Like a Woman Scorned (3 page)

The kitchen had a marble work station in the center of the large room with bar stools for six, and a dining room table that seated eight off to the side. Even friends who normally didn’t cook much enjoyed preparing a meal with Alison in that kitchen, during her rare charitable moments when she would concede to having some assistance. Alison knew she could go up against anyone in the world of cooking and hold her own, but she chose to keep it at the hobby level, opening her home to friends and an occasional reception for a nonprofit organization she was affiliated with when the mood struck her.

It was probably time for another of those events. Alison was the co-sponsor of an organization for AIDS victims that began in the mid-seventies. That was the time when Alison and some of her friends lost someone to the terrible disease. She had personally given a lot from her own finances over the years, besides countless hours working in both the office and the hospice. Alison was still amazed at how ignorant people were about the illness itself, and what it meant for someone to be HIV+ and not know if they would live or die. Things were so bad at one time that a large group of volunteers was actually called “The Death Squad.” Those were the people who would go to someone’s home after they died, and clean up everything left by a person who had no one else to do it.

The phone ringing jarred Alison from her thoughts. She knew it was Rick somehow, and answered on the second ring. The ensuing conversation was light and comfortable, perhaps partly attributable to the fact that Alison was laying around in her jammies. She stretched as they talked. Rick found it humorous that Alison was a football fan. After only a few minutes of pleasantries, Rick got right down to business. It would have to be late in the week when they got together due to the trial.

Dinner? Alison readily agreed. He would get back to her by Wednesday or Thursday and firm up a date and time. The call ended. No pressure and nothing more to do now but wait it out.

Monday morning was foggy as Allison took the muni streetcar to work. There she spent time with her staff chit-chatting about everyone’s holiday before it was time to submit to the usual Monday routine of assessing their caseload. Traditionally, the period of time from Thanksgiving through the New Year would be rather light on the calendar, since most people were busy with the holiday festivities and didn’t really want to spend a lot of time on legal matters. This gave them all a chance to catch up on minor paperwork filing and organizational chores.

Alison’s secretary commented that she looked refreshed, which made Alison laugh. She had no intention of telling anyone that she met a man who had already become very imposing in her life, and they hadn’t even been out yet. Her staff members were all pretty much gossip mongers, so there would be nothing forthcoming unless they pried it out of her.

Alison’s secretary then suddenly announced her engagement—right in the middle of the meeting. It was a surprise to everyone. They gathered around to see the dazzling one carat rock. As Alison gazed into it, she involuntarily began fantasizing of becoming engaged to Rick, an atypical train of thought for her. The phone ringing somewhere snapped her back into the present. Boy, that was silly. She had better watch herself. Alison shortly put an end the personal talk and directed the meeting back to business topics before scattering them all to their individual offices and cubicles.

Alison stayed in the conference room and stared out the window for a few minutes. She couldn’t help thinking about Rick now. She played yesterday’s phone conversation in her head again, desiring to hear his voice, a voice she had already come to find comfort in. Comfort. That’s what she needed this holiday season, some real comfort. It had been so long. On a whim, she decided to call Rick and leave him a message:

“Rick, hi. It’s Alison. Happy Monday. I hope things are going smoothly for you this morning, no surprises. I wanted to let you know that I am keeping the end of the week’s evenings open until you get a handle on your schedule, which is not a problem for me. I look forward to seeing you when you are able. Good luck. Bye.”

The days passed. Alison kept busy with her office schedule and running personal errands. Her plan was to finish her holiday shopping before the onslaught of out-of-towners hit the city shops. That’s one thing about living in a place like San Francisco; the visitors make the city thrive. Alison loved the tourists, but they made it impossible for residents to shop, ride the cable cars, or just do what the tourists did day after day. Residents learned how to schedule around them.

Rick phoned on Wednesday evening, which he explained was the first chance he found to talk with her. He had finally gotten a sense of his schedule—not just for the week, but through the month. Alison chatted with him about work schedules and holidays. It was so easy to talk to him it was almost like they were old friends. He complained about having to spend such beautiful California days in a courtroom whereas if he were back in Boston, it would be gray and dull and he would be happy to be inside.

“So how about dinner Friday evening,” he said, “and if you’re available, perhaps we could plan to spend some of the weekend together. I know football is high on your priority list, so it might be fun to watch the games together.” Rick finally stopped talking, waiting for Alison’s response.

Alison didn’t hesitate. “Friday night for dinner would be wonderful, as would football and whatever else you might enjoy doing over the weekend. I’ve left my schedule open and we can play it by ear.” She wanted him to know she was planning time with him, and that she was willing to be available without being locked into specific dates and times.

They agreed to meet at seven for dinner on Friday. Rick left it to Alison to pick the place and to leave him a message on where to meet her. The rest would fall into place.

Alison put some thought into choosing a restaurant and decided on Farallon on Post Street in Union Square. It was a popular tourist place, but seating was never a problem—nor was good service. The cuisine was primarily seafood, never disappointing in its preparation or plating. It was not too far from the courthouse, so easy to get to for both of them. She made a reservation and left him a message with the address.

Friday evening came. He was on time. They joked a little and laughed as they shared a quick hug to say hello before being seated. Rick looked stunning in his Italian suit. Alison dressed to expose just a hint of cleavage, but quite a bit of her long, shapely legs.

The two of them enjoyed an “ocean experience” dinner, as their waiter described it, a beautiful whitefish in a sauce of garlic and wine. Rick chose a Napa Valley viognier from the wine list that went superbly with the food. After dinner they had crème brulee with port wine and multiple refills on decaf coffee. They were shocked to learn it was almost eleven when they decided they couldn’t sit any longer and wanted to get out in the fresh air.

A walk around Union Square holding hands and laughing, then stopping for a moment under a streetlight so Rick could kiss her. Shivers ran up her spine. They were not caused by the cold weather. The air had not cleared their heads from the alcohol yet, and Alison whispered to Rick that they should take the cable car to her place.

Half an hour later, they walked through her front door. Rick was obviously impressed with her house. They finished the tour in the kitchen and as they turned to go back into the living room, Alison stopped abruptly, knowing Rick would collide with her from behind. Instead, he gracefully took her in his arms, and when she responded willingly, kissed her deeply.

“You are so sexy,” Rick purred as he slid his hand up the outside of her thigh. Alison offered no resistance.

He kissed her lips tentatively once, twice, and then looked into her eyes again. This time Alison saw wonder in his gaze, and then she felt her bones turn to jelly in his arms. She softly entwined her fingers in his tie and pulled him close, not particularly gently. Their open mouths met passionately, tongues wrestled purposefully, chests pressed up tightly. Heartbeats could be felt, which was whose Alison could no longer tell.

His lips moved to her neck, kissing, biting, and sucking. Alison writhed with pleasure, and turned around so he could kiss the sensitive spot at the back of her neck. She pressed against him, and could feel all of him now firm against her backside. Every part of him was aroused and desperately seeking to be ever closer. His muscular arm stretched his soft hand around her and slid inside her blouse. He reached out to touch her cheek with his other hand.

Alison took him by the hand and led him into the bedroom. It was dark in there, nearly pitch black. Somehow, as their bodies pressed together, hands and lips exploring, sweat beads forming, their clothes slowly loosened and fell. They eventually collapsed on the bed with delightful abandon. Bodies came together naturally, without force, without guidance, without manipulation. They sank into a warm, urgent, wonderful fulfilling place that Alison never wanted to emerge from.

She almost never did. The two of them spent the weekend in bed, making love, eating delivery pizza and Chinese food, occasionally glancing to the football games on the television, and reading the Sunday paper. It was the perfect weekend, the way they were supposed to be, two people shut in together who wanted only each other and nothing to do with the outside world.

But then the time came for them to part, so Rick could go back to his hotel for Sunday night sleep, clean clothes, and court preparation. Alison had a lighter schedule, but nonetheless also needed to refocus on life without Rick for the next few days.

His smell was everywhere after he left, in spite of Alison showering and washing the sheets. She filled her nostrils—and her heart—with the sense of him. This was certainly more than just a fling, for both of them. Had two people ever come together like this before? Everything was …right. Perfect. Unbelievable. When he had kissed her goodbye, he said he loved her. That didn’t bother Alison one bit. It seemed …appropriate, somehow. She didn’t say it back, but she felt it. She knew she was already in love with him.

And now life would be very different. Alison didn’t know exactly what the future would hold. She just had to wait and quell her anxiety. Knowing they would be together again soon was enough.

CHAPTER THREE

Over the next several weeks, Alison and Rick settled into a routine more like that of a newlywed couple than two singles who only recently joined forces. Rick’s trial was coming along smoothly, so he didn’t have to put in much time once court was finished for the day. He connected with Alison by seven or so most weeknights. Alison realized trial lawyers often feel a need to spend each evening reviewing what they did that day and assessing their plan for tomorrow while eating delivery food. But Rick’s legal team didn’t seem to work that way. They had carefully prepared their case and things were going well, so they didn’t feel they had to keep reviewing and reassessing their strategy. Alison noticed none of the attorneys with the partnering firm ever invited Rick anywhere, which seemed odd to her. She didn’t know if this bothered Rick or not.

Alison and Rick also had lunch together occasionally. He would call and then come by her office to get her for a quick lunch date, sometimes from the hot dog vendor on the corner and other times Japanese fast food over on the next block.

He even invited her to court a couple of times so she could see some of the trial. Alison enjoyed that. He was masterful in the courtroom, an orator of the first order, with a calming presence that was appreciated by the jurors. Alison was excited to watch them watch him.

Some nights they stayed in his hotel room, mostly because he had materials to review and didn’t want to drag it all to her house. That was fine with Alison. She knew the room service menu by heart after a few nights, but began asking for special salads and other off-menu items. The kitchen went out of its way to prepare whatever she wanted, which she shamefully acknowledged getting used to, although she was a little concerned about her specialty orders appearing on Rick’s tab.

But most of the time they spent the night at her house. Rick got a chance to see just what a good catch she was as she prepared his favorite foods in grandiose fashion. He loved salmon in any way, shape, or form. Alison experimented with new salmon dishes for him here and there. They were both fond of fusion foods, especially those that blended hoisin sauce with lighter meats and southwest vegetables. One night she even made cheese blintzes, which Rick said he’s always loved but rarely had the opportunity to have. Rick was not much of a dessert eater.

Alison was struck by how virile he was. No matter how busy he’d been or how tired he was from court that day, it didn’t keep him from wanting to make love with her—sometimes the moment he came through the door.

The wonderful month of December moved by faster than either of them could control. Christmas approached. Rick began to talk about the trial coming to an end. One day he casually mentioned he was taking his children to visit his parents in Vermont for the Christmas week. There was no invitation extended to her, but Alison really didn’t expect one. She figured the time away would actually work as a positive thing for them, giving him a chance to miss her, and then they could talk about how to move forward.

On December 20
^th
they went out for a night of Beach Blanket Babylon, held at Club Fugazi in North Beach. It was a show designed in the late sixties and eventually became one of the most popular stage programs to ever appear in San Francisco. Sets were designed as San Francisco landscapes and the performers took part in unique, trendy skits and musical pieces while wearing outrageous costumes. They impersonated newsworthy celebrities and made fun of everything in pop culture including bestselling books. The show was nothing short of mind boggling. Some of the performers had been with the show since its inception.