"I'll see you Wednesday. Come by after you close the store. I'll order dinner for us."
She looked up at me with her inviting brown eyes, her lips slightly parted. I leaned down and kissed her. I couldn't help myself.
She sighed softly as I withdrew.
"Wednesday," I said again.
"Wednesday," she whispered.
I stepped out into the cool night air and limped to my car. There was no graceful way to walk away from her, each painful step a reminder of how my ego had overridden common sense.
As I slid behind the wheel, I saw her standing in the doorway in her white tank, green skin-tight yoga pants, and her hair thrown over one shoulder.
Yes, I had suffered a minor injury tonight.
But it was worth it.
Chapter 25
Tallulah
Iarrived at Jamison's condo in the early evening, nerves fluttering in my stomach. The last time I was there, we had scorched the sheets and the chair in his bedroom, and my internal temperature rose at the memories as I stood outside.
When he opened the door, I inhaled silently, memories of our lovemaking flooding back. Then, of course, there was the kiss he had given me at the center before limping away. Barely a moment had passed when I hadn't relived his lips on mine.
"Come in," Jamison said.
I stepped across the threshold, and he led me into the kitchen.
"I ordered sushi, and then thought... what if she doesn't eat sushi? If you don't, I can order something different for your dinner."
He was so considerate. "I love sushi," I assured him, placing my cloth bag with my computer and notes on the counter.
Jamison's small galley kitchen opened on both ends, so it didn't seem cramped. On the other side was a dining area with a polished mahogany table and four chairs. The rest of his home was exactly as I remembered—very neat and orderly, and I wascertain he hadn't straightened up because I was coming over. This was the norm.
The decor consisted of clean lines and neutral colors everywhere. A charcoal sectional faced a mounted flat-screen TV, and against one wall were built-in shelves holding mostly nonfiction books.
"How is your leg?" I asked.
"Much better," he replied, sounding relieved. He removed two plates from a cabinet. "I haven't gone to the gym or done any strenuous activities. Taking it easy is my motto for now."
He handed me a plate, and I selected pieces from the containers of food he had set out. Afterward, he poured himself a glass of wine, but I opted for water, and we ate at the small table.
We started off talking about the kids and the wedding, and I slipped in one or two teasing remarks about his venture into yoga, but most of our conversation centered around the plans for the building.
After dinner, Jamison led me down the hallway. When we passed the door leading to his bedroom, I purposely kept my eyes straight ahead, focused on his back.
His home office was impressive. A large cherrywood desk facing the window contained two monitors. An expensive-looking laser printer sat atop a three-drawer file cabinet made of the same cherrywood. Unsurprisingly, his desk was organized with the same precision as the rest of his home. Pens were in a holder, papers were neatly arranged in clear organizers, and not a sticky note in sight. His skin must have been crawling in my tiny office.
He sat behind the desk and pulled another chair around next to it. "Ready to work?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
We worked for at least an hour, revising the PowerPoint presentation to include not only my original tenant surveysand community impact stories but also Jamison's financial projections and market analysis. I was impressed by the thoroughness of his research.
He pointed a pen at one of the monitors. "What do you think about this slide? I'm thinking we should mention specific numbers. For instance, your notes say Leslie's coffee shop is a daily stop for the office workers on the upper floors, and the print shop handles a few of the corporate accounts. We need the exact numbers and should include others, like the Far East Market. How many people come in there after work to purchase items before going home? We could also mention the bakery if Shelley has hard numbers to provide, and then transition to the financial stability argument."
Studying the slide, I was impressed by how he had woven hard data with the human element. "I like your idea. It suggests we're not just small businesses, we're also part of the building's ecosystem."
