If I Say Yes (Say Something #1) Page 10

  Next time you won’t be so lucky.

  Remember, Elizabeth… you can only hide for so long.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  MERCURY’S DINER is the perfect place to go to for a ‘not a date’ dinner. Fifteen minutes outside of town, filled with unfamiliar faces and some pretty good burgers. I had accidentally discovered this place a few years ago, when I decided to take a drive one day and see where I would end up. The diner isn’t the greatest or the nicest of places; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. The booths have cracked pleather, the tables are rickety, the wallpaper is peeling, and the flooring is warped. What it lacks in style and grace, it makes up for with the welcoming, home- like atmosphere and fantastic food. I pull into the crowded parking lot and see Reid’s black sports car sticking out like a sore thumb. He’s early. I don’t know how long he has been here, but it has to be a while considering I am twenty minutes early myself.

  It’s a shame, and almost an embarrassment, pulling up and parking my car next to his. But I stand by my decision. I love this beaten car of mine, even if it seems to be on its last leg. Though it isn’t a date — we’re just two friends having dinner — I still dress up. Well, what I consider dressing up.

  The floral print, strapless summer dress I’m wearing billows around me as I step out of the car and into a light breeze passing by. My left heel gets stuck on a rock as I cross the rocky, dusty parking lot, and I know I must seem like a fool. Gee, what if Reid is watching me right now? I brave glancing up towards the diner, and I don’t see his face in any of the windows. I breathe a sigh of relief. He must be sitting somewhere else, but it still doesn’t mean he can’t see the charade going on outside. A strong gust of wind picks up and dirt flies everywhere. I choke and cough, covering my eyes with my arm. I pick up the pace and run through the little dust storm. The door chimes as I basically fall through it, still choking and coughing from the sudden attack of wind and dirt.

  That’s a sure fire way to snag unwanted attention. I roll my eyes and laugh softly to myself. Everyone snaps their heads towards me, the diner utterly silent, and I am unable to move for a moment. I smooth the top of my dress and hair down, glancing around the diner. At first, I can’t seem to find Reid, even though I’m almost positive that is his car outside. I keep scanning all the faces that have been staring at me since I barged in. Once I begin to move, they turn their attention back to their food and conversation.

  “Liza!” I hear him before I see him. All eyes are on me again as I scan the room searching for him. There, tucked away in a small booth in the back of the diner, is Reid. I cringe. Of course, he has to go and choose the smallest table available. The one where you can only sit on the side of the table, at a small bench against the wall. I’m not sure I can sit so close to him. I take a deep breath and start walking towards the back. Reid slides out of the booth and grins as I approach him. “I figured since we’re dining as friends, we’d sit next to each other. Since that’s what friends do.”

  Uh huh, I’m sure that’s exactly what you were thinking when you chose this spot. I keep the thought to myself, smile, and slide onto the bench. I move to the furthest end of the seat as possible, which doesn’t make much of a difference. I am fully aware of Reid, of his scent and warmth, when he slides in next to me with a grin bigger than I have seen before. Only confirming my suspicions. He is up to something, I just have the feeling. I pick up the menu and pretend to be looking at what they have for dinner selections. Doing this is pointless though. I already know what I am ordering. I knew as soon as I suggested the place. A short, elderly woman with graying hair and a name tag that says Sally approaches our table.

  “What can I get for you two love birds?” she smiles. I tense and feel Reid laughing silently next to me.

  “We… uh… we’re here as friends,” I say quickly.

  “Uh-huh, sugar, whatever you say.”

  “I like this woman,” Reid chimes in. He chuckles again, and this time I can hear his luscious laugh. I stare at him, and he shrugs his shoulders. “I’ll just take whatever my friend here is having.”

  The woman shifts her focus back to me, a notepad in one hand and a pen in the other. “I’ll take the bacon cheeseburger, waffle fries, and a strawberry milkshake.”

  “A girl who isn’t ‘fraid to eat,” Sally says. She turns to Reid, bends down so she’s at his level, and stares him in the eyes. “That girl,” she nods towards me, “is a catch. Don’t let her get away.”

  “I know.” His voice is low and serious. I tense again next to him. The woman stands back up, winks at Reid, and heads off to put in our order.

  Reid grabs the glass of water off the table. His arm brushes against mine as he brings it to his lips. I watch out the corner of my eye as his tongue dances across his lips and licks off the remaining drops of water. Reid must have seen me, because I can feel his eyes on me. I straighten up and stare straight ahead. I feel him shift in his seat. He clears his throat, and I hesitate before peeking towards him. He has shifted his body so that it is angled towards me, with one arm on the back of the bench reaching behind me. I can feel the heat of his arm in my proximity. I let out a sigh.

  “So what do friends talk about at dinner?” He’s mocking me.

  “Well,” I hedge. I reach out, grab my glass of water, take a sip, set it back down, and turn so I can see him. “Anything, really. The weather, how their day was, what their plans are for the weekend, the newest movies. Anything…” I reiterate.

  “And how was your day, Ms. Liza?” He raises an eyebrow and smirks.

  “Really? You’re seriously asking me that?” I let out an irritated sigh and take another sip of my water.

  “You’re the one who suggested it.” Crap, he’s right. I did. “Cut me some slack, Liza. I’m really trying here. This is all new to me.”

  I laugh and stare at him. Nothing on his face shows that he is joking. It’s the complete opposite, and he acting as serious as he can be. “Wait a minute… you’re telling me that you have never had dinner with a friend?”

  “Sure I have, a million times,” he says, matter-of-factly. “Just not with someone I want to be more than friends with.”

  I should order an ice cold beer, or three, if I want to make it through the night. “That’s a good line.” I laugh. “Does it work with all the women?”

  “Believe or not, you are the first female I have willingly taken to dinner.” He isn’t finding my humor funny in the slightest bit. I bite back a smartass comment I had been preparing to say, knowing that he probably won’t find it as funny as me.

  “I’m sorry,” I say, “It’s just hard to take you seriously, given your track record and all.” He shakes his head, his eyes start taking that familiar gloss stone-hard gaze. I’m pushing him too far and losing him quickly. Knock it off, Liza. I take a deep breath and shake my head. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry… I’m not used to dating.”

  “I thought this isn’t a date?” Reid smiles, his eyes quickly returning to his softer shade of black.

  “It isn’t,” I answer quickly.

  “It’s okay. I should have expected that.” He pauses for a moment. “You’re right, my track record with you, or in the tabloids, isn’t a good one. I’ll be honest. I really did think of women as only an accessory.”

  “What changed?” I ask softly.

  “I met you.” I gaze into his eyes, searching for any trace of a lie, but I can’t find anything. He doesn’t falter, and I note the sincerity in his voice. “It really is hard breaking away from what I am used to doing.”

  “And what’s that? Objectifying women by how nice they make you look when you parade them on your arm?” Reid nods slightly. I shouldn’t have said it, but sometimes I can’t control myself around him. “Yeah, that’s a bad habit you need to break.”

  Reid laughs. The waitress is back with our food, and we eat in silence. Every time one of us moves to grab our drinks, our arms touch and send a jolt of energy throughout my body. Reid’s fin
ished before I am, and he sits silently, waiting for me. With his eyes on me, watching me as I chew and swallow my food, I feel nervous. I push the plate away, my burger half eaten and a pile of fries remaining. The diner is slowly beginning to clear out, and before I know it, we are the only ones left except for the staff.

  Reid moves, sliding out of the booth, and I watch him walk over to the jukebox on the other side of the diner. He puts in some coins, chooses a song, and gives it a thump on the top with his wrist. The jukebox comes alive. The Way You Look Tonight by the one and only Frank Sinatra begins to fill the air. As he walks back, everything seems to be moving in slow motion. The way his body glides across the floor, his hand extending out to me and inviting me to join him. I hesitate only long enough to place my napkin on the table.

  He pulls me close. One hand wraps around my waist, and the other grasps my hand firmly in his. We say nothing as we begin to dance around the diner, and the room fades away behind us. We somehow manage to avoid bumping into any tables and chairs as he leads us all over the diner. Our eyes are locked onto one another. Being this close, I can tell his scent is slightly different than his usual sweet, musky cologne. Instead, he smells a bit woodsy, like a forest right after a downpour of rain, mixed with a touch of aftershave. The perfect balance; he smells heavenly. I let his scent fill me, surrounding me as he holds me tightly in his arms.

  The song is coming to an end, and right on cue, he dips me back. One of my feet lifts off the ground and dangles in the air. My hair flows behind me and almost grazes the ground. Reid’s lips are close to mine, so close that I think he is going to kiss me. And in this moment, I hope he does. His lips are almost on mine, so close, just a little bit closer. And just like that, I’m standing back up and in the real world. The fantasy is over. The diner comes back into view, the sound of dishes being washed clatter in the background, and I can hear the staff chattering loudly.

  “I-I-I, uh, I need to use the restroom,” I say quickly. I pull out of his arms, turn, and rush off into the direction of the bathroom.

  I splash cold water on my face and sigh. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. What the hell, Liza? The sound of a toilet flushing startles me. I cry out and jump away from the mirror. Our waitress, Sally, comes out of the stall with a wide grin across her face. “That was quite the dance in there,” she says as she begins to wash her hands. I simply nod my head. “Whatever your reservations are about this man… toss them aside. He’s just as crazy about you as you are about him. I can see it in both your eyes.”

  She leaves me standing alone in the bathroom, thinking on what she just said. She has no idea what she is talking about. I’m not crazy about him. As much as Reid tries to tell me, and himself, he’s not really crazy about me— not in that sense. He only thinks he is, because I’m the first woman who hasn’t fallen for his charm. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself. I take a deep breath and sigh loudly.

  You can do this…

  Reid is sitting back at our table when I emerge from the bathroom, and he quickly stands up when he sees me. Something seems off about him. I don’t know what it is, but he seems to be hesitant. I put on my best pageant-like smile and walk towards him slowly. He scans the room, runs a hand through his hair, and I know that something is definitely bothering him. I can see it in his eyes. “Hey,” I say softly as I approach the table.

  “Hey,” his voice is softer than mine. “Why don’t you let me drive you home?”

  I pause just for the briefest of moments. “I can’t leave my car here.”

  “I’ll have one of my men drive it home.” I open my mouth to protest, but Reid stops me. “I want to show you something.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  I CAN’T SAY no to that.

  So instead, I nod my head in agreement. Reid smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. His fists clench at his side, and I can feel the nerves rolling off of him like a tidal wave. He gestures his arm towards the door, I hold my hands in front of me, and I walk towards the door first. Reid follows closely, but it’s not close enough. I want his soft hand in mine again like it was when we danced. He is quick to open the door for me. I smile and head towards his car parked next to mine. Once again, he opens the door for me, hesitating for a split second before closing it behind me and jogging around the front to the driver’s side.

  The car starts up with a purr, so low you can barely hear it. Reid eases the car into reverse and turns toward the direction of Long Port. Soft music fills the air. Something I am all too familiar with and my heart clenches. “I didn’t know you listened to Vivaldi,” I say softly.

  “Like I said, there are a lot about me that you don’t know,” he replies, staring straight out at the road. He grips the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles are turning white.

  I lean my head against the cool window. In the side view mirror, I can see my car off in the distance following us. On the open road, Reid accelerates the car way beyond the speed limit. The car handles the quick acceleration like a pro and speeds down the pavement. It doesn’t take long to reach town, and he begins to bring the car down to a much more acceptable speed. He isn’t saying anything, and I wish he would. Anything, just to stop the feeling that I am going to suffocate in the confines of his tiny car. Maybe I should ask where we are going.

  For all I know, he could be taking me somewhere to kill me. I stifle back a laugh. I’m being ridiculous. Familiar buildings breeze past as Reid navigates through the center of downtown. For a split second, I think he’s changed his mind and is taking me home when I realize we are getting closer to it, but then we are past my crummy apartment complex. A few minutes down the road, we stop in front of a broken down building. Scaffoldings, cranes, and other equipment are visible in the moonlight that is quickly illuminating the darkening sky. Plastic is hanging up in all the windows and entry ways.

  Reid turns the car off, gets out with his fists clenching again, and runs around to my side before I have my door open. He holds out a hand to me, and I take it into mine, noting that on the drive over here that he has developed a bad case of sweaty palms. Most women, or people in general, find this utterly disgusting. I am almost delighted by it. We walk towards the building with Reid’s hand resting against my lower back as he guides me towards an entrance off the side of the building.

  The room we enter isn’t complete. Another thing that is obvious is its purpose. It’s meant to hold books, and a lot of them. It’s a library, well, in a much smaller scale than the public one on the other side of town. Still, the room is bigger than my entire department without all the walls. The built-in shelves run from the marble floor up to the ceiling that is at least thirty feet high. “What is this place?” I ask. I stand in the middle of the room, spin in a circle, in complete awe of the sheer beauty of it despite the assorted construction tools scattered around.

  “I’m helping finance the new adoption center,” he says quietly. My heart stops beating and drops to the pit of my stomach. Did he just say the new adoption center? “We have generous donors, a few of which donate a substantial amount every month.” He eyes me curiously. He can’t know that I am one of these donors, can he? Of course he can’t. I deposit the monthly donations anonymously and make sure they can’t be traced back to me. “While the donations are still not quite enough, I’m covering the rest of the costs. In exchange, I design the library for the children, and call it the Reid Harder Library,” he adds gently.

  “This is amazing.” I wander over to one of the walls. I run my fingers across the delicately carved wood which is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. “This is bigger than the one they have now, is it not?” I know that it’s a silly question and that I already know the answer to it. Reid glances towards me again and raises an eyebrow. Man, why did I have to go and say that? That’s just begging for questions to be asked. Questions that I cannot and will not answer.

  Reid nods his head. “It’s nearly four times bigger.” He smiles. This time the smile finally
reaches his eyes, and he seems proud. As well he should be. “The building is divided into four sections, based on age. As much as I hate to say it, because I really think it’s unfair, the truth remains that after a child reaches a certain age, the likelihood of them being adopted declines drastically. So we’re implanting a program to help the older kids make the best of their circumstances. The program is designed to help them, to provide them with the materials and opportunities to make something out of their lives. To create a better and more beautiful future for them, instead of heading down a dark and narrow path. My uncle has agreed to take three teens each year in their senior year of high school and let them intern for the agency. In addition, the agency is offering five full ride scholarships to LPU to the most promising kids.”

  I’m rendered speechless. I don’t know how to respond to the information I just learned. “This… this… this is amazing. You…” I stare directly at him, cross the distance between the two of us, and stop directly in front of him. “You are amazing. This center will change so many lives.”

  I reach up and gently brush my hand against his cheek. In this pivotal moment, all things are thrown out the window, and I can feel myself falling for him against my many inner protests. I’m taken aback by all of this. Never in a million years would I have believed someone if they told me that Reid had a hand in building this place. I slowly run my hand down his arm and clasp his hand into mine. Energy sparks between us, and I know Reid feels it too by his slight jump. I stare into his eyes, finding myself ready and waiting for a kiss that never comes. He clears his throat, and I drop his hand. The rejection stings. I turn away from him and glance around the room again, unwilling to show him the tears pricking my eyes. After a few more minutes of silence, Reid suggests he get me back home. I agree, and he drives me back to my apartment in awkward silence.

  “Thank you,” I say as we approach the door. “That… that was amazing. Thank you for sharing it with me.”