Chapter sixteen

The afternoon before Tannen was to leave for L.A., Gail received a text message from Jordann. It read:

Harry requests the presence of one Tannen Albright and one Gail Prescott, tonight. A table will be reserved for dinner. 8 P.M. Will you be here?

Gail responded to the text: See you at 8.

Talley's was crowded when they entered. Jordann met them immediately.

"Harry has prepared a wonderful meal for you," she said. "What a find he was for the restaurant. He's extended the menu with mouthwatering dinners." She seated them. Jordann opened a bottle of cabernet sauvignon and poured two glasses. "Dinner will be out in a few minutes."

"No wine for me, Jordann. I'll just have water with the meal."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Gail. Can I get your something else?"

"Iced tea would be fine."

Gail watched Joey as he pushed a cart toward them.

"Good evening, ladies," Joey said. "No salads tonight. Harry insisted you cut right into the heart of the meal."

"Mmm. What a beautiful rack of lamb. I can smell the rosemary and garlic," Tannen said.

"With carrot stuffing," Joey added. He served Tannen and then Gail.

Another waiter joined Joey and handed him a tray. He turned and walked away quickly. Gail watched the direction he'd taken.

"Stuffed zucchini with a light marinara sauce," Joey said.

Gail suddenly stood and excused herself.

Tannen looked up quickly. "Are you okay, darling?"

"Yes. I'll be back in a minute."

Gail hastily followed the waiter's path through the myriad of tables and chatty patrons. She zigged and zagged until she pushed open the aluminum kitchen doors. Ducking the pots and pans overhead, Gail finally located him, just as he was about to place a hairnet over his brown and wavy hair. He looked up.

"I thought I was being clever," Harry said.

"I would have never recognized you, if I hadn't noticed the scar on your thumb," Gail said. A haircut and shave revealed that Harry was a nice-looking man. She surmised he was in his mid thirties and not in his fifties as she originally thought.

"Some women like scars. Did you know that?" He set the hairnet on the stainless steel table beside him. "They zero right in on them, and that makes a man macho in their eyes. It was actually quite painful. Painful chick bait." He took her hand with both of his. "Hello, Gail," he said.

"Hello, Harry. You look terrific. You're smiling."

"You've made it possible. Hans and I are indebted to you."

"I'm glad we could help you." She looked at his polished black shoes. "Italian leather?"

"Faux Italian leather, but they look great."

"Will you come back to the table with me? Tannen wants to meet you."

"Sure."

Dinner began with two but ended with four. Jordann and Harry joined them at Tannen's insistence. Chef Harry personally served his three-berry lemon trifle for dessert.

"I'm taking him home with us, darling," Tannen said after her first bite of dessert. "This trifle is an oral orgasm, Harry." She dipped into the dessert a second time.

Harry related humorous stories about his life on the street. He also explained how he had found Gail, unconscious and embedded in shrubbery.

"When the rain ended, I walked through Washington Square Park and saw her shoeless foot sticking out from under a bush. There was an umbrella torn to shreds sticking out from the top. When I recognized Gail," he looked thoughtfully at her, "I especially had to help, but no one would help me." He shrugged and went on. "I had to pull a lot of the shrubs from the roots before I could get her out without the bush shredding her arms. I took her to a room I know and cared for her as best I could. Gail was unconscious for most of the time. When she wasn't, she insisted on going to Tiffany's for breakfast. Repeatedly, she'd get up, try to walk out, and then she would collapse. The last time she insisted, I decided to take her there. I was able and it sure beat her getting a concussion. She'd been through enough as it was. It was a haul, and it was crazy, but I got her there. That's when her phone rang."

Gail watched while he spoke. Harry turned out to be a nice man and good conversationalist, as well as an excellent chef. She was proud of this newfound person. Gail knew Harry would become a good friend.

Back at Tannen's apartment, the women undressed and slipped into their nightclothes. They cuddled on the sofa. Gail reached for the stereo remote control and tuned to a jazz station. Diana Krall's voice fell softly around them.

"What a fun night," Tannen said. "Harry was very charming."

"Yes, he was." Gail looked at Tannen and took her hand. "I hate the thought of you leaving tomorrow. Would you call them and tell them all to go to hell? Please? For me?"

"I wish I could, darling. What are your plans while I am away?"

"I'll get into the garden and do some work." She kissed Tannen's cheek. "I'm also scheduled to begin therapy with Dr. Goldman. Twice a week, to start."

"It's a brave act."

Gail nodded. "Scary, too." She ran her fingers through the top of Tannen's hair. "I'm very happy for Karen and Jeff."

She turned to look at Gail. "Did you really fantasize about Karen and me?"

"Yes, I did."

"Will you tell me the fantasy?" Tannen cooed, encouraging Gail to divulge the secret.

Gail grinned. "Maybe I will when you come home." She rested her lips atop Tannen's head. "The same day you tell me about your previous woman."

Tannen cuddled closer. "You know, of course, we'll have to invite Pam and Janeane for a little sit-down regarding Tenfold. I think we can wait until after the Cape."

"Maybe we could invite them to the Cape. Karen would be in her glory, sitting among the stars, trying to break them down. Knowing her, she'd probably try to arrange a constellation from the three of you."

"She's fun." She pulled Gail's arms tightly around her. "Darling?"

"What?" Gail kissed the top of Tannen's head.

"What do you think about us? Can we make this work?"

"We're set in our ways, and I don't mean my ways with women. That's over. I mean...well, habits...general, everyday things. It should be interesting and fun. I will say I've never wanted to be with another woman the way I want to be with you."

"I'll hold you to that, darling. I feel that you're the right person for me."

Gail squeezed Tannen. "I love you. I'm so happy now that I'm able to say I love you."

Tannen curled into Gail's arms. "Darling, if you were writing our story, how would you end this night?"

Gail thought for a moment. "Well, readers might want to read a sexy, obligatory shower scene." She flashed her eyes at Tannen. "On the other hand, a gratifying love scene could please them, but perhaps one performed on your breakfast bar or on top of the piano, but not in a bed."

"On the breakfast bar? Do you like that sort of thing? I prefer a bed for sex," Tannen said. "I like comfort."

Gail grinned. "Maybe not the breakfast bar, but the piano could be interesting." She looked toward the alcove window. "Your alcove would be fun. I would write your neighbors in as watching us." Tannen winced. "I might open the alcove window."

Tannen poked Gail's rib. "They may see my arse on screen, but not in my alcove. You could write a gentle love scene, or a lascivious one. You could write none at all, depending on your mood. It must be nice to have such control with characters."

"Writing fiction is fun. Writers are gods on paper, because we control everything. But I don't think I would want anyone in our bedroom."

"Good! Nor would I, and especially not on our last night together." Tannen jumped up and scurried to the closet. She grabbed a light coat for Gail. "Come here, darling." When Gail approached, she said, "Put this on." Tannen handed Gail the summer evening coat and grabbed another. Tannen put hers on quickly.

"Why do we need these?" Gail asked, pushing the sleeves to her elbow.

"Your readers can have a lovely fantasy about the alcove or the bedroom. Meanwhile, we're going to pamper ourselves with luxury at the Plaza tonight." Tannen grabbed her stilettos and pulled Gail toward the door. "I've ordered a nice casting couch for the room."

"Are you insane, Tannen? We're in nightgowns!" She stopped, reached for her sandals, and pulled them on. Considering the grip Tannen had on her arm, Gail knew there was no way out of this.

"And we still look 'mah-velous,' to quote a famous writer lady." Tannen reached for the door. "My treat for the Plaza, and your treat for the cab."

"We're walking," Gail insisted.

"But it's-"

Not unlike the way John Wayne had yanked Maureen O'Hara when she attempted a quick escape from his cottage in Innisfree, Gail grabbed Tannen's hand and pulled her sharply into her arms.

Gail whispered, "Just a good stretch of the legs," and kissed Tannen deeply. "I've always wanted to do that," she said as she lost herself within Tannen's eyes.

Tannen said nothing, but no words were necessary. Her gentle sigh and soft smile spoke volumes. Gail reached behind her, opened the door, and Tannen walked out smiling broadly.

Gail closed the door behind them.

Дата добавления: 2015-08-27