Heart Block

by Melissa Brayden

  “Oh, and that brings me to my next topic,” Lucy said, “which is to congratulate, and at the same time scold you, for your much talked about dalliance at The Edge last week. Mia was all too eager to dish every last detail when I saw her for lunch.”

  Emory regarded the after-dinner drink in front of her and frowned in annoyance. She hated the way information traveled like wildfire among their group of friends. “It was not, what was the word you just used? A dalliance. I danced with a woman, actually a girl if you want to get technical. Not a big deal, Luce.”

  “It is a big deal if you took her home with you. It’s been a while since you’ve gotten out there. This is kind of monumental.”

  Emory couldn’t help but laugh then. “I would hardly call whatever that was dating, and no, just for the record, she absolutely did not go home with me. I don’t think I could stand myself if I slept with a woman who uses five letters to spell Amy.”

  “Such an elitist bitch,” Lucy mused, clearly enjoying it.

  “Am I?” Emory laughed along with her. “I wish I wasn’t. I don’t want to be.”

  “It’s okay, Em. I think it’s our lot in life. We were brought up to be selective about who we surround ourselves with. There are worse things in life than good breeding, trust me.”

  Emory thought about that sentence and the people she did choose to surround herself with. She didn’t have a whole lot of family left. There was Vanessa, but she lived in Colorado with her own family, and they’d never been close. She had Lucy, Mia, and their circle of friends, and of course, her assistant, Trevor, and the people she worked with. She also spent time with the co-chairs of the various charities she volunteered with—planning events, galas, and fundraising opportunities. And lately, there had been Sarah. Her gaze moved across the short distance between them and she studied her. When she’d first recognized Sarah in the restaurant, her movement had stilled, and she’d lost the last bit of something Lucy was saying about olives.

  Emory had noticed Sarah more and more as they’d gotten to know each other, but seeing her outside of work, wearing a black and blue cocktail dress that hugged her in all the right places was another story. She looked stunning. She’d worn her hair down, and the dress showed just enough to completely entice, yet withhold. Seeing Sarah in this whole new light had Emory’s mind in overdrive. Slow down, she reprimanded herself. Sarah is your very straight employee who, as such, needs to remain in the do-not-imagine-naked column.

  Lucy shot Emory a questioning look and followed her gaze to the nearby table. “So this woman does work for you?”

  Emory accepted the bill from the waiter. “Right, I told you that.”

  “In what capacity? Your taxes, investments, what are we talking here?”

  Emory met her gaze. “She’s from the company I hired to sort out Mother’s house.”

  Lucy’s eyes widened in shock and she turned around to steal another glance at Sarah. “She’s your cleaning woman? That’s your cleaning woman?”

  “Please lower your voice, but yes,” Emory answered, somewhat annoyed.

  “As in, the dancing cleaning woman?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow. Suddenly, my house could use a little touch up.” Lucy stole another glance.

  “Shut up. Let’s get out of here.” Emory signed the slip of paper and returned it to the leather bound book, leaving a generous tip for the superb service.

  Sarah watched Emory’s retreating form and followed the gentle sway of her hips as she and her companion exited the restaurant. She was curious as to where they’d go next, what the rest of their evening entailed. A moment before they’d disappeared around the corner, Emory turned back and offered her a slight wave, her eyes lingering on Sarah for a moment. It wasn’t until they were gone that Sarah remembered she should probably breathe.

  *

  James held Sarah’s hand as he walked her to the door of her apartment. “I had a great time tonight. If it’s possible, I think I enjoyed tonight even more than our first date.”

  Sarah was feeling bold. “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?”

  His face lit up. “I’d love a cup, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

  She squeezed his hand. “Of course I don’t mind. Come on in.”

  Sarah didn’t invite too many people over outside of Carmen and her family, but you know what, maybe that should change.

  “This is a nice space you have here.” James looked around while Sarah put the coffee on. The two-bedroom apartment, though small, had been decorated with care. Grace’s artwork adorned the refrigerator, and matching sky blue curtains hung serenely from each window. A comfy couch and an overstuffed accent chair made the living room the perfect locale for TV watching and late night reading.

  “Thank you. It’s home to us.”

  He picked up a framed photo from the end table. “This must be Graciela.”

  “Yep. That’s my little monster.” She came up behind him laughing at the goofy photo of Grace in an oversized business suit and tie, carrying a briefcase. “Her Halloween costume last year. She was a stockbroker.” James raised his eyebrows in amused curiosity. She waved him off. “During her finance phase. She was watching a little too much CNN with my dad that fall. In the past now. You’re currently joining us in the midst of a swimming phase for which we blame The Little Mermaid, and I do mean blame.”

  “I see.” He chuckled. “I look forward to meeting her one day.”

  Sarah was warmed. “Me too.”

  It was a nice moment, and James took hold of the opportunity and leaned down, brushing her lips with his. When she responded, he kissed her harder, and it wasn’t long before they eased slowly to the couch. She placed her open palms on his chest, enjoying the warmth beneath her hands. It had, for damn sure, been a while since she’d allowed herself to be kissed. It was nice. Their pace was even, non-threatening, and she liked how comfortable James made her feel. He nudged her ever so gently and Sarah leaned back, her head against the sofa cushion. James followed her down, the coffee forgotten. She closed her eyes giving herself permission to surrender to the moment. She had no intention of sleeping with James so early in their relationship, but a little make out session on the couch certainly couldn’t hurt. James seemed to respect her boundaries and didn’t push things any further than she was comfortable with, following her cues nicely. Gradually, she pulled her lips from his. “This was nice,” she whispered.

  He smiled at her through labored breaths. “More than nice.”

  Pushing herself to a seated position, she straightened her dress and ran a hand through unruly hair. “Can I get you that cup of coffee?”

  He stood. “I think I’ll pass, if that’s all right. You’ve given me enough to keep me awake tonight as is.”

  She laughed at the overly tortured look he flashed her.

  “I’ll call you soon,” he said and kissed her gently before heading off into the night. She closed the door and walked back into the room smiling, taking her time getting ready for bed. As she slipped between the cool sheets, she thought back on the evening with James and how enjoyable it had been. She replayed the events of the date over again in her mind. Without warning, her thoughts drifted slowly to Emory, and she wondered what she was doing. Had she and the other woman gone home together? Had Emory kissed that woman just as she had kissed James?

  As she faded into slumber, images of her and James kissing passionately on her couch shifted behind her eyelids until they were replaced with images of Emory and the other woman, their lips pressed together, legs intertwined. Her stomach did a series of flip-flops at the thought of Emory kissing that woman, touching her. Those images continued to play out in her mind until eventually, it was no longer the brunette’s body pressed up against Emory’s, but her own. Sarah bolted upright in bed, startled at her body’s overt and powerful reaction to the image. She stared at the black room around her for several minutes, slowly understanding, for the first time, her extreme attraction to Emory
Owen.

  Chapter Six

  Emory watched the burly moving men hustle about her mother’s house carrying furniture and boxes all precisely labeled and tagged with the proper destination. The men seemed organized and on task, another testament to Sarah’s supreme direction of the project. Emory leaned against the wall in the living room and watched as her family’s life literally passed by in front of her eyes. Sarah stood in front of the house directing traffic. They hadn’t spoken since running into each other at the restaurant, other than a polite hello as Emory arrived on site that day. In actuality, she’d wanted to stop by the house several times that week, but work had been insane, and by the time she was free, Sarah had surely already gone home to Grace. However, when Sarah called to inform her that the movers were coming and today would be her last day of work, Emory had taken the afternoon off to be on hand. Everything seemed to be under control, and it was clear Sarah had a much better handle on the situation than she did.

  Emory walked slowly from one room to the next, overwhelmed by a profound sense of sadness. While it was true her memories of her childhood home were fairly sterile, it was still the end of an era, and she couldn’t help but feel utterly alone in that moment. She stood in what used to be her bedroom, a room she hadn’t so much as set foot in since she was maybe nineteen.

  “It must be very hard,” said a voice from behind.

  She turned to find Sarah watching her from the doorway. She brushed a stray tear from her cheek and exhaled slowly. “We have to quit meeting like this. You know, you dancing, me in the midst of my emotional breakdowns. You’re never going to believe this, but I am not a crier.”

  Sarah raised a shoulder and let it drop. “Don’t be strong on my account. I think crying is healthy, especially in a situation like this one.”

  Emory pondered the concept. There weren’t very many people throughout her life who would have agreed with that sentiment. Crying showed weakness; at least that’s what she’d always been taught. Now that she thought about it, she’d never seen Lucy cry in all the years they’d known each other, and she was the closest person to her in the world. The thought made her sad and she now regretted the lack of emotion they’d shown each other.

  She moved silently across the room and sat on the floor, her back against the wall of what was once her sanctuary. It didn’t take long for Sarah to join her, taking her hand. The simple gesture made such a difference, and just Sarah’s presence there next to her provided a real sense of comfort. They sat for several minutes before she turned to Sarah. “Movers gone?”

  “Yep. The last truck drove away twenty minutes ago. I’d offer to get you something to drink, but—”

  “They took the refrigerator and all of the glasses,” Emory finished wryly.

  “Bingo.”

  “That’s okay. I think I’m just going to sit here for a few minutes.”

  “Tell you what. I’ll give you some time alone.” As Sarah started to get up, Emory squeezed her hand.

  “Stay. Please? I mean, if that’s—”

  “Of course I will,” Sarah answered softly, settling back in next to her. Emory held fast to Sarah’s hand and now cradled it in her lap.

  “You’re close with your family, right?”

  “Very. I see my parents nearly every day, and we do big family dinners every Sunday with my brothers. I have two, and the older one has a wife and son. I also have a rather large extended family, and while they’re a loving group, everyone is a little too involved in everyone else’s life. I guess meddlesome is the word I’d use.”

  Emory smiled at the thought. “They sound fun. I would have liked to have had a family like that I think.”

  Sarah ran her thumb across the top of Emory’s hand, surprised. “Really?”

  Emory lifted her eyes slowly to Sarah’s and nodded. The wistful sadness Sarah saw there was simply too much. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Emory and held her, resting the bottom of her chin on Emory’s shoulder. “Maybe you will one day.”

  “Thanks, but I don’t think so.”

  “Have you read any more of the journals?”

  “Some. It’s enlightening and frustrating all wrapped in one. It’s like being introduced to a whole new person who never really wanted me to know them. It turns out, unbeknownst to me, that my mother had no problem with the fact that I’m gay.” Emory shook her head, still in awe of this reality. “All these years, I thought it was the biggest disappointment of her life. Oh, and she knew all along that Lucy wasn’t right for me.” Emory laughed sardonically. “I wish she would have clued me in to that fact.”

  “Lucy’s the ex you told me about?”

  “That would be her. She was with me at the restaurant the other night. I told you, we’re still close.”

  Not a date, Sarah thought, filing that information away for later.

  “By the way, you looked beautiful the other night, Sarah.” Emory turned her head against the wall so she was facing her. It occurred to Sarah that their faces were merely inches apart. She stared into Emory’s eyes, nearly falling into them. Her gaze dropped then and she studied Emory’s lips, full and slightly pink, and a little pouty. She decided then and there that she really liked her mouth. She wondered what it might taste like, which was ridiculous and out of bounds. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

  “Hmm?” She raised her gaze, forcing herself to focus. She was vaguely aware that she should probably change her expression from blatant lust to something closer to easygoing employee.

  “The dashing gentleman you were having dinner with. Boyfriend?”

  “Oh, James. No. I mean yes. It was a date. It was our, um, second date. Not exactly a boyfriend though.” Concentrate.

  “I think I’ve seen him before. Is he an architect?”

  “Yeah, he works for Anders Design. He said your company had done work with his.”

  “That’s where I’ve seen him. So you like this James?”

  “I do. He’s sweet.”

  “So it’s Sarah and James sitting in a tree, huh?”

  Sarah raised a playful eyebrow. “I know when I’m being mocked.”

  “I would never.”

  “You would and you are.”

  Emory grinned. “I like that I can be playful with you. Is it strange that I feel like I’ve known you longer than I have?”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “Hey.” Emory pushed herself up off of the floor and offered Sarah a hand. “Don’t you have something to give me?”

  Sarah stood, her face flushed as all sorts of thoughts chased each other around her head. Stop that. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, this is your last day. I was thinking a bill, perhaps?”

  Sarah brightened and smacked herself in the forehead. “Of course. Follow me.” As they walked from Emory’s second floor bedroom down to the kitchen, Sarah was a little nervous to present Emory with the amount she owed. It had been a large job that entailed lots of coordination and work from external companies. She’d made sure to itemize each and every dollar so Emory could see clearly where each charge came from.

  As Emory opened the envelope, her eyebrows rose noticeably, but she didn’t say anything, making Sarah all the more uncomfortable.

  “Um, Sarah. This is a little crazy.”

  Sarah leaned in and looked over Emory’s shoulder at the itemization. “Is there a problem or a mistake on the detail list?”

  “No, it’s not that.” Emory turned to face her. “This number is way too low. I should be paying you at least three times what this statement says.”

  Sarah shook her head. “No, this is a fair assessment of our expenses and labor costs.”

  “Well, it’s ridiculous and I’m not paying it. I’ll pay what it was worth, and that’s the end of it.” Emory pulled out her checkbook and filled in three times the amount of the invoice, tore the check out, and handed it to her.

  “I can’t accept this.”

  Emory adopted what Sarah was coming to id
entify as her executive voice. “Yes, you will accept it and hopefully take another look at your prices. You’re undercharging. By a lot, Sarah. When was the last time your company raised their rates?”

  Sarah thought for a moment. “About two years ago. I’ve been trying to convince my mother that we’re capable of charging more, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She likes coming in on the lower end. She says we get more business and referrals that way.”

  “She’s right about the more business part, but you’ll take on twice the work for half the pay. Please tell me you’ll talk to her again.”

  Sarah smiled at Emory, grateful she saw the value in the work she’d done. “I’ll do my best, but I’m afraid you haven’t met Yolanda Matamoros. All the same, thank you for this. It’s very generous.” She nodded at the check in her hand and put it in her back pocket.

  “It was worth every penny. I’m serious. I’m in awe of how quickly and efficiently you got this done.”

  Sarah blushed, grabbing her bag and walking to the door. “Now I’m the one who’s embarrassed.”

  “Don’t be.” Emory followed slowly behind her.

  As they reached the entryway, she looked at Emory and realized this was good-bye. Without the house as their commonality, they would have no reason to see each other.

  “I’m glad I met you, Sarah. You were a friend to me when I needed it.”

  Sarah nodded. “Well, if we’re being sentimental, you did something for me too, you know. It’s been a while since someone’s given me that extra push to get out there and make something happen for myself.”

  Emory beamed upon hearing the information, the kind of smile that Sarah couldn’t take her eyes from. “Speaking of which, I can’t believe I almost forgot.” Emory moved quickly to her attaché case and handed Sarah her business card. “I was serious about that press release. Let me know when you’re ready.”

  “I’d be a fool not to take you up on it.”

  They shared a smile. “I hope everything works out for you, Sarah.”

  “For you too.”

  Emory exhaled, wordlessly opening her arms for an embrace that Sarah moved easily into. And there it was, that powerful hum of electricity. They stood there a moment, and Sarah enjoyed the feeling of having Emory’s arms around her. She was suddenly very aware of Emory’s body up against hers, and her heart rate quickened. And as she stepped back, she felt the loss. Unsure what motivated her but knowing there was no other choice, Sarah acted on impulse. She slowly placed her hands on either side of Emory’s face and brushed her lips with her own ever so briefly with a feather light kiss. She pulled back slowly, just enough so she could see Emory’s eyes, gauge her reaction, her thoughts.