Page 43 of Flirting with Trouble

“I danced with you at the bar last weekend, and look what happened.”

“I had one of the best nights of my life.” I want to push her to admit she did, too, but I don’t want to scare her off, and I’m interested in knowing how she and Harvey ended up together if he was fighting his feelings, so I let that go and return to our previous conversation. “You obviously got through to Harvey eventually.”

“Yeah, I did. A few months after we started working together, we hooked up, but he was still fighting it. We’d get together, then he’d back off, then we’d reconnect, and he’d back off again, and all while we were still working side by side.”

That sounds familiar. “That must have been torturous for you.”

“It was, but I was in love with him, so I just tried harder. It took almost a year for him to fully let down his walls, but once he did, nothing could tear us apart, and we got married shortly after that.”

“That’s a beautiful story, Vic. I’m glad you had each other. I wonder why he fought his feelings for so long. Was it because you worked for him?”

“Partly. At first it was because he was used to young women going after him for his money and status, and once he realized I wasn’t after those things, he said he was protecting me. He knew how important my career was, and he knew people would talk shit about me if we got together, which they did. I was called a trophy wife, a gold digger, told I had daddy issues and that he had a twisted inclination toward younger women.”

“People can be judgmental assholes. That must’ve hurt.”

“It stung, but we knew the truth, and that was all that mattered. Or I thought it was. It turned out that Harvey also thought I should be with someone my own age. Someone who was, I don’t know, a little wilder or something. He worried that I’d get bored, and if we broke up, it would screw with my career.”

“The truth comes out. Were you a wild child?”

“No. I mean, I liked to dance and have fun, but I’ve never been one to drink myself silly or anything. I’ve always been too focused and goal oriented to go off the deep end. I’m more of a wild worker bee than anything else. But that’s enough about me. I’m sorry for gabbing your ear off.”

I take her cue for what it is—an end to talking about Harvey. “My ears are still firmly attached, and I enjoy hearing about your life. Thanks for trusting me enough to tell me.”

“I think there must have been truth serum in the burger I ate. Want to see something pretty?”

“I’m already looking at the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“This is prettier.” She shows me the sun setting over the water, casting beautiful ribbons of oranges and yellows against the dimming sky.

“Remind me not to take your word for anything in the future. That’s pretty, but it’s not more beautiful than you. I wish I were there to watch it with you.”

“You are.” She turns her back to the water, so I can see both her and the setting sun.

It’s not quite what I had in mind, but I’ll take it.

After watching the sunset, neither of us wanted to end the call, so I stayed on the line as she drove back to her hotel, and I headed up to my house. That was almost two hours ago. Now we’re on our beds, thousands of miles apart, lying on our sides with our phones propped up, and somehow it feels even more intimate than if we were together.

Victory’s long sleek waves are frizzier and untamed from the sea air, which I love. We’re talking about our favorite things. I’ve already learned that her favorite color is forest green, her favorite music is rock and roll, and her favorite foods are brownies and lobster. “How about movies?” I ask.

“You’re going to think I’m weird.”

“I already think you’re weird.”

“Fine, but if you make fun of me, I’m going to climb through the phone and pummel you.”

“In that case, I’m definitely going to make fun of you.”

“I really need to come up with better threats.” She laughs softly. “I have a lot of favorite movies.”

“Let’s hear ’em.”

“Well, there’s The Princess Bride, because it’s a funny love story, and the first Rambo, because he’s an underdog and Stallone is wicked tough in that movie. I had a huge crush on him when I first saw it.”

“You like tough guys, huh? I’ll have to pull out my fatigues.”

“Sorry, Silver, but you could never be Rambo.”

“I can bulk up.” I flex my arm.