Chapter 12 #2
“Liam’s been telling me all about this prize he bid on,” she says, her voice closer to the receiver now. “I think it’s wonderful. So useful, too. I just wish he’d use it for something other than work. He has a yacht he could use in the right weather but he’s always too busy for it.”
Of course Liam Salinger has a yacht.
“That’s a shame,” I tell her. “All work and no play and all that.”
“Yes, though I don’t think anybody could describe Liam as a dull boy,” she says wryly.
She’s not wrong.
“Well I should probably let you get back to your evening,” I say. “I’m so glad you’re having a lovely time.”
“Oh, there was one other thing. It’s my birthday in a couple of weeks.” She lowers her voice. “A big one. I’m not telling you the number but let’s say it’s not twenty-one. I’m having a party and I’d love for you to be there.”
“My guess is thirty,” I say. “And I’d love to come if I’m not working that weekend.”
“You’re so sweet. And for that you get a gilded invitation. It’s at Misty Lakes, my ex-husband’s estate. I’ll ask my secretary to email you all the details if that’s okay?”
“Of course.” I’m touched that she’s asked. And the fact is, I don’t have much in my schedule for the next few weeks. “I’ll do a forecast for you if you’d like.”
“Oh I’d love that,” she says. “You’re so kind.” There’s a warmth in her voice that makes me feel like I’m snuggled in a blanket. “I can’t wait to see you again. Oh, wait a minute, Liam’s gesturing at me. I think he wants the phone. I’ll speak to you soon, Sophie. You have a lovely evening.”
“You, too,” I tell her, then wait because I’m not sure if Liam wants to talk to me or get me off the phone.
“Sophie.” Apparently he does.
“Liam,” I say in as deep a voice as I can. A huff of a laugh rumbles down the line.
“Will you be up for a while?” he asks me. “I have a couple of itinerary changes to deal with. I’ll tell you about them when I get back to my place.”
I glance at the documentary I’ve paused. It’s episode four of six. Of course I’m not going to bed until I know what happens. “Um sure. Yeah, I should be up for a couple more hours.”
“Good. I’ll speak to you then. Have a good evening.”
“You, too,” I say as he ends the call. There’s a stupidly big goofy smile on my face. He didn’t go on a date. And he wants to call me.
I could get used to being Liam’s friend.
I wonder if that means I’ll get a trip out on the yacht sometime.
LIAM
“You look tired,” Mom says as I escort her into her building. The security guard tips his head at her as she presses the button for the elevator.
“I’ve been traveling since stupid o’clock this morning,” I say. “Hopefully I’ll catch up on some sleep this weekend.”
“Make sure you do.” She kisses my cheek as the elevator car arrives, the doors opening with a ping. “Thank you for a lovely evening. It’s been so nice to see you.”
“You’re welcome. And likewise.” I wink as she gets into the elevator. “Take it easy, old girl.”
“Less of the old.” She lifts a brow. “I’ll see you at Misty Lakes in a couple of weeks.
” The doors close on her before I can reply, so I turn around and walk back out into the New York evening.
It’s hot and humid here, and even though we’re on the upper west side, there are still a lot of people in the streets.
My car is waiting and I climb into the back, directing the driver to my place in Tribeca.
My mom hates me living there, but it’s kind of cool and convenient for working on Wall Street. It’s less than a mile from my place to the office and most of the time I walk there, or occasionally make it part of my morning run.
It usually takes about twenty minutes in the car from my mom’s apartment, but tonight traffic is unusually busy. There are some road closures too – things are constantly being torn down and rebuilt in New York City. It’s one of the reasons I love it here.
There’s always something going on.
And yet in the middle of the sultry Manhattan night, with horns blaring and pneumatic drills blasting I find myself wishing I was back in Charleston. Listening to the buzzing of the cicadas and watching the fireflies light up the leafy trees.
And my thoughts turn to Sophie.
I bring her contact details up on my phone. I’ve added a photograph – one of the ones from the christening. She’s staring into the distance, a smile playing on her lips and I’m wondering what they taste like.
I wish I could remember.
I press the video button because I want to see her. It rings twice before she denies the call. Before I can press it again she calls me, but using voice only. For some reason that annoys me.
“What’s with the rejection?” I ask her.
“You don’t want to see me on the screen. I’m slobbing out.”
“I do actually,” I tell her.
“Why do you want to see me?” she asks.
So I can furiously beat myself off to your image later.
“Just want to see what slobbing out looks like in West Virginia,” I say, ignoring that thought.
“Well for me it involves wearing shorts and a tank and not bothering to brush my hair.”
It’s like something’s pinged in my brain. It’s suddenly my life’s mission to see those articles of clothing.
On her.
Obviously.
“Sounds good to me,” I tell her. “Come on, let’s video chat.”
“No. Definitely not. Especially since I know you’re all suited and booted for dinner with your mom.”
“I’ll take my clothes off if you want.”
She starts to laugh. “Now there’s an offer.”
I wasn’t joking, but it’s not time to tell her that.
“Just show me your face,” I tell her. “That’s all I want to see.”
“That’s actually sweet,” she says. “But I’m not wearing makeup.”
“I hate makeup,” I tell her honestly. “It’s the devil’s invention.”
“No you don’t. You think you do but you don’t. What you like is the illusion of no makeup. But that actually takes more time than putting on makeup. It’s all theater,” she says. “Designed to entice you.”
Well count me fucking enticed. “I’ve seen plenty of women with no makeup,” I say. “I think I know what I’m talking about.”
“You don’t see women for more than one night,” she points out. “So no you don’t. You only see women on their best behavior. It’s not until we’ve been dating somebody for months that we actually let them see what we’re really like.”
“Well I’m your friend,” I tell her. “So you can be as make up free whenever you want to.”
She lets out a breath. “Can you stop bouncing between sweet and asshole, please? Because that’s more attractive than you think.”
I blink. She’s finding me attractive?
“Show me,” I say. “And I’ll give you an honest friend opinion on how enticing you look makeup free.”
“You’re not going to stop until I do, are you?”
“I guess I’ll fall asleep eventually,” I tell her. “But I’m intrigued. I really want to know. And maybe you do, too.”
“Maybe…” she trails off. I tell myself to let it go, so I think about a subject change.
And then the video icon comes up.
I accept it with unseemly haste. The screen flickers and then there she is. Her hair pulled back with some tendrils escaping. But it’s her face that I look at. There’s not enough light for my liking – she must have a side lamp on – but I can still see those pretty eyes and her full pink mouth.
“You look incredible,” I tell her, my voice hoarse.
“Shut up. You’re my friend not my cheerleader.” Her lashes sweep down. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Weird how much that pleases me.
“What are you doing right now?” I ask her.
“Talking to you.”
I laugh. “Before I called. What were you doing then?”
“I’m watching this documentary about a bank robbery gone wrong while I’m doing some work.” She looks almost embarrassed. “Where are you?” she asks.
“In the car going back to my place.”
“You’re not driving?”
“Nope. Had some wine with my mom. Anyway, it’s easier to be driven than to drive in Manhattan.”
“I get that. The last time I went to New York I almost got run over.”
My chest tightens. “You did? Where?”
“In Times Square.” She looks almost embarrassed. “I was distracted by this huge poster of McDreamy. I guess that tells you how long ago it was.”
“McDreamy? Who’s that?”
Her mouth drops open. “You don’t know who McDreamy is? Seriously?” She sounds appalled.
“Is it some kind of McDonald’s ice cream?”
She collapses into a fit of giggles. And I laugh too because her amusement is infectious.
“McDreamy is a character in Grey’s Anatomy,” she says once she gotten control of herself. A lock of hair has fallen out of her bun and she sweeps it back. “Played by Patrick Dempsey. Don’t tell me you’ve never watched it.”
“Never,” I admit. “Don’t hate me.”
“We need to rectify this. You need to be educated on the show. It’s a huge gaping hole in your repertoire. How do you get girls if you don’t know who McDreamy is?”
“I’ve no idea,” I say honestly. “Educate me now.”
“Oh it’s going to take longer than a car ride back to your place.
You need to watch the show. You need to feel all the emotions.
Have your heart pulled apart by Meredith and Derek.
Have it put back again by Cristina being your person.
Scream out loud because George…” She trails off, but I can’t take my eyes off her face.
It’s animated. Alive. Beautiful. “I can’t spoil it for you. You need to experience it yourself.”
“How many episodes are there?” I ask.
“Um, there’s like eighteen seasons.”
I lift a brow. “How many episodes per season?”
“I don’t know. Around twenty or twenty-five.”
I do the math. “You’re talking around four hundred episodes.”
“I guess.” She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. I can’t take my eyes off it. “It’s worth it though.”
“Okay then. Let’s do it.”
She tips her head to the side, her mouth curling up. “What?”
“If I’m going to watch all those episodes, I want to do it with you. We’ll buddy watch it.”
“When?” There’s a smile playing on her lips.
“Tomorrow night?”
“How do you know I’m not doing something tomorrow night?” she asks me.
“Are you?” My voice comes out rougher than I expect.
“No. Apparently I’m watching season one of Grey’s Anatomy with you.”
I remind myself to cancel tomorrow night’s business meeting in DC. “Good. Let’s video call at the same time. That way I can ask you any questions I might have.”
“You’re not going to be one of those annoying people who talks through the show, are you?” she asks me skeptically.
“No. I just want to see you while we watch.”
She blushes. “You do?”
“Yeah I do. Is that okay?”
“Yes it’s okay.” She nods. “I think.”
Good. Well I’m glad we’ve settled that.