Crossroad to Love (Fab Five Series)

chapter 2

Angie Gray sat behind her large, mahogany desk, fidgeting with the plans in front of her. She absent-mindedly tapped her well-manicured fingertips on the desk as her gaze drifted to the window. She looked out at the Mississippi River and marveled at the water glistening in the late autumn sunlight before glancing at her watch for what had to be the third time. He was not late. She was just anxious to get the meeting with her new architect over with. It was the last thing on her agenda for the day. After the meeting, Angie was free to go home and begin preparing for her vacation. An entire week of freedom with no phones, no blueprints, no hotel, no casino… just a week with her friends in the Big D. She was spearheading an expansion for the hotel-casino she worked in and hiring the most sought after architectural firm in Iowa had been quite a feather in her cap. Now if she could just get this meeting over with, things could get started, both at the hotel and with her vacation plans.

Angie’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Her secretary, Lynne, stuck her perky, blonde head in the door. “The architect is here. Should I show him in?”

“Please do, Lynne, thank you. You can go as soon as you’ve finished the letters I dictated earlier. Have a good week and I’ll see you when I get back from Dallas.”

“Thanks, Angie. You get some rest while you’re away. It’ll be crazy when you get back.”

“I intend to.” Angie smiled as Lynne closed the door. She was a good friend and a very efficient secretary. What a find she had been. Angie had gone through many applicants before Lynne had waltzed through her door and impressed her with both her enthusiasm and her knowledge.

A minute later, the door opened again and Lynne admitted the architect, showing him to the chair facing Angie.

“Have a seat, please.” Angie said as she looked up from the multitude of papers on her desk. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, tiny beads of perspiration appeared on her forehead and just for a minute her breath caught in her throat. It can’t be, she thought as she looked into the face of the man seated across from her.

Obviously enjoying her momentary loss of composure, the man gave her a crooked grin, cocked his handsome head to the side and spoke in a familiar voice, “Hello, Angela. How are you?”

Quickly regaining her professional demeanor, she answered with a smile, “I’m just fine, Michael. How long have you been working with James & James?”

“Not too long. I actually started with them a few months ago when I moved to the Quad Cities from Des Moines. They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“Better than the firm in the city?” she asked, finding it hard to believe he had left the city to come to a smaller town after all this time. She had resigned herself to the fact that he was out of her life for good.

“You might say that.” His velvety brown eyes locked with her saucy green ones as he spoke.

It had been three years since they had last spoken, but to Angie it seemed like only yesterday. She started to remember the day they last said goodbye, but quickly geared her thoughts back to the present. It would do no good to go down memory lane, especially not that memory.

“Well, let’s get to it. Show me what you’ve come up with,” she went on in the most business-like voice she could muster under the circumstances. It was not every day a blast from the past breezed into her office and sat across from her. And what a blast he was. As he took the blueprints from their casing, she allowed her gaze to wander slowly over his features. He was still handsome, still well-built. He probably still works out, she thought as she remembered the old days in the gym. He had just a hint of graying at his temples, enough to make him look distinguished. Michael had always been the best looking thing she had ever seen, with his brown hair and chocolate eyes. He had stolen her heart in college and never given it back. And now, fifteen years after she had divorced the only man she would ever love, he had waltzed back into her life on a sunny, autumn afternoon. What kind of karma was that?

“I thought we could connect the new tower to the old part of the hotel with this concept…” he began as he spread his work on her desk, obviously confident in his ideas.

An hour later, pleased with the progress they had made, Angie called a halt to the meeting.

“I really need to get going, Michael. I have a plane to catch in the morning and I need to get home. I look forward to working with you. I trust you’ll be here the Monday after next, bright and early.”

“You can bet on it. I think we’ll work well together. This is a good project. I hear it’s been your baby from the start.”

Angie winced at his choice of words and answered a little too brightly, “Yes, my idea from the start.”

“Business trip next week?” he ventured to ask as he watched a lone tendril of her long, brown hair fall onto her brow.

“No, actually I’m meeting the ‘Fab Four’ in Dallas for a reunion. I’ll be gone all week. I wanted to go before I got too bogged down with the project.” Her eyes shone like emeralds as she answered, absently pushing the lone tendril of hair back into place. She remembered the days when he would have reached over and done that for her.

“How are the old girls?” he asked.

She snapped back to the present and replied, “They are all fine. We haven’t gotten together for quite some time. I think it’ll be good for all of us, and I’m excited to be able to spend some time with them again.”

“I’ll see you when you get back, then. Have a great time, and get some rest. I’ll be out of town myself next week. But I’ll be working, not playing.”

“No rest for the wicked…” Angie walked him to the door, shook his hand and watched him leave the suite of offices. She walked back into her large, modern office, collapsing onto the leather sofa in the corner. The office was functional, with straight lines and hard edges in each decoration.

Half an hour later, she locked her desk and file cabinets, hurriedly grabbed her bag and briefcase and headed out the door. Briskly walking to the parking garage, she unlocked the door of her sleek, white sports car and drove across town to her beautiful but modest condo, wondering all the way how in the world she was going to work with Michael Gray for the next six months. Every time she looked into those eyes, she would be reminded of the past. The past she had tried so hard to forget. She would have to force her professionalism to take command. I certainly have not gotten where I am today by being a lovesick fool, she berated herself harshly.

She pulled into the parking garage of the condo and slid her long, athletic legs out the side of her small car, grabbed her things from the backseat, and walked slowly into the building.

Angie spoke to the doorman as she waited for the elevator and thought how nice a lavender-scented bubble bath would feel. But first things first, I have to pack, she sighed as she opened the door and stepped inside the sage and chocolate living room. Home sweet home, she thought as she looked around. I haven’t done badly for myself on my own. The marble fireplace in the living room was flanked by bookcases on either side. The cozy, cocoa-colored, suede sofa and sage accent chairs looked inviting enough. The marble coffee table, strewn with magazines, and matching end tables adorned with sage-colored lamps completed the picture.

She walked into the dining room and dropping her keys on the glass-topped table, kicked off her pumps and practically ran straight to the large master bedroom. I have so much to get done before morning, she thought as she sat on the edge of the bed. No time to sit, get up and get moving, she told herself sternly. You can reward yourself with the lavender bath later.

She began neatly stacking toiletries, underwear, and clothes into her leather suitcase, humming an old familiar tune as she worked. The girls would love this new development in her life when they heard about it. Katy would be analyzing the whole scenario and giving advice.

She was just about to throw the last bit of clothing into her bag, anticipating that long, hot soak in her big, garden tub, when her cell phone rang. Who could that be?

She put the phone to her ear and answered softly, “Hello.”

The man on the other end of the line replied in a husky voice, “Hi, gorgeous. How about taking an old friend to dinner tonight?”

It was Michael… so let the games begin.

“What was I thinking, agreeing to go to dinner with him?” Angie said aloud a short time later as she stepped out of the hot, steaming shower. So much for the long soak in the tub she had promised herself earlier.

She had agreed to meet Michael at the little Italian restaurant down the street from her condo. She told herself it would only be long enough to grab a quick bite and discuss the project. But now that she had time to think about it, she was not so sure it was a good idea, spending time with Michael outside of the office. How was she going to sit through an entire dinner with the man and not let on that he still got to her? That being in the same room with him was enough to set her pulses racing and her senses reeling. She could always duck out early, using the excuse that she had an early flight in the morning. She finished applying jasmine-scented lotion to her long legs and walked to the huge walk-in closet to pick out something to wear.

“Jeez, you would think I was a teenager going on her first date,” Angie muttered aloud. She finally decided on a pair of comfortable, fashionable jeans and a soft pink sweater. Michael had always liked her in pink. She brushed her long, brown hair until it shone, applied light makeup, grabbed her watch and a silver heart pendant and was out the door. At least she’d had enough wits about her to arrange to meet him at the restaurant, rather than have him pick her up at home. This way, she could leave on her own if things got weird.

She jumped into the little white sports car and drove to the restaurant. Finding a parking place close to the door, she locked the car and approached the restaurant apprehensively. She was led by the hostess to a table in the corner, where Michael was already seated. What a handsome man he still was. Her heart was thumping so loudly that he had to hear it.

“Well, hello, you are right on time, lady.” He laughed as he stood and pulled out her chair. “I’m glad you chose this place. I like the atmosphere,” he said as he looked around at the square tables with the red, checkered tablecloths. Each table had a small, flickering candle in the center. The lights were low, and soft music was playing.

He probably thinks I chose this place because it is romantic, she thought to herself. Actually, she had chosen it because it was close to home and because they had the best spaghetti and meatballs this side of the Mississippi.

He had already ordered the wine and it was wonderful, of course. Steady, girl, don’t go drinking the wine and forgetting your resolution to only talk business, she reminded herself as she took the first sip.

“So what do you think of my plans for the expansion so far, Michael?” she asked in a serious tone.

“From what I’ve had a chance to look at so far, I think you have some wonderful ideas,” he answered with a smile, “but I would have expected no less from you. You have always been at the top of your game when it comes to work.”

She took another sip of the delicious red wine, as the waiter came to take their order. She suggested the spaghetti and meatballs, of course.

After they had both ordered, Michael took her hand in his. As he rubbed the back of her hand with his strong, tanned fingers, he said, “Now that we have had our little business discussion, let’s table that until you get back in town next week and catch up on each other’s lives.”

“Not much to tell about my life. I spend most of my days working, which leaves little time to socialize. This job has been great, but it takes up a tremendous amount of my time, especially now, with all the new plans.” Angie tried to appear nonchalant. “We have a lot of competition in the area, so it keeps me on my toes.”

“So, there is no new man in your life?”

She hesitated for a minute. How she would love to tell him that there would never be a new man in her life. That even though they had parted ways all those years ago, no one had ever quite measured up to her first love. Instead, she simply said “No new man in my life. I have no time for men right now.”

“Ah, spoken like the Angie that I know and love,” he said with a grin.

“And how about you, Mr. Gray, a wife and two kids waiting for you back home?”

“Angie, I’m hurt. You actually think I would get married again and not inform you?”

“Well, it has been almost three years since we last spoke. A lot can happen in three years, you know,” she quipped.

“No wife and kids waiting for me back home. No girlfriend either. Like you, my new job with this firm has kept me very busy. You’re not the only one leaving town this week, remember. I’m flying out Monday morning to see a client about a restaurant expansion. But don’t worry, my love, I will be back next week when you’re back from your little ‘Fab Four’ vacation to start work on your project with you. Now fill me in on the girls.”

“They are good, or as far as I know. Katy has finally gotten Alex in college, so maybe we can talk her into moving on finally. It’s been ten years, you know, since the accident. She never remarried. Lizzie’s twins are grown and Marianne is still married to her dreamboat doctor. I hear he is one of the top surgeons in Dallas now.”

The waiter had brought their salads, so they were quiet for a few minutes as they started their meal.

“I’m surprised you didn’t have them all come to your resort for a week,” Michael broke the silence.

“I really needed a week away, as busy as I’ve been. If I had stayed around, I would have gotten called in to the office several times during the week for some crisis or another, I’m sure. It was a good time for me to leave, before we get into the project full force. So we rented a suite at one of the hotels on the north side near the Galleria for the week,” she answered as she buttered her roll.

“Dallas, huh.” He smiled to himself. “When are you flying out?”

“I have to be at Moline at nine tomorrow morning to catch my flight,” she answered as the waiter brought the two steaming plates of spaghetti to the table.

They ate in silence for a while, simply enjoying the delicious food and each other’s company. It seemed so natural to be sharing a meal with Michael.

When the meal came to an end, he warned her, “I hope you get some rest and have some fun, because we’ll be hard at it first thing Monday morning.”

“Which reminds me, I really need to get going since I have to leave at the crack of dawn in the morning,” she replied, hating to see the evening end after all.

“Just let me get the check and I’ll walk you to your car. You were right about the food here. Best spaghetti and meatballs this side of the Mississippi. I think they have my favorite place in Des Moines beat, and that’s saying something.” He chuckled. “I’m glad you agreed to meet me. It was great catching up with you, Angie.” He looked at her tenderly, turning her insides to instant mush.

Michael signed the credit card receipt, putting his copy in his wallet. As they were walking to the parking lot, he took her hand in his. Angie’s heart jumped. Calm down, he is only holding your hand, she told herself. When they reached her car, he brushed the stubborn tendril of hair back from her brow, as he had done so often in the past, and leaned over to kiss her gently on the forehead.

“Have a great trip.” He smiled, and he was gone, leaving her in stunned silence.

Angie got into the car and hurried out of the parking lot, heading down the street to her condo. Once in the parking garage, she allowed herself to catch her breath. She was shaking like a leaf for the second time that day. This just would not do. She was always in control.

Oh, good grief, Angie girl, it was nothing, it meant nothing. It was just a friendly kiss. On the forehead, no less. Get a grip! Would she ever get this man out of her system?

Even after all these years, a few hours, a little conversation, a little kiss, and Angie was a total basket case. She finally forced herself to get out of the car and walk to the elevator. She pushed the button to the fifth floor and stepped out into the silent hallway. Somehow, she made it to her door, unlocked it, and stepped inside. Once inside, she allowed the tears to flow as she collapsed onto the plush carpeting.

And in an apartment across town, as Michael Gray climbed between the cool linen sheets of his own lonely bed, he thought about the evening he had just spent with his ex. If it’s the last thing I do, she will be in my bed again.