AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh—”
“I can pick you up at work if you prefer. Won’t go near your house.”
I blush, and he can’t see my blush over the phone, but I feel bad anyway. “It’s not that—”
“You don’t have to apologize. I understand perfectly. Women are always trying to follow me home.”
“They are?” And then I clap my hand to my head. Of course they are. He may not be handsome, but he’s megarich.
He laughs faintly. “I’m joking.”
“I’m sure they are,” I say, just digging my hole bigger.
“What time should I pick you up from City Events?”
“You tell me.” I’m eager to make amends.
“Five thirty?”
“Sounds great.”
I hang up and look at the phone and think, I don’t feel any sexual sparks here, but he is nice, and nice is what’s important. Nice is what you can base a relationship on. I just have to keep giving nice a chance.
Thursday arrives, and I’ve brought a change of clothes to work, and at five I sign off my computer, disappear into the bathroom to change and touch up my face and hair.
I’m not wearing anything fancy tonight, just jeans, boots, and a bright red blouse that ties at the waist. I drag my hands through my hair to give it a suitably casual but sexy date-night hair look. With gold hoops in my ears and a funky necklace, I’m done.
I look myself over one last time. It’ll have to do. This is who I am. What I am.
Josh walks me downstairs at five thirty, and as we emerge from the building, a black limousine is waiting at the curb.
“Nice car,” Josh deadpans.
“Yeah. That’s the life.”
And then the back door opens, and Ed Hill climbs out. “Ready?” he says to me.
I look at Ed, and. then Josh, and then the car, and back to Josh. Josh leans forward, hugs me, whispering, “It’s just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a—”
“Ssssh,” I silence him, cutting him short, and leaving Josh, I head toward Ed, who is standing by the limousine, waiting for me.
That night at the game in the Oakland Coliseum we have courtside seats, two amazing seats just down from the Warriors bench. It isn’t until I’m sitting next to Ed and the television cameras keep panning over the front rows, lingering on the rich and famous, including Ed and me, that I understand the seduction of money.
Limos and courtside seats. Chauffeurs, chefs, valets, and personal trainers. Houses in Pacific Heights, Carmel, Jackson Hole, and Maui.
If I were Mrs. Edward Hill, I could buy anything I wanted. Travel anywhere I felt like. Get immediate attention by entering a room. Respect by pulling out my credit card.
I wish I could say I fell in love with Ed Hill and that my life finally turned into a fairy tale. But Ed, despite his kindness and his goodness and his luxurious life, doesn’t make me… happy.
I don’t open my eyes in the morning and think, I can’t wait to see him.
I don’t go to bed dreaming about Him.
I don’t want to rush through work so we can be together at the end of the day.
Ed is hoping he’ll grow on me, and he is doing his best to spoil me, but it’s not going to work. I’ll never love him the way he wants me to love him. He’s a friend. Nothing more.
In late March I finally tell Ed what he doesn’t want to hear: that although I like him very much, my feelings are platonic.
