“Your bearings? I don’t know about your bearings, but I certainly can get you back to your hotel. Will you let me escort you?”
“Why, that’s very nice of you, but it won’t be necessary. Just point me in the right direction. I’ll be fine on my own.” The waiter had returned with her credit card, and she put it back into her wallet and turned to leave.
“No, a woman as attractive as you is not safe by herself.” He smiled, and she noted how white and even his teeth looked against his olive-toned skin. “Come. Do not be afraid of me. I am harmless.”
She hesitated for a second, but it was broad daylight, the streets were busy, and she had an inkling of where she was. If she thought he was leading her somewhere unsafe, she would leave him at once. Anne nodded. “Lead on. But no funny business, you hear?”
He laughed and offered his arm. She didn’t take it, but gave him a smile as compensation. They left Piazza Vittoria Veneto, and she followed him down a cobbled street that seemed familiar. He told her the hotel where she was staying had once been an eighteenth century villa, and that she had chosen well.
She was enjoying his lively conversation and his soft-spoken accent, and wouldn’t have minded the walk being a little longer than it actually was. So when he stopped and pointed across the street to the hotel’s private garden, and then asked her politely if he could buy her a drink, she hesitated. She really did need to buy some clothes before the shops closed, or she’d have to go around wearing a sweat suit and her ridiculous T-shirt for her first evening in Florence.
She recognized the streets now and knew where she had started out earlier that day, and that the store she wanted was right down the street to her left.
She declined the drink but thanked him with a warm smile. “Thank you for bringing me back, and I’m sorry you went out of the way for me.”
“Non c’e’problema. Before you say good-bye, are you sure that I can’t buy you a drink? A glass of wine, perhaps? Or a cappuccino?”
She hesitated for perhaps too long. “I would love to say yes, but I’m afraid that I can’t. My luggage was lost at the airport and I have nothing to wear. I’m embarrassed enough as it is, shopping in this silly T-shirt.”
He flashed a smile. “You are one wild lady, no?”
“No.” Anne blushed. “No, I am definitely not.”
“I think differently.” He winked. “You go shopping and I will wait for you here.” He pointed to the outdoor café where several people, couples and others by themselves, sat at various tables, enjoying an afternoon drink and watching the passersby.
“Oh, please don’t do that.” Anne was horrified at the thought of him waiting. Waiting for what? “I may take quite a while. Go about your business. Please. Do not waste your time on me.”
He waved her off and took a seat at one of the checker-clothed tables in the back. She watched him snap his fingers to get a waiter’s attention and settle down to wait. She couldn’t very well force him to leave, could she? But what if he were still there on her return? What would she do?
A little smile played on her lips. Indeed, what would she do?
CHAPTER FOUR
Derek put in a full day of work on the job site, then decided he had time before his “date” for a beer with one of his workmen, or work-women, in this case. Both he and Maddie were hot and more than a little sweaty from hammering nails in the ninety degree weather. The heat he didn’t mind, but the humidity tipped the scale, making the heat index soar over the hundred degree mark.
The icy cold Coronas were sliding down his throat much too easily. And Maddie was having no trouble keeping up. She was halfway through her second and signaling the waitress over for a third.
“I’m going to pass,” Derek told her. “I’m going out tonight, and I’ve got to swing by the nursing home to see Mom, and pick up my jacket from the cleaners.”
“Yeah? You got a hot date or somethin’?”
“Ha. As if.” He rubbed his jaw. “I got roped into going out with this lady from a dating service. It’s not a real date or anything. I’m trying to talk her out of something and she’s trying to talk me into it. It’s a business proposition.”
Maddie guffawed. “Business proposition, my ass. What kind of business could you and her be doing, except the none-of-my-business kind?”
Derek could feel his face heat up under the day’s sweat and grime. “It’s more complicated than that. My aunt and a couple of her friends started a dating service, and it was losing money every day. Christine’s mother is involved, and she took the business over, hoping to save them from financial ruin.”
“That’s nice of her, but that doesn’t explain why you’re dating her.”
“No, I guess it doesn’t.” He took a slug of beer. “My aunt used my picture for an ad campaign without my consent. You know the one the guys were waving all over the place? I didn’t agree to that.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Anyway, Christine claims she doesn’t know anything about it, and I threatened to sue if she didn’t pull the ads. She explained that she didn’t know where they were placed, but would find out the moment the women got home. I agreed to wait the few weeks. That’s all.”
“Piss poor excuse if you ask me.” She eyed him suspiciously. “And it still doesn’t explain why you’re going out with her.” Maddie took a swig of her beer and slammed the bottle back on the table. “Thought you didn’t date.”
“I don’t.” He didn’t know why he’d agreed to this either. If he explained it to Maddie, he’d have to explain it to himself. He’d been suckered in, that was all.
The dimple in Christine’s left cheek flashed into his mind. It had looked out of place on her face. She had a strong, lean face, and the dimple looked soft, feminine, appealing. When he’d first seen that dimple, he’d wanted to kiss it.
Shit. What had gotten into him?
Maddie grumbled, “I bet you’d look pretty good all cleaned up.” She leaned away from him. “Didn’t you say you were picking up a jacket from the cleaners?” She pointed a finger at him. “You’re getting yourself all dolled up. What does she look like anyway?”
Derek shrugged, pushing aside the memory of that delectable dimple. “I don’t know. She looks like a woman. Kind of pretty, I guess.”
“That’s what I thought.” Her eyes narrowed. “What do the boys think about you dating?”
“I haven’t told them yet.”
“Well, you damn better, and do it quick. Poor kids. Losing their mother and now seeing you cat-tailing about town.”
He sucked in his breath, then released it slowly. His wife had died two and a half years ago from cancer, leaving him alone with two teenaged sons. He wondered how long it would take for him to be able to think of Shannon’s death without feeling a sharp ache inside his chest.
“I’m not cat-doing anything.” He rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Sheesh, Maddie. You make me feel like a heel. I haven’t even looked at a woman since. . .”
“I know, but seems like that’s about to change.”
“It was bound to sometime. I’m only forty. I can’t sleep alone forever.”
She slid off her chair. “I was gonna offer to pay for the beers, but hell no. You can buy your own.”
“Maddie. Come on. Don’t be mad. You’re still the number one lady in my life. Besides my mother.”
She was only about five feet tall, and her hips were nearly as wide. But she blushed and grinned. “You remember that, ya hear?” She lightly smacked his arm. “Give your mom my best. Tell her I’ll make some of those banana-walnut muffins she likes.”
“I’ll do that. Thanks, Maddie.”
Her muddy brown eyes met his. “Maybe we could do dinner sometime. Grab a burger or something.”
“Sure, why not?”
Maddie stood there as if her feet were glued to the floor. “How’s your ma, anyway? Any improvement?”
“No. I’m starting to think there won’t be. This stroke is much worse than the others. She’s totally bed
-ridden now, and won’t be getting much better.”
“Poor thing.” Maddie turned to leave. “You working tomorrow?”
“Does a dog shit in the woods?”
She grinned, and he caught a glimpse of her teeth, which were slightly yellowed and reminded him of baby corn. “Don’t you mean, bear?”
“Whatever.” He winked, kissed her cheek, and watched her leave. Slowly, he stood up, stretching his weary muscles.
The waitress came up behind him. She had long curly blonde hair, a voluptuous body, and was smiling at him as if she didn’t mind his grubby appearance.
“You all just about finished that home down the street?” she asked.
“It’ll be done next week.” He smiled. “Can’t wait to see the looks on the faces of the family moving in. It’s always the best thing in the world to bring that kind of magic to someone’s life.”
“I can only imagine. You must be real proud of what you do.”
“I’m not real proud of anything. I do it as much for my own satisfaction as for theirs. Nothing in the world feels better.”
“Oh, I can think of something,” she drawled.
He winked. “Okay, maybe there are one or two things that top the list.” Afraid she might push him on that, he paid the tab and scooted out. Besides, he had a date, didn’t he?
***
His kids were home by the time he strolled in at five. He normally showed up around then with a bag of food in hand. He still hadn’t quite got used to cooking meals every night. Normally, he tried to do a home cooked meal a couple times a week, but his sons weren’t too crazy about his baked mac and cheese or spaghetti and meatballs. Seemed he couldn’t make them taste the same as their mom’s. Nothing ever tasted as good as the way Shannon had made it, so why even try? He grilled okay, but they couldn’t eat steaks and chicken every night either.
Kyle was in the kitchen working on his laptop, and he looked up as Derek walked in. “Hi, Dad.” He frowned at the white box Derek was carrying. “Pizza night?” he grumbled. “I thought we had it two days ago.”
“We did, but I thought you liked pizza. Next time I’ll get the lasagna or baked ziti.” He dropped the box on the counter and reached in the pantry for the paper plates. “I won’t be eating with you tonight. I’ve got to go back out.”
“How come we don’t ever get sushi or go to that really cool Thai restaurant anymore?”
Derek wasn’t sure what to say. Asian cuisine had been his wife’s favorite, and just the sight of sushi or a Thai curry reminded him of her. Reminders, of course, were everywhere, and he didn’t want to be sitting in one of her favorite restaurants and get all choked up.
“Uh, well, we went out to that nice seafood place for your birthday. I had lobster and you had garlic shrimp.”
“I remember.” Kyle was playing chess on-line, and he paused to make a move, then glanced suspiciously at his dad. “So, where are you going? You never go anywhere. Aren’t you going to stay and help us with our homework?”
Derek was forestalled by the sound of heavy footfalls and a basketball bouncing rhythmically on the floor. He turned to see his older son Kevin walk into the room.
“Hi, Dad.” Kevin faked a pass to Derek. “Hey, is that pizza I smell?” He nabbed a piece, rolled it in half and stuffed it in his mouth.
“Yeah, sorry we have to have it again so soon, but I was telling Kyle that I have to go out tonight. Now that you’re here, I’ll tell you both at the same time so I don’t have to say it twice.”
“Say what? Why are you acting weird?” Kyle slammed the top of his laptop down.
Derek folded his arms over his chest and rocked back and forth. Then he grabbed a chair and sat on it backwards. “I’m not acting anything. I have a dinner date. Well, it’s not really a date, but I’m taking a lady out for dinner, or rather, she’s taking me. That’s all.”
Kevin’s mouth fell open, and mozzarella cheese dribbled off his chin. He swiped at it and continued to gape. “Well, shit. So, you’re finally going to do it.” He grinned. “Good, Dad. It’s time to get back on the horse.”
“I’m not getting on any horse.” He could feel his cheeks grow red. “This is more of a business arrangement.”
Kyle kicked the chair next to him. “Who is she? Does Mom know her?”
“No, your mom wouldn’t know her. At least, I don’t think so. She might, come to think of it. Her name is Christine Bradley and she owns the Sass and Class, a hair salon near the Garden Mall.”
“So, why are you going out with her?” Kyle glared at him, making Derek feel about as big as a leech.
“Drop it, Kyle,” Kevin said. “Dad can go out with anyone he wants. Mom’s dead. Get over it.”
“I’m over it,” Kyle said, but his voice was shaky. “I’m just not a total jerk-off like you.”
“Come on, kids. No name calling. And you have a right to ask me anything you want. If you really don’t want me to go out tonight, I’ll call it off.”
“We’re cool with it, Dad,” Kevin answered for both of them. “But how’d you meet her? And how’d you get her to pay for dinner?”
“It’s a long story, but I’ll condense it for you. Aunt Mary and Christine’s mother were in business together. They started a dating service geared for seniors and it has been losing money ever since they conceived this stupid idea. There’s another woman involved also, and they are all widows living on pensions and social security, and they can’t afford to lose a dime.”
“So how is your going out on a date going to make it better?” Kyle got up and grabbed a slice of pizza.
Derek put two plates on the table, some napkins, and took a couple of sodas from the refrigerator. He sat down at the table and watched the boys devour the food.
“I don’t know. Thing is, Aunt Mary found a picture of me from an old job site and decided to use it for an ad. The idea was to attract a younger clientele and to drum up some business.”
“Hey, you go, Dad.” Kevin punched him in the arm.
“I think that stinks.” Kyle pushed his plate away. “I don’t want you dating anyone. What about Mom? Are you going to forget about her?”
“No, of course not. I will never forget your mother. That is never going to happen, but one day I hope to meet a woman that I can love again. I know you’re a little young to understand this, but I want to share my life with a special someone.”
“You have us. Isn’t that enough?”
Derek wanted to crawl through the floor. “Yes, it’s enough. You want me to cancel this date?”
Kevin spoke up. “No, we don’t. Kyle is just being a selfish prick. You deserve happiness, Dad. We know how much you loved Mom, and we all miss her.”
He got up before he embarrassed himself with tears. “Thanks. I’m going to take a shower now. I’ll see you both later.”
Why the hell had he agreed to go on this stupid date? He wasn’t good for Christine or for any woman. Fact was, he’d seen some fire in Christine’s deep blue eyes, and figured her to be a passionate woman. A lady like that needed a man who could love her properly.
Maybe he saw what he wanted to see, but that fire and passion reminded him of his wife, the love of his life. Shannon had lived and loved as though she couldn’t get enough, and sadly, she had been right. Cancer had taken her when she was only thirty-six years old. It had snuffed out her vibrant soul and his as well.
He didn’t know Christine from Eve, but he was damn sure that she deserved a man who’d have the decency to remember who was lying underneath him as he made love to her. The few women he’d slept with since Shannon’s death were a blur. He couldn’t recall a single detail about them, not even their last names. Sadly, they hadn’t mattered. And he was not going to do that again. He’d keep his pants on and his fly zipped until the right woman came along. Or until thoughts of his wife were put to rest. Whichever came first.
CHAPTER FIVE
Christine tried her mother one last time before leaving the office, but still d
id not get her in. She was not worried, but she did want to hear about the trip over and how she was enjoying Florence. She left a message at the hotel for her mother to call her.
When she arrived home there was a message from her mom saying that she was exhausted and would call again the next day. Christine remembered the six hour time difference; it was already past eleven in Italy.
She jumped in the shower, and then tried to decide what she would wear for her date with Derek. She wanted to portray exactly the right image. Classy, sophisticated, understated elegance, all the things she expected Champagne to be. It was important to be dressed attractively enough to get Derek to do what she wanted, but not have him think she was making a special effort on his behalf. She finally decided on a pair of designer slacks that made her stomach disappear, a top that hinted at cleavage and a jacket in case the restaurant had the air conditioner at full tit alert.
Her high-lighted shoulder length hair was hanging loose, which softened her pointed chin. Her eyes, easily her best feature, were a striking blue, and she used a touch of shadow to emphasize the color in case anyone missed it the first time. Then with a heavier hand she applied concealer to hide the signs of aging.
But who was she kidding? Anyone looking at her would know she was no spring chicken. From the crow’s-feet at the corners of her eyes to the incipient turkey waddle under her chin, she was nothing more than a dressed-up piece of poultry, she thought with a flash of her old humor.
She stepped into a comfortable pair of heels, smeared on some high-powered red lipstick, dabbed a touch of perfume behind her ears, and grabbed her car keys. She had ten minutes to get to the restaurant, and it wouldn’t be fitting to keep the man waiting.
Christine knew a good thing when she saw it. And Derek's rugged good looks and construction-hard body turned heads. For advertising purposes, he was a keeper. Failing that, she would sign him on as a client. Either way, she was not letting him out of her clutches.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE TRILOGY Page 28
