Page 82 of Watching Her

“That’s a shame. Even playing the goofy games is fun. My father used to insist on winning me the largest stuffed animal. He was good at every game too. I had a room full of cheap stuffed animals. I loved them. Giving them away felt as if I was stripping away a part of my heart.”

He didn’t say anything, but I knew he was watching my reactions, which felt very personal and almost too much to bear.

“Anyway, they contain good memories. You missed out as a child and now since it’s done for the season.”

“There’s always next year.”

With the wine poured, the waitress walked away, leaving us all alone. I eased onto the couch, even more curious about the man. He was truly unlike what I’d expected, even if he was richer than sin as my mother used to say.

He nodded toward the wine, waiting until I picked up my glass before doing so with his, lifting so we would toast.

“What are we toasting to?” I asked. With such a commanding presence, I kept thinking I should feel nervous, but I didn’t. I was quite comfortable around him.

“The future.”

“Which is?”

“Anything we want it to be.”

I wasn’t certain what he was insinuating, but I enjoyed the spark in his eyes. We toasted and the first sip was incredible. “An excellent choice.”

“Wine is a passion.”

“Why is it I suspect you have several of them as compelling as your painting?”

“You are fascinated by the fact I paint.”

“I am and would love to see more of your work.”

He laughed. “Perhaps we can arrange that. Why don’t you tell me more about yourself and your interests? I assure you mine are not that entertaining.”

“I beg to differ, but alright.”

Other than to my good friends, I’d never found it easy to talk about myself. I certainly preferred keeping much of my past private, certain events more troubling than others. I’d been determined to push myself from the sorrow, finally able to find some sense of balance at least until recently. “I’m a simple girl with typical needs. I love my house, my friends. I enjoy a wicked slice of pizza from Giuseppe’s every now and then. See? Nothing exciting.”

“Quite the contrary. Everything about you is exciting. Why leave your job with Covington? And don’t get me wrong. Being an entrepreneur is obviously very important to me. As a kid I had one of the last paper routes.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“I am not,” he said, finally allowing the intensity of his demeanor to shift into something less formidable.

“You are a very interesting man.”

“My father required his sons to work beginning at an early age.”

“Is your father still alive?”

“He is, a gruff old man with attitude, which is what I’ll likely become.”

While we both laughed, I felt a sense of sadness as well as true despair. I missed my father with all my heart. “I didn’t quit my job. I was forced out. I’m surprised a man of your stature didn’t hire a private investigator to ensure I wasn’t after your money.”

His face held amusement. “Perhaps I wouldn’t mind. If I felt the need to ensure your truthfulness, I’d stop at nothing to discover all your secrets, but you’re nothing like any other woman I’ve ever met.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Absolutely. Now, I’m extremely curious. Why were you forced out?” Christian immediately sat up in his seat.

“According to my boss, it was all about downsizing and I was the low man on the totem pole.” The lie rolled off my tongue easily. Was I too embarrassed or still too angry to admit the truth?