wondered if walking with him in the dark had anything to do with the pulse rate refusing to drop to normal.
Or was she thinking back to the moments with Crow?
Is life so messy for other women? Any other woman?
They stepped off together. He said, “I guess you’ve heard the saying, ‘If you’re self-employed you’ve got the meanest boss in town.’”
“That’s a fact. I keep trying to call in sick, but she never gives me a break.”
Van was quiet for a moment, then said, “Ah, the workload. Another great cue for me to jump in with our regular argument. We’ve had it so often I’m letting it pass.”
Laughing again, Lila said, “You had to let me know you weren’t bringing it up, though.”
He sounded embarrassed. “I did, didn’t I? Pretty dumb.”
At her car, he leaned against the door when she reached for the handle. He said, “I’ve got tickets to the symphony night after tomorrow. Come with me. We can get an early start, have dinner, make it an evening. We’ll get back late, but the break’ll be good for you. If you sleep in the next morning, that mean boss of yours won’t know until it’s too late.”
She looked up at him in disbelief. “You? The symphony?”
He grinned and raised a foot, turning it back and forth. “See? Shoes. Regular city slicker. I even read a book once.”
“Ouch. Okay, I deserved that. I just never thought...”
He interrupted. “Never thought someone born to pour cement would do anything else.”
“No, no; it’s not like that. I know all about your college degree, how you expanded your father’s business - all that. It’s just the symphony thing. It caught me off balance.”
“I’m glad I didn’t suggest the ballet. You’d probably have gone into shock.”
Enjoying the game now, Lila told him, “I’d expect to see you dancing in the ballet as quickly as I’d expect to see you watching it. You actually go?”
“Not really my thing.” Then, quickly, “I do try to schedule in the symphony often, though. It’s world class, you know? Come with me. We’ll have fun.”
The temptation was huge. It had been over a year since she’d been to the city and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to a symphony. Now that she thought of it, about the only live music in her life was the Fourth of July parade. Of course, there was that night at the Silver Dollar. By accident she'd decided to eat there the night they had a country band and dancing. After waving off the third lame pickup line she threw her money on the table and stormed out, growling about Lupine’s no-class newcomers. That only made her feel like a relic which, of course, fueled more anger. All in all, not fun.
Van put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Still, it’s weight and the sense of his strength quickened her breath. He said, “Why think about it so hard? Let’s just do it.”
The voice calling from up the block separated them like guilty schoolchildren. “Van? Ms. Milam?”
Van groaned, then, “Yeah, it’s us, Edward.” To Lila, he half-whispered, “The man’s timing is disgusting.”
Lila whispered back. “Give him full credit. Lots about him is disgusting.” .
In the half-light between Front Street’s widely-spaced lamp posts, the approaching Edward Lawton still looked like a banker. In a town where informal dress was the norm, he wore a flaring open overcoat over a suit. He sported a British motoring cap. Lila was sure his necktie cost more than her entire ensemble, including underwear and shoes. She gritted her teeth. “Good evening, Mr. Lawton. How are you tonight?”
“Edward, please.” He corrected her as he came around the front of the car to join them on the driver’s side. A smile bared small teeth. Lila thought of a sleek fox. His handshake was firm, warm. Lila remembered reading a Hollywood adage that once you learn to fake sincerity, the rest is easy.
She wanted out. “I hate to sound anti-social, but it’s late and tomorrow’s another
Or was she thinking back to the moments with Crow?
Is life so messy for other women? Any other woman?
They stepped off together. He said, “I guess you’ve heard the saying, ‘If you’re self-employed you’ve got the meanest boss in town.’”
“That’s a fact. I keep trying to call in sick, but she never gives me a break.”
Van was quiet for a moment, then said, “Ah, the workload. Another great cue for me to jump in with our regular argument. We’ve had it so often I’m letting it pass.”
Laughing again, Lila said, “You had to let me know you weren’t bringing it up, though.”
He sounded embarrassed. “I did, didn’t I? Pretty dumb.”
At her car, he leaned against the door when she reached for the handle. He said, “I’ve got tickets to the symphony night after tomorrow. Come with me. We can get an early start, have dinner, make it an evening. We’ll get back late, but the break’ll be good for you. If you sleep in the next morning, that mean boss of yours won’t know until it’s too late.”
She looked up at him in disbelief. “You? The symphony?”
He grinned and raised a foot, turning it back and forth. “See? Shoes. Regular city slicker. I even read a book once.”
“Ouch. Okay, I deserved that. I just never thought...”
He interrupted. “Never thought someone born to pour cement would do anything else.”
“No, no; it’s not like that. I know all about your college degree, how you expanded your father’s business - all that. It’s just the symphony thing. It caught me off balance.”
“I’m glad I didn’t suggest the ballet. You’d probably have gone into shock.”
Enjoying the game now, Lila told him, “I’d expect to see you dancing in the ballet as quickly as I’d expect to see you watching it. You actually go?”
“Not really my thing.” Then, quickly, “I do try to schedule in the symphony often, though. It’s world class, you know? Come with me. We’ll have fun.”
The temptation was huge. It had been over a year since she’d been to the city and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to a symphony. Now that she thought of it, about the only live music in her life was the Fourth of July parade. Of course, there was that night at the Silver Dollar. By accident she'd decided to eat there the night they had a country band and dancing. After waving off the third lame pickup line she threw her money on the table and stormed out, growling about Lupine’s no-class newcomers. That only made her feel like a relic which, of course, fueled more anger. All in all, not fun.
Van put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Still, it’s weight and the sense of his strength quickened her breath. He said, “Why think about it so hard? Let’s just do it.”
The voice calling from up the block separated them like guilty schoolchildren. “Van? Ms. Milam?”
Van groaned, then, “Yeah, it’s us, Edward.” To Lila, he half-whispered, “The man’s timing is disgusting.”
Lila whispered back. “Give him full credit. Lots about him is disgusting.” .
In the half-light between Front Street’s widely-spaced lamp posts, the approaching Edward Lawton still looked like a banker. In a town where informal dress was the norm, he wore a flaring open overcoat over a suit. He sported a British motoring cap. Lila was sure his necktie cost more than her entire ensemble, including underwear and shoes. She gritted her teeth. “Good evening, Mr. Lawton. How are you tonight?”
“Edward, please.” He corrected her as he came around the front of the car to join them on the driver’s side. A smile bared small teeth. Lila thought of a sleek fox. His handshake was firm, warm. Lila remembered reading a Hollywood adage that once you learn to fake sincerity, the rest is easy.
She wanted out. “I hate to sound anti-social, but it’s late and tomorrow’s another
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