When Love Calls (20 page)

Alyssa and Nina went downstairs and put the boxes on the back of Oliver’s flatbed. They stood awhile and talked. “You and Oliver are great together,” Alyssa said.

“Yeah, I really like him, he’s so different, a total nutcase. He always has me in stitches laughing my head off, I swear.”

“He is funny, always was.”

“So, what’s going on with you?” Nina asked.

“I’m moving, duh,” Alyssa joked, knowing exactly what Nina meant.

“Yeah, I got that part. You know what I mean.”

She smiled. “Everything’s good. Randolph was supposed to get back last night, but his flight was grounded by weather so he’s coming back this morning. He wants to get together for lunch later this afternoon. He has a surprise for me.”

“A surprise, nice,” Nina said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Why are you smiling like that? You don’t even know what it is.”

“Who cares, you know how I love surprises. But wait a minute, back up. You’re meeting him later this afternoon?”

“Yes, around two o’clock at the restaurant, why?” she said.

“Because it’s almost eight o’clock already. We’d better hurry up. We still have to pack the rest of the truck, get the donated furniture to the drop-off, then take the rest of the boxes to your grandmother’s place.”

“We have plenty of time. The apartment is just about empty. The only things left are my clothes, shoes and computer.”

“That’s it?” Nina asked.

“Yep, I’ve been packing and moving all week long.”

“So that’s why you were so tired all week. Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come over and helped.”

“Girl, you were having too much fun with Oliver. Besides, I had everything under control.”

“So, what does Randolph think about your moving back into your grandmother’s house?”

Alyssa grimaced. “Actually I haven’t told him yet.”

“You haven’t told him. Why not?”

“Because,” she answered slowly, “I’m not exactly ready for the two of them to meet just yet.”

“Are you kidding me? Your grandmother is gonna be ecstatic that you’re seeing a U.S. senator. Hell, who wouldn’t be impressed?”

“She wouldn’t be, believe me. She’ll be furious for starters. After that, she’ll really get angry.”

“What? Why?”

“Uh-huh, see, I told you they were down here talking and lollygagging, while we were upstairs doing all the work. Sorry, Mr. Wingate, you owe me a beer.”

“Yep, you were right,” Benjamin said, “I sure do.”

“We were not just down here talking and lollygagging. And who says
lollygagging
anymore, anyway?”

“I do,” Oliver said, readjusting the sofa they carried down and easing it into the moving van.

Nina shook her head as the two of them began a comedic routine that sounded as if it should have been onstage at the Apollo in New York.

Alyssa and Benjamin laughed and enjoyed their antics as the four of them continued loading the truck. An hour later, the apartment was empty and everything was loaded and ready to go. Oliver followed the moving van to the drop-off. They emptied the donated furniture, then continued to Allie’s house. By eleven-thirty, the truck and moving van were unloaded and everything was in the house.

Allie fixed sandwiches, cookies and lemonade while doing her best to tolerate Benjamin. The tension was there, but since Benjamin ignored her, she didn’t have a lot to complain about. Oliver was on his best behavior, since his mother had specifically called over and asked him to bring Nina over to meet her.

After everything was done, Nina and Oliver stopped next door and Benjamin helped Alyssa rearrange her bedroom. He helped her hang up her clothes and put away her shoes, then took care of removing the empty boxes. They carried out the flattened boxes and paused to stand by the truck a minute.

“Thanks, Dad, I really appreciate everything. You were wonderful today,” Alyssa said.

“You’re very welcome, sweetheart. Now, are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, looking up at the front of the house as if it were haunted or something.

“Dad, we just moved everything in.”

“And I can just as easily move everything out again.”

“Dad, I gave up my apartment.”

“You can come stay with me.”

“I’ll be fine here with Grandma. Really, I promise.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, still not completely sure.

“Positive. This’ll be good for both of us.”

He nodded. “Okay, now you can tell me. What’s all this about you being in the newspaper with a U.S. senator?”

“Huh?” she said, stunned that he knew it was her.

“
Huh
isn’t an answer,” he said sternly. “Did you think I wouldn’t know my own daughter when I saw her? Just because your face was turned, I still know you. So what’s all that about?”

“It was just someone with a camera phone. They took the picture that day I went to Georgetown.”

“To meet your girlfriend?” he questioned.

“Actually she had to leave early.”

“So then it was just the two of you.” She nodded. “And you’re dating now or what?”

“More like the latter, the
or what
part,” she said.

“Do I need to ask his intentions?”

“No, of course not,” she said quickly. “It’s nothing, really. We just see each other from time to time.”

“Time to time. Last I heard, that’s called dating.”

“We’re acquaintances.”

“What does that mean? Is he using you?”

“No, no, of course not. Nothing like that, Dad, I promise. We’re just good friends hanging out and having a good time. No big deal, really. It’s nothing superserious. We talk a lot,” she said, knowing she was lying when she said it.

“You look pretty serious in that photograph to me,” he said, seeing it in her eyes even now.

“Dad, I have no intention of getting hurt.”

“Sweetheart, no one has any intention of getting hurt or of hurting someone else, but it still happens.”

“I’m a big girl, Dad, I know when to back off.”

He nodded and looked back up at the house. “Does Allie know yet?”

“No, I think it’s best if she doesn’t know right now.”

“Probably not a good idea. You might want to tell her just in case the next picture is a lot clearer.”

“I don’t want to upset her, and there’s really nothing to tell. We’re just friends.”

“Friendship between a man and a woman has a way of developing into something entirely different. Sometimes you don’t even see it coming,” he said.

“Friends,” she reiterated.

“Just be careful, he’s not exactly the guy next door. He’s a senator. That means power and publicity. Don’t go diving in the deep end before you’ve tested the water. I don’t want to have to go to Capitol Hill and call him out.”

She smiled at his occasional parental advice. “Yes, Dad. I’ll be careful, I promise.”

“See that you are,” he said as she nodded, agreeing with him. “Now, one last time, are you sure—”

“Dad, stop it. Yes, I’m sure. Go, goodbye. Thanks again. I’ll stop by in a few days,” she said, then kissed his cheek. She stepped back on the curb and watched as her father pulled off. Turning to go up the front steps, she wondered exactly what her grandmother would say about Randolph. After all, what had happened to Allie was totally different. Her senator was married, and Randolph wasn’t. The two situations were totally different. But Alyssa knew that it didn’t matter. Her grandmother would still have a fit.

After her father turned the corner, out of sight, Alyssa walked back into the house and excitedly headed up to her bedroom to get ready. This was going to be her first actual date with Randolph and she wanted to look fantastic. Midway up, she stopped.

“So, what are we going to do this afternoon?” Allie asked as soon as she walked out of the kitchen.

Alyssa came back downstairs. “Umm, Grandma, I have this lunch thing to do this afternoon, but after that, we can do whatever you want.”

“Sure, that sounds fine. Is this lunch thing a date?”

“Yes, kind of,” she said cryptically.

“Is he good enough for you?”

“Yes, Grandma, he’s incredible and he makes me very happy. I love being with him.”

“Oh, my, looks like you didn’t need Louise’s help after all. But knowing her, she would have brought you a politician anyway just to spite me. I love her dearly, but she can be so difficult at times, always wanting her own way. So, when am I going to meet this Prince Charming of yours?”

“Soon, he’s really busy at work right now.”

“What does he do?”

“He owns a wine business out West.”

“Ooh, that sounds lovely. I’ll look forward to meeting him real soon, I hope,” she said pointedly. “In the meantime, I’ll make us a nice supper for your first night here.”

“I have a better idea, why don’t I take you out to dinner tonight? You know, to kind of celebrate my being here.”

“You know what, that sounds like a bet. Let’s do it.”

“Great. I’ll go to my lunch thing, then come back and we’ll have dinner at your favorite restaurant.” She looked at her watch. “And I’d better get ready or I’ll be late.”

“Okay, better hurry up. I don’t want you to be late. I have a feeling this might be my future grandson-in-law.”

Getting dressed took longer than Alyssa had expected. The shower was too cold. She couldn’t find the outfit she wanted to wear and she never did find her curling iron. But even after all that, she decided that she looked great. Maybe it was that she was back home or maybe it was the fact that she was meeting Randolph; whatever it was, she felt great and was on her way.

After a short drive, she walked up to the restaurant and a feeling of wonder flowed through her. The marquee was subtle, but everyone knew exactly what it was. This was
the
restaurant in Washington, D.C., The Capital Grille. Popular with the power elite in Washington, it catered to the influential, the affluent and the politically connected. The address was impressive, located right on Pennsylvania Avenue, just steps away from the Capitol Building.

Greeted by the lions guarding the entrance, Alyssa walked inside and looked around. There was already a small gathering in front of her, so she stood beside the miniature encasements of private stock and waited her turn.

Peeking into the dining room, she saw it was nothing like she had expected. Rich mahogany wood, white linen tableclothes, starched and pressed, candles, stately pictures and, of all things, buck’s and ram’s heads mounted on the wall.

Waiters and busboys and wine stewards all hustled at top speed, performing an intricate ballet of precision service. Dashing from kitchen to wine cellar to table, then back again, they looked perfectly choreographed.

Not seeing Randolph, she moved to the side just beyond the bar and paused, sitting in one of the comfortable cushioned chairs looking out onto Pennsylvania Avenue. A steady flow of pedestrians kept her attention for a while, but still, her heart thundered at the thought of seeing Randolph again.

She looked at her watch, noting that she was now exactly on time, but Randolph was nowhere in sight. She stood and walked back to the lobby area and waited a few more minutes, then returned and sat down again. Time passed and suddenly the fear of being stood up seemed very real.

“Excuse me.” Alyssa turned to see a nicely dressed woman standing over her. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“Yes,” Alyssa said, then turned away and continued looking out the large front window.

“Have you been here before?”

Alyssa turned again. “No.”

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, not long,” she answered, looking at her strangely, then at her watch.

“I’m Juliet Bridges, uh, sorry, Juliet Evans,” the woman said, putting her hand out to shake.

“Hi,” Alyssa said, not understanding why a perfect stranger would come up and introduce herself to her. When the woman continued to stand there smiling, Alyssa looked at her even more strangely. “May I help you?”

“Yes, I hope so. Are you Alyssa Wingate?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’m Juliet Evans, Randolph’s sister.”

Alyssa’s heart jumped. Having lunch with Randolph out in public was one thing, but meeting the family was too real. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know he was meeting you, I thought—”

“He’s meeting us both, but unfortunately something came up and he’s running late, so why don’t we grab a table and wait for him there?”

“Sure, sounds great,” Alyssa said, smiling happily. She had no idea why. She didn’t usually act so scatterbrained and giddy, but then again she’d had no idea that she was going to meet Randolph’s sister.

They walked toward the maître d’s, then were escorted to a table in the dining room. “This is really nice,” Alyssa said. “I’ve never been here before.”

“That’s right. You’re gonna love it. The food is wonderful and they wait on you as if you’re royalty. This is one of our favorite restaurants. Randolph and I used to come here all the time when I was still dancing.”

“Oh, right, Randolph told me that you were a prima ballerina. I’m sorry I never got a chance to see you perform. Do you miss it?”

“Yes, every now and then, but being an instructor is an amazing job. Seeing the faces of the students makes everything worthwhile. It feels like I’ve come full circle.”

“It must be amazing.”

“It is. Now, tell me about you. What little I could get out of my brother was that you two recently met at a fund-raiser and really hit it off.”

Alyssa nodded. “Yeah, something like that. He’s an incredible man.”

“I have to agree with you there.”

“I think he told me that you just got married and that you’re having a baby.”

“I am,” she said, glancing down at her small bump. “I’m in my second trimester, so I’m still getting used to all this.”

“Do you know what you’re having?”

She nodded. “I had an ultrasound last week. My husband didn’t want to know, but I couldn’t wait to find out. But I promised I wouldn’t tell.”

“As long as the baby is healthy, that’s all that matters, right?” Alyssa said.

“Exactly,” Juliet agreed, then glanced around. “Okay, I think we’ve given him plenty of time to get here. I’m starved, so let’s say we order and let him catch up.”