“Well, I’m hoping that coffee puts you in a better mood so that you’ll tell me about this surprise you have for me.” She grins widely.
Her cheerful disposition makes it hard to say no to her in general but I have to admit the caffeine boost has definitely put me in a more flexible state of mind.
“I will tell you that it’s something you’ve wanted for a long time.”
Her eyes sparkle. “That’s all I get?”
“That’s all you get.” Damn she’s cute with her flashing blue eyes and the little dimple that only shows when she’s grinning this hard. “Where were you earlier? I was looking for you.”
The light in her eyes dims slightly. “My mom called and asked me to come by at lunch. She said Pop was more lucid than usual. ”
“I’m glad you went to see him. Maybe you should start doing that more often. Take all the time you need.”
She squeezes my arm gratefully. “Maybe I will. You can always call if you need me while I’m out.”
“Sure thing.”
Even as I say it, I know nothing short of a national emergency would make me call and interrupt her time with her father. His declining condition worries her a lot. She’s a woman that loves deeply and it’s been breaking her heart knowing there’s nothing she can do for him.
“Anyway, I have a few things to finish up so I can get out of here on time. I’ll see you later,” she whispers before walking down the hall toward her own office.
4
ANYA
The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur. I covered the phones so our new receptionist, Sharon, could take her break. Then I hunkered down in my office so I wouldn’t be distracted and could leave on time. I arrive at Law’s house in the suburbs of Virginia a little before six o’clock.
Law bought this charming little house in the city of Fairfax right after he got divorced. He doesn’t talk about that time in his life often but from the things he has said, he spent a lot of time doing things her way. She wanted the big McMansion in the trendiest zip code so that’s what they bought. Only the best furnishings and of course it had to be decorated by some exclusive interior designer.
As I open the front door with my key, I imagine the horror his stuffy ex-wife would feel if she ever got a load of this place. The house is a one-level rancher that reminds me of a sitcom from the eighties. The furniture was clearly all chosen for comfort as opposed to aesthetics since it’s all huge and squishy. It looks like a comfortable place to hang out and chill. It’s perfect for us.
Inside the door, there is a small envelope propped up on the entry table. My name is written across the front in Law’s signature messy scrawl. I open it slowly, savoring the anticipation.
Anya,
Tonight I don’t want you to worry about anything. Take a relaxing bath and then put on something that makes you feel beautiful. When I get home, I want to take you somewhere special.
Law
Although it’s silly, it still bothers me that he never signs notes with anything other than his name. Not that it really matters. It’s not like I’m a teenage girl and expect him to write Love You Always and Forever with hearts and flowers sketched around his name. It’s just that sometimes it would be nice if he were better at communicating his feelings. He doesn’t like to say I love you or talk about emotions.
He’s stepping outside of his comfort zone to do something romantic. That’s the best declaration I could ask for. It’s petty to focus on how he signed it instead of the rest of the sweet note. He’s had enough of being criticized to last him a lifetime.
Apparently his ex-wife didn’t even like that his friends called him Lawson. I definitely don’t want to call him the same thing she did so I decided on Law. Of course, I told him it was because he has a great booty. Which isn’t a lie. You could bounce a quarter off the man’s ass.
JLo has nothing on him.
In the master bedroom, I shed my work clothes while the bath water runs. My hair is short enough that I don’t need to bother with putting it up so as soon as the tub is full, I step into the steaming water. Instantly all my stress floats away as I’m surrounded with a cocoon of heat. I rest my head on the back of the tub and try not to think of anything other than how nice it is to relax and pamper myself.
Who am I kidding? The only thing I can think about is what Law has planned for tonight. We’ve been dating off and on for about two years now and we’ve finally settled into a comfortable rhythm. In the beginning we were both just coming off rough breakups and no-strings attached worked perfectly for us. However, over the past year things have changed. I sleep here more than I sleep at my own apartment. Law keeps all spiders away from me and indulges my obsession with brunch. I keep the fridge stocked since he is a notorious midnight snacker and I also don’t mind his frequent golf outings with various friends.
More than that, we can talk about anything. He knows my fascination with different cultures and my yearning to travel. I completely understand his deep desire to build a business legacy to leave behind. We get each other and I can’t imagine what my life would be like without him in it.
Once my fingers start to look like prunes, I get out of the bath, taking time to smooth on some of the cherry-scented body lotion that Law loves.
I pause in the middle of getting dressed when I hear a door slam in the distance. Suddenly my heart is beating triple time.
The bathroom door opens and Law sticks his head in. “Hey.”