Fallen Elements (15 page)

Leah wrinkled her nose. “Not a fan.” She
reached for the book that was still in Ryan’s hand. “Are you going
to buy this?”

Ryan shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t usually go in
for this sort of thing, but I’ve just skimmed a few pages and
managed to smile; so maybe it’s a sign.”

Leah thumbed through the book. “I’ve never
thought it was too difficult to make you smile.” Leah looked up at
Ryan, a glimmer in her green eyes.

Before Ryan could stumble and fall over her
own nonsensical words, Nicole appeared. She had two corn dogs
clutched in one hand, and a large lemonade in a clear plastic cup
in the other. “Leah. Hey, how are you?”

Before Leah could respond, Ryan took her
lemonade and looked suspiciously at the two corn dogs. “I really
didn’t want one.”

Nicole took a bite of one of the dogs, the
yellow mustard she had coated it in clinging to the corners of her
mouth. “Yeah. I heard you.” Chewing quickly, Nicole turned back to
Leah. “So, fancy meeting you here.”

Leah smiled. “I appreciate you giving me the
benefit of the doubt. Your friend jumped straight to accusing me of
being a stalker.”

Nicole laughed, and nearly sent pieces of
half chewed corndog flying. “Well, if it’s that obvious, you must
really suck at it.”

Leah’s eyes widened and a huge smile spread
across her lips. “That’s exactly the point I made.” She gave Ryan’s
hand a quick squeeze, and then let it go. “My friend Marty is
around here somewhere. If I can find the funnel cake truck, I will
have my man.”

“We can help.” Nicole offered, shooting Ryan
a quick wink. “I could use something to wash these corndogs down
with.”

Leah put the book back on the table, and she
and Nicole began walking toward the row of food trucks that lined
the parameter of the market. Looking back, Nicole grinned. “Are you
coming?”

Ryan took a deep breath, unsure what her
friend had planned, and hoping it didn’t end with Ryan being
humiliated.

“Marty!” Leah waved as Marty, a short, stout
man in his late forties with a full gray beard, wound his way
through the crowd. The man held a grease soaked paper plate in his
hand, powdered sugar coating the tips of his fingers as he
ineloquently bit into the funnel cake.

“You’ve made friends.” Marty grinned at Ryan
and Nicole, wiping at his mouth with a balled-up napkin he had in
his free hand. “I’m Marty Parry, Leah’s friend and business
partner. Nice to meet you.”

Nicole, who was now down to half a corndog,
reached out her hand. “Nicole Wright. It’s always nice to meet a
fellow connoisseur of fine food.” She held up her half-eaten corn
dog.

Marty lifted the greasy plate in a mock
toast. “Cheers to that.”

“I’m Ryan Myers.” Holding out her hand, Ryan
took note of the stocky man’s eyes narrowing as a look of
recognition shot across his face. She wondered if Leah had talked
about her to her friend.

“Nice to meet you.” Marty shifted the paper
plate from his left to right hand, powdered sugar cascading into
the morning air. “At the risk of sounding cliché, do you come here
often?”

Ryan chuckled. “Not too much, but it was so
nice out today we thought we should take advantage. You two?” She
glanced at Leah who was standing next to her, an amused expression
on her face as she watched Marty try to eat the funnel cake without
completely defiling himself with grease and sugar.

With a mouth full of pastry, Marty nodded.
“Most Saturdays.”

“Well, there goes your stalker theory.” Leah
teased as she nudged Ryan with her shoulder.

“I don’t know what you put him up to. He
might say anything to keep you from being served with a restraining
order.” Ryan playfully teased Leah.

“Should we continue our perusing?” Marty
asked the group.

“Actually Marty, I was hoping you would take
me to the funnel cake truck. These corn dogs need some dessert.”
Nicole smiled warmly.

“I would be happy to assist a fellow
connoisseur.” The man blushed at Nicole’s quasi-flirting.

“We’ll go with you.” Ryan offered.

“No, no. You and Leah hang back. I don’t want
your caloric judginess ruining my food buzz.” Without another word,
Nicole and Marty walked away, leaving Ryan and Leah standing in a
crowd of people.

“Are you judgy?” Leah was standing right
behind Ryan, her tone dire. When Ryan turned around to face the
blonde, their faces were only inches apart.

Ryan didn’t risk answering the woman, for
fear the tremor she felt tickling the back of her throat would give
away how nervous being left alone with Leah made her.

Leah’s eyes brightened and she smiled. “I’m
only kidding with you. You seem like the most laidback person I’ve
ever met.”

Ryan exhaled, the tightness in her chest
lessening. “I never judge – out loud.”

Leah laughed and looped her arm through
Ryan’s. The two women began a leisurely stroll through the market.
Ryan wondered when it was that Leah had become so comfortable
touching her. Though the contact was clearly casual for the older
woman, it was distracting and remarkable for Ryan. She felt certain
her conversation skills reduced dramatically when Leah looked at
her a certain way. When she actually touched Ryan, it was difficult
for her to stay upright.

“You and Marty work together?” Ryan’s mouth
felt hot and dry as she spoke.

“Hmm. Yes. Business partners and best friends
for nearly ten years. We opened the bookshop together shortly after
Marty’s wife, Sylvia, was killed in a car accident.”

Ryan gasped. “That’s terrible.”

Leak sighed. “I know. He’s never remarried,
and has become like a brother to me. I’d be lost without him.”

Ryan watched Leah closely. Ryan’s heart ached
as tears pooled in the woman’s eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to
upset you.”

Leah smiled and wiped at an errant tear. “I’m
just feeling sentimental. Ignore me.” She took a cleansing breath.
“You know, if you like that book from earlier, and you’re willing
to take a chance on an outdated technology – I could get you a
signed edition.”

“Ah, no. I mean I thought it was clever, but
I know myself – I wouldn’t read it.” Ryan wanted to lean into Leah
as they walk.

“Have you read much for pleasure since
school?” Leah asked, a gust of wind blowing a strand of her blonde
hair over her right eye. Her reaching up casually to brush it aside
was the sexiest thing Ryan had ever seen.

Jesus Christ! Would you get over it
Myers!
Ryan shouted to herself.
She’s a nice woman and
attractive, but she’s not the second coming. Stop being such a
fool.

“Ryan?” Leah had stopped walking, a confused
expression on her face as she stepped back from Ryan.

“What?” Ryan’s eyes narrowed, and she
realized, much to her humiliation, she had completely lost track of
the conversation.

“I was asking if you had gotten caught up on
your reading since you’re not being forced to do it for school.”
Leah frowned and cocked her head to the side. “Are you feeling
okay?”

Ryan nodded quickly. “Yes. Sorry, I – no. I
haven’t really done much reading.”

Leah placed her hand on Ryan’s forehead. “You
feel hot. Are you coming down with something?”

The woman’s hand on her forehead sent a wave
of vertigo through Ryan, her stomach tightening as she struggled
not to pass out. In spite of her efforts, Ryan’s knees buckled and
she fell forward into Leah.

Luckily Leah was able to absorb Ryan’s
weight, and quickly helped the dazed woman to a nearby bench. Ryan
leaned forward, putting her head between her knees, wanting the
space around her to stop spinning so quickly.

As the fog in Ryan’s head began to lift, she
became aware of Leah’s hand gently rubbing her back. “Should I get
Nicole, or get you some water?” Leah glanced around to see if
Nicole and Marty were anywhere to be found. “I hate to leave
you.”

Ryan willed herself upright, and lifting her
head, took a deep breath. “I’m okay.”

Leah scooted closer to Ryan, their thighs
touching. “You’re not okay. You’re pale and burning up.”

Then as quickly as it had come, the crack in
space that had threatened to swallow Ryan closed. Her head cleared,
and she felt as if she could breathe again. Now where Leah’s touch
from moments ago had left her dizzy, the pressure of her leg
against Ryan’s was spreading outward, wrapping her entire body in a
warm blanket.

“I’m actually better. I mean I wasn’t a
second ago – you were right, but now –” Ryan slowly stood.
“Whatever it was has passed.”

Leah continued to sit on the bench, looking
up at Ryan, her brow furrowed. “What happened?”

Ryan shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I
haven’t eaten much today. Maybe that’s it.”

The truth was she didn’t know
why
the
spell had come upon her. She did, however, have a fairly clear
understanding of
who
caused it.

“Do you want me to go find Nicole?” Leah
stood, and took Ryan’s hand in hers.

Shaking her head, Ryan mustered the courage
and wherewithal to gently squeeze Leah’s hand as she looked
intently at the woman. “It’s really okay. I promise if it weren’t I
would tell you.”

Leah studied Ryan’s face closely before
responding. “Alright, but just so you know, you scared the shit out
of me.”

Ryan, feeling emboldened by her clearer head,
stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Leah. “It scared the
shit out of me too.”

“I’m hungry. Do you want to order a pizza?”
Ryan rolled over, and curled up next to a naked Jenny. The soft
Egyptian cotton of the sheets and comforter felt indulgent against
Ryan’s skin. The two women had spent the better part of the
afternoon in Jenny’s bed, and Ryan was content to stay in for the
evening.

Jenny grinned. “Sounds perfect.” The woman
stretched her arms over her head, and then shifted so she was
facing Ryan. “I have to do some work though.” She laid her hand on
the side of Ryan’s face.

Ryan yawned and turned her lips to Jenny’s
palm. “If you must.”

Jenny had accepted a position in the
administration of the recently elected Republican Lieutenant
Governor Floyd Waterford. One of only two Republican tickets
elected to the Governor’s office in Maryland since 1964, Waterford
and Governor Harry Logan had taken over fifty percent of the vote
on a platform of job creation, tax cuts, and positioning Maryland
to be more appealing to businesses.

Ryan didn’t consider herself particularly
political. She had voted in every election since she was eighteen,
but unlike Jenny, the idea of making a career out of politics -
even given her interest in policy - had never attracted Ryan.

“I have eight vendor proposals to read
through before tomorrow.” Jenny sat up, putting her legs over the
side of the bed.

“Or we could binge on Netflix and pizza for
the rest of the day?” Ryan wrapped her arm around Jenny’s bare
waist and tried to pull the woman back down, but was met with
resistance as Jenny twisted and stood.

Running her fingers through her brown hair,
Jenny reached for a black tieback that lay on the nightstand. “I
would love that, but sadly -” She turned to face Ryan, who still
lay in the bed. “Tragically - I can’t.”

Ryan feigned a pout. “You’ve chosen work over
me.”

Jenny’s manicured brow arched. “I know you’re
joking; otherwise, I’d punch you in the face.” She knelt next to
the bed, resting her chin on the mattress. “But not before
reminding you how much this job means to me, and how it’s a solid
step through the front door of the RNC in Maryland.”

Ryan grabbed Jenny’s pillow, the scent of
citrus and lavender filling her senses as she covered her face with
the soft fabric. “I know. I get it.”

Ryan felt a weight bearing down on her hips,
and tossing the pillow to the side, grinned as a naked and very
sexy Jenny straddled her. “What do you get?” Jenny’s eyes narrowed
as she looked intently at Ryan.

Ryan clenched her lower lip between her
teeth, trying desperately not to grope Jenny like a prepubescent
boy. “I understand that someday you’ll rule the world, but first
you’re deciding which vendors get contracts to refurbish state
owned buildings.”

Jenny cocked her head to the side, her pink
lips turned slightly upward. “Damn straight.” She playfully pinched
Ryan’s bare stomach and sprung from the bed. “Now order the pizza.
I’m starved.” With that, she disappeared into the bathroom.

Ryan lay back on the bed, her eyes wandering
around the bedroom and its contemporary furnishings. Jenny’s entire
row house resembled a page from the IKEA catalogue, and though it
suited Jenny, the vibrant colors contrasted by stark whites and
grays didn’t appeal to Ryan. She had, presumably because of the
house she grew up in, always preferred dark woods and warm
colors.

Ryan reached for her phone she had discarded
on the nightstand several hours prior. She had a text message from
Nicole about catching a movie with her and Greg. She quickly sent
her regrets, and continued to scroll.

Leah’s name appeared on the small display,
and Ryan felt her stomach tighten with excitement.
Sorry to
bother, but I have two tickets to the Orioles’ game next Saturday.
Interested?

Ryan smiled at the formality of the text. She
could barely be bothered to use whole words when she texted, much
less correctly punctuated complete sentences.

Hi. Sounds like fun. Text me the when and
where.
Ryan hit the send button, and lay with the phone resting
on her stomach.

“How long for the pizza?” Jenny came out of
the bathroom in a cobalt blue silk bathrobe.

“Shit.” Ryan grabbed her phone and quickly
scrolled through her contact list.

Jenny sat on the edge of the bed. “What have
you been doing out here?”