Chapter 18
I’ve felt something special about Rayne since I first met her, and now she is in my arms and kissing me. It feels perfect, like everything has aligned and
brought us together for this moment. Every reason I had for not being with her weeks ago when I first realized I wanted to cease to exist in my mind. I want her
and only her.
We eventually pull away from each other, both completely shocked by what just happened. Rayne looks down at the script in her hands and then all
around the room. I can’t read her expression exactly, but she looks ashamed or guilty – like she regrets the kiss already.
I back away from her and shake my head.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, nearly speechless.
I finally kiss the one woman I want to be with, and she hates it.
“It’s fine,” she whispers, backing away from me, her face flushed.
“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have done that,” I admit. “I was just caught up in the lines.”
“I was, too. That’s really all it was,” she says, trying to ease the situation.
“Yeah, but I’m your boss, and it was very inappropriate.” My voice shakes when I speak, not from sadness but from the anger I have with myself for getting so carried away. “I should go.”
I grab my jacket and keys and leave the house without saying another word. I knew there was a reason I should not have been around her, but I persisted
anyway. I tried to be her friend and nothing more, and then I ruined it by kissing her.
When I get home, I immediately go to my room and try to fall asleep as quickly as I can to escape from this nightmare and pretend none of it happened.
A knock on my door wakes me. I get out of bed and groggily answer it. Mick is standing there with an awkward smile on his face.
“There’s someone here for you, a Janice Keating?” he says, and I groan.
How did I forget about that? The daughter of the long-time client I agreed with my father to show around town.
“Can you tell her I’ll be good to go in fifteen minutes, please?” I beg Mick, and he nods his head.
As quickly as I can, I shower, brush my teeth, and change into a nice casual outfit to meet Janice downstairs. She is, as my dad said, quite the looker. She is
tall with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Normally, she’d be the exact kind of woman I would go for. But right now, I’m not in the mood to date, so this
would just be a friendly outing.
“Janice, hi,” I say, sticking my hand out to shake hers. “I’m Leonard. It’s nice to finally meet you. My dad has told me a lot about you.”
“Pleased to meet you. My father has told me how accomplished you are,” she says. She has a thick German accent, which reminds me of who her father is. I
have met him a few times at holiday parties and things of the sort, but I hardly know him personally.
I walk her outside and take her on a brief tour of Manhattan, showing her some of the best tourist attractions, Central Park and Madison Square Garden. We grabbed hot dogs at my favorite street stand.
She is genuinely nice, and I enjoy my time with her, but all I can think about is Rayne. The way her lips felt on mine, how, for a few moments, everything
was perfect when we were kissing. Then how she looked at me when we pulled away from each other.
Towards the end of the day, we stop for dinner at Saffron, and we are brought to a table towards the back. I come here often and bring a lot of dates here.
It is the perfect environment to get to know someone, and the food is unique enough that it can help revive a dying conversation. I had been here a little over a
month ago on the last date I had before I met Rayne. The host knows me and knows where I prefer to sit. So, she brings us to one of the most romantic tables in
the room.
Candles are lit, and music is playing. Janice rests her elbows on the table and looks at me with a flirty smile. I can’t do this right now. I quickly blow all of
the candles on the table out and she looks at me like I am insane for a moment.
“I’m sorry, I just,” I stammer, trying to think of an excuse to avoid hurting her feelings. “I felt hot.”
Janice is obviously not convinced by my poorly thought-out lie and sits back, looking all around the room. I sigh to myself and realize telling her the truth is
the best course of action.
“I’m sorry, that was a lie, I’m not hot,” I say, and she starts laughing and shaking her head.
“I would have never guessed it,” she sarcastically chimes in.
“My father just wanted me to go out with you and this was already planned, but there’s–,” I pause mid-sentence, not sure what exactly I can say. There isn’t
anyone else. I want there to be, but it is more complicated than that. “It’s complicated but I have feelings for another person, and I don’t want to mess anything up.”
She nods her head and reaches her hands across the table for mine. She gives them a reassuring squeeze and offers me a kind smile.
“I understand. I hope it all works out for you both,” she says before letting go of me. “You’re a very nice guy, and anyone is lucky to have you, I’m sure.”
“Thank you,” I reply. “That guy Mick that you met at my apartment, if you’re still looking for a tour guide or anything, I’m sure he’d love to help you.”
She giggles when I suggest that. I assume she must have taken notice of him when she was there.
We have our dinner together, chatting about the business and what she likes to do for fun in Germany. We both realize how late it is by the time we finish
and leave the restaurant. I hug her goodbye and agree to give Mick her phone number.
Even though I’m not going to date Janice, I was glad for her company. It was a nice distraction from everything else. I pull my phone out to call for my car
and I see a message from Mick with an article attached.
“Please not right now,” I sigh when I look at it.
The title of the article read “Playboy Leonard Kaponi Finally Settling Down?” Someone took a picture of me, and Janice holding hands and sent it to a
tabloid magazine.