My business dinner could be categorized as a success. The clients would be coming by the offices tomorrow to sign the final papers. I already emailed the partners and their assistants so they could ready the paperwork so all it needed was some signatures.
They were going to be pleased. This was a big account, the biggest I closed. I was hoping they would let me sit in on the meeting tomorrow. After all, I was the one who did the legwork to get them to sign. It was my right to be there for the good part.
Pretty soon I was going to be handling cases and hopefully someday a partner. All those advanced early classes in high school, all those extra credits and heavy course load I took in college… all of it was for this. My father would be proud. I wished he were here for me to call and tell him about tonight.
I gazed through the window up at the sky and sighed. All the buildings and lights in the city made it almost impossible to see the stars. Sometimes I felt like if I could only see the stars, I might feel closer to my father… I might get a greater sense that he was watching me and that he approved.
My apartment building came into sight and I breathed out a sigh of relief. A glass of wine sounded really good right about now. After dealing with clients for two hours, I might need more than one.
The interior of the building was quiet and I enjoyed it as I waited for the elevator. Seconds ticked by (felt like hours), and I heard the telltale ding of the car as it slid into place and the doors opened.
I came face to face with Max and stepped back in surprise. “Max!” I said, and my insides began to tremble. His dark eyes swept over me, unreadable but intense. We stared at each other so long that the doors began to close and my heart skipped a beat because I wasn’t ready to be separated from him yet.
Before that could happen, his hand shot out, stopping the doors from closing completely and pushing them back open to step out, bringing his body close to mine. Little shivers worked their way up my spine when his body heat enveloped me.
“Are you wearing new cologne?” I blurted when I inhaled. His scent was more masculine than usual. It tantalized my senses and caused something inside me to loosen.
The corner of his lip lifted with what looked like veiled amusement. “Yeah.”
“I like it.”
“Glad you approve.” His voice was low and he crowded my space. Instead of stepping around me, he stayed right there, right on top of me, and once again little shivers climbed up my spine. It was delicious.
I cleared my throat. “You going back to work?”
He sighed like the idea exhausted him, and I looked up, tilting my head back so I could look up at his face.
“Actually, I was going out for a drink.”
“A drink?” I wasn’t sure I understood.
“Yeah. I feel like a beer.”
“You drink beer?”
He made a face like he drank some sour milk. “Not usually. Tonight just feels like a beer night.”
“Did you have a bad day at work?” I asked, a sinking feeling coming over me.
“It was fine,” he replied, finally stepping back, putting a little distance between us.
So I was right.
He was trying to end the relationship. He was so unhappy he was going out to drink beer just so he didn’t have to be around me.
Well, I certainly wasn’t going to make him stay in a relationship he didn’t want. I’d rather be alone. I wasn’t going to wait for him to get up the courage to tell me he wanted out either. I was just going to tell him I knew what was wrong and then offer to move out.
Of course, before that happened we would have to come to sort of agreement about the lease, the rent, and the bills we shared.
“Earth to Charlotte,” he was saying, waving a couple fingers in front of my face.
“What?” I said, coming out of my inner thoughts.
“I said you look like you could use a beer too.”
I wrinkled my nose.
He made a rude sound. “Okay, a glass of wine,” he amended.
“I was just thinking about having a glass.” I admitted.
“Rough day?”
“Actually, I was able to close the account. I got the clients to sign!” It felt good to share my good news with someone.
“Rock on!” he said, giving me a grin. Then he held up his hand in between us.
I stared at it.
Did he want me to high-five him?
He did. He wanted me to give him a high-five.
I giggled and slapped my hand against his. When I pulled back, his fingers closed around mine.
“Come with me.”
“To where?” I asked, breathless. How had I never noticed how fragile my hand felt in his before? And where had he gotten those calluses?
He shrugged and gave me a boyish grin. “First bar we come to.”
I forgot all about how tired I was. I forgot about the pain my shoes were inflicting on my feet. All I could think about was the way my hand felt in his and the fact he wanted to take me out for beer.
“Okay,” I said, suddenly excited about the impromptu date. This was the first time we’d ever done anything spontaneous.
He released my hand and grabbed my briefcase, taking over and tossing it behind a giant potted plant.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
“Ditching the work. We can pick it up on the way in.”
He threw my briefcase behind a plant. He wanted me to leave it there. I laughed. He didn’t laugh with me. I gave him an incredulous look. “You’re serious.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really think someone is going to steal a briefcase full of legal documents?”
I opened my mouth to tell him that yes, that’s what I thought. He didn’t let me say anything, cutting me off to make a sound like he was snoring.
“Boring,” he said.
I took a step to retrieve my manhandled briefcase. Max wrapped a hand around my elbow. “No you don’t. Let’s go.”
He dragged me out onto the sidewalk. I was so surprised I couldn’t even protest. He released me, looking up and down the street as if deciding where to go.
A cab drove by and he flagged him down, holding the door for me and climbing in behind me. “Take us to the closest bar,” he told the driver.
“Have you hit your head recently?” I asked. If I wasn’t so sensible, I might think aliens had invaded his body.
He didn’t answer, which made me think he had hit his head. Then I thought of something else. “Where is your car?” I hadn’t seen it parked on the street near the building lately.
He muttered something beneath his breath that sounded suspiciously like “freaking lawyer” before he turned to me to reply. “It’s in the shop.”