Just This Once Page 6

  “Very funny,” Paula chuckled. “So I bet you drive one of those road monsters.”

  “A Volvo sedan. I’d crush this thing like a bug.”

  “I’ll have you know I’m not easily intimidated,” Paula answered, tossing up an eyebrow.

  “I think I already figured that out about you.”

  A few minutes later the women were seated across from one another in a booth, the tall wooden seat backs affording them a measure of privacy in this otherwise bustling venue.

  “I recommend the pork ribs,” Paula announced, “with the hot sauce if you’re man enough.”

  “Then I’ll have the pork ribs, with extra hot sauce.”

  “Ooooo, tough girl.”

  “Believe me, I am a tough girl,” Wynne answered back, now arching her own brow. “And you’re not easily intimidated. I sure hope we never tangle, Miss McKenzie.”

  Speak for yourself. “Believe me, with all the stuff I have to go through at work, the last thing I want to do on my free time is tangle.” Paula went on to relate her Sunday night experience with the Frandles, and to tell a few stories about breaking up drunken parties, and even a fight or two.

  “You know, that’s something I noticed about you right off that first night we met, when you handled that man in front of me. You just had this air of authority about you. I really admire that in people.”

  “Well thank you. And I bet you’re really good at what you do.”

  “To tell you the truth, I am good at my job. But I don’t think that’s going to be enough to save it.” Now it was Wynne’s turn to talk about work, about how the company she worked for had been acquired by Eldon-Markoff, and how she was helping them centralize the marketing operations in a way that would likely put her out of a job. “The vice president for sales and marketing is great, though. In fact, she’s a lot like you in a way. I mean, both of you sort of…”

  “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”

  “Exactly.”

  Dinner arrived and both women dug in, each daring the other to add Tabasco to the already fiery barbecue sauce. The conversation was easy, Wynne thought, like they were already friends. And it was fun to see this playful side of the usually serious night manager. Paula talked again about her family, and how proud everyone was of the recent shuttle mission. Wynne told all about her mother’s ineptitude around the house.

  “So I have to congratulate you on that little response of yours to Carla’s philosophy of men,” Paula teased. “How did you know I’d get it?”

  “Well, I wasn’t sure you would until you spun around in the chair and flashed me that big smile…sort of like the one you’re wearing now.”

  “I had to see the look on your face, just to make sure. I thought we were on the same wavelength, but you never want to assume anything.”

  “What gave you the idea we were on the same wavelength?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. That first night we met, I just sort of got the feeling you were checking me out while I was checking you in,” Paula quipped.

  “You did, did you? That’s because you were flirting with me,” Wynne accused playfully.

  “Oh, no! You were the one doing the flirting. ‘Shall I ask for you?’”

  “Yeah, Miss ‘Here’s my card with my direct extension. If there’s anything you need.’”

  The blonde woman raised her hands to her blushing cheeks. “This from a woman who said ’I promise not to misbehave,’” she taunted.

  Wynne pursed her lips indignantly for a moment, finally looking down as she nodded her head in mock shame. “I was flirting,” she admitted softly.

  “I knew it!”

  “But so were you.”

  “So was I,” Paula finally confessed, and both women laughed.

  As they were talking, the waitress dropped by to discreetly deposit their check.

  “Well thank you for being my dinner guest,” Wynne said as she covered the check with her hand. After a brief argument, Paula acquiesced and thanked her companion, vowing that she would get the bill next time.

  Wynne dropped some bills in the tray, grimacing as she stood.

  “Are you okay?” Paula hadn’t seen that look before.

  “Yeah, my leg just gets really stiff when I sit for awhile.”

  “Is there anything I can do? I mean besides marching you outside and folding you into my tiny car?”

  “No, I think that’ll finish me off,” Wynne laughed.

  “I’m sorry. If I’d known two years ago that we’d actually be going out to dinner, I’d have bought a larger car.” The women exited into the parking lot, Paula offering her arm to steady the hobbling woman.

  “And if I could go back two years, I would stop at that intersection, even though I had the right of way.”

  “So it was a car accident?”

  “Yeah, some kid stole a truck and was trying to outrun the cops. He hit me broadside.”

  “That’s awful! Was anyone else hurt?”

  Wynne nodded sadly. “The kid was killed. He was only 15 years old. I was alone in the car.”

  “Wynne, I’m so sorry to hear that. And that was two years ago?”

  “Yeah. I’ve already had four surgeries on my leg. I need to have one more, but I just can’t bring myself to schedule it.”

  “Will it fix this pain you have?”

  “It should. But I’d be out of work for about a month, and back into physical therapy three times a week. I just don’t have the time to do that right now.” Wynne looked down at where her hand gripped Paula’s arm, squeezing a bit before letting go to climb into the small car.

  “Well you definitely win the Tough Girl Award, my friend.”

  As she had done on the ride over, Wynne put the USS Columbia hat back on, tucking her hair just right so it wouldn’t blow. “It’s great you have this hat,” she said wistfully, remembering the sad day the crew was lost.

  “That reminds me, the next launch is scheduled for a Saturday. If it works out that you can come down on Friday, I can get passes to the press site right there at the Cape,” Paula offered.

  Wynne tensed a moment. A weekend trip might prove difficult to pull off. “I’m not sure. If you’ll let me know the date, I’ll check my calendar.”

  Paula had expected a more enthusiastic response, but maybe it was a real hardship for Wynne to leave her family for that long. Her mother seemed awfully dependent.

  Drawing close to the hotel, Paula decided that it would be easier for Wynne if she entered through the lobby than through the garage, given that the woman’s leg was obviously bothering her now. That meant the entire staff would know by tomorrow that she’d been out tonight with the guest from Baltimore. Oh, well.

  Reaching over the console before they pulled into the circle, she took the slender hand and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you very much for tonight. I had a lot of fun.”

  “Me too.”

  ———

  What the hell do you think you’re doing?

  The soak in the swirling water had eased the throbbing in her leg, but Wynne was far from relaxed. The irony was that it was the fun she’d had tonight with Paula that was causing her to feel unsettled. She couldn’t take this any further, but that didn’t make her want it less. All night, she’d been looking across the table, wanting to kiss those lips and pull that body to hers. Only in her fantasies, one of which she was going to enjoy right now.

  Chapter 6

  “What is this stuff?” Rusty couldn’t hide his disgust.

  “It’s called edamame, and you’re not supposed to eat the whole thing. Just put it between your teeth and pull out the soybeans.” Paula had insisted on something different tonight, despite Rusty’s pleas to return to the deli.

  “If I’d wanted beans, I could have gotten a bowl of chili and eaten them with a spoon.”

  “Rusty, I needed a break. You can go see her tomorrow night, and maybe she’ll have had a chance to miss you.”

  “Did I tell you we went out again las
t Friday?”

  “Only about 12 times, but if it makes you feel better, you can tell me all about it again.”

  “What if we talk about your lady instead?” He gestured to the monitor, which showed Wynne Connelly climbing again from a cab and collecting her things.

  Paula had been watching the clock, knowing that Wynne would arrive sometime between 9:00 and 9:30.

  “She is not my lady.”

  “You should go on down to the desk and check her in,” Rusty suggested.

  “Oh, I don’t think so. Every single person on staff knows we went out the last time she was here, and I’d rather not be under their microscope. Besides, Jolene and Matthew have everything under control.” The view had changed to the front desk, where Paula could see Wynne standing in line, looking around. The women had traded several emails over the last couple of weeks, agreeing to a movie and pizza on Tuesday night.

  “Nobody’s going to think anything about it,” he reasoned. “Everybody knows by now that she’s a regular, and they’ll just think you’re friends.”

  “That’s exactly what we are, Rusty. But I’d just prefer that people not read any more into it.”

  “It’s not like anyone will care if you’re gay, Paula. Everybody knows that Matthew is, and no one gives him a hard time. Management isn’t going to fire you, not with their nondiscrimination clause.”

  “I know all of that on the surface, but you know what? If I come out to these people, the next time I have to reprimand someone, it’ll be because I’m a fucking dyke, as if that makes my authority less valid. I’d rather it just be none of their business. Besides, it isn’t like I have a personal life to keep private anyway.”

  The pair watched Jolene complete the check-in process for K. Wynne Connelly, who then turned toward the elevators. Rusty advanced the camera to capture that view, and they stared in silence as she stepped aside for passengers to depart, then disappeared as the door closed.

  “At the very least, you should give her a call,” he coaxed. Rusty liked his coworker a lot, but he couldn’t understand why on earth someone who had so much to offer would keep to herself as Paula did. In the three years that they’d shared the night shift, he’d gotten to know her pretty well, and she’d only mentioned one casual girlfriend in all that time. Part of the problem, he knew, was their awful work schedule. Lucky for him that Juliana too worked the evening hours, and then, only part time.

  “Later, maybe.”

  In other words, when she was alone, he thought. He’d think of a reason to make himself scarce in a half-hour or so.

  ———

  Wynne opened her briefcase and spread her materials out on a corner of the conference table. It was a quarter till nine; usually they started promptly at 8:30, but there was no sign that anyone else was even here. A feeling of dread swept over her as she feared that she’d gotten her weeks mixed up, or that they’d canceled this week and she’d forgotten.

  “Good morning, sorry I’m late.” Cheryl Williams bounded into the room with her typical exuberance. “Listen, we’re going to move into my office to finish this up,” she explained as she helped Wynne collect her papers.

  “Is Doug already here?”

  “No, Ken and I decided that it would be best to proceed with just the two of us. That might mean an extra trip for you, but then again, we may be able to move through things a little faster with less discussion.”

  She meant fewer objections from Doug, Wynne knew.

  “I’ll be happy to do whatever you need, Cheryl.”

  “I know that about you, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.” She led them into her corner office, where coffee and breakfast rolls were already set up. “I didn’t get a chance to eat this morning, so I hope you don’t mind. Help yourself.”

  “No thank you. I ate at the hotel.”

  “So how do you like the Weller Regent?”

  “It’s very comfortable. And it’s quiet. I like that.”

  “So do I. There’s a nice one in Washington, but the one in New York is my favorite. They also just opened a new one in Dallas and another in Denver.”

  “I haven’t had the chance to try those.”

  “And speaking of Dallas, I’m sure you’re wondering why we decided to take Doug out of the loop with regard to the marketing plan.” Cheryl’s eyes held a conspiratorial twinkle.

  “I could guess, but I’d rather not.”

  “You’re very diplomatic, Wynne. And you’d probably be right. It just seemed increasingly difficult to push ahead with Doug’s constant objections, especially once it became apparent that he was opposed to anything that might weaken his own stature.”

  Wynne nodded in understanding. That was Doug in a nutshell.

  “That makes me want to ask why you haven’t had the same reaction.” The words hung in the air for a moment, but before Wynne could answer, she continued. “It’s become obvious — almost since Day 1 — that the streamlined sales and marketing plan is going to take away some positions, and yours is certainly at risk. You’ve seen that, but you don’t seem to fight it at all. Why is that? Are you eager to be rid of Eldon-Markoff?”

  “No, not at all. It’s just that centralization is what’s best for the company and the stockholders, and that’s who I work for. I can sure see the handwriting on the wall, but that doesn’t change what’s a good business decision. What I know about Eldon-Markoff is that it’s a fair employer, and I only hope to be treated fairly.” Well, there you go. My job’s definitely on the block.

  “You will be, Wynne. If you’ve worried about that at all, let me put your fears to rest.”

  “Thank you.”

  ———

  Paula pulled into the circle in front of the Weller Regent, waving politely to the valet crew. Wynne was waiting outside, and a young man hurriedly stepped forward to open the passenger door.

  “Hello, Miss McKenzie. You ladies have a nice evening.”

  “Hi, Justin. Thanks.” Paula shifted the car into gear and slowly edged out into traffic.

  Tonight, the top was up, as it had rained earlier in the day. “Hello again, Miss Connelly. Are you enjoying your stay at the Weller Regent?”

  “Most certainly, Miss McKenzie. I especially like the way the hotel staff coordinates my entertainment schedule.”

  Paula grinned at her companion. She’d thought Tuesday night would never get here!

  “So what are we going to see?”

  The driver explained their choices and they settled on an action adventure flick that had gotten pretty good reviews. It turned out to be a pretty good story, and the special effects were spectacular.

  But Wynne got distracted about halfway through and could barely concentrate on the film. Instead, she became focused on the fact that she wanted to hold Paula’s hand. She’d told herself ever since her last trip to Orlando that the only way she was going to allow herself to socialize with this woman was if she kept things at a “friend” level, but now that they were here in the dark theater, linking her fingers with those of Paula McKenzie was about all she could think about. Finally, she picked up the drink from the cupholder they shared and moved it to her other side, raising the chair arm between them. In a not-so-subtle move, her hand crept over into Paula’s lap until the younger woman grasped it with her own, entwining their fingers and squeezing. Ahhhh!

  When the picture let out, the pair walked arm in arm to a small pizza restaurant nearby, Wynne limping slightly at the stiffness from sitting still for so long.

  “You want to walk a little bit before we go in?”

  “Yeah, that might be a good idea,” Wynne agreed, though not liking the fact that her injury was dictating the course of their evening.

  “Listen, I appreciate your being understanding about our not having much contact at the hotel. It just wouldn’t look right. The tongues are probably already wagging anyway, but I don’t want to give them anything to talk about at work.”

  “It’s okay, Paula. I wouldn’t w
ant our friendship to create a problem for you at the hotel.”

  So it’s a friendship. That hand-holding thing was just…what the hell was it?

  “Are you out at work?” Wynne asked, interrupting Paula’s musings.

  “Not really. I mean, Rusty knows, but he’s probably the only one.” Paula went on to explain what she and her boss had talked about only two nights ago, and why she thought it best to keep private things private. “Of course, they’re probably all speculating about you and me now anyway.”

  “Then maybe I should rent a car next time,” she offered.

  “I hate to have you do that. I should just get over it.”

  “No, I understand how it is, really.”

  “What about you? Are you out?”

  “Mmmm, yes and no. The folks at the Baltimore office know, the ones who aren’t clueless, that is. But I’m not out at Eldon-Markoff. I don’t know how they’d feel about it, and I’d be afraid it might have an effect on my references.”

  “Surely, companies don’t think that way anymore.”

  “You’re probably right, but a lot of people still have their prejudices, and a reference might come down to one of those people, not a company policy.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Yeah, but we do it to ourselves, you know. When we hide in the closet it’s like saying we know we’re doing something wrong.”

  “That’s a good point.” They had circled the block and now stood again in front of the restaurant. “You ready to eat?”

  “Sure, let’s go.”

  Dinner conversation turned again to the subject of being out, this time, with their families. Paula related the story of how she told her parents, and their subsequent reaction.

  “Even today, I don’t think they’re very comfortable with the idea. I’ve never really brought anyone around to the house, except Susan. She and I saw each other for a few months, but it never got really serious.”

  “How did your parents react to seeing you with someone?” Wynne asked.

  “They were nice to her, but…kind of stiff. She wouldn’t notice that, but I did. The thing is, though, I don’t know if they were reacting to Susan, or to the idea of me with Susan.”