Dream Lover (4 page)

“Anything I can do to help?”

He smiled at her. She was always trying to help him or take care of him in some way.

“Nah Peaches, it's not a big deal.”

She eyed him suspiciously for a moment then shrugged and said, “Alright.”

She went to the cabinet and grabbed her favorite coffee mug out of the cabinet. When she turned around, he already had the coffee pot in his hands. She smiled at him.

“Are you going to paint today?”

She shook her head as she held her cup while he poured the coffee for her. “Maybe later, but I've got to work today at the museum.” On top of her creating her own pieces, she worked per diem for a museum as an art restorer to supplement her income when her pieces were not selling.

In fact, that was what she held her Bachelor's degree in. “Painting, sculpting, art in general, that comes naturally,” she'd once told John, “If my parents were going to spend buckets of money on a piece of paper, it might as well be on something I actually learned. That way they wouldn't be wasting money on something I already knew how to do. I didn't need a degree to tell me I could paint and sculpt.” So she'd chosen a degree in art conservation and restoration. Quiet as it was kept, she enjoyed bringing art back to life almost as much as she enjoyed bringing new art to life.

It was also her back up plan. If her own work did not sell then at least she would have some job in the art field to fall back on. She had already been approached several times for full time positions, some even allowing her to travel very lucratively.

However, she made good money working per diem as it was; and she felt that taking a full time position would somehow mean she was giving up her dream of becoming an artist. Or at least putting it on the back burner, neither of which she was ready to do.

She finished her coffee and grabbed her keys. “Well, I've got to go and get cleaned up so I can head in to the museum. But you'll let me know how your meeting went?”

“Huh? Oh yeah.”

She looked at him concerned again. “Are you sure everything is alright?”

“Yeah,” he replied standing and walking her to the door.

She gave him one last look. She reached up on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss on the cheek then said, “I'll see you later.”

He didn't tell her. He knew that if Liz knew his meeting was with his ex-
fiancé she would blow the roof off of the place. She'd demand to go with him, get right in the woman's face and ask her how dare she come anywhere near him after what she'd done to him. He was surprised that Liz had not went crazy on Susan when they'd met at the art exhibit. Then again, Liz knew how to keep her cool when need be. And that had not been the time or the place to be anything but reserved.

After the initial shock of hearing her voice after so long, he realized that it didn't have that certain something that it use to have that would always seem to get his blood boiling. It had, in fact, sounded rather annoying. He also realized that he really had nothing to say to Susan, and there wasn't much he wanted to hear from her. But dammit his curiosity got the better of him and he had to know what she could possibly want to speak to him about after all these years. He recalled the phone conversation they'd had last night while Liz was asleep in the guest room.

“God, you still sound amazing,” she crooned. He cringed at the sound of her voice.

“I hear you are engaged....again,” he dryly replied, sidestepping her comment.

“Yes, well, if you have some free time tomorrow, I'd like to meet with you, perhaps at your restaurant?”

“What could you possibly have to say to me that you couldn't say over the phone?”

“It's kind of a business proposition.”

He should have said no. He should have told the little witch exactly where she could go. But he had to know what kind of business dealings she'd want with him.

“My day is kind of hectic tomorrow, so I will stop by the restaurant when I have some free time.”

“Fine,” he'd said, annoyed by the fact that she had not considered the fact that he may be just as busy and whatever time she decided to grace him with her presence he might not have time to talk to her.

When he got to the restaurant that day, Sandy greeted him with a smile. “You've got a couple in your office who would like to speak with you about catering for their wedding.” She scrunched up her face, leaned in towards him and looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. Then she whispered, “Not our kind of people boss. The bride-to-be is a real stuck up type. The groom-to-be is actually much worse. They walked in here like they were royalty. She says she knows you.”

John chuckled lightly and patted her on the shoulder. “Sounds like a good check is coming then,” he said shaking his head. “Maybe even a Christmas bonus.” Sandy brightened up as he walked away.

As he opened the door he froze. His world tilted off of its axis for a moment. The groom-to-be stood, looking slightly impatient, as if John were late, although they had not scheduled an appointment.

“Good afternoon, sir, my name is Dwayne Fisher and we would like to contract you for your catering services. My
fiancé said she knows you quite well.” He moved to the side so she could stand.

“Hello, John.”

“Susan.”

Liz was focused on restoring a very rare sculpture, when the secretary, Alice, came in.

“Hey Liz, Lila McAllister is here to see you.”

Liz beamed at the name. “Send her in!” She rubbed her hand on her smock and rounded the table as Lila McAllister, in all her glory, glided through the door.

Lila burst into a large smile when she saw her friend. “Liz!” She came and hugged her tightly. Liz panicked slightly, trying to push away. “Oh Lila, I've got dust all over me! You'll ruin your clothes!”

Lila swatted at her. “Oh honey, it's just a coat. And it's all just fabric anyway, doesn't matter!”

Lila was an heiress to a very popular hotel chain; however, she was not the typical party girl heiress. She had a heart of gold and had worked her way up in the business, earning her own money in her own right. She sat on the board of directors of her family's hotel company and was the owner of her own event planning business. She'd started off planning events for her family's hotels and decided she wanted to branch off on her own. She'd become quite successful.

“What brings you by?” Liz asked her.

“Well, I'm planning this really big shin dig for charity at the family chateau. As you know Anjelah Martin is on the charity fund-raising committee.” Liz knew Anjelah Martin fairly well. She had even had a few pieces sold from her art gallery.

Lila continued. “There is going to be a silent auction. She wanted me to come to you on behalf of the committee and ask if you'd be willing to make something to be sold at the silent auction. The proceeds would go to the children's hospital.”

Liz did not hesitate. “Of course!” She volunteered at the children's hospital when she had free time. Lila clapped her hands together with glee. “I knew you would! And that's not all! She said the pieces you've been selling at her gallery have been doing so well that if your piece at the silent auction does well enough, that she would like for you do an entire show!”

Liz felt like she was floating on air as she entered Johnny's.
That was until she saw whom John was standing with. John could feel Liz's glare from across the restaurant. He turned and saw her cheeks turning a bright red. Susan and Dwayne turned and saw Liz and headed in her direction. Liz counted to ten. Then she counted to ten again.

“Liz right?” Susan asked. “It's me, Susan from the art gallery. Well, when you told me about John, I just
had
to come by and catch up!”

Liz turned to John. “Oh really?” she said, her voice at a uniquely high pitch.

“Yes,” she gushed leaning on Dwayne. “And he's agreed to cater our wedding!”

“Ha!” Liz sputtered out. Before she could say something to cause a scene in front of the customers, John grabbed Liz's arm and stuck out his other hand to shake Dwayne's. “My manager, Marnee, will be in touch with you about the details. She will handle everything. Susan, good seeing you again.”

He pulled Liz into his office and she exploded.

“
What the hell was that John?!”

“Liz,” he started calmly.

“What in the hell were you thinking? You're catering that harpy's wedding? The same two timing, no good trash who
left you
at the altar, with no real explanation? Have you lost it? You must have lost it? Because that would be the only reason that you would agree to do something so ludicrous.”

By now he had sat down at his desk and had his hands steepled together, his index fingers tapping his lower lip. She was in such a fit that she was breathing heavily, her chest moving up and down rapidly. He thought for a moment how gorgeous she looked even when she was all fired up.

“Are you done?” he asked in an eerily calm manner. “May I now speak?”

She looked at him and waved her hand in the air indignantly as if giving him the permission to speak that he was not really asking for. But before he could talk she started again.

“Why John? Why would you do it?”

“First of all, I will not be handling any of it. Marnee is going to be taking care of the whole thing. All I'm really doing is collecting a check.” When that did not seem to comfort her any, he continued.

“Apparently, Susan did not have the decency to mention that we were previously engaged. If she did, he did not seem to care. Either way, he came in here flaunting how rich he was and no expense was to be spared in his and 'Suzie's' wedding.” He paused for a minute. Liz stood there impatiently.

“And?”

“And since
no
expense was to be spared,” he paused again for dramatic effect and a slow, lazy grin crept on his face and he leaned back and put his hands behind his head.

“I charged him triple the normal rate.”

Liz gawked at him for several minutes, mouth wide open.

“Are you kidding?”

“Not even in the slightest.”

“How did they respond?”

“Didn't even blink. Made me wish I'd upped the price even more.”

She began laughing. “Well that is not what I expected, but it is something.”

He still had that lazy smile. “Yeah, I was surprised at myself. But I didn't feel bad at all for doing it.”

“Well we've got a little more to celebrate!”

She went on to tell him about what happened to her at the museum that day.

He got up and rounded the desk scooping her up in his arms. “I told you it would happen! That is amazing Lizzie!”

She was breathless. “I know! It is a black tie event. Very posh!” she said with an exaggerated flourish. “Of course, I wouldn't want anyone else to escort me to this big event.” She looked at him hopeful.

“I wouldn't be anywhere else,” he said confidently.

For the next week, John hardly saw Liz. He mostly saw her when he looked out the window into her apartment. She had decided to create a new painting for the charity ball and so she was locked away working vigorously.

He stopped by occasionally to make sure she had food. Other than that, they hardly spoke. He would be a crazy man not to admit that he'd miss his best friend. But he understood. What he did not understand however, was what he saw Thursday night walking by his window. She was dressed in clothes that were not covered in paint. And was she putting lipstick on?

He rushed to pick up the phone and called her.

“Are you done with the painting?”

“No not yet, I decided to take a break. I've been in the house all week, I needed some fresh air.”

“I can get my coat and meet you downstairs,” he suggested still staring at her. She turned and looked out of her window at him. She had an apologetic look on her face. “Actually, I kind of have a date.”

For a brief moment, John saw complete red in front of him. Liz must have seen the change in his face as she went on to say. “Well, it's not a
date
date, per se. Andre from the museum called, and asked if I wanted to catch a movie. I was going to say no, but like I said I needed a break and since he asked...”

John shook the odd feeling he suddenly had away. “No, I totally understand. You go and enjoy yourself. I'll talk to you soon.”

“We're having drinks after the movie, you want to meet us?”

And be a third wheel on your date with Mr. Fabulous? I don't think so.
He'd met Andre a few times when picking Liz up from the museum. He was an all right enough guy, but he didn't seem like Liz's type. But then again, he really didn't know what her type would be. She didn't date much.

“No,” he said a moment later. “I'm going to just stop by the restaurants and check on them. Busy Thursday nights and all.”

“Ok,” she paused for a second, “Hey that's Andre calling on the other line. I'll talk to you later love.” And with that she switched over to talk to pretty boy Andre. He watched her light up as he saw her answer for him. Then with a flourish she grabbed her coat and was out the door without even a backwards glance to him.