Wanderlust (14 page)

Jason

The alarm went off at 5:30. I forced myself up and out of the house and went to the gym to work out for an hour. Chip had been right; my laziness was starting to show. From today, I was going to focus on improving myself in every way possible.

I got back to the apartment in time to bump into Kim as she was making coffee in the kitchen. I hadn’t seen much of either her or Matt since they’d gotten engaged. They kept to themselves, and I hadn’t even realized Kim had spent the night.

“Morning,” she said in her soft voice. “You want some coffee?”

“Thanks,” I said, helping myself to a cup. “Listen, I haven’t had a chance to talk to Matt yet, but I wanted to let you guys know I’ll be out of here for sure by the end of February. Maybe even sooner. I just need to clear up a few things here, then I’m going back to New York.”

“Oh, that’s great! I can’t tell you how much we appreciate it. I really hope we aren’t putting you out,” she said, her blue eyes lighting up.

I shook my head. “Nah. High time I got out of here anyway. Chicago hasn’t been all that great for me. Hey, let’s see that ring!”

She held her hand out shyly while I admired the ring. Compared to Monica’s, it was modest; a small, square-cut diamond in the center, with smaller diamonds inset into a thin, white gold band on either side, but it sparkled in the early morning sun, and her face lit up when she looked at it.

“It’s beautiful,” I told her. “You guys set a date yet?”

“Sometime in the summer, probably in Ann Arbor. That’s where my family is.”

“Excellent. That Matt’s a lucky guy.”

She smiled shyly. “Thanks. I know things didn’t work out so well with your engagement. I really appreciate you being so gracious and helpful with us.”

“Hey, no problem,” I said. “I’m glad Matt found the right girl. It’s good to see you guys so happy.”

“I’d better get going. I have a class soon,” she said, screwing a lid onto her portable coffee cup. “I bet you’ll meet the right girl really soon.”

I smiled and nodded as she waved goodbye.

I already have,
I thought to myself.

At nine a.m., I walked into the Silver Basin Day Spa. I spent almost an hour with the owner, who showed me around the small but elegant space. “Our rent is going up in a couple of months. We need to bring in at least twenty percent more income if we want to stay here. We could raise prices, of course, but we’re on the high end as it is, and I’d rather bring in new customers. I’d love for us to get more online reviews on places like Yelp, but most of our customers are older, and they aren’t likely to write reviews online, even if the experience is really good,” she explained.

It was a great prospect: a beautiful atmosphere with a solid brand that needed some creative packaging ideas, a stronger web presence, and a broader customer base. I came up with some ideas off the top of my head in addition to the ones I’d mentioned in my initial email, and I knew I’d be able to suggest a lot more that could help. The owner walked me back to the lobby, where I shook hands with her after promising her a full proposal by the beginning of the following week.

I was turning to go when I saw an elegant woman sitting in one of the plush chairs.

“Good morning, Dr. Weissman,” the spa owner said to her. “I’ll be with you in just a moment.”

“No rush, Jenny. I’m early.” As Jenny turned back toward one of the guest rooms, the elegant woman turned her piercing brown eyes on me. “I know you,” she said.

I knew I’d seen her before, but I couldn’t place her. “I’m sorry—”

She shook her head with a smile. “Don’t be. You’re Monica’s friend, aren’t you?”

It fell into place. “Yes, you’re her client, aren’t you? From the coffee shop? Jason Moretti. You have a good memory.”

“Sarah Weissman.” She shook my hand firmly, never taking her eyes from mine. “You made an impression. Did you get your gloves back?”

I laughed. “Yes. It was good that I left them. It gave me an excuse to see her again.”

She nodded again thoughtfully. “I’m glad. I got the impression she was quite pleased to see you again, too.”

“I guess.” I shrugged. “It’s always nice to catch up with an old friend.”

She raised her eyebrows at me. “Do you think you’ll see each other again?”

I shook my head. “Maybe, but I’m moving to the east coast soon, and she’s getting married, so …” I shrugged again.

She narrowed her eyes and was silent for a moment. “But you do like her, don’t you?” It was an oddly personal question coming from a complete stranger, but somehow it sounded natural coming from her.

“Yeah, I like her a lot. Is it that obvious?” I tried to laugh, but I could tell I sounded nervous.

She nodded. “It’s my job to be able to read people. I wouldn’t give up on her if I were you.”

“Oh?” I paused, wondering if she’d seen the same cracks between Monica and Stephen that I had, or if she knew something else. “Why not?”

She breathed in deeply. “I certainly don’t have all the facts in this situation, but I suspect you don’t, either. Like I said, my job is to read people, and I’m pretty good at it, if I say so myself. I think she rather likes you, too.”

For once, I was at a loss for words. It didn’t make sense to pin my hopes on something a random stranger was saying, but I wanted to believe her. “Well, thanks,” I said.

Jenny put her head around the door again. “Dr. Weissman, I’m ready for you.”

Sarah smiled at me. “Good luck,” she said before following Jenny into the spa.

Monica

I didn’t get to the bar where the alumni event was being held until almost eight. It wasn’t too crowded, and Jason was tall enough to stand out, so I spotted him right away. He and Chip were talking to a group of guys I didn’t know. My guess would have been that most of them were Theta Chis from other years.

I nudged my way through the crowded room and found my way to Jason’s side. He put his arm around me and gave me a quick squeeze.

“Stephen couldn’t make it?”

I shook my head. “He’s pretty tired. Long week.”

“Too bad.” He didn’t look terribly disappointed, though, which made me happy. “You remember Chip, right?”

Chip and I gave each other a quick hug.

Jason quickly introduced me to the other guys who were, as I’d thought, fellow Theta Chis. It didn’t surprise me that Chip was active in the alumni chapter here.

“Let me get you a drink,” Jason offered. “Pomegranate martini?”

I laughed. “You know me too well. That’d be great.” I made small talk with Chip and his friends for a few minutes until Jason got back. I glanced around the bar. Aside from Jason and Chip, it didn’t look like there was anyone else I knew. Most of the people there looked younger than we were. I wouldn’t have minded just asking him to leave then, but it would have seemed rude, and Jason looked like he was having fun.

In response to a question from Chip, I mentioned I was a travel writer, and one of the Theta Chis asked if I had been to Venezuela; apparently he was being sent there for a couple of weeks by his job. I was telling him about some of the sights to see in Caracas and assuring him it wasn’t as dangerous as the guidebooks made out, when Jason came back with my drink.

Our fingers touched as he handed me the drink, and I caught him looking at me with a thoughtful smile. It was a gentle, admiring, longing look, the kind a guy gives a girl he really likes. I felt a surge of hope and excitement. I’d passed a coffee shop on the way here that had looked peaceful and quiet; maybe we could go there and I’d tell him everything and get the Amber thing out in the open once and for all. I smiled back at him, trying to communicate my feelings without saying anything.

I enjoyed myself more than I thought I would. The Theta Chis were funny and friendly, and as the bar slowly filled up, the atmosphere got pretty festive. I’d barely taken the last sip of my drink when Jason leaned in and asked me if I wanted another one.

I shook my head. “That’s okay. I’ll get it. Can I get one for you?” He hefted his half-full pint of beer and shook his head.

I shouldered my way to the crowded bar. It took a few minutes to catch the bartender’s eye, but I finally did and ordered another pomegranate martini.

While I was waiting, I felt someone come up beside me. I looked up and saw Chip. He smiled down at me. “Great to see you again. I know Jason’s really happy to be back in touch with you.”

“Thanks. It’s good to be in touch with him, too. He says you and your wife just had a baby?”

He nodded and smiled proudly. “Little girl. Alexa. Three months old. Look, here’s a picture.” He flashed his phone in front of me. I saw a pretty red-haired woman cuddling a tiny baby.

“They’re both beautiful,” I said.

“I know I’m biased, but I have to agree with you.” He flipped through several other photos, and I made admiring noises at each of them. It was touching to see a big guy like Chip so clearly smitten with his family. He finally slipped the phone back into his pocket. “You’re a good sport putting up with me and my pictures. Let’s hear more about you now. Jason tells me you’re engaged.”

I sighed. I wanted nothing more than to tell him the truth, but I wanted to sort it out with Jason first. Fortunately, the bartender came back at that moment with my martini. I fished my wallet out of my purse and put a ten-dollar bill on the bar.

“Ten Hills Pale Ale,” Chip said quickly before the bartender could disappear again. The bartender nodded and turned away.

“So you’re out partying while your wife’s at home with the baby, huh?” I tried to sound mock-cynical. “Is this what I have to look forward to?”

He held his hands up in surrender. “We take turns, I swear. I had Alexa this afternoon while Katie met up with some friends for lunch and got her hair cut, now I get to come out and see you and Jason.”

“She didn’t want to come, too?”

Chip shrugged. “Not really her scene. I think she didn’t want to waste a date night hanging out with me and a bunch of fraternity brothers. So, Jason’s been telling me about all your travels. Sounds fascinating.”

I nodded, taking a sip of my drink. Strong but sweet. Good. “Yeah, I’ve been lucky. I get to travel all over.”

“But I guess you’ll be doing less of that once you’re married?”

“Yeah, probably. I’ll still have to travel once in a while, though,” I said, staring vaguely into my cocktail.

“Have you guys set a date yet?”

“Uh, no, not yet.” I was desperately trying to think of a way to change the subject. The bartender came back with Chip’s beer. “Should we head back to Jason and your friends?”

“Nah, stay here for a bit longer. I’d love to hear more about the places you’ve been.”

Chip’s eyes dropped away from mine as he fished a bill out of his wallet. For a moment, he looked almost furtive. I suddenly had the feeling that there was something off about this whole conversation. Chip was either trying to keep me with him or away from Jason. Or both. For a horrible moment, I wondered if he was making a pass at me. That didn’t jibe with the Chip I remembered. But guys don’t show off photos of their wife and baby when they’re making a play for a girl. Was he suspicious that I’d been lying to Jason and trying to feel me out? That felt more like it. But Chip had always been a straight shooter, the kind of guy who’d tell you flat out what he was thinking, whether it was something you wanted to hear or not. He’d have come out and asked me what was going on if he’d thought I was trying to put one over on Jason. Bemused, I turned back quickly to glance at Jason, and my heart dropped.

Standing much, much too close to him, dressed to the nines and still looking like a million dollars, was Amber.

Jason

Monica had just turned away to the bar when Chip suddenly muttered, “Shit. Incoming, twelve o’clock. I’ll try to distract her.”

“What?” I turned toward him, but he abruptly put his beer down on the nearest table and walked after Monica. Confused, I looked back toward the door of the bar and immediately locked eyes with Amber.

Oh, fuck.

She was, if anything, more captivating than she had been ten years ago. Her long, perfectly styled hair fell past her shoulders in blond waves. She wore high-heeled, black leather boots, skin-tight jeans, and an expensive-looking black leather trench coat that belted at the waist, showing off her amazing figure. Her blue eyes sparkled, and she practically glimmered with charisma. Not many women could step off the snowy sidewalks of Chicago looking like they were ready for a photo shoot, but Amber could.

And she was making straight for the one man in the room who would have given anything to avoid her.

Me.

I glanced briefly back at the bar. Chip was standing next to Monica, their backs to us. I could only hope he could keep her occupied until I could figure out what to do. Maybe somehow I could get her coat and we could make an early exit.

The crowd parted as Amber strode up to me. In her high heels she was almost as tall as I was. “Jason!” She threw her arms around me and gave me a hug. “I wasn’t sure if there’d be anyone I knew here. It’s great to see you!” She stepped back and swept her gaze up and down me. “You look fantastic! What are you up to these days?”

I just gaped at her for a moment. Chip’s friends were looking at me with a combination of awe and envy. Any moment now, Monica might turn around. How would she react?

“Uh, all sorts of stuff. Hey, have you all met?” I gestured to Chip’s friends, who were still standing nearby. “Steve, Bill, James.”

“I’m Amber,” she said, shaking hands with each of them. They were clearly smitten. I wondered if I could leave her with them, step away and find Monica and pull her out of the bar. Or at least give her a heads up. I had no idea how she’d feel about seeing Amber again, but I was guessing it wouldn’t be good.

Or then again, maybe she wouldn’t care at all. If anything, that seemed even worse. I kicked myself for not broaching the subject with her earlier. If I had, maybe I wouldn’t be stuck here now with sweat trickling down the back of my neck, wondering how I could step away without being rude.

“Can I get you a drink?” asked Steve.

I kicked myself again. If I’d moved faster, that could have been my excuse.

“Thank you, I’d love one!” Amber said, clearly planning on staying for a while. “Scotch on the rocks.” She flashed him her megawatt smile, and Steve made a beeline for the bar. She turned to me again. “So it’s been, what, almost ten years, right?” She shook her head in disbelief. “What have you been up to?”

Out of habit, I mumbled something about Duncan & Bourne before remembering that I was starting my own business. “And you? What have you been doing?”

“I do development work for a not-for-profit that builds schools for girls in developing countries. Fundraising, basically.”

Bill broke in, obviously eager to get in on the conversation. “What an awesome job! Do you get to travel a lot?”

Amber smiled and rolled her eyes. “All the time. I was in Afghanistan just a few weeks ago. My NGO is doing some amazing stuff there. We’re building a trade school for girls who’ve been orphaned.”

I listened to her go on about all the good works her organization was doing with a sinking feeling. Somehow, I doubted that Monica would see world travel as a chance to bond with Amber—if we even got that far in a conversation.

I looked around wildly. Monica was now seated at the bar, and Chip was standing next to her protectively. They still had their backs to us. I made a mental note to name my first-born child Chip.

I turned back to Amber and tried to act like I was listening. Bill and James were clearly hanging on every word. Steve came back with Amber’s scotch and handed it to her almost reverently.

“Oh, my gosh, thank you so much! You have no idea how much I need this right now!” Amber laughed, tilting her glass towards us in a
cheers!
gesture. Steve, Bill and James, looking almost hypnotized, lifted their pint glasses back at her. I tried not to roll my eyes. If she’d asked any of them to throw themselves in front of an oncoming train, I had no doubt they would have done it.

“So who else is here that we know?” Amber suddenly turned all her attention on me.

I hesitated, not wanting to do anything that would draw attention to Chip.

“What year did you graduate?” asked James, eager to get in on the conversation.

“Oh-five.”

“Did you know Chip Mason? He’s president of the alumni chapter here.”

“Is Chip here?” she squealed. “He was such a sweet guy! Where is he? I’d love to say hi.”

James indicated the bar, where Chip was still standing next to Monica.

“Oh, my God, is that Monica with him?” She gave me a playfully exasperated look. “You didn’t tell me she was here! Are you guys still together? Look, I’m going to go say hi. It was lovely meeting you guys. Thanks so much for the drink!” She smiled and winked at Steve before turning toward the bar.

Now feeling like I was in a complete nightmare, and unable to think of anything that could stop her, I followed one step behind.