Memories (10 page)

 Staring up at Dani was a curly-headed little girl with a smile as wide as her face. The emerald dress she wore only added to the brilliant green of her eyes. "She's adorable," Dani said. "So much like Vanessa."

 Michael beamed with pride. "I knew you'd appreciate it."

 "You always did know where my soft spot was." Dani said the words without thinking. She began flipping through the other pictures. There were others of Michelle at different ages, Vanessa's senior picture, another of Miguel and Vanessa walking down the aisle at her wedding. Dani smiled softly at the pictures as Michael watched her transform back to the girl she'd been.

 "I'm sorry I embarrassed you downstairs," he told her. "I really did mean it as a compliment."

 Dani closed the wallet and handed it back to him. "It's okay. I guess I am a little sensitive about my job."

 Michael reached for the wallet, but instead clasped Dani's hand in his. He looked deeply into her eyes. Yes, the warmth was still there. If only he could penetrate it.

 Suddenly uncomfortable by their closeness, Dani pulled away and looked at her watch. "I wonder where Trindell is?" she said aloud. "It's almost 11:30."

 Michael saw the mask come down over Dani's eyes and was annoyed that the moment had passed so quickly.

 "Oh yes, Carl Trindell," he said. "I spoke with him on the phone. He seems very protective of you."

 Dani didn't like the implication of his tone and immediately became defensive. "Carl Trindell has been my supervisor for many years," she said coolly. "He's also a very good friend."

 "I'm sure he is," Michael said with a smirk.

 Dani wanted to slap the smile right off his face. "Not everyone thinks, or acts like you," she told him, anger once again seething inside her.

 "Oh, and just how do I act?" Michael asked, still looking amused.

 Like an egotistical, manipulative jerk, Dani wanted to shout out, but she never had the chance. The elevator doors opened and out stepped Carl Trindell.

 Trindell felt the tension in the room immediately and once again reprimanded himself for being late. He didn't understand the relationship between Dani and DeCara, but right now he could see it was hostile.

 "I'm sorry I'm late," he said, his attention directed more toward Dani than to the both of them. "The rain was much heavier than I'd realized. It took me longer than usual to make the drive in." He looked at Dani with questioning eyes as if to say 'Are you all right?' and noticed the apparent relief in her eyes at his appearance.

 "That's okay," Dani reassured him. "We were just looking over the offices."

 Dani turned to Miguel. "Michael DeCara, this is Carl Trindell, our Executive Merchandising Manager."

 The two men shook hands and exchanged greetings, both a little wary of the other. Although Trindell really wasn't much older than Michael, he had a fatherly look about him. Michael could have kicked himself for making his offhanded accusation to Dani about her relationship with Trindell.

 "Well," Dani announced. "I will leave you two to talk. I'll see you Tuesday, Carl."

 Trindell walked her to the elevator with Michael tagging behind.

 "Be careful driving," Trindell warned Dani. "There's a heavy downpour and strong winds. They've had severe storm warnings all morning."

 Dani smiled affectionately at Carl. "I'll be careful," she promised him.

 Michael extended his hand to Dani. "It has been a pleasure, as usual," he said smugly.

 Ignoring his outstretched hand, Dani stepped into the elevator. "As usual," she replied and the doors closed in Michael's face. The iciness in Dani's words did not escape Carl.

Chapter Eleven

 It took Dani much longer to reach her apartment than it had to get to the store that morning because of the heavy downpour. From time to time, the cars on the freeway were almost at a standstill until the rain would let up a little and everyone could continue. The trees along the freeway banks swayed furiously from side to side and the wind made it almost impossible at times to stay in one lane. Dani cursed Miguel several times during the drive and once more when the garage door opener for the apartment's underground parking garage didn't work and she had to park outside and run through the rain to her building. She was soaked to the skin in the few seconds it took her to get inside, which only added to her annoyance.

 When she got inside her apartment, she was relieved to see that the electricity was still working and she quickly turned on the television to catch the weather report. Her hope was that the storm was only local so she could still drive up north to her parent's place, but she was disappointed to see the weather was bad throughout most of the state. "Damn you, Miguel," she swore for the hundredth time.

 Mrs. Westerly was relieved to hear her daughter on the phone. "I'm glad you didn't try coming," she told Dani. "I was afraid you'd get stuck in this storm."

 Dani told her she was disappointed. "This is the last weekend I can come up until the holidays," she complained.

 "I know, dear. We wanted to have you here, too. But I feel better knowing you're safe."

 Dani spoke to her mother a while longer until the static over the lines became so loud that they had to give up and say goodbye.

 Still seething at Miguel for ruining her weekend, she decided that exercise was the only way she could relieve her anger. She quickly changed into sweats and popped her favorite movie into the VCR, then began furiously pumping the stair-stepper machine she had located behind the couch in front of the glass patio door.

 As the rain pounded against her patio, Dani mindlessly pounded her feet, hardly noticing the movie playing on the screen. Her mind was still absorbed with Miguel and the events of the day. Why did he keep bothering her? She'd been obvious in her feelings toward him, yet he continued pursuing her. She just couldn't figure him out. He could be so nice one minute and then the next minute make some mean-spirited remark like his insinuation about her and Trindell today. The very idea! Just because he saw every woman as a conquest didn't mean all men thought that way.

 Hot and sweating, Dani was surprised to see she'd been exercising longer than her usual twenty-minute workout when she looked up at the clock. She made herself stop, pulled the movie tape out and turned the volume down low, heading for the shower.

 Later, wrapped in a white cotton robe, her hair toweled dry and hanging loosely, Dani curled up in front of the television with a plate of food. She felt much calmer after her workout and shower. Her anger with Miguel had subsided and she tried not to think about it as she ate and watched an old Bogie and Bacall movie.

 The storm was still full-blown throughout the state, and tornado and severe storm warnings flashed across the bottom of the screen for several counties. Dani could hear the rain pounding outside one minute, and then softly falling the next against her patio window as occasional thunder and lightening rippled through the sky. Everything in the city was closing up and even the airport had shut down until the weather calmed.

 Worn out from her hectic day and the workout and shower, Dani lay back on the couch and fell into a deep sleep. She hadn't even realized she'd been sleeping until she was awakened by the buzzing of her doorbell. The piercing sound startled her and it took her a moment to register where it had come from. Looking at the clock, she was surprised to see it was already 8:00 P.M. Had she really slept that long?

 Again the doorbell buzzed. "Who could that be?" Dani grumbled walking to the door and looking out the peephole. When she recognized the face staring back at her, she was disgusted. "I can't believe it!" she practically screamed, and forgetting her appearance she quickly unbolted and opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

 "So nice to see you, too." Michael DeCara smiled. "May I come in?"

 "No, you may not!"

 Michael's expression turned from a smile to creased frustration. "Come on Dani, only for a few minutes. I have to talk to you."

 "How many times do I have to tell you there is nothing to talk about? Don't you get it? There is nothing to talk about!"

 "Just five more minutes of your life and I won't ever bother you again. I promise."

 Dani narrowed her eyes. "Five minutes," she said, stepping aside to let him pass into her apartment.

 Michael surveyed his surroundings. "Nice place," he commented, turning back to Dani. She had closed the door but her hand still grasped the knob. "Nice outfit, too," he teased.

 Looking down at her robe, she was suddenly aware of how she must look. But she didn't care. "I wasn't expecting company," she replied crisply.

 "I know, I'm sorry. Do you mind if I take off my coat? I'm dripping wet."

 Staring at his trench coat, Dani saw the puddle that was beginning to form on the floor. She only nodded her assent and he hung it up on the coat rack by the door.

 The silence was unbearable for both sides. As Dani continued standing by the door, Michael turned and walked over to the patio doors. Thunder rolled across the sky and lightening zapped in the distance. "That's some storm you're having here," he commented.

 "You didn't come here to talk about the weather, did you?"

 "No." Michael faced Dani. "I came to talk about us."

 "Us?" Dani screeched, padding across the carpet and stopping only inches from Miguel. "What do you mean by 'us'? There is no us!"

 "I mean the 'us' we used to be. The friends we could still be if you'd only let me."

 Dani crossed her arms. "Why?"

 "Because I remember the girl you once were. The girl I cared very much about. And I still believe that under all that hostility, I'd like the woman you've become." Michael's eyes softened as he looked into Dani's, but hers only glared back at him.

 "The girl you knew is gone forever," she told him icily. "Thanks to you. And there's nothing left of her to revive. So just let it go."

 "What do you mean 'thanks to you'? What did I do to make you hate me so much? All I ever did was love you."

 Dani's head flew back and she laughed haughtily. "Yeah, me and every other girl who worked at the diner and God knows how many others. Did you think I was so stupid I didn't know?"

 Michael studied Dani's face. "Is that why you hate me?"

 "That, among other reasons."

 "I admit I wasn't a saint back then," Michael confessed. "But the time I was with you, I was with only you. No one else, I swear." Again Michael's eyes reached out to her. But Dani only continued to stare coldly.

 "Your five minutes are up."

 Michael shook his head sadly. "I had hoped...," he began, but decided against finishing. "Do you mind if I call the airport before I leave? My flight is in two hours and I want to make sure it's still on time."

 Dani nodded and pointed to the phone in the kitchen. It wasn't until he began dialing that she remembered the news reports. "The airport is closed," she told him from across the room. "The news said no flights in or out until the storm breaks."

 Michael looked at her and a worried frown creased his face. The woman who answered on the other end repeated what Dani had said. No flights in or out until morning. After he hung up the phone, he turned and looked seriously at Dani.

 "I have a problem."

 "What now?" Dani sighed.

 "I'm stuck here until morning and I don't have a hotel room." He looked around the living room, his eyes resting on the sofa. Dani read his thoughts.

 "Oh, no. No way. You're not staying here. You can go find a hotel room." She couldn't believe he'd even think she'd let him stay.

 "But the storm is really howling out there," he said, and a crack of thunder exploded as if to confirm his words.

 "You got here in this storm; you can leave just as easily."

 "Dani, please, be reasonable. I'll just sleep on the couch and be gone first thing in the morning. I promise you won't even know I'm here."

 Dani stared at him, her expression unrelenting.

 "You can't be that heartless," Michael said, exasperated.

 "I don't believe you!" she spat at him. The sky outside rumbled again and lightening flashed, exposing the sheet of rain falling from the sky. Dani knew she couldn't send Miguel off in this storm, and it made her angry that she cared enough to worry about his safety. Her gaze went from the window back to Miguel, who only looked at her sheepishly, his shoulders shrugged as if to say 'What choice do I have?'

 "There are blankets and sheets in the trunk by the couch," she said gruffly. "The couch opens into a bed."

 Michael smiled at her. "Thank you. I promise not to keep you awake with my snoring."

 Walking past him to the open platform kitchen, Dani took out a bottle of water from the refrigerator. She knew Miguel's comment was meant to be amusing, but it only irritated her. "Don't try to be funny or I might change my mind," she told him.

 Michael studied her guarded expression as she stood there in the kitchen. "Don't you ever let your guard down?" he asked.