Under the Table(15)
“Never underestimate the power of the end button.”
“You’re really going to make him sweat this one out, aren’t you?”
“You seem to forget my original intention was not to go back at all. If I had any backbone, this whole thing would already be over.”
“You said that when you first got here and were all fed up. Are you really thinking about not going home?”
“Are you tired of me as your roomie?”
“No. But by the way you work and then just hang around here, I figured you were missing him as much as he misses you.”
Zoey could’ve pointed out that she was trying to get a business up and running but didn’t want to rehash the same dialogue. Ruth sometimes made her affection for Derek a little too well known. To the point where Zoey sometimes wondered where her sister’s loyalty stood. Ruth had been living in New York for years with holiday visits, when everyone was on their best behavior. The Derek Ruth remembered was from back in the day, when they were dating. Zoey would be the first to admit, she missed that Derek too.
“Can we talk about something else?” Zoey asked, pulling off her black sensible shoes and wiggling her toes. Ahhhh.
“We certainly can. How did the ragin’ Cajun work out?”
“Hasta la pasta!” Zoey exclaimed, taking her feet off the table and sitting up straight with the energy surge. In the madness of the phone call, she had forgotten. “You are not going to believe this one.”
Ruth sat up too, tucking her legs beneath her and reaching for her half glass of white wine. “Oh boy. Did he turn out to be a creeper? Start talking.”
“Okay. So, this guy is a transplant from the Virgin Islands. Some techno geek who spends all his time cleaning and playing golf. Completely a fish out of water. Strange apartment that looks more like the MoMA but with a kitchen like something out of a magazine. Food went well, he made the appetizer on his own. He was super nice, paid me double my quote, and went out of his way to stick up for the only other woman who was there.”
Zoey stopped short of telling Ruth about the forgotten key and what transpired after.
“You’re leaving out the most important detail,” Ruth hedged.
“What’s that?”
“You know, is he cute?”
Zoey paused to take another moment to recall the abs, the backside, the leather, and the booty shake. “Yeah. But sheltered. Way sheltered.”
“Like baby duck cute? Or Adam Levine cute?”
“I don’t know! I guess he’s the kind of cute Adam Levine would be if he were a baby duck.”
“Hmm.” Ruth was always too good at reading her. “There’s a piece missing here. You didn’t get this excited over the Turkish guys. And they all played soccer. Did he end up offering you a job, like you thought he might?”
Zoey couldn’t hold back the little smile, remembering the green eyes that registered all that relief before he took her up on her offer. He had asked if they could start tomorrow. She told him she’d meet him in front of his building at noon.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it a job. It’s more of a project.”
Ruth drained her wineglass and narrowed her eyes. “What kind of a project?”
Zoey was being guarded, and she wasn’t sure why. Ruth was not only her sister but also her best friend. It was stupid to think she could hide anything from her, and why would she want to? If she was going to nurture a friendship with Tristan, Ruth was eventually going to be in the equation as well.
“This poor dude is really having a hard time getting the most out of city life. He came here not knowing anybody.”
Ruth scoffed. “Sounds like somebody I know. And you are going to be the one to help him with that?”
“I beg your pardon. I knew you! And I’ve adapted fine here. Sure, I don’t spend my weekends clubbing, but that’s more out of respect for Derek and our agreement. I’m not going to cheat on him just for the sake of hooking up.” Even if that’s exactly what he thinks I’m doing.
“Looks like you’re lining someone up for when that clock counts down. . . .” If Zoey didn’t know better, she would swear she heard some judgment in her sister’s tone.
“Seriously, not this guy, even if what you’re thinking was true. Which it’s not. He’s a little skittish, not to mention he dresses like an old man. He just needs a friend.”
“I’ll be Adam Baby Duck’s friend,” Ruth offered with her usual vixen grin.
“Oh no.” Zoey held her hand up. “No way. You’ll eat this poor soul alive. He’s not even remotely ready to handle the likes of you.”
Ruth stuck out her lower lip in her patented pout. “But you promise to let me know when he is?”
Zoey nodded, thinking that while she may hate the Ruthless nickname that Derek gave her, there were times when it did apply.
Chapter 6
Zoey wasn’t the least bit surprised when she turned the corner onto East Seventy-Ninth at 11:55 and Tristan was already standing outside, his back fully pressed up against the building wall. He wasn’t wearing his purple windbreaker but a blue, puffy down jacket that he could’ve put back in the closet a month ago. Spring was just around the corner, but encased in all that coat, he looked like he was ready for an expedition to the polar ice cap. Then she remembered the climate he came from and realized forty-five degrees may, in fact, feel like the tundra to him. Still, she hoped she could get him to try on a little more leather. His hands were jammed into the pockets of his brown corduroys up to the wrist. He kept his head down, only periodically lifting it to glance both ways down the street. Zoey couldn’t wait to teach him her city walk. As soon as he saw her, he straightened up to his full height and a toothy smile appeared. The kind of smile that was contagious.