Authors: Karen McQuestion
EIGHTEEN
Andrea waited to meet up with Jade in the restaurant parking lot. “So?” Andrea asked, when she saw her friend come out with a big smile on her face. “What did you say to her?”
Jade grinned and reenacted it, bending at the waist to rest her hand on an imaginary table. “I said ‘Hellllooo, Desireee. Are you enjoying your lunch date?’” She shook her head. “When I looked down I could totally see her black lace bra down the front of her shirt. So sleazy. She’s like her own peep show.”
“What did she do?”
“She’s such a ditz. I don’t think she recognized me at all. She’s all, ‘My lunch was good, thanks,’ like I was the waitress or something. The guy, though, he was quick to jump in and say it wasn’t a date.”
Good for him not wanting to be associated with Desiree, Andrea thought. At least there was one man in the world with some common sense. “And that was it?”
“Pretty much. I just walked away after that. I can’t believe she didn’t remember me from that day I helped move your stuff out of the house.” Jade frowned. “Everyone remembers me. I mean,
everyone
. It’s the red hair.” She twirled a lock around her finger. “I’m distinctive.”
“Yes, you are distinctive.” Andrea grinned.
“Anyway, I’ve got to run. I’ll stop by after work one night to see your new love interest,” Jade said, giving her a hug before climbing into her car. “See you later, you crazy dog stealer,” she called out, driving away.
Andrea waved and then fished her keys out of her purse. A slight gust of snow drifted down, almost in slow motion, and she took a deep breath of the bracing air. She wondered what Desiree would have done if she had been the one to stop at the table. What if she had very snarkily asked how Marco was doing? A barrage of scenarios ran through her head, things she could say to embarrass Desiree or messages she could send back to Marco, but none of it was appealing. She just didn’t care. If she were going to say anything to the blonde home wrecker, it would be that she was welcome to Marco, that in the long run she’d done Andrea a favor. But even that seemed too much. Just let them live their lives and she’d live hers.
Just as Andrea was about to get into her car, the restaurant door burst open and Desiree’s date (the one who had told Jade it wasn’t a date) sprinted out like a man fleeing the scene of a crime. He had a wicked grin on his face as he came her way. Presumably headed to his getaway car.
Andrea had never been one to chat up strangers, especially strange men, but as he got closer something made her call out, “You seem to be in a hurry.”
He clearly had been lost in thought and hadn’t noticed her standing next to her car, because her comment startled him into slowing. He ran a hand over his wavy brown hair, and gave her a smile. “Not in a hurry. Just heading home.”
“The way you rushed out, I thought maybe you’d robbed the place,” she said, her car keys looped around her fingers. “Or maybe you were skipping out on your date?”
“Oh, that wasn’t a date. Believe me, not a date.” He shot a glance back at the restaurant and then said, almost apologetically, “That was
a . . .
well, I don’t know what it was. Just lunch, I guess.”
“Just lunch,” Andrea said and then flinched at her own stupidity. She couldn’t come up with anything better to say than that? He had stopped now, five feet away, and he was still looking at her with a smile. He was really cute, she thought. Distinguished, but not in an old-guy way. Older than her, though. Maybe late thirties. Hard to judge, but certainly no older than forty. His navy jacket was open, casually left unzipped like he didn’t even feel the cold. The breeze kicked up and snow drifted around them like they were characters at a skating rink in a movie. “Well,” she said, “I guess I better go home and feed my dog.” Again, she flinched and inwardly groaned. Go home and feed my dog? She needed a better scriptwriter because that was the worst line ever. Jade would have had his name, address, and social security number by now, but that was Jade. She was outgoing, bold, unafraid. Andrea wanted to be all those things, but she never seemed able to summon it at the time.
He nodded approvingly. “Okay. It was nice talking to yo
u . . .
?”
“Andrea.”
Again, his head bobbed up and down, like her name met with his approval. “Andrea. Nice talking to you, Andrea. Maybe we’ll cross paths again sometime.”
“Yes, maybe we will.” Andrea watched as he went over to a red truck, and she heard the beep as he unlocked the door. “That’s it?” she murmured to herself, disappointed. She took one daring step in his direction and blurted out, “Hey! I don’t think I got your name.”
“My name?” He paused, his hand on the open door. “It’s Dan.”
“Nice to meet you, Dan.” She raised her hand and gave him a fluttery wave.
Again, he gave her that adorable little boy grin, like he was getting away with something. “Nice to meet you too, Andrea.” And then he got into his truck and started the engine.
As Andrea saw the brake lights of the truck at the edge of the parking lot, all she could think was she should have kept the conversation going. It might have even led to her suggesting they get together sometime. Why had she held back? Women had been asking men out for ages now; it wasn’t a new concept. Clearly, there’d been some attraction there and she could have handled it in a smart way, not disclosing her last name or where she lived. It would have been easy to exchange cell phone numbers, or make plans to meet at this same restaurant on another day. But she knew what it was. Besides the fact he was a complete stranger, the fear of rejection had held her back. And he’d been there with Desiree. It seemed like he didn’t want to be with Desiree, but still he somehow had wound up sitting opposite her at a restaurant and that alone reflected poorly on his character.
She sighed. Well, it didn’t make a difference either way. She would probably never see him again, and besides, Anni waited for her at home.
NINETEEN
The next Sunday found Dan sitting in the back row of the church by himself. He hadn’t been inside the building in over a year, and with Lindsay scheduled to work that morning, he was flying solo. Back when they came as a family, their usual spot was toward the front on the right-hand side. Often Aunt Doreen or one of the other relatives would join them, and most often they’d go to brunch afterward. Nothing formal, just the place on the lake that did made-to-order omelets.
He purposely avoided sitting with Doreen, who he saw was already seated up front, but he knew if they met up on the way out, he’d have a thing or two to say to her. Namely: What had she been thinking matching him up with that nightmare Desiree? He shook his head at the memory of the tacky blonde woman blathering endlessly about herself while fussing with her hair and earrings. Could there be a woman more different than Christine?
He’d thought that being here without his wife would feel like a betrayal, but instead it was fine. Just lonely, seeing all the couples and families troop in, greeting others as they proceeded to their seats. The only other singles seemed to be gray-haired ladies with thick glasses, clutching large handbags to their side.
The service began and he went along with the singing and praying and everything else, but it felt like rote. None of it came from the heart, the way it had in the past. His faith, once shiny and solid, was dinged up and rusty. Attending church, and everything that came with it, was part of his old life. Back when things made sense and God didn’t strike down a healthy woman—a wife, a mother—long before her time, taking her away from everyone who loved her. There was no reason for her suffering and death, and, to add insult to injury, Anni was gone, stolen by some drunken cretins looking for sadistic fun. While everyone else recited a prayer, Dan made a mental bargain.
God
, he prayed,
if Anni is returned to us, unharmed, I’ll give you another shot.
Well, what were the chances of that happening? Sadly, it was slim to none. And really, if bargaining had worked, he’d have Christine with him now. Best to just forget about it.
Maybe he shouldn’t have come to church today. Instead of being a balm for his soul, the service had become an irritant to his inner peace. When the hour was over, he made his way through the crowd, hat in hand.
Doreen spotted him in the lobby and called his name, then worked her way to where he stood. “Dan.” She threw her arms around him. “I’m so glad you came.” The top of her head only came up to his armpit, but still her hug was firm.
“I told you I would, didn’t I?”
“Actually, I believe you said you’d think about it. Aren’t you glad you came?”
“Not really,” he said. “In fact, I’ve got a bone to pick with you. That woman you set me up with? Sheesh. An hour with her—pure torture.”
“That bad?” Doreen said, unsuccessfully suppressing a smile. “Ah, I was afraid that might be the case.”
“What?” Dan gave her his narrowed-eye gaze, the one he used on Lindsay when she stayed out past curfew. “You were afraid that might be the case? You knowingly put me in the line of fire?”
“Oh, it couldn’t have been as bad as all that,” Doreen said soothingly. “Come to brunch with me and we can talk.”
“I’m not all that sure I want to talk to you.” He tried to keep up the pretense of being miffed, but a smile broke through.
“Come out with me and I’ll explain my thinking,” she said. When he didn’t respond right away, she added, “Come on! It’ll be fun. With any luck, some of my book club ladies might see us and I can get the gals talking about my mystery man.”
An hour later he and Doreen sat at a table overlooking the lake, their omelets in front of them, mimosas to the right of their plates. Doreen was fond of mimosas, always ordering them at half strength and then claiming they were still too strong, but drinking them anyway—then ordering another one.
“So,” Dan said. “Making me meet this woman for lunch was, what? A practical joke? Your idea of fun?”
“Oh no, dear, I would never do that to you,” Doreen said, patting his hand in a motherly way. “Was it really that dreadful?”
“It was really that dreadful.”
“There was nothing good that came of it?”
Dan thought about the fifteen seconds in the parking lot, the brief exchange with the woman in the camel-colored coat. Andrea. The effect she’d had on him was puzzling. The attraction wasn’t even romantic or sexual, either, just the feeling that he knew her somehow. He liked her voice. Even her smile seemed familiar. And she had a dog that she had to go home and feed. A dog was about as good of a recommendation as one could get. He met Doreen’s eyes and realized she still needed an answer. “Having to talk to Desiree was excruciating. I had no idea time could go so slowly.”
Doreen said, “I knew you wouldn’t end up together, but, you know, I think you both needed this. And honestly, Dan, how painful could it have been? It was just one lunch. Desiree was really in a bad place what with that schmuck breaking her heart, and you, well, you’ve been in that sad rut you’ve dug for yourself for so long now. Don’t get me wrong.” She held up a hand to stop his objection. “I’ve been there myself. When Bruno died, I didn’t feel like doing anything. Didn’t even feel like getting out of bed. So I get it. Really, I do. But at some point, a person just needs to move forward, and for me it happened gradually. One step at a time. You do one small thing and you get through it so you know you can do that and more too. One small thing.” She dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “But you have to do that one small thing and I didn’t see it happening for you, so I set up the dominoes and gave it a push. At least you have to admit that Desiree is a very attractive woman.”
Dan felt the kindness in her words and knew she meant well, but still. “I appreciate the thought, but please, do not do that again.”
Doreen smiled. “Always the gentleman. Even as a little boy you had good manners, and I’ve always liked that about you, Dan. Most men would have told me off for being pushy and annoying.”
“I’m serious, Doreen. Don’t even think about doing this to me again.”
“Oh, I know you’re serious. But I won’t have to do it again. You already did your one small thing, and so it has begun. Next time you go to lunch with a lady, it will be much easier.”
He’d intended to stay angry with her, but found it impossible. There was so much love in her eyes, it disarmed him. “
If
I ever go to lunch with a lady again.”
She laughed. “You will. Just wait and see. One day you will.”
TWENTY
Andrea decided Anni was the smartest dog on the planet. And not only intelligent, but possibly psychic too. All Andrea had to do was think about
maybe
taking Anni for a walk and her girl would excitedly troop to the door, pawing at the leash that hung over the knob. Within a few weeks, Anni knew Andrea’s morning schedule, nudging her awake moments before the alarm went off on weekdays, and letting her sleep in a bit later on the weekends.
Originally she’d set up Anni’s bed downstairs in the kitchen, scattering a few toys nearby so she’d get the idea that this was her space. Agreeably the dog settled into bed, but when Andrea headed up the stairs to go to sleep, Anni followed. She just didn’t get that the dog bed was her place to sleep. That first night Andrea had been wary of letting the dog sleep in her bed. She really didn’t know this animal, and besides, Anni had been mistreated. What if she bit or scratched Andrea while she slept? Anni looked so sweet, but anything was possible. Andrea’s solution, setting the dog bed up in the bathroom and shutting the door, did not go over well. Anni cried pitifully until the door opened and then she happily scampered out. Finally, exhausted and defeated, Andrea patted the bed, “All right, you can sleep here.” Anni immediately jumped up and curled up next to her. There was no turning back after that.
Almost by accident she discovered that Anni could follow commands. “Sit,” came out of her mouth at one point and Anni sat with almost military precision. After that Andrea ran through the gamut of dog tricks and found that Anni knew all the basics: sit, stay, come, roll over, and play dead. The last one she discovered, “beg,” Anni had done on her own, begging when she saw Andrea bring out dog treats. Such a smart dog.
And she was affectionate too, snuggling up against Andrea when she watched TV, and keeping her feet warm in bed. Sometimes Andrea caught the dog looking up at her adoringly, and her heart swelled. So this was why dog people were so insane! It all made sense now.
At the office, Anni sensed when she needed to be absolutely silent and would rest quietly at her feet. During the lunch hour, Andrea had to abandon her former habit of eating at her desk and actually venture out into the world. A quick outing to let Anni do her business evolved into a daily walk through the downtown area. Anni always leapt with delight the minute Andrea got out the leash and it seemed mean not to keep going. The world looked different with a dog leading the way. People who might have walked on by, not making eye contact at all, stopped to pet Anni and make small talk. Soon enough Andrea had talked to more people coming and going from the office than she had in years.
The first day Tommy came in after his vacation, Andrea braced herself, expecting him to say she couldn’t bring a dog to work. But, just like everyone else, he was charmed by Anni. “Who do we have here?” he asked, crouching down to rub behind her ears. Anni lifted her head, luxuriating in being the center of attention.
“This is Anni,” Andrea said, glancing down nonchalantly as if this were business as usual.
But Tommy McGuire was nobody’s fool. “Is Anni now a regular here at McGuire Properties?” he asked, rising.
“You could say that,” Andrea admitted. “I think she adds a certain something to the place, don’t you? A touch of class?”
“So this is your dog?”
“Yes.”
“And you plan on bringing her every day.” It was half statement, half question.
Andrea hesitated. “If I can. I mean, if it’s okay with you.”
Tommy had a thoughtful expression on his face. “If she’s always like this, I don’t have any objections to her being here. If she causes any problems, though, I reserve the right to change my mind.”
“Fair enough,” Andrea said. Looking at Anni resting with her nose on her paws, it was hard to believe she could ever cause problems.
Luckily, Anni was well behaved, and Tommy became quite fond of her, usually greeting the dog first when he came through the door. One day Andrea and Anni came in to find a large glass jar filled with dog treats on the top shelf of the office bookcase, a jar supplied and replenished by Tommy himself. Anni got excited any time either of them even walked in the direction of the jar, and Tommy reinforced her expectation by getting her a treat every time. “Aren’t you a sweet thing,” he’d say.
So that was good.
A wonderful bonus to all the walking was the discovery that her pants now hung loosely off her hips. Puzzled at first, she wondered if they’d become stretched out in the laundry, but after trying on multiple pairs of pants, it was confirmed: she was thinner. Andrea dug out a pair of designer jeans, the ones she’d foolishly spent $150 on. She had only worn them once. Even in her thinner days, they’d just barely fit. She’d bought them thinking the fabulous cut, the stitched back pocket, and the amount of money she’d spent would motivate her to lose weight. But she never did, and eventually the sight of them brought a flush of shame. She finally hid them in the back of her closet and almost threw them out when she’d moved out of the house she’d shared with Marco. They seemed emblematic of her failure as a wife. What kind of woman couldn’t even lose ten pounds? No wonder her husband’s head was turned by a thinner, younger, curvier woman.
Andrea held the jeans up and turned them, once again admiring the cut and stitching. If only. She took off her pants, and held her breath as she stepped into the legs of the designer jeans. Here went nothing. Up they went, over her calves, and then her thighs, and finally over her hips. She zipped them with ease and felt like cheering. How had this happened in just a few weeks? She turned to look at her backside in the mirror, pulled up her shirt, and noted a lack of muffin top, not even a small one. Huh.
She studied the reflection of her face and neck, turning her head from side to side. Her cheeks looked less rounded and more sculpted, she thought. Nights filled with solid, restful sleep were another bonus of their long walks. She was so tired at the end of the day that she drifted off as soon as her head hit the pillow. As a result, her dark under-eye circles were nearly gone now. And here she’d thought they were unavoidable, a mixture of age and genetics. It wasn’t until she’d noticed that people no longer randomly asked her if she was tired that she’d made the connection. Apparently, even when she didn’t feel tired, the under-eye circles had made her look weary. Who knew having a dog would improve your appearance? Once pudgy cheeked (and full hipped) and tired-looking, she was now somewhat svelte and well rested. She’d have weighed herself to see the actual difference, but she’d let Marco have the scale in the divorce and she’d made a deliberate decision not to purchase a new one, reasoning she was already depressed enough. But now she put it on her list of things to buy the next time she was at Target. A nice new scale with a bright LED display.
Andrea started eating lunch at Café Mocha, the coffee shop that allowed dogs. It was nearly a mile from the office, a walking distance that would have seemed daunting in the past, but after regularly walking Anni, she was now used to it. If no one stopped them to socialize, they could make it in fifteen minutes.
Today she walked into the coffee shop, stamping her feet on the mat inside the front door. The Café Mocha was a good-size space, with fifteen tables and an assortment of upholstered chairs around the perimeter. The décor was modern with some vintage touches—black-and-white checkerboard tiles on the floor, light fixtures with a 1960s’ look. A redbrick fireplace graced one wall. During the winter months, a fire was always blazing and the warmth and beauty of the flames made the surrounding tables highly coveted. The owner of the place, Joan, knew everyone and had an incredible memory for names and customer preferences. And she loved Anni.
“There they are,” she called out from behind the counter. Anni strained at the leash to get the dog biscuit she associated with Joan’s voice. “Andrea and Anni. The daring duo. The cutest of cute. The ones to beat. Two of my favorites.”
Andrea had a feeling that most of the customers were her favorites, but there was still something nice about being included in that group.
Joan reached over the counter with a dog biscuit and dropped it down to Anni, who caught it between her teeth. “Oh man!” Joan said with admiration. “Did you see how fast she did that? I think we set a record here. Anni, you are awesome.” Andrea ordered her usual cup of soup, iced tea, and half sandwich, paid, and went to sit down. Anni followed amiably as she wove around the tables, scanning the room. When Andrea saw a young couple, college kids from the looks of them, vacating one of the tables by the fireplace, she tugged on the leash and moved in to take it. The guy had already made his way to the door, but the girl still stood next to the table, adjusting her scarf around her neck. “You can have the table. We’re all done,” she said, sweetly stating the obvious. “Oh, what an adorable dog.” The girl bent down, a sheen of dark hair curtaining either side of her face. She gave Anni’s head a quick pet before gathering up her backpack and gloves.
“Thanks,” Andrea said. She was getting used to taking credit for Anni’s cuteness.
After the girl hurried away, Andrea took a seat, looping the end of Anni’s leash around her chair and scooting Anni’s hindquarters close to her feet so that she didn’t block the aisle. Joan or one of the other women who worked here usually delivered the food within a few minutes, so Andrea took the time to gaze at the fire and think about the rest of her week, particularly her weekend. She definitely had to fit in a visit to Gram at the nursing home on Saturday. Okay, technically they weren’t called nursing homes anymore; they were rehab facilities. Gram’s was called the Phoenix Health Care Center. Phoenix. As if someone would be rising from the ashes. Well, they could call it what they wanted, but in Gram’s case it was a permanent placement. Her dementia had progressed to the point that she couldn’t live independently and no one in the family was equipped to take care of her. Andrea had been guilty of not visiting for a few weeks. It was always so depressing now that Gram didn’t always recognize her, but she’d called the center and gotten permission to bring a dog. “Anni is very small and well behaved,” she’d campaigned over the phone. She’d expected some resistance, but the nurse she’d talked to sounded rushed and, frankly, not all that interested, saying she thought it was probably fine for the third floor. “Visiting pets must be up to date on their shots, well trained, and leashed to ensure everyone’s safety,” she said. “Additionally, you must sign in at the front desk when you enter the building.” Knowing she could bring Anni along put a new slant on the whole thing and now Andrea looked forward to visiting Gram.
Andrea watched the fireplace flames dance and made a mental list of everything she had to do that afternoon. She was completely lost in thought when a man’s voice interrupted.
“Is this seat taken?”
She looked up to see a gorgeous man standing next to her, gesturing to the empty chair on the other side of the table. Breathtakingly gorgeous. She mentally cataloged his looks for the purpose of storytelling to Jade later: Tall? Check. Dark? Check. Handsome? Yes, yes, and yes. The kind of good looks that could make a woman speechless. She stammered, “The seat? No. I mean, no, it’s not taken. Feel free. Of course you can sit there.”
He sat, making apologies as he went. “I’m sorry to intrude, but all the other tables seem to be occupied.”
“No, it’s fine.” Now that he sat across from her, she could see his face more clearly. He could have been a model, with his flawless skin, chiseled features, and strong jaw. His clothing could have said college student, but he was older, maybe thirty-five or so? Definitely worth chatting up, if she had the nerve. Jade’s philosophy about the interconnectedness of the universe came to mind. Even if it came to nothing, who knew if he had a friend, or a younger brother? How bizarre to even be thinking this way. A few months ago she thought she’d be alone for the rest of her life. Now the world seemed full of possibility.
“Nice dog,” he said, before getting out his phone.
“Thanks.” If Jade were here, she’d already have this conversation started, but Andrea had never been a master of small talk. Luckily, just then Joan approached with her tray of food. “Well, hello there, Philip,” she said, greeting the man while setting down Andrea’s food. “How did I miss you coming in?”
Ah, so his name was Philip. He looked like a Philip. Suave and debonair, yet rugged. Philip looked up from his phone to flash a smile at the coffee shop owner. “Hey, Joan. I snuck in when you weren’t looking.”
“Where’s your better half today?” Joan asked.
“At work,” he said, sighing. “She should be here already, but things got crazy at the office. She texted and said she’d get here as soon as she could.”
“Too bad.” Joan’s head tilted sympathetically. “Hopefully you won’t have to wait too long. Do you know Andrea?”
“I do now.” He reached over and Andrea dutifully shook his hand.
“You two should get along,” Joan said. “You both have beautiful dogs.”
As Joan walked away, Philip said, “My wife and Joan are friends. They went to college together.”
How had she missed the wedding ring? His beauty had blinded her and jangled her nerves. Knowing he was married, though, made it easier. Andrea said, “Oh, I love Joan. It’s amazing the way she remembers everyone’s name.” Philip agreed and they began talking about the coffee shop and the college Joan and his wife (her name was Vanessa) had attended, and before she knew it, they were completely engrossed in conversation. He and his wife had a sheltie, and soon enough he and Andrea were trading anecdotes about their dogs.
Look at me
, Andrea thought,
acting all casual while eating with a perfect stranger
. A really perfect stranger. Of course, he talked about his wife like they were newlyweds, which they very nearly were. He told Andrea, “I never knew someone like her existed in the world until I met her, and now I can’t imagine the world without her.”
Andrea could not imagine Marco saying anything close to this about her, or anyone else for that matter. Philip and Vanessa were a couple to envy.