Page 87 of Elevator Pitch

“Ross.” Vee sighs. “You aren’t a shitty dad. You raised a polite young man who has the gift of gab but didn’t spill anything dark. And can pack away some chocolate chip pancakes.”

That’s my Harley.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly do the raising. Patty did.” The mention of my late wife feels like a dart hitting a board off center and silence drops through the phone between Vee and me. I really need to go but I don’t want to end our call on this note. I’ve been wanting to talk to her all morning as we didn’t get a chance to chat last night, and I was hoping for a recap of our talk the other night.

“Sweetheart, I hate to do this, but I’ve got to go.” I glance back at Kip waiting on me just outside the hotel doors.

“Of course. Go, go.”

I can almost imagine her pushing me out the door, maybe smacking my ass like she did back in Arizona. I want those moments again with her.

“Vee, when I get back in town, go out with me.”

“What?” she chuckles, the sound a bit strained.

“I want another date.”

“Okay.” Her voice lowers, the word soft.

“Three nights. Then you’re mine.” The warning sounds salacious but the intent is the same.

I want Vee to myself.

+ + +

The days and nights don’t pass quickly enough before I’m finally at Vee’s front door, picking her up for our date. I’d wanted her to stay at my place. I would have loved to arrive home and find her there instead of the big, echoing house, that felt empty and a bit lifeless. However, I understood she didn’t want to overstay her welcome. She’d gotten lots of words, which was writer speak for her progress in the story.

I’d also have loved to find Harley home. He went to school only fifteen minutes from the house, and yet I rarely saw him between his schedule and mine.

“You look beautiful,” I tell Vee after she opens the door in that way she does, with a swift flourish like she can’t wait to see me. The motion is how I feel about her and everything in me wants to rush forward, kiss her, and suggest we skip our plans.

However, I made a promise to be somewhere important tonight, and I need to show up.

Vee blushes sweetly while stepping back to allow me into her place. I hand over the smaller bouquet of flowers I brought her tonight. In the past, flowers had often been an apology.

I’m sorry I’m late. Sorry I missed dinner. Sorry I missed parent-teacher conferences.

But tonight, a certain joy fills me at gifting Vee flowers, no apology necessary.

“These are lovely. And you look smashing.” She eyes up and down my slacks and jacket.

“Fuck, Vee, don’t look at me like that.” I chuckle, rubbing my forefinger and thumb around my mouth, stroking over my trimmed beard.

“How am I looking at you?”

“Like you could devour me.”

Her eyes widen while her cheeks turn a deeper pink. We didn’t have a repeat of sexy phone time; however, we did talk about it. How I wished I’d been here to see her in my bed, getting herself off. She let it slip that taking care of herself was the only way it’s happened in a long, long time. I want to rectify that situation.

Vee steps forward and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Thank you for the flowers.” Her voice is soft. Her lids lower as she pulls away from me, but I’m quick to catch her face, cupping her cheeks and giving her a more solid kiss. One that messes up her perfectly applied lipstick.

“Damn, I’ve missed you,” I whisper to her mouth, knowing I might be admitting too much.

“I’ve missed you, too,” she replies, blinking once I let her go, before we actually do miss our scheduled plans.

“Put those in water,” I demand gently, swatting at her backside when she turns around, which causes her to yelp, then giggle, as she walks down the narrow hall to her small kitchen. Her apartment is tight, in typical old-world Chicago style. Galley kitchen. Tight hallway. Square bedrooms with minimal closet space.

Once Vee returns from the kitchen, vase in hand, she sets the arrangement on the television cabinet.