[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
why I was stunned: I thought he had meant one of his clients from his escort days.
Carmen, he continued, this is my girlfriend, Dr. Andrea Vanzant.
A good foot taller than me at least, Carmen literally looked down at me, moving
her eyes from my ten-dollar flat sandals to my Macy s khaki capri pants and tank top and
NPR beach bag to my makeup-free face and pale skin and Target sunglasses positioned
like a headband. I held out my hand, and she shook it limply, as if she had just been asked
to pet a toad.
Hello, I said, sounding mousy.
You re a doctor? she asked in disbelief.
I m a professor.
She lifted her chin rather than nod. Harvard?
Northampton University, David replied for me. She s also a published author.
I resented him for needing to justify my credentials to this human Barbie doll that
made the same face I d just made to the invisible David after eyeing the paintings, and I
knew she was wondering the same thing: You actually chose this woman? What were
you thinking?
How sweet, Carmen replied, still looking at David.
I wanted to dematerialize.
That s cute, I said, pointing to her clutch bag.
Carmen ignored me and took David s hand. Darling, when am I going to see you
again? I absolutely must.
Just call, he said. You have my number.
Holy crap, did he just wink at her?
She coyly smiled the way Devin s clients used to behind his back, at the mere
mention of his name. I certainly do, she cooed, and Darling, let s have lunch instead
of sitting in some stuffy office next time, shall we? My treat.
We ll see, he said. He then sandwiched her hand between his two before letting
go, to which she responded with a lingering kiss on his cheek. He smiled not his classic
Devin smile, but obligatory, one that said it s all part of the job. I couldn t discern
whether I was outraged by her flagrant flirting in my presence or jealous of her long legs.
It was nice to meet you, I squeaked.
Still fixated on David, Carmen uttered something like Yes, and then left the
gallery. David, seemingly naïve to her rudeness, bent down to kiss me hello and ran his
hand along the goose bumps on my arm.
Hey, are you cold?
I m going to get hypothermia if you don t get me out of here, I replied.
Hang on; I ve just got a couple of things to finish up here. C mon back with me;
it s not as cold in the office. Besides, I ve got my jacket there. You look nice, by the
way.
Thanks. You have lipstick on your cheek.
He wiped Carmen s puckered imprint from his face as I accompanied him into the
cramped office where another sundress-clad, stiletto-shoed, paper-thin woman was sitting
at the desk, on the phone. The office was as immaculate as the gallery and reeked of
perfume. David pulled his Versace sport jacket from the chair she was sitting in and
draped it over my shoulders. He then transferred some papers from the desk to a file
folder before moving to the computer and performing a series of tasks so quickly that I
didn t even have time to see what was on the screen. The woman continued her phone
call and ignored me just as Carmen had. I looked at the white bulletin board above the
desk and saw photos of people holding crystal champagne flutes, clad in high end fashion
and jewels and tans and frosted hair. Lots and lots of beautiful people. David was in
many of the photos, mostly with women.
I felt tiny while blanketed inside his jacket.
He finally got the woman s attention.
I m going now, Sheila. Probably won t be back today. If Dominic calls, give him
my cellphone number please? If he doesn t make a bid on that Sorrento piece, he s going
to lose it.
Will do, hon, she said in a whisper after pulling the phone away from her lips.
Hon?
Seeya, he replied. He didn t wait for her to respond, nor did he introduce me,
nor did she acknowledge me.
Ready to go? he said to me.
Sure, I said.
Anyplace special?
Someplace outdoors, I replied.
Done.
I let out a sigh of relief as I unclenched every muscle of my body the moment we
stepped out of the icy gallery and into the Boston heat. For another disorienting moment,
I expected to see the dense crowds and cabs of New York before readjusting. Thankfully
the humidity was low, and I slid my sunglasses on before taking off David s jacket and
handing it back to him. He put his arm around me and kissed me again.
This is nice, he said as we walked together, now holding hands. We should
meet for lunch more often.
Who was she? I asked.
Who was who?
The woman in the office.
Sheila? he asked.
Yeah, Sheila.
She manages the gallery.
Oh, I said. And who s Carmen?
I told you, a client. A patron, he corrected again.
How long have you known her? I asked. He looked up to the sky as he mentally
did the math.
Three years, I think? Maybe four. Why?
Just curious, I said.
You don t think& he started.
It occurred to me actually, yes.
He stopped in his tracks.
Andi, how could you first of all, a woman like that does not need an escort.
But she would buy one just because she could, I said. It d be a treat for her, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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why I was stunned: I thought he had meant one of his clients from his escort days.
Carmen, he continued, this is my girlfriend, Dr. Andrea Vanzant.
A good foot taller than me at least, Carmen literally looked down at me, moving
her eyes from my ten-dollar flat sandals to my Macy s khaki capri pants and tank top and
NPR beach bag to my makeup-free face and pale skin and Target sunglasses positioned
like a headband. I held out my hand, and she shook it limply, as if she had just been asked
to pet a toad.
Hello, I said, sounding mousy.
You re a doctor? she asked in disbelief.
I m a professor.
She lifted her chin rather than nod. Harvard?
Northampton University, David replied for me. She s also a published author.
I resented him for needing to justify my credentials to this human Barbie doll that
made the same face I d just made to the invisible David after eyeing the paintings, and I
knew she was wondering the same thing: You actually chose this woman? What were
you thinking?
How sweet, Carmen replied, still looking at David.
I wanted to dematerialize.
That s cute, I said, pointing to her clutch bag.
Carmen ignored me and took David s hand. Darling, when am I going to see you
again? I absolutely must.
Just call, he said. You have my number.
Holy crap, did he just wink at her?
She coyly smiled the way Devin s clients used to behind his back, at the mere
mention of his name. I certainly do, she cooed, and Darling, let s have lunch instead
of sitting in some stuffy office next time, shall we? My treat.
We ll see, he said. He then sandwiched her hand between his two before letting
go, to which she responded with a lingering kiss on his cheek. He smiled not his classic
Devin smile, but obligatory, one that said it s all part of the job. I couldn t discern
whether I was outraged by her flagrant flirting in my presence or jealous of her long legs.
It was nice to meet you, I squeaked.
Still fixated on David, Carmen uttered something like Yes, and then left the
gallery. David, seemingly naïve to her rudeness, bent down to kiss me hello and ran his
hand along the goose bumps on my arm.
Hey, are you cold?
I m going to get hypothermia if you don t get me out of here, I replied.
Hang on; I ve just got a couple of things to finish up here. C mon back with me;
it s not as cold in the office. Besides, I ve got my jacket there. You look nice, by the
way.
Thanks. You have lipstick on your cheek.
He wiped Carmen s puckered imprint from his face as I accompanied him into the
cramped office where another sundress-clad, stiletto-shoed, paper-thin woman was sitting
at the desk, on the phone. The office was as immaculate as the gallery and reeked of
perfume. David pulled his Versace sport jacket from the chair she was sitting in and
draped it over my shoulders. He then transferred some papers from the desk to a file
folder before moving to the computer and performing a series of tasks so quickly that I
didn t even have time to see what was on the screen. The woman continued her phone
call and ignored me just as Carmen had. I looked at the white bulletin board above the
desk and saw photos of people holding crystal champagne flutes, clad in high end fashion
and jewels and tans and frosted hair. Lots and lots of beautiful people. David was in
many of the photos, mostly with women.
I felt tiny while blanketed inside his jacket.
He finally got the woman s attention.
I m going now, Sheila. Probably won t be back today. If Dominic calls, give him
my cellphone number please? If he doesn t make a bid on that Sorrento piece, he s going
to lose it.
Will do, hon, she said in a whisper after pulling the phone away from her lips.
Hon?
Seeya, he replied. He didn t wait for her to respond, nor did he introduce me,
nor did she acknowledge me.
Ready to go? he said to me.
Sure, I said.
Anyplace special?
Someplace outdoors, I replied.
Done.
I let out a sigh of relief as I unclenched every muscle of my body the moment we
stepped out of the icy gallery and into the Boston heat. For another disorienting moment,
I expected to see the dense crowds and cabs of New York before readjusting. Thankfully
the humidity was low, and I slid my sunglasses on before taking off David s jacket and
handing it back to him. He put his arm around me and kissed me again.
This is nice, he said as we walked together, now holding hands. We should
meet for lunch more often.
Who was she? I asked.
Who was who?
The woman in the office.
Sheila? he asked.
Yeah, Sheila.
She manages the gallery.
Oh, I said. And who s Carmen?
I told you, a client. A patron, he corrected again.
How long have you known her? I asked. He looked up to the sky as he mentally
did the math.
Three years, I think? Maybe four. Why?
Just curious, I said.
You don t think& he started.
It occurred to me actually, yes.
He stopped in his tracks.
Andi, how could you first of all, a woman like that does not need an escort.
But she would buy one just because she could, I said. It d be a treat for her, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]