at Declan.
We’re both standing in the lunch
room at work, refilling our large mugs with coffee. I had told Declan about
Ben’s quick response to my email yesterday before I left work and that I was
going out to buy something new to wear.
“So this is what you bought last
night I take it?”
I nod. I feel sort of nervous,
like it’s the first day of school or something. I know I’m blowing this thing
all out of proportion. I’m sure Ben probably has a wife or at least a girlfriend,
but I still can’t shake the feeling that this lunch has all sorts of
possibilities.
“Let me see you,” Declan says.
I do a slow turn for him,
conscious of the way his eyes linger on my body. “What do you think?”
“It’s perfect.” He nods, sipping his
coffee. “You look sexy, but not like you’re trying to look sexy.”
I grin because, of course, that’s
exactly what I’m hoping to achieve. I’m wearing a dark skirt with a white silk blouse
that Suzy and I finally decided on after I tried on at least a dozen different outfits.
Declan glances down at my feet. “New shoes too?”
I smile sheepishly. “Not really, I
bought them a couple of months ago. I didn’t have anything to wear them with
until now.”
“I hope Ben is smart enough to
appreciate all this.”
“Probably not, but at least he’ll
see that I’m doing well.”
“I’d say you’re doing more than
well, Kate.”
I shrug and drink some coffee.
“How are things with you?” I ask. “What’s happening on the Lorna front?”
“Em...Lorna and I broke up.”
“Uh oh. You guys haven’t dated
that long.”
“It wasn’t really working out.”
“What was wrong with her?” I ask,
hoping for some fun details. Occasionally Declan dates some really unusual
women. I remember this one who turned out to be in a witch’s coven.
“Nothing really. I’m making some big
changes and I thought it was best that Lorna and I went our separate ways.”
I stare at him. “What big
changes?”
“Actually, there’s something I
need to talk to you about, but let’s talk later,” he says. “Are we still on for
tonight?”
“What big changes? Are you moving
back to Dublin?” I know he was considering it for a while. I felt shocked when
he told me.
“I’ll tell you about it later,” he
says, noticing some people that just came into the lunchroom.
My heart sinks. “That’s it, isn’t
it?”
“Not quite.”
“Come on, Declan, you know I can’t
stand stuff like this. Tell me!”
He sighs. “All right, listen, I
have a meeting that runs until ten. Why don’t you meet me in my office after
that and we’ll talk.”
“Okay.”
When ten o’clock rolls around I meander
down the hall to his office. When Declan was promoted they gave him a large
office with an honest-to-goodness view of downtown Seattle and every time I
come up here I can’t help feeling a teensy bit jealous. My office is nice and I
do have a window, but no view.
He’s not here yet, so I walk over and
stare out of one of the large windows. People always think it rains a lot in
Seattle, but it mostly drizzles.
I take a seat in one of the cushy
chairs. I probably should have waited until tonight to talk to Declan about
whatever’s going on. He’s coming over to my house because I’m starting a portrait
of him. I’ve decided to start painting again.
I haven’t painted anyone in years,
but we were having dinner together after work last week when it came to me. It
was a beautiful summer evening and we’d been lucky enough to be seated outside
with a view of Elliot Bay. Declan was talking to me about something, flashing
his brilliant smile, and as the sun cast a honey gold light all around us, it
occurred to me that I’d like to paint him.
“You want to paint me ?” he asked,
astonished.
I nodded, “Yes.”
Declan was silent for a few
seconds before he asked softly. “Why would you want to do that?”
“I’m not sure. It’s been ages
since I’ve painted
We’re both standing in the lunch
room at work, refilling our large mugs with coffee. I had told Declan about
Ben’s quick response to my email yesterday before I left work and that I was
going out to buy something new to wear.
“So this is what you bought last
night I take it?”
I nod. I feel sort of nervous,
like it’s the first day of school or something. I know I’m blowing this thing
all out of proportion. I’m sure Ben probably has a wife or at least a girlfriend,
but I still can’t shake the feeling that this lunch has all sorts of
possibilities.
“Let me see you,” Declan says.
I do a slow turn for him,
conscious of the way his eyes linger on my body. “What do you think?”
“It’s perfect.” He nods, sipping his
coffee. “You look sexy, but not like you’re trying to look sexy.”
I grin because, of course, that’s
exactly what I’m hoping to achieve. I’m wearing a dark skirt with a white silk blouse
that Suzy and I finally decided on after I tried on at least a dozen different outfits.
Declan glances down at my feet. “New shoes too?”
I smile sheepishly. “Not really, I
bought them a couple of months ago. I didn’t have anything to wear them with
until now.”
“I hope Ben is smart enough to
appreciate all this.”
“Probably not, but at least he’ll
see that I’m doing well.”
“I’d say you’re doing more than
well, Kate.”
I shrug and drink some coffee.
“How are things with you?” I ask. “What’s happening on the Lorna front?”
“Em...Lorna and I broke up.”
“Uh oh. You guys haven’t dated
that long.”
“It wasn’t really working out.”
“What was wrong with her?” I ask,
hoping for some fun details. Occasionally Declan dates some really unusual
women. I remember this one who turned out to be in a witch’s coven.
“Nothing really. I’m making some big
changes and I thought it was best that Lorna and I went our separate ways.”
I stare at him. “What big
changes?”
“Actually, there’s something I
need to talk to you about, but let’s talk later,” he says. “Are we still on for
tonight?”
“What big changes? Are you moving
back to Dublin?” I know he was considering it for a while. I felt shocked when
he told me.
“I’ll tell you about it later,” he
says, noticing some people that just came into the lunchroom.
My heart sinks. “That’s it, isn’t
it?”
“Not quite.”
“Come on, Declan, you know I can’t
stand stuff like this. Tell me!”
He sighs. “All right, listen, I
have a meeting that runs until ten. Why don’t you meet me in my office after
that and we’ll talk.”
“Okay.”
When ten o’clock rolls around I meander
down the hall to his office. When Declan was promoted they gave him a large
office with an honest-to-goodness view of downtown Seattle and every time I
come up here I can’t help feeling a teensy bit jealous. My office is nice and I
do have a window, but no view.
He’s not here yet, so I walk over and
stare out of one of the large windows. People always think it rains a lot in
Seattle, but it mostly drizzles.
I take a seat in one of the cushy
chairs. I probably should have waited until tonight to talk to Declan about
whatever’s going on. He’s coming over to my house because I’m starting a portrait
of him. I’ve decided to start painting again.
I haven’t painted anyone in years,
but we were having dinner together after work last week when it came to me. It
was a beautiful summer evening and we’d been lucky enough to be seated outside
with a view of Elliot Bay. Declan was talking to me about something, flashing
his brilliant smile, and as the sun cast a honey gold light all around us, it
occurred to me that I’d like to paint him.
“You want to paint me ?” he asked,
astonished.
I nodded, “Yes.”
Declan was silent for a few
seconds before he asked softly. “Why would you want to do that?”
“I’m not sure. It’s been ages
since I’ve painted
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