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The Tessarae Inn |
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Poseidon Rising CHAPTER 10 “That was Todd or actually Amanda. They want Starr and Jack to stay over tonight.” “So you’re free. Oh, but damn. I’m scheduled to work tonight. I’ll rearrange the things. I can call in…” “No, you won’t. And I think the purpose of this conversation somehow got lost.” “What I know is that you’re free tonight and I could…” “Chad, I wanted you to bring me here or somewhere like here because I need to make some things clear to you.” He looked away from her and leaned forward with his forearms resting on his thighs as he stared out at the water. The wind whipped his hair forward and his body seemed to tense up. “Some things like what?” “I don’t know how I let this happen. I never intended for you to develop feelings for me. I just wanted to be held for a few minutes one night a week. That’s it.” “Well, you got more than you bargained for. Ball’s in your court now. What are you going to do about it? And don’t pretend you didn’t have fun today.” Blair sighed and leaned back against the bench. “I had fun today but I’m going to have to stop leading you on. I’m going to stop saying one thing then ending up some place like this with you.” “You’ve already stopped coming to the club.” “But the message doesn’t seem to have taken and I know that is my fault.” “So what I want doesn’t matter at all in this little drama?” “I guess not.” “Okay, finished?” She nodded. “Then good because there’s something I want to make clear to you.” He turned his head and looked at her. “My father was a gambler. Spent three-fourths of his life in Vegas. Half the time we lived high, half the time we lived at rock bottom. I’m not sure how much I learned from him that was of any value but I do know about playing the odds. You can treat me like a child all you want because you’re too damn scared to face the fact that I’m a man fully grown and all that comes with that. You can pretend that you don’t have feelings for me all you want but I’m not giving up on you. The odds are in my favor.” Blair exhaled and threw her head back. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. A few moments later, she felt him take her hand then pull her up gently. “Let’s go,” he said. “I’m sure you have grownup things to do." ========== For some reason the house felt too quiet tonight. She had gotten used to Starr and Jack being gone a night a week or so and although it was never easy, she had found a way to survive. But tonight even her thoughts seemed to bounce off of the walls. She missed her children, she missed the life she had with them, she missed the life she once dreamed she would have with them and Todd, she missed being able to believe in love, she missed… The phone rang and she snatched at the receiver quickly. Anything to stop her thoughts from continuing to spiral downward into the hellhole of depression. “How about having dinner with me tonight after I get out of class?” She smiled. “I can’t. I need to stay in and do my homework.” Vincent laughed in light tones. “Come out and play with me, Blair. I’ve come up with some new ideas for your proposal but you’ll have to meet me to hear them. We can go to that Rodi’s place I’ve heard so much about and I’ll share them over a burger and a beer. No pressure. Wear your jeans. You don’t have to dress up for me.” The hell she didn’t. She glanced at her watch. She had about three hours. That was probably enough time. “Okay, you’ve twisted my arm. I’ll meet you there at 9:30.” She took a long luxurious bath with candles and scented bath salts. Then she styled her hair. It was long again and she was debating whether to cut it or not. She decided to go with a bundle of angel curls, a style she rarely wore but tonight she wanted to be different. She stepped into a pair of black jeans and topped them with a black sweater that left her shoulders bare. She studied herself in the full-length mirror. She looked good and almost familiar. For a long time after Todd “died” when she looked at her image in the mirror she didn’t recognize herself.
She deliberately decided to arrive fifteen or twenty minutes late because she didn’t want to have to sit at a table alone in Rodi’s--too many memories--but she miscalculated and it was 9:25 when she pushed open the door. She needn’t have worried about being alone, though. She had barely gotten through the door, when she saw Amanda bounce up from a booth near the back and call out to her and wave her over. Every male in the room and half the women turned toward Amanda and watched her joyous bouncing. At least as Blair walked into the view she heard a wolf whistle or ten. When she got to the booth, she looked down at Vincent, who looked up, smiled and rolled his eyes. “She insisted on coming.” Blair slid into the booth next to Vincent. Amanda’s eyes seemed to sparkle as she leaned across the table toward her. “Blair, you don’t mind me being here, do you? This isn’t a date or anything is it, Blair?” “No, but then I’m not the one who’s engaged either.” “He’s married. To you, if I remember correctly.” Blair narrowed her eyes. Amanda smiled at her brightly. “Want a beer? Vincent and I are already on our second one.” Blair nodded and Amanda bounced up to wave at the waiter who arrived at the booth so fast Blair could have sworn he had been standing there all along. “You Aussies have a reputation for holding your liquor well. Is that true, Jewelsy?” Jewelsy? “No need of denying a simple fact, Miss Wallach.” “Okay, then. Whoever drinks the fewest pays, agreed?” Vincent leaned toward her and Blair could see the big grin on his face. “Deal, Miss Wallach.” Amanda smiled back and actually batted her eyelashes. Blair cleared her throat. “How was your class tonight, Vincent?” He turned his gaze to her. “Mind numbing. They always are unless you’re there.” Blair smiled despite herself. “I guess that’s particularly true given how she looks tonight,” said Amanda. She locked her gaze on Blair then turned her butt up slightly, wet her finger and touched it as she made a sizzling sound. “Hot! Blair, you do the color black justice. Glad you didn’t try to dress up or anything.” Vincent laughed with a loud rumbling sound. Blair glared at Amanda, who smiled back with a look of sheer innocence on her face. The beers arrived and Blair gratefully took a sip of hers. Every encounter with Amanda was turning into a dizzying array of strange messages and undercurrents. What exactly was going on between Todd and Amanda? She took another sip of her beer. She was not supposed to care. Whatever was going on was Todd’s drama not hers. Amanda took a long gulp and Vincent followed suit taking a longer gulp. Amanda finally lowered the glass from her lips and slammed it on the table, made a loud “ahhhh” sound then shook her head and upper body. Her hair flew and her breasts bounced. “That was good,” Amanda said as she leaned back slowly. She looked directly at Vincent and then delicately ran her tongue along her upper lip as if to wipe the excess beer away. The waiter reappeared. “The guys over at pool table # 3 want to know what you are drinking because they want to buy you two or three or ten more.” “Aren’t they sweet,” said Amanda. She stood up and waved then blew them an air kiss. Blair had a headache. She leaned closer to Vincent but his eyes were glued on Amanda. Blair cleared her throat and when he glanced at her, she said, “Vincent, did you bring the papers?” “Papers? What papers?” What the hell? “Your ideas about the project.” “Oh. Sorry. I left them at school.” Okay enough of this. “I think I’ll leave then.” Amanda dropped back into her seat and puffed out her lips. “So soon? At least finish your drink.” Blair ignored her, put three dollars on the table and slid out of the booth. Vincent slid out after her. “Sorry about this,” he said standing close to her. He picked up the money from the table. “I invited you remember?” “Leave it as part of the tip. I’m sure your waiter will earn his salary tonight.” “I’ll walk you to the car.” “She’s a big girl, Jewelsy,” cooed Amanda. Vincent looked over at Amanda but Blair looked straight ahead. She didn’t want to know what Amanda was doing to make Vincent’s body freeze as if he was a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming SUV. She exhaled loudly then said, “It’s not a problem. I know the way and I’ll be fine.” She walked out of Rodi’s but she wasn’t sure that either Amanda or Vincent noticed she was gone. She felt like banging things as she walked into the house. What a wasted evening. She wasn’t even sure she knew what she was feeling. She wasn’t interested in Vincent and Amanda was Todd’s problem. So why was she so angry? Because she was looking for so little – a quiet night in a warm place with a smile or two and got nothing. For one split second she thought about going to Capricorn but changed her mind. Sending double, triple messages to Chad wasn’t fair to say the least. She threw her coat on the couch and walked toward her office but stopped herself. The bar was in her office and she was not going in there to work. There was nothing to be gained by using alcohol as a crutch for her confused feelings. Time for some extreme sleeping. Depression be damned. Sleep was the magic cure. Well, for depression at least. Anger was a little more difficult to manage. Anger needed some extreme action. There was a pillow or two that deserved a major smackdown. She stomped upstairs and burst into her bedroom. As soon as she crossed the threshold she sensed that something was not right. The room was dimly lit but everything seemed to be in place. Suddenly she realized that there was a dark shadow in the corner by the French doors that shouldn’t be there. She took a step back and glanced frantically at the security system intercom. The shadow seemed to expand. She held her breath. The shadow moved toward her. “Where the hell have you been?” Chapter 11 Poseidon Rising FAN FICTION
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