Chapter and Verse (6 page)

“
Brian and Catherine Lincoln, Mom and Dad, this is Deacon Sloan, my...erm...date.”

Deacon beamed as he kissed my mother’s cheek and shook my father’s hand.

“
Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln, it’s a pleasure to meet you.  Our Dorothy has said nothing but wonderful things about both of you and I’ve been looking forward to this.  I was beginning to think we were going to have to take a long weekend and come to Connecticut to make this happen!”

My mother was ready to pick out a china pattern and my father was mentally ordering the “It’s a Boy” cigars.  I was trying to decide if Deacon should be buried in the three-piece suit or the tux.  He was staring at me innocently, waiting for me to top THAT one.  I narrowed my eyes at him and he continued grinning, even going so far as to tilt his chin at a jaunty angle.

Challenge accepted  Deke.  Prepare for battle.

He knew something was up when he felt me relax and smile in return.  I saw his smile falter minutely and his grip on my waist tightened.  Too little too late I’m afraid.  I was taking no prisoners.

I leaned up and took his earlobe in my ear, tugging slightly.  I felt him stiffen beneath my grasp, but I was just warming up.  I leaned back slightly and placed my free hand on his chest.  He looked down at my hand and I smiled at my parents who were beside themselves.  I directed my words to Deacon while I winked at my parents.

“
Deacon, baby, if you wanted to meet my parents that badly, all you had to do was say so.  I didn’t realize things were moving along that quickly.”

My mother grabbed him in a hug reserved for survivors clutching life preservers, and my father grabbed his hand behind my mother’s arm and started pumping as if he were priming a well.  His eyes shot to mine in a state of abject terror and I grinned and licked my index finger, then dragged it in a downward motion through the air as if scoring a point.  The Master was not amused and I swallowed hard.

I barely heard him promising something or other because I was plotting my escape.  I saw a red exit sign above a door and made it my focal point.  I promised my stilettos retirement if they’d get me out of there and I made my move.

Smiling and nodding like a bobblehead, I was almost there when I felt my arm nearly jerked from the socket.  I flew into a hard body and looked into the eyes of the Devil himself.  Oh his lips were smiling, but his eyes said something completely different.

“
Dance with me Dorothy.  Now.”

There was no room for argument or delay, it was time to pay the piper.

He pulled me onto the dance floor and put his arm around me like a steel band.  I was not going anywhere until he was done with me.  He took my hand and started moving.  I’d taken dance lessons growing up so I knew how to follow his lead and we danced gracefully together.  Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t exactly Fred and Ginger, but we weren’t Fred and Wilma either.  It was pleasant and easy.  Deceptively so.  I swallowed hard and he pulled me closer so that he didn’t have to yell.  Anyone watching would think we were like any other couple there that night.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.

I scanned the crowd as we spun in a wide circle, waltzing with a dozen or so other couples.  I looked for my parents but they were nowhere to be found.  I wasn’t fooling Deacon though, he saw right through me.

“
They’re of no help to you now, they left to peruse the exhibits.”

“
Oh.  Deacon?  Are you angry with me?”

His eyelid began to twitch and that jaw flexing thing he does became prominent.  I furrowed my brow because he started it.  I punctuated my next remark by jabbing my index finger into his chest with each word.

“
If you hadn’t egged me on, we could have escaped.  But no.  Mr. I’ll-Show-You just had to dangle the carrot in front of them.”

He grabbed my finger and held my hand against his chest.

“
Carrot?  What carrot?  I was being friendly!”

“
Friendly?  You were talking to the parents of your date, Mr. Rich Eligible Bachelor.  What the hell were you thinking Deacon?  I mean really.  My poor mother is out there right now debating ivory over white and my father’s wondering if the Country Club is free for a September reception.  I know these people!  They want grandchildren and they want them last week!”

“
Don’t be a drama queen Dorothy, it wasn’t that bad.”

“
Wasn’t that bad?  You offered them your company over a weekend in Connecticut.  By the way.  How did you know I was from Connecticut?”

“
It was in your file.”

“
My what?”

I could tell he was uncomfortable and he could tell I was not going to let this go.

“
Your file.  I have everyone I work closely with investigated thoroughly.  Corporate Espionage is a very real threat in my world Dor’.  I can never be too careful.”

“
Corporate Espionage?  You thought I’d come in and steal your secrets?  Are you serious?  Pierce loves me Deacon.  I could walk in and start asking him questions and I’ll bet you a grand that he’d tell me anything I wanted to know.  I wouldn’t have to steal anything.  What else do you know about me?”

“
Everything.”

“
Everything?  You mean like, everything?  What’s my size?”

“
Dress or shoe?”

“
Holy fuck me sideways.  You really are a piece of work.  You know that?  You obviously knew my address before I told you, why didn’t you just say so?”

He looked down and I could see his ears turning red.  Something about what I asked embarrassed him, but how much more embarrassed could he be?  The man knew my bra size for pity’s sake.

“
Spill it Deacon.  I’ll find out anyway if you don’t.  You’re not the only rich kid in town you know.”

The song changed and we continued dancing.  He wasn’t going anywhere until I found out what had him flustered.

“
About your address...”

“
What about my address Deacon?”

“
Promise you won’t get mad?”

“
Nope.  You have a tendency to make me mad on purpose.  Why would I promise such a thing?”

“
Okay, promise you won’t hurt me?”

“
Fair enough.  I won’t injure you at the gala.  Tell me what you’re hiding!”

“
We live in the same building.”

“
We what?”

“
You live one floor below me.  I live in the penthouse.”

“
Of course you do.”

He danced me around the room and I said nothing in response.  Finally he couldn’t bear the silence any longer.

“
Say something Dorothy.  You’re killing me here.”

“
How long did you know about this and were you ever planning on telling me?”

“
I had the potential to know when I got the file a week ago, but I didn’t pay attention until you told me your address.  Was I planning to tell you?  Of course I was.  Not only is it handy for our business endeavor, but I’ve now got a buddy in the building!  How cool is that?”

I raised one eyebrow at him and internally debated the “no hurting him” promise I made.

“
A ‘buddy in the building’?”

“
Absolutely!  Just think about it a second and you’ll see the benefits.  If you need anything, I’m one floor above you.  Same goes the other way.  Need someone to watch a movie with?  Tap on the ceiling with your broom or call me.  You’ve got my cell number now.  I make killer popcorn and I’ll even compromise with every movie being a chick-flick.”

“
That’s very magnanimous of you Deacon.”

“
I know.  I’m that kind of guy.  You’re gonna love having me for a neighbor.  You’ll see.”

I was reasoning it out in my mind.  Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad having Deacon Sloan as a neighbor.  The guy did make me laugh - most of the time, and he could help with heavy lifting.  Plus, it would make interviewing him a hell of a lot easier.  We could get together on Saturday or Sunday mornings over coffee and relax while we talked, versus my interrupting his workday to ask the routine questions.  This might work after all.

I was starting to smile and he was starting to smile back, when I felt a tap on my shoulder.  I turned my head and a striking brunette dressed in midnight blue grinned a smile that I was sure some dentist had sent his kid to college on.

“
May I cut in?”

“
Sylvia?”

Deacon said her name as if it were a caress and I felt my stomach bottom out.  I took a step back and she took my place.  As simple as that.  She stepped in and took my place.

I didn’t look back, I couldn’t.  I kept the phoney smile plastered to my face (I was learning loads from Deacon already) and I kept on walking.  I found the table with our name tags on it and took a seat.  It felt good to get off of my feet.  Then I waited.

Thirty minutes turned to forty.  When everyone began to take their seats and I noticed that Deacon was no longer on the dance floor, I rose and made my way toward the exit before everyone sat down and it became obvious.  A temporary coat-check had been set up and I wondered if the bathrooms were near there as well.

As I drew near, I heard voices coming from around a corner near the bathrooms.  One was Deacon’s.  I assumed the other belonged to Sylvia.

“
I’m game if you are, but what about your date?”

“
Dorothy?  She’s not technically my date.  Not really.  She’s nobody.  She’s writing my biography and has to follow me around.  Don’t worry about her.”

“
She won’t follow you to my place will she?”

“
Not if we’re fast enough.  Let’s go.”

I couldn’t listen to anymore, I’d heard quite enough.  I leaned against the wall and took off my shoes, one at a time.  Everyone was inside awaiting dinner, and I knew that by now my “date” had slipped out the back.  I started toward the front, then remembered the cameras.  A server with an empty tray walked past and I grabbed her arm.

“
Excuse me, I don’t want to be a bother, but is there another way out of here?  I have a terrible headache and I’d like to avoid the cameras.”

She smiled and took pity.

“
Of course.  Follow me.”

I did and ended up going out a side door that the caterers were using.  I walked to the back of the building, ruining my stockings in the process.  The night was warm and I didn’t care in the least.  I pulled my cell from my purse and called my sister.

“
Mel’, can you come get me please?  I’ll explain when you get here, just get here quickly.  I’m at the back of the building, bye.”

I hung up before she could ask too many questions and sat down on a bench.  It wasn’t quite dark yet, but it was getting close.  I thought about all the effort I put into looking like his “type”.  I thought about his reaction and the feel of his arm around my waist.  I remembered how he charmed my parents and our discussion while we danced.  “Neighbors” and “Buddies” and playful banter that meant absolutely nothing, because I was nobody.  He couldn’t even tell her I was just a friend that accompanied him this evening.  I was nobody.  He left me there to fend for myself without a goodbye or an explanation of any kind.  I saw headlights slowing and I walked to the curb while my sister’s Lexus pulled up in front of me.  I slid into the passenger seat and thought to myself, “And people wonder why I have trust issues”.

I stayed to myself on Saturday.  My sister left early, seeming to understand that I needed to be alone.  That’s one thing about Melody.  She knows when to push and when to step back.

I refrained from my daily run, because it would mean leaving the apartment and there was a chance of running into “him”.  Likewise, I abstained from the gym.  I ordered in food and settled down to work.  I had enough notes to start an outline, trying to do it without malice would be the hard part.  I had to try though, because if I found it impossible, I’d have to let him know he needed to find someone else.  I would never compromise my professional integrity for the sake of piece of shit CEO scumbag playboy.  Nope.  Not me.

By five o’clock, my phone was making me mental.  He started calling around noon and he never stopped.  Wait.  There was that brief interlude between two and three when I imagine he grabbed lunch, but he was right back at it by three.  I set the phone to go directly to voicemail so I wouldn’t have to hear the incessant ringing and that helped a little, but not much.  He started ringing my office phone and I had to unplug it from the wall.

By seven, things had settled enough that I found myself napping on the sofa in the sun.  The warmth from the rays made me feel like a kitten in a sunbeam and I just curled up and fell asleep.  The sun would be setting soon, so I’d placed a comforter nearby and my head rested on a pillow from my bed.  I was comfy and thinking of nothing for the first time all day.  Sleep claimed me quickly.

At eight I thought the building was being demolished.  At least that’s what it sounded like to me.  I was jolted from my dreams by loud and unrelenting pounding on my door.

“
Dorothy, open up!  I know you’re in there, the doorman said you haven’t left all day!  Open the damned door!”

Great.  The Lone Wolf was howling outside my door.  I had no idea what he could possibly want with me, nor did I care.  I still hadn’t made up my mind if I would continue to be affiliated with Mr. Sloan, and until I made that decision, I wasn’t sure if it was wise to talk to him.  But the pounding had to stop.  I did have a neighbor.

I went to the door and looked through the peephole.  He was disheveled and possibly drunk.  I didn’t need that either.  He looked like he hadn’t shaved since last night, but at least he’d changed clothes.  Speculating on his hygiene was getting me nowhere and I was still determined not to let him in.

“
Deacon, take a hint.  I don’t want to talk to you, so get the fuck away from my door.  Go home.  Leave me alone.”

There.  That seemed clear enough.

I heard his hand run down the door and then a thud.  When I looked out the peephole again, I saw the back of his head.  The thud was his forehead hitting the door.  What a drama queen.

“
Dorothy, we need to talk.  Buddy to buddy.”

“
Fuck-you buddy.  I’m nobody, remember?  Not a date, not a friend, not anything.  I’m nobody.  You asked me if I trusted you Deacon and then you left me there on my own while you snuck out with... whatever she was.  Some friend you turned out to be.  Go home and leave me alone.  I deserved better than that.”

My back was pressed to the door and I fought the urge to cry.  I didn’t even know why, but I think it was out of frustration.  Deacon was the first date I’d consented to in almost three years and I thought we were friends.  I was buying into the “great guy” persona.  I hadn’t even known him a week and I’d told him I trusted him.  The sad thing was, I’d meant it.  I did trust him.  The end result proved why I can’t trust myself.  And that’s why I wanted to cry.  Not for him, I wanted to cry for me.

“
You’re right.  You did deserve better.  I fucked up and I’m an idiot.  I don’t deserve your friendship and you have a right to withhold it from me.  That’s more than fair.  Are you still gonna write about me?”

“
I don’t know Deacon.  The way I’m feeling right now?  You don’t want to read anything I have to say about you.  Trust ME on that.”

“
Okay.  I deserve that too.  For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.  Truly sorry.  I’m a shit friend but to be honest?  I don’t have many friends.”

“
Do you wonder why?”

“
I guess not, what I’m saying is, there should be a learning curve or something.  I’m not used to looking out for anyone but myself.  It’s weird.  I feel bad that I left you and I feel bad that I hurt your feelings.  You were so beautiful last night Dor’.  It was no reflection on you whatsoever, I swear.  I have history with Sylvia and it was easy to...”

“
Spare me the details Deacon, I could give a rat’s ass.  We’re not going steady, hell, we’re not going anything.  We’re not even friends.”

“
Don’t say that!  I wanna be a better friend and I want you to write my bio.  Don’t give up on me Dor’.  Please?”

“
Go away Deacon.  I can’t deal with you right now.”

“
Okay I’ll go.  But I’d rather come in and make this up to you.”

“
Make it up to me?  How?  Do my nails?  Scrub my floor?  Watch a film?  No thanks Deke.  Just go home and let me sleep.”

“
Sleep?  It’s not bedtime yet, why are you sleeping?  Are you depressed?  Did I depress you bad enough that you’re sleeping all day?”

“
Oh for the love of god Deacon, I’m tired!  I’m wiped and sad and I wanna be left alone.  I’m going to bed now, so go home.  Please Deacon, just go home.”

My voice broke and I couldn’t help it.  As sad as he sounded, I felt twice as bad.  Hindsight is twenty-twenty and he had the luxury of perfect vision, but sorry or not, it didn’t change a thing.  I couldn’t trust Deacon Sloan as far as I could throw the brunette he dumped me for last night.

If he said anything else, I wasn’t around to hear it.  I gathered my pillow and comforter and traveled the hall to my bedroom.  I closed the door and blocked out any further sound.

I slept so soundly, I don’t remember dreaming.  I woke up to sunlight streaming in through my bedroom window, with a hint of a headache that had the potential to be a pounder if I didn’t quiet it with caffeine.

I had a tank top and short jogging shorts on, I hadn’t looked, but I was positive I also had bedhead from hell.  I didn’t care.  All of the above could be rectified, but not without coffee.  My priorities were clear.

I stumbled down the hall, my eyes half open my goal in sight.  I didn’t have time to go out, I’d have to settle for my trusted Mr. Coffee.  Then, a shower.

I’d pulled down the cannister with my Guatemalan specialty coffee when the doorbell chimed.  I moaned and placed the cannister on the counter.

“
No.  Not this early.  No way.”

I crept to the door and peeked into the hallway.  A young man stood there holding a vase of roses.  Flowers?  This early?  Well shit.  It wasn’t the guy’s fault and I couldn’t in all good conscience take it out on him when it all fell on Deacon.

I twisted the deadbolt and opened the door.  It was an ambush.  The guy thrust the flowers at me and as I was taking them, Deacon made a squeeze play right through my door.  I thanked the young man in a hurry and slammed the door.  Son of a....

“
Deacon?  What the hell are you doing here?  Do you know what time it is?”

He turned to me holding a Grande Latte and a goody bag.

“
It’s coffee and muffin time, Dor’.  I pegged you for a latte kind of girl.  Am I right?”

I snatched the coffee from his hand and sat down at the table.  I popped the lid off the cup and took a deep sniff.  Then I began to sip.  Every time he’d try to say something, I held my hand up for him to stop.  I seem to recall motioning to a chair and he sat down quickly, but he didn’t speak.  He might be an idiot, but he had fleeting moments of wisdom.

I ran my hands through my already messy hair and peered at him over my half empty cup.

“
What’s the actual time Deke?”

He looked at his watch and finally looked ashamed.

“
Almost seven-thirty.”

“
It’s seven-thirty on a Sunday morning and you’re sitting at my kitchen table.  You wanna explain that?”

“
You like Starbucks and I wanna be a better friend.  I knew you were an early riser like me, so I ran to the corner.  Next time, you can go.”

I took another sip and began to feel somewhat human.

“
Next time?  You think this is going to be a regular gig?  You and me dropping in on each other early in the mornings with coffee?  Tell me something, ‘buddy’.  What happens the first time I drop in unannounced with coffee for two and a bag of muffins and you’re...entertaining someone?”

He looked at his folded hands on the table and seemed to consider my question.

“
Tell you what.  When I have overnight guests, I’ll automatically do the coffee run.  If I’m not here by eight, assume the coast is clear and you can make the run.”

He was grinning as if he’d learned to tie his own shoes.  I shook my head and mumbled.

“
I’ll be saving a fortune on coffee...”

“
What?  Were you being sarcastic Dor’?  It’s a little early for sarcasm, don’t you think?”

“
It’s a little early for your bullshit is what it’s a little early for.  I’m still pissed at you Deacon.”

He looked down and appeared to study my tabletop.

“
I know and I’m sorry.  Look, you need to know something.  I don’t apologize to anyone for anything.  Ever.  It’s not in my genetic makeup.  I’ve apologized more to you in the last week than I’ve ever apologized to anyone in my entire life.”

“
And?”

“
And what?  What do you mean, ‘and’?  I’m stating a fact.”

“
Why?  You owed me those apologies.”

He raked his hands down his face and blew out a sigh.

I never said I didn’t owe them to you.  I’m saying I’m off balance Dorothy!  This is not me.  I’m the guy in charge.  The leader.  The Head Kahuna.”

I’d busied myself filling the coffee pot from the tap and missed part of what he was saying.  As I poured the water into the top of the Mr. Coffee, I responded to what he’d said.

“
Did you just say something about being a Tuna?  Because if you did, you lost me.”

“
Not Tuna.  Kahuna.  The Head Kahuna.”

He walked into the kitchen and took my hands in his, effectively forcing me to look at him.

“
Dorothy, I feel like shit.  I can’t sleep and I’ve lost my appetite.  I’m sorry I hurt you.  I made a stupid mistake and I hurt a friend in the process.  It wasn’t worth it and it’ll never be worth it.  You, are worth it.  You’re lovely and you make me laugh.  Nobody with the exception of Anton, makes me laugh.  I don’t want to lose that.  There’s too little laughter in my life.  Say you forgive me and you’ll give me another chance.  Please Dorothy.  I may kill someone if I go another sleepless night.  There’s a barista at the Starbucks that’s just begging to be slapped.”

“
Is it the little dark haired one that talks through his nose and is slower than molasses?”

His eyes grew huge and he drew me into a hug.

“
You understand!”

He pulled back and leaned in conspiratorially.

“
I swear I almost punched that kid.  He annoys the livin’ shit out of me.”

I whispered back just as seriously.

“
I’d have bailed you out.  No questions asked.”

He raised his fist and I bumped it as expected.  We stood staring at one another, each one waiting for some revelation to occur.  I turned around and reached into the cabinet for two mugs.

“
Cream or sugar?”

“
Both please.”

I added both to both cups and turned around again with my arms crossed.  He stood silently waiting.

“
Okay Deacon.  Here’s the deal.  I don’t care who you date or sleep with.  I’m your biographer and maybe your friend, we’ll see how that goes.  The thing is, if you’re out with ME, and you introduce me as your date, there are certain expectations that go along with that.  I expect a certain amount of attention and consideration.  I expect a ride home if you’ve provided the ride there.  Do NOT introduce me as your date if that’s not how you’re prepared to treat me.  Understand?”

He made the sign of a cross over his heart and kissed my hand.

“
I promise and you’re right.  Completely and totally right.  Last night will never happen again Dorothy.  You have my word.”

I turned around and poured our coffee, then handed him a mug.

“
Yeah?  Well your word is worth shit at the moment Deacon, so save your promises.”

“
I’ll make it up to you, I swear.  You’ve never seen me on a mission yet and you have no idea how shitty I feel about Friday night.  I’ll earn your trust back Dor’.  I will.”