by Tamie Dearen
“I’m Charlie.” She shook their hands firmly and asked Mark, “Are you a swimmer?”
“Yeah, how’d you guess?”
“Shiny hair, swimmer’s shoulders…”
“Impressive,” Mark replied.
Charlie left to change into her climbing gear.
Spencer asked Emily, “What’s your name?”
“I’m Emily, and I’m not climbing.”
“We’ll see.” He grinned at her, but she crossed her arms as if the matter were settled.
“Excuse me, but are you Steven Gherring?” asked Mark.
Gherring stepped forward and shook the boys’ hands. “Yes, I’m Steven Gherring. Spencer, you look familiar. Do you work at Papa’s Place, perhaps?”
“Yes sir. But that’s not a permanent job. I’m getting my MBA.”
“What’s your undergrad degree?”
“Economics.”
“You should put in for one of our internships, and put my name down as a reference.”
“Thank you, sir! Wow, that’d be a dream to intern at Gherring Inc.!” Spencer was all smiles.
Charlie was already stepping into her harness when Gherring and Anne went to change clothes. Charlie was starting up the wall when Gherring and Anne came back out and found Emily perched on a bench, a book open on her lap.
“Go Charlie!” yelled Emily. She watched her sister work her way efficiently up the vertical climb with far-spaced holds.
Gherring sat down next to Emily, while Anne leaned against the wall. Though she pretended to ignore them, she was close enough to hear their conversation.
“A real book, huh?” Gherring said. “Not an e-book?”
“I read on my phone, but I still like real books. I like to hold them in my hands and turn the pages. I like to physically see the progress I’m making.”
“What are you reading?”
“Robert Jordan.”
“The Wheel of Time series? I got tired of waiting between books, but it was so good. I swore I’d never start a series that wasn’t finished again.”
“I know, me too. I’m actually re-reading the series.”
“So you don’t plan to climb?”
“Nope, and you can’t talk me into it.” Emily lifted her chin, in her customary defiance.
“I won’t try. I doubt you can be talked into anything.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Just that I think we may be a lot alike.”
Emily shook her head with a scoffing expression. “Right.”
“Let’s see how close I am. You aren’t really afraid of adventure as much as you don’t see the value in it. I think you’d climb without any fear whatsoever if there was a good reason to do it.”
“Like what?”
“If someone held a gun to your head and told you to climb or else, you’d probably cross your arms and tell them to shoot.”
Emily laughed, but she nodded agreement.
“But if someone held a gun to your sister’s head, I bet you’d be up that wall before you could blink.”
“Okay, you’re right. But no one’s holding a gun to my sister’s head, so… What other good reason can you come up with?”
He drummed his fingers on his leg. “Hmmm. You don’t care what anybody thinks, and you’re not competitive in that way, so it has to be an internal motivation.”
“And believe me, I’m not internally motivated to climb that wall.”
“Let me confirm something else. You know, your mom interviewed at Gherring Inc. without doing any research and without the slightest idea of who I was. But I’m betting you’ve already read everything there is to find about me and Gherring Inc. Am I right?”
“Yes, you are.” She tilted her head.
“Don’t believe everything you read, okay? I bet you know in my younger days I dated a lot of different women?”
“That would be an understatement according to what I read.”
“I’m sure the number is exaggerated. But would it surprise you to know I dated a prima ballerina for a while? That woman could really climb. She couldn’t do overhangs, but she could do anything else. Ballerinas have strong leg muscles that don’t fatigue easily. That’s what you need for climbing. People think you need arm strength, but the key is to use your legs.”
“Okay, so what?”
“Your mom said you dance. Do you still do ballet?”
She nodded.
“Then you just might have the ability to be an amazing climber, and if you don’t try, you won’t ever know.”
“You really think I might be good at it? Even my first time?”
“There’s a good chance.”
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” She closed her book and set it on the bench beside her. “But now I really want to know.”
Gherring had the good grace not to look smug. “If we’re as alike as I think we are, you could fall in love with it.”
She bent to grab her backpack before turning back to Gherring. “Why do you think we’re alike? You barely know me.”
Gherring sighed. “How old were you when your dad died?”
“Eight years old.”
“I was ten when I lost my parents. The day I got the news was the last day I felt like a kid. Does that sound familiar? Feeling like an adult stuck in a kid’s body?”
Her expression strained, Emily sat back against the wall and stared straight ahead. “And like you need to be strong for your family?”
“Exactly,” Gherring murmured.
“Maybe we are alike,” she said in a small voice. Without another word, she headed toward the dressing room with her backpack.
Anne’s eyes were brimming with tears when Gherring looked up at her, his eyes questioning.
“Yes, I could hear everything,” she said.
“I hope that was okay for me to talk to her like that.”
Anne sniffed and dabbed at her face with her shirt. “It was good. I mean… she needs… She didn’t have any father figure in her life. Just her grandfather when he was visiting. It’s good for her to talk to a man like that. She’s so… careful… She puts up such a wall around her heart. It’s amazing you got her to open up at all. I just don’t want her to end up alone like…”
“Like me?”
“No I didn’t say—”
“That’s okay. I don’t want her to end up like me either.”
A few seconds later he was at the climbing wall, putting on his gear. But Anne was still struggling to push the heart-wrenching image out of her mind… that of a ten-year-old boy with tears streaming down his face.
I wonder if that was the last time he let himself cry.
Gherring was halfway up the wall when Emily came out of the dressing room. Charlie almost knocked her over with a hug.
“Em! You’re going to climb!”
“Just this once, to see if I like it.”
Charlie looked back toward the guys. “Man-oh-man! He’s got a nice muscles.”
“Which one?” asked Anne. “Spencer or Mark?”
“Are you blind? I’m talking about Mr. Gherring.” Charlie jerked her chin toward the climbing wall where he was making his ascent.
“Charlie, that’s creepy. He’s old enough to be our father.” Emily tugged on the hem of her shirt.
“Have you looked at him?” Charlie grabbed her sister’s face and turned it toward Gherring who was making his way under a ledge.
Anne didn’t have to look to know what Charlie was talking about. She’d seen Gherring’s muscles up close.
Emily’s eyes bulged. “You’re right! No wonder he makes that most-eligible-bachelor list every year.”
“Does he work out all the time, Mom?” asked Charlie.
“He does Iron Man competitions.” Anne glanced at Gherring, but quickly forced her gaze away. She couldn’t let the girls catch her staring.
“Iron Man competitions. And he said we were alike. Riii-ight!” Emily rolled her eyes.
Charl
ie grabbed Emily’s hand. “Come climb, sister.”
Soon Emily was making her way up the wall. Her brows were furrowed with concentration.
“That’s it,” called Gherring, having joined the group after his successful climb. “Use your legs.”
She climbed slowly and steadily, asking for guidance when she was stuck.
Charlie called up, “Put your right foot on that yellow jug and move over to the right. That’s it. Now can you reach that blue crimp with your left foot? You’ve got it.”
The moment she reached out to touch the top, the clan below began to cheer.”
“You did it! She did it! Yay, sister!”
Emily rappelled down and stood on the floor with a huge grin on her face.
Gherring asked her, “So, was I right?”
“I have to admit, it was pretty easy.”
“And you’ll do it again?” Gherring asked.
“Sure, why not?”
“This spring you can come to Colorado, and I’ll take you climbing for real, on cliffs. It’s so much cooler,” said Charlie.
“We’ve got Charlie, who’s practically a professional climber,” said Spencer. “And Emily, who flies up the wall on her first climb ever. I have to say, you’re making us look bad.”
Though he used a complaining tone, his expression held nothing but admiration. Charlie walked toward Spencer and gave him the once over.
“No, you don’t look too bad.” She grinned and winked at him.
Spencer pretended to fan himself.
“What about me?” Mark lifted his arm and flexed his bicep. But Spencer gave him a playful punch to the shoulder, and they dissolved into laughter.
Charlie grabbed her mom’s arm. “Come on, Mom. You’re the only one who hasn’t gone yet.”
“I’m ready,” she said. Gherring moved over to help her gear up and set up the belay. With her girls in audience, she was even more self-conscious as Gherring’s hands brushed against her while securing the straps. She felt the blood rise to her face, and Emily raised her eyebrows.
Gherring asked, “Ready to try a harder climb?”
Anne swallowed. “Sure.”
Gherring set up Anne’s belay on a medium level climb, while Spencer set up to try the overhang climb Gherring had completed.
“Race you up,” called Spencer.
“You’re on,” said Anne.
She started her climb, adrenaline flowing. The holds were farther apart, and the wall was vertical. She struggled to pull her weight up.
“Use your legs, Mom,” called Emily.
Anne shifted her weight and concentrated on utilizing her leg strength. Soon she was climbing steadily. She spied Spencer above and to the right. Determined to at least put up a good fight, Anne started climbing faster. Spencer had reached the ledge and was struggling on the overhang. Then Anne’s foot slipped on one of the holds, and she almost fell.
Charlie was yelling directions from below. “Put your left foot on that red crimp! You’ve got it! Just a little further. Keep going.”
“I made it! Woo hoo!” yelled Anne as she touched the top. “Do you have me?”
“You can let go. I’ve got you,” said Gherring.
Anne started a quick descent.
“Did I win?”
“You won, Mom. But it wasn’t quite fair. Spencer’s climb is almost impossible.” Emily looked up where Spencer was making a third attempt on the overhang.
“But Steven did that climb twice,” whispered Anne.
“Yes, Mom. We already know Mr. Gherring is Superman in disguise.” Emily waggled her eyebrows and started laughing.
Charlie giggled, having overheard the exchange. “Yeah, Mom. Have you found his kryptonite yet?”
Emily whispered something in Charlie’s ear, and she snorted with glee.
“What?” demanded Anne.
Charlie whispered to her mom. “Em says it’s you.”
A few more climbs, and the group was ready to go. Spencer asked, “Are you guys doing lunch at Papa’s today?”
“We’re stopping by the bookstore first, but then we’re going to lunch. You want to come?” Anne gave a sweeping glance, casually including Gherring in her invitation.
Spencer and Mark agreed to meet them for lunch.
“Mr. Gherring, are you coming with us to lunch?” Emily asked.
“I’ve got to go to the office today.”
Anne remembered he would have to work alone all weekend because of her altercation with Jeff.
She jumped when he put a hand on her arm. “It’s not the presentation. I’ve got other things to attend to that I’ve been neglecting all week.”
“I thought Papa’s Place was right next door to Gherring Inc. Couldn’t you just take a lunch break?” asked Charlie.
“I was actually planning to skip lunch—”
“Mom says you should never skip a meal.”
Gherring’s dimples deepened. “So I’ve been told. Sure, I’ll come over for a quick lunch. I just can’t play around all day.”
Gherring dropped the girls off at Binding Books. As they walked into the quaint store, Charlie protested. “Mom, we’re never going to get Emily out of here!” She pointed to Emily who was already totally absorbed in the book collections. She gravitated quickly to the antique books.
“Come meet Ellen,” said Anne, dragging Charlie to the checkout counter. Ellen’s straight glossy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her razor cut bangs emphasized the almond shape of her brown eyes.
“Ellen, you got your hair cut. I like the bangs,” said Anne.
“Thanks. Just got it done. It’s for my character in the play. This must be your daughter. She looks just like you.”
“Hi I’m Charlie.”
“I’m Ellen. Nice to meet you. I met your mom on the subway.”
“No one else would talk to me,” Anne said. “I kept trying to start conversations, and people just looked at me like I had antlers or something.”
“No one talks to strangers on subways. Except your mom. But she was too friendly to ignore.”
“Charlie’s just like me. When she was a little girl, she would meet people in a store and invite them to our home.”
“I bet you had some interesting house guests,” said Ellen.
“So, Mom says you’re an actress.”
“I’m trying to be one. I have my first lead role in a small production. We may only be open for a week, but it’s a start.”
“She’s very talented,” declared Anne. “She sings and dances too.”
“Your mom’s never actually seen me do anything.”
“I can tell. I have a sense about these things.”
“That’s my sister, Emily, over there sitting on the floor.”
Ellen looked over to where Emily had plopped down on the floor, surrounded by a pile of old books. “You can tell her there’s a seating area in the back.”
“She’s happy. No use bothering her,” said Anne.
“So Emily’s your big reader in the family?”
“We all read a lot, but Emily is excessive,” Anne said.
“Do you have a sci-fi/fantasy section?” Charlie ambled toward the inviting books.
“On the aisle opposite your sister.”
“So, how’s the play coming along?” Anne asked.
“It’s so much fun.” Ellen’s face lit up. “We rehearse again this afternoon. But they’re having money troubles—one of the big underwriters dropped out. Hopefully, the money will last until we open. Nothing’s for sure with these small groups. That’s why I can’t quit this job at the bookstore.”
The wheels started turning in Anne’s head. If only she could find a way for them to get the money they needed. “I hope it all works out.”
“Me too! Especially because of this other actor. She’s got a kid who’s sick, and she doesn’t have insurance. She needs this to turn into a steady gig. I’ve been trying to get donations to help her with hospital bills. And we’ve been taki
ng turns at the hospital to give her a break.”
“That’s so sweet. You know, maybe Mr. Gherring could help.”
“Is he that kind of guy? I’ve just seen the stuff in the news about him being such a big playboy.”
“I don’t know what his donation policy is, but he’s a kind and generous man. Maybe I could talk him into sponsoring the play. In fact, this might be a good way to get the two of you together.”
“What do you mean by together?”
“You know. Together as a couple. Didn’t you volunteer to date him when we talked about him before?”
Ellen started laughing. “I was only kidding. There’s no way Steven Gherring would date me. I’m nobody.”
“He goes out all the time with up-and-coming actresses.”
“I’m not up-and-coming, I’m more like ‘trying to pull myself up and hope to come someday in the future!’”
“You never know until you try.”
“Why don’t you date him?” Ellen crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes.
My heart gave a little jump at the thought, but I knew I wasn’t his type. Not even close. Ellen was striking, and a genuinely nice person. Of all the prospects I’d considered so far, she was the one who seemed most likely to treat him the way he deserved to be treated.
“Trust me, I know what he likes. For instance, he always dates younger women.”
“But you’re younger than he is, aren’t you?”
I didn’t want to explain that I was looking for a woman he could start a family with.
“I’m not sophisticated enough for Mr. Gherring.”
“I’m not sophisticated either. And if he’s that snobby, I wouldn’t want to date him anyway.”
“He’s not snobby at all. He’s really nice, and he doesn’t talk down to me or treat me like a secretary. He even bought tickets for us to go see Parsimonious, the Proper Wizard last night.”
“There’s no way he would want to go out with me. You have a better shot at it.”
“If you meet him, you might be able to talk him into sponsoring your play.”
That got her attention.
“Really?” She bounced in place. “If you think he’d make a donation, I’d be glad to meet him. And I can introduce him to the other leads, too.”
“I’ll set it up when he gets back from Switzerland. I have a feeling I’m right about y’all. I’m a really good matchmaker.”
