She spun and almost ran, throwing open the office door and pushing her way around construction workers and delivery personnel and sous chefs. Her hands shook so badly that she could barely get her car door unlocked, but finally threw it open and slid onto the seat. She tossed the contract onto the seat next to her and rested her forehead against the steering wheel. Finally, she allowed herself to give into the impulse and put three shaking fingers against her trembling lips.
CHAPTER 11
ONY arrived at Robin’s apartment at seven o’clock on the dot. A kind of nervous little excitement about a real dinner date with Robin made his smile stick and added a lightness to his step. He wanted to shower her with pretty things. She had so little pretty in her life. He ran his hand down the outside of his suit pocket and felt the bulge of Robin’s promotion present. She would resist this gift, he knew, but he also knew she would eventually accept it.
He could hear loud music coming through the door. He paused to make sure he hadn’t gone up an extra floor perhaps to stand at the wrong apartment door before rapping his knuckles hard on the door. No answer. He recognized the song and realized it neared the end so he waited. As soon as he heard a lull in the music between that song and the next, he knocked hard again. He heard “Come in!” just before he heard the beginning strands of the next song.
As he opened the door, the strong smell of oil paint assailed his nostrils. With the couch and chair pushed out of the way, Maxine had a painter’s canvas set up in front of the television. Music blared out of speakers from somewhere in the room. She wore a pair of torn jeans, a half-cropped T-shirt, and had her hair bundled on top of her head. In one hand she held a palette of paints, in the other, her paintbrush.
“Hi Tony,” Maxine said. She waved her brush like a wand, gesturing with it while she spoke.
Tony walked in until he stood behind her. On the canvas in front of him lay an almost complete bird’s eye view of Boston Harbor as one would suppose it looked about two hundred years ago, every detail as perfect as he could imagine it. Majestic ships filled the harbor, horses and carriages lined the docks. Amazed, he watched as she dipped the brush in some blue and touched up the water.
The door opened and closed behind him. He could barely tear his eyes away from the perfection of the painting to see Sarah come into the apartment. She rolled her eyes and went to the stereo system and turned the volume way down. She paused next to Tony and looked at the painting. “Are you in love again?”
“Deeply.” Maxine answered without hesitation. She arched her neck until their heads touched before she went back to work. “Can you fix me a drink?”
“Sure. What do you want?”
“Something cold.”
Sarah had to climb over the couch to get to the kitchen, and Tony smiled while he continued to watch Maxine paint. Her brush moved with absolute confidence as she touched up here and there, fixing things he didn’t realize were imperfect until she perfected them. Finally, she set the palette and brush down and stepped back to stand next to him. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re a genius.”
She laughed as she took a paint splattered rag and started rubbing at her stained fingers. “I’ve liked you from the first, Tony.”
“Have you ever had a showing?”
“Nah. I don’t do it for that. I just do it.” She grinned up at him. “In my heart, I’m an advertiser. This is just dabbling. A hobby, really.”
“This is the best dabbling I’ve ever seen. If you change your mind, let me know. I own a couple of studios around the country.”
She shrugged and rushed over to get the drinks from Sarah’s hands so that she could climb back over the couch.
“I’m serious, Maxine.”
“I can tell,” she said, “but I have no desire to make this my profession. I already have a profession.”
He stared at the canvas again. The colors, the details, looked so perfect that the painting immediately swept him back in time. He could almost taste the salt air and hear the sounds from the dock. “No reason why you can’t do both.”
She handed him a glass of ice water. He accepted the drink and Maxine said, “Dozens of reasons, actually. But let’s just leave it alone for now. You can bring it up again when I’ve not just come out of a massive all-night painting session.”
Sarah sat down in the chair sideways, leaning against one arm and throwing her legs over the other. “So, who is it? Donald?”
Maxine started packing her paints. “Donald? Who?” Then she stopped and threw her head back, laughing hard. “No, honey, Dwayne.”
At Tony’s confused look, Sarah grinned. “Maxine only paints when she’s in love.”
She snapped the case shut with a click. “He proposed to me last night.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow. “Are you getting married?”
“Of course not. But it was fun to get asked.”
Tony said, “If you’re in love, why say no?”
She reached up and released the clip securing her hair, shaking the black tendrils loose from their confinement. “Because, this is only fun love. It will fade.” She stared at him, her green eyes serious. “I’m waiting for the big one. The real deal.”
Sarah rolled her eyes and stood. “The big one?”
Maxine stared at Tony while she spoke, understanding the warmth in his eyes that was for her older sister alone. “The real one. The one that is destined. The one that will last forever.”
“And how will you know the difference?” Sarah chided.
Though her sister spoke, she never took her eyes off Tony. “Oh, some people just know. Others need to be shown. Right, Tony?”
His nod was barely perceptible. But his smile stretched wide and real across his face.
Maxine climbed onto the couch and drew her legs up to her chin. “Where are you going tonight?” Maxine asked.
“Harbor House,” Tony confided.
“Wow.” She pushed herself up. “Hey Robin!” She yelled, angling her head toward the hallway. “Scratch that black dress and get the blue one out of my closet. With the scarf.”
Robin’s voice came from behind a closed door. “What blue dress with the scarf?”
“It’s in a bag in the closet.” Maxine crossed her hands behind her head. “Don’t forget the shoes,” she said loudly. “They’re in the Piedmont’s box.”
She turned her head to grin at Tony before she closed her eyes and smiled. “I have this big salary and nothing to spend it on, so I’m afraid that I’ve become a clothes hound.”
“Why don’t you guys move into a bigger apartment?”
“Sure, as soon as you convince my darling sister that I’m done having things and I am perfectly capable of contributing to the household.”
“What do you mean?
“She wants me to move, but she won’t move with me. I deserve nice things, she says.” She threw her arm over her eyes, burnt out from painting. “Makes me angry. That girl saved me, literally and figuratively. Saved my life from any number of horrors and repeats of horrors, and she expects me just to leave her in this rat hole and move because I make a good salary.” She moved her arm and raised her head to look at him. “But, in two more years, Sarah gets out of school. Maybe I can get her to relax a little then.”
“How many dresses in bags do you have?” Robin’s voice was muffled, but irritated just the same. “Geeze, Maxi!”
Maxine sighed then pushed herself to her feet. “I’ll go rescue my wardrobe.” She jumped over the couch. “Make yourself at home. I have to talk her into the shoes, too.”
Tony chuckled. “Take your time.”
He made a quick phone call and pushed his reservation back by thirty minutes. He stood in the cramped living room, touched his fingers to his tie to make sure the knot was still in place, and felt the present in his pocket again.
In his peripheral vision, he saw Sarah stand and sling her backpack over her shoulder. He turned to fully face her.
??
?I have to get to my parents’ house. We’re having a planning meeting tonight for our church’s fall festival.”
Tony’s interested was peaked. “What church?”
“Crescent Christian in Framingham.”
Mentally shifting through names and faces and people and places, he finally identified Crescent. “I know that church. Isn’t Dr. Skinner the senior pastor there?”
“He is now, but he’s retiring soon. There is already some uproar about staffing and such going on.”
Tony nodded. “People don’t like change.” He slipped his hands in his pockets and his fingertips ran over Robin’s gift. “Tell me about this festival.”
“We have games and candy and blow up toys where kids can bounce and play. We serve hot dogs and chili and popcorn. It’s a lot of fun. Tons of kids from the neighborhood come who would never have come to the church for another reason.”
“We do something very similar. I go to Boston Central Christian. I’ve never served on the planning committee, but I’m often approached about donations and sponsorships. Let me know if there’s anything you need in the way of anything like that.” Out of a pocket he pulled a business card. From his shirt pocket, he extracted a gold pen and wrote on the back of the card. “This is my secretary’s name and direct extension. She knows your name. Just let her know anything you need. Any gaps we can fill.”
Sarah took the card, feeling a little intimidated and overwhelmed at the same time. “Your secretary knows my name?”
Tony smiled and shrugged. “Sure. You’re Robin’s sister.”
They struggled every year to put on the festival. To think that this year the financial burden could be lifted brought hot tears to her eyes. She felt her face flood with heat. “I don’t know what to say.”
Tony smiled, trying to put her at ease. “There’s no reason to say anything. We’re all working for one goal, are we not?”
Sarah sniffled. “I wish everyone I had to work with thought the same way you do.” She shifted her glasses on her face and hoped he couldn’t see the tears swimming through her eyes. “How does Robin handle your faith?”
His laugh barked through the room. “With blinders. If she doesn’t mention it, then it doesn’t affect her, I think.” His face turned serious. “But I pray for her, constantly.”
Sarah opened her mouth then closed it. She closed her eyes, huffed out a breath, and decided to surge forward. “Listen, I’ve known her for a long time. She isn’t open to the Word.”
“She wouldn’t be from you.”
Her eyes widened. “Why not?”
“Because in her mind, she is responsible for you. She is the eldest, the protector, the provider.” He smiled just to soften the next sentence, for him and for her. “She’s already been in hell, so what can you possibly teach her?”
Leaning against the arm of the couch, Sarah shrugged and nodded again. “I know. Even Christ was rejected by his own people. But I’ve at least tried to serve as a silent witness for Robin and Maxi. I don’t think I’ve ever done any good.”
“While on this earth, we’ll never see all of the fruits of our labors. You’ve planted seeds. And between your seed and my …“ He almost said his love for her sister, but stopped short. When he confessed his love for Robin, it would be while looking into her amazing sapphire eyes, not talking to her little sister in a cramped living room. “… and my not so silent witness, we can only pray that those seeds will grow and root and bloom and eventually thrive.”
Sarah’s pocket buzzed and she pulled out a phone, quickly scanning the text message that had just come in. “I’m going to be late. I enjoyed talking to you, Tony. I hope we get a chance to talk when we don’t each already have other plans.”
He smiled, wanting to hug her. His brotherly feelings for her didn’t surprise him in the slightest. “I look forward to it.”
After Sarah left, he turned back to the painting to study it further, in awe of the detail and the beauty. Maxine had surprised him, and he enjoyed that. He took in the painting and searched it with a sense of discovery and near excitement. So very often, Tony felt at least one step ahead of everyone all the time. Tony endured – and invented new ways to cope with – the boredom suffered by the brilliant every single day. He found most of life, and most people he encountered, extremely predictable. Maxine proved unpredictable. He liked that.
Time passed, but he didn’t mind the wait. There was no reason to hurry. He sipped his water and considered the painting, trying to see all of the hidden elements.
“Hi.”
He turned, stopping short when he saw Robin.
“Wow.” He managed.
Her dress – a long blue sheath that fell tightly from her breasts to the floor – had a slit on one leg that reached to her knee and two thin spaghetti straps at the shoulders. It molded her curves beautifully, showed the faintest hint of cleavage, and accented the flare of her hips. For once, she hadn’t put her hair up and it cascaded halfway down her back.
“You look amazing.” Tony expressed sincerely after a thorough appraisal.
Her cheeks fused with color. “Thank you.” She held up the thin wisp of material that served as the scarf. “What do I do with this?”
“Well,” he said, reaching into his pocket with one hand while he took the scarf from her and stepped behind her. “What some do is drape it around their necks and let the ends trail behind them.” He pulled the necklace out of his pocket and slipped it around her neck before she knew what he was doing. “But when you wear jewelry, it’s fine just to drape it over one arm.”
She gasped as her hand flew up to her neck. “What did – “ Her fingers traced the sapphires, feeling the shape of the dripping gems, brushing over the rough diamonds, feeling the weight of actual stones against her skin. She didn’t turn around, instead she skipped to the mirror hanging next to the door and gasped again at the sight. “Tony, I don’t want – ”
He followed her until he stood behind her and tenderly laid his fingertips on her bare shoulders. His eyes met hers in the mirror. “Sshh. It’s perfect for the dress.”
She stared at him, feeling a mixture of excitement and anger. Her hand never left the necklace. “I don’t want jewelry from you, Tony. That’s not why I’m with you.”
“I believe you. I remember how you returned my tip.” He grinned in genuine pleasure and his eyes twinkled with mischief. “And, ironically, it only makes me even more inclined to give you expensive gifts.” His fingers moved softly up and down her arms. “I bought it a few days ago because the blue sapphires were a near perfect match with your eyes.”
His fingers sent shivers through her whole body, but she slowly shook her head. “No. I’m not the type to shower with expensive gifts. Please, I don’t want – ”
He turned her around so that he could look directly at her. He slid an arm around her lower back, pulling her gently to him. “Just for tonight.” His lips gently brushed hers. “We’re celebrating in style because you deserve it.”
Robin’s lips tingled and she wanted to step forward and ask him to kiss her again. Kiss her deeper, longer. This close to him, feeling the heat from his body and smelling the amazing tang of his aftershave, she felt safe, secure, important. The warmth of his eyes beckoned her to let him give her this necklace, and she relented because, for some reason, pleasing him was important to her.
“Okay.” She ran her hands over the length of it, until she felt the clasp in the back, terrified it wasn’t secured properly and she’d lose what surely cost a few semesters worth of medical books. “Okay, but just this one time.”
Tony ran a hand down her arm until he could clasp her fingers with his and bring her hand up to his mouth. He brushed his lips over her knuckles. “Thank you, cara. You make that necklace look beautiful. Shall we go?”
OU know, I applied here before Benedict’s.” Robin took a sip of her water then propped her chin in her hand. “Almost got the job, too.” In the dim light of the restaurant, with the can
dlelight flickering on their table, she felt very alone with him. In the intimate setting, other couples at other tables seemed to feel it, too, because people spoke quietly, almost in hushed tones, keeping up the secluded facade.
“Oh? What happened?”
“The manager objected to the fact that I wouldn’t sleep with him.”
“Really?” His voice was very calm, very cool, and his eyes were very hard. “And which manager was that?”
She felt a chill run up her back, glad that she wasn’t the object of his anger. “Umm, his name was Brad, I think. No. No, wait, it was Brian.”
He relaxed almost visibly. “I see. I fired him years ago.”
“You?” She laughed. Not because he fired someone. She often feared losing one or both of her jobs and being left with nothing. She laughed because of the casual way he just dismissed it. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I think that you owned this, too?”
His smile was quick and his eyes looked almost warm again. “I own a lot of things.” He quickly reached out and took her hand. “I’m very happy that you’re going to take the job.”
She decided to be straightforward with him again. There was no sense in pretenses. “What happens when we – “ she let the sentence hang in the air, confident that he would know what she asked.
He laced their fingers and looked at their joined hands. He liked the contrasts. Her hand light, his dark. Hers small and delicate, his bigger and stronger. “What happens when we break up and have all of this anger and angst and you still work for me?”
She couldn’t help smiling at his choice of wording. “Yeah. Something like that.”
“I don’t know. I have zero experience with this. All I know is that I want to spend time with you. I want you to want to spend time with me. And you’re the perfect person to manage Hanks. There has to be a way to do it all.”
Robin shook her head. “I haven’t signed the contract yet. Maybe -”
Tony squeezed her hand. “Listen. I really like you, and I respect you so much for everything you’ve done in your life. Whether or not we’re involved romantically isn’t going to change that.”