“Like sex and food?” She asked with raised eyebrows.
“Well, what’s wrong with those two items? A relationship that’s satisfying is going to have those components. But there’s so much more. When we’re together, doing things like tramping through Central Park or stopping for ice cream, I see everything around me with a heightened awareness. During the week when we’re apart, there’s grayness to what I’m experiencing. Am I the only one feeling this way?” He searched her expression closely.
Sam closed her eyes briefly as the portent of his words sank in. Jordan’s sincerity demanded a truthful answer. “I do look forward to seeing you,” she finally replied, “but there’s a fear attached that I can’t quite squelch. We met under such bizarre circumstances. And believe me, your effect on my life has been monumental.”
His hands cradled her face. “I’m glad to hear that. It bodes well for our future.” Then he kissed her long and soundly before resuming their hike.
They stopped along the way to admire shore birds wading in the lake. Jordan picked up a flat pebble and sent it skimming over the water.
“I’ve always wanted to do that!” Sam exclaimed, searching for a similarly sized stone. She found one and tried to imitate his movement. The stone flopped a few times and sank. “That’s what happens all the time,” she complained.
“Here, let me show you.” He came to her side and went through the correct motion. “You have to move your hand smoothly, almost parallel to the water, or else it will drop.” His next stone whizzed through the air and skipped merrily across the lake.
Pressing her lips together with concentration, Sam tried again. But the flat pebble refused to do its thing. “I give up,” she declared stalking away. “I guess I’m just not coordinated.” This was the opening to confess her clumsiness in his tai chi class. She opened her mouth to tell him but the words wouldn’t come. What was the matter? Why was she such a coward?
He caught up with her. “Don’t take it so seriously. Most boys develop that skill early in life. I think girls have a harder time unless they’re tomboys. What were you like as a child?”
“I was always drawing or painting. Someone handed me a crayon when I was about three or four, and I found a new world of color and design. Sports were not my thing, except for swimming. I even have problems playing ping pong.”
He couldn’t help laughing. “At least my ego will never suffer when I take you on for a game. That’s something.” He reached for her hand as they walked.
“I’ll bet most of the women you’ve dated were great at sports,” she said with a touch of envy in her voice.
“Who cares? I’m with you now, and I’ve forgotten the others. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, Sam. You are unique and wonderful. I’m not looking for an Olympic champion to share my life. Can’t you understand that?” He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake.
“You’re a great confidence builder, and no, I’m not trying out for the Olympics yet. But I do like to hold my own when it comes to ordinary things, like playing ping pong and skimming stones. Guess I’ll have to stick with painting and belly dancing. At least I have an edge in those two areas.”
“You can say that.”
After Sam called a halt to hiking, they headed back to the inn to relax and take a leisurely shower together. Jordan had made reservations for dinner at a restaurant overlooking the lake. “It’s a casual place, so don’t worry about dressing up,” he told her.
“I can’t, even if I wanted to,” she retorted.
He laughed as he pushed her onto the bed. “Be glad I let you bring any clothes at all. I should have kept you naked under the covers for the entire weekend.”
“Is that so?” She sent him a coy smile.
“Would that be so terrible? We could send out for food and hibernate. We’ll have to try it on a cold, snowy weekend next winter. By that time I should’ve found our weekend retreat. Right now we’d better get going. Our reservations are for eight.”
Jordan was talking about the future, Sam realized. But did they have one?
Rather than try to figure out that conundrum, she decided to take one day at a time and enjoy the night’s pleasures.
~ ~ ~
“Andrea, it’s so good to see you. You’re looking fit and tan. How was the weekend down south?” Lori Atkins came around the table at the upscale restaurant to give her friend a kiss on the cheek. She went on to greet Andrea’s sister Karen.
“It was great. Ben had business in Boca Raton, so we flew down Thursday evening and came back last night. I spent most of the time sunning myself by the pool.”
“Lucky girl,” Lori declared as she sat down and glanced at the menu.
“I’m glad you could meet us today. I needed to come into town to pick up bridesmaid gifts, so I thought I’d phone and see if you were free for lunch. Karen came along to keep me company.” Andrea smiled at her younger sister.
“Well, Monday is usually a quiet day at the office. Most of my clients have busy weekends and need to catch up,” Lori explained.
“How’s the interior design business these days?” Andrea inquired while she scanned the menu. “Their Cobb salads are fabulous.”
“I’ll have one of those, too,” Karen chimed in. “Yes, it’s good to see you, Lori. The shower was so crowded, it was hard to get any quiet time for conversation. But I think it went very well.”
“Oh, it was wonderful,” Lori enthused. “I’ll join you in ordering the Cobb salad. I have a few pounds to lose before the wedding.” She patted her stomach with a wry look. “Concerning business, I have more clients than I can handle. Spring is always busy. People are redecorating for upcoming holidays and weddings.”
“I can’t wait ’til Ben builds our new home in Greenwich. It’ll be so much fun decorating the place. Believe me, Lori, I’ll keep you plenty occupied,” Andrea asserted.
The waiter came to fill water glasses and take their order.
“Where are you shopping for your bridesmaid gifts?” Lori asked.
“Probably Bloomingdales,” Andrea replied. “The problem is, I’m not sure whether to pick up five gifts or six. My youngest sister recently told me, in no uncertain terms, that she won’t be coming to the wedding. She was supposed to be one of the bridesmaids.” Andrea’s expression was grim. “Karen was there when she made this declaration. So were my mother and two elderly aunts. Believe me, it was quite a shock. So I’m stuck with a bridesmaid’s dress and no one to wear it. It doesn’t seem fair to ask someone to fill in at this late date.”
“What’s the matter with her? I’ve never heard of anyone doing such a thing,” Lori exclaimed. “Did you argue about something? Is that the reason she’s not coming?”
“My sister’s a very strange person. She dislikes anything to do with family. Wouldn’t you say so?” Andrea turned to Karen for affirmation.
Nodding her head, Karen said, “I would agree with you there. Samantha tends to do her own thing.”
“Samantha? I’d forgotten her name,” Lori said with a puzzled expression. Jordan’s new girlfriend’s name was Samantha. “Is she a belly dancer by any chance?”
“A belly dancer? I don’t think so,” Andrea said with a laugh. “My sister doesn’t know her left foot from her right. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Jordan mentioned he was seeing someone whose name is Samantha, and she belly dances at restaurants. But there are tons of women with that name. It’s very popular nowadays.”
“Well, I can assure you Jordan would have better taste in women. My sister doesn’t date and devotes all her time to her paintings, which are as strange as she is. Right?” She turned to Karen again.
Karen nodded her agreement.
The waiter appeared with their salads and a basket of fresh bread.
>
“Oh, we don’t need the bread,” Andrea declared with a dismissive gesture.
“No, we don’t want it,” Karen said.
“I’m glad you girls are so disciplined,” Lori said. “Otherwise I’d probably gorge myself on those rolls.”
“How is your brother these days? I was surprised when he broke up with Lara Jensen. I spent time talking to her at my shower and was very impressed. If I had the courage, I’d call her and see if she’d fill in for my sister, but it’s probably too late to do that.” Andrea munched on her salad with a thoughtful look.
“I don’t think it’s too late,” Lori exclaimed. “She’d probably be thrilled to be in the wedding party. Although how Jordan would feel about it, I don’t know.”
“I was going to pair him with my sister,” Andrea explained. “Do you think he’d mind walking down the aisle with Lara? I don’t want to put him on the spot if he’d feel awkward.”
Lori was silent a minute as she thought about the situation. She was annoyed with her brother for not confiding in her in the first place. Besides, she hadn’t heard from him in weeks. It would serve him right to be with his ex-girlfriend. “I think it would be okay. Jordan’s not the nasty type. He’ll pretend everything is fine and go through with it. Why don’t you ask Lara and see what she thinks? If she’s all right with the idea, go ahead and do it.”
“I think so, too,” Karen nodded her head. “Lara’s a lovely woman. She was so helpful at the shower.”
“Since you both agree, I’ll phone her and ask. I’m glad that’s settled. I’ll pick up six bridesmaid gifts and figure she’ll say yes to my proposal. Thanks for helping me out of this embarrassing situation. As it is, my mother’s been a wreck since the scene at the restaurant with Samantha. She wants us to be one happy family, and it’s hard for her to understand why this isn’t going to happen. After Samantha opened her big mouth and screamed at me in front of everyone, I never want to be in her presence again,” Andrea declared.
Lori shook her head in consternation. “Your sister must have something wrong with her to do a thing like that in a public place. I don’t blame you one bit for not wanting to be in her company. I try to avoid negative people if I can.”
“That’s very wise,” Karen said. “I was shocked, too, especially since our two elderly aunts were with us. They talked about it all the way home.”
“I’m sure they’ve spread the word to the rest of the family, which is bothering my mother no end. My father asked me to call Samantha and patch things up so she’d be in the wedding party. I’d rather cancel the wedding than do a thing like that. If she wanted to apologize to me, she had her chance. Since I never heard a word from her, I’m standing firm. I hope I never have to see her again,” Andrea said in a determined tone.
“Parents always want their children to get along,” Lori said. “Every time my sisters and I quarreled about something, they would usually intervene and try to fix things. It took them a while to figure out we were better off negotiating our own arguments, rather than being forced to listen to their lectures. Maybe in time, things will change with your sister, Andrea, and the two of you can at least be cordial, if not friendly. That’s always possible, you know.”
“Possible but unlikely,” Andrea replied. “You, Diane, and Amy get along well because you’re all on the same page. Samantha and I have never been close, and I can’t imagine anything changing. But thanks for all your good advice, Lori. Just talking it out has made me feel better.” She patted her friend’s hand and sent her a grateful smile.
“That’s what good friends are for,” Lori said, giving Andrea’s hand a little squeeze. “I’m always here for you.”
“As I am for you,” Andrea replied.
Chapter 20
“I talked to Lara Jensen, and she’s delighted to be one of my bridesmaids,” Andrea announced to her fiancé, Ben Nichols, as he perused the Wall Street Journal in his apartment Monday evening. “I’m so relieved that problem’s solved. The only hang-up is she won’t allow Jordan to accompany her down the aisle. She can’t stand him after the way he behaved.”
Ben, a slender man with graying hair and horn-rimmed glasses, looked up from his paper with a frown. “What can you do? If she doesn’t want him, you can’t force the issue.”
“Of course not. But maybe we can switch things around and have Daniel escort Lara and put Jordan with Marsha. How would that work?” She walked over and perched on the arm of his upholstered chair. “I’m trying to get the whole thing settled, so I can relax and handle all the other details. Mother’s been bugging me about Samantha since we returned. She wants me to talk to her and convince her to come to the wedding. Can you imagine? After the way my sister talked to me! I told you what she said in front of everyone.” Andrea’s expression hardened as she remembered the episode.
Ben sighed, eager to return to his scrutiny of the stock market. “Whatever you want is fine with me. I’m sure Daniel and Marsha won’t mind switching. But do you think Lara will make a scene when she sees Jordan?”
“I don’t think so. She knows he’s coming to the wedding. As long as he doesn’t bother her, it should be fine. Could you call Daniel and explain the change? Just don’t go into too many details. There’ll be enough gossip because my crazy sister isn’t there.”
Ben patted her arm protectively. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll all work out fine. I’ll phone Daniel in the morning and settle everything. Let’s concentrate on pleasant things, like our honeymoon in Italy and designing our new home.”
She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re so sweet, Ben. I knew you’d take care of things for me.”
“That’s why I’m here, Andrea.” He smiled at her and returned to his paper.
~ ~ ~
When Jordan parked in front of Sam’s home on Monday, he turned to her and said, “I’m not coming in. I know you have lots to catch up with after the weekend away. And I have stuff to handle. I hope you enjoyed these two days as much as I did.”
“It was wonderful. I forgot about everything, and I feel really relaxed.”
“I wonder why,” he teased. Then he climbed out of the car to retrieve her small bag from the trunk and open her door. “I’ll call you during the week. Let’s plan on a boat trip next weekend, unless it rains.” He drew her close for one last embrace. “It was fun for me, too. I told you we’d be good together. You just have to trust my judgment.”
“Guess so,” she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. Then she pulled away and took a deep breath. “I’d better get back to reality. I’ve got a ton of laundry, plus bills to pay. I’ll look forward to the boat trip.” With a resolute air, she walked to the front steps and started climbing. For some reason, it was hard to leave him, but she didn’t want to dwell on that feeling. When she reached the top, she turned and waved.
Jordan threw her a kiss and climbed back into his car. In a few minutes, the black BMW was out of sight.
With a resigned sigh, Sam opened the front door and stepped inside. Two balls of fur threw themselves at her, meowing madly. “Okay, okay, guys, I’m back and I’m going to feed you.” She dropped her bag and hastened into the kitchen to open a can of cat food. The red light was blinking on her answering machine, and there was a pile of mail on the kitchen table. Determined to hold on to her carefree mood, she ignored them both. She’d throw in a load of laundry and escape to her studio for a few hours of painting. Later, she’d get her messages and pay bills. Reality would have to wait.
~ ~ ~
Jordan decided to stop at his office rather than head directly home. He’d put in a few hours of work to make up for the long weekend away. Every time he thought of the fantastic hours he’d spent in bed with Sam at the inn, he couldn’t help smiling. Her passion and enjoyment of their lovemaking was just what he needed in his life. Sam’s se
nsuality and eagerness to follow his lead in whatever he proposed stimulated his libido and encouraged experimentation. He couldn’t remember a better weekend.
His secretary, Amelia, had left a pile of messages and several documents on his desk. There were phone calls from his sister Lori, and one from Amy. He put those aside to concentrate on business matters. Personal calls could be made later from home. After several hours of work, he’d cleared his desk of pressing issues and was able to leave.
Reaching his apartment, he glanced at his mail and checked his answering machine. There were several more messages from Lori asking him to return her call. He’d deliberately ignored his cell phone on the weekend and hadn’t left an emergency number with anyone. Now he wondered if something needed his attention.
While he thought about the matter, he scooped several flavors of ice cream into a dish, added hot fudge and whipped cream, and settled himself at the small kitchen table.
He was determined to retain his carefree mood, no matter how difficult the conversation.
“Hi Lori. I got your messages. What’s up?”
“Jordan, where’ve you been? I’ve phoned your office and apartment several times. Even Amelia couldn’t give me any information as to your whereabouts. All she told me was that you’d taken the day off, which for you is quite extraordinary.”
He could tell by her tone of voice that she was irritated. “I figured I could use a few days away. Was there an emergency or some specific reason you needed to contact me?”
“No, but it would’ve been considerate to let me know where you were going since you presumably went out of town. If anything happened to our parents, I would’ve wanted to confer with you. I always knew how to reach you when you dated Lara or any of your other girlfriends. Either you were at your apartment or theirs. Now everything’s a mystery for some reason.”
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