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  Silence permeated the night. Eventually, Vaughn spoke. “Carl, I am absolutely the last person that would ever try to diminish your grief, but it’s been six years. You don’t think you’re ready to go past casual dates?”

  Carlton looked over at his friend. Sadness etched his features. “I can’t,” he repeated.

  “Why?”

  “I love her too damn much.”

  Vaughn lowered his head. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to push.”

  “You weren’t. I know it’s what Angella wants—more than anything, but I just can’t extend myself that far. Not yet, at any rate.”

  By the time Vaughn arrived home it was almost two in the morning. He had taken the roundabout way to get back to his house to have some time to think. His best friend was still mourning the death of his wife. Vaughn knew he’d loved her, but to still be that devastated six years later gave him insight into the depth of Carlton’s love and commitment.

  Once he parked his car in the garage, he entered the house through the connecting door. He walked through the mud-room into the kitchen not bothering to cut on any lights. Vaughn dropped his keys and wallet in a dish sitting on one of the granite countertops. Mentally and physically tired, he made his way through the dark house and up the wide staircase to the second floor. When he entered his room, he flipped the switch on the wall. Bright light flooded the massive room.

  Vaughn slid the dimmer switch down until the glow was muted. He walked into his walk-in dressing room. He stripped his jeans, socks and silk shirt off and threw them in the hamper in the corner. Padding into the bathroom, he went straight for the shower to turn the water on.

  When the temperature was almost scalding, he stripped his briefs off and slid under the streams of water pouring out of the rain shower head. After he’d showered and brushed his teeth, Vaughn doused the light and headed into his bedroom. With a towel still wrapped around his middle he sat at the top of the bed. He glanced over at the telephone on his nightstand and noticed that the voicemail indicator was lit. He dialed his access number and waited.

  A look of surprise crossed his face at hearing Sienna’s voice.

  “Hi Vaughn, this is Sienna. I uh, wanted to let you know that I decided to accept your dinner invitation. Give me a call to let me know what day and time is convenient for you.”

  Vaughn skipped the message back a few seconds to write down her phone numbers.

  He saved the message before hanging up and then leaned back against the pillows. “Huh,” he said, aloud. Unable to contain the wide grin plastered across his face, he glanced over at the notepad on his table. He was sorry he’d missed her call, but looked forward to speaking with her in the morning. He would phone her while he was at Angella’s soccer game. The next question in his mind was where to take her on their date. Vaughn doused the light, flung the towel toward the general vicinity of his closet and got under the covers.

  Lying on his back, he folded his arms behind his head and stared into the darkness. “Nothing ordinary or stuffy for you, Doc,” he said. “We need to get you out of your comfort zone.” An idea popped into his head causing him to laugh into the silence. “That’ll work.” Vaughn couldn’t wait to see how she handled his idea. He knew it was mischievous of him, but he couldn’t help it. She’d set him on his ear by wearing men’s underwear just to get under his skin. Vaughn figured it was high time he returned the favor. Her figure materialized in his mind’s eye. He could see the shocked look on her face at his choice. “Sweet dreams, Sienna,” Vaughn murmured. “I’ll most definitely see you tomorrow.”

  Chapter Eight

  The Build Up

  Being awakened from a deep sleep, and an even better dream, by the shrill ring of a telephone wasn’t exactly the way Sienna envisioned starting her day. Turning over, her hand immediately reached for her cordless phone. She jammed the talk button. “Hello?” she said, groggily, her head face down in the pillow.

  “You’re still asleep?”

  “Viv?” Sienna yawned. “Why are you calling me so early?”

  “Early? It’s eight thirty, Sienna. Since when do you sleep so late?”

  “Since I didn’t get to bed until two in the morning.” She rolled over onto her back and then flicked her hair out of her face. “What.”

  “Did he call?”

  “You woke me up to ask if Vaughn called?”

  “Of course I’m calling to see if Vaughn called. You can’t be surprised.”

  “No, I haven’t spoken to him, yet. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going back to bed.”

  “Why? You’re up now. You might as well—”

  “Goodbye Vivian,” Sienna replied before her thumb connected with the off button.

  Thirty minutes later the phone rang again. Annoyance set in. This time when she answered the phone her voice was curt. “Can’t you let me sleep in peace?”

  “I suppose I could, but then I wouldn’t get to hear your sexy morning voice.”

  Cold water doused over her head couldn’t have woken Sienna up any faster. “Vaughn,” she replied, instantly awake.

  “Good morning, Doc. I’d ask you how you are,” he chuckled, “but apparently someone already beat me to it.”

  “Vivian called a while ago,” she confessed sitting up in bed. “Normally I’m up by now, but I didn’t get to sleep until after two this morning.”

  “Me either. If I’d have known you were up I would’ve called,” he taunted.

  Loud shouting and clapping rang in Sienna’s ear. A puzzled look crossed her face. “Are you at a football game or something?”

  “Close. I’m at Angella’s soccer match. The visiting team just scored a goal.”

  Sienna booed into the phone causing Vaughn to laugh. “That’s what I wanted to do, but that wouldn’t be politically correct of me. Plus, I didn’t want to cause a riot. Parents take the game way more seriously than the kids.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  “So, I got your message.”

  She liked the way his voice took on a playful tone. “Were you surprised?”

  “Pleasantly. Are you available tonight?”

  Rule number nine: Never, ever appear too eager. “I’m not too sure. I’ll need to check my schedule.”

  “Okay, in that case if you want to call me later…”

  Rule number ten: If a president has been elected since your last date, ignore rule number nine. Sienna laughed. “I’m kidding. What time?”

  “How about I pick you up around five thirty?”

  “That would be great,” She gave him her address. “So, what’s the dress code?”

  “Casual is fine.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Now that, Dr. Lambert, is confidential. You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Intrigued, Sienna’s mind sifted through the possibility of. dinner, candles, and soft music. She could picture him just inches across from her, leaning in so they could….”

  “Sienna?”

  There was no response.

  “Doc?” Vaughn said, a little louder.

  “Hmm? Oh, sorry,” Though he couldn’t see it she blushed at being caught daydreaming. “What did you say?”

  “I said that I’d see you later on, and for you to have a great day.”

  “Thanks. You do the same,” Sienna told him, before hanging up.

  She fell back against the pillows. The smile that was plastered across her face rivaled the sun streaming into her bedroom window. After she’d replayed their conversation in her head—twice—she called her best friend. As soon as Vivian picked up the phone Sienna happily filled her in.

  “Saint’s preserve us,” Vivian said, loudly into her ear. “So what time and what’cha wearing?”

  After the game Carlton drove Angella home so Vaughn phoned his younger brother to invite him to lunch. Surprisingly he answered his home phone, and was available.

  “I have to admit I’m kind of shocked,” Vaughn confessed.

  “Consider
it your lucky day. Meet me at 510 in thirty minutes.”

  “You’re on. Where are we eating?”

  “Hi5, of course.”

  Vaughn wasn’t surprised. Hi5 was a sports bar and restaurant located within the trendy building known as 510 Glenwood Avenue. Condos were on the top floor, restaurants and other shops on the street level. A constant on his brother’s short list was someplace to eat, drink and watch sports. Absolute must-haves for a retired football player, and having his favorite things under the same roof was an added bonus.

  “I’ll meet you there, but I’m not staying all day, Pierce. I mean it.”

  “What’s so dire, Vaughn? You went out yesterday with Angella so what’s the rush? It’s not like you have a hot date or anything.”

  When Vaughn remained silent Pierce whistled into the phone. “You have a hot date?” Pierce said, incredulous.

  “It’s a date,” Vaughn confirmed. “We just met so I wouldn’t qualify it as hot.”

  “The psych major accepted your apology?”

  “That she did.”

  “Finally, some of my charm is rubbing off on you. Mom would be proud. Remind me to tell Chase the next time I call him.”

  “Clock’s ticking little brother. See you in twenty.”

  True to his word, Vaughn left in plenty of time to drive home, shower, get re-dressed and then relax until it was time to leave. Sienna told him she lived in the Wakefield Pines community which was only about fifteen minutes from his house. Once he was on the main road he called her. “I just wanted you to know I should be there in about fifteen minutes. Is that okay?”

  “Oh sure,” Sienna replied. “I’ll see you shortly.”

  After she’d hung up, she glanced frantically at her friend. “I’ve got less than fifteen minutes,” her voice was panic stricken. “Will this work or not?”

  Vivian was lounging in the loveseat in Sienna’s bedroom. “Girl, as I told you an hour ago, you will look great in whatever you choose to wear. The operative word here being choose.”

  “Viv, you aren’t funny,” Sienna said, sarcastically. She threw the discarded dress on her bed before dashing back into her closet.

  The wooden hangers were being scraped loudly across the metal pole. Drawers opened and shut repeatedly and over the loud commotion Sienna talked to herself.

  “I’m hearing some very un-lady like language from in there,” Vivian remarked about her friend’s grousing. “Hey, I thought you two were just friends? Do you take this much time to get dressed when you go out with all your ‘just friends’ or is Vaughn special?”

  “This isn’t funny,” Sienna retorted, in a muffled voice. She hobbled out of her closet with a mound of clothing in her arms.

  Vivian watched her friend shuffling across the room with a pair of pants around her ankles. “You do know you’re over analyzing again don’t you? Sienna, just pick something. You’ll look beautiful no matter what you’re wearing.”

  “He said casual,” Sienna gasped as she kicked the jeans off, and then went face down into her mattress. Slowly climbing up over the mound of clothes, she power surfed through her outfits. “Does that mean dressy casual, sort of casual or all the way casual? There are too many variables here.”

  A piece of dark clothing went sailing past her friend’s head. “Sienna, I just looked at the clock.”

  “So?”

  “So crazy person, you’re out of time. Either you pick something and get dressed, or I will dress you myself.”

  “Okay,” Sienna snapped. “I can do this. Give me twenty seconds.”

  “Fine.” Vivian eyed her watch. “Go.”

  Motionless, Sienna’s eyes scanned quickly over the extensive clothing. She flicked a few things out of her way before she settled on a choice. “Done.”

  “Good. Go,” Vivian said, pointing toward the doorway.

  Sienna dropped the robe she’d been wearing and put on khaki Capri pants and a raspberry colored short-sleeve tee-shirt. White canvas shoes with white ankle socks finished out the ensemble. Vivian tossed her the matching zip-down jacket, and then followed her into the bathroom. When Sienna began twisting her hair into a bun Vivian frowned. “Why in the world are you wearing your hair like that? It’s a date, not a symposium.”

  “I’m comfortable with it like this.”

  “Precisely my point. Throw caution to the wind and wear it down. You have lovely hair, girl. Why hide it in that ridiculous style? Rule number…what number are you on?”

  Sienna was thoughtful. “Eleven, why?”

  “Rule number eleven,” Vivian said, loudly. “Stop wearing outdated hairdos even your grandmother wouldn’t wear—and she’s dead.”

  Sienna observed her reflection in the mirror. Her dark, wavy hair lay against her shoulders. She contemplated following Vivian’s advice. When the doorbell rang, she quickly brushed it back into a ponytail and secured it with a scrunchy before donning her glasses.

  Her best friend sighed. “You look like someone’s mother’s school teacher.”

  “Do not,” she quipped before running out of the room toward the stairs.

  Sienna reached the bottom of the stairs and forced herself to walk slowly across the foyer to the front door. She slid her tongue over her teeth and blew into her hands. Satisfied that she wasn’t offensive she opened the door.

  “Hi.” Vaughn smiled at her.

  “Hi yourself.” She grinned. “Come in.”

  She stepped aside to allow Vaughn to enter her home. When he moved further into the room she closed the door. “Welcome to Lambert Landing,”

  Vaughn’s gaze roamed the room. He was amazed at how bright it was. Hardwood floors and neutral paint made it welcoming.

  “Would you like a tour of the first floor?”

  “Sure.”

  Sienna took him through each room. He noted that the ceilings had to be ten feet tall with crown moulding throughout. White columns flanked the entryway from the living room to the dining room. The decorating was done in warm tones. A white loveseat and two dark brown chairs were arranged with the fireplace as the focal point.

  When she got to a room off to itself with glass doors he stopped her.

  “You play the piano?”

  “Yes. My mother insisted. She was a piano teacher.”

  He turned to face her. “Are you any good?”

  With a devilish grin Sienna walked over to the piano. Leaning over the keys, she played a few bars from Scott Joplin’s, The Entertainer. When she stopped Vaughn clapped.

  “I’d say that was a resounding yes.”

  She ushered him back into the main living space. Vaughn perused the pieces of African art, sculptures and scenic desert pictures around the rooms. “Wow, this is a beautiful home, Sienna. This is some serious space for a townhouse.”

  “I know. The minute I saw it I knew there would be no more hours spent looking at houses and driving around. I was home.”

  “It suits you.” Vaughn’s gaze traveled over her. “You look beautiful, too.”

  His compliment made her smile. “Maybe the house is rubbing off on me.”

  They stared at each other for several seconds until the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs drew their attention.

  “Don’t mind me, I’m just leaving.”

  “Hi Vivian, great to see you again.”

  “Likewise, Vaughn.” Vivian squeezed Sienna’s arm on the way out. “Have fun,” She mouthed.

  The solitary sound of the door being shut reiterated that they were alone and still standing in the middle of the foyer. Neither had moved and they were still facing each other. After a few moments, Vaughn cleared his throat.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Sure. Just give me a sec.” Sienna went to retrieve her purse. “So, where are we going?” she inquired when she returned.

  “I’m not telling. It’s still a surprise.” He opened the door to let her out.

  Sienna walked onto the brick landing. Vaughn followed her closing the front do
or behind him. She leaned in to lock it. They walked a few feet down the brick walkway to the driveway in front of her garage. Her cool air-conditioned skin warmed rapidly in the summer heat. Vaughn opened the car door to his silver Audi convertible.

  “Thank you.” She eased in and fastened her seatbelt.

  “My pleasure,” Vaughn replied, on the way around the car.

  He slid into the driver’s seat. After he turned the car on he turned to her. Would you like me to put the top up?”

  “Oh, no you don’t have to. I’m fine. I love convertibles. I used to have one when I was much younger.”

  “I had my dad’s old sedan until I graduated from college. After I’d been at my real job for a year I treated myself to an upgrade.”

  She laughed. “Do tell. What did you upgrade to?”

  “I got a Toyota Camry.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s the car I drive now. I have the Hybrid.”

  During the drive they chatted about their likes, dislikes and philosophies on life. There were a few points they differed on, but not much. Vaughn was filling her in on his worst client when Sienna glanced around. “We’re on Briar Creek Parkway. Come on, you can tell me now where we’re headed can’t you?”

  “You haven’t guessed by now?”

  “No,” she confessed. She thought about the upscale restaurants in the area.

  Vaughn couldn’t contain his mirth. “I definitely would’ve thought you’d figure it out by now.” He turned right and drove up an incline. Sienna was perplexed. “We’re getting your car washed before dinner?”

  The laughter echoed throughout the car. When he drove further up the driveway Sienna took in the massive yellow, red, and blue structure. She turned to him. “Frankie’s?”

  “Yep.”

  Vaughn found someone coming out up front. He turned his signal on and waited for them to back out. He took the time to study Sienna to see if she was mad about his choice. She merely looked curious. That has to be a good sign. He told himself. A few moments later, he eased into their space. He got out of the car and walked around to open her door. He held his hand out. Sienna placed her palm in his. He closed his hand with hers still inside it. “Come on, Doc,” he laughed, pulling her behind him. “Let’s go have some fun.”