by Nikki Bloom
“Ah.” Connor nodded knowingly. “So, you had a run-in with Odette?”
“I did.”
“She’s something of a local celebrity around here. You should have seen her when she was giving out fortunes. If you questioned her fashion sense today, you should have seen her then. She was like a walking circus tent.” Glancing over at his screen, I saw him going through his email. There was no evidence he was talking to Rhianna outside of the gym. “But I have to admit, her fortunes were always scary accurate.”
“Really?”
“No, of course not.” He closed his laptop and held out the hand, asking to see the book. “What did Odette get you to buy?”
“I can’t make out the title and the author is unknown, but from what she told me, it’s something of a fairytale about star-crossed lovers. I wasn’t going to buy it, but as you must know, Odette is quite the saleswoman.”
“So, if not this, what were you intending to buy?”
“There was a book there on Victorian hairstyles – a manual of sorts.” I dropped my eyes, suddenly bashful about sharing my passion.
“Oh?”
Despite the heat rising through my cheeks, I felt a need to tell Connor about my love for hair. “You see, at one point I thought about being a hairdresser. I went through beauty school and everything, but the bills weren’t getting paid and no one cared to hire someone with little to no experience. So, I took to designing websites as a freelancer. It paid well – paid for my degree, in fact. And that’s how I came to apply for the web manager position at your company.”
Connor looked impressed, which filled me with a sort of pride. “That’s quite the story. I have to admire you for sacrificing your dream of being a hairdresser for the sake of being responsible. It isn’t something most people would do. They’d rather remain a starving artist.”
“I miss it. I do. But it is what it is.”
“You know my grandmother runs a chain of hair salons. It’s a small operation but she does it more as a passion project than anything else. She’s pushing eighty and still cutting hair. My grandfather refuses to let anyone else approach him with clippers.”
“Your grandparents sound sweet.”
“They are. I was lucky enough to be raised by their hand.” I felt a thread of Connor’s past at my fingertips. I thought about unraveling it. There were a million questions I could have asked him, but I decided to settle into the silence and hope that one day he would feel comfortable telling me everything there was to know about Connor Dresden.
16
Connor
The following day, I waited for Poppy in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and the day’s paper. The stock market was looking pretty good, but it could be better. I made a mental note to get in touch with my investor just to make sure things were sound because when it came time for my retirement, I had every intention of never lifting a finger.
These thoughts were usually ones of me sipping cocktails by the beach, but suddenly there was someone else alongside me.
Poppy.
She had made her way into my future and I’ve got to say, she looked pretty good there. I wondered whether it could really happen. Could we really grow old together? Was there enough chemistry outside of the bedroom to make it work?
Before I could make my conclusion, Poppy walked into the kitchen wearing a simple summer dress and a neutral-colored cardigan over her shoulders. “I’m going to have to go shopping soon,” she said.
“That can be arranged,” I said. There was really nothing provocative about her outfit. It was really quite modest, but still, I felt my attraction mounting as she joined me at the table. It was a need to be next to her – to hold her. “And what about your things in Atlanta? Aren’t you having them shipped here?”
“That’s the plan. I’ll have to talk to my old roommate and see if she won’t box everything up for me.” She drenched her French toast in syrup before cutting it into bite-sized pieces. I found myself drawn to every movement she made. There was a sort of mysticism about this woman that I had never seen in another. Odette would have called it a connection of the souls and maybe it was, but from a pragmatic perspective, I knew it was still too soon to tell.
I finished my coffee and folded my newspaper, putting it aside so I could better focus on the gorgeous woman sitting across from me. “I was thinking we could share a ride to work. There’s no need to bother a chauffeur if we’re both going the same way.”
“So, are you driving, then?” she asked.
“I am. Why? Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. I just assumed that maybe you didn’t have a license or something.”
I laughed. “I got my permit as soon as I was fifteen and a half. I skipped school that day and everything.”
“And your grandparents allowed that?”
“It took a bit to convince my grandmother, but it had been my grandfather’s idea. He loves cars and wanted to see me behind the wheel as soon as possible. You know, he picked up my grandmother at a drive-in. She worked the concession stand and he would watch a movie every day just to see her. Back then, he didn’t have a cent to his name, but she fell in love with his charm. The rest is history.” I stole an apple tart from Poppy’s plate before getting up and grabbing my keys. “Shall we?”
“Isn’t it a little early? I thought we started at nine.”
“We do.”
“So, why are we leaving now?”
“Because there’s somewhere I want to go before we head into the office,” I said.
I took her by the hand and pulled her up. Forgetting how small she was, I pulled a little too hard and her body crashed into mine. I steadied her by wrapping my arms around her waist, holding close. Time seemed to stop as I looked down and fell into the depth of her eyes. Without thinking, I kissed her. It was the most natural thing in the world.
We were both smiling when we finally pulled away from one another. Wanting the blissful moment to last, I placed my hand in hers and brought her into the garage.
She stopped at the door like her feet had suddenly become glued to the floor.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Do all of these cars belong to you?”
“Every last one,” I said. “My grandfather isn’t the only one who loves cars. I guess you could say I inherited that from him.”
“This is quite the…collection.” I saw her eyes gravitating towards a baby blue model. It happened to be one of my favorites and the one I was taking out that very morning. It would seem great minds think alike. “How much does something like this cost?” she asked as she ran her finger along the chrome detailing.
“Why, are you thinking about getting one for yourself?” I opened the door for her and helped her inside.
“If I had the cash and I knew how to drive, I totally would.” She buckled herself in as I started the car. It was always a joy to hear the motor purring under the hood. “Maybe you could help teach me?”
“I’d love to,” I said, and it wasn’t a lie. I was a very busy man and more often than not, my schedule was jammed packed, but it didn’t feel like a burden to take time out of my day to help Poppy. It felt right.
My hand rested on the shifter as I made my way toward the city. Poppy found it, squeezing it gently just to tell me she was there.
I could get used to this, I thought.
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going.”
“To see Odette.”
“Odette?” Poppy questioned. “Isn’t it a little too early for a fortune-telling?”
“We’re not going there to get our fortunes read.”
“Then why else? I can’t say I think of you as a thrifter.”
“We’re going to get that book on Victorian hairstyles. I want you to have it.” This time, I was the one squeezing her hand.
“You really didn’t have to drive all the way out here for my sake.”
“If it’ll make you happy, then it’ll be worth it.” I brought her fi
ngertips to my lips, kissing them with a tenderness that came straight from the heart.
There was another car parked in front of the pawnshop. It looked familiar, but I couldn’t think of who owned the black sedan. The license plate didn’t help to ring any bells. Figuring I would find out who it was soon enough, I stopped wracking my brain and rounded the front of the car. I didn’t get to Poppy’s door fast enough for she was already getting out. I held out my hand and she took it.
What felt like a zap of electricity coursed through my veins, accelerating the beating of my heart. What was it about this girl that made me feel so alive?
Hand in hand, we walked into the store. To my surprise, Rhianna was standing at the counter holding what appeared to be a diamond bracelet. “It has to be worth more than that,” she said, her tone curt. “He told me it was genuine.”
Odette humored her customer and considered the piece of jewelry under her jeweler’s loop. “I’m sorry but this is cubic zirconia. I can give you twenty dollars for it and I’m really being quite generous with you despite your misgivings with my son.”
Rhianna huffed. “Your son was a joke. Now, I say you quit playing me and give me the real value of this bracelet because I’m not letting you have it for twenty dollars.”
Poppy slipped out of my grasp and marched right up to Rhianna. “You’ve got some kind of nerve,” she said, standing tall. Oh, she meant business. I almost felt sorry for Rhianna because she was about to get the beat down of the year. “Where do you get off insulting this woman? It isn’t her fault that your boyfriend gave you fake diamonds. You should just be happy he got you anything at all. Maybe a $20 bracelet is all he could afford.” With every word, her tone became icier.
“Who the hell are you to give me a lecture? I don’t see a halo on your head. Don’t kid yourself, sweetheart, you aren’t a saint so stop acting like one.” She snatched up her bracelet. “You won’t be getting any of my future business.”
Odette smiled. “I would say that it’s been a pleasure but that would be a lie.”
Rhianna huffed and was about to storm out the door when she spotted me standing nearby. In an instant, her scowl was replaced by bedroom eyes. Her bottom lip jutted out ever so slightly in what I had to guess was her attempt at a sexy pout. “Oh, Connor, I didn’t see you there.” She stretched out every syllable like she was about to sing a song. “You aren’t here with her, are you?” She pointed her thumb at Poppy. “Did you see how she came up to me barking like a mad bitch. The nerve of some people.”
My blood boiled to hear her insult Poppy right to my face.
“And I’ve been meaning to call you and ask whether you changed your mind about my invitation. Maybe I was a little forward at the gym, but I thought you’d agree once you knew what you were missing out on.”
“Frankly, I’m not missing out on much,” I said, my tone steady. Keeping one’s temper always packs a bigger punch. It has a way of getting under an opponent’s skin.
“What?”
“You heard me. I wasn’t interested then and I’m not interested now.” I added insult to injury by wrapping my arm around Poppy’s shoulder. “I’ve found myself someone amazing.”
She sized up Poppy for a moment, looking like she was a contender in a cage match. I stepped in front of my fiancée, holding out my arm as a sort of shield. It wasn’t that I thought Poppy would lose in a fight. In fact, if I had to bet on it, I would put all my money on Poppy. She was the fiercer of the two, but I just didn’t want to see her stoop down to Rhianna’s level.
“You’re delusional if you think she has anything on me.”
“And you’re delusional to think I would ever give a gold digger such as yourself a chance. You might as well wait for Hell to freeze over.”
At this, Odette chimed it. “The stars predict such an event happening in approximately 2.3 billion years.”
“Hear that? You can try being my girlfriend in 2.3 billion years. Until then, you might want to start looking for a new client because I’d rather be out of shape than have to train alongside someone who treats people like shit.”
Rhianna stood there clutching the strap to her designer bag until the tips of her fingers went a bright shade of white. By contrast, her face went a deep shade of crimson and growing darker by the second. Clearly, I had struck a nerve. Good. With an attitude like hers, she needed to be taught a lesson.
“Good day,” I said with a nod of my head.
With nothing to say, she huffed and turned on her heels. Through the window I watched her throw the bracelet to the ground and stomp on it. For someone who had been so adamant about having something of value, she was quick to throw it away. Of course, it had been a con. Women like Rhianna only want one thing.
“So, that was your personal trainer?” Poppy asked once I rejoined her at the counter. Odette had disappeared.
“Yeah, was,” I said. “She’s one hell of a trainer, but she won’t see me stepping foot into her gym ever again. I’m not about to shell out money to someone who treats others like bugs beneath her feet.”
“Good.” Poppy looked around. “Any idea where Odette went? She just sort of vanished.”
“She’ll turn up,” I said. “She always does.”
“So, you had no idea she was like that?”
“Who? Rhianna?”
Poppy nodded.
“Honestly, for the most part, I’m too winded during our training sessions to bother with conversation. Only recently has she shown interest in me outside the gym.”
“Oh?” Something flashed behind Poppy’s eyes. Was she jealous? I searched her face, looking for answers, but she dropped her gaze to the display case beside us. There were some unusual trinkets, though none of them held my attention now that there was a chance Poppy was legitimately interested in me.
“She asked me to accompany her to the grand opening of this club her cousin recently bought. Now that I think about it, I think she just recently broke up with her boyfriend. He was a stockbroker, I think.”
“Aha.” Poppy nodded knowingly. “She needed someone else to supply the gifts.” She threw back her head and laughed. “But the joke’s on her because this guy was smart enough to get her the cheap stuff.”
I laughed alongside her before she stopped and looked at me with a stare so intense, it stopped the world from spinning. “Would you ever date someone like that? I mean if she was smoking hot and lacked a thread of decent moral fiber?”
“That isn’t a question,” I said. “Of course, I would want to date a beautiful woman. I would be lying if I said looks weren’t at least part of the equation but they aren’t everything. I want more than a girlfriend. I want a partner, and for someone to be my partner they have to be smart and funny and generous and kind.” I was describing Poppy and everything about her that made my pulse quicken. “I want someone I can grow old with and share a thousand happy memories with.”
Poppy looked like she was about to say something, but then all of a sudden, Odette appeared. “Here is that book you wanted.”
“I didn’t say I wanted a book,” said Poppy, and yet, the book in Odette’s hand was exactly what we had come to buy.
“We’ll take it.”
“How did she…?” Poppy scratched the side of her head. “I really didn’t tell her we were here for the Victorian hairstyle book.”
“You expressed interest in it yesterday. I simply assumed you were here to see if it was still on my shelves. Often, when we leave things behind we return to find them again.”
“There’s something otherworldly about that woman,” said Poppy once we were back in the car. “You have to agree that was pretty weird.”
“She just has a good memory. I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” I tapped the cover of the book. “And I expect you to start wearing your hair like this or I’m going to have to call off this wedding.”
“You better be careful what you wish for.” Her carefree laugh filled the car and every chamber of my heart. Oh, i
f only I could hear that laugh for the rest of my days.
17
Poppy
It was a good morning if you know what I mean. A few weeks into the job as Connor’s personal assistant and I was really starting to dig the added ‘benefits.’ Despite having a room of my own, most nights were spent in my boss’s bed because who wants to sleep alone if they could help it? And my usual insomnia wasn’t so bad when there was someone to share my thoughts with. People often make a big deal of ‘pillow talk’ and I hadn’t the slightest idea why, but it was extremely comforting to know I could turn over and have someone listen to me. We’d talk deep into the night about this or that. Sometimes we’d chase conspiracy theories or try to unravel a film we had watched earlier that night. But what I enjoyed the most was learning about the business – what he did as a kid – how he got a start in the world – everything. And he seemed just as interested in my story.
Wearing nothing but a silk robe, I went into the kitchen. Since it was a Saturday, most of the house staff had the day off, including the morning cook. It was always a little weird to hear the pitter-patter of my feet against the tile floor when usually the massive room was filled with the sounds of sizzling bacon or the whirling of a blender. Looking to fill the silence, I turned on the mansion’s sound system. It started playing some smooth jazz. I bobbed my head with the beat as I made my way to the coffee machine. It was a fancy contraption with buttons enough to rival the cockpit of a plane.
I pressed what I hoped was the right combination of buttons for an espresso and crossed my fingers. The machine started sucking up water from the reserve so, clearly, something was happening. Then came the grind of coffee beans. I took a few steps away from the machine, always half afraid it would explode, but in the end, I was left with a steaming mug of coffee. Success! Pleased with myself, I carried the mug through the maze of halls looking for Connor. If I had to bet on it, he was probably tucked away in his home office. The guy had no concept of ‘weekend.’ He was a workaholic by every definition of the word, but I had to respect his work ethic for it had gotten him to where he was now. One does not become the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation with satisfactory work alone.
