Come Fly With Me (60 page)

"I
love
him!
Ever
since
I
saw
him
on
Sesame
Street
many
years
ago,
I've
been
a
follower.
I
couldn't
get
anyone
to
go
to
that
concert
with
me."

"So
are
we
on?"

"You
betcha.
I'll
meet
you
at
the
gate
at
7:30."

"Great."

Emily
came
back
on
the
line,
"Hubba,
Hubba,
where
do
you
find
these
guys?"

"What
guys?"

"Alex,
Ritchie..."

"They're
just
friends.
And
according
to
Kenyon
I
have
no
social
life
to
think
of."

"Oh,
I
forgot
about
Kenyon,
him,
too.
Could
you
do
me
a
favor?
When
you
vote
one
of
them
off
the
island,
can
he
be
mine?"

"Emily,
go
sell
some
paintings;
I'll
be
in
tomorrow."

"Emily,
I'm
running
out
to
the
corner
to
mail
these
bills."

"I'll
do
that,
it's
part
of
my
job."

"No,
it's
fine;
I
need
a
little
air
to
clear
my
head."

A
minute
later
Allison
came
dashing
back
in.
She
grabbed
Emily's
hand
and
yanked
her
to
the
back
office.
"I
spotted
Alex
up
the
block.
He
looked
like
he
was
headed
this
way."

"So,
where's
the
panic?
I
thought
you
two
were
finally
getting
along."

She
pursed
her
lips,
"Yeah,
a
little
too
well."

Emily's
eyes
brightened,
"No
way."

"Yes
way,
and
I'm
deeply
ashamed
while
being
ridiculously
turned
on.
But
listen
up—tell
him
I'm
not
here.
I
can't
allow
him
to
continue
to
push
my
buttons."

Emily
sighed,
"I
vaguely
remember
that
the
button
pushing
was
something
pretty
spectacular.
It's
been
so
long..."

"I
heard
the
door
open.
GO,"
she
urged
and
gave
her
a
gentle
shove.

Emily
smiled
as
Alex
entered
the
gallery,
"Oh,
hello.
Aren't
you
Allison's
work
colleague?"
She
extended
her
hand.
"I'm
Emily,
the
gallery
manager."

"I
remember
you,"
his
eyes
flashed.
"I
make
a
habit
of
keeping
a
mental
rolodex
of
all
the
beautiful
women
I
encounter."

Allison
watched
from
her
hiding
place
behind
her
office
door.
She
had
it
open
a
fraction
so
she
could
watch
their
exchange.
His
eyes
are
twinkling
at
her
too!
And
she's
buying
it!

"And
speaking
of
beautiful
women—is
Allison
around?
She
wasn't
at
the
office
today."

"No,
she's
left
for
the
day."

He
looked
at
his
watch,
"Five
o'clock
is
pretty
early
for
the
boss
to
leave.
Was
there
an
emergency?"

It
seemed
to
Allison
that
he
was
fishing.

"No,
everything's
fine.
She
went
for
her
riding
lesson,"
Emily
said.

"Riding
lesson?
On
a
horse?
In
New
York
City?"

"There
are
stables
near
Central
Park,
you
know.
But
she
went
back
to
her
old
neighborhood.
It
seems
she
hooked
up
with
an
old
acquaintance,
and
he
promised
to
help
her
get
over
her
fear
of
horses."

"Is
that
so?"
Alex
crossed
his
arms
over
his
chest.
"And
about
how
old
is
this
old
friend?"

"I'd
say
he's
about
your
age."
She
cocked
her
head,
"About
your
height
and
build,
with
dark,
wavy
hair
and
soulful,
brown
eyes."

Allison
clapped
her
hands
silently,
you
go
Em.

"I
see,
and
does
this
cowboy
wear
a
blue
pinstriped
Brooks
Brother's
suit
and
gray
coat—when
he's
not
riding,
of
course."

Allison
nearly
gasped
aloud,
so
that's
what
this
visit
was
about.
But
how
did
he
know?
Maybe
he
had
seen
them
talking
in
the
building
yesterday.
The
same
day
he...

"Yes,"
Emily
said.
"That
would
be
him."

Alex
began
to
pace.
Emily
got
busy
with
another
customer
in
the
gallery
and
Allison
wondered
frantically
how
long
he
could
hang
around.
She
didn't
want
to
be
stuck
in
her
office
for
hours.

After
circling
the
room,
Alex
found
Emily
again.
"I
don't
suppose
any
Samantha
Steele
paintings
are
lurking
around
in
the
storage
area?"

Emily
shook
her
head
mutely.

"Would
it
be
okay
if
I
checked
for
myself?"
he
asked
as
he
headed
toward
the
back.

Emily
quickly
ran
in
front
of
him,
stopping
his
movements.

"I
know
all
about
it.
Don't
panic,"
he
whispered
conspiratorially.

"I'm
not
panicking.
I'm
surprised."