She licked her lips and made a mental note: shake out hair frequently.
“And you never wore a helmet,” he added. “That really pissed me off.”
“I wear one now,” she assured him. Back then she might have found his protectiveness uncool. But now? Protectiveness was the new black. .
So he’d had a thing for her way back when, almost 15 years ago! She couldn’t help imagining how things could have gone differently had she known.
Not for the first time, she asked, “Why didn’t you ever say hi?”
“Are you kidding? It was a like a race to get to you first. There was always some guy there like—‘Are you cold? Here’s my jacket.’”
She remembered, not the guys offering her their jackets, but the way Alek had yelled at her once, maybe the second time she’d traveled back. He’d been mad at her for never needing to bring a jacket anywhere. That explained it.
Shyly, she brought it up. “I remember you getting mad at me. You said I had things handed to me.”
He glanced down for a moment, fingers at his temple. Looking back up, somewhat bashful, he confessed, “I think I probably just wanted to be the one handing them to you.”
Oh. That changed things. She studied her wine glass, not quite able to meet his eyes.
“One time a guy took his shirt off for you.”
“Really?” She thought she would have remembered that.
“He had a t-shirt on underneath. But still, he literally gave you the shirt off his back.” She laughed. Would that she still possessed such powers. But no, beauty was squandered on the young.
Still, Alek now made her feel as if she’d drunk from the fountain of youth. Giddy, flushed, exchanging smiles and soft laughter as they lingered over dinner, then dessert, Clara couldn’t help wanting to pinch herself to prove it was all real. But, then, that might wake her up so who wanted to take that kind of risk? She’d rather believe in the dream, that being with Alek could truly feel so delicious, so effortless and fun.
“I’ve had such a great day with you,” Alek reflected as if hearing her thoughts.
“I’ve loved hanging out with you.”
“I know dinner’s over.” Alek spooned up some of the caramelized flan they’d split, leaving her the last bite. “But I have to admit, I still don’t want to say good-bye. I think I’m worried I won’t see you again for another ten years.”
When she laughed, he reached out and took her hand. How could fingers feel so good?
“This time I don’t think I’m going to get hauled off by campus security.” Clara could still vividly picture Jeanie’s lively pink scarf in her park ranger/security guard/60’s flight attendant mash up. She could almost hear Jeanie yell “hold on” as she floored the accelerator.
“Let’s hope not.” Alek snuck a look behind him as if half expecting an ambush.
“Of course, this time around we’re not breaking any rules.”
“Breaking any rules?” Alek stroked his non-existent beard, contemplating the thought. “That’s not a bad idea.” Clara waited, wondering. Maybe this was the moment when he revealed his hideous, fatal flaw. The perfect guy—gorgeous, brilliant, making the world a better place—and a compulsive kleptomaniac!
In a low and mischievous voice, he asked, “Are you up for a swim?”
“A swim?”
“A swim.” A dangerous smile curved at the corner of his lips. “There’s a lake in Tilden Park, you know. It’s only about 20 minutes from here. I don’t know if you’re allowed to swim there at night, but that’s never stopped us before.”
Laughing like kids, they headed out into the night, not stopping to get swim suits, just climbing into Alek’s car. She knew next-to-nothing about cars so she couldn’t have relayed the make and model, but what she did notice was 1) clean but not crazy-clean—he still had a gum wrapper and a parking validation card on the floor, and 2) cool music. She didn’t recognize the band, but she liked the edgy alt-country twang filling the car as they sped through the dark night on their quest.
Just before they arrived, Alek said in a serious voice, “I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Shoot.”
“Do you still wear read thongs?”
She shrieked, laughing and picturing her college drawer full of thongs, like confetti at a party. And not much bigger. “How do you know what kind of panties I wore in college?”
“I seem to remember something about you stripping down at a lake.”
“And you checked me out?”
“I’m a man, Clara, not a robot.”
“Well, we’re almost at the lake.” Clara gestured to a sign out the window; they’d entered the regional park and were now driving along a narrow, dark road. “You’re just going to have to wait and see what kind of panties I’m wearing now, aren’t you?” Pale blue and lacy, just for the record.
“I’m a patient man.” Alek blew out his breath. “But not really. That campus security guard nearly killed me. You were so hot.”
Were. Past tense. Clara didn’t say anything as they pulled into the empty gravel parking lot. What did she expect, really? That she was like a fine wine, ripening and improving with age?
Alek put the car into park, took the key out of the ignition and turned to her in the pitch darkness. “But now? If some cop in a box tried to come take you away? I think I’d go to jail over it. You’re so…” He reached a hand out, shifted closer, finally doing away with that terrible gap between them. “You’re… I didn’t know…”
Thankfully, their kiss saved Alek from any more casting about for the right words to tell her how very much like a fine wine he found her. Instead, he could show her. And after years—or at least what felt like years—of wondering exactly what it would feel like to kiss not only his lips but along the line of his jaw and down at the hollow of his neck which made him make this deep, hungry near-growl, she got to find out. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes reality beat out fantasy. And that’s when you knew you had a keeper.
They did, eventually, make it down to the lake, laughing and stepping their way by moonlight. Alek seemed to like the lacy blue bikini panties just fine. Not quite as cold as Ithaca in May, yet still brisk to the point of too brisk, they didn’t splash around long. And this time, without the army blanket awaiting them on shore, they ran back twice as quickly the way they’d come back to Alek’s car.
After blasting on the heat, Alek pulled her into the back seat, closed all the doors and wrapped her into his embrace. Funny thing about shivers, they could start because you felt cold and then continue for exactly the opposite reason.
“I’ve waited such a long time for this,” Alek whispered, giving extra attention to a sensitive spot along her ear.
“You have no idea,” Clara agreed. And then didn’t speak for quite a while. She wondered if the darkness enveloping the car and impairing her sight might be sharpening her other senses. Because the man’s kisses were like toffee and caramel and fresh baked bread not scalding hot but so warm it just about melted in your mouth. Being in his arms felt like dancing through the night with Gene Kelly or leaping around a gazebo and singing about first love with Rolfe (before he turned into a Nazi). And she could have sworn she heard a big band orchestra crescendoing around the hero and heroine, finally together.
“Where have you been all these years?” he murmured into her hair.
Married to a drunk, lacrosse-fetishizing cheater while two-timing with a leopard print banana hammock? Shacked up with a hippie drug dealer and telling crackpot fortunes for a living?
Nah. She smiled and went for the obvious. And the answer that mattered most. “I’m here now.”
Pressed against Alek’s chest, Clara closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. As he held her close, she could both feel and hear him say, “Let’s not waste another minute.”
EPILOGUE
8 YEARS LATER
Eight years later backstage in a studio in Burbank, California, a handsome cou
ple received their finishing dustings of powder.
“Don’t be nervous,” the young woman applying Clara’s make-up said her. “Ellen will put you right at ease.”
“Clara’s a pro,” Alek called out from over in his chair.
Clara laughed at him. She still wasn’t completely at ease in the spotlight, though the two of them had had a lot of experience with it over the past couple of years.
Ushered in by a young man with a headset and a mic, Clara and Alek held hands as they walked toward the sound stage. Alek looked dashing in a fitted charcoal grey suit, made more casual with a blue shirt with a few open buttons. Clara called it his James Bond look. You couldn’t tell Clara felt nervous in front of an audience in high heels; she walked with confidence and looked polished in a knee-length sleeveless navy blue sheath dress with an ivory scarf shot through with a bold pattern of navy and hot pink.
As Alek and Clara stepped onto the set, the audience erupted into applause. Exactly like on TV—because this, after all, was on TV—Ellen DeGeneres came dancing toward them to welcome them onto her show. Just like they’d practiced yesterday, up late, they joined in the fun, shimmying a bit and then Alek swooped Clara down into a dramatic dip.
The audience clapped and Ellen gave them hugs. “So glad you could be here!”
“Thanks so much for having us!” Clara gushed. “I love your show.” She and Alek settled into two plush red armchairs.
“So,” Ellen began. “Let’s get down to it. Two billion dollars.”
The crowd whistled and whooped. Alek gave a wide yet self-effacing smile.
“So I’m right?” Ellen continued. “Two billion dollars was your cut of the purchase price when you sold your company?”
“Ah, technically it was 1.9 billion,” Alek corrected.
“1.9?” Ellen asked in mock outrage. “Who cheated you? Can we talk about that?” After the laughter died down, she continued. “Here you are with us today. Aleksander Novak, the inventor of cheap, efficient solar power.”
“I wouldn’t call myself the inventor,” Alek demurred. “A lot of people worked hard for years to make our breakthrough happen.”
“But it happened at your company,” Ellen pointed out.
“It did.” Alek gave his grin again.
“And you came up with the idea for the breakthrough after you… went for a hike?” Ellen made a confused face, prompting him to take up the story line.
“That’s right, I went for a hike,” Alek started. “Which was all because of my amazing wife, Clara.”
“Hi Clara.” Ellen gave her a smile and the audience applauded again.
“My wife got me out of the lab,” Alek explained. “I’d gotten stuck. Too many times trying the same approach, getting the same results. But then I got back in touch with Clara.”
“She hosed you down, dragged you out…” Ellen teased.
“Pretty much,” Alek agreed. “After years and years of my nose to the grindstone, she came into my life and showed me how to have fun. One afternoon we were out for a trail run in a park near where we live in the Bay Area. Up above it all, my head cleared. I got a new perspective on everything and realized I could try a new approach.
“And the rest is history,” Ellen finished for him. “You figured out with the nanos or…”
“It had to do with—” Alek leaned forward, about to launch into a detailed scientific explanation.
Ellen cut him off. “Alek, no one’s going to understand.” Everyone laughed. “But what I think is clear here is that Clara’s really the one responsible.” Ellen pointed toward her. “It’s Clara we need to thank for the global solar power revolution, saving us billions of dollars, protecting natural resources, bringing power to millions of people who never had it before.”
“It’s all because of my fabulous wife,” Alek agreed.
“You may have had something to do with it,” Clara responded.
Ellen leaned in toward them, her voice growing quieter, more conspiratorial. “I’ve gone solar, you know. And I know a guy who knows a guy who could hook you up. Are you in?”
After more laughter, Ellen turned toward the audience to ask, “But what’s more amazing than making $1.9 billion dollars? Giving most of it away to charity.”
The audience erupted in applause.
“And that’s where you come in, Clara,” Ellen continued. “You run the foundation. Tell us about it.”
Clara took a deep breath, overcoming her nerves by picturing all of the happy young faces their foundation was helping. “Our foundation is called Play. We fund centers in schools all across the country. But they’re not regular after-school rec centers. These are combined indoor/outdoor spaces devoted to experimenting and exploring. They’re designed to inspire young people to tinker and create.”
“They’re fully equipped science labs,” Alex interjected.
“But don’t tell that to the kids.” Clara put her index finger up to her lips, as if keeping a secret.
“It’s about having fun,” Ellen offered.
Clara nodded. “They’re creative playspaces that encourage innovation. Kids get hands-on experience to inspire their imagination.”
“And an introduction to physics,” Alek added.
“Don’t scare them, honey.” Clara smiled.
“Is it true he was your TA in college?” Ellen asked.
“He was,” Clara agreed. “He hated me.”
“That’s not true,” Alek protested. “Ellen, she wouldn’t give me the time of day.”
“Now she does,” Ellen said.
“Now she does,” Alek agreed with a smile and took Clara’s hand.
“He doesn’t hate me anymore,” Clara laughed.
“Well, I hear great things about these centers,” Ellen said. “And you’re expanding?”
“That’s right,” Alek nodded to audience applause.
“We’ve got centers in ten states and are expanding into four more this year,” Clara explained.
“This is a great country,” Alek added. “You can dream big and think different and get rewarded for it.”
“We’re excited to encourage young people to dream big and see what they’re capable of creating,” Clara added.
“And study science,” Alek said.
“Hey now.” Ellen jokingly help up a finger in warning.
“It’s about having fun,” Clara interjected.
“I like that,” Ellen agreed. “And I like your scarf,” she added, gesturing at Clara’s silk wrap.
Clara patted it affectionately. “It’s my friend Cat’s design. Cat’s Candy.” She relished the opportunity to give Cat’s business a plug to millions of viewers.
“Cat’s Candy,” Ellen repeated. “Sounds good to me.” Then, with a glance off stage, she asked, “Now, is it true that some of these Play centers are for little ones, preschoolers?”
“That’s right,” Clara confirmed.
“And you get ideas for them right at home? You can, what’s it called? Beta Test with your own little ones.”
“We do a fair amount of beta testing at home,” Alek agreed with a smile.
“Want to bring them out to say ‘hi’?” Ellen offered, to the proud parents’ enthusiastic agreement.
After one last ‘you can do it’ kiss from their grandparents, Clara’s mom and dad waiting with them in the wings, five-year-old Eva and three-year-old Tomas—nicknamed Vlad—slowly started onto stage, holding hands with huge grins. Amidst audience applause, Clara and Alek strode toward them, Alek clasping Eva’s hand and Clara swooping her son up into her arms.
At center stage they did a bit more dancing with Ellen and waved to the audience. In the last row, so far back that Clara could barely make her out, a woman sat head to toe in bright pink. As audience applause rolled out in waves and the cameras panned wide, Clara’s attention riveted in surprise. The remarkably coordinated blonde woman gave Clara a radiant smile, two thumbs up, and a wink for good measure.
Three-year-old Vl
ad buried his face into his mommy’s neck and twisted a hunk of her hair in his fist. Clara turned and gave him a quick, reassuring kiss. When she looked up again, the flash of pink had vanished. Almost as if she’d imagined the whole thing.
She looked over at Alek, holding hands with Eva and taking her over to the camera, no doubt explaining to her the thermo-dynamics of heat and light and the nanos involved. Her young daughter’s face glowed with adoration as she looked up at her daddy. Alek caught Clara’s eye, smiled and extended his other hand to her. She moved to join them and he linked them all, wrapping his arm around Clara’s waist.
Clara nuzzled her son, his warm cheek baby-soft. Their segment of the show was over, so it was OK that her carefully coiffed appearance was rapidly coming completely undone. “I love you,” she murmured. His chunky arms wrapped around her tight and she felt suffused through with deep and true gratitude.
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM ADDISON WESTLAKE
CHRISTMAS IN WINE COUNTRY
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-in-Wine-Country-ebook/dp/B00A9I292U
A romantic comedy set in Northern California's wine country.
It's Lila’s big debut as an event planner and the company holiday party is going to be her chance to shine. At a Tuscan-style vineyard near the Northern California coast in the perfect little black dress she's sure to impress commitment-phobe Phillip. What could go wrong?
72 hours later with no job and no boyfriend, Lila finds herself with all kinds of answers to that question. Like mistaking the glowering Jake Endicott of Endicott Vineyards for the groundskeeper. Or a new video on YouTube featuring Lila pawing her way through drunken karaoke of “Hungry Like the Wolf.”
Solo on the romantic holiday getaway she’d booked for her and Phillip near the vineyard, Lila at least gets to visit with her old friend Annie who lives nearby in the coastal town of Redwood Cove. Drawn into the local bookstore with gleaming wooden floors and welcoming armchairs, Lila chats with the owner and impulsively accepts a job offer.
Sleepy, misty Redwood Cove is the perfect place for Lila to take a break from her horrible track record with guys. The only one she finds even remotely attractive knows her as the holiday party crazy lady. Ranked in Bay Area magazine’s 10 hottest bachelors, Jake Endicott is just the type Old Lila would have wasted years pining after.
Facebook Jeanie Page 26
