Forecast (15 page)

“I know how to kiss. Remember?”

Jess blushed. “Vaguely.” She glared at the women around Drew. “Better ditch the fan club.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jess slipped her hand into the side of her purse, pulled out some breath mints and handed them to Drew. “Just in case.”

Drew watched Jess leave and then quickly checked his breath in his hand.

*

Rowie reapplied her lip-gloss and checked her teeth. She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to kiss Drew. Jess could be very persuasive. And strange. One minute she’s indifferent towards her colleagues, and the next minute she’s trying to solve their relationship problems.

Rowie tried to pick up why, but couldn’t. Jess seemed genuine. Perhaps she was a cool character, who stepped up to the plate when needed. And Rowie understood that. One of the great benefits of her gift was helping others find their soul mate.

Rowie zipped her bag shut and headed for the door. Drew was gorgeous … and nice. One kiss really shouldn’t be a problem.

The Tavern closed at midnight and Rowie said her goodbyes to everyone on the pavement outside. Shin flagged a couple of cabs and they all piled in.

You need a ride, Rowie?” called Taye.

“No thanks. I’ll walk. It’s not far.” Rowie waved as the cabs drove off, and then noticed Drew waiting for her.

He smiled, almost shyly. “We didn’t get to finish our conversation.”

That’s because clones from the Playboy Mansion surrounded you all night, thought Rowie. “Some other time.”

She’d spent the evening talking to Shin and Taye, while Drew was busy with his harem of fans. She was somewhat relieved, as the night progressed, that she wouldn’t have to go through with Jess’ plan.

“It was nice to meet you, Rowie.”

Or perhaps she would. “You too, Drew.” Oh Goddess, he was handsome.

They smiled at each other, countless unspoken words thickening the space between them.

“Did I hear you say you were walking home?” asked Drew.

“Yes. I live just around the corner.”

“Then I’ll walk with you. Protect you from muggers.”

“What about your leg?”

Drew slapped his thigh. “Right as rain.”

Suddenly, as if by magic, it began to rain. Warm sprinkles paved the way for a deluge.

Drew looked shocked. “What the …?”

“Told you,” Rowie laughed.

“I don’t have an umbrella.” Drew looked genuinely alarmed.

Rowie started walking off. “You’re in the wrong business if rain bothers you, Drew,” she called over her shoulder.

Drew went after her. They walked for a while, in an unusually comfortable silence. Drew noticed that Rowie’s face was lifted slightly skyward. The warm shower soaked them both, but she didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered by it.

What an unusual creature, thought Drew.

“I’m glad I chose a more opaque number tonight,” Rowie laughed, yanking at her saturated top.

She looked beautiful drenched, and Drew was almost sorry when the rain stopped as suddenly as it began.

Rowie stared upwards, as though looking for answers. “Short and sweet.”

“I’m not sure where you get your information from, but you’re quite good,” Drew grudgingly admitted.

“You’ve got a fairly high success rate yourself.”

“I’d never have foreseen that tornado. How’d you do it?”

“I don’t know.”

“How can you not know?” It was an alien concept to a man who always demanded answers.

“I’ve never analyzed my gift that much,” Rowie confessed. “It is what it is.”

Drew also had a confession to make. “You’re different than what I expected, Rowie.”

“What did you expect?”

“A broomstick and a pointy hat.”

Rowie laughed loudly. “I wear those during a full moon.”

“So this gift of yours, can you read my mind?” Drew asked. If so, then some of the thoughts he was having about her needed to be censored.

Rowie placed a finger on her forehead. “Yes. You’re thinking about food, football and sex. In that order,” she said dramatically.

“Wow, you
are
psychic,” raved Drew, mock-impressed.

They grinned at each other, acknowledging how much they were enjoying the other’s company.

“How long have you been predicting the weather?” asked Drew.

“My whole life. What about you?”

“My dad was a pilot and he used to take me up in his plane. Get to see all sorts of weather up there.”

“I know,” said Rowie. “The few times I’ve flown—I just loved it. The sky filled me. Sounds weird, I know.”

“Not at all. I get a similar feeling.”

They turned into Rowie’s street and Drew noticed the billboard. ‘He’ll be back’ had been plastered across his face.

“Scary,” Drew whistled.

“I’m under you.”

Drew looked flustered. “Excuse me?”

“This is my house,” Rowie explained.

“You’re subjected to that billboard on a daily basis?”

Rowie shrugged. “My grandmother and mother both think you’re handsome.”

“I’m strangely flattered.” Drew looked up at the Grove. It was quite a sight, and not unlike Rowie herself: extraordinary, elegant, and slightly unnerving. “So they both live here as well?”

Rowie laughed at the look on his face. “It’s not that bad. It’s a huge house and they’re … unusual.”

“What do they do?”

Rowie pointed to Second Site. “That’s our shop.”

“Easy commute.”

A shadow crossed Rowie’s face. “Yes, very convenient. The whole of Manhattan and my life revolves around these two buildings.”

Drew found Rowie’s flash of unhappiness alluring. He wanted to know what troubled her. More than that, he wanted to fix it. “What do you want to do?”

“Can I have your job?” Rowie teased.

“I knew you couldn’t be trusted.”

They walked up the steps and Rowie searched her bag for her key.

“The Grove. Sounds witchy,” said Drew, reading the brass plate attached to the front door.

“That was the point.”

“Right. Sorry, I’m a bit slow tonight.”

They smiled shyly at each other.

Rowie found her key. “Thanks for walking me home.”

“Anytime.” Drew stared at the damp ringlets around her face. His eyes grazed the curve of her neck, and drifted upwards until they locked eyes. “Good night,” he said, unable to leave.

Rowie didn’t say a word, but her breath quickened. The air between them was as thick and sweet as honey. Their energies danced, and zapped, and nipped at each other.

“I should … go in.”

Drew instinctively stepped between Rowie and the door. “Wait …”

His hands closed around her as he pulled her towards him. His mouth crushed down on hers. She kept her arms frozen at her side. Her eyes remained open, waiting … waiting …
waiting
…

Finally, she pulled back, shocked. She grabbed the handrail for support. Something was wrong. Really … wrong.

She didn’t see anything.

Drew looked equally stunned by the kiss. He waited for her to say something, but was mortified when she did.

“Nothing,” she whispered.

How could she feel ‘nothing’ when he’d felt so much? He pulled her in again. “I’ll show you nothing,” he said as his mouth devoured hers.

Rowie let her bag slip from her hands and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She melted into his embrace, dissolved into his kiss. Darkness and light and every color in-between exploded in her head. She waited for the images to start, but nothing played, not even a preview.

Drew pulled away, ruffled, strangely disturbed by the power of the kiss. His voice cracked slightly. “Better?”

Rowie’s eyes were glazed. “Nothing,” She gasped and grabbed his collar and pulled him in again. She kissed him with a primal force as something snapped and unleashed inside her. She felt a tsunami of desire rush through her body. She jerked backwards, incredulous. “Damn, I—!”

But before she could speak, Drew dragged her straight back in for one wham-bam-hellova kiss. Rowie’s sixth sense was shoved aside, and taste and smell and touch took over. Her senses were assaulted, a hunger awakened.

It was the most blissful moment of her life.

Finally, they both pulled away, wiped out by the kiss, the emotion … the strange familiarity.

Drew was breathless … and quite confused. “That?”

Rowie nodded, her eyes searching his. “Perfect.” She picked up her bag and key, and tried to open the front door. Her hands were shaking so it took a while. “Anyway, lovely to meet you,” said Rowie.

“Yes. You, too,” Drew agreed. “Goodnight.” He started to walk off, unsure of what else to do. He was flustered. He felt like a teenager after his first kiss … Only this kiss was better and he felt more awkward. If only his brain would work. He didn’t want to leave her like this. He swung back around. “I’d like to show you something. Are you free tomorrow?”

Rowie realized she’d been holding her breath. “Sure. What time?”

“Nine?”

“I’m a vegetarian.”

Drew frowned as he tried to decipher the meaning behind this information. Rowie decided to translate.

“Just in case you’re taking me to a … burger joint … or something …”

Drew was still baffled. “For breakfast?”

“What?”

“I’ll pick you up at 9 A.M.”

The confusion broke the ice and they both laughed.

“A.M.! Oh … Okay.”

Drew was finding it difficult to leave.

Rowie made the move for him. “Good night,” she said and then disappeared into The Grove.

Drew made his way across the road and hailed a cab. This was definitely new emotional territory. The kiss was awesome, wonderful and slightly frightening. He didn’t even know a kiss could be like that. It was like he’d been playing in the minor leagues his whole life, even during his marriage, and suddenly he’d stepped into the majors. And if baseball analogies were the order of the day, then that kiss with Rowie was a home run.

He smiled to himself and stared out the cab window. His thoughts drifted to Rowie and her amazing eyes; her laugh, and the way it cut through the air like sunshine. He felt a stirring in the pit of his gut, and lower, as he thought of how his fingers ran through her hair, bunching it, clutching it. And her lips, pink, soft, sweet. He couldn’t wait to see her tomorrow.

It was only then that he remembered the bet with Jess, and the memory of Rowie’s sweet taste soured in his mouth.

*

Rowie closed the front door and made it to the foot of the stairs before her legs buckled. It had happened! Her mother and grandmother had always promised it would.

Blissful nothingness!

Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by the implications. It was all very well to dream about your One True Love, but knowing him was a whole new ballgame. What now?

Her skin tingled as she thought about the kiss. It was enough to warm her on a thousand winter nights. And then she realized … what on earth was she going to tell Jess?

Rowie’s bedroom was light, airy and sparse, with big pieces of wooden furniture and white linens. The curtains always fluttered in the breeze, even when the large windows were closed.

Rowie loved her room. While the other rooms were a clutter of antique furniture and ornate ornaments, gilded framed photos and candelabras, her room was Zen-like in its appearance. Usually. This morning it was a mess of clothes, makeup and jewelry. It had taken two hours, and a not so minor breakdown, to settle on an outfit: Gap cargo pants and a top from Chelsea-Girl. They were going to breakfast. It was bound to be casual. Besides, she was a casual kind of girl when it came to clothes. Casual, with a splash of vintage.

She turned to the mirror and gave herself a three-and-a-half star rating. Now if only her butterflies would stop, although why they were called butterflies was beyond her. This was more like the hippos from
Fantasia
skating around her stomach.

The doorbell rang and Rowie ran out of her room and hung over the banister at the top of the stairs. “I’ll get it!” she yelled. She rushed down the stairs and grabbed her bag. Gwendolyn and Lilia were in the living room, watching a rerun of
Touched by an Angel.

“Bye,” Rowie called as she ducked past the door.

“Can’t we meet him?” called Gwendolyn.

Rowie reversed and stuck her head into the room. “No!”

“I look at that billboard every morning and think to myself, ‘One day, before I die, I’ll meet my favorite weather man.’”

Rowie glared at Gwendolyn. The grand manipulator was in fine form this morning. “I thought Al Roker was better?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Gwendolyn, aghast.

The doorbell rang again and Rowie gave in.

“Oh alright. But please, act normal.”

“Define
normal
,” said Lilia.

Gwendolyn waved her hand around, as though shooing away a pesky fly. “Why you’d want a man who likes normal is beyond me.”

Rowie walked off, oblivious to the mischievous grin her mother and grandmother shared.

“Hi!” said Rowie as she opened the front door.

“Hi yourself.” Drew was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and looked like he’d walked straight off a billboard. Considering how much time Rowie had spent staring at the billboard across the road, he really was like a dream come true.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“This is so embarrassing,” Rowie said, “but my grandmother would love to meet you.”

Drew looked strangely thrilled at the prospect. “The one who thinks I’m handsome? Sure, no problem.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I’d love to.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

Drew raised an eyebrow. “I’d be honored, Rowie.”

Rowie nodded and led him into the living room. Her heart sank when she realized the TV was now off, and Gwendolyn and Lilia were sitting opposite each other at a table with a crystal ball between them.

“Looks like the Mets have a shot this year, Lilia,” said Gwendolyn.

Rowie glanced at Drew, expecting to see his eyes bulging in horror, but instead he was smiling.