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After I had dislodged my left eyebrow from the top of my forehead, I proceeded with the task at hand. It was just a typo, I told myself. Still, it wasn’t like Neil to make such an egregious error.
The full read and review of the complex document took me over an hour. As the papers came through warm on the printer tray, the sound of Neil’s voice on the phone drifted from his office. He had a consoling tone, and he mentioned the dinner tonight. I figured he must be speaking to either Christine or Winston. I hoped nothing had derailed the dinner plans. James had already dropped out due to a scheduling conflict.
With the document pages collated and stacked, I carried them through to Neil. He had already finished his phone call. He thanked me with a nod and reached for the papers, but as they exchanged hands, he winced, dropping them on his desk.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“It’s nothing. Just a paper cut.” He examined his index finger.
“Here, let me see.” On instinct, I grasped his hand in both of mine, turning his palm upwards to inspect the minor injury. Neil did not resist. The implicit affection of my action struck me too late, and by then I couldn’t bring myself to let go. His hand was warm and a little clammy, the rough pads of his fingers pressing into my smooth palms. I traced my gaze along his veins, exploring every groove and contour. Neither of us moved. At last, I regained control of my faculties. I released Neil’s hand and took a step back, a furious blush bursting onto my cheeks. “Sorry. It’s not even bleeding.”
Neil blinked hard and shook his head. “It’s fine.”
“Is everything okay for tonight?” I asked, changing the subject. “I heard you on the phone before.”
“Winston is unwell and won’t be able to make it.”
“Oh, that’s a shame. Is he okay?”
“He has a headache and a runny nose. I told him to go home early.”
“I wonder if it’s the same bug I had.”
“Possibly.” Neil pinched the bridge of his nose. “That makes three drop-outs. James, and Winston and his wife.”
“Maybe we should reschedule.”
Neil shook his head. “Christine has already arranged for her nanny to babysit, so I wouldn’t want to make her change plans this late. She and Ed are still coming. I’ll call the restaurant and let them know there will be fewer people.”
“Good idea.”
Before leaving his office, I paused. “What should I wear tonight?”
Neil’s eyes widened. He seemed lost for words.
I rushed to correct myself. “I mean, how formal is the dress code at the restaurant?”
“R-right. It’s, uh, reasonably upmarket. I’ll wear the same thing I’m wearing now, but you can wear whatever you’re comfortable in. There will be plenty of time to go home and get changed if you need to.”
“Thanks for clearing that up.”
Why, oh why, did I feel the need to get his opinion on such a matter? I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, suddenly finding my shoes very interesting as I made my exit.
I stood in front of my bedroom mirror, smoothing my hands over the cotton sundress I had chosen for the evening. The silhouette was feminine, with a shirred bodice and a mid-length skirt. A delicate blue-and-white floral pattern adorned the fabric. Pretty, but there was a problem: the whisper-thin straps were slightly loose and kept falling down. I also didn’t have a suitable bra to wear underneath, so had to go without one. I considered adding a cardigan or light jacket, just in case it got cold later, but decided against it. Carrying an extra layer seemed like a hassle. No, this outfit would do. I slipped on a pair of heeled sandals, spritzed myself with perfume, then headed out the door.
The sun remained high in the sky as I walked to the restaurant, its rays beating down and reflecting off the harbour. People lounged on the benches lining the waterfront, chatting and eating ice creams, basking in the early evening sunshine.
The restaurant was on the upper level of the downtown ferry building. I entered a spacious foyer lit by a chandelier resembling a cluster of floating candles. A host greeted me. “Do you have a reservation?”
“It should be under Neil Kingston.”
“Please, go on through.”
