In Between Men, page 11
No. The brother is as fine as hell and you know it.
Whatever. Hope dismissed the thought with a mental click of her tongue.
Anthony spoke at length about his work as an investment banker; he also talked about his background and what kind of credentials were needed to hold his position. The more he spoke, the more fascinated Hope became. He made the work sound exciting and important. Just what I want… what I need.
A couple of hours later, Hope sat across from Anthony–Tony, as he had insisted that she call him–at a Mexican restaurant. It was close to the hotel, as he had promised, and Hope noticed that some of the other conference-goers had decided to eat there also. The restaurant was festively decorated and the waiters and waitresses wore traditional Mexican garb. Hope thought the jalapeño lamps were a bit much. Her survey of the restaurant was cut short by the sound of masculine laughter coming from the opposite side of the table.
“What?” Hope was eager to be in on the joke.
“You should see the look on your face.” His laughter was pleasing. “I know this place is kinda cheesy, but I swear I’ve never had a better enchilada in my life. You like enchiladas don’t you?”
“I love enchiladas and I think the place is … charming.” His look told her that he didn’t believe her. “Okay,” Hope admitted, “the food had better be good, because this place is pretty damn cheesy.” They laughed again, and Hope realized she had never been so comfortable with … the only word that she could think of was stranger.
Tony ordered beef for himself and the cheese that she had requested. He looked to her for approval and got it before ordering margaritas on the rocks for both of them. “What do you think of the seminar so far?”
“I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m almost ashamed of how little I know about the opportunities that are out there. I’ve become so complacent at work.” Hope shook her head. “I know I need a change.”
“Did anything in particular pique your interest?”
Hope was nodding before he finished asking his question. “Well, actually, I’m really interested in learning some more about mortgage lending, getting the word out to people who don’t think they would be able to qualify for, much less afford their own home. Before I leave today, I’m going to get the number of the last woman who spoke this morning. Find out some more about what I need to do to get started. I mean …” Hope thought about how displeased Ray had been at the thought of her investing more time in her career. “If that’s the course I decide to take.” The waiter placed their drinks in front of them and Hope’s eyes lit up in approval at her first sip. “This is good.”
“Did I neglect to mention that they also have the best margaritas this side of Cancun?” He took a drink from his glass and Hope’s eyes were drawn to his lips. They were full and very smooth looking. She liked the fact that they always appeared to be ready to smile. Ray’s lips are nice too, but most of the time he’s looking so serious that …
“What makes you think that you’d want to do that?”
It’s nice to talk to a man who’s interested in what I have to say. Hope took another drink from her glass, glad that he couldn’t read her thoughts.
“Well, a few weeks ago a woman came into my office to complain because she had been turned down for a home loan.” Hope started to get into the specifics, but decided against it. “Well …” She lifted her hands briefly to let him know she was telling only the most relevant parts of the story. “To make a long story short, she didn’t qualify.” Hope paused for a second and pretended to look at him suspiciously. “Wait a minute, before I go on, are you some sort of agent planted here by the banking industry to bust me?”
“Well.” He shrugged and their eyes met directly. Hope took note that there was no smile lingering in his. “You’ll just have to trust me.” He said it as though it were a challenge. He held her gaze for a long second, until she looked away toward the waiter bringing their food. She felt uncomfortable and comforted at once. They were quiet until the waiter arranged their food and left the table.
“You were saying?” he prompted.
What was I saying? “Oh … um… ”
Come on, Hope!
“Oh yes!” Hope laughed at her short attention span. “She didn’t qualify, but I gave her the loan anyway.” She tried to gauge his reaction but realized she didn’t know him well enough to do so.
“What made you decide to do that?” His voice held only interest, no judgment. Hope struggled to find the words to explain her actions.
“I just felt like … she needed a break. That she was caught between a rock and a hard place. That sometimes, you know, we all need… “ Hope took a deep breath in order to better organize her thoughts and was surprised–and embarrassed–when tears welled up in her eyes. Anthony reached across the table and placed his hand lightly on hers.
“Then you did the right thing.”
She hadn’t known that a man’s smile could be soothing, but his was. Her smile was brilliant. She was no longer embarrassed about displaying emotion before a virtual stranger.
“I think I did too.” They agreed without words that they should start their lunch.
Chapter Fifteen
They made it back to the hotel before the seminar resumed, so Hope made contact with the woman who spoke about mortgage lending. The woman was warm and very knowledgeable and promised to give Hope a call once she made it back to Dallas.
In Hope’s opinion the second half of the conference was a waste of time. At least for her. She couldn’t concentrate on what was being said. She was distracted by both the sudden raging thunderstorm going on right outside the hotel doors and thoughts of her new friend.
She and Tony had shared their enchiladas–literally shared their enchiladas. He had asked permission before transferring some of her food to his plate and she had demanded one of his beef enchiladas in return. Ray hated to share his food. He would rather pay for another entrée than give up one bite of whatever he was eating. Hope shook her head mentally, as she had done for the last two days whenever thoughts of Ray popped into her head.
And the conversation they shared during lunch had been nice. She had learned that Tony had been divorced for four years, and that his ex-wife and nine-year-old daughter had relocated to Chicago the year before. He had tried to sound very casual when he imparted that bit of information, but Hope thought she detected some bitterness. Apparently he felt his exwife had made the wrong decision when she decided to follow her new husband to another city. Hope had decided not to pursue that touchy subject and had started talking about her boys.
A light rain had started just as they were leaving the restaurant, and when Tony had offered her his jacket as protection she had accepted it without hesitation. As they walked hurriedly to his silver Mercedes, Hope had breathed deeply, enjoying the feel of fine wool and the smell of his spicy cologne. And he’s driving me to the airport after the conference. Hope stopped replaying the events of the afternoon long enough to consider and dismiss any concerns that she had about allowing her thoughts to linger so much on a man who was not her husband.
By the end of the afternoon she had convinced herself that it was normal to occasionally be attracted to another man. Not that I’m attracted to him. He’s just a nice man who happens to be physically attractive. I would be blind if I didn’t notice. It would be crazy for me to pretend not to notice. Hope’s lips took on a cynical curve as she searched for further justification. And I’m sure Ray has had an occasional conversation–probably a few lunches–with an attractive woman in the last ten years. And what does it mean? Nothing, she decided. Nothing.
Hope sat back further in the plush leather seats and turned her head toward the driver’s seat.
“What?” He looked toward her and smiled slightly.
“What do you mean, what?”
“I felt you staring at me. Do I have something in my nose?”
Hope giggled like a schoolgirl. “I wasn’t staring at you. I was actually thinking about this rain. It’s coming down pretty hard.” And it was; sheets of rain were beating against the car. They were almost at a standstill in the rush-hour traffic. “I hope my flight hasn’t been delayed.”
“In a hurry to get home, are you?” He smiled at her like he knew she wasn’t.
“Kinda,” she lied. In a sudden move, or what seemed like a sudden move to Hope–that’s why she jumped slightly–he reached over and pressed a button and then started pushing the numbers on his console.
“You said you were flying Continental, right?” She nodded slightly. “I’m calling the airport for you. Did I scare you?” His smile was almost wicked.
He’s fucking with me.
“No, you didn’t scare me. I jumped because that last bolt of lightning looked like it was pretty close.” Her voice was cool, and she had her best “whatever” expression on her face, but she couldn’t quite keep the smile from her eyes.
“Oh really?” he challenged.
“Really,” she countered.
“Continental Airlines, how may I help you?”
“What’s your flight number?”
“616.”
“I’m calling to check the status of flight 616 from Houston Intercontinental to Dallas.” They waited a few seconds for the voice to come through the speaker on the hands-free phone system.
“That flight has been delayed, sir, due to inclement weather. Departure time is tentatively set for 8:25 this evening.”
“Thanks.” Tony ended the call and gave Hope a “what now?” look. “That’s more than three hours from now.”
“That flight was originally scheduled to leave at six o’clock. How can a fifty-minute flight be delayed for over two hours?” Hope could not disguise the irritation that she felt.
“I don’t know. Do you want me to call back and ask to speak to the person responsible for the weather?” She cut her eyes slightly at him. She was not amused. She had told Ray she would be home by eight o’clock, and even though they weren’t really speaking to one another, she didn’t want to give him another thing to fault her for.
“Damn.” She shook her head and muttered under her breath as she thought of the tense weekend facing her.
“You really are in a hurry to get home, aren’t you? I thought you said your kids were visiting their grandmother.”
“They are, but my husband is not too pleased that I made this trip.” Now why did I tell him that? That’s not his business.
“Do you want to call him and explain the situation to him?” He seemed concerned.
Yeah, Hope. Call him and tell him how you are on your way to the airport with a man you don’t even know, but now there’s a storm so you don’t know when you’ll be home from a city that he didn’t want you to come to in the first place. Call him. You may as well ask him to have a bath waiting for you when you do eventually get home.
“Shut up.” The words slipped out and Tony’s look was confused and a little amused.
“It was just a suggestion.” He shrugged his shoulders. Hope laughed apologetically.
“I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to myself. I’ll call Ray from the airport.” What’s done is done, Hope told herself.
“Well, I was thinking,” he lifted his right hand from the steering wheel, “since your plane won’t be leaving for a while, we could grab a bite to eat. That way you won’t have to just sit at the airport.”
Now why does that sound so appealing?
You know why. The little voice that had been working overtime all day refused to be silent. And it was starting to get an attitude. Because the only other thing you have to look forward to is going home and pretending not to notice that Ray is pretending to watch TV so he doesn’t have to speak to you when you get in.
When did my life get so pathetic? she questioned herself before responding to Tony.
“I can’t hold you up that long. It’s nice enough that you volunteered to drive me. I’m sure you have plans this evening.” There’s probably some sister at the mall right now buying up everything in Victoria’s Secret.
“No, I don’t, but if I did I would change them.” And when she still didn’t accept, he tried another tactic.
“Look, I protected you from the rain, I found you a good seat at the conference, and" –he held up his index finger to emphasize his point– "I saved you at least forty dollars on cab fare. And you won’t buy a brother a hamburger? Hope,” he chided her playfully, “I thought we were friends.”
“So you want me to buy you dinner?” She was amused, and a short, pleased laugh escaped her.
His eyes swept her from the soft silk of her blouse to the fine hosiery covering her toned legs. “You look like you can afford it.”
She laughed again. I’m already going to be late, Ray is already going to be pissed–what would I be proving if I sat at the airport alone for most of the evening? Nothing!
“The leather in this Mercedes smells pretty new. I suspect that you can buy your own hamburger.”
He smiled at her. And his teeth are so white!
“But I think"–she pretended to consider his proposal for a moment longer–"for your time and effort you deserve something a little more substantial than a hamburger.” He looked at her for a long second before turning his full attention back to the rain-slick freeway.
“Don’t think I won’t remind you that you said that.”
Hope decided that it was best not to ask for clarification.
Chapter Sixteen
Hope felt like a teenager coming home three hours late from a first date. She heard the television going in the family room, so she knew Ray was up pretending not to wait for her. She put her briefcase down near the island in the center of the kitchen and continued to consider her options for greeting her husband.
I can go in and give him a big kiss and pretend I don’t know what’s wrong when he pushes me aside. I can call hello from here and pretend I don’t notice when he doesn’t respond. I can pretend I don’t care, say fuck it, and go to bed without saying anything to him … or I–
Ray solved her dilemma when he walked quietly into the kitchen. “Why didn’t you let me know you were home?”
Hope was immediately on the defensive. “I just walked in, Ray.” She let irritation creep into her voice to mask her defensiveness. “I was about to come in and say hello. Hello.” Her voice tone and her body language said bring it on.
Ray let his eyes narrow slightly and got straight to the point. “So this thing you went to in Houston must have been riveting. I have to assume that, since it’s ten and you’re just getting home.” He leaned against the kitchen counter and Hope knew he was asking for an explanation without asking for one.
“As a matter of fact, Ray, the thing that I went to was very interesting. But I’m here at ten because my flight was delayed. I’m sorry I didn’t call.” She had never gotten around to it and she wasn’t sorry. “And I’m sorry you can’t see how important this is to me, but I’m tired and I don’t want to fight.”
“I don’t want to fight either, Hope.” At some point during their dinner, Tony had started to call her Hope, and she had started to call him Anthony. “And if you are going to be traipsing all over the state …” And he had told the funniest off-color jokes, not dirty, just a little off-color. “All I’m saying, Hope …” And of course he had paid for dinner. “I’m glad you find this situation so amusing.”
Hope forced her thoughts back to the present. “Hmm?”
“You’re not even listening to me.” Ray sounded disgusted.
“I am listening. I don’t think it’s amusing.” She had heard him say something about her being amused.
“Then why are you smiling?”
“I’m smiling, Ray,” she walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders, “because I said I don’t want to argue, and you said that you don’t want to argue, and here we are about to argue. Baby, I really don’t want to argue.” She massaged his shoulders firmly as she continued to speak. “I had a long day, but it was a good day. I’m sure you probably had a long day too.” She had always loved his broad shoulders. “But I’m glad to be home, and I’m glad we’re here together.” Now that’s the total truth. Hope was almost positive that it was. “Let’s not be mad tonight.” She widened her eyes pleadingly.
Ray shook his head and let out a sort of sigh/laugh, but she could tell that he was responding. He shook his head some more. “You’re a trip.”
She knew when he said that he was going to drop whatever it was that he had been talking about. “You’re a trip” meant “what’s the use?” in “Ray-ese.”
“No, you’re a trip.” She smiled at him to let him know that she didn’t mean it, although she did mean it. “You want to make us some margaritas while I take a shower?” She let her hands drop from his shoulders.
“And if I do, what are you going to do for me?” He looked up and down her body suggestively.
Not a damn thing.
“What?”
Oops! She had inadvertently spoken aloud.
“I was just kidding, Ray.” When he looked as though he didn’t believe her she put her hands back on his shoulders and slid them lazily across the thin cotton material covering his chest.
“I’m so thirsty,” she said in her best imitation of an out-of-breath, helpless Southern prostitute. “I would just do anything for a tequila-flavored beverage.” She turned away with an exaggerated swing of her ass. He slapped it playfully.
“I’ll see what I can do, ma’am. I’ll see what I can do.” It had been years since they played cowboy and saloon girl, but she was willing. Anything to keep from arguing. As Hope rounded the corner to their bedroom, a picture of Tony in boots and a cowboy hat flashed briefly across her mind.
