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“You’re late,” somebody says, seething with rage. I don’t even look up to see who.
By the time I get into the meeting room, I’m more drawn to the view from the window.
Wondering if I can see Kellerman’s from here.
I can.
I breathe in deep, inhaling her all over again in my mind, wondering just how I managed to let the most perfect girl in the world walk straight past me without even trying to stop her.
I wonder too, if she’s still there, maybe looking out and looking up.
Hoping I’m still looking for her.
A guy can dream.
“Lucian!” The same voice I heard just now barks. “What the hell are you doing?”
Almost turning, I realize just how hard I am. Not a good look, so I choose to stand behind a tall leather backed chair.
“I’m here for my appointment,” I reply matter of fact, a little put out I should feel I have to answer to anyone.
I did set up my own meeting after all.
“He left fifteen minutes ago. Had a flight to catch… The same one you said you’d be on with him to L.A? To go over the contract for the Californian wine sales?”
I hear the questions, the tone of their voice.
But I can only half-smile, still thinking about her. Whoever she is.
“Are you even listening to me?” the voice asks again.
No. I’m not.
“Ah, sorry Mike. I know you came all this way. I just got held up is all, we can video conference and sign stuff by email, no big deal,” I remark casually.
“But it is a big deal, Lucian. I won’t even tell you what he told me to tell you once he realized you’d stood him up,” Mike says with some venom in his voice.
Mike Schilling is my lawyer, the main legal eagle for all things business.
I’m not always dressed as Santa Claus.
My regular day job involves more taking than giving, it would seem.
“Sorry, Lucian. You just didn’t get the serving I did from the wine guy, and I shouldn’t try and do the same to you. Are you alright though? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he adds, scrutinizing me in his best cross-examiner’s face.
Even though he’s a business lawyer, Mike always wanted to be a hardball prosecuting attorney, I can tell.
I slump down into the chair next to me, shaking my head.
“I think I’m in love,” is all I can manage.
Mike’s quiet for a bit, then he comes over, pretending to take my pulse and placing a hand on my head to check my temperature as he huffs to himself.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were drunk, Lucian. But I know for a fact you’re a teetotal, so what gives? And don’t give me love stories. That wine deal was worth a pretty penny,” he cautions me, finally putting his hands on his hips and waiting for an answer.
“Mrs. Claus,” I hear myself murmur, feeling the room drift away from me as I remember her again.
Moments pass until I finally jolt to my senses.
“So,” I announce. “I’ll leave the wine deal in your capable legal hands, Mike. I have another appointment,” I tell him, shaking his hand before walking with one stiff leg from the room.
“Mrs. Claus,” I hear him parrot me as I leave.
“I hope she’s worth it Luc! Just cost you a pretty penny!”
But I couldn’t care less.
The only thing I’m worried about is making it back to her before she leaves the building.
Kellerman’s.
Oldest and biggest department store chain in the state.
I make a face when I think about that, picturing her instead.
Needing a name to put to that pretty face.Chapter FiveCarolAfter fidgeting on the spot, I decide to try and retrace my steps back through the door I came in, hoping to find a bathroom for one.
But I bump into Carla, both of us squeaking in shock for a moment. She’s holding a folder with some papers. Yellow company checks paper clipped to each.
“I hear you did okay, Carol. Here’s your check, cashier’s open ‘til nine… I hope we can count on you for tomorrow?” she asks, narrowing her eyes and puckering her mouth.
I glance at the check amount, barely enough to feed me let alone pay my rent after the costume ‘deposit’.
But what choice do I have?
“This blows, you know that?” I tell her, not caring what happens anymore. Standing like a schmuck for five hours for twenty-five bucks. I’m sure there are laws against this sort of thing.
“We’ll see you tomorrow then,” Clara chimes knowingly, clopping over to Bill to give him the same treatment, I imagine.
I can’t get out of there soon enough, but a deep voice from behind me, coupled with a very familiar scent sees me stop dead in my tracks.
Check cashing can wait.
The bathroom can wait.
I know that smell, and I know the feeling it creates more than anything else too.
