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Before I knew it, Friday had come around, and Johann was texting me to let me know he had boarded his flight. I picked him up from the airport that night, allowing him to drive us home as promised, engaging in idle chit chat all the while. We didn’t have that much in common, and weren’t exactly close, just close enough for me to ask him for this favor, and for him to oblige. And so when we arrived, we said our good-nights and went straight to bed.
The next morning, I awoke to find Johann sitting in the living room, coffee in hand.
“I see you found the espresso machine,” I teased.
He laughed. “You know I’m nothing without my caffeine.”
I made myself a cup and joined him on the sofa where we chatted about our lives and general developments over the past couple of years, until my phone buzzed. I checked it, perhaps a bit too eagerly; it was a text message from Natalie.Where and when are we meeting?
“Are you ready?” I asked Johann.
He looked up at me, then down at his mug, then again up at me. “One more cup.”
I chuckled at Johann as I replied to Natalie:Outside the restaurant, in an hour?
Perfect, she replied, seconds later.
“I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts,” I said.
“I’m sure you are,” Johann replied in a presumptuous tone. I sipped my coffee awkwardly.
We finished our coffees and stepped out the front door.
“Whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Johann asked as I made for the driver’s seat.
“Oh, you’re right. A deal’s a deal,” I said, tossing him the keys. “I’ll navigate.”
He drove as I gave him directions, until finally we arrived at the restaurant where Natalie was sitting on a bench by herself. I rolled down the passenger side window, then reached over and gently pressed the horn; Natalie looked up, startled. Then once she saw me, she smiled.
“Here, pull into this spot,” I instructed Johann, and he did. Then, once he had gotten out of the car, I stepped out; I timed it so that Johann and I reached Natalie at the same time.
“Natalie, this is my friend Johann.”
She extended her hand to him, and he took it. “Pleasure to meet you, Johann.”
“Enchanté,” Johann replied, bowing slightly.
“Johann is an old friend of mine,” I continued. “He works in New York.” I paused. “As an art dealer.”
Suddenly, Natalie’s eyes widened; whatever she’d been expecting, it hadn’t been this. I had admittedly played out this scenario many times in my head, she would be shocked, or thrilled, or indignant, or downright furious. But she did none of these things; instead, she looked at me calmly and grinned.
“So,thisis what you’re up to,” she said. Then, turning to Johann said, “I’m so sorry, Lucas didn’t—I mean, if I’d known, I would have brought some of my—”
I raised a hand. “Natalie, it’s alright. He’s here for the rest of the weekend.” I looked at Johann, who nodded in agreement.
“Come, let’s take a walk,” Johann said suddenly, before Natalie had a chance to respond, and linked his arm to hers. In a matter of minutes they were deep in conversation, me trailing closely behind them. I was thrilled to have brought the two of them together, and even more thrilled that Natalie had raised no objections. Before I knew it, an hour had passed, and we had twice circled the periphery of the downtown area, bringing us back to where we had parked.
“So, Natalie, shall we go to your place to see the pieces?” Johann asked, opening one of the car doors for her.
I noticed Natalie’s body language shift; her shoulders tensed up, and her left hand was balled almost into a fist, her fingernails digging softly into her pink palms.
“Oh, that won’t do—” I intervened. “Her parents just flew in from London, and they’re both recovering from jetlag.” I glanced over at Natalie, who was looking at me; her eyes appeared almost awash with relief, and her left hand had relaxed, revealing soft, red lines where her fingernails had been. “But here’s an idea,” I continued. “We can drive her to her house to pick up the paintings, then take them back to my place for a formal viewing.” Then, knowing this would seal the deal, I suggested, “I’ll arrange them against the wall opposite the lake, so the pieces catch the light as the sun is setting.”
Johann contemplated this, but only briefly. “A formal viewing, you say? With natural lighting? Sounds marvelous!” He pulled the keys out of his jacket pocket, then handed them to me.
“I thought you wanted to drive,” I said.
“Ah, but that was before I met Natalie. You drive. She and I still have much to discuss!” He looked over at Natalie, who smiled graciously.
