The Honeymoon That Wasn't Page 14
Dakota shook her head. Details they definitely weren’t going to get. She was about to get offline when she recognized the moniker of a woman who’d e-mailed her the first time Dakota had posted. She couldn’t resist seeing what BabyBlu had to say and promised herself this was the last one she’d waste time reading.
D,
I’m glad to see you’ve posted again. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. Better than thinking about how miserable I am, eh?
Let us hear from you again.
Good luck!
Love,
Carson
Dakota signed off, feeling the same sadness she experienced the last time she’d read Carson’s e-mail. Worse, this time, she felt the threat of panic. Could she stand seeing Tony with another woman? It would kill her. Not that she had a speck of right to feel anything but indifference. That knowledge didn’t lessen the gnawing in her gut.
The irony was that it could easily happen. They lived in adjoining neighborhoods. Not often, but at times she went up to his corner market for produce or this special cheese she couldn’t find anywhere else.
Then again, maybe he wouldn’t stick around the Upper West Side. He might have gotten a good deal on the house, but excluding the kitchen, it still needed a lot of work and, from the look of it, he’d run out of money. Plus he had his day job. The renovation could take years.
She had to stop speculating. It did no good and she had too much work to do. If Cody asked her for the first draft of the opening argument one more time, she’d scream.
She heard the elevator ding, which meant her peace and quiet was about to end. So was her chance to get a head start on the day. She was so screwed.
TONY HAD KEPT his cell phone close for two days. No calls from Dakota. Bad enough she hadn’t woken him up before she left the other night, but she hadn’t given any indication if or when they’d see each other again.
He knew she was busy and under a lot of pressure. And he didn’t even mind seeing her on her terms until things settled down for her at work. But she could at least call. He was tired of misplacing his tools because his mind had drifted off, wondering about her. Like his level. He looked on his workbench and then on the dining room table. Second time today he’d misplaced that same level. What the hell had he done with it now?
It wasn’t on the bathroom counter, but he did find a hammer he’d been looking for an hour ago. His missing tool belt hung over the doorknob. This had to stop. At this rate, he’d still be working on the house five years from now.
Maybe she was waiting for him to call. She’d made the last move. His turn. He’d already programmed her work number into his phone. Unfortunately it wasn’t a direct line and he had to go through the company operator. He waited for the woman to connect him, half expecting to get a voice mail. But Dakota answered, by briskly stating her name.
“Prove it,” he said in a gravelly voice.
“Pardon me?”
“Prove you’re Dakota Shea.”
She hesitated and then laughed. “Let’s see…I know this guy named Tony, and I could tell you something really juicy about him that only I would know.”
“Okay, okay. I believe.”
“I was just thinking about you,” she said, her voice lowering, and then through the phone line, he heard a door close.
Smiling, he sat down on the couch and swung his legs up, not caring about his dusty jeans or work boots. “What were you thinking about?”
“About how late you kept me up the other night and how behind I am at work because of you.”
“I kept you up?” He snorted. “I remember quite a different scenario. Like waking up to one hell of a surprise.”
She issued a short laugh. “Shh.”
“Nobody on this end to hear me, darlin’.”
“Okay, I give up. Mea culpa.”
“So when are you coming over and mea culping me again?”
She made a tsking sound. “You are so bad.”
“Isn’t that what you like about me?”
“Probably.” She sighed. “Hey, I have—”
She stopped at the same time Tony thought he heard a knock at her door. A man’s voice mumbled something about a meeting, and then she was back on the line.
“Tony, I’ve got to go,” she said, papers rustling in the background.
“No problem.”
“Thanks for calling.”
He didn’t like that brusque tone. “How about a drink after work?”
She didn’t answer. Even the papers quieted. “Just a quick one, Dakota. Wherever you want.”
She sighed. “Okay, I can dash out around six but I’ll have to come back to the office later. Do you know Sargenttis?”
“I know it.” A hoity-toity place near Wall Street he’d been to a couple of times. Not of his own choosing.
“Okay.”
“See you there.”
She hung up first. Almost before he’d finished talking. He didn’t take offense. He knew she was busy and that’s why he hesitated to call her at work. But she still hadn’t given up her home number. Maybe tonight when they met for a drink.
Sargenttis, huh?
Yeah, he knew it. And she wanted to meet there?
Interesting.
DAKOTA CHECKED HER WATCH and punched the elevator button again. She was already five minutes late and the bar was another five-minute walk away. She was out of her mind for telling Tony to meet her there. Talk about lawyer central. She didn’t go for after-work drinks often, but when she did, it was always to Sargenttis because it was basically the only bar she knew, and only because all the other attorneys went there.
Including her brother. Great. Just great.
Luckily, Cody was still in a meeting. But there would be other colleagues there. And there’d be questions and curious looks and Tony would end up feeling uncomfortable.
It was her fault. She’d gotten flustered when Cody had poked his head in to remind her about the meeting. She’d been gathering the necessary paperwork for it when Tony called. And poof, just like that, everything else flew out of her mind. And in that moment of weakness, she’d suggested the popular bar.
She so wished she had Tony’s cell number with her. Fine place for it to be, sitting on her nightstand. All because last night she’d been tempted to call him but had consistently talked herself out of it.
She got half a block away from Sargenttis and pulled off the clip that was holding her hair back. She fluffed the flat strands as she walked, moistening her lips and wishing she’d remembered to apply lipstick before she left the office.
A man in front of her opened the door for both of them and welcome warm air hit her face. In that instant she realized she’d forgotten her coat. She’d walked three blocks in only her suit and it had to be forty degrees.
She was losing it.
The bar was crowded, lots of expensive suits and loud talking. She couldn’t actually hear anyone specifically, but she recognized two judges, neither of whom was her favorite, and several self-important attorneys who worked in her building. At a corner table, two of her office colleagues were engaged in conversation.
She didn’t see Tony, even as she walked past the group of tables that bordered the ornate turn-of-the-century bar. It was hard to see who sat in the booths but more than one person occupied each one.
She finally spotted him at the end of the bar surrounded by three men and a woman, only one of whom she knew. A black leather jacket hung off the back of Tony’s bar stool, and he wore a white
T-shirt and jeans and laced-up work boots, clean, not as if he’d just gotten off work or anything, but he looked totally out of place in a sea of expensive tailored fabric. Obviously it didn’t bother him. He seemed completely at ease and involved in a lively conversation with the others.
If only she felt that comfortable having him here among her peers. The thought shamed her, briefly, but the truth was that her career was important to her and it was more complicated than just being a good lawyer.
She approached quietly and stood off to the side, hoping to eavesdrop, hoping Bruce, the one guy she did know, wasn’t being his usual pain in the ass. He was young, brash, successful and full of himself, but insecure enough that he had to make sure everyone else knew of his successes.
“So, Greta, when are you thinking of taking the plunge?” Tony asked the thirtyish blond woman who was part of the group.
“I’m thinking spring. Any thoughts?”
Tony shrugged. “Any time is good if the price is right.”
“Amen.” Bruce tipped his head back and drained his martini, and then signaled the bartender for another.
“Yes, but you’re talking about a place that needs work. I can’t manage paying rent and financing renovations and overseeing the work,” Greta explained.
“Look, this is what you do—” He saw Dakota and a warm smile curved his sexy mouth, making every one of his companions turn toward her direction. “Dakota. Hi.”
She felt her cheeks flame. Thank goodness the bar was dimly lit. “Hi.” She swung her gaze around to include everyone, and then nodded at Bruce.
Tony slid off his bar stool. “Here, I was saving this for you.”
“Thank you.”
He stood with the guys. She sat beside the blonde.
“I’m Greta.” She offered her hand. “That’s Derrick and Sam. We’re with Simon and Lloyd.”
“I work with Bruce at Webster and Sawyer.” Dakota caught the amusement in Tony’s eyes. It was professional courtesy to let the other person know for whom you worked.
She thought for a second. Not that it really mattered, she supposed. But when you worked for a prestigious firm it was kind of a high to see the trace of envy in people’s eyes.
“May I borrow him for just a few more minutes?” Greta asked, and without waiting for a reply, turned back to Tony. “You were saying about doing a renovation?”
“This is yours,” Tony said to Dakota. He’d apparently ordered her the white wine that was sitting on the bar.
She’d planned on drinking orange juice since she had to go back to work, but she smiled her thanks and took a small sip.
He winked and turned back to Greta. “This is what you do. After you buy the place, you choose one room that you have to have right away, like the bedroom or kitchen, wherever you spend the most time. You get that done before you move in, and then do the rest slowly as you can afford it.”
The bartender came with Bruce’s martini and put a beer in front of Tony. Just the bottle. No glass. “This is from Mr. Wilson,” he said, indicating Bruce.
“Thanks, buddy.” Tony gave him a nod, and then said to Greta. “You need to find a good contractor you can trust, so that most of the work can be done while you’re at the office.”
“Makes sense.” Greta smiled. “How about you? Would you be interested in the job?”
“No, ma’am.” Chuckling, Tony shook his head. “I’ve got enough on my plate.”
“You didn’t finish telling me what to do about the bottom of my boat,” Sam said, and Tony gave Dakota an apologetic look before launching into an explanation about the quality of marine paint and barnacle removal.
Dakota didn’t mind. She liked listening to him. He seemed to have quite an extensive knowledge of a variety of do-it-yourself improvements. Even Bruce, who was never interested in a conversation unless it was about him or his current case, seemed absorbed by Tony.
“I’m thinking about building a summer house on some land I have on Martha’s Vineyard,” Bruce said. “Any ideas on how I could save a few bucks without cutting corners?”
“Yeah, don’t let anyone talk you into a slab foundation. A crawl space is cheaper. And quit drinking seventeen-dollar martinis at Sargenttis.”
Everyone laughed, even Bruce, who then saluted Tony with his seventeen-dollar martini.
“My ride is leaving. I have to go.” Greta hurriedly laid a couple of twenties on the bar near her wineglass. “Nice talking to you, Tony.” She slid off her stool and whispered to Dakota, “He’s adorable. Where’d you find him?”
Dakota just smiled, and then watched Greta join an older man waiting at the door.
The men had already started a lengthy discussion about cars. Dakota took another small sip of wine and then asked the bartender for a glass of water. When she turned around again, she found Tony staring at her.
He smiled. “Everything okay?”
“Perfect.”
“You want to get out of here?”
“I’m fine.” In fact, the more he talked, the more she liked listening to him. His charm mixed with enthusiasm made even the most tedious discussion interesting. Even Sam mentioned that Tony should host one of those do-it-yourself television shows that had become so popular.
Bruce tried to buy Tony another beer, which he declined. “Anything this guy doesn’t know?” Bruce asked, shaking his head.
“Well, while you pretty boys were going to college and partying I was actually reading books.”
The guys laughed good-naturedly.
“Well, I’m outta here. Almost dinnertime.” Sam signaled the bartender for his tab. “My wife is pregnant and expected me home on time.”
“Been there, done that.” Derrick ordered another drink.
Tony subtly turned so that he gave the other two his back. “You’re quiet.”
She smiled. “Like I’ve had a chance to say boo.”
“Uh, yeah, sorry.”
“I’m teasing.”
“You know I’d much rather be talking to you.” The way he looked at her, his eyes so intense, it was as if he’d touched her. He hadn’t, not once, even though she knew he wanted to.
She appreciated his restraint, his knowing how awkward it would be for her. Glancing around, she saw that several other colleagues from her office had arrived. But not Cody, thank goodness. He generally worked too late to stop at the local bar but there was always that possibility.
But even if he did, so what?
She took another quick look around, wishing she could be that blasé.
Tony took another sip of his beer. “I seriously think we should go someplace else. Maybe get some dinner. I know this place in midtown that—”
Dakota shook her head. “I have to go back to the office.”
“Tonight?”
She nodded. “That’s why I suggested this place.”
“Bummer.”
“Yeah.” She saw Bruce wander over to a secretary who worked on the floor below them. “How did you end up talking to those guys?”
“This bar,” he said, knocking on the polished wood, “was constructed with pieces of wood from an old Italian vessel. I was asking the bartender what he knew about it, and they overheard.”
“How did you know about the wood?”
“I don’t know. I was trying to remember that myself.” He frowned over his shoulder and then leaned closer. “What’s with introducing yourselves along with the name of the firm you work for? Is there some kind of hierarchy with you guys that us mere mortals don’t know about?”
She made a face at him. “Funny.”
“No, seriously, that was kind of a trip the way you and Greta traded employer information. Is it kind of like my dad can beat up your dad?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “It’s hard to explain,” she said and checked her watch, eager to drop the subject. It was a little embarrassing.
“Okay,” he said. “Have you heard from Dallas?”
“No, but I don’t expect to until d
ay after tomorrow. That’s when she gets back.”
“Ah.” He took another sip of his beer.
Silence stretched and she realized he was waiting for her to say something. Only she’d been distracted by the guys from the office who’d taken a corner table. They had to have seen them.
“So what time do you think you’ll get done tonight?” He leaned close enough to unsettle her, but not enough that anyone could draw a conclusion.
“I don’t know. Late. Really late.”
“Did I tell you I’m a night owl?” There was that sexy undermining grin again.
“I can’t, Tony. I also have an early morning meeting.”
“Sure. I understand.” He lowered his voice. “This is hard. Not being able to touch you.”
“Yeah, I know.” She made a quick grab for her wineglass and took a big gulp. She couldn’t give in. She really did have an early meeting tomorrow. “In fact, I have to be going.”
“Already?”
“Hey, Mr. Goodwill Ambassador, I’m not the one who started a new social club.”
“I’m not the one who showed up late.”
“Touché.” It’d turned out well, actually. Being part of a group with him was so much better for appearances. Sighing, she got off her stool. “Believe me, I’d much rather be here with you than slaving away in my office. But I don’t have that choice.”
“Hey, I’m glad I got to see you.” He reached into his jeans pocket, the T-shirt pulling tightly across his chest, and she swallowed. Not a man in this room could fill out a T-shirt like that. “Hold up. I’ll settle the check and walk you back.”
“No. Stay,” she said quickly. Maybe too quickly judging from his narrowed gaze. “You didn’t finish your beer.” Meeting him here was one thing, but she couldn’t walk out with him. How would it look? “Really. I’ll call,” she added, briefly touching his hand, and then resisted the urge to see if anyone had been watching.
“Okay.” He smiled. “I’ll talk to you later.”
God, she wanted to kiss him.
She abruptly turned and walked toward the door, keeping her gaze straight ahead, acknowledging no one as she left the bar. Once she got outside, she felt this weird emptiness in the pit of her stomach and had the sudden urge to hail a taxi, go home and crawl under the covers.