Monday we both went back to work. I didn’t see him all day and the flowers that I’d fantasized about never materialized at my work station. That was okay though, I knew that part was a fantasy. Monday evening he called me around seven p.m.
“Hey lady, how was your first day back to work?”
“It was good, very productive,” I told him.
“Well, as your boss I have to say I’m happy to hear that.”
I laughed and said, “How was yours? I’ll bet everyone was surprised to see you back so soon.”
“Yes, I had to explain to fifty different people why I wasn’t on an Island somewhere. “
“Hey, I wanted to ask you…my friends and I do a New Year’s party every year. This year it’s at my friend Nadine’s house. She lives in Brooklyn Heights….”
“I’m sorry, Robyn, I can’t,” he interrupted me.
“I’m sorry? You can’t? I hadn’t even finished asking.”
“I know. I’m sorry. You were going to ask me to the party though, am I right?”
“Yes. I’d really like you to go. I’d love for you to meet my friends….”
“I can’t. Now that the executives know that I’m not out of town they’re expecting me to be at the executive party we throw every year for the shareholders. I’ve missed it every year. This year I’m in town so I have no excuses.”
“Oh…” I paused there; it was a good opportunity for him to invite me to his party since he “can’t” come to mine. The invitation didn’t come. Instead he said, “What about if you and I have dinner the night before instead? I know it’s the day before New Year’s Eve, but what does it really matter when we celebrate it?”
I was thinking, “Because kissing at midnight just won’t mean the same thing,” but I didn’t say it. I was still trying to be patient with him and I was still thrilled about any and all the time I was blessed enough to be able to spend with him. So what I said was, “That sounds great.”
“Good! I’ll have Jeffrey pick you up at seven.”
“You won’t be with him?”
“I’ll meet you at the restaurant; I’ll probably be coming straight from work.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Good night, Robyn.”
“Good night.”
I hung up the phone that night not feeling as happy as I had been. I missed that euphoric feeling I had for the first few days. I wasn’t the type to mope though I decided that I was going to make the best of getting to spend pre-New Year’s Eve with him. I went into my closet and started planning what I would wear….
***
Thankfully the work day flew by on the day of our dinner. I hadn’t seen Aaron since Sunday and I felt like I was going through withdrawals by the time seven p.m. rolled around. I was dolled up in a silver and black dress I’d bought a while back and made some upgrades to and had just finished my hair when Jeffrey knocked on the door.
“Good Evening Miss Robin. You look very lovely tonight.”
“Thank you Jeffrey, so do you,” I said. That got a laugh from him. As soon as we got into the car, I tapped on the glass. He rolled the partition down and I said, “That’s better. I’ve missed you, Jeffrey, what’s new?”
“Oh you know Miss…another day.”
“Another dollar?” I said.
“More like fifty cents with inflation,” he said with a grin.
It was a nice ride to Manhattan. I really enjoyed talking to him. He told me about his life on the way to the restaurant. He said his wife was in the U.K. visiting family for Christmas. He was supposed to go but when Aaron cancelled his vacation, Jeffrey had cancelled his as well.
“He made you cancel your vacation?”
“No, quite the contrary,” Jeffrey said. “He urged me to go. I cancelled it, my service to Mr. Winters is important to me.”
“That’s very admirable of you,” I told him.
“No Miss, it’s just me doing my job. Mr. Winter’s pays me really well to do what I do for him. I feel like he needs a hundred percent of me in return.”
“Don’t you miss your wife?” I asked him.
“Desperately,” he said with a smile. I could see in his eyes that he really meant it.
Aaron hadn’t told me where we were going for dinner. I wasn’t surprised when Jeffrey parked the car and helped me out to see that the place was obviously elegant and exclusive. I was surprised when I went inside to see that it was completely empty with the exception of the staff….and Aaron. The hostess led me to our table which was situated comfortably close to the fireplace. Before we got there, Aaron stood up and pulled out my chair. Once we were seated he said,