Fix You (9 page)

Nine

January 9
^th
2003

R
ichard walked over to the wall of glass that
stretched across the entire south side of his office. Being on the fifteenth
floor, it afforded him an impressive outlook of Lower Manhattan, and he could
see all the way out to the port. The view of the office buildings, contrasting
with the natural beauty of the waterway, was breath taking. It was the vista
that sold the office space to him in the first place.

Since taking control of Maxwell Enterprises, his life had
turned into one endless Groundhog Day of waking at five, running in Central
Park, then showering and being driven to work before seven. He’d be in
meetings, conferences, lunches, and presentations until the evening when he
would respond to emails, write reports, and catch up on correspondence until
late, barely getting home before midnight.

Yet, despite the hard work, and the lack of sleep, there was
a part of Richard Larsen that loved his new life—the excitement of the chase
and the jubilation when a deal was struck. This, coupled with the knowledge
that he was rebuilding Maxwell Enterprises, got him through the endless days
and restless nights.

His telephone buzzed, and he walked back to his desk and pushed
the button.

“Yes, Lisa?”

“I have your mother on the phone. Would you like to talk to
her?”

Richard grimaced slightly before responding. “Sure, put her
on.”

A couple of clicks later, and Caroline’s smooth tones came
down the wire and out of the speaker.

“Richard, how are you?”

“I’m good, busy as always. How are things with you?”

“I just got back from seeing Daniel. He seems so much
better. Whatever they’re doing with him at the new clinic seems to have calmed
him down. He asked for you a couple of times, and I told him you might be able
to get there at the weekend.”

“I’ve saved some time on Sunday, I should be able to get
down then.”

“Are you free for dinner tonight? One of my old friends from
Radcliffe is joining us. Her daughter is in her third year at Columbia.”

He couldn’t help but sigh. All year, his mother had been
trying to get him to come to dinner with various girls. They were always
daughters of her friends, and always extremely eligible. But he didn’t have the
time or the inclination to make small talk with yet another society girl.

“Not tonight, I’m afraid. I have to work late.”

“You’re always working late, darling. Why not give yourself
a break?”

“I can’t, we’re working on a big deal. Maybe next week. I’ll
ask Lisa to check the diary.”

Hanging up the phone, his intercom buzzed again. He pushed
the button, wondering if a few uninterrupted minutes were too much to wish for.

“Yes?”

“Richard, I have a young lady out here who claims to be your
sister.”

He frowned, wondering what the hell Ruby was doing in New
York. Then he scowled as he remembered that it was Claire’s mother’s ninetieth
birthday that weekend, and that the whole family had travelled over to
celebrate with her. How could he have forgotten that?

“Send her in.”

His door opened and Ruby walked in, a huge grin plastering
her face. She’d grown again since he’d last seen her, and he shook his head at
the sudden realization that his baby sister was a teenager. Jesus Christ, where
had the time gone?

“Richard!” She launched herself at him, throwing her arms
around his waist and nuzzling into his chest. “I can’t believe how long it’s
been since I’ve seen you. You’ve been neglecting me.” All these words were said
with a straight face, but he couldn’t help but curl his mouth up in response.

“Hey, Squirt.” He paused, his eyes searching out the
expression on her face. “Am I even allowed to call you that anymore?”

“Not in public.” Her face had turned a brighter shade of
pink, and her voice turned into a whisper. “But I don’t mind you saying it in private.
In fact, I still kind of like it. Anyway, I have been sent up here on a very
important mission.” Ruby’s tone turned serious. “I’m here to ask you to join us
for lunch, and then I need to put a pouty expression on my face until you say
yes because Mum tells me when I beg I’m irresistible.”

“Where are they all, anyway?” Now that he knew they were
here, in his hometown, he was suddenly desperate to see his family.

“Dad has a meeting at the bank and will be joining us at the
restaurant, and Mum and Hanna are shopping.”

“Hanna’s here?”

“Yeah, Mum gave her the flight here as a Christmas present.
She has to go back to University next week, so this is her final bit of fun.”

“How is she?” They’d exchanged some emails, but ever since
her break-up with Josh, he’d found it hard to find the right tone with her.

“She seems much better now. She spent most of last summer
crying, and even I noticed that she had lost weight, and I never pay attention
to anything like that. But since she’s been home for Christmas, she seems much
happier.”

For some reason, that made him smile.

WHEN THEY ARRIVED at La Trattoria, the
rest of the family were already seated around the large, circular table. His
eyes immediately sought out Hanna. As soon as he looked at her face, he caught
her staring back at him, the strangest expression molding her features.

“Hey Son, it’s been too long.” Steven stood up and threw his
arms around Richard, hugging him tightly in an embrace. He patted his back in a
move perfected by fathers the world over. They’d seen each other a couple of
times over the past year, and Richard still found it hard to remember their
emotional reunion when Steven flew to New York as soon as he could after 9/11.
To see his father cry openly in the middle of the very public airport had made
Richard feel uncomfortable, although at that time, everybody was showing their
emotions and wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

Claire stood up and joined in the hug, leaving only Hanna
still seated, staring at them with a small smile covering her lips. Richard
walked over to her, putting his hand out and pulling her toward him.

“Hey you,” he whispered into her hair as he held her tightly
against his chest. Her hands circled his waist, fisting the fabric of his
jacket.

“Hi,” she whispered back softly.

“How are you doing?”

“Good, thank you. How are you? Claire tells me you’ve become
a workaholic.”

“I don’t really get a choice.”

“Well, maybe I can try to cure you over the next few days.”

“That sounds intriguing. I’m free tonight.” He surprised
himself with this invitation; there was no way he was going to get the
presentation finished today. He really needed tonight to add the final touches.

“I have to go to my father’s for dinner at seven. Maybe I
could meet you afterward?” The hopeful tone of her voice made Richard smile.

“Why don’t you come and meet me at the office, it’ll give me
a chance to finish up some stuff. We can get a drink or something?”

Later that evening, Richard was just shutting down his
computer when Hanna arrived. He glanced up, taking in the black dress, natural
makeup and long brown hair. “How long ago did you leave the Goth look behind?”

Hanna laughed. “I haven’t been a Goth since I went to
University. I still prefer dressing down, but I didn’t want to give my father
too much of a heart attack.”

“The dress suits you.” It clung to her curves in all the
right places, the hem falling at mid-thigh to expose her long legs.

“You seem to have changed your style, too.” She walked over,
a small smile dancing across her face as she came to a stop in front of him.
Lifting up his tie, her fingers played with the soft silk. “I don’t think your
suit came from Marks and Sparks.”

“Marks and Spark’s?” Richard shook his head in confusion.

“Marks and Spencer. I’m pretty sure they don’t stock Gucci.”

“You recognized the designer?”

She laughed out loud, still holding his tie, slowly pulling
him forward until their faces were almost touching. Putting her mouth next to
his ear, she slowly breathed. “Nathan told me you won’t wear anything else.”

Shit, he was getting a hard-on from feeling her exhalations
on his skin. He didn’t know whether to just surrender to it, or pull away.
Hanna made the decision for him, moving back to sit on the chair next to his
desk.

“How is corporate life treating you? You’re looking good in
it.” She stared at his suit again.

Richard closed his laptop and swiveled around to face her. “You
know, I actually love it. I’m learning quickly, people listen to me when I
talk, and I make things happen. In three years’ time, I might actually know
what I’m doing.”

“So, you don’t regret not going to San Francisco?” She was
leaned toward him, her elbows propped on the desk, her chin resting in her
hands.

“I try not to think about it. I’m all about looking ahead.
Speaking of which, what do you have planned after graduation?”

Hanna smiled broadly, her eyes dancing as she thought about
her own future. “I’ve been offered a job on Music Train, where I interned last
summer.”

“Wow, that’s excellent news. We should celebrate.”

“Yes we should,” she agreed.

Standing up, he took her hand. They walked to the elevator,
keen to get out of the office and finally spend some time together.

A few drinks later and he’d managed to get her to open up
about Josh. Richard wasn’t sure why he was so keen to hear about their split;
whether it was out of genuine concern for her, or if he just wanted
confirmation that everything was really over. Either way, he sat in the booth
with Hanna, his arm loosely around her shoulders, and she leaned against him,
her face screwed up as she tried to explain her emotions.

“…He kept trying to say that he only slept with her because
he was afraid of his feelings for me. That he thought I wasn’t committed to the
relationship, and he wanted to show me that he didn’t give a fuck. Then he’d
change his mind, and tell me it was a complete mistake, and that he was out of
his mind with alcohol. He wouldn’t even tell me if it was a one-off or if the
relationship had been going on for some time.”

Richard grimaced, knowing from Josh’s lack of candor, it had
to be the latter.

Hanna turned to look Richard straight in the eye. Her face
was only a few inches from his, and he could see the intensity of her emotions
swirling beneath the chocolate brown of her eyes. Opening his mouth to reply,
he found himself struck dumb by the intimacy developing between them. His
expression softened as he gazed back at her, watching her skin react to their
closeness, a flush staining the apples of her cheeks.

Some moments passed as they stared, and he could feel the
familiar yearning start to tug at his stomach. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached
out a hand, and lightly brushed his fingertips across her cheek. She continued
to look straight at him, her eyes unblinking.

“I think we need to leave.” Her voice was choked. Her neck
bobbed visibly as she tried to swallow.

His heart dropped. “I’ll take you home,”

“I want to go home with
you
.” She looked surprised at
her own words, her eyebrows rising up, and the flush in her cheeks deepening.

“Hanna…” He wanted to kick himself for hesitating, but he
refused to be anybody’s rebound. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“Richard, this is a fabulous idea.” She cupped her hand
around the back of his head, pulling his face toward hers. She hesitated when
her lips were millimeters away from his. He could feel his breath hitch at her
close proximity, the familiar tightness starting to stir.

The warmth of her breath bathed his skin, and he closed his
eyes, trying to remember the last time his body felt alive as it did right now.
Her fingers continued to play with the hair at the base of his neck, sending
shivers down his spine and making resistance almost impossible.

“Let’s go.”

THEY WALKED INTO his apartment, and
Richard threw his coat over a chair in the hallway, reaching out to take Hanna’s
from her shoulders. “Can I get you a drink?”

“A glass of water would be nice.”

He didn’t move, just stood a couple of feet away from her,
half smiling, as his soft green eyes stared right into her own.

“You really want some water?”

“I would
really
like a glass of water, Richard. In
fact, I’ve been looking forward to a nice drink of H
₂
O all day.”

“Not wine, not beer, not a cocktail. You want water.” His
voice was deadpan, although the crinkling of the corner of his eyes gave his
amusement away.