Stone In Love

Chapter 6

Mr. Pearlman stood at his open door, scrutinizing Colin and his flowers, and when my dear, elderly neighbor saw me standing at my door, he stuck his head into the hallway. "I take it this gentleman is here to see you, Reese?"

"Either that or you've earned yourself an admirer, Mr. Pearlman." I couldn't help grinning. The scene was too priceless not to. "Gee, Colin. A gift box and now flowers. You're quite the romantic."

Before Colin could respond, Mr. Pearlman stepped toward him, craning his turtle-like neck to give Colin a closer inspection. "So, you're the fellow who gave Reese that unusual gift. A bold move, son. Sending a girl cherries."

Colin's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Oh, well... It was an inside joke, sir."

My cheeks caught fire as Colin stuttered out his response, and I felt compelled to interrupt before the moment grew more awkward. "Colin, is there something I can help you with?"

Colin held the bouquet out to me, looking relieved to have a reason to turn away from Mr. Pearlman's old man stare. "I stopped by to deliver these and see if you got my gift. Apparently, I misjudged the apartment number."

"Do you want to explain how you knew where I lived?"

"GPS," he said without flinching.

It seemed I was being forced to deal with the situation I'd been avoiding, and I tried not to scowl as I accepted the flowers. I didn't want Mr. Pearlman to worry that I'd attracted a stalker to our doors. Hopefully, Colin wouldn't prove me right. "Why don't you come inside, Colin, since you went through all the trouble and only missed by one number."

Looking relieved, Colin entered my apartment, and I offered Mr. Pearlman a reassuring smile. "Thanks for looking out for me, Mr. Pearlman. I can handle things from here. And I've always got my slugger close at hand."

Mr. Pearlman nodded uncertainly as he retreated indoors. I knew he thought of me like a granddaughter, and he probably didn't appreciate my irreverent joke. If I really was his kin, I  doubt I would get away with anything.

Colin hadn't made it far when he stopped to stare at the photographs on my living room wall. There was Saint Patrick's Cathedral, the Church of Saint John, the gargoyles of Notre Dame and Twenty Exchange Place, among others. The Notre Dame print was the most impressive though, spanning the length of my couch.

"These are nice," he said. "Did you take the photos?"

"I took all of them but the gargoyles. It's nearly impossible to get a shot like that without having wings of your own." I chuckled and he followed it with a forced laugh that had me feeling self-conscious, like I had somehow insulted him.

"I take it you have a thing for gothic architecture," he said.

"If you want to call an obsession a thing. New York has done a good job of preserving many of their historical buildings. I guess we can thank your brother for that, huh?"

Colin's expression hardened as he turned his dark eyes on me. "Are you talking about Vincent?"

"Yes. Do you have more than one brother?"

"There are three of us. I also have an adopted brother, so technically there are four."

"Oh? I come from a nontraditional family too. I was adopted."

He bobbed his head knowingly, as if my nontraditional nature was written all over my face. "So, I take it you've had a chance to ask Vincent about his obsession with gothic architecture, or did you read it somewhere? Every time I turn around, he's cheesing it up for the camera or championing some new campaign."