Away From the Spotlight (46 page)

The two
red
head
s together thing
was
working
and Pam was happy that
we
managed to find
relatively good-looking
male company.
As far as I was concerned,
they all paled in comparison to Will and I could not have been less interested. 
As had
been the case before
, m
y disinterest seemed to make me that much more a
ppealing
.

While we were
eating lunch
the second day we were
in Munich
, Will called.

“How much do you miss me?” Will asked with excitement in his voice.

“You have to ask?”

“Yes.”

“I’m dying.”
I could speak openly because Pam was off to the restroom
as a result of
all the beer.

“Not literally, I hope.”

“No, it just seems that way.”

“How would you like some company this weekend?”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.  You think Pam would mind?”

“
No. 
I’ve been good.  She owes me after Ireland anyway.”

“Well, I’ll try to make it worth her while too.  I imagine neither of you has gotten a good night’s sleep on trains, friend’s floors and lumpy
p
ension
mattresses.  How about I put you both up at a nice hotel for a change?  You think
you might be able to sell it to Pam that way
?”

“You don’t have to do that.  She would love to see you as well without the bribe.”

“I’m doing it anyway.  Aren’t you in Berlin this weekend?”

“Yes.”
  I was certain he had my entire trip memorized.

“
I have an early call Saturday morning that’s not long and Sunday off.  I can be there by the evening on Saturday and would have until the next evening.  I wish it could be more than
twenty-four
hours, but it’s the best I can do.”

“I’ll take every minute you’ve got.  I can’t wait.”

“Let me make arrangements and I’ll
ring
you back.”

Soon after,
Will
called again
with the details
. 
He arranged for us to stay both Friday and Saturday night at the Ritz Carlton in Berlin. 
He must have also booked Thursday night
because
we would
be
able
to check in early Friday morning after our train arrived from Munich. 
Pam and I would have our own rooms.  Will would meet us at the hotel at about
6:30
Saturday
evening
and would stay until just
before
6
p.m. on Sunday.

Upon arrival at
the train station for the overnight train to Berlin, I sorted through my paperwork and called to cancel
the
small hote
l that I had booked in Berlin.

When we
entered
the
elegant
Ritz Carlton
in Berlin
, we definitely stood out
,
u
nderdressed and disheveled
as we were
from the long train ride.  We checked into the hotel to find out that Will had arranged for suites for each of us and
massage
appointments for
th
at
morning and
Saturday
morning
.

Overboard as usual
.

Pam and I
decided to rest on our own for a while, shower, and meet up at the spa at
eleven
for our massages.  I entered my room to find breakfast waiting for me and I imagined that Pam did too.
  Before tackling breakfast, I looked around the
large
suite
decorated in
tasteful
furnishings with navy and gold fabrics.  It also was located on one of the highest floors of the tower
and, therefore, had
a
breathtaking view of Berlin.

It was still pretty early
in the morning
and
, although
I didn’t know whether Will had an early call or late call
that morning,
I texted him.

“You did 2 much as usual.  Thx.  This is wonderful.  Can’t w8 to share it w/u. 
ILY
. 
C u
to
morrow.”

Will must have been awake because he texted back, “I keep telling u I could never do 2 much. 
ILY
.  I can’t w8
2
c
u 2.”

I picked a little at the fruit included with my breakfast and decided to take a bath in the white marble
spa
tub.  After the bath, I ate a little more breakfast and nap
ped briefly
before my
eleven
o’clock massage appointment.  I never
was able
to sleep too well on the trains and I wanted to be
rested for my night with Will.

Pam and I really needed the massages.  I could feel the knots that had formed
due to our uncomfortable travel arrangements
.  Afterward, I was ready for another nap, but Pam and I decided to try to get some sightseeing in during the afternoon.  After showering, we
visited
one of the largest beer gardens in Berlin for lunch and then headed over to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and to wander around
traces of the old Berlin Wall.

We tried to do a German version of a pub crawl
that night
, but we were both too tired to stay up
very
late and
the
beer was too filling to get too t
ipsy
.  We ended up back at the room before midnight.

The next day
provided
another round of massages, and we visited the Charlottenburg Palace and the Pergamon Museum.

Before I knew it, it was time to
return
to the hotel to meet Will.  Pam decided that she wanted to do some shopping
.  W
e agreed to meet around
eight
for dinner.  That would give me
an hour-and-a-half
alone with Wil
l.  It would have to be enough.

I returned to the room and took another long bath.  When I was finished, I fixed my hair and makeup, brushed my teeth and put on one of the plush
white
hotel robes.  I didn’t have long to wait before I heard Will entering the suite.
I ran to the door and starting kissing him before he could even put his bag down.  There were no words as I pulled him into the bedroom, dropping his bag, his clothes and my robe alon
g the way.

As Will and I were curled up in each other afterward, I was wishing that we had more time together before meeting up with Pam.  I was regretting having made dinner plans, but knew that I couldn’t abandon Pam during our trip and on a Saturday night no less.
Begrudgingly,
Will and I
both got up and ready, knowing that we would return to the hotel in a few hours
for
a long night together.

Talking to
Pam on the phone, we decided to
have
dinner at one of the h
otel restaurants and, afterward,
to
go
to a club Pam had heard about.  I realized
that
this was going to cut into my nighttime plans with Will, but I agreed as Pam s
ounded excited to check it out.

I brought one dress suitable for going dancing. It was
colorful, for a change,
and
pretty
short.  Thankfully, my fake tan on my legs had not come off during the massage and the extra coat
I put on afterward had sunk in.

Will had never seen me dress this way so when
he saw me, his eyes went wide.

“Wow.  Why haven’t you worn
that
before?”

“We’ve neve
r gone to a club before.”

“But you planned on goi
ng to a club during your trip?”

“I thought
it was a distinct possibility.”

“Without
me
?”

I looked sheepish.  “Yes.”

“Have you been to one yet?”

“No.”

“Good.”  He sighed with relief.

“Why?” I was conf
used.

“Because you’re beyond gorgeous and I keep thinking you’ll go out and meet someone
who’s less trouble than I am.”

“I have
no
i
dea what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do.  If you had a
normal
boyfriend with a
normal
job, he wouldn’t leave you for weeks at a time to shoot films or for promotional tours.  He wouldn’t cause you to be stalked by paparazzi and have your picture pl
astered all over the tabloids.”

I countered, “Well, I keep worrying that you’ll wake up and realize that I
’
m ordinary and that worrying about me and trying to maintain my privacy will cause you to think
I’m
too much trouble.”

“Won’t happen.”

“Same here.  I love you. 
You shouldn’t worry about m
y
meeting anyone else. 
Other men don’t exist for me anymore, at least not in
that
way.  I can’t imagine being with anyone else. 
Ever
.”

Oh, boy
!
  What did I just do?
 
I
started to
fe
e
l sick. 
I said way too much.
 
I
’m
going to scare him away.
 
We’
ve
only been dating
less than
five months and I
’m
already talking about forever.
  If I could have kicked myself, I would have at that moment.  Instead, I pretended to busy myself with getting ready and ran off to the bathroom.  I was
afraid
of
his
response.  I didn’t want to see the terror in his eyes as he imagined me planning marriage and c
hildren with him.

Will followed me, turned me around and held my chin up so I would look into his eyes.  “Is that
true
?”

I tried to look down, but cou
ldn’t.  “Yes.”  I said quietly.

Will didn’t say anything, but pulled me close and h
eld
me.

Now I had done it.  I
had
ruined things. 
Will didn’t say that he felt the same way and how could he?  I
’m
just me and, anyway, it
’
s too soon.
 
I wanted to get out of there and move beyond th
at
horrifically awkward moment so that I didn’t have to hear that he wasn’t in the same place as me when it came to our
relationship.  I pulled away.

“Pam will be waiting for us,” I said trying not to sound
awkward and failing miserably.

Will and I
met Pam in the le
ast
formal of the restaurants in the hotel.  Of course, it was still more formal than most restaurants at most hotels, even the nicer ones.  Pam was animated as she informed us what she had heard about the club we were going to t
hat
night.

I was distracted
and heard little of it. 
Pam must have noticed.

“Are you going to help me?”
she asked.

“Do what?”
I responded, not really listening to her.

“Be on the lookout.”

“Huh?”

“
You
kn
ow what I want to find here.”

Pam
was being
vague
for Will’s benefit and it wasn’t helping.  My brain was too engaged elsewhere.  I had
to concentrate for a moment.