Anchor Line (55 page)

              “Addie Marshall.”  She answered not recognizing the number.

 
              “Addie! It’s Nathan.”

 
              “Nate!” Addie almost screamed. “How are you love?” 

 
              “Better now that you are on the phone. Are you at work, do you have a few minutes?”

 
              “I do, what’s going on?”

 
              “I hope you don’t mind that I called. I read your email last night, and had to call. You know I’m getting stationed a Polk, I wanted to see if it was okay to stay with you sooner than a week and a half.”  Nathan paused for effect.  “Like late tonight or tomorrow morning.”

 
              “You are most welcome, although I do have to tell you that I’ll put you to work.  In the two months that I’ve been here I haven’t finished the guest bedroom.”  Addie laughed.

 
              “Holy shit.  Are you kidding me? Don’t you even worry, I’ll help you out.  You’re letting me stay there…so why the fuck not.”  Nathan was more than happy to help.  He was excited in fact.  He would never admit it to anyone, but he had a crush on Addie.  Nathan wouldn’t move in on Addie only because he knew she was still hung up on Conrad.

 
              “So what’s the hurry Nate?”  Addie asked curiously. “I wasn’t expecting you for like a week and a half. What’s going on?”

 
              “Oh, just stupid shit.”   Nathan didn’t elaborate.

 
              “Nate?”

 
            Nathan sighed, “I’m tired of my parents screaming at each other.  It’s just…it’s not like it used to be.  My father is just a mean bastard and my mom retaliates by screaming at him, and he yells back.  The first week at home was cool, but now…I’ve had it.  I’m actually on the road right now.  I was even thinking of leaving yesterday morning, but decided to leave now.”

 
              “Oh…well, if…whenever you get here will be fine Nate.  I’m at the office but as soon as you hit city limits let me know if it’s before five o’clock and I’ll leave early.”   Addie laughed.

 
              “I’ll be there later today then. I don’t want to waste my leave in a hotel and I really just want to get settled in Polk. Maybe find an apartment.  I don’t want to impose on you though Addie.  I really don’t.”

 
              “Fuck that.  I’d love to have you stay for however long you want to.  Gives me someone to cook for.  So whenever you get here, give me a call and I’ll make sure your bed is made up at least. I have to put it together first.”  Addie was excited to have someone she knew with her.  Even if it was one of Conrad’s friends. Nathan had spent enough time with her and Conrad when she was visiting in Italy, so much so, that they had become fast friends as well.

 
              “Oh hell yeah!”  Nathan exclaimed enthusiastically, “See you soon Addie.” 

 
              “Alright Nate, be safe.  I’ll see you soon.  I’ll text you the address of the apartment.”

 
              “Sweet. Laters.” Nathan hung up.

 
            Addie texted the apartment complex and number to him, then logged into her computer, when she heard Verna at the front desk and was about to get up from her chair when she heard a few of the women talking in the walkway about a hot guy that had brought flowers in to Addie. But she didn’t hear very much as her office phone rang.

 
            “Personnel, Addie Marshall.”

 
            “Addie, its Jim.”

 
            Oh shit!           

 
           “Jim, Hi.” Addie sounded deflated.

 
            “You okay honey?” Jim asked concerned.

 
            “Yeah, I’m good. You?”

 
            “Oh well, I was going to ask you to lunch.”

 
            “I’m having an office luncheon with the ladies in the office, sorry.” She answered not feeling sorry at all.

 
              “Addie I always take you to lunch.  It’s been a kind of ritual since I’ve been here.”  Jim whined into the phone.

 
              “I know.  And I really need to have lunch with my co-workers.  I’m their supervisor.  I’m going Jim.”  Addie started out nice, and finally put her foot down.

 
              “Can I go with you?”  Jim pleaded.

 
              “I’d rather that you didn’t.  So…No.”  Oh God that felt good.  She needed to say that more often.  Then she looked over at the flowers.  Oh shit, she almost forgot thank him, but he was rambling on about something that she didn’t hear the beginning of because she wasn’t paying attention.

 
              “…and I’m not the kind of guy to take a back seat Addie.  It’s all or nothing with me.” He was saying into the phone.

 
            Oh shit!  Was he giving her an ultimatum? 

 
            “Jim, wait, could…could you say that again, my work phone cut out and I only got the last part.” Her little fib slipped out easily. 

 
            Jim sighed heavily.  “I want you to be a part of my life Addie.  Lunches with the girls are great and all, but I’m really…oh damn this was easier the first time.” 

 
            Addie didn’t know what to say.  Holy hell she didn’t want any kind of relationship with Jim.  He started out as potential good friend, ‘Hey wanna do something last minute’ material.  But not straight up boyfriend material.  She had to think…then looked over at the flowers again.  “Ah, thanks for the flowers by the way.”  She said cutting into the silence. “And the …”

 
              “So they got there?  The guy promised to get them to you early, so that’s great. I gave him an extra big tip.” Jim seemed to gloat. 

 
              “Ah, yeah.  They’re lovely, thank you.”  She said absently into the phone as she looked up.

 
            Standing in her doorway, was a young man with the biggest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen in her life.  

 
            “You…you know what Jim…let me phone you back.”  She didn’t let him respond, she just hung he handset on the receiver and stood, staring at the gentleman with that huge bouquet standing in front of her.  “You can put that here on the desk if you don’t mind.” 

 
            The man smiled at her placing the flowers on her desk, then had her sign in the block he pointed to on his clipboard, thanked her and walked out as soon as she was done.  Addie was baffled.  She pulled the card and read it. 

 
               Addie, you have become the light of my life.  You have become so much to me in such a short time.  I want to be so much more for you. Think of this as just the beginning.  Jim.

 
           The card fell out of her hand to the floor as Addie sank into her chair.  The red roses and gerbera daisies looked beautiful against the white calla lilies as they stared at her from on top of the desk.

 
              “Hey Boss lady…you know, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone get flowers so much before in my life.”  Liz stated leaning up against the door jamb to Addie’s office.  “Verna told me that you got flowers last night and wanted to call you, but I told her that we should wait, just in case you came in today.”  She chuckled lightly.  “That looks like a couple dozen roses there Addie.”

 
            Addie just sat there staring at the flowers that were on her desk, and then the simple pink roses with baby’s breath next to it.

 
              “Is it your birthday?”  Liz asked stepping into the office looking at Addie.  When Addie didn’t respond, she came around the desk asking, “Hey, are you okay chica?”

 
            Addie shook her head absently.  “They are from Jim.”  Addie said still staring at the pink roses.  “He made a CD too.”  Addie seemed dazed as she spoke. 

 
            Liz came over and picked up the card that Addie had dropped on the floor.  She went to place it on the desk when Addie finally looked up at Liz. 

 
              “He wants a relationship.” Addie looked up at Liz.  “I can’t do a relationship with him Liz.” 

 
              “Wait, so he had flowers delivered last night and this morning?”  Liz asked, deciding Addie was okay and walked around the desk, taking a seat in a chair.  “Wow, that’s dedication.  He’s gonna set up a flower shop in here if he goes at this current pace.”

 
              “He signed the cards different though.”  Addie picked up the card from her desk realizing for the first time that Jim had actually written it himself.  She pushed out of her chair and reached over her desk to offer Liz the two cards.  Liz compared the handwriting too.  Well, what there was to compare anyway.  The one was just a letter.  Liz looked up at Addie.

 
             “Why would he sign the one with his last initial, and the other one Jim?” She slid the cards back on the desk.  “What’s on the CD?  Have you listened to it yet?”

 
                          Addie shook her head. 

 
              “Well, now’s as good a time as any.  Right?”  Liz prompted.

 
              “I guess so.”  Addie said raising her eyebrows and exhaling a breath from her mouth.  She unsheathed the CD and popped the button for the CD player in the computer and placed the CD in it.  When it closed, her multimedia player screen opened.  Liz had scooted her chair around the desk and looked at the screen with Addie.

 
              “No writing on the disk?”

 
              “None.”  Addie replied clicking on the first song. 

 
            Stevie Nicks started belting out her song ‘Talk to Me.’ 

 
              “That’s an attention grabber.”  Addie said clicking on the next song.  Toto’s ‘Hold the Line’.

 
              “Oh!”  Liz exclaimed.  “I love this song.”  She started swaying in her chair.  “What’s next?”

 
             Hall and Oates, ‘Kiss On My List’ started to play and Liz’s eyes got huge.  “You kissed him?”

 
              “NO!”  Addie shrieked and then clicked on the next song.  “Ew!”

 
                          Simply Red’s ‘Holding Back the Years.’  Addie clicked through the songs. 

 
              “These are makeup songs.  Songs that someone would play if they wanted to get someone back.”  Liz said thoughtfully.

 
                          Addie clicked on the next song. Human League’s ‘I’m Only Human.’ 

 
                          Click.  Van Morrison, ‘Into The mystic.’

 
             Click. Whitesnake, ‘Is This Love.’

 
                          Click. Toto, I Won’t Hold You Back. 

 
                          Click. The Police, ‘Every Breath You Take.’ 

 
                         “Oh my God.” Addie exclaimed as the song played.  “This isn’t Jim at all.”

 
                          Liz put a hand on Addie’s arm looking at her with concern. “What?  Well then who the hell is it?”

 
             “It’s Conrad.” Addie whispered.

 
              “Who?”

 
              “Conrad Renner.”  Addie said quietly listening as The Police played her favorite song.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

              There was no way Jim could know that her favorite song was Every Breath You Take.  They never spoke about music, much less listened to it in the car.  She always had something playing in her office or at home though.  Conrad had played this song so many times to seduce her.  In the tub, at night after they would get in from sightseeing he’d plug in her iPod and slowly take her clothes off and fuck her on the sofa, in the bed, where ever.  He’d even played it after he made a candlelight dinner for her and he fed her what he cooked. It was the one-two punch to put that particular song last on the list.

 
              “Hey Chica?  You okay?”  Liz asked squeezing Addie’s arm harder.

 
              “That means he’s here.”  Addie looked at Liz, eyes wide.  “He’s here at Polk.”  She almost sounded hysterical.  “Did someone see who brought those in?”  She asked pointing to the flowers.

 
              “I don’t think so no.”  Liz answered getting up.  “Lemme ask though.”  She got up and walked out to ask.