Lilah's List (11 page)

“I
cannot believe he had the nerve to call you,” Angie stated as they stood on the top deck of the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

“Just the sound of his voice puts me on edge. We're not even married anymore and he still wants to keep me on a leash. He actually thinks I need his permission to leave town.”

Angie threw her arms around Lilah, shrieking, “It's all right. He can't hurt you anymore.” Angie's comical theatrics had the desired effect and Lilah burst into laughter.

“Okay, he wasn't abusive, but he was controlling, and I'm still bitter that I put up with it for so long.”

“That's why I think you should start dating again. As soon as possible.”

Lilah rolled her eyes. “Not this again.”

“It's been almost a year and a half. It's time. You shouldn't have blown Tyler off. I know you want to date Reggie, but I say the more the merrier.”

It took them several minutes to disembark the ferry, and Lilah had thought their discussion of her nonexistent love life was over. Angie didn't agree.

“I hate to be the bucket of ice water here, but if you don't start dating, or at least pick out a candidate for a serious one-night stand, how are you going to complete everything on The List?”

“Item 38?”

“Exactly.”

“I don't need a man for that,” Lilah said, unable to hide her blush.

“Girl, that would be no fun at all.”

“I'm just joking. I don't know what to do about that. You know me. It's completely unrealistic for me to get that close to someone in the next week.”

“Yeah, right. And you've kissed Tyler how many times?”

Lilah looked away. “That doesn't count.”

“Tease.”

“What?” Lilah stopped in her tracks.

“You heard me,” Angie said over her shoulder, forcing Lilah to catch up to her. “You're a tease. What kind of woman takes every opportunity to fuse her lips to a man's but won't consent to a proper date? You need to face reality. You like Tyler. Tyler likes you. You need a man for item 38.”

Lilah blinked at Angie. She knew her friend didn't believe she was a tease, but her blunt words caught her off guard, nonetheless.

“It's not like you'd have to marry him. So…what's the problem?”

Marry him? Was that the problem? Were her feelings for Tyler the kind that led to marriage?

Lilah shook her head. The prospect of it all was just too overwhelming. “I'll tell you what the problem is, Angie. Too much of this trip has been focused on men already. I came to New York to spend some quality time with my best friend. If at the end of my time here, that's all I've accomplished, the journey will be well worth it.”

Angie gave her a cherubic smile for a moment. “Aw, that's sweet…but quit trying to change the subject. You're still not completely focused on completing your list. I feel like I'm more committed to getting everything done than you are.”

“That's not true. Here we are at the Statue of Liberty. This is something I've always wanted to see in person. Let me enjoy the moment. I'll worry about the next task when this one is done. Here, take my picture.”

Despite the density of the crowd milling about the base of the statue, Lilah was able to find a spot that showed her in the foreground and the majestic statue behind her.

Staring up at the famous icon, Lilah was genuinely surprised at how impressed she was. Lady Liberty was so much bigger than she ever could have imagined. And to think this amazing symbol of freedom was a gift.

Lilah looked back over the Hudson River and admired the Manhattan skyline. Lilah thought back to her lonely trip to Ground Zero a few days ago, where the World Trade Center used to stand.

When Lilah had begun making her list fourteen years earlier, she could never have known such a site would exist. She'd grown up thinking if you tried to be a good person and did your best, your reward was that nothing bad would happen to you.

Now, the nearly thirty-year-old Lilah knew the truth. No matter what you do, sometimes bad things happened anyway.

Since that realization, Lilah had continued to play it safe. Trying to mitigate her chances of anything further going wrong.

What good did that really do? As Lilah looked back over her first few days in the city, she realized the people of New York didn't cower inside. They got out each day and lived.

They lived.

If Lilah kept trying to play it safe, what stories would she have to tell her grandchildren? She might have a long life, but it would be a boring one. But if she completed The List, she could die the next day with some brilliant memories and some amazing experiences.

Lilah's List Blog Entry, November 1, 2007

Is it possible to die from public humiliation? In just a few hours I'll be able to tell you firsthand. Of course, that's only if I survive. I'm talking about karaoke, my friends. Lilah Banks appearing for one night only.

Tyler studied Lilah's blog, contemplating his next move. Was it time to bow out gracefully? Lilah had clearly blown him off.

According to her writings, she would be at a karaoke bar that evening. If she'd wanted to, she could have invited him along, or even agreed to have dinner with him before or afterward.

Lilah was definitely sending him mixed messages. But he'd learned some interesting information today. She was divorced. That could have any woman running scared.

How long had she been divorced? If the guy was still calling her, it must have been recent. The last thing he wanted was to start up a rebound relationship. They already had the fact that they lived in separate states working against them.

Tyler just didn't know what to do. He'd never had to work hard to pursue a woman before. He wasn't shy, but he'd found himself dating women who were aggressive and liked to be the pursuers.

He needed some advice. Tyler had many male friends, but at the end of the day, there was really only one person he could confide in.

He picked up the phone and dialed.

“Yo.” Reggie answered the phone.

“Hey, man, I know you're probably getting ready to go out tonight. But I need some advice.”

“You want
my
advice?” There was a long pause as if he was waiting for a retraction. “Cool, what do you need?”

“I need to know how to get a woman's attention.”

“Bro, I love you and all. But I just can't, in good conscience, give you advice about Monique. I still think that chick is a—”

“I know,” Tyler cut him off. “Which is why you'll be thrilled to know that I broke up with her. I'm interested in someone else, but she keeps sending me mixed signals.”

“Okay, now you're speaking my language. There's nothing like a good challenge to spice things up with a woman. So, you think she's interested, but just when things get going she backs off?”

“She seems fine with being friends, and we've flirted a lot. More than flirted. She's even made the first move a few times. But she doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that there's something developing.”

“Hmm. Maybe she just wants to get physical. And if that's the case, bro…I can't see a problem.”

“I'm pretty sure it's not that. I found out that she's divorced. I think that may have something to do with it.”

“Ah, that's bad news, man. Divorcées come with baggage.”

Tyler ran his hand over his head. “So what are you saying? You can't help me?”

“No, I'm not saying that at all. I'm just asking…are you sure you want to get involved?”

“I'm sure. I'd at least like to get a straight answer from her, once and for all. If she doesn't want to be with me, that's fine. But I don't want to give up if she's just scared and needs a little push.”

“Okay, you need to make a grand gesture. When I'm at a club and some girl I'm trying to talk to is playing hard to get, I have a foolproof method. This may not work for you, but I usually ask the DJ to get me a mic, and I serenade her in front of everyone. That melts girls like ice in the sun.”

Tyler sighed. “You know I can't sing. You hogged all the musical skills.”

“Well, you have to find your own mojo, but the key is the grand gesture. Girls like all that white-knight type of stuff. You know?”

“I hear what you're saying, but I don't think I can deliver. This girl and her friend are going to be at a karaoke bar tonight. Trying to sing isn't going to get me anywhere.”

“Then you're going to have to make her jealous.”

“What?”

“Yeah, turn the tables on her. If there's one sure-fire way to get a girl off the fence, it's another woman.”

Tyler rubbed his temple. This was definitely crossing a line. Could he really do something like that? Maybe this thing with Lilah just wasn't meant to be.

“I don't know about that, Reggie. If she sees me with someone else, I could blow my chances with her completely.”

“Ty, you know business. I know women. Isn't that why you came to the expert? Here I am giving you full access to all the player skills in my arsenal, but what's the point if you don't have the guts to use them.”

“It has nothing to do with guts, it has to do with principles.”

“Principles don't keep you warm at night. Aren't you the one who's always telling me that nothing worth having comes easy? Isn't she worth the risk?”

Tyler stared at his feet, exasperated. “It's just not an option. I just told you that I broke up with Monique—”

“Say no more. I don't want you going down that road again. She was too much.”

“You can say that again. Can you believe after I broke things off, she literally chased me around the apartment, begging for breakup sex? She was a freak.”

“Wait a minute…she was a freak? Do you mean in bed?”

Tyler could practically hear the gears turning in his brother's head. “Don't even think about it. She'd break you in half. Let's get back to my problem.”

“Oh yeah. Okay, shaking it off. There's another way to go about this. You stay completely blameless, but it still has the desired effect. Are you game?”

Tyler paused. He wanted Lilah's attention, but was scheming the right way to go about getting it?

He blew out the breath he was holding. Reggie was right, women wanted grand gestures. And Lilah was definitely worth the risk.

“I'm listening….”

L
ilah and Angie stood on the curb in front of the hotel as a battered, old, navy sedan pulled to a stop in front of them.

“I think this was a mistake,” Angie whispered.

Lilah nodded. Since the two of them were going downtown for karaoke that night, she'd decided to use the car service Maureen had recommended. Sanjay Mumbari had been polite and friendly on the telephone, so she'd felt pretty good about hiring him to drive them to the bar.

Sanjay bounded around the car to open the door for them, his enthusiasm apparent in the wide toothy smile that glowed against his dark features. All the two women could do was smile back and climb in.

“Don't you ladies worry. I know this city like the back of my hand. I'll get you to your destination quickly and safely,” he said after they were situated in the back seat.

“I'm sure you will,” Lilah replied with false optimism. They'd agreed on a flat rate over the phone, so at least she didn't have to worry about getting ripped off. That had to count for something.

“Sanjay, how old is this car?”

“Angie!” Lilah poked her friend.

“It's a 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. I know it's not the height of luxury and style, but it's only temporary.”

“I wasn't trying to be rude,” Angie was hasty to add. “It's obvious that you keep it very…clean.”

“Please don't let the exterior fool you,” Sanjay said, the enthusiasm drained from his voice. “Even though it's ten years old, it's in top condition. But if you have concerns, my brother owns Mumbari Limousines. I could give you his number if you don't find this ride satisfactory.”

“Sanjay, if your brother owns a car service, how come you don't work for him?” Lilah asked.

“My brother doesn't believe in nepotism. He says I need to make my own way in the world before I have a job in his company handed to me.”

“Hmm, if you ask me, that's kind of harsh,” Angie said.

“Oh no. This is the only way I know to prove myself to him. I only have one car, and it's not new, but I've invested a lot of time and money replacing parts and making sure it runs smoothly. And I've memorized all the shortcuts and traffic hazards in the city. I promise, what my vehicle lacks in luxury, I will make up for in quality of service. Can I offer you ladies some bottled water?”

Both Angie and Lilah were swayed by Sanjay's earnest attitude. The ride passed safely and smoothly as the three of them chatted. By the end of the journey, Lilah had promised him her exclusive business for the rest of her stay in New York, and Angie had taken a stack of his cards to pass out at the theater where she worked.

“This place is cute,” Angie said, leading Lilah into McShanahan's Bar. It was an old Irish pub but the feature attraction was karaoke.

The karaoke platform at the far end of the main room was set up like a concert stage with two large screens for the audience and lots of colorful swirling lights. There was a DJ booth to one side where the singers signed up and chose songs.

It was a much bigger production than the mike stand in a corner that Lilah had been expecting. At that moment a petite blonde and a large Black man were doing their own spirited rendition of “Ebony and Ivory.”

Angie started searching for an empty table. It was still early, so the bar wasn't crowded. “This is going to be so much fun. Are you ready for this?”

“Just as soon as we get those appletinis flowing. Thank God you're the only person I know here.”

Angie stopped in her tracks, causing Lilah to slam into her back. “I'm not so sure about that.”

Lilah looked around Angie to where she was pointing. With a prime seat right in front of the stage sat none other than Tyler Martin. If that wasn't bad enough, he was surrounded by four gorgeous women.

Lilah just stood in the middle of the floor staring. Angie turned around to face her. “Should we go over and say hi? Maybe he needs two more girls to complete his harem.”

“No,” Lilah said stiffly. “Let's just sit back here.”

She parked herself on the nearest chair, at the nearest table, which thankfully was free. They were much farther back in the room, and Tyler would have to turn around to see them because his seat faced the stage.

Angie pulled up a chair. “I still think we should say hello. If Tyler gets up to sing or goes to the bathroom, he'll see us and wonder why we didn't come over.”

Lilah's entire body felt numb. “Maybe we should just leave.”

“What?”

“There's got to be other karaoke bars. This is New York City.”

“Everyone thinks the city has two of everything and they're often wrong. There are probably other places to sing karaoke, but this is
the
karaoke bar in New York. Why are you trying to run anyway? Is it those women? Maybe they're all coworkers or something.”

“He's self-employed.” Lilah took a deep breath. She had to pull herself together. “Besides, I don't care that he's up there with a bunch of women. I just don't want to sing staring right into his face.”

“Okay, we can leave if you really want to, but I think you should just go for it. We're here. You two are just friends, right? You just got finished telling me that you didn't have room in your life for anything more.”

Lilah shrugged. When had she become so wishy-washy? She used to be a pretty decisive person. When she wanted something, she'd write it down and she and Angie would hatch out a plan on how to get it.

She'd gotten a number of things in life that way. She was homecoming queen in college because she and Angie, sick of the type of girls who'd won in high school, had launched a campus-wide campaign for votes.

She'd picked Chuck out at a fraternity step show and had decided he was the man for her. She and Angie had spent a lot of time loitering around the poli-sci building until he'd noticed her.

And when she'd wanted a lavish fairy-tale wedding on a shoestring budget, it had taken a year and half of saving, and a lot of ribbon, glue and beads, but she'd made it happen.

Now, here she was, a shadow of her former self, and she was letting her failed marriage rule her life. She was acting as if she owed the world something, instead of just taking what she wanted. The way she used to.

At the moment all she wanted was to sing one song at this karaoke bar. Tomorrow, she wanted to have a small, simple date with Reggie Martin. Why was she waiting for Tyler to set something up? Why didn't she just take what she needed? It was time to cut out the middleman and go get what she wanted.

And after that was done, she would go after what she
really
wanted and enlist Tyler's help with Item 38.

Tyler tried to casually look over his shoulder. Lilah had arrived, and for a minute or two, he was afraid she was going to walk right back out the door. He was starting to worry that this plan was a bit too drastic, but it was too late to turn back now.

“Which one is she? The tall sunflower or the petite yellow rose? No, don't tell me. The rose is definitely more your type.”

“Keira, you certainly have a way with words,” Tyler said.

Keira Theophilus, gorgeous with her wild curling black hair and olive skin, lived in the apartment across the hall from Tyler, and she ran
The Manhattan Underground,
a weekly lifestyle and culture newspaper for New Yorkers.

She'd been the first to agree to help with Reggie's plan. To set the stage, he'd let Keira read Lilah's blog, and she'd been impressed enough to promise the blog a mention in the next issue of her paper.

Since Tyler hadn't wanted to look like he was on a date, he'd enlisted the help of several female friends as Reggie had suggested.

It had been short notice, and Tyler had been skeptical about finding anyone willing to help. But as soon as he let the girls know he needed assistance winning a woman's heart, it was amazing how quickly they'd all gotten on board.

Rounding out the group of ladies was his accountant, Sarah, an elegant woman with mahogany skin and a close-cropped natural hairstyle, his office assistant, Jenny, a perky twentysomething who'd brought along her hipster friend Christina.

“She's lovely, don't you think?” Sarah asked Jenny.

“I approve. I definitely approve.”

“She's cute, but keep in mind, if things don't work out with her, I'm available.”

Jenny kicked Christina under the table.

The quartet of women had been feeding him tips all evening to prepare him for this moment.

“Pretend not to notice her right away—”

“—but when you finally do, make sure you look thrilled to see her.”

“And compliment her on her hair or her clothes.”

“—but not both. That's trying too hard.”

Jenny waved at the DJ, who nodded back at her. “I hope you're ready for this, because you're up next.”

Jenny was an obsessive planner, and since she'd wanted his singing debut to be timed to perfection, she'd put his name in early and conspired with the DJ to work him in at her cue.

At this point, Tyler wondered if there was anyone in the entire bar that wasn't colluding with him to get Lilah's attention. The best thing about having women on his team was that they really knew how to rally the troops.

As the “Ebony and Ivory” couple clambered off the stage, the DJ called him up. Tyler took a deep breath, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. Was he really going to do this?

The women at his table whooped and clapped, giving him a boost of confidence. He could feel Lilah's eyes on him, even though he hadn't turned around to see her.

This was it—his grand gesture. If it didn't work, he would wave the white flag.

The first familiar cords of “My Girl” started, and the girls' advice started playing in his head.

Maintain eye contact with her so she knows you're not singing to someone else.

It's not about the singing, it's about the attitude.

With his heart hammering in his chest, Tyler looked out across the room and focused on Lilah. She was staring up at him with a stunned expression on her face.

He took a deep breath and sang the first verse. It came out fairly smoothly and in tune. Okay, maybe this wouldn't be so bad, he thought after making it through the stanza. Feeling more confident, he put a little more power behind the chorus, and his voice cracked on the first note.

So much for the singing, time to kick up the attitude. The women at his table cheered encouragement and Tyler threw his body into it, dancing from side to side and snapping his fingers.

When it was time for the chorus again, he sang at the top of his voice, pointing across the room to Lilah. The audience went nuts, clapping and cheering for him.

Tyler knew his voice was terrible, but as he stood on stage with the crowd cheering him on the more he messed up, he got a bit of insight into his brother's world. This was what it felt like to be adored by strangers. No wonder Reggie was addicted to it.

Tyler sang right at Lilah, watching Angie clapping and punching her friend in the shoulder. Lilah stared back at him with a shy, goofy smile, looking helpless to hide her pleasure.

Tyler knew he had her then, so he went in for the big finish. Microphone in hand, he started making his way down from the stage to the back of the room. As he passed through the crowd, everyone stood, a few people clapped him on the back for encouragement.

When he was in front of Lilah, he sank to one knee and sang the last verse. “My gir-rl!”

After returning the microphone to its stand, Tyler came back to Lilah's table and pulled up a chair. “When you said you had plans tonight, I had no idea that you'd be here, too.”

“I'm just glad we got here just in time for your performance. You were great,” Angie said.

“And you must be deaf,” Tyler said, laughing.

“Well, you displayed great showmanship.”

“As you can see, Reggie got all the musical skills in the family. There was nothing left for me. I did that on a dare. I must admit though, when I saw you in the crowd, I got motivated.”

Lilah giggled, feeling foolish without really knowing why. “You definitely entertained us. And your friends…It was a great idea to bring your own cheering section.”

Lilah hoped her statement wasn't too obvious. She wanted to know who all those women were, but she didn't want to sound jealous.

He couldn't have been dating any of them, because he hadn't been shy about focusing his affections on her. He was clearly making a move. He'd called to ask her out on a date. And now, he just finished singing to her.

“Yeah, can you believe it? Somehow I ended up tagging along on my neighbor's girls' night out. When she asked me to come out with her friends, I had no idea I'd be the only guy.”