“Does this mean it’s time to hang up?”
“No. How are the roses?”
“I’m down to two vases full that are still doing well. They’ve opened up and I trimmed the stems. I’ve enjoyed them, but I’d rather see you. Soon, I hope.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Maybe if I lose early in the next competition, I’ll come to New York, unless you can meet me in Europe. Think about that as an option, okay?”
“All right.”
“I love you, Mercedes.”
“Why do you love me? What made you decide you needed to get to know me? I’m not sure I understand love at first sight.”
“First, did I tell you I’m a leg man? I saw your legs in front of me at the stadium. Then, I looked up and you turned around and gave me that piercing look with your emerald eyes. There was something about you that not only captured but also aroused my curiosity.”
“I believe more than your curiosity was aroused.”
Ignoring her comment, he said, “Aside from your beauty, you’re intelligent, fun to be with, kind and sweet. I like being with you, think about you every free minute I have now that I know you love me, too. You seized my heart. I’m more in love with you than I ever thought possible to love anyone. Making love to you that night was the most wonderful and intimate experience of my life. I will always remember how you surrendered yourself to me.”
Mercedes could barely breathe when he finally stopped speaking. “Oh, Dante, I can’t believe many people are as fortunate as I am to know a love like the love you’ve given me. I have friends who speak of the love of their lives, but usually that love didn’t last and they ended up heartbroken.”
“I will always love, you Mercedes.”
“I never thought I’d find a love like you, Dante. And I will admit that you were the last person I ever wanted to fall in love with, I even referred to you as Mr. Soave and Mr. GQ. I thought you were the love ’em and leave ’em type. But I was wrong…”
“Would you mind repeating that, ‘I was wrong,’ phrase.”
“Very funny! And, that’s another reason I love you. You have a great sense of humor. You are kind and I love being with you, which is a good thing because you have ruined my ever wanting to date anyone else. You keep the romance in our relationship, you love your parents, oh, and did I mention you are handsome and have a terrific body?”
“Thank you, Mercedes. I will go to bed happy thinking about all you’ve said. Have a nice time with my mother tomorrow.”
“Thanks. I’m looking forward to our visit. I love you.”
“I love you more,” he whispered and hung up before she could respond.
Chapter Twenty-Two
When Julia Edwards arrived at Mercedes’ building, she found the lobby in chaos and in the process of being furnished. The carpet and the lighting had previously been installed and a decorator appeared harried ordering workmen where to place the furniture and hang the artwork.
Mercedes had taken the elevator down to meet Julia and said, “We’ve all been anxious for the lobby to be completed now that all the lofts and first floor condos are sold and occupied, but unfortunately they chose the day you arrived.”
“Not a problem,” Julia said, receiving a hug from Mercedes. “The foyer looks lovely and the furnishings will give your guests the feeling of home.”
She held a large bouquet of lavender wrapped in lavender tissue paper in her arms and handed it to Mercedes. “This is from Dante. He said your roses were probably wilted by now, and these can be dried and the smell will last.”
Mercedes cradled the bouquet in her arms and took a deep breath. “They smell heavenly. I can’t believe you brought this all the way from Europe.” Then gesturing with her hand as they got in the elevator, she added, “I’m excited now that the loud construction noise has stopped.”
Unlocking the door to her loft, she said, “Welcome, Julia. I can’t wait to show you the paintings Dante helped me choose.”
“Has he seen your home?”
“No, not yet, but I sent a few photos to his cell phone.”
Julia’s face lit up as soon as she entered the foyer. “Your home is beautiful, Mercedes. You should be pleased.”
“Everything is furnished, except for the loft upstairs. I want to decorate the open room with a sleeper sofa, comfortable chairs and a desk and large flat screen TV, and make the bedroom and bath part of a guest suite. But I need to coordinate the color scheme and furniture, and that’s a whole new project and I’m in no hurry to finish.”
“Well, you did a wonderful job decorating the first floor. The furnishings are quite unusual, especially the sofas. The leather and velvet combination is quite stunning and I also like the valances placed inches below the ceiling with draperies on both ends of the brick wall.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you noticed. I didn’t want to close up the windows and the skyline view, especially since no one can see in, but I thought on a cold winter night, closing the drapes and covering the bricks might help give the room some extra warmth.”
“Well, you made a great choice. The room is not only inviting and comfortable looking, but has such a dramatic touch.”
“I confess I had a little help with a decorator and also my friend who went with me to the furniture store because I wanted to create an elite cowboy southwestern flair.”
“You’ve accomplished what you set out to do. I love the paintings. Dante described them to me, but the actual colors are much more vibrant than I had imagined.”
After she gave Julia the grand tour, they sat in the living room enjoying a catch up chat and a cup of tea, before they headed out to lunch. Mercedes felt a huge relief when Dante’s mother said, “Dante told me how upset you were about the photo of Mark and his sister that appeared in the tabloids.”
“To think, Julia, someone recognized your husband, took photographs and then sold them to publishing companies without even approaching him to see if he’d introduce the woman he was with. There wasn’t even an attempt to find out who she was, nor did they show him any respect. They print and write whatever they want.”
Julia smiled at Mercedes. “Whatever sells—they don’t care whether the story is true or false. They work for those rags that only attract gossip seekers. They give no concern as to whether or not they might cause any harm. For instance, suppose Mark was having an affair? The damage that photo would have done, not only to our family, but perhaps to the woman’s family as well.”
“I often see photos of famous couples on the Internet with headings such as ‘they are no longer together,’ and you think they are now divorced, but if you took the time to read the article, you’d learn one of them had gone off to some remote island to film a movie. But,” she emphasized, “for those who only read the caption, the gossip has spread and millions of people take that as fact. Sometimes months go by before the truth spreads, but the gossip hits the news stands a.s.a.p.”
Julia touched Mercedes hand and said, “I understand your fear about being seen in public with Dante, but these photos in tabloids are not the same as being on the front page of the New York Times. I’m not exactly certain how you feel about our son, and you don’t need to tell me. But this much I know is true—he is deeply in love with you, Mercedes. And if you feel the same way, I can guarantee that he will protect you as much as possible, not to mention the fact that we never read those papers or magazines. I’d also like to tell you I’m not one of those mothers that believe no one is good enough for her son.
“Mark and I were never able to have more children and we always wanted a daughter. If you and Dante are meant to be and you work out the problems you may have, I want you to know how delighted we would be to have you for our daughter-in-law. If I could select a woman of my choice, you’d be perfect.”
Mercedes tightened her hold of Julia’s hand. “That’s kind and I want you to know how fortunate I’d be to have you and Mark for in-laws and to be married to Dante. I have a few things that I need to
get straightened, but thank you for your openness and assuring words. This means a great deal to me and I’m delighted you called and we’re able to spend some time together.”
Julia gave Mercedes a hug. “Wonderful. Let’s go to lunch. I’m starving—I skipped breakfast this morning.”
They headed out and walked two blocks to a French café, and Mercedes said, “I have no idea how close this is to the food in France, but I love dining here. The décor makes me feel like I’m in Paris.”
“I’m looking forward to trying their food,” Julia said, looking at the menu. “The chef is French, apparently, according to the name on the menu, and the entrees seem authentic. Do you have any recommendations?”
“I have several. The onion soup, the bread, and my very favorites are their escargot and the sautéed frog legs, which is why I like to come here for lunch. I usually order an appetizer, bread, and dessert. I still consider myself a New York tourist.”
“I think the menu caters to everyone French or American, and I agree, the atmosphere is very much like a Paris café.”
“You’re right—reminds me of scenes from movies about French artists or authors. I feel at home here. I have a very good friend from college who is a native New Yorker and I learned about all these great restaurants from her.”
Julia ordered for them in French after they decided to share several appetizers and splurge on a dessert.
“I don’t think I’ll have dinner tonight,” Mercedes said, looking at the food in front of them, “but you have to attend a formal affair.”
“Exactly. We’ll be served chicken drowning in a sauce, some tasteless green vegetable, and potatoes”—Julia laughed—“and I will pretend I have to watch my figure and won’t eat much and will skip the dessert.”
Mercedes was pleased their time together was relaxed and by the end of their lunch, she felt like she and Julia had formed a friendship.
“We hired a driver and a car, which we do whenever we visit, and I need to call Manuel and have him pick me up here instead of at your place and we’ll give you a ride home. How’s that sound?”
“Perfect, but are you sure we shouldn’t walk off our lunch?”
They laughed and after Mercedes was left back home, she was anxious to tell Dante about the wonderful visit she had with his mother.
****
Mercedes attempted to relax waiting for Dante to call, excited to share the news of her day. She turned on the tennis home page and clicked on his name to watch the highlights of his last match.
The network replayed an interview he gave after his win that day but the big newsbreak wasn’t about his game. The woman holding the microphone said, “Since you’ve been playing on this busy circuit leading up to Wimbledon, the reporters and also players and fans have noticed that ever since the French Open, you now give a sexy wink at the end of all your matches.”
Dante nodded and smiled.
“Your female fans want to know if your winking is simply a thank you to your fans, or a greeting directed at someone special?”
He gave her a one-dimple smile and said, “A special fan.”
The interviewer laughed. “You’re aware you’ve now awakened the curiosity of millions of beautiful single women who had hopes of meeting you and having you fall in love with them, but they will want to know who won your heart. What do you have to say to these disappointed fans?”
“I appreciate their support and I’m sure they will find someone like I did, when I least expected. Falling in love was the last thing on my mind, and this is a genuine case of love at first sight.”
“Congratulations, Dante. Does this lovely and lucky lady have a name?”
“I’ll announce that as soon as she realizes how deeply in love with me she is and shows up at a tennis tournament.”
“This sounds like some of your fans still have a chance. Wimbledon will be swamped with young ladies following you around.”
Dante thanked the interviewer, winked and waved at the camera.
Mercedes sat there and shook her head. Well, Mr. Suave, I am not going to mention the fact that I saw this interview. Suffer!
Her phone rang and she mumbled, “His timing is perfect, as though he always knows when I’m thinking of him.” She answered the call and before she could say, hello, he spoke first.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day and heard from my mother a little while ago. She said your get together was a delight.”
“We had a friendly visit and a special lunch. I enjoyed being with her.”
“My mother also believes you’re in love with me.”
“What do you think?”
“Is this a magazine interview question?”
“No!” she answered, with a chuckle. “I think you know how I feel about you. But I’ve come to the conclusion that our making love was a mistake.”
“Don’t say that. Why?”
“Because I can’t stop thinking about you. My nights are lonely and the longing for you is sometimes physically painful.”
“The longer we’re apart, Mercedes, the more I miss you, too. I know you love me enough. I know every time I get close to you I hear your silent intake of breath, and I don’t think that’s because you don’t want me near you. I’m not sleeping well, either. I can’t get you out of my mind, literally.
“I admit that when I first saw you in Arizona, I wanted you, not even for a girlfriend or a wife. As it turned out, I didn’t know how much I needed a special person in my life, but I know you’re that exceptional someone. Now that we’ve made love, I want to marry you. You’re who’s missing. My life is incomplete and I don’t want to live without you until I retire from tennis. Do you honestly think our relationship will survive five or ten years living in secret? And what happens when someone discovers our trysts and spreads the news all over the newspapers, magazines, and TV? What then?
“Will that be the end of our relationship for you? Does it come down to whether or not you love me enough? Because if you love me as deeply as I love you, then you’d be convinced our marriage can survive anything. If you want me to retire now, I will, but only if you’re ready to commit.”
“That’s not fair. And, I never indicated that I wanted you to give up tennis. I would never ask or expect that of you.”
“I can give up everything, Mercedes—tennis, the money, the life-style, the traveling, and I would survive, but I’m not sure I can survive now without your love, nor do I want to…”
“Do you believe that I’m willing to give you up after the night we spent together—the night I now refer to as my sexual awakening?”
He laughed. “That’s a positive thought. I don’t need an answer tonight, Mercedes. But I’d like you to move out of the shadows a little. You’re beautiful, intelligent, fun to be with, and I want you to be mine. I want people to know you’re the love of my life and I want to be the same for you. I want you to need to be with me.”
“You have no idea. I can’t wait for you to come to New York and stay with me, make love to me in my bed…”
“That sounds wonderful. Will we do the View Magazine interview in the nude?”
“If you insist, but then no photographers.” She laughed.
“I’m not going to push you into making a decision about us. And, this is not an ultimatum, but I’d like you take the time from now until Christmas, before the tennis season begins again in January with the Australian Open. Maybe think about a honeymoon there—if that would be all right with you? I go to Acapulco in February, if you’d prefer Mexico, or Monte Carlo in April?”
“I am not going to want you to give up your career and I’m not leaning toward giving up sex with you, either.”
“That’s good news. I can make some arrangements for a couple more secret trysts. But you have to decide soon. I think my mother is already looking at mother-of-the-bride dresses!”
“My mother probably already bought one that has been sitting in her closet for years.”
“See, everybod
y is on board, we’re all waiting for you. Oh, did you happen to see the ESPN interview today?
“I wondered when you were going to bring up the winks!”
“I couldn’t resist, and maybe the TV reporters will discover who the secret love is and once your name is released to the world, you will have no more excuses to hide.”
“That’s great, Dante. Now I’ll be up all night worrying.”
“Hmm, I think I’ll say good night, otherwise this could turn out to be our first disagreement…”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The next day, Mercedes felt restless worrying about the Christmas deadline and suffering from loneliness wondering how long it would be before she’d see Dante again, when her phone rang and interrupted her thoughts.
She looked at the caller ID and said, “Hi Max. I hope you have some work for me.”
“Hi Mercedes, Max left for Europe on the Red Eye last night,” his assistant said.
“Was that trip planned? He didn’t tell me he was going away.”
“You’ll have to ask him when he calls you. He had planned to call you today about a job offer, but said he would call you when he got to Germany.”
Mercedes peeked at Dante’s schedule and knew he was headed for Germany also. Now she was concerned. Maybe her parents knew why he left but forgot to tell her.
She wrote down the information Max had left for her about one of the young American girls who seemed to have a lot of potential and was having a great season playing tennis. The father’s personal representative requested a magazine interview by Mercedes.
“Apparently,” Max’s assistant said, “she’s the daughter of a well-known New York athlete, who is paying for the interview to be placed in Sports Illustrated through his personal contacts.”
“Who’s the athlete?”
“Max doesn’t know—the girl’s lawyer rep wasn’t at liberty to divulge that information. But the father lives in New York City, and that might narrow the name down for you—could be a baseball, basketball, hockey or football star. Has connections, of course, and the man told Max the girl is an out-of-wedlock child—the athlete has agreed to share custody and financial support for her because the DNA test proved he was the father. He has also agreed with the magazine to give them exclusive rights when he makes this announcement, but, the good news is that he insisted you do the interview, ready for this—because you’re a woman!”
Love/Forty Page 19
