Chapter Three
Daniel
“Two please," Alexa walked to the host’s station ahead of me. Grabbing two menus and checking her seating chart, the hostess motioned for us to follow. She guided us to a table near the center of the restaurant. Setting a menu and silverware down at a set of seats she waited for us to sit.
“Can I start you out with anything to drink?”
“Just a couple of waters. Thanks.” I looked at Alexa, noticing how her skin glowed in the subtle lighting of the restaurant.
Walking away to get our waters, the hostess stopped a young man and pointed towards us. I was looking at Alexa, trying to figure her out when she turned towards me again. Catching me staring at her, I looked away quickly and she burst into laughter.
“Why are you laughing?” I was confused.
“You. You just can’t stop staring, can you? Take a picture. It’ll last longer.” Alexa joked as the hostess brought our water.
"Here you go. Dane will be over in a moment to take your orders. Have a great meal." She was looking me over. I hated how women looked at me like I was meat at the butchers. There to be appraised, but not to be taken seriously. I smirked though as I looked at Alexa. This really seemed to irritate her. I raised an eyebrow.
“Thank you.” Alexa dismissed the hostess, while the woman turned around and sashayed her way back to the front of the restaurant. I rolled my eyes. This was ridiculous. I needed to stop eating out.
"I'm going to get the twenty-two-ounce sirloin with the salad and baked potato. What about you?" She asked trying to make small talk with me. "I think I'll get what you're having. But, we have to get a blooming onion, of course." I smiled at her, thinking of something witty to say when we were interrupted by Dane.
"Hello. My name’s Dane and I'll be your server tonight. Can I start you two off with anything to drink besides water or maybe an appetizer? Or do you still need a moment to decide?" He pulled his ticket book from his pocket.
"We already know what we’re going to have. We’ll each have a twenty-two-ounce sirloin, medium rare with baked potatoes, loaded, the house salad, one with ranch and..." I trailed off and looked at Alexa, realizing I didn’t know what type of dressing she liked. If she even liked salad dressing. "Same." She muttered looking embarrassed. "A Blooming Onion, A sweet tea, no lemon and..." Again, I motioned to Alexa to fill in her drink order.
"Tea sounds great." She responded.
"Great. Anything else?" Dane asked.
"I would love some bread." I dismissed him.
"Great, I'll be right back with those teas and bread for y’all." Dane took off like he had a fire under his ass boiling the water in it.
"What’s wrong?" I asked Alexa. She was staring at me and looked slightly annoyed.
"It’s honestly nothing. It’s just weird having someone order for me. Sean never bothered." She looked up through her eyelashes at me, boring a hole into my soul. Her eyes were going to haunt me for weeks to come. She made me feel alive. I could only hope that she was feeling the same way too!
"Oh. I thought I offended you ordering for both of us since we had the same thing basically. I should have asked you about the steak though. I wasn't thinking. Old habits and all." I smiled at her, slightly embarrassed. I was too used to ordering for Natalie. I’d have to work on that since Nat wasn’t a part of my life anymore.
"Here’s your teas and bread. I put in the order for the Blooming Onion and it should be out in just a moment. I'll be back with your steaks as soon as they’re ready. In the meantime, though if you need anything else, please feel free to just wave me down." Dane smiled at Alexa again as he dropped off our food and turned to deliver drinks to another table.
I glared at the kid as he walked off. Dane couldn’t be more than eighteen tops. I knew better than to be jealous of the kid! Fuck, he was only doing his job and being personable. It’s not like I was dating Alexa. Even if I was starting to wish I was. My feelings for Natalie really weren’t all they were cracked up to be, and I was starting to realize my heart wasn’t that broken. Just betrayed.
"Well, that was fast." Alexa cut herself a piece of bread as she stole another glance up at me. She took a bite of bread, as I studied her intently. The way her lips pursed and moved as she chewed. I imagined what it would be like to kiss her. Sweet. Tempting.
"I believe we’re here to discuss our housing arrangement?" I stated. I regretted the way I worded it immediately. Alexa stared at me, her mouth slightly ajar. It looked like she was trying not to laugh and choke on her bread. "What I meant to say was, what you will be doing to my house when I'm not there. I’d want you to live there full time to make sure everything is taken care of. Will that be a problem?" I laid out my guidelines as I watched her take it all in.
She looked like she was trying to pass a kidney stone before she finally responded to me. "No. I don't have anything to hold onto in Anchorage. My brother already knows I’ll be leaving town for a job. No kids. No husband. There’s nothing here for me anymore." She said as she stared at her hands.
Alexa let out a deep shuddering sigh as she looked back up at me. “Oh look! Food!” She exclaimed when Dane set down the Blooming Onion and our salads. She reached over to grab some of the onion at the same time as me, our hands brushing across each other. We pulled back our hands, at what I assumed were the sparks of electricity that passed between us.
It’s nothing. This will be over in a few days and then we will be back to our normal lives.
We looked at each other, laughing about the interaction. It was then I noticed the electricity that flowed in the air around us. It was crackling loud enough for me to hear. I didn’t know if she could hear and feel it too, but it wasn’t something I wanted to explore right now.
Carefully reaching back to the onion, we avoided contact, this time managing to retrieve some oniony goodness. I picked up the dipping sauce and poured some on my plate before I handed it to Alexa.
“So, I suppose you want to know what your job description entails?” I took a bite of onion, thinking about what it was I needed her to do. Well, I could think of a few things, but none of those involved housekeeping. What the hell is wrong with me? I’d just gotten out of a sham of a relationship. How could I already be thinking about sex? Must just be the effect she’s having on me, I closed my eyes in an attempt to clear my mind.
“I seem to recall that being part of the reason you agreed. And, you know, the fact we were both starving as well. You aren’t planning on driving the BMW all the way up to the house, are you? You need an SUV for the roads up to Denali this time of the year.” She looked at me with her eyebrows raised, waiting for my response.
“Well I was going to take the car, but you don’t think it’s a good idea?” I asked her, looking genuinely concerned. If I had learned anything from John in the last week, it was to trust the locals.
“They told me it was great in winter weather.”
“Well, yeah, winter weather means city weather, not driving up dirt roads covered in ice weather. Like the one up to the house and the icy highways. Why not get an SUV or truck? You could just leave it at the house when you aren’t there and have someone drive it to the airport in Fairbanks whenever you decide to come into town. Possibly even let your housekeeper use it so they have a reliable vehicle to get to and from Fairbanks and Anchorage while they are at the house.” Oh god, she was rambling.
“Okay fine, before we leave tomorrow we’ll go car shopping. Now to discuss business,” I finished off the onion as Dane returned with our steaks.
“Here we go, you guys. Can I get you anything else? Steak sauce or something else for your steak?” Dane asked as he put our plates in front of us, gathering the dirty dishes on the table.
“More tea would be great, thank you.” I looked at my plate of food. The steak looked and smelled delicious. But not as delicious as the woman across from me.
“Ma’am?” He asked looking at Alexa.
“No, thanks. I have everything I need.” She started cutting her steak. Dane took their glasses and went to refill them as she looked at me.
“We? I have a truck out front. We drove it here. Remember? Why do you need me to go car shopping with you?” She covered her mouth, her eyes wide. “Fuck, I’m batting a thousand tonight! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rude.” She shoved a forkful of steak into her mouth, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her. She was so cute when she was nervous. This was going to be a long weekend.
“Look, I don’t know much about SUV’s and was hoping you would be willing to help me. But, if you aren’t interested, I’ll just ask John to come help me out tomorrow before we leave. He has a great sense of style and beauty; from his work to his employees.” I mentally slapped myself as the final words exited my mouth. I’d already opened the bag though, so it was time to let the cat fly and see what Alexa did with it.
“The house is beautiful; the housekeeper he sent me is gorgeous. And I’m sure he would not have sent you to me if he didn’t think you could help me in whatever I need. As for being rude, I don’t think you were. Those were valid questions for you to ask. I only came back here today because as soon as I got back to Portland I found my girlfriend in bed with another man. I was going to ask her to marry me tonight. But shit happens and I am here having a decent conversation and dinner with a beautiful woman. What’s wrong?” She stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth when I brought up Portland. I thought John told her I was coming back from there.
“I’m not sure. Probably nothing. What did he look like? I’m sorry, it’s just my husband — ex-husband — was cheating on me with someone he met who’s in Portland with her boyfriend. He could only go down when her boyfriend was out of town on business. Said he was rich, never questioned her.” Alexa’s voice was pained as she spoke to me. I think she knew the truth before I ever opened my mouth. Her voice softened as she spoke.
“I’m sorry. I said too much.” She looked down at the table before she took a sip of tea.
“He was kind of tall, dark hair, slightly muscular. Really cocky asshole. Said his name was Sean.” I quietly watched Alexa, saw the horror on her face, in her eyes, as she took the information in; as she tried and failed to hide it from me. Sadness and sympathy seeped into her eyes to hide the terror I had seen.
“Maybe fate brought us together. Ironic don’t you think, your ex, cheating on you with my girlfriend and here we are, not seven hours after I caught them in bed, eating dinner and discussing business.” I took her hand and gave it a firm, friendly squeeze. Her skin was so smooth, soft. Not working hands. Loving hands.
“I never told you he was my ex. How did you know?” She looked at me confused and amazed. I thought about telling her it was written all over her face.
“It was the look in your eyes when I mentioned his name. I’d been wondering if it was the same man since you said his name earlier. What did he do to you that was so horrible you would look so scared at the mention of his name? How could he have hurt someone as kind as you?” I was trying to read this poor woman’s face. What kind of monster could this man be to leave his ex-wife terrified at the sound of his name?
She looked at me then, as if contemplating telling me her story. I didn’t know if I wanted to hear it, but when she started I couldn’t stop listening. From the way, he admitted he was cheating on her, to the way he pushed her down the stairs without a care. I couldn’t believe she had survived all of that torment and could still be such a caring person as she was right now. I wished I hadn’t asked as the tears formed in her eyes, but it seemed like she really needed to tell someone.
“The only thing I know is he really does love her. The way he talked about her was so different from how he talked to and about me.” Alexa finished with a sigh.
“Thank you. All I’ve been thinking about since I found her with him was what did I do. Talking with you has helped me realize it wasn’t me. She’d already moved on long ago and it was all an act.” I looked at Alexa and pulled her hand to my lips. I brushed a light kiss across her knuckles, sending fire crashing through my body. I knew she felt it too, the way her lips parted and her breathing sped up.
I flagged down Dane as he passed out table again.
“Hey, guys. Did you save any room for dessert?” He asked looking at our empty plates. “Let me get these out of your way.”
“Thanks. Can we see a dessert menu?” I asked Dane before he took our plates back to the kitchen.
“Sure!”
“I’m truly grateful you told me your story. It’s helping me get over our farce of a relationship. Thank you so much for easing my mind. I’m so sorry he did those horrible things. You didn’t deserve to be treated like shit, Alexa. Karma will come to him and you will be able to stand with your head high and tell him, you’re happy. You have someone who loves and adores you. I’m fucking glad we met today. Now, how about we discuss what I am going to need you to do over some dessert? Cheesecake?” I asked looking into her shocked, tear-stained face.
“Anything with chocolate and you have a deal.” She replied, laughing.
“Hey, folks! Are you done looking over the menu or do you need another couple of moments?” Dane saw the tears on Alexa’s face, and concern washed over his face.
“Yep. Two pieces of cheesecake. The ladies covered in chocolate, and I’ll have one covered in strawberries. Thanks.” I handed Dane the menu, looking back towards Alexa, dismissing the server.
“So, now that we have gotten over the awkward part of dinner, you know with the exes and all, what I want to be done at the house is extremely simple. I want the linens turned once a week so they stay fresh, I’ll provide you with a credit card for necessities.
“I’ll make sure the bills are taken care of. The normal housekeeping things are all expected. Sweeping and vacuuming are to be done daily, the windows I can let go to once a week, and dishes when the dishwasher is full. When it snows, I’ll have someone come out and plow a path to the road.
“Other than that, I just want to make sure the house is always ready for me to return at any moment. The SUV will be the house’s vehicle. You’ll use it for any trips you need to take. Your truck is nice, but I want you to drive a decent vehicle with a GPS in it so if something happens we can find you. Any questions?” I wanted to make sure that she understood everything I was asking of her.
“Sounds pretty straightforward. I’m sad you won’t let me take my truck though. It’s been with me through a lot. I guess I’ll just ask John if I can keep the truck at his place until I come back.” She replied as Dane brought our cheesecake slices.
We were able to relax after that and just enjoy some small talk as we ate our cheesecake and she told me some of the Native legends. I was about to ask her more information on the Legend of Sleeping Lady — the oddly shaped mountain across the inlet from Anchorage — when her phone rang, interrupting us.
“Hey, hold on a second so I can step outside.” She said as she stood, grabbing her jacket.
I watched as she hurried to the front of the restaurant, and threw a couple hundred dollar bills on the table, before following her myself. I didn’t want to eavesdrop, so I stayed just enough away anything I overheard was by accident.