulder.
Chapter Two
Kate
I spent the weekend with Tony. We mostly stayed inside. He cooked lasagna on Saturday, and mixed seafood over a bed of fettuccini on Sunday. Both were outstanding, and could compete with most Italian restaurants. I’ve offered to prepare meals a few times but Tony refuses, stating that he loves to cook for me. Because of the money his father left him, Tony doesn’t need to work ever again. He’s mentioned a few times starting a business in the States, but he’s currently happy spending time with me. This warms my heart, but it also comforts me knowing that Tony is always there. I feel a sense of safety and security with him.
As promised, I scheduled some shopping time with Kendall. She’s one of my best friends. I haven’t seen her since Tony found me at the Empire State Building. She’s been calling and trying to break me out of my shell. Until now, I wasn’t budging.
We meet at the Starbucks on Lexington. Of course, I get there first. Kendall is never on time anywhere. I lift my head in time to catch her as she walks in with six-inch stilettos, a long flowing dress with a diagonal cut, and her long red hair with loose curls that caress her back. Kendall is high maintenance and requires her venti mocha with three pumps of vanilla and two packages of Splenda before she can start the day. There’s definitely no home-brewed coffee here. I don’t think she knows how to cook. Her people do that for her. To say she’s privileged is an understatement.
The number of calories in Kendall’s drink is astounding, yet the girl is rail thin. She’s easily a size two, maybe even a zero. I order a simple green tea without any sweetener in an attempt to reserve the calories for the restaurant I’m critiquing tomorrow night. Unlike her, I have to watch my girlish figure.
While Kendall is waiting to get her drink, she pulls her hair into a neat ponytail. It’s beyond me how every single hair can be perfectly placed without even glancing in a mirror. She looks as th
ough she just stepped out of a salon.
“So, hon, where are we off to first? Saks? I heard there’s a sample sale going on in SoHo today. I could use some new Versace.”
Even though I have been looking forward to spending the day with Kendall, I’m not super excited about our shopping spree. Since the kidnapping in Italy, I’ve become a little more humbled and the material things don’t mean as much to me anymore. Don’t get me wrong; I love that I don’t struggle for money and I can pretty much buy what I want. It’s just that my priorities have shifted. I know Tony jokes about shopping, but we’ve really only gone a couple of times and usually, it’s to get gifts for other people.
“Wherever you want to shop. I don’t really need anything new.” I take a sip of my iced tea. The cool liquid is refreshing, especially since it’s ninety-five degrees outside.
“Come on. You surely need a new outfit to wear for that boyfriend of yours. Speaking of which, when am I going to meet him?” Kendall walks over to the coffee bar and adds some chocolate powder to the top of her whipped cream.
It sounds weird to me when Kendall calls Tony my boyfriend. All that we went through in Italy makes me feel as though we have a much deeper connection than just boyfriend and girlfriend. It’s like I’ve known him my entire life. The comfort level is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
“When would you like to meet him?”
I haven’t introduced Tony to any of my friends. My parents have met him, but that’s only because they’ve been worried about me, and they wanted to see who I was with when I was kidnapped. I’m not sure they’re happy with us living together, but they know not to push.
“Umm, I’ve only been asking since the romantic encounter on the Empire State Building. I want to meet this hunky stud who has captured my best friend’s heart and won’t let her out of his sight.”
I laugh. “You make it sound like he keeps me in jail.”
“Well, I certainly don’t see you as much anymore. Actually, now that I think about it, I haven’t seen you much since you got back from your honeymoon.”
I roll my eyes. “It wasn’t a honeymoon. Mike is long gone. He’s hardly even a passing thought.”
Kendall puts the lid back on her cup as we head out of the coffee shop and onto Lexington. “I’m glad to hear you are over him. You were so devastated over his betrayal, I wondered if you would ever recover. Speaking of which, I ran into Mike yesterday. Guess who he’s dating?”
“I don’t really care who.”
“Oh, you will when I tell you. Brittany Overton! Can you believe it?”
Brittany Overton was my archenemy throughout high school. Her dad owned several restaurants as well, and Brittany always felt as though we needed to compete for our parents’ success. It was utterly ridiculous and childish. Now, she spends most nights partying in clubs and blowing her dad’s money on cocaine.
“Well, I’m sure they will make the perfect couple. They’re both losers.”
“Wow, you really are over him. You didn’t even bat an eye.” Kendall raises an eyebrow as she searches my face for a reaction.
“As I said before, Tony is the only thing that matters to me now. I’m a changed woman.” It’s true. In a very short amount of time, he has become my world, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“You know that’s not healthy for you. You need to balance your time with your friends and shopping. This is way more therapeutic.”
Again, I laugh. “What I’m hearing is that you’re lonely, and you need some entertainment.”
“Precisely! Now let’s go find that sample sale!”
I stick my arm out to hail a cab. There is no way I’m walking down to SoHo in these shoes. Granted they are flats, but Kendall loves to shop and we could be out for hours. Better to rest my feet while I can.
Kendall wrinkles her nose as the taxi pulls up. “How about I call Pierre? He can drive us there.”
“Okay, germaphobe. It won’t hurt you to get in the cab. Pull out your hand sanitizer and get over yourself.” I open the door and climb in.
As Kendall scoots into the backseat, I have to refrain from laughing at the look on her face. The combination of disgust, and trying to figure out where she’s supposed to place her body without touching anything is priceless. She ends up sitting with her legs pulled tightly together and hands folded in her lap. She looks around as if she’s searching for every little microbe in the car.
“I don’t understand why you insist on taking cabs when you can just as easily hire a driver.”
“Um…because I don’t need one. It’s frivolous, and the public transportation in this city gets me everywhere I need to go. I like to think I’m helping the environment and the economy.” I stare out the window at the buildings and the people as they seem to fly by.
“You would be helping the economy more by employing drivers. The poor guys need a nice cushy job where all they have to do is dote on beautiful women.” Kendall inspects her manicured nails.
I shake my head. “Sometimes I think you’ve lost touch with reality.”
“Oh, honey, this is my reality. I’m in the top one percent. I expect certain things, and I refuse to settle. Maybe you should take a page from my book. I guarantee instant satisfaction.”
I have to get away from this topic, otherwise, I’m going to kick her snooty butt out of the car. “Maybe you can help me pick out a dress. I’d like to take Tony out to a nice restaurant for dinner.”
“Ooh. Where are you thinking of going? One of your dad’s restaurants?”
“Yeah, I think so. It would be a good chance for Tony to see my family business. You know, he owned an olive oil business in Italy. I never got the chance to see it while I was there. I know I would’ve liked that opportunity to learn a little bit more about him.”
“Great! You should take him to Champagne. That’s my favorite one.”
Champagne is a French restaurant on the Upper East Side. My dad named all of his restaurants after various wines and alcoholic beverages. The name of the restaurant indicates the type of drink it specializes in. For example, Champagne has over fifty champagnes and sparkling wines. Another restaurant, Whiskey’s, has whiskey ranging from top-of-the-line to the run-of-the-mill available at any local bar.
“I think I will. Thank you for the suggestion.”
Kendall smiles coyly. “Now, when do I get to meet him? I’m not going to stop pressuring you until you give in and set a date.”
I roll my eyes, knowing she’s right. I have to give in to get her off my back. “How about we meet on Saturday for brunch?”
She squeals and stomps her heels on the car’s floorboards. “Splendid! I can’t wait!”
The taxi pulls up around the corner from my apartment. I long to go see what Tony is up to, but know neither Tony nor Kendall will be pleased with me. Kendall likes to make a grand entrance while Tony likes to be prepared when new people appear in his life.
“So where’s this sale?” My tone is less than enthusiastic.
“Come on, Debbie Downer. It’s just a couple blocks.”
We find the sample sale with minimal difficulty. I didn’t find anything I wanted, but Kendall came out with several outfits and a nice dent in her trust fund. We continue shopping in little boutiques until I find a cute dress to wear to dinner with Tony. It’s a coral color mini with spaghetti straps. I can’t deny it does look great on me. I’m sure it will set Tony ablaze when he sees it.
By the afternoon, I was shopped out. My feet were aching; my arms were tired from holding all of Kendall’s outfits while she walked around the stores searching for more. I definitely had enough, but Kendall wasn’t ready to call it a day yet. She suggested wine tasting at a wine room not far from my apartment. I hesitated before agreeing. It was going to be a no-win battle, and I just didn’t have the energy to fight her. We stopped by to see if they had any last-minute spots available. Fortunately, they had room in their bold reds class.
This place isn’t a win
ery, but they sell various wines instead. They hold group tastings with various types of themes and wines. One could do a group with reds and whites, and a session with dinner and wine that paired with the meal. The building is all brick and several stories tall, which allows for multiple group sessions to take place at the same time.
The sommelier hosting the class greets us and leads Kendall and me down to a lower level below the street. It has a basement feel in the sense that the walls are brick and the floor is concrete. The room is a tad bit chilly after being in the sweltering summer heat all day. It’s a welcome relief.
She guides us to a room with very little lighting except for a long rectangle light that extends most of the length of the table. The entire group is already seated, which leaves two seats for Kendall and me. Unfortunately, they happen to be in a corner in the darkest part of the room.
“Good evening. My name is Natalie. I’m going to be your host for the evening. I’ll be walking around and pouring the samples of the various wines we’ll be drinking. Please take a moment to look over our list, and help yourself to the different cheeses, crackers, and nuts on the table. I’ll describe each wine in further detail as we begin the tastings.”
I settle in my seat and smile at Kendall. This was a great idea. I’m glad she talked me into it. Since Tony came back, this has been the first chance I’ve had to relax and have some semblance of normalcy in my life. I begin to scoop some blue cheese crumbles onto my plate as Kendall takes the reins and introduces us to the rest of the table. I smile briefly and nod at each person. I don’t care to remember their names. It’s insignificant, and the chances I’ll ever meet them again are slim to none.
“My name is Demetrio. What a pleasure it is to meet you.” The Italian accent immediately catches my attention. I instantly whip my head around to see who Kendall is talking to. The dark-haired gentleman is wearing cream-colored linen slacks and a pastel green silk short-sleeved button-up shirt. He smiles kindly and seems harmless enough. It doesn’t help dissipate the chills that have worked their way up my spine, or the goose bumps that have peppered my arms since hearing his accent. The look on my face must’ve startled Kendall because I’ve never seen her eyes so big.
