The Coffee Shop (12 page)

“Uh-hmm.”

He made sure her feet were elevated out before her upon the sofa cushions, and disappearing briefly, he returned with a down comforter that he pulled up across her legs.

“You don’t need to go to all this trouble on my account.”

“I was the one that pushed you to go skiing, so I can be the one to take care of you when you are hurt as a result of it. It is no trouble whatsoever. If I can manage to singlehandedly navigate one of the biggest mergers in corporate history, I think I can manage this.”

“You did what?”

“Oh, I’m going to have to ask you not to repeat that to anyone. No one is supposed to know that. It was part of the agreement.”

“Why?”

“Well that’s just it. I can’t say. I’ve already said too much.”

“Hmm…corporate merger…looking after a human being…yeah that’s the same thing.”

“All right, you’ve had your fun, now give me some credit here.”

“Okay, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”

“Good.” She enjoyed giving him a hard time, and he grinned back at her as he tucked the comforter in around her. “For lunch, to start, Caesar salad.”

He presented her with the bowl, complete with croutons and shaved slivers of parmesan. “Wow, this actually looks good.”

“Don’t sound too surprised. If I can’t handle tearing up lettuce into a bowl, and then dumping prepared dressing on it, tossing it, and then throwing on a handful of parmesan and croutons, then I definitely need to give up.”

“Yes, but did you remember to wash the lettuce?”

“Wash it?”

They grinned at each other, and taking a big forkful, Annie tasted it. “This is amazing.” She looked across at him. “You’re not eating?”

“Well I was waiting for you to try it first. That way if you survived I knew it was safe.”

“You’re lucky I don’t keel over dead on the spot. That’d teach you.”

“Teach me?”

“Yes, then you’d have a body to contend with. Now that would be a test of your ability to think on your feet.” She stopped. “Okay, this conversation just got really strange, if not creepy.”

“Why do I get the feeling you read a lot of thrillers.” Pulling the chair that looked like an overstuffed cushion up next to the sofa, he sat down and ate his salad. When she finished, he then took their bowls into the kitchen. “Next course, carrot ginger soup. This one I only had to heat up.”

“Ah, so it’s safe then?”

“Pretty much.” He handed her a bowl on a tray, napkin and cutlery neatly placed at its side.

“My, you have thought of everything.”

“I try.”

She found each spoonful delicious, right down to the last one. Taking the empty bowls away, Derrick returned with slivers of cheesecake.

“Okay, it’s official, this is a conspiracy. Between you and Angela you are both trying to fatten me up.”

“All right, if you insist.”

He picked it up to take it away, but she grabbed it back, holding it protectively. “Not so fast.”

“I thought so.”

“Now you know my weakness. I love desserts.”

“I thought you felt that way about all food, at least that’s the way it looks to watch you eat it.”

“Excuse me?” she tried to say through a mouthful of cheesecake.

Crumbs of cheesecake fell onto her chin. “I rest my case.”

She stared at him from the sofa. “You just wait.”

“Hmm…don’t like the sound of that.”

She wagged a finger at him and finished her cheesecake, using her finger to get every little morsel.

“So, what do you want to do now?” he asked as he walked to the sink with the dirty plates?

“Um, nothing, unless it involves me not moving from this couch.”

“That can be arranged.”

Annie turned her head to look at him, her left arm reaching up over the back of the sofa. “Dare I ask what you had in mind?”

“Well, you could listen to music, watch something on television, read a book, I have lots of DVDs of series or movies. Your choice.”

“I did bring a book, but unless you plan on sitting there watching me read, that’s not exactly going to be much fun for you. So, how about we watch something on one of your DVDs?”

“All right, you name something, and I’ll see if I’ve got it?”

“Okay, how about one of the latest Bond movies?”

“Bond? You like Bond?”

“I did tell you I like all sorts of movies, thriller, suspense, mystery, action, comedy.”

“Yes, you did, didn’t you? I’m just not used to it.”

“What, a girl liking a guy movie?”

“Well, yeah.”

“As far as I’m concerned I don’t consider any of them to be guy movies. I like them. What can I say?”

He put the movie in the player, and sitting in the chair next to her, they watched. The rest of the evening passed in the same way, watching movies, Derrick warming something new and interesting in the oven for dinner.

“Just let me know when you want to go back upstairs.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Upstairs, I’ll carry you back up when you’re ready to go.”

“Oh, no, you don’t need to do that. I’m sure I can take care of that myself. Now that I’ve had time to rest them they should be fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yep. But thanks for the offer though.”

“Okay, but I’m going to be there just in case.”

“If you insist.”

He rose from his chair, taking the last of the dishes into the kitchen.

Annie threw back the comforter, swinging her feet over onto the floor. “No time like the present.” She leaned forward shifting her weight onto her legs, and pushing herself up onto her feet, she was shocked that they felt much as they had when he put her on the sofa. But she balanced there like that, and looking at the railing on the stairs, she knew if she could just make it over there, she could use it to rest her weight on and then pull herself up the stairs.

She could hear Derrick, still busy in the kitchen, rinsing dishes and putting them in the dishwasher, tidying up and putting things away. Grabbing the back of the sofa, she readied herself to cross the floor to the stairs. Taking a step, she cringed as her weight came down on the one foot, and bringing her other foot quickly forward, it also ached as she shifted her weight onto it. “Keep going Annie, you can’t stop now,” she muttered under her breath, her focus entirely on the railing by the stairs. “You can do this, it’s not that bad. Really it’s not. You are not a wimp. This isn’t that hard.”

But she was wrong; each new step hurt more than the last, and reaching for the railing, she grasped it as she leaned up against it. Staring up at the stairs, she knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but she was determined she was going to do this on her own. Sliding her hands along the banister, she pulled herself up, and then again, as she made her way up the steps one at a time.
See that’s not so bad. You can do this
. She tensed against the pain, forcing her feet, one after the other, on up the stairs. But with each step the pain was getting worse, and it was becoming more difficult to keep her weight on them.
It’s not much further
. She could see the top of the stairs just there before her, and trying to step up to grab the post at the top her ankle gave out, her body crumpling under the weight as she fell down onto the steps. Her grasp on the railing giving way as the full weight of her body pulled her back onto the stairs behind her.

“Annie!” Derrick ran quickly up the steps, and grabbing hold of the banister he reached out bracing himself to grasp her as she came falling toward him. Slipping his arm around her waist, Derrick caught her. “Annie, what are you doing? I told you I would help you.”

“I thought I could do it. It wasn’t until I was half way there that I realized I couldn’t.”

“But why didn’t you say something?”

“By the time I realized, it was too late. And there wouldn’t be anything you could do.”

He held her to him, his breath coming in short little gasps, and closing his eyes he tried to calm himself.

“I’m fine.”

“You could have been killed.”

“But I wasn’t. And I’m fine. I’ve been in worse scrapes, and I’ve always come out all right.”

“Worse than this?” He shook his head as she looked up at him. “But that doesn’t mean you will continue to. You can only push your luck so far and then…”

“It runs out?”

“You could say that.”

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“Oh, I was just thinking, depending on the person one would say that’s pessimistic, whereas another would say it’s realistic.”

She felt him relax, his face pressed into her neck. “Let me guess, you would be the one to say, it’s realistic.”

“Yes.”

“I thought you were an optimist.”

“Oh, that. That was more a moment of hopeful thinking, on my part.”

“But then it passed, and you got better?”

She laughed, but her eyes caught his, and he looked serious.

“Well, how’s this for real.” He lifted her up into his arms and gazed down at her. “Annie, I love you. If anything had happened to you just now…I don’t know what I would have done. The idea of losing you…”

“Whoa, Derrick. I’m fine. I’m…” The warmth of his mouth on hers went right through her. His lips caressing hers as he gently kissed her. He pulled back, their eyes meeting, and it was then that she knew everything was different. He carried her up the stairs, pausing at the top as he looked once more into her eyes, and then turning to his door, he carried her inside.

Chapter Ten

Derrick looked down at Annie as she slept in his arms. She looked fragile as she lay there close to him, her gentle, rhythmic breathing warm upon his chest. And he wanted this moment to never end, for Annie to stay there in his arms, next to him, always.

Annie opened her eyes and looked up at Derrick. “How long have you been doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Watching me sleep?”

“Oh, that.”

“Oh, so you’re not going to deny it then?”

“Why would I? Why, does that creep you out?”

“A little.”

He laughed, and drawing her to him, he kissed her, his lips moving to her cheek and down to her neck.

“Careful, you just might start something there.”

“That’s the idea.”

She laughed, and running her fingers through his hair, she gazed up into his eyes. “Never in a million years would I have believed this would happen.”

“What, that you’d be with Derrick Sloane?”

“No, that I’d be with anyone.”

What she said struck him as sad, and he tried not to think about it. “How about…?”

“Yes?”

“Breakfast in bed?”

“By that, I assume you are the one getting it?”

“Of course. I know you can’t with your ankles the way they are.”

“Oh, so you’re saying if my ankles weren’t bothering me then I’d be the one expected to get it. Hmm…so that’s the way this relationship is going to be. Now that you’ve had your way with me, I’m expected to wait on you hand and foot?”

“And here I thought you wouldn’t figure that out quite this fast. That my charming ways would bewitch you to my every whim.”

“Yeah, that’ll work.”

“All right, I am getting breakfast.”

“If you say so.”

“Was that another shot at my cooking?”

“I can’t cook either, at least I admit it.”

“I admit it…just not to anyone I know.”

“Figured as much,” she replied.

“Just for that.”

“What?”

He didn’t answer, only grabbed his robe wrapping it around him as he stepped from the room.

Annie could hear him clanking around in the kitchen, and wondered what on earth he could possibly be up to. Easing herself out of bed, she picked her robe up from the floor and slowly made her way to the washroom. Running a shower, she quickly washed, and drying off, she slipped her robe back on. “There, that’s better.”

Her ankles were better, but not by much, and it was obvious she wasn’t going to be performing any great feats of physical prowess. Not that she would have done that had her ankles been fine. She grinned at the idea of it and climbed back into bed, running her fingers through her wet hair.

“Hey! Your hair? Did you take a shower?”

“Um…yes?”

“That’s not safe. What if you fell?”

“Surely you’re not suggesting I
not
shower?”

“No, just that it would be safer if…”

“Oh, okay I see where you’re going with this.”

“Oh you do, do you?”

“Mmm.”

He laid a tray across her lap, containing waffles covered in strawberries and whipped cream.

“Waffles, you made waffles?”

“Oh, those are the toaster kind. But I did wash and cut up the strawberries, and I did shake the canister thoroughly before I squeezed the lever to dispense the whipped cream.”

“Impressive.”

“I thought so.”

Annie stared down at the creation before her. “This looks delicious.”

Holding up a hand, Derrick stepped to the door. “I’ll just be a moment.” He disappeared, reappearing a moment later with a tray of his own. “Dig in before it gets cold.” He climbed into the bed beside her, pulling the covers over him, and setting his tray on his lap, he cut into his waffles. “Oh, I almost forgot.” Reaching to the bedside table, he retrieved what looked like a remote control. Pointing it at the fireplace, he turned it on.

“Ah, toaster waffles by a gas lit fire. How romantic.”

“Yes, I thought so.”

Annie watched Derrick smile as he ate his waffles, and in that moment she knew she was happy. For the first time in her life, she was really happy.

“What?”

“Hmm?”

“You were staring.”

“I was?”

“Yes. Hey, don’t get me wrong, I love it when you stare at me.”

“That’s good, because I plan to do a whole lot more of it.”

They finished their breakfast, Derrick setting aside their trays, and for the longest time they just lay in each other’s arms. Annie felt they were each trying to get used to the fact that the other was really there, their arms warm and comforting around each other.

He stared at the ceiling. “You do realize we are leaving in the morning?”

“Have I ever mentioned you have this unique talent to completely ruin a mood?”

“Once or twice.”

She looked at him and rested her head back onto his chest, snuggling closer, trying to feel his heartbeat.

“Well, how about…we not go back to our separate homes?”

Annie held herself perfectly still.

“Annie?”

“Uh-hmm?” she murmured.

“Did you hear me?”

“Uh-hmm.”

“So, what do you have to say about that?”

“Well…you haven’t really asked a question.”

“Do you need me to say it?”

“Yes. Call it a female thing, but I would like you to actually use your words.”

“Would you like to move in together?”

She paused before answering. “Is that anything like going steady?”

“I’d say it’s a step up from going steady, by quite a bit.”

“Hmm, I think you’re right.”

“So…what do you say?”

“How long have we known each other now?”

“About…a month-and-a-half.”

“That sounds about right.” She was quiet for a moment. “And you don’t think that asking to move in together after a month-and-a-half, is a bit soon?”

“For the first time in my life I can honestly say, no, I don’t. Annie, I love you and I want to be with you all the time. The idea of leaving here tomorrow and going back to that empty place…after having had the chance to spend an entire weekend with you. That will be the most difficult thing I have ever done.”

“Wow, don’t sugar coat it for me.”

“What can I say? I want to be with you.”

She looked at the fire. “It’s just that…it’s so fast.”

“You think I don’t know that? I’ve never done anything like this in my life. But I’ve also never been more sure of anything in my entire life either. And something tells me you feel the same way.”

“I — ”

“Don’t let what’s happened in the past get in the way of whatever happiness you can get now, here in the present, with me.”

“You have studied philosophy. You just don’t want to admit it to anyone.”

“So, what do you say?”

“I’ll be honest, this scares me.”

“Hell, it scares me too. But what I’m scared of is the idea of never having the chance to be with you again like I am with you right now.”

Annie shook her head. “I’ll say it again…you know all the right things to say.”

“So is that a yes?”

She sighed.

“Annie, you’re killing me here.”

“Yes.”

Derrick grabbed her to him, holding her tight.

“Uh…breathing would be nice.”

“Oh.” He laughed, and kissing her, he drew his hand up over her face, brushing the hair from her eyes.

“Tell me I’ve made the right choice.”

“You’ve made the right choice.”

“I didn’t mean repeat what I said.”

A smirk made its way across his lips. “You have no idea how much I am looking forward to hearing you say stuff like that every day.”

Annie moved in, settling into Derrick’s penthouse, as he went about business as usual, and she, worked at the health food store just as before. They spent their mornings and evenings together and more than a few lunches in each other’s company, as Derrick would often drop by the store. It was as if they had been together all along, each falling into a routine of just being together. It was comfortable, and every night they would sit watching some movie, each in the other’s arms as they held each other close…the next three-and-a-half months flying by as if the blink of an eye.

Annie walked into the bedroom, and placing a book onto the already huge pile on her bedside table, she smiled.

“What’s this?”

Annie turned to see Derrick in the bedroom doorway. Running into his arms, she hugged him tight. “Good to see you too.”

“Oh, yeah, that.”

“Oh, yeah, that?”

“I’m just kidding, you know that.”

“I don’t know.”

“All right, how’s this for proof?” He pulled her tightly to him, kissing her passionately before releasing her once more.

“Okay, I believe you.”

“Good. Now what’s with the new book?”

“Oh that. It’s something I came across in the book store. You know me and books.”

“Yes, I’m starting to. But if you plan to add any more to that Mount Everest pile you have already, you’ll need to shore it up with something. Wouldn’t want it collapsing and burying the two of us in our sleep.”

“Oh, you.”

“No, seriously, Annie, that thing could eclipse the sun.”

She turned looking at the pile of books, and Derrick slipped his arms around her from behind as he kissed the back of her neck. “I’ll admit it’s a bit much. But there is just something about books, the knowledge they possess, the stories yet to unfold. I find them so comforting, so…”

“All right, you can keep your enormous pile of books. Even if they are an eyesore.”

“Hey, I heard that.”

“Kidding, just kidding. Anything that can make you smile like that can definitely stay. Now if only
I
could make you smile like that.”