Coffee in Common (46 page)

"Hi. This will probably seem weird, but I need to ask you a favor."

Paul's obvious incredulity didn't faze him a bit.

"I know you're good friends with Priya. She told me so the night we went out. I need you to ask her to let me talk to her."

"Look man she really doesn't want to talk with you. Frankly, I don't blame her."

"But why? What did I do? We hit it off so well that night. And then she avoids me and the only time I talked with her she accuses me of playing her. She didn't even tell me how or why or anything. She never gave me a chance to say a thing. And it is
not
true."

That neither of them believed him was again obvious, but again, Brian seemed unconcerned.

"Paul, I know she liked me that night, just as much as I liked her. Well, maybe not
just
as much, but enough. When we said goodnight, everything was cool. We were both looking forward to talking on Monday. But something happened and I have to find out what it was. All I want is a chance to explain or make it right. Do
you
know what happened?"

"Brian, whatever's going on between you two is between you two. It's not for me to say anything. She's my friend, and even if I knew her thoughts, I wouldn't presume to tell them to you, or Rob, or anyone else."

Brian sighed. "I understand. Can I sit down for a minute?"

Paul nodded toward a chair and Brian perched on the edge of it.

"I know I must have been coming across as a freak or some kind of stalker for the past two weeks, but I really like her. She's someone really special, and I'm not willing to walk away with her thinking I'm some kind of scumbag.

"If there hadn't been any chemistry, then it would be different. But there was. It felt like, I don't know, like I knew her that night. It was the best date I ever had.

"All I want is one chance to talk to her, to find out what happened. Then, if she really doesn't want to see me any more, I'll never bother her again. I swear. But I can't give up and walk away without knowing why. Can you understand that?"

Paul didn't say anything at first.

Yah, I understand. And it sure seems like you're telling the truth. Reminds me of me a few weeks ago. But…shit!

"Okay, Brian. I want you to listen to me very carefully because I mean every word I'm about to say literally."

He paused a second to let it sink in.

"I think I believe you. And so I'll talk to Priya, let her know what you've said, and what I think, and I'll probably end up convincing her to see you. Now this is the part you should really pay attention to. Priya means a lot to me. So if I do this, and I ever find out you're a good actor and that you've been playing some game with me and with her, there is nowhere you'll be able to hide. I will find you and I will hurt you. And I don't think I'll have any problem recruiting a few friends to help me." From the corners of their eyes, they both saw Rob nodding vigorously. "This is not a joke. If you are not one hundred percent on the level, and you hurt her in any way, you had better relocate to another country before I find you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, thank you. Really. Thank you."

"Does she have your phone number?"

"She did, but she probably tossed it."

Paul pushed a napkin across the table. "Write it down. If she's willing to see you, she'll call you. If she hasn't called by Friday, you can safely assume she won't and that it's time to get on with your life. Understand?"

"Yes. I understand. But please, do your best. I just can't lose her over a misunderstanding."

9:10 PM

"Hey Jilli, listen. Isn't that the song?"

Over the din of the crowd milling around the lobby during intermission, Liz caught faint strains of an instrumental
Could I have This Dance
.

Jillian had been telling her friends about how nice Paul had been lately, despite her preoccupation. "Yup. See. Every time I'm talking about him."

It had been three years since Jillian last saw Phantom of the Opera. This would be her fourth time but was the first for both Liz and Jenna.

"You were right," Jenna said. "The music is so much better in person. I'm really glad you talked me into coming. And the guy who's playing the Phantom. Did you see his picture in the Playbill? I think I may want to have his children."

"Stand in line," Liz told her. "I get first dibs 'cause I'm older."

"No way. Five weeks doesn't entitle you to anything but waiting your turn while I make that man reach notes he never dreamed of."

They argued back and forth over who would ravish him first until, after a minute or so, Jillian said, "
Both
of you can stand in line. Seeing as
I'm
the oldest,
I
should get to do him first."

"Woo-hoo! Wait 'till I tell Paul about this." Liz was wearing her evil grin.

"Woo-hoo is right!" Jenna said. "You getting tired of coffee boy already? Or are you getting frustrated 'cause he won't give you any?"

Jillian laughed. "Well, I have been feeling a little frisky lately, especially the last week or so. Even with the way I've been…preoccupied…he's been so damn sweet and attentive that sometimes I just want to jump him."

"You realize he won't stay that way forever if this Aiden thing keeps dragging out," Liz said. "No more sightings?"

Jillian shook her head. "Nothing for over a week. It doesn't make any sense. Honestly, I'm grateful it's stopped, but now I'm thinking about him even more, wondering if he'll appear again."

"Maybe
that's
his game," Jenna said. "He stalks you for a while to let you know he's back and to get you thinking about him. Then he vanishes for a while, which he figures will confuse you and make you think about him even more so when he does reappear, you've almost conditioned yourself to want to see him again."

"That
would
be like him," Liz said. "He was always good at manipulating people and situations. I bet Jenna hit it right on the head."

"I'd like to hit
him
on the head," Jillian grumbled. "This game of his is
not
amusing."

The lights in the lobby flickered to let patrons know the play was about to resume. She turned to Liz as they walked down the isle to their seats. "As for you blabbing to Paul, go right ahead. Maybe it'll make him jealous enough to finally take off his pants!"

9:25 PM

After Brian left, the conversation reverted back to Rob and Lisa and stayed there for the better part of two and a half hours. Rob seemed to have undergone an astounding transformation. Paul had never seen his best friend so excited, so enthusiastic, so willing to talk about his relationship with Lisa, his plans and dreams for their future together. He was happy for him, but the happiness he felt for Rob and Lisa only underscored his reservations about
his
relationship with Jillian.

He was doing his best to be supportive, to help her in the only way she would let him – by being there and making their time together special. But more and more, he noticed her attention was off somewhere. More and more, he wondered who or what was so engaging her. And more and more, he worried that she might be drifting away from him.

Maybe I should have screwed her when I had the chance.

"Nah."

"Huh? Nah what?"

"Nothing."

I don't want meaningless sex with her. I want it all. But Rob's not the one to talk to about this, at least not tonight, when he's so high on himself and Lisa. Maybe I'll call Priya later.

When Lisa arrived a few minutes later, Paul was just starting on a Sam Adams Double Bock. "Hi. How're you doing? It feels like I haven't seen you for weeks."

Lisa searched his face for a few seconds then turned to Rob and said, "You two have been talking about me all night, haven't you?"

Rob just blinked. Paul shook his head a little, as if to clear it. "How the heck did you know that?"

"Feminine intuition. Don't you know you can never hide anything from us?" She laughed a bit before she turned to Rob. "And you, mister, will be well served to remember that."

The guys joined in the laughter and Rob flagged the waitress as Lisa settled in. After her Harpoon Summer arrived and she emptied half the mug in a few seconds, she asked Paul how things were going with Jillian.

"Everything's fine."

"Sure it is. Now tell me the truth. I know about what's been going on. Did you think Rob would keep it to himself?"

Rob's rueful grin let Paul know Lisa did, indeed, know everything. He sighed.

"Honestly, I don't know. Sometimes it's like the first two weeks, but more often than not, it's like she's somewhere else inside her head. I'm starting to think there might be someone else."

"Really? Another guy?"

Paul shrugged. "All I know is this started two weeks ago when she saw someone she described as a ghost from her past. If she'd tell me what's going on I could deal with it, even if she won't let me help. But all this silence is really making me think she wants to hide something."

"Or someone," Rob added.

"Yah. Or someone."

"What'll you do?" Lisa asked.

"What
can
I do? I suppose I could follow her around, or make a scene and demand she tell me what's going on, but neither of those is my style. If she's telling me the truth, then she'll resolve the issue and clue me in one day. If she's not, well, I guess I'll find that out soon enough. But I have to believe she's being straight, that she's going through something that'll make her stronger, make us stronger. Maybe I'm kidding myself, maybe it's wishful thinking, but the feelings I've had since the day I met her haven't changed a bit. So I guess I'll wait it out and hope for the best."

Even though he smiled, he didn't look optimistic.

TUESDAY, JUNE 1

5:40 PM

"Mmmm. The sun feels great," Paul said as they crossed to the Common.

"Sure does. Where's Jilli?"

"Still at work, I think. I told her I had to talk to you. I'm seeing her later."

Once on the familiar paths, they strolled slowly, silently. After a few minutes of quiet togetherness, Priya couldn't stand the waiting any longer. "Are you going to tell me what the big mystery is or do I have to get tough with you?"

Paul chuckled. "Sorry, I was going over something in my head one last time. I wanted to make sure I'm doing the right thing." He paused for a second. "Guess who I ran into last night?"

Priya's face clouded over. "Not him, I hope."

"Yup. Him."

Paul gave her a rundown of everything that was said, including the threats he'd made.

"And you really believe him?"

Paul nodded. "I do, Pri. Maybe he's a really great actor, but last night I looked into the guy's eyes and he really looked miserable, almost haunted. He did not look like any player I've ever known. And when you think about it, and look at everything he's done, I mean, what guy would go through all of that, would humiliate himself like that, just for a piece of ass. Even one as nice as yours."

Her hand shot out and smacked his shoulder. "Hey, my ass is worth way more than a little humiliation!"

Paul laughed. "Maybe so, but seriously, the things he said, the way he said them, the things he's done, add them all up and maybe you should give him his chance to talk."

"Do you think Lisa could have misunderstood? Not heard what she thought she heard?"

Paul shrugged. "I don't know. But maybe the guys she overheard didn't know what they were talking about. Rumors fly around all the time in workplaces and not all of them are true. And people do sometimes misinterpret things."

Priya nodded, remembering her own recent involvement in a grand misinterpretation.

6:15 PM

Jillian sat at her desk, alone, unmoving, and unhappy. Her forehead rested on the palms of her hands, all supported by elbows planted on the desktop. Silent tears squeezed between closed eyelids, some following the profile of her cheeks as they ran down, some simply letting go to fall on the stack of papers below.

She was startled when a voice said, "Are you okay, Jillian?"

Her hands dropped to her lap, but her head remained bowed. "I'm okay, Cathy. I thought everyone left awhile ago." She heard her boss walk into her space and felt the hand on her shoulder when Cathy stopped next to her. If her profile had not given away that she had been crying, the small puddles on the papers would have.

"Jillian, sweetie, you are obviously not okay. Can I help?"

She turned and could tell from Cathy's reaction how she must look. "It's all such a mess. It started out so wonderful, so unbelievably wonderful, and now I've gone and messed it all up."

Her tears flowed freely now as Cathy sat on the stool in front of the drawing table.

"What did you mess up? Paul? Has something happened?"

Jillian wiped her eyes and took a deep breath before telling Cathy everything that happened since the day she first thought she'd seen Aiden. She talked about her confused feelings and of Paul's reaction to her distance. And when she was done, her tears began anew.

"He's been so great the whole time, but still I feel like I'm losing him," she sobbed, "and it's all my fault."

Cathy let her cry for a bit, then gently urged her to blot the tears and talk.

"Tell me the truth, now. Do you love him? Or at least like him a lot."

"Of course. If I didn't I wouldn't be so upset. But is it fair to Paul to be with him when part of my heart is somewhere else? Having Aiden in my head makes me feel like I'm cheating on Paul. It's crazy, I know, but I can't help it."

The time for crying had passed. They talked about Jillian's problem for most of an hour. It was clear to Cathy the girl was deeply conflicted about her feelings for this Aiden. She suspected the feelings were due more to the mysterious nature of his reappearance than to any true affection for him. But she'd seen enough in her life to know they could be real, too.