Wherever the Dandelion Falls (8 page)

If Faye was actually going to the brunch and not just fleeing a crime scene, she would need to take the purse she'd come back to the bar to get.

"Don't forget Claire's purse," I said.

Faye startled and dashed back into her apartment. I didn't know if I should wait for her or leave. I opted to walk as slow as possible down the hall.

When Faye returned, re-locking her door frantically, we ambled down the stairs in silence and out into the bright September sun.

Faye paused, pointing in the opposite direction as me. "Well,... bye," she said, grimacing.

I tried to reassure her with what I hoped was a genuine smile. "Bye."

And with that, I turned to go, confused, disappointed, and wishing I had been able to make the morning smoother.

On Tuesday afternoon, I was trying to get a piece of popcorn kernel out of my teeth when Dr. Turner approached my desk. Usually he used his intercom to ask me to make copies or answer phones. I straightened up, wanting him to think I was working hard.

In reality, I was playing Scrabble and texting my sister about the inefficacy of strapless bras. Not that I had a reason to own a strapless bra these days. But when I had, it had aspired only to be a belt.

"Riley," Dr. Turner said with a smile that was exceptionally kind.

"Yeah?"

He leaned forward, putting his palms on the far side of my desk as he faced me. The proximity was alarming.

"I'm hoping you can do me a favor.”

"Sure. Absolutely."

I assumed he wanted copies or something, but when he glanced to the side for a moment, I realized the favor was personal and got excited.

"My nephew is coming into town for a few weeks and I want him to have a good time. He just got out of a relationship and you know how that goes."

Something in my stomach stiffened. This was not where I was expecting this conversation to go, but I was intrigued.

"I was hoping you could take him out for a night or two. Show him the city."

He was asking me to go on a
date
with his nephew.

I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

My hesitation must have shown, because Dr. Turner was quick to reassure me. "Don't worry, he's cute." He reached into his pocket, then flicked through his phone until he came to a picture of a young man about my age, with nicely cut hair and high cheek bones. He
was
cute.

I looked at the picture and then up at Dr. Turner, noticing the resemblance.

"Think you can do that for me?"

Glancing back at the picture one last time, I nodded. I wasn't accustomed to being asked to date people I'd never met. But if Dr. Turner's nephew had half the intelligence and charm of my boss, I'd have a good time.

Dr. Turner tucked his phone back in his pocket and smiled.

"Thanks, doll," he said, turning to go. "I'll set something up for Saturday night. You'll like him. Vance is a good kid."

As he left the room, I realized that I had plans with Faye on Saturday night that I'd now have to cancel.

Because I knew that Faye didn't like Dr. Turner, I didn't tell her why I had to cancel our plans for Saturday. I just told her that I had to take a raincheck because of a work thing. She was gracious, using smiley faces in her texts, and said she hoped we'd see each other soon. I assured her we would and tried to focus on being excited for my date with Dr. Turner's nephew.

When Saturday night came, I decided that this time I would buy a cute outfit to wear, since I was sure it was a real date. Dr. Turner had made us dinner reservations. After getting ready in my room with the door closed, I discreetly slipped out of the house while Justine was in the shower.

I arrived at the restaurant to find Vance waiting at a table for me. He stood when I approached and shook my hand, and even though I expected the date to be awkward, it was anything but. He was charming and friendly and had great stories about his work in a mobile app startup in San Diego. He said he was in town interviewing for a few positions, which he talked about. His work sounded much more exciting than mine. The conversation was easy, and as the meal went on, I found myself leaning closer and closer to him across the table. Maybe I had been too distracted by Dr. Turner to notice guys my own age that were poised for good careers, even if they didn't have advanced degrees or 401ks yet.

At the end of the meal, Vance paid, refusing my offer to split the bill. He held my coat up for me to put on, and then the door as we left. Then he gestured down the street and I took his lead, looking at the wonder of the city at night.

We had walked a few blocks when he pointed to a doorway. "This is where I'm staying," he said, looking up at the windows towering ten stories up, then back at me. He studied me as though making a decision.

Then he smiled. "I had a great night with you, Riley. I hope I can see you again while I'm in town."

His courtesy and politeness flustered me, to the point where I could only smile nervously and nod. Then he leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. It was adorable, in a way. I would have preferred a kiss on the lips, but his old-school charm made me giddy. I walked all the way back to the bus stop on cloud nine.

Since my date with Vance had been so pleasant, I told Justine the next day. I kept it casual, not wanting her to blow my hope out of proportion. Justine encouraged me to text him to let him know I'd had a good time. In dating language, that meant I wanted to go out again. Which I did. Vance and I exchanged a few texts and he asked me out to dinner the following Saturday. I agreed, unable to contain my goofy grin as I fell face-first into the couch in excitement.

Only a few minutes later Faye texted me.
Hey, how about dinner this Saturday? There's a place on Columbus I want to check out :)

My excitement about Vance drooped with my guilt about blowing Faye off. But the fact that my date had been good made lying to Faye seem a little more justified. Which is probably why I lied again.

I'm sorry, I have another work thing. Friday maybe?

She wrote back immediately,
Friday I'm getting back late from a press conference in Sacramento. Sunday?

Hesitant, I answered,
Sure
.

A few days later, I was making copies right before for lunch when I heard Dr. Turner talking animatedly in the entryway.

"Hey, kiddo! What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting for drinks later."

Then I heard Vance's unmistakable baritone and my stomach started fluttering with nerves.

"Yeah, we're still on. I just came to take your assistant out to lunch. Is she around?"

My heart raced.

"My assistant?" Dr. Turner asked, confused. "Oh,
Riley
? Yeah, she's here." There was a pause and Dr. Turner lowered his voice. "That good, huh?" I heard his hand smack some part of Vance's body.

They didn't know I was in the copy room, so they didn't know I could hear them. I hoped Vance wouldn't say anything that would embarrass me.

And to my relief, he didn't.

"We had a nice meal," he said. "She's a nice girl."

I heard more shoulder patting and Dr. Turner said, as though apologizing, "I'm sure she is."

Even when Vance didn't know I could hear him, he was a gentleman.

I realized what him showing up unannounced to take me out to lunch meant.

As the copy machine flicked through the last of my copies, I started panicking. I smoothed my hair and rubbed my index finger over my teeth to make them shiny. I didn't know what else to do to make myself presentable. I didn't look anything like I'd looked on our date. I was in my drab work clothes and my hair and makeup had been given minimal effort this morning. I'd put a tube of lipstick in my purse for the date, but that was in the other room. I could buy myself time by staying in the copy room, but that wouldn't do any good. Vance would eventually find me or give up. I didn't want him to leave, so I cinched my papers together and took a shaky, excited breath. I had just straightened up to walk out of the room into the main section of the office when Vance appeared in the doorway.

Instantly his smile spread unevenly in a grin. "Hey," he said, holding up a single daisy toward me. "I was hoping I could take you out to lunch."

Not trusting myself to answer orally, I gave a quick, enthusiastic nod. All I could do was gaze at his jawline and cheekbones and sturdy shoulders. He looked even more handsome than he had on our date.

"How does Thai food sound?"

"Perfect," I said. It came out a cross between a whisper and a moan, and I wished I'd just given another enthusiastic nod instead of sounding like I was currently being aroused by toners and collators.

He held the flower toward me and, blushing, I took a few steps forward to accept it. But halfway toward him I realized I had left my copies on the copier, and awkwardly turned back to get it, while at the same time reaching out to accept the flower, resulting in a weird torque that was probably the least graceful thing I'd ever done.

Vance didn't seem to notice, because after I'd retrieved my copies and put them on my desk, he held the flower out for me to take again and walked me outside.

"I forgot my purse," I realized halfway down the block, feeling like an idiot.

"You don't need it," he said.

I smiled and tried not to wonder if he was too good to be true.

He was just as cordial as he had been on our first date, and as we looked at our menus and ordered our food, I studied how his face looked in daylight. What stood out were his eyes. They sparkled. Kind of like Faye's did.

We ate and chatted and he told me he'd had a great interview at a tech company that morning. I was happy for him, and that selfish, lonely part of me hoped he'd get the job and move to the city and we could keep dating.

The rest of our lunch was perfect, and my only complaint was that I didn't get a kiss. But I didn't want our first kiss to be in front of my office. That wasn't romantic at all. So I supposed I could wait until Saturday.

On Saturday he took me to a restaurant in North Beach called Rose Pistola. He ordered a nice bottle of wine and after the full theatrical display the waiter put on of pouring a sample for his approval, he raised his glass and told me he had good news. I raised my glass and my eyebrows as his smile spread across his face.

"I got the job I was hoping for," he announced. "I start two weeks from Monday."

I felt like I was soaring. I made a congratulatory exclamation that wasn't a word and wasn't an outright yell.

Vance grinned as we clinked our glasses and took a sip, never breaking eye contact.

Fueled by my overwhelming curiosity, anxious attraction to him, and the liquid courage that I knew would soon create a low hum through my body, I leaned forward. Now that I had reason to believe I had a shot at actually dating Vance long-term, I took a risk.

"I'm sorry... I just have to ask," I said, playing bashful. "Why are you single?"

He gave a wincing chuckle as he looked down at the tablecloth and something shifted in his face. "My most recent girlfriend and I broke up because she went to law school across the country."

I felt myself pang with sympathy. I didn't know what to say, but he quickly said, "But these things happen. And I'm enjoying getting to know you."

Then he winked. He
winked
. Even though ninety-nine percent of the time I think a guy winking is tacky or creepy, when Vance did it, I loved it.

I was halfway through telling him everything I knew about the neurobiological process of being drunk when I was distracted by someone sitting at the bar.

She had long black hair and a trim little waist, legs crossed as she perched on her stool. In her manicured hand adorned with a sparkling tennis bracelet she held a glass of red wine.

Faye was sitting not twenty feet from Vance and me.

I flushed cold, caught off guard. As if on cue, Faye looked over her shoulder and saw me. Her hand tensed around her wine glass, but then she gave me a forced smile.