CHAPTER 9
Colin
Really?” Evan called out, leaning over the porch rail as Colin crossed the yard. “You went running again?”
Colin was still breathing hard as he veered toward the porch, finally slowing to a walk. He pulled up his shirt to wipe his face before peering up at his friend. “I didn’t run earlier today.”
“You worked out this afternoon. And this morning.”
“That was at the gym.”
“So?”
“It’s not the same,” he answered, knowing that Evan really didn’t care one way or the other. Instead, he nodded toward the front door. “Why aren’t you inside with Lily?”
“Because my house smells.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
“How about the fact that I can smell the stench from your clothes wafting up through the vents like a green, putrid fog? Instead of heading out to run, you should have done a load of laundry. Or better yet, you should start burning your workout clothes on a daily basis. Lily actually thought there was a dead mouse in the pantry. Or that the sewage had backed up.”
Colin smiled. “I’ll get right to it.”
“Hurry up. And then meet me back over here. Lily wants to talk to you.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea. She wouldn’t tell me. But if I was to guess, I’d say it’s about your girlfriend.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Whatever. The point is, she wants to talk to you.”
“Why?
“Because she’s Lily,” Evan said, sounding exasperated. “She probably wants to ask whether you’ve handwritten a card to Maria with fancy calligraphy. Or she’ll offer to help you select the perfect silk scarf for Maria’s birthday. Or she wants to make sure you use the right spoon for your soup if you take her to the country club. You know how she is. But she brought home an extra bag, and she won’t tell me what’s in it.”
“Why not?”
“Stop asking questions that I can’t answer!” Evan sighed. “All I know for sure is that every time I tried to make my move, she told me that I had to wait. Because of you. And just so you know? I’m not happy about it. I was really looking forward to tonight. I needed tonight. I’ve had a crappy day.”
“Okay.”
Evan scowled at Colin’s answer. “Why was it crappy, you ask?” he said, mimicking Colin. “Gee, thanks for asking, Colin. I appreciate your empathy. You plainly care about my well-being.” He stared down at his friend. “It turns out that there was a terrible jobs report this morning, and the market tanked. And though I have no control over those things, I was nonetheless on the phone all afternoon with upset clients. And then, I get home and my house smells like a locker room, and now I have to wait for her to talk to you before my night can really begin.”
“Let me change first. I’ll be over in a couple of minutes.”
“I surely hope not,” Lily said to Colin, suddenly appearing next to Evan on the porch, wearing a yellow sundress. She slid her hand into her fiancé’s and smiled up at him sweetly. “You wouldn’t think of letting him come over without a chance to shower, would you, Evan? The poor man is practically soaked through. We can surely wait a few more minutes. Merely allowing him to change his clothes wouldn’t be proper.”
When Evan didn’t answer, Colin cleared his throat. “She does have a point, Evan. It wouldn’t be proper.”
Evan glared. “Fine. Go shower. And start your laundry. And then come over.”
“Oh, don’t be so hard on him,” Lily scolded. “It’s not his fault that you invested your clients’ money in the wrong companies.”
She secretly winked at Colin.
“I didn’t invest in the wrong companies! It wasn’t my fault! Everything was down today.”
“I’m just teasing you, sugar,” she drawled. “I know you had an awful day and that it wasn’t your fault. That mean old Mr. Market just took advantage of you, didn’t he?”
“You’re not helping,” Evan said.
Lily turned her attention to Colin again.
“Have you spoken to your lady friend today?” she asked.
“I talked to her before I went running.”
“Did you bring flowers to her office like I recommended?”
“No.”
“Candy?”
“No.”
“Whatever am I going to do with you?”
“I don’t know.”
She smiled before tugging Evan’s hand. “We’ll see you in a few minutes, okay?”
Colin watched them head back inside before entering his apartment. He stripped on his way to the bathroom and added his clothes to the laundry pile, noting that Evan was right. The pile reeked. He started a load of laundry and hopped in the shower. Afterward, he threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt before making his way back to Evan’s.
Evan and Lily were sitting beside each other on the couch. Of the two, it was clear that Lily was the only one who was happy Colin was there.
“Colin! I’m so pleased you could join us,” Lily said, rising from her spot, obviously ignoring the fact that they’d just talked. “May we offer you something to drink?”
“Water, please.”
“Evan? Will you please get Colin some water?”
“Why?” Evan asked, leaning back, his arm over the top of the couch. “He knows where it is. He can get his own water.”
Lily turned toward him. “It’s your home. And you’re the host.”
“I didn’t ask him to come over. You did.”
“Evan?”
The way she said his name made it plain that Evan had no choice in the matter. That and the way she looked, of course. She was not only far and away the most beautiful woman Evan had ever dated, but she was well versed in the ways of using her appearance to her advantage.
“Fine,” he grumbled, rising from the couch. “I’ll get him a glass of water.”
Evan slouched off toward the kitchen.
“With ice, please,” Colin called out.
Evan scowled over his shoulder before Colin took a seat in the easy chair across from Lily.
“How are you this evening?” she asked.
“Okay.”
“And Maria?”
Earlier on the phone, Maria had told him what had happened with her boss Ken Martenson and as he’d listened, Colin had found his jaw beginning to clench. Though he’d kept his voice steady, he’d imagined having a little talk with Ken, the kind that made it clear that it was in Ken’s best interest to stop bothering her. He hadn’t said that to Maria, but when he found himself grinding his teeth after hanging up, he’d thrown on his workout gear and gone running. It wasn’t until he’d nearly finished his run that he’d begun to feel normal again.
That wasn’t, however, what Lily had asked him.
“I spoke to her just a little while ago.”
“And she’s doing well?”
He thought about her job situation, but it wasn’t his place to share that information. It was her life, her story, not his.
“I think she was glad to hear from me,” he said truthfully.
“You hadn’t called her?”
“I called her Sunday night. After I talked to you and Evan.”
“And you didn’t call her on either Monday or Tuesday?”
“I was working.”
“You could have called on the way to or from work. Or on your break. Or on your way to class or the gym.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No. But we’re going to lunch tomorrow.”
“Really? Someplace special, I hope.”
“I haven’t really thought about it.”
Lily didn’t bother to hide her disappointment. Evan reentered the room with a large glass of ice water. He thrust it out for Colin.
“Thanks, Evan,” Colin said. “You didn’t have to do that. I could have gotten it.”
“Ha, ha,” Evan answered as he sat back down. Then, to Lily: “Now, what did you want to talk to him about?”
“We were discussing his lunch date tomorrow. Colin has informed me that he and Maria will be dining together.”
“My advice? Make sure your car starts,” Evan said.
Lily glanced with disapproval in his direction. “My primary concern has to do with his date this weekend, and I wanted to discuss the matter with him.”
“Why?” Evan asked.
“Because the first true evening one spends with the other is a critical time in any relationship,” she answered, as though it were obvious. “Had Colin simply invited Maria to dinner or perhaps to walk the promenade downtown, I would have no worries at all. Or had he suggested that the four of us go out together, I’m sure that the conversation would be so engaging that Maria would have a wonderful time as well. Alas, Colin is going to be on his own and he’s bringing Maria to a club, though I am certain that issue has already been addressed.”
Evan raised his eyebrow. Colin said nothing.
Lily focused her attention on Colin again. “I asked you to visit with us this evening because I was curious if you have any experience or even familiarity with salsa dancing.”
“No.”
“Then, most likely, what you also don’t know is that salsa is a partner dance.”
“That’s what dancing is,” Evan cut in.
Lily ignored her fiancé. “Salsa dancing can be very enjoyable if the couple practices together,” she explained. “But since that’s not possible in this situation, you will have to do the best you can, and there are things you have to know. Like the way to move your feet, or lead your partner in a spin, or offer her the chance to separate and perform a few moves on her own, all the while making it feel as though it is a natural part of the dance all along. If you don’t do those things, it will be almost impossible to impress her.”
Evan laughed. “Who says he wants to impress her? Colin doesn’t care what anyone thinks—”
“Go on,” Colin said, cutting him off.
Evan turned toward him in surprise while Lily sat up straighter. “I’m pleased you understand the dilemma you’re in. What I’m trying to tell you is that you need to learn the basics.”
For a moment, neither Colin nor Evan said anything.
“And just how is he supposed to learn the basics?” Evan finally asked. “We live in Wilmington. I highly doubt there are any salsa dance instructors who will clear their schedules in the next couple of days so my friend here won’t embarrass himself.”
Lily leaned over, reaching for the small bag that had been placed next to the couch and pulling out an assortment of CDs.
“These are salsa albums, and you’ll need to listen to them. I called my old dance teacher and she was more than happy to send a few samples. Nothing is very recent, but that’s not important. Salsa is more about speed and rhythm—the beat, so to speak—than melody. And as for the instructor, I will be more than happy to help Colin learn what he needs to know.”
“You know how to salsa dance?” Evan asked.
“Of course,” she answered. “I danced for almost twelve years, and at various times, we focused on alternative dancing.”
“Alternative?” Evan asked.
“I grew up in Charleston. Anything other than the shag or the waltz is considered alternative,” she said, as though this were the kind of thing any civilized Southerner would know. “But really, Evan. You need to let Colin ask the questions. He’s barely been able to say a single word.” She turned to Colin. “Would you allow me to be your instructor for the next couple of days?”
“How much time are we talking about?”
“I’ll show you a few things tonight—the basic steps and movements, turns, and how to lead your partner through a spin—so you know what you’ll be working on. After that, we’ll need three hours tomorrow evening, and another three hours on Friday evening. After I finish work and change, so beginning around six. And obviously, you should practice in your spare time before you get here.”
“Will that be enough?”
“It’s not nearly time enough to be good. Or even average. To be truly proficient at any form of dancing can take years. But if you focus and do exactly what I tell you, it just might be enough for your date on Saturday.”
Colin took a sip of water, not answering right away.
“Don’t tell me you’re actually considering this,” Evan said to him.
“Of course he’s considering it. He knows I’m right.”
Colin lowered the glass to his lap. “Okay,” he said. “But I’ll have to get someone to cover my shift on Friday night.”
“Wonderful.” Lily smiled.
“Wait,” Evan said, turning to Lily. “I thought we were going out on Friday.”
“I’m very sorry, but I’m going to have to cancel. A friend needs my help, and I honestly can’t decline. He’s been so sweet about asking.”
“Seriously? Don’t I get any say in this?”
“Of course you do,” Lily said. “You’ll be here both nights, too. As well as tonight, obviously.”
“Here?”
“Where else?”
“I don’t know. A dance studio, maybe?”
“Don’t be silly. There’s no need for that. But I will need you to move the furniture in the living room. You’re right about us needing space to work. And you’ll be responsible for the music, too—skipping back or forward when I tell you, starting the song over, things like that. We really need to maximize the use of our time. You’ll be my little helper.”
“Little helper?”
She smiled at him. “Did I mention that salsa dancing can really make a woman feel… sensual? And that the feeling can last for hours afterwards?”
Evan swallowed, staring at her. “I’d be glad to help.”
“You folded like a cheap suit,” Colin said. He and Evan were moving the couch to one side of the room while Lily went to the bedroom to fetch the proper pair of shoes, with just the right heel height, and change her clothes. Lily never did anything halfway.
“Whatever it takes to help a friend.”
Colin smiled. “Okay.”
“And after we’re done, you’re going to help me put the furniture back.”
“Okay.”
“And you’re not going to ask to stay longer to practice, either. You’re out of here by nine o’clock.”
“Okay.”
They set the couch down. “I don’t know how she talks me into things like this.”
Colin shrugged. “I think I have a pretty good idea.”
Once the furniture was out of the way and the area rug rolled up, Lily pulled Colin into the center of the room. Evan sat glumly on the couch, books and a lamp and assorted knickknacks on the cushion beside him. Lily had changed into tight white jeans, a red silk blouse, and a pair of shoes that probably cost more than Colin earned in a week. Though she was Evan’s fiancée and Colin’s friend, Colin was aware that she fairly oozed sex appeal.
“Don’t get too close, Colin,” Evan called out.
“Hush, now,” Lily told him, all business. “You may be wondering why I changed,” she said to Colin.
“Not really,” Colin answered.
“I changed so you can watch what my feet are doing. As I mentioned, I’m going to show you the most basic step, upon which much of salsa dancing is based. It’s one you can always fall back on, no matter what Maria is doing. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.”
“Before we begin, I’m making the assumption that Maria knows how to salsa dance.”
“She told me she used to dance all the time.”
“Perfect.” Lily moved beside him, both of them facing the window, allowing Evan a profile view. “That means she’ll be able to follow your lead. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“Then watch my feet and do exactly what I’m doing,” she said. “Step out with your left foot—that’s a one count—then shift your weight onto the toe of your right foot—that’s two—now bring the left foot back to its starting position—that’s three—and pause for a beat—that’s four.” She demonstrated and Colin did the same. “Now, step back with your right foot—that’s five—shift your weight to the toe of your left foot—six—then bring your right foot forward again to its starting position—seven—and pause again for a beat. That’s eight. And you’re done.” Again, Colin followed her lead.
“That’s it?”
She nodded. “Let’s do it again, okay?”
They did. Then did it again. And again and again, repeating the movement over and over as Lily counted from one to eight, and then a dozen more times, and then gradually speeding up, and then continuing without counting. They took a break, then started slowly from the beginning, gradually speeding up again. Once he felt he was getting the hang of it, Lily stopped and watched as Colin continued. “That’s perfect,” she said, nodding. “You have the steps now, but the real key to this is not to be so bouncy. Right now, you’re moving like a ruffian marching through the swamp. You want to be smoother, like a blossom slowly beginning to open. Keep your shoulders at the same height throughout the steps.”
“How do I do that?”
“Use more hips,” she said. “Like this.” As she showed him what she meant—gliding through the movements, her hips sashaying back and forth, her shoulders level throughout—Lily was right about the dance being sensual. From the corner of his eye, Colin noted that Evan was sitting up straighter and staring at Lily, though she didn’t seem to notice. “So now, let’s do the exact same thing again, this time with some music, and concentrate on being smoother.” She turned toward Evan. “Sugar? Would you mind starting the song over?”
Evan shook his head, like a man trying to wake up from a dream. “What? Did you say something?”
They danced for a little more than two hours. In addition to the basic step, Colin learned how to turn, and at that point, they began to dance together. Lily showed him where to place his right hand (on her upper back, just below her arm, he reminded himself), and she showed him how to lead her through three different spins by making tiny signals with his left hand, which required him to take slightly different steps before falling back into the basic footfalls again.
Through it all, she reminded him to glide and use his hips, maintain eye contact, keep in rhythm with the beat, stop counting out loud, and smile. It required more concentration than he’d imagined. Afterward, they put the furniture back in place and Colin made to leave. Lily held Evan’s hand as Colin stepped onto the porch.
“You did very well tonight,” Lily said. “You have a natural rhythm when it comes to dancing.”
“It’s a bit like boxing,” he observed.
“I surely hope not,” she said, sounding almost offended.
He smiled. “Tomorrow night, right?”
“Six o’clock sharp,” she said. She handed him a CD. “This is for you. Tomorrow, whenever you have extra time during the day, I insist that you practice your steps and turns and pretend to lead your partner through a spin. Concentrate on your hand signals, and try to be smooth. It would be most unproductive if we had to start over.”
“Okay,” he said. “And Lily?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you,” he said.
“You’re welcome, Colin.” She smiled. “I’d be remiss, however, if I didn’t take the opportunity to address another issue that has recently come to mind.”
Colin waited expectantly.
“Concerning your luncheon date tomorrow with Maria, I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that you’ll be meeting her in a professional setting, which requires a more formal manner of dress. Nor, I hope, do I have to remind you that as much as you love your car, there is nothing less inviting than a cluttered interior, or a car that won’t start. Am I correct in my assumptions?”
I’ve tried to fix my car for reasons other than Maria, but now that you mention it…“Yes,” he answered.
“I’m pleased,” she said, nodding. “A woman, after all, has certain expectations when it comes to courting. Now, as far as the flowers go… have you decided what to bring? Knowing that different bouquets might carry with them various assumptions?”
Lily sounded so serious that it was hard for Colin not to smile.
“What do you recommend?”
She raised a manicured hand to her chin. “Well, considering that the two of you are still getting to know each other, and that it’s only a lunch date, a bouquet of roses is far too formal, and lilies—while lovely—are much more suited to the spring. Carnations, obviously, convey nothing at all other than being an inexpensive choice, so that simply won’t do.”
Colin nodded. “Makes sense to me.”
“Perhaps a simple autumn bouquet, then? With a mixture of yellow spray roses, bronze daisies, and maybe just a stem of red hypericum?” She nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, that strikes me as perfect for this occasion. You’ll need to ask to have the flowers arranged in a vase, obviously, so she can place it in her office, but it’s clearly the right choice for this occasion, don’t you think?”
“Without a doubt.”
“And make sure to order them from Michael’s Florist. He’s really quite an artist when it comes to arrangements. Call him first thing in the morning and mention my name. He’ll know what to do.”
Evan smirked, clearly enjoying this and probably suspecting that Colin would be no different than he was when it came to Lily and her requests. And because Evan knew him better than anyone, Colin finally nodded.
“Okay.”
In the morning, Colin rose early and was pleased to find that the old Camaro started on the first turn of the key. He put in a hard workout at the gym—plyometrics and barbell work, jumping rope, and long intervals on both the heavy and speed bags. On the way back to his apartment he stopped by a Dumpster and cleared the clutter from his car. At home, with his muscles still warm and loose, he popped in one of Lily’s CDs and spent half an hour practicing his salsa steps, amazed that he hadn’t forgotten anything. He was surprised again at how much concentration it required.
He downed a protein smoothie and showered, then dressed in dark slacks, loafers, and a button-down shirt, leftovers from his courtroom days. He’d put on serious muscle since then and the shirt was too tight in the chest and arms, but it was the best he could do. Standing in front of the mirror, he thought to himself that, aside from the top being a bit snug, Evan might as well have dressed him. The outfit was ridiculous, especially since he’d be on a campus where shorts and flip-flops were the norm. Though he knew that Lily wouldn’t have approved, he rolled the cuffs, exposing a bit of his forearms. Better. More comfortable, too.
His classmates either didn’t notice or didn’t care about his dress, and he listened and took notes as always. No Serena afterward, as they only had classes together on Mondays and Wednesdays. With a few extra minutes, he called the florist and ordered an autumn bouquet, whatever the hell that was. From there he trudged off to a classroom-management class, aware that he hadn’t stopped moving since the alarm had gone off, his regular routine in tatters.
His final class of the day ended at a quarter to noon. By then, the sun was high, and with Indian summer hanging on, he walked slowly to his car, trying not to sweat. He stopped at the florist on the way to the address Maria had given him, and as if fate was toying with him, it took two turns of the key and a bit of pedal pumping to get the engine going. All he could do was keep his fingers crossed.
Martenson, Hertzberg & Holdman occupied its own building, a relatively modern structure a couple of blocks from the Cape Fear River and smack-dab in the middle of the historic district, with parking on both sides of the building. On either side and across the street, the buildings ran together, one shade of brick giving way to another, storefronts dotted with awnings. He pulled into a spot only a few slots away from Maria’s car, and next to a shiny red Corvette.
He grabbed the vase of flowers—remembering Lily and her phrase certain expectations—and then thought about Ken and the problems he was causing. He wondered if the guy would be around; he wanted to put a face to a name. As he locked his car, he suddenly saw the entire morning as a countdown to the time when he could finally see Maria again.
Surprising no one more than himself, he realized that he’d missed her.