Love in San Francisco ; Unconditionally

by Shirley Hailstock

  “What’s up?” he asked by way of greeting.

  “You know that friend of yours, Ellie?”

  Blake tensed. “Yes.” He drew out the single word as if it had three or four syllables.

  “She said she has a sister who designs.”

  Blake nodded while confirming the statement. “You need something designed for the store?”

  “Not for the store. I have a friend who’s getting married and she wants something spectacular to wear. I told her about that dress Ellie was wearing. It was hard to forget, especially for someone raised in retail.”

  Blake conceded the point. He just didn’t want his brother anywhere near Ellie. He loved André. They were more than brothers; they were partners, confidants, the holder of each other’s secrets. All except one. There was one secret Blake kept to himself.

  “You want Ellie’s sister’s contact information?”

  “I would have called the foundation and gotten the information myself, but you two seemed to have eyes for each other, so I thought I’d go through you.”

  Blake’s body stiffened again. “There is nothing between us,” he said.

  “Yeah,” André said. “Tell that to the judge.”

  “It’s true.” Blake realized his voice was a little stronger than he intended. He hoped André didn’t notice it, but he knew his brother well, and the two of them were in tune with each other like telepaths. They often knew what the other was thinking even before they said it. “I’ll get the information. From a retail point of view, I hope your friend can afford something like the dress Ellie was wearing.”

  A vision of her in the white dress with all the crystals formed in Blake’s mind. He couldn’t help reacting to it. She looked like a man’s wet dream, and he spoke from experience.

  “She can.”

  “Who is this?” Blake asked. “Someone I’ve met?”

  “You haven’t met her, and before you jump to conclusions, we’re not involved.”

  “Yet?” Blake questioned.

  “She’s getting married,” André said. “But even if she wasn’t, there’s no chemistry between us. When I look at her, there are no stars in my eyes, the way there were in yours when you looked at Ellie.”

  Blake tried to deflect the conversation to André, but he steered it right back to Blake and Ellie.

  “I’ll text you her sister’s contact info,” Blake said.

  They hung up and Blake stared at his phone. His finger ached to call Ellie’s number. He wanted to hear her voice. If he couldn’t see her, he wanted to hear the cadence of her tones in his ear.

  He’d dialed her number before he knew he’d done it. Ellie answered on the third ring. This told him she’d stared at her phone, deciding whether she should answer or let the call go to voice mail. At the last minute, she spoke.

  “Blake, I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Have you decided on another charity event for us to attend?”

  “Not yet. In fact, I’m calling for one of my brothers.”

  “Oh.”

  Blake wondered what the inflection in her voice meant. “Apparently the dress your sister designed, the one you wore the night we met, has made a hit with more than one member of my family.”

  “Which brother?”

  “André,” he replied. “Apparently he has a friend who wants to contact your sister and have her design a wedding gown.”

  “Oh,” she repeated, and Blake wondered again about the inflection in her tone. “Her name is Whitney. I told her how much people liked the dress she designed for me.”

  “It was stunning,” Blake said honestly. Ellie was stunning, too, but he’d keep that to himself.

  “I’ll send you her contact info and tell her to expect a call. What’s the woman’s name?”

  Blake started to speak, then realized he didn’t know the answer. “I forgot to ask him.”

  Ellie laughed. Blake loved the sound of it. He’d been so focused on talking to Ellie that he’d forgotten to ask his brother who wanted the dress.

  “I’ll find out and—”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’ll let Whitney know the woman wants a wedding gown, and she’ll talk to her when she calls.”

  For a moment there was silence. He felt the purpose of the call was over, but neither of them said goodbye. Blake was about to do it when Ellie spoke.

  “Do you know if Rose contacted my sister yet? She hadn’t the last time I talked to Whitney.”

  “I don’t know.” Blake hadn’t spoken to any of his brothers since they had left after the gala. He’d been fixated on all things Ellie. He had to get his life back on track. There was more than one reason for him to make sure the two of them stayed apart. It wasn’t her. She knew nothing about his past or his reason for living the bachelor lifestyle. Yet here she was on the phone, and Blake was reluctant to end the call.

  “She might have reconsidered,” Ellie said.

  It took Blake a moment to realize she was continuing the conversation about her sister and Rose.

  “Whitney’s designs are very expensive. If Rose wanted to include her designs in the store, they would probably be cost prohibitive to their clientele. And Whitney has yet to allow her designs in department stores. They were usually sold in exclusive boutiques or by appointment.”

  Blake interpreted that to mean the designs were sold to well-heeled, money-crusted clients.

  “The store has a series of small boutiques that cater to those clients. It’s part of the House of Thorn, but it has a different brand. Most people don’t know the two are associated. So Rose has a place to sell the designs if your sister agrees.”

  He didn’t want to sound condescending or as if he were reprimanding her, yet that was how it came out.

  “I stand corrected,” Ellie said. “I shouldn’t have made the assumption.”

  She didn’t ask for the name of the boutiques.

  “I’ll send you the information you need,” Ellie said, obviously wrapping up the call.

  “Ellie,” Blake called before she could hang up.

  “Yes.”

  “Would you like to go to dinner?” The question came from nowhere. He wanted to see her, and his mouth and brain connected, even if it was without his consent.

  “Tonight?”

  “Tonight,” he agreed. “I’ll pick you up at your office at six.”

  “Six will be fine.”

  He could almost hear her smile through the phone. Blake smiled, too. Thoughts of the accident tried to intrude, but he pushed them away. His heart was happy and he refused to allow that to change right now. Later it would come back to him. He knew that, but for today, for this moment in time, he would allow himself to be happy about a woman without the intrusion of the ghost of another.

  * * *

  The office doors were still unlocked when Blake arrived at the Give It to the Girl entrance. Practically everyone had left for the day, and Ellie tried to keep her excitement down, but since Blake had asked her out, asked her on a date that wasn’t part of a deal, she felt lighthearted and giddy. She reminded herself that they weren’t going to have a relationship, but her brain missed that when his invitation to dinner came.

  She wished she’d worn something that would go from day to night, but her suit would have to do. She’d removed the jacket and opened the first two buttons on her blouse. In the bathroom mirror at her office, Ellie pulled her hair around to one side of her head and anchored it with a rhinestone comb that she’d forgotten to take home. Doing a little repair to her makeup made her feel like she was ready for dinner.

  When he walked into her office, he looked as if he’d stepped out of GQ magazine, but his eyes told her he approved of the way she looked. Ellie stood up. Blake came to her. He put his hands on her waist and kissed her on the cheek. He didn’t hold her long, but stepped back.

&n
bsp; “You look great,” he said.

  “Better than I did the last time we were together.”

  She thought of herself at the airfield, dressed in the bulky flight suit and wearing a tandem harness.

  “The jeans and T-shirt looked good to me,” Blake said.

  Ellie laughed. She’d forgotten that, along with attempting to push thoughts of what happened after dinner in the parking lot in the back to her mind. “Where are we going?”

  He helped her with her jacket. “A small little inn that’s not far from here.”

  Ellie discovered the small little inn was a tavern. It was a loud, happy place, where everyone seemed to know each other and everyone knew Blake. He shook hands and greeted the crowd as if he were a bridegroom doing a reverse reception line. Ellie found it fun. The group seemed to accept and greet her with the same enthusiasm they gave to Blake. Conversations were shouted across tables and across the floor to other tables. Laughter reigned, along with the delicious aroma of foods. Ellie felt right at home.

  “Wow,” she said as she dropped into a seat. “It goes without saying that you’ve been here before.”

  “You got it,” he said.

  “I’ll have to be careful with what I say from now on. Some of my thoughts might not need to be acted upon.”

  “What would some of those be?” he asked.

  Things like making love to him or being held and kissed the way she was in an outside parking lot defied her resolve and shot into her mind, heating every part of her and turning her ears to liquid. Using her hand, she made sure her hair covered one of her ears. She clamped her teeth together to prevent the words from spilling out.

  Covering her face with the menu, Ellie felt like using it to fan herself. She heard Blake’s chuckle and wondered if he had the same visions as she did.

  “I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what we uncover.”

  She lowered the menu and gazed into his eyes. That comment had a second meaning, and she knew that was what he meant. Ellie let the moment go on for several seconds before she spoke.

  “My sister called to thank you for a client. In case you didn’t know, the woman André referred to was Anna Kingsley.”

  “Senator Keith Kingsley’s daughter? That Anna Kingsley?”

  “One and the same,” Ellie said. “Whitney called me this afternoon. She and Anna Skyped, and they have an appointment for next week. She said she sent a photo of my dress, and Anna was impressed enough to tentatively hire her.”

  “Great news. We should drink to that.”

  “We didn’t do anything but pass along a phone number.”

  Blake was already raising a glass of wine. Ellie picked hers up, and the two clinked the rims and drank. Ellie laughed as she set her glass down.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “We are,” she told him. “We’re celebrating someone else’s victory. Someone you’ve never met or seen.”

  Blake started to laugh, too. The sound they made only blended with the noise already in the room. They ordered, and the food arrived in record time. The plate of bangers and mash looked and smelled so delicious, she dug her knife and fork into the food, and the first taste was like pure heaven to the taste buds.

  “Have you been to England or Ireland?”

  “Junior year abroad,” she said between bites. “I stayed with a family who owned a small restaurant. These were a specialty of the house.”

  “Is that why you like small, homey-type restaurants?”

  Ellie cocked her head. She’d never thought about it before. “It might have some bearing, but I like huge dining rooms and gourmet food, too.”

  “From the people who donated product and services to the gala, I agree with you.”

  “I got that from the Irish family, too. They catered to some really fancy affairs. As a college student, I was thrilled to see some of the castles and halls that weren’t open to the public. I asked to tag along, and in doing so, they taught me how to cook some wonderful food served in both Ireland and England.”

  “You cook, too?” he said.

  “At one time I considered opening a restaurant. And that’s where I met all those people who are not only my friends, but help me out with the gala.”

  “My mother must have thought you were a saint when she came across your résumé.”

  Ellie tried not to react. She kept her face still. “I hope so,” she whispered and took a bite of her sausage.

  “With your experience in food, how did you get into charities?”

  Ellie was relieved that he asked that question. It took her away from thoughts about his mother and how she’d gotten the job at the foundation.

  “I was one of those girls. I told you that.” She paused. “During the time before my record was cleared, I became friends with some of the girls. I listened to them and commiserated with their issues. When I went home to my family, I remembered that many of them had no family. The strikes were against them, and I wanted to do something about that.”

  Ellie thought about the girls. Some went on to become complete successes, but many didn’t.

  “When I started working in social services, I found my calling, the place that gave me the most satisfaction.”

  “And it keeps these girls out of juvenile hall.”

  “That’s the main goal. All of the programs aren’t for troubled girls. There are some who find opportunities or interests that they might not have been exposed to otherwise. I never would have learned to ride or take care of horses if not for Edna and Claude Eastwood at the Purple Cloud.”

  Blake dropped his head. Ellie felt that he must have found some fault in her story or remembered something from his own past that wasn’t pleasant. Someone shouted Blake’s name, and he raised his head. Both of them looked in the direction of sound. A man dressed in a business suit and carrying a case was coming toward them.

  Blake’s grin widened, and he stood up. His hand was already extended as the two men shook, then embraced.

  “Averal...Averal Ballantine, what a surprise.” They embraced again, obviously friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time. “What are you doing here? Where’s Never? Come join us.”

  He pushed back and slid into the booth where Ellie was sitting. She was sure he’d forgotten about her until his hip bumped up again hers. He introduced her to Averal Ballantine, an old friend.

  “Never is my wife,” Averal explained. “Her full name is Nefertiti, and it took a while to get used to calling her Never.” He looked at Blake. “She’s holding down the fort in New Jersey.”

  “Is she still into video games?” He explained that Never was a game designer.

  “She still writes an occasional game for the kids, but she’s moved up from the ones you find on the shelves of game stores to games theory and computer simulations.”

  “Government contracts?” Ellie asked.

  Averal shook his head. “She refused those. The simulations are mainly corporate. With the leaps and bounds of technology in the last decade or so, games are used in more places than you can believe. There are times I have to stop her from accepting everything that comes across her computer screen.”

  The waiter placed a plate in front of Averal. Ellie hadn’t seen him place an order, though he was obviously known here, too.

  “Thanks,” Averal said.

  “Are you playing tonight?” Again, Blake included her in the conversation. “Averal plays saxophone. He learned during his stay in Paris.”

  “I am. Going home tomorrow, so I thought I’d see what was happening here.”

  Ellie glanced at the bandstand. It was empty at the moment. “There’s live music?”

  “It’s impromptu,” Blake explained. “Several businessmen and women who work in the area drop in from time to time and play.”

  “Do you play?” she asked, re
membering he’d studied piano.

  Blake shook his head. “My mom made us all learn an instrument, but I haven’t practiced in years. I’m purely an audience member.”

  “Don’t let him fool you,” Averal said. “He plays a wicked piano and occasionally he joins us.”

  “But only when they have no one else.” Turning to Ellie, he added, “I need more practice to be able to keep up with these guys.”

  Ellie nodded, but didn’t think Blake needed practice for anything he put his mind to.

  Several minutes later the group began to play. Ellie enjoyed listening, but more than the music, she enjoyed sitting in the booth with Blake, his body pressed tightly against hers.

  Chapter 8

  Ellie was a little tipsy when they walked out into the night air. It was warm, although not as hot as the space inside the tavern. She sidestepped someone on the street, and Blake’s hands came out protectively. When they were again side by side, Blake took her hand. Her fingers entwined with his and they continued walking together. His hand was warm and she liked the feel of the solid, but smooth, surface against her own. Ellie had never encountered anyone whose touch arrested every feeling she had.

  They passed one block in silence, then a second. As they crossed with the light on the third block, she noticed the street had more pedestrians, and Blake pulled her hand up and her arm through his. This brought her closer to him, their steps in unison.

  Without discussion, the companionable silence continued. The two walked back to the House of Thorn store and the parking lot, where Blake kept his car. Ellie didn’t object when he opened the door and helped her inside. She didn’t trust herself to drive, and secretly she wanted a few more minutes with Blake.

  “I had a really good time tonight,” she said as Blake negotiated the streets leading away from the busy area and out to more residential streets. “I liked your friends.”

  “That place is like that all the time. If you go in there alone, you’ll meet everyone before you leave.”

  Ellie heard the pride in his voice. He wanted her to like them. She wondered if he’d taken her there for that reason. And why? She reminded herself that they weren’t entering a relationship. Approval or dislike shouldn’t matter to either of them. Yet at least for her, it did. Judi already liked him. Ellie hadn’t introduced him to anyone else. The women in her office reacted to his good looks. She understood that. The kids at the Purple Cloud liked him. On the other hand, he’d introduced her to Chase at the airfield, and tonight to an entire complement of friends, including Averal Ballantine. Obviously those two had known each other for eons.