Hearts & Minds | WATTY Winner

Chapter 14 | Pied-à-terre | Part 3

Claudia set down another order. "For you, Miss Rainey."

Rainey glanced at the ticket. "Well, whatever you're doing, he's here now. I sent him to the bench. Talk to him when you have a sec. Hao bu hao?" Rainey used the bit of Mandarin she remembered from the three years she spent taking it in high school.

"Hao," Nora said. She had taken it four years and an additional two in college. "Fine."

It was another half-hour or so before things in the salon slowed down. Every now and then, Nora shot glances at the window. Theo was still there, looking at his phone. When Nora finally went outside she noticed a party of young women waiting for a table surreptitiously checking him out, giggling and making appreciative noises. He really was devastatingly handsome. She had a moment to admire his profile before he sensed her gaze and looked up.

"Hey," he stood quickly and leaned down to hug her.

"Aw. Too bad," one of the disappointed women grumble.

Nora gently pulled away from him. She would be civil. Nothing more. "So...you're done with traveling for now?"

"I am. Well. I leave for a consult in Santa Barbara in a couple of days, but it's not a big deal." He studied her face, unsure. "I know you're pretty busy now, but can you get away a little early for dinner? I'm staying at my mom's place."

Nora's puzzled look caused him to stutter. "S-sorry....Your old place. She fixed it up. Not that it needed fixing. It was great before. But, she just, you know, put in her own personal Bunny-style touches. Is all. You want to see it?"

"Pardon?"

"Come see the flat. With me. She's not there," he quickly added when he saw the expression on her face. "She's in Mendocino with Pumpkin and a friend doing some package deal. They're at a fancy resort that's cool with dogs. I was supposed to go, but I got out of it. So, what do you say?"

Nora found herself agreeing to go up to Bunny's pied-à-terre. She skipped out of her shift early and went home to shower and change. Rainey and Margaret were still at work, so she was in and out quickly, and before she knew it, at the door to her old home. It was a lot like her new home in that stairs led to the second floor. She rang the bell and could hear Theo before she could see him, hustling like thunder down the steps to let her in.

There they were again, face to face. They took a moment to look each other over. She was still wearing her fake smile. But it was wilting under the force of Theo's genuine one.

"You look so beautiful," he said.

Nora glanced down at herself. Jeans, a black tunic top and metallic pink Toms. Her hair was down though, still damp from the shower. She'd forgotten make-up, applying the lipgloss that was always in her little purse on the walk over.

"Thank you," she said. "You look...tired." She couldn't help the honest observation. Theo did seem a touch worn. The skin under his eyes was dark, smudgy. She hadn't noticed before. He'd grown thinner too, his cheekbones more prominent. His button-down chambray shirt hung loosely.

"I've been working a lot." He gestured for her to go up the stairs ahead of him.

"I noticed," she said, once they were at the top. "On Facebook. You're all over the world except Antarctica."

"That's on the list for this fall, actually. A scientist wants to talk about the wine they're making down there. How cool is that?"

She laughed. "I can't imagine."

"I'm really glad you agreed to come over. Because if you didn't, I'd have a lot of Thai food to eat on my own. I hope takeout's okay? I thought it would be nice to stay in this time."

"It's great."

He went to the kitchen and opened a bottle of Harvey-Furlan fume blanc, and Nora finally allowed herself to look around. She reluctantly admitted to herself that the changes Bunny had made to the place were impressive—and right. The kitchen was brand new, and a wall had been removed to open it up into the combined living/dining room. It was modern, enhanced with elegant furnishings. They looked like they were from estate sales, yet had been freshened with new slipcovers. The paintings and black-and-white photographs on the walls were originals. Some were abstract while others depicted flowers, trees, and nature landscapes.

Theo handed Nora a glass of the chilled wine, then led her into the back of the apartment. There were three bedrooms. The master had an ensuite bathroom with a skylight. The other two rooms shared a bathroom in the hall. One bedroom had a queen bed and the other two twins.

"I'm twenty-six and I still get a kid's room." Theo grinned wryly. "Talk about Peter Pan syndrome."

"You'll always be her baby."

"Nah. My brother will always be her baby. I'll just be...I don't know what."

Nora peered into the room with two beds again.

"That's how it's always been when we're away from home," Theo said to a comment Nora had not made. "The boys share a room and our sister gets her own."

"As it should be."

"Hm. You and my mom are more alike than not."

Nora couldn't think of anything to say right away that wouldn't sound insulting. But when she looked into Theo's eyes, she impulsively said, "Not in the way we feel about you."

It was a moment full of potential as they stood together, so close, in the doorway. Nora found herself pulled into his gaze, like a hypnotist's mark. She managed to turn away.

"What smells so good?"

She kept their conversation on neutral territory during dinner. Work! That was neutral enough. Her mother's obsession with TV shows like The Good Wife and, not so oddly, Teen Wolf. How they had stashed Uncle Cole's urn on a built-in bookcase with their favorite literature. Bunny had declined taking them, and Cole had not specified what to do with his ashes.

Nora told Theo about Rainey's new beau, Will Jones—possibly serious but it was Rainey, so who really knew? She didn't even bother to mention Sam Brandon, even though she still hoped he'd be front and center soon.

As Theo poured more wine, she silently mulled. They were making their way quickly through the bottle.

"What about you?" he asked, spearing a piece of curried tofu with his fork. "Are you seeing someone?"

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Find out how Nora answers Theo's question on Friday when I post the final part of this chapter, Pied-à-terre! Thank you for continuing to read HEARTS & MINDS. Please do let me know how you are enjoying it with your votes and comments. x, Olivia