Fountain of Wishes, Part 3 ~ Tuesday Tale

~ by Linnette R Mullin, All Rights Reserved

            The sudden rush of tears shocked Chloe. What was wrong with her? This whole thing felt so surreal and yet her heart squeezed until she could barely breathe. She searched Troy’s face and opened her mouth to say – what?

            “Would you join me for coffee? Ice-cream? Anything?” His eyes pleaded with her and her knees nearly buckled.

            She shrugged. “Sure. There’s a little café on the way to Abuela’s. They have coffee and ice-cream, as well as hot tea and pastries.” Self-consciousness crept through her. Maybe the dusk would hide her heated cheeks.

            He smiled, relief and excitement easing the tense lines around his eyes. “Great.” He offered his arm. “Lead the way, pretty lady.”

            Butterflies danced around her heart and she took hold of his arm. “This way.”

Silence fell between them as they crossed a couple of intersections. When they hit a long stretch of street, he pointed out different houses, enumerating the things he liked about each one. She smiled. An architect to the core.

“You were right about this being a fabulous place to live. I love it.”

She tipped her head and searched his face. “I do, too.”

His hand covered hers where it rested on his arm and he swung a smile her way. She could get used to this. But she shouldn’t. He had the power to break her heart. Again. Fear rippled through her. She must guard it, because this time around she might not survive.

A bell jingled, announcing their entrance. Always the gentleman, he pulled out a chair for her. “There you go.”

“Thank you.” She glanced up at him and the intensity of his smile shot shivers through her. After two years of absence, she should have become immune to him. Had she really not succeeded in extricating him from her heart?

“Evening folks. What’ll you have?”

He nodded at her. “I’ll have English Breakfast tea with a blueberry scone, please.”

“And for you, sir?”

“I’ll take a black coffee with blackberry cobbler ale mode, please.”

“Will that be all for you?”

He looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“That’s all for me, thanks.”

He nodded. “That’ll do it for now.”

“Alrighty. I’ll fix you two right up.” The waitress dashed off with a smile, leaving her alone with the man of her dreams. Only he didn’t know he was the man of her dreams. And she was determined to keep it that way.

“So. What have you been up to since you moved back?” He pinned her with a gaze that told her this conversation could get uncomfortable real fast.

She stammered. “Uh… Well… I’ve been taking care of Abuela mostly. I did get a job at a law firm as receptionist once she was well enough to leave alone for several hours.”

“I bet they love you.” His wistful unnerved her. She didn’t know what to make of that.

She shrugged. “I guess. They seem to appreciate me.”

Leaning with his forearms on the table, he turned his head to stare out the window for a long quiet moment. When he turned back, the emotional chaos in his eyes floored her.

He dropped his head and cleared his throat before raising tortured eyes to her again. “Nothing was the same after you left.”

She squirmed a bit, confusion clouding her mind.

“Melanie took your place.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Things were pretty chaotic for a while. She mixed up messages and sent clients to the wrong extensions. She finally worked out a system of her own, but there’s no more break-time chatting around the reception area. She couldn't focus with all the noise." He raised his eyebrows. “We’re actually using the break rooms for breaks now.”

She laughed. “Wow! That is something.”

“Here you go folks.” The waitress plunked down her tea and scone first and then his coffee and cobbler. She set a little cream pitcher between them and placed the sugar bowl next to it. “Anything else I can get for you?”

Troy looked at her with raised brows and she shook her head. “No, ma’am,” he said to the waitress. “Thank you.”

She smiled and said, “My pleasure,” before returning to the kitchen.

Troy reached for the cream and touched up his coffee while she doctored her tea. He didn't say anything and she didn't feel compelled to break the silence. They had always worked companionably together. Once or twice a month, he would have to stay late to finish up a project. Neither had planned for it to happen. They just sort of fell into a habit of it.

It all started when she was shutting down one night and noticed a light on down the hall. She had gone to turn it off and discovered him slaving away...

“Hey. Working late?”

“Yep. Gotta get this presentation finished by the 8:00 a.m. meeting with the new client in the morning. Just when I thought I was done, I noticed something that wouldn’t work and had to rearrange several things.”

She twisted the strap of her purses. “Wait. Have you been here all day?”

“Yep.”

“But…” She scrunched her brows. “I don’t remember seeing you pass through for lunch…”

He chuckled. “That’s because I haven’t had lunch.”

“Oh. Well, we’ll just have to fix that. I’ll be back.” She ran out to his favorite burger joint and brought back dinner for two. “Now. What can I do to help you get home earlier?”

He fidgeted at first and didn't seem comfortable to be alone with her. Somewhat new, she had yet to learn his policy on keeping business relationships strictly business. Of course, that's all this was anyway. Business. 

“Why don’t we eat first? I didn't realize my hunger until I smelled the food.”

“I think that’s wise.” She pulled everything out of the bags and set it up on the coffee table.

He looked everything over and glanced up at her in shock. “How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Remember people’s likes and dislikes. I've seen you do this with others. This is exactly what I would have ordered from The Grill.”

She shrugged, a little self-conscience. If he knew how much more she noticed his likes and dislikes, he’d probably consider her stalker-lady.

Once fed, they got to work and had the presentation finished up within a couple hours. “Wow, Chloe. You’re the best. I’d have been here ‘til ten or later working on this by myself.”

She shrugged away the compliment, praying he didn't see the blush creeping into her cheeks.

She never again let him work late alone and he never turned away her help. It was the only time he let his guard down even a smidgen with her and she cherished every moment. Especially after she had learned of his self-imposed rules on relationships in the work place. Oh, he would scowl at first. Every time. Yet, as soon as she pulled out the food, he would perk up and even welcome her help. 

“Earth to Chloe.”

“What? I’m sorry. My mind drifted.”

“I’d say. Where’d you go?”

She dropped her gaze to her scone, cut a bite, and shrugged. “Reminiscing.”

Troy tilted his head, curiosity shining in his eyes. “Care to share?”