Chapter 6
Olivia
I can’t believe that he agrees to everything I say. Something must have happened before I arrived at the office, part of me wants to know, and the other part thinks that ignorance is bliss and maybe that’s the problem. I’ve spent too much time trying to get to know him and forcing myself on him to some extent. Not stripping down and telling him to take me. But more subtly, like brushing my hand against his, or telling him to help me when I can do it myself.
Not once has he taken the hint!
Like the one time we were playing pool, he was so close to me that I could smell his woody scent. He just took the stick of me and told me that I needed to do it this way. He didn’t try to touch me, and I can’t just throw myself at him. I’m not that type of girl, but then he has a sadness about him. One that should make me stay as far away from him as possible, but it does the complete opposite it pulls me towards him like a magnet.
I do know one thing for sure. He’s holding on to his bag as if his life depends on it. That can only mean one thing. It has a bottle in it. So, I come up with the grand plan to distract him. Make him forget about what he’s holding.
“I thought that you might like to show me around, Houston. Instead of us rushing to the ranch.”
“But you stormed into my office saying that I was coming back to the ranch with you now!”
I laugh, “I know, but I’ve never been to Houston before.”
“You’re kidding me?”
“No, I’m serious. I’ve always lived in the country. Houston’s too crowded, and the traffic sucks. I was always afraid to drive here. But I finally decide it was time to tackle my fear of the traffic head on.”
“But it's only a couple of hours from the ranch! You make it sound as if it’s the other side of the world.”
“To you maybe, but for me, it’s a couple of hours by car and the world apart socially,” I sigh as I finish my second cup of coffee. I wonder if he’s mocking me or trying to educate me? I can never tell, but then there’s something different about our conversation compared to when we’re on the ranch. Maybe he seems me as Neil’s ranch hand there, and here he’ll see me in a different light?
“I’ll show you around. You can’t come to Houston, have a cup of coffee, and return to the ranch without seeing more of Houston than Interstate 10.”
Suddenly, I don’t want to go back to the ranch. I want to spend more time with Isaac. “Great, maybe I’ll like Houston if I see a little more of it.”
“What would you like to see?”
“Space Center Houston,” I say without hesitating. “I’ve wanted to visit it since I was a little girl. I remember telling everyone that one day I was going to be an astronaut and go the see the man on the moon.”
“To see the man in the moon?” Isaac laughs.
“I was only five years old,” I pout thinking that he’s mocking me now.
“It’s just cute. I didn’t think that you would be interested in things like that. You just caught me by surprise.”
We say nothing for a second, and I don’t know what to take about what he just said.
Doesn't he think that I’m educated? Or that I’m interested in space?
I’m about to ask him when he blurts out, “Space Center Houston it is. Come on, let’s go.”
He grabs my hand, and the other is safely in his bag. He’s smiling and maybe my plans working because as we get to his car. He dumps the bag at the back.
“Come on, cowgirl. No horses today, cars only in downtown,” Isaac says as he opens the car door for me. I feel like a Princess as he waits for me to enter. My car’s parked for the day, but as soon as he takes the wheel and starts driving, I have to close my eyes.
Isaac burrows through the notorious Houston traffic, and I think about the country roads near the ranch. They’re nothing compared to the noisy drivers in the city. I can’t wait for us to get there, so as soon as Isaac increases the volume of the radio. I start concentrating on the radio show and don’t even think about the way that he drives. Thank goodness he doesn’t ride horses the same way that he does cars. That’s when I spot the space shuttle atop the 747 as we approach the Space Center. I feel a surge of excitement that I don’t even try and hide.
“Excited?” Isaac says turning to smile at me as he parks the car.
I squeal, “Yes, I can’t believe that we’re here.”
Then I clap my hands together, and I can’t help but let out a little scream as he parks the car.
“Are we doing this?” I ask as he takes my hand and we enter the Space Center. "Where do you want to start?" I close my eyes and think for about two seconds, what's the one thing that I've always been dying to see the most, "The historic Apollo 11 command module without a doubt."
He nods, "Good choice. My lady gets what my lady demands.”
Then I loop my hand into his arm as he locks the car and then we go on a tour. I expected Isaac to go to the module and then turn around. The more time we spent in there, the more he wanted to see. I soon realized that he hadn’t been in there since he was a kid.
“It seems as if I’m not the only one was excited to come.”
He confesses, “You got me there. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”
“Should we see some more?”
He laughs, “Why not? We’ve got nothing else to be rushing back for? Or do you have to work at the ranch today?”
I shake my head, “You’re asking me now. After we’ve spent most of the morning and afternoon out together?”
He laughs, “You know the crazy thing about it all?”
As he ignores my question, curiosity wants to know what’s on his mind.
“No.”
“I haven’t even wanted a drink.”
This means that my plan’s working. I start flicking through the guide book. I want us to stay all day, not only because I want to spend time with him, but because I never thought I'd say this, but I’m loving not being at the ranch for the first time in a long time.
***
I stop as we near the car and take out my cell phone. “I have to call Neil. It’s my day off, but I didn’t tell him that I got here safely.”
“Don’t go back,” Isaac says. “There’s much more to see in Houston. Tomorrow we can see more sights.”
“But where am I going to stay?”
“In my apartment. It’s huge. Of course, it’s nothing near as many square feet as the ranch house, but it’s more than big enough for the two of us.
“Okay, I’ll stay. You’ve twisted my arm.”
He nods, “Good now, call granddad and tell him that you’ll be back tomorrow night. I pick up my phone and Neil picks on the first ring, “Hi Neil’s speaking.”
“Neil, it’s Olivia,” I say as my eyes dart from Isaac to the floor.
“Where are you?”
“Houston.”
“ I know that you said that you were going, but I thought that you might change your mind,” he chuckles as he talks about my trip.
“Yeah, I surprised myself. Uh . . . I’m with Isaac. We just got through touring the Space Center,” I’m smiling at Isaac, but I know what he’s looking at. The back seat and his bottle that’s waiting for him.
“Now, that’s worth a trip to Houston for sure. Uh . . . How is Isaac? Are the two of you coming back to the ranch tonight?”
“Isaac wants to show me more sights in Houston tomorrow. He said that I could stay in his apartment.”
I’m nodding my head waiting for a reaction from Neil. He’ll tell me if it's not a good idea. He’ll reassure me if it’s the right thing to do.
“I think that’s great. It’s about time you got away from the ranch and saw some of the city. Why don’t you take a couple of days off? You and Isaac enjoy yourselves. It’ll do both of you good.”
“You sure, Neil. You sure you’ll be okay. I’m worried about . . . You know your health.”
“Olivia, I’ll be fine. I’ll go down to the Brass Rail for meals. Don’t worry about me. Just have fun.”
“If you’re sure?” I say glancing at Isaac and smiling.
“Yes, yes, I’m sure.”
“Okay. Bye,” I say as I hung up the phone.
I turn to Isaac to tell him the good news, “Well, it looks like you’re stuck with me for a few days, Isaac.”
“You make it sound like something bad,” Isaac says as he opens the car door for me.
“Do you like Italian food?”
“Yes, lasagna is my all-time favorite!”
“Well, it just happens that there’s a great Italian restaurant near my apartment that I eat at regularly. And their lasagna is to die for, so you’re in luck.”
“I just need to get my car from the parking lot. I can’t leave it there all night.”
He shakes his head, “It’s fine. I’ll pay for it, and you didn’t bring anything with you. You didn’t know that you were staying overnight.”
He’s right about that. I visioned myself going back tonight for some reason. Not spending the day at the Space Centre and I never thought that I'd be enjoying myself with him.
“So, let’s go and get lasagne!”
As we ride in the car, I can’t think of anything better than spending the next couple of days with Isaac. Not only is the idea of speaking to someone and spending time with them, it feels as if it’s the best gift in the world. Neil and I have our moments, but apart from meal time, I don’t go out with him, or anything like that. This is about two people just enjoying each other’s company. My eyes dart towards Isaac once in a while. I wonder if he knows how I feel, but then again if he did he would make a move by now. It’s obvious that there is just one sided Isaac doesn’t feel any attraction towards me, I’m starting to realize it more and more. Isaac pulls into the parking lot of a small restaurant with a neon sight spelling out Fettuccines in big red letters.
Isaac wasn’t lying about being a regular at the restaurant. The moment we walk in the waiter standing a podium with a sign. “Good evening Isaac.” The front manager greets him with a wink and a smile. Isaac responds with the same friendly gesture.
“We haven’t seen you for a few days.”
Isaac smiles, “Yes, I had to spend time with my granddad on his ranch.”
The Front Manger smiles at me, then back to Isaac, “Do you want your usual table?”
“Yes, and we’ll like a bottle of Cotes du Rhone wine.”
I start to ask what kind of wine that is, but as I follow him to the table, Isaac smiles and says, “You’ll love the wine.”
An older waiter who looks Italian bring us some breadsticks and a small shallow dish with olive oil.
I glance at Isaac because I’m completely lost and feel pathetic that as much as I love lasagne, I’ve never eaten it in an Italian restaurant. Only when they’ve had an Italian night in town at the local bar. That’s when I first sampled it and ever since then I checked out the recipe on the net and made it once in a while.
He smiles reassuringly, “You dip the bread in the olive oil.”
“Damn, is it so obvious that I haven’t got a clue what to do with everything?”
He laughs,“That’s what I like about you. You are sort of unspoiled like the air in the country.”
“I guess that’s a nice way to say I’m a country bumpkin.”
We both chuckle. I like hearing Isaac laugh.
“Ah, was granddad upset yesterday when I moved back to my apartment,” Isaac asks, suddenly turning serious.
“A little, but I think he understands, but he just wants what’s best for you.”
“Yeah, well I’m a big boy living in the city. Not the boy that he raised so many years ago. Sometimes he has a hard time distinguishing between the two of us,” he lets out a sigh as he pours us glasses of water. “He needs to let go, and maybe I do too.”
“I’m confused, what you mean about you need do the same?”
He doesn’t answer as the waiter interrupts and brings the bottle of red wine. He pours Isaac a little in his wine glass, and it’s just like in the movies. Isaac takes a small sip and nods his head at the waiter who then pours wine into my glass before give more to Isaac. I taste the wine, and I raise my eyebrows thinking that I would love to say that I hate it. Just for the sake of it, but it’s not in my nature to do that.
I put my glass down and say, “I could get used to this type of lifestyle.”
He smiles at me in a way that he never has before.
The rest of the meal is delightful. I realize as I set the table from Isaac that I don’t want the magical moments to end. I’m afraid that when we walk out, we’ll end up bickering like we did at the ranch. But the mood follows us out in the hot, humid Houston night air.
“Now, I get to show you my apartment. I think you’ll be impressed. It’s decorated in Johnnie Versace.”
“Was he gunned down on the stoops of his house in Miami?” I ask suddenly recalling an old new report.
“Yes, and the world lost a great designer.”
“I remember that he was expensive,” I’m thinking about one day having my home. A place that I can have for my own and decorate it the way the way that I want to have it.
“I guess so,” Isaac replies, “Right here we are!”
He says as he parks outside an apartment block, and I don’t know if this is a good idea. Not only is it late, and I have no underwear or any clothes, but this place is chic. Back on the ranch, I’m in my comfort zone, as we enter his apartment I’m afraid to walk on the white carpet. I start to take my shoes off, but Isaac shakes his head.
“Don’t worry about it,” he says.
The tour of the apartment leaves me overwhelmed. Once the tour is over, he stops at one of his two guest bedrooms. “This one is yours, don’t worry there’s things a toothbrush, bathe robe and towels.”
I laugh, “Do you have underwear in there too?”
He shakes his head, “Sorry, I don’t.”
There’s an awkward silence between us as if he doesn’t know what to say, but I know how I feel. I want him to tell me that he doesn’t want this night to end. Not to just drop me off at my bedroom.
“I don’t think I’ve ever slept in bed as big as that,” I say nodding toward the huge round bed. Then he grabs my arm and spins me towards him. His lips are on mine, in a kiss, he did what I expected him to do all day and gave up hope. I didn’t think that Isaac was interested until now. I thought that he was thinking of me as a little sister, one so inexperienced that he had to give instructions to in a restaurant.
He crushes his face against mine, sandwiches my body between his chest as his tongue explores my mouth greedily while darting in between it. Whereas his fingers prowl my shoulders, back and the nape of my neck. I’m trying to kiss him back, but I can’t as he’s so powerful and determined that I feel as if so helpless compared to Isaac.
I feel the throbbing building against my stomach, and I feel confident that I’m not going to be sleeping in this bed tonight.
That’s when he takes me by surprise and pulls back.
“Shit! I’m sorry I shouldn’t have done that. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Why?
Why does he back away now, the first time that I’ve known that he’s been interested and he leaves me hanging. I can’t get to sleep now. I decide that I’m going to need a cold shower, one that will stop me from going to the room next door and begging Isaac to finish what he started only a few seconds ago.