by Tamie Dearen
Unfortunately, her whole day was hectic. She had to arrange for Mr. Gherring’s trip to Switzerland the next week. He was taking two executives with him for a big presentation the next Friday. One was a thirty-year-old named Jared, who had a new baby. The other, a forty-two-year-old named Jeff, was recently divorced. Jeff made a point of flirting with Anne and, as she’d observed, every other single woman in the office. She tried to do most of her communications with Jeff via phone or email to avoid his constant advances. He was nice enough and a good-looking guy, but she didn’t trust him. This time she was grateful when Gherring came out of his office and made some snide comments that encouraged Jeff to retreat rather sheepishly.
At least she didn’t have to make flight reservations, since Gherring was taking his private jet, but she still had to coordinate for three pilots since it was an overseas flight. She also had to put together the PowerPoint presentation before they flew out next Wednesday—a task complicated by the fact the information to be included was trickling in each day. Anne hated having to make so many changes, but she couldn’t possibly get it all done if she waited until next week to start organizing. She wanted to just set an arbitrary deadline for the men to give her their contributions, but she didn’t have the authority. Her frustration was making her a little edgy, and she caught herself snapping at Katie when she asked how things were going.
“I’m sorry Katie, this has been a stressful day. I’m really just glad you’re still here handling the day-to-day stuff. How did you ever do this job all by yourself?”
“I know just how you feel; it can be a stressful job. We have all the pressure and none of the power. I don’t want to discourage you, because I sure don’t want you to quit.”
“I’m not a quitter. Gherring will have to fire me if he wants me gone. But he might do that if I get any more irritable.”
Katie chuckled. “You’re not bad at all. One time I actually told Gherring to stick his computer where the sun doesn’t shine.”
“You’re kidding me. What did he do?”
“He gave me a gift certificate for a day at the spa.” Katie leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “He can be so demanding and so infuriating, but then he does something like that… I think he just uses that hard exterior to cover up a soft heart.”
“That’s what I think. He’s really just a softy.”
“Who’s a softy,” Gherring’s voice came from his doorway.
Katie stood up, her eyes wide. “Mr. Gherring…”
“We were talking about Gary,” declared Anne.
“Is that so?” Gherring cocked his head sideways. “I didn’t know you’d met Gary.”
“She met him at his work one time,” Katie lied smoothly.
Anne kept her eyes glued to her desk. Lying was not her forte—at least not getting away with it.
“What did you think of him?” Gherring inquired of Anne, moving toward her desk.
“I thought he was very nice and very handsome.” She struggled to remember some detail about Gary from his photograph on Katie’s desk. “I just love his… his… blue eyes. I think blue eyes are so beautiful.”
Anne suddenly realized Gherring’s eyes were also blue, and felt heated all the way to the roots of her hair.
Gherring’s dimples appeared, evidently enjoying her awkwardness. “And did you let Gary give you a lesson?”
Anne panicked, unable to remember what Gary actually did. “No, but I plan to let him give me a lesson some other time.”
“You wouldn’t be afraid to try it?” Gherring asked.
Anne glanced at Katie who looked like she was in great pain. Katie nodded her head slightly. Was she telling Anne to agree she wouldn’t be afraid, or to say she would be afraid? Anne decided to try a safe answer. “I just won’t know whether I’d be afraid or not until I try.”
Gherring smiled, apparently satisfied with her answer. “We should go tonight. Katie, why don’t you call Gary and make a reservation for us.” He walked back into his office.
Anne glanced at Katie who was rather white. “What does Gary do?”
“He owns a climbing gym.”
“Oh… I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She hoped her words were true. “I’ve never seen a climbing gym. How high do they climb? Fifteen feet? Twenty?”
“No, it’s forty feet to the top. But you don’t have to go to the top. That is, if you even try it.”
“Of course I’m trying it.” Her competitive spirit bubbled to the surface. “And I’m going to make it to the top. But you’d better call Gary and tell him he’s supposed to know me already.”
“Yeah… Gary’s going to be so mad when I ask him to lie to Steven.”
“Just blame it on me. I’m the one who took the ball and carried it out of bounds.” Anne reminded herself to keep a closer watch on Gherring’s office door in the future.
Katie and Anne went to lunch at Papa’s Place, and Anne invited Gherring to come along. He declined, but agreed to allow Anne to bring him something to eat when she returned.
“I can’t believe you’re getting him to eat lunch. I’ve tried telling him skipping lunch isn’t healthy, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”
“That’s because I’m a mom,” Anne declared. “I know how to speak with authority and how to guilt someone into doing what you want. It’s a useful skill.”
As they returned with Gherring’s daily special, Gram called Anne’s cell phone.
“I won’t keep you, but I’m picking you up after work. I’ll give you a ride home because there’s someone I want you to meet.”
“That sounds great. See you at five.”
She delivered Papa’s food to Gherring at his desk. He looked at her curiously when she entered his office. “You know you don’t really have to go to the climbing gym tonight.”
“Aha. You’re afraid I’ll beat you, right?”
“Of course not—”
“You should be… I’m gonna beat you like a drum.”
“We’ll see,” Gherring replied with a wry grin.
“Yep, we’ll see.” Anne was thinking she couldn’t wait to see. She couldn’t wait to see his muscles rippling as he climbed on that wall. After all, she worked hard. She deserved a little entertainment.
Anne secluded herself at her desk to look through the escort candidates from the publicist, Charles Cooper. There were ten portfolios, complete with pictures. Anne scanned through the files, quickly eliminating three that were in their twenties. Gherring needed someone with more maturity and life experience. Four of the remaining were excluded because the contenders didn’t have a college degree. She was disappointed only three met her basic requirements, but all three were strikingly beautiful. One was a model, one was an actress, and one was a news reporter aspiring for a television anchor position.
Anne read all three resumes, but quickly settled on the third—Sharon Landry. She reasoned Sharon would be the most capable of captivating Gherring with interesting dialogue. Anne had no way of knowing whether she would be caring and committed, but at least she had potential. She called Charles and asked a few more questions about Sharon. He described her as sophisticated and smart, a real go-getter. Anne thought that might be just the ticket.
Once she’d finalized Gherring’s escort arrangements for the Friday night fundraiser, she could concentrate on preparing her PowerPoint presentation. She decided to call Jared and Jeff and use her mommy-powers to guilt them into getting their portions of the presentation information to her desk as soon as possible. Both men easily succumbed to her skillful pressure, promising to have the majority finished by Thursday and the final portion by Monday morning. She smiled in self-satisfaction.
When she left the office at five o’clock, Gherring was still secluded in his office. Katie had arranged for a seven o’clock climbing session, so Anne would just have enough time to get home and grab a bite to eat. She found Gram waiting in the back seat of the car as promised. As Anne was climbing in, Gram was already quizzing her about the prog
ress in their matchmaking plan. Anne explained her escort choice, proud of her find, but Gram still seemed skeptical of success.
It still took almost twenty-five minutes to make it back in the heavy traffic, but Gram had the car stop a few blocks short of the apartment.
“Come with me.” Gram nimbly stepped out of the car.
Anne followed her to the door of a shop. The sign read, “Carved Wood Creations.” There was a closed sign hanging in the window, but Gram opened the door and marched inside, causing a small bell to ring out their presence. A tall, thin, white-haired man appeared from the back room.
“Mrs. Gherring,” he said as his face crinkled into a broad smile. “I didn’t know you were in town.”
“Good afternoon Mr. Hamilton. I’ve brought someone by to meet you. This is Anne Best, my Steven’s new secretary. Anne, this is Gus Hamilton.”
Mr. Hamilton grasped both of Anne’s cold hands in his warm ones. His fingers were rough and calloused. “I’m so pleased to meet you, Anne.”
Before Anne could respond, Gram continued her introduction. “Anne lives in Steven’s apartment building and walks right past your shop almost every day.”
“Do you like coffee?” he asked Anne.
“Yes, she does,” Gram answered. “And we could both use a cup to warm us up now, if you have a fresh pot.”
“Of course I have a fresh pot. Just give me a moment.” Gram walked with him behind his work counter and disappeared into the back room.
Anne looked around the shop. It was filled with woodcarvings in a plethora of sizes and designs. The display was dominated by a large number of carved persons, six to eight inches high, that fit together in pairs or groups. The figures were intricate and detailed. So exacting Anne could detect wrinkles in the clothes. The faces were expressive and poignant. Anne had never seen anything like these creations. Each set fit together exactly, like a puzzle. There was a man, standing while holding a woman in a tender embrace, her head resting against his shoulder. Turning and twisting the female figure slightly while lowering her from the male’s arms could separate the two. Another set included a young child, walking between two parents, swinging from their hands. There was a pair lying on their sides, the man supporting his head with his left elbow while his right was draped over the female who nestled against him.
Anne explored the fascinating creations, marveling over the complex fitting of the beautiful sets and touched by the emotions displayed on the tiny faces carved from wood. She picked up a particularly intriguing set, slightly larger than the others, perched behind a small sign that read “Inseparable Love.” A male figure was standing with his back slightly arched for balance, his arms around the waist of a female figure who had her legs intertwined around his hips and her fingers locked behind his neck. Their eyes were closed and their lips touched lightly in a lover’s kiss. So intricate was the carving, she could detect the stitching in their jeans. But no matter how she rotated the pair, she couldn’t find a way to detach them.
“That pair won’t come apart,” Mr. Hamilton said, emerging from the back with mugs of coffee. “The others were carved from separate pieces of wood, but I carved that set from one single piece of wood.”
“It’s amazing. They’re all amazing, but this one is incredible.”
“I’m glad you like it. It’s my favorite as well. It took me the better part of four months to carve it, but it was a labor of love. That’s why I priced it so high—I don’t really want to let it go.” He smiled.
Anne glanced at the price tag—$7,500. No one was likely to buy it at that price. She set it gently back in place, carefully balancing the figures lest they somehow fall and break. She took the proffered cup of coffee, gratefully sipping the piping hot brew. “I love your carvings. Maybe I could come and watch you work sometime.”
Mr. Hamilton exchanged a knowing look with Gram. “You’re welcome any time. Just stop by and try the door if the light’s on downstairs. Come on in, if it isn’t locked, even if the sign says ‘Closed.’ I live upstairs, so I’m almost always here.”
“You live upstairs? That’s awesome. How long have you been here?”
“Hmmm, let’s see…” He looked questioningly at Gram.
“Well,” Gram answered for him, “Mr. Hamilton retired twenty years ago. You were seventy when you retired, right?”
“That’s right, and I just turned ninety.”
Gram explained, “Mr. Hamilton was our family’s chauffer for forty years. We gave him this place in lieu of retirement pay. It was his choice.”
“And I’m still happy with my choice. It’s allowed me to do what I love for the past twenty years. I’m lucky my hands haven’t gotten shaky. I have to wear these magnifying glasses to carve now, but I still look forward to my work each day. I’m sure I’d be dead now if I’d simply retired without a purpose.”
“Do you sell a lot of these?” Anne asked.
“Enough to pay for my food and buy supplies. That’s all I need, anyway. There isn’t a huge demand for wood carvings, but I make a few sales every week.”
Anne’s phone vibrated as a text came in. “I hate to leave now, but I need to get back home and change clothes. Tonight I’m going to have a lesson at the climbing gym Katie’s fiancé owns.”
“Have fun dear,” said Gram. “You know the way from here, right?”
“Yes, and thanks for the ride Gram. Nice to meet you Mr. Hamilton.” She hurried out the door.
Anne looked back in the shop window to see the two in close conference, looking very serious. She hoped everything was all right. But she knew she needed to hurry if she was going to have any time to eat before going climbing, especially since she needed to shave her legs.
Back in her apartment, Anne downed a bowl of yogurt with fruit, hoping that would hold her hunger at bay. She jumped into the shower to shave, but realized too late the shower diverter was on. She squealed as cold water doused her hair.
Oh well. Better wet hair than hairy legs.
She shaved her legs quickly, regretfully inspecting her white skin. She hadn’t had time to get a fresh dose of spray tan. Why was she worried about her legs? No one would see them but Katie, Gary, and Mr. Gherring. She tried to convince herself she didn’t care what Mr. Gherring thought about her legs. Tried and failed. Okay, she wanted her legs to look good for him. It was because he looked so good, and she had always been competitive. It certainly wasn’t that she was trying to catch his attention. She just didn’t want to embarrass herself.
Satisfied with her explanation, she pulled on tight liner shorts under her regular shorts to ensure complete coverage when climbing. Her cell phone was buzzing again as she put on an exercise tank top and covered up with jeans and a sweatshirt for protection against the cold. She pulled her wet hair into a ponytail and headed downstairs.
Gherring was waiting in the lobby to give her a ride to the gym. Anne’s heart gave a little lurch. Despite the cold, Gherring had chosen to wear shorts, and his well-muscled legs looked incredible. Anne decided kissing Henri had awoken some urges that had been suppressed for a while. She had to gain control of herself. If the sight of his legs did this to her, what would happen when he took off his coat?
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yep,” she said, trying to keep her focus on his face and not look down at his legs. Still, she couldn’t help a quick downward glance. She forced her gaze upward and reddened at his amused and knowing expression.
“Still planning to beat me like a drum?”
“Like a big bass drum.” She lifted her chin and marched outside to the waiting car.
The gym was a short ride away, and Anne fidgeted while Gherring sat on the opposite side, calmly appraising her.
“Your hair is wet,” he remarked.
“Yes, it is.” She didn’t explain, since it would involve admitting she’d made another clumsy mistake.
“Don’t mothers say you’ll get sick if you go out in the cold with wet hair?”
“I
have a strong constitution.”
“Perhaps you need some amendments.”
“I do have the right to remain silent.”
He grinned. “Okay, you win… for now.”
Anne fidgeted a little more until she finally broke the silence. “I’m really kind of excited. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“You like trying new things?”
“I’ll try almost anything. And Charlotte is just like me, or even worse. She’s a real daredevil. But Emily is the serious, mature one—always playing it safe. She likes to read about adventure instead of experiencing it.”
“They’re not married?”
“No, but they’re still young, twenty-three and twenty-one.”
“But you were married by then?”
Anne answered defensively, “Yes, I got married when I was twenty, while I was still in college, but I did finish my degree. We were just so in love, we couldn’t wait two extra years.”
“How did your husband die?”
For a brief moment, the memory flashed fresh in her mind, and her stomach tightened. She must’ve made a face, because Gherring apologized.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s been fifteen years… fifteen years this November. It was the beginning of the Thanksgiving holiday, and he’d driven to pick up his folks in the country. They were driving back on the highway, just after dark, when a drunken teenager in a big truck crossed the centerline and ran head-on into the car. The girls lost their dad and their grandparents that night, and those poor parents lost their son.”
“Weren’t you angry?”
“Oh sure. Shocked, angry, depressed, worried, sad… You name it, I felt it. But I had two girls to take care of and no time to wallow in self-pity. My faith and family and friends carried me through it.” She blinked at her watery eyes. “And I’ve had a great life. Losing Tom made me realize how precious each day is—every moment with someone you love.”
