Chapter 3

But in the week that followed, he realized he was fooling himself. He loved talking to her and could not wait to get home to have a long chat with her in his bedroom. He even found himself breaking the rules by texting her during a board meeting.

“Hey.”

“Hey. What are you doing?”

“Working, as you should be doing as well. Unless you are one of those idle rich guys who sits on his ass and expect things to be handed to him on a silver platter.”

He had barely contained the laughter bubbling up inside him.

“Not a chance. I am in a meeting and it is boring as hell.”

“So, you expect me to entertain you.”

“Will you?” He added a woebegone face to the end of the question.

“I happen to be working, and you are distracting me.”

“Am I really distracting you?”

“Fishing for compliments?”

“Absolutely.”

“You are distracting me, and I have a deadline.”

“Ready to reveal what you do for a living?”

“Nope. Now get back to your boring as hell meeting and I will get back to work.”

“Talk later?”

“Absolutely!”

He had sat there gazing at his phone, until he realized that someone had called his attention to the matter at hand.

Now he was home, prowling the length of his bedroom, a frown on his brow. He loved talking to her. She had an acerbic wit that appealed to him. They had agreed to be exclusive - settle on each other and go on from there.

“No strings,” she told him. “And whenever we feel like ending this, we go on our way, with no hard feelings.”

He had agreed, but he had no intention of ending it. He was already attracted to her which was ridiculous, considering he had no idea who she really was or what she looked like. They were not even permitted to talk about physical appearances.

The app leaned more to two people getting to know each other first. It was based on finding the inner beauty in the other person. At first, he thought it was trite and foolish, but he was beginning to see the value.

Speaking to her each night, and yes, he had to talk to her every night, or he would not go to sleep. He had a trip coming up and it was going to be Europe. He was already dreading it. They would be in different time zones, and he was not sure she would want to sacrifice sleep time to have their usual conversations.

His head whipped around when he heard the familiar sound indicating that he had a notification. Forcing himself to take a steady breath, he walked slowly to the bedside table and picked up his phone. His heart took a dive when he saw the message.

“Hey.”

Closing his eyes briefly, he lowered himself on the edge of the bed and reached for his laptop. Quickly opening the app, in case she thought he wasn’t going to respond, he typed in his username and password.

“Hey. What are you up to?”

“Just coming in from outside. I never told you I have a vegetable garden.”

He chuckled. “You never did. What types of vegetables and how good a farmer are you?”

“A damn good one. I have a green thumb. I also planted crab roses and oleanders. I am trying my hand at petunias and daffodils. I told you I love everything to do with art.”

“You eat what you grow.”

“Of course. I love digging in the dirt.”

He paused at that and filed that away for future reference. “You are not afraid to ruin your manicure?”

A smiling emoji. “I am hopeless when it comes to that sort of thing. I would only force myself to go to a salon, only if absolutely necessary because I cannot keep still for very long. I have thick hair, which requires the care of an expert and each time I am supposed to go to an appointment, I am tempted to cut the entire thing off.”

“Don’t!” He had no idea that he had used the exclamation point until he pressed send. “It’s none of my business, I am sorry.”

“Don’t be. I love my hair and cutting it would kill me.”

Earl leaned back against the padded headboard and closed his eyes briefly. The image of her hair spread out on his pillows was doing strange things to his lower body.

“Earl? You there?”

“Yes.” He typed swiftly. “What else were you up to?”

“Just work. I told you I have a deadline.”

“I know I am not supposed to ask.”

“You aren’t.”

“How soon?”

“We have to go through the process. And I think this is more fun.”

“Is it?”

“Don’t tell me you are getting bored.”

“No. It’s just that…,” he stopped typing and realized what he was about to reveal. They had also agreed on not getting too heavy but keeping things light. He was not certain he could keep that promise. “Aren’t you curious about me?”

“Of course, I am. But …!” This time she was the one who paused. “Okay, here is something that is going to bend the rules a bit. I have had terrible experiences with the opposite sex.

So much so that it took me a while to even agree to get on the app. I really like you Earl and maybe it’s because we have not really met face to face. I love this arrangement. I feel like I can tell you anything without fearing that I was saying the wrong thing. I want to keep it like this for now. Is that okay?”

He wanted to shout no, but he did not have that right. He was facing a quandary, a situation he had never faced before. He was a man of extreme power. People paid attention when he spoke. He had the ears of the President and heads of states.

He had dated some very influential women. Yet here he was talking to a woman behind a computer screen and having to bow to her wishes. But he had no intention of doing anything to make her want to stop talking to him. He would play by the rules for now.

“Of course.” He typed. “Let’s get back to your gardening skills.”

*****

“There is something I want to ask you and it’s going to be very personal and probably bending the rules.” He had woken up early the next morning, delighted to see her online. He told her the night before that he usually gets his workout in around 5:00 am.”

“Do you have a gym membership or a home gym?”

“I have a club membership and a home gym.”

“Hmm. Fancy.”

She had not asked him anything else and he wondered if that was deliberate.

“Shoot.”

“Feel free to tell me to mind my own business.”

“Oh, I will.”

“You mentioned something about failed relationships.”

“Yes.”

“How bad was it?”

There was a pause, and he waited with bated breath, wondering if he had gone too far. He was sacrificing his workout for the conversation, and it wasn’t really a sacrifice at all.

“Okay, so here is the thing. I am in a very demanding field. One that takes up a lot of my time. It’s not just a job for me, it’s my career and I love it. I would go hours doing what I do and forget to eat, much less remember that I have a date, or I promised to make dinner. It happened enough time to be less than cute.

I would try and rectify the situation by making it up to the person, but it was not appreciated. I have been accused of being intimidating as well, because I happen to know some high-profile people and my work has been recognized. I am also not your typical size zero, far from it.

Those combinations have not been ideal. I also have a lot of baggage because of my upbringing. Any man I settle with has to welcome all of that and I am not certain anyone can.”

Earl took in all of that and started processing. He was very intuitive, which made him an exceptionally successful businessman. He would look at a product or a spreadsheet and know whether or not they would yield a profit. He sometimes does not carry that over to his personal life, however. But this time, he was reading between the lines.

“Is it fair to judge all men to the few that have disappointed you?”

“Well so far, they have been true to form. Look, I am not trying to turn you off or anything like that. I am just stating fact.”

“When do we graduate to phone calls?”

The pause again and this time it was longer.

“Not yet.”

He hissed out an impatient breath. “May I ask why not?”

“I need more time.”

“It’s just a phone call Cathy. I want to hear your voice.”

“And then you are going to want to meet.”

“Would that be such a bad idea?”

“Right now, yes. I am not ready.”

“What if I promised that I will not pressure you? That talking on the phone will be all until you say when? I think all this typing is giving me carpal tunnel. Just phone calls Cathy and that is it for now. I promise.”

He found himself holding his breath as he waited for her answer. They had exchanged phone numbers at the beginning of the conversation as was required.

He was about to tell her to forget it when his phone started ringing.

His head whipped around at the intrusion of the loud noise and his heart picked up speed when he recognized the number. Picking up the phone, he had to take a breath before sliding the icon.

“Hi.” He cleared the huskiness from his voice, but it didn’t work.

“Hi.” Her voice was low and sultry and far better than he anticipated.

“Thanks.” For the first time in his life, he was tongue-tied.

“You are most welcome.” There was a hint of amusement in her voice that had him blushing.

Blushing? Christ! Dragging fingers through his hair, he started pacing. “Are we sticking to phone calls, or is this just a one-time thing?” He cursed himself for asking that question, in case she decided that it would be just the one time.

“I think we will stick to the phone calls. I would not want to be responsible for you having carpal tunnel. That was a very neat trick by the way.”

“What was?” His heart settled and he could breathe easier.

“Making me feel guilty.”

“I was just stating facts. I am not the best texter in the world.”

“You are right, this is much easier. So, we are really doing this.”

“We are. And I promise to wait for your timing. You will decide when we meet. I can assure you that I am not an ogre.”

“What if I am?”

“I seriously doubt that.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “I love waking up to the sound of your voice.”

“Uh huh.”

“What?”

“You are going to expect me to be calling you every morning.”

“Would you?” He laughed softly. “You could be my wake-up call.”

“I am sure you have an alarm clock.”

“Which does not sound as…er… as pleasant as you do.” He had been about to say sexy, but did not want to give her a reason to stop the conversation.

“I’ll buy that. How was the workout?”

“I haven’t gotten to it yet.” And he realized that he probably will not have the time. He had some early morning meetings and time was slipping by, much too fast for his liking.

“I will let you…”

“No!” He tempered his voice when he realized he was practically shouting. “I mean I have time. Are you usually up this early?”

“I have a deadline, remember?”

“You did say that. When will you tell me what the deadline is for?”

“Somewhere down the road.”

*****

“Bitch, I haven’t seen you in two weeks!”

Teresa was as thin as a rake and very white, her creamy complexion offset by fiery red hair, she had inherited from her Irish mother. Freckles dotted the bridge of her nose, and her large green eyes were her best features.

She was a fashion editor and sometimes would be gone for days at a time. Cathy had met her several years ago when she started doing designs for Romano’s and they had become fast friends. The only hitch in the relationship was the constant bickering between her and Justin.

“That’s because you have been busy with your love life.” Cathy pointed out as the girl plopped into a chair across from her. “How is the lawyer?”

“Fantastic!” Her friend raved, snapping her fingers impatiently to get the waiter’s attention.

“A double espresso and a club sandwich. God, I am starving. I have been trailing Mira Coombs for the past two days and the woman is driving me crazy.

She is of little talent and believes she is the greatest thing since sliced bread.” Her green eyes sparkled as she reached for Cathy’s water and took a gulp. “And I see my nemesis is back in town. How is the drag queen?”

“No.” Cathy shook her head firmly. “We are not doing that. You and Justin are going to make a conscious effort to suck it up and play nice. I am inviting you both to Monique’s end of summer shindig and I would like you to be on your best behavior.”

“I am not the one who is constantly making snide remarks.” She pouted. “And I hope you told him that he needs a haircut. Those dreadlocks are…”

“Endearing and they suit him very well.”

“You are always standing up for him. Just because I haven’t been brought up in a group home…”

“That’s right.” For a minute, Cathy felt the anger and frustration washing over her. “You are from a wealthy family and have no idea what it is to be in need. So, yes, Justin and I have that certain bond. Deal with it. It does not mean you are a lesser friend. It simply means Justin and I are more like family.”

Teresa sent her a chagrin look and backed down.

“I am sorry. My jealousy is showing.”

“You have no reason to be.” Cathy waited for the meal to be placed in front of them before resuming. “Speaking of which, I have news.”

“You found a man and the sex is fantastic.”

Cathy rolled her eyes and laughed, happy that harmony had been restored.

“You and Justin think alike, it’s a wonder you don’t get along.”

“We might be mortal enemies, but we have your best interest at heart. Now spill.”

“I finally gave into the pressure and am now officially dating online.”

Her friend stared at her in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes, really. You don’t sound too pleased.”

“I am in shock. Who is this guy?”

“His name is Earl. The app is called Hook…”

“Up.” Teresa nodded as she took a sip of her beverage. “It’s all the rage. I was speaking to a couple of actresses and they said they would strongly recommend the app. Apparently you just go on and talk, no photos, nothing like that.” She stared at her friend. “The guy might be a troll.”

“I don’t care,” Cathy laughed. “I am having the most fun I have had in ages. We have graduated to phone calls.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“Almost two weeks now. He has this very deep, distinctive voice that sends shivers up and down my spine. And we talk for ages.”

“He doesn’t work?”

“Of course. I get the impression that he is in management. He was in a meeting yesterday and we were texting.”

“While he was in the meeting?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “We can talk about anything. Silly things. When Justin first recommended it…”

“He did?”

Ignoring the frown on her friend’s brow, she rushed on. “He did. He was the one who paid for it as well.”

“I have been trying to get you to go out with Clive…”

“Clive is dull and pedestrian. You said so yourself.”

“He is a lawyer.”

Cathy’s tapered eyebrows lifted. “So?”

“Okay, fine. You are not impressed by social status or anything like that. But this Earl person. What if he is…?” She lifted thin shoulders. “What if he turns to be fat and dumpy with heavy brows and receding hair?” She stared at her friend’s thick dark brown hair with the blonde highlights. “You have a thing about hair. Remember Jason?”

“It was not just his hair, it was his entire demeanor, and he has this high squeaking voice that grated on my nerves.”

“Okay, so this Earl has a deep voice. What about the other bits? He could be potbellied.”

“He works out every day.”

“How do you know that?”

“He told me!” She held up a hand. “And before you mention that he could just be fibbing to impress me, let me save you the trouble by telling you that I believe him.’ She glowered. “Now I don’t want to hear any more negative words about him. You were the one who was constantly harping on me to get back out there.”

“Well, you are not exactly out there, are you?” She grumbled. “Okay, fine. I am stopping.”

“This works for me.” Cathy told her quietly, sipping her tea. “We talk and that’s it. That’s about all I can handle right now. I am in a time crunch because of the show that’s coming up in the fall and have my hands full. I barely can find the time to do anything else, much less go out on dates. This works.”

“Whatever makes you happy.”

“And I am. I get to set the pace, and he has agreed to hold off on meeting each other.”

“For how long?”

“For as long as I say.”

“And he agreed to it?”

She nodded. “Now tell me about the lawyer.”

*****

“I would think you would be more enthusiastic.” Lionel Anderson murmured, cutting into his rare steak. “We are talking about the future here, Earl, cutting edge industry. A computer is so thin, it’s almost non-existent. The software needs a little more work…”

“Try a lot of work. I had my IT team doing research and it came up wanting.” Earl signaled to the waiter who came hurrying over with the bottle of wine. He did not think the meeting was going to be running over so much and was impatient to wrap things up.

Lionel Anderson was a software giant, and they had several businesses overlapping, one of the reasons he had agreed to the long and tedious lunch. The man had been going on and on about the revolutionary device that was not as impressive as he expressed.

“I know there are some glitches…”

“Some glitches?” Earl poured the rich ruby red in the glasses and handed him one. “What is really going on here, Lionel? You are one of the sharpest brains I know and it’s not like you to fall for anything that is not a hundred percent do-able.

I told you that my team did a thorough examination of the item and found it lacking. Microsoft and Apple came out with the thin version years ago. There is nothing remarkable about this product.”

The older man’s shoulders sagged, and his craggy face took on a defeated look.

“You are right as usual.” Pushing away his half-finished meal, he folded meaty hands on the pristine white tablecloth. “I am in hack for several million dollars.”

Picking up his wine glass, Earl studied him curiously. “You made an investment that’s not paying off.” He intuited. “That’s also not like you.”

“No!” Lionel shrugged. “A friend of mine introduced me to the entire thing and I fell for it.” A harsh sigh soughed through his lips. “It has potential, I can tell you that. But there are some things that need to be ironed out before it can ever hit the market.” He gazed at Earl squarely. “In the meantime, the creditors are snapping at my heels.”

Earl stared at him with a frown. “What the hell do you mean?”

“It means I am on my way to bankruptcy.”

Earl stared at his friend in shock. He had heard faint rumors but had not given them credence. “How the hell did this happen?”

“Martha’s cancer wiped me out some and I made a few bad investments.” He shrugged again. “I was hoping you would take that business venture off my hands.”

“You know better than that. Now if you still have that prime piece of land in Texas…”

“I do.”

“Is there anything else I can do to help?”

“No.” He shook his head sadly. “I made my bed.”