“The scene of many crimes.”
“I’ll be there, but not sure exactly when.”
“Crunch time?”
“Something like that.”
“You wasted the day with me yesterday. You should’ve been working.”
“Listen up, sweetheart. No time spent with you is wasted. Remember that. I’m used to pulling all-nighters.”
Her laugh was as light as a moonbeam. “Like we were still in school. I remember us cramming for exams, testing each other…
“Keep remembering the good stuff, Jenny. I’ve still got deadlines, projects, and a new curriculum for the fall to finalize. It’s all good. And being here, with you again…what can I say? It’s everything.”
“I-I…
“Shush. No pressure. I’m a patient man.” He hadn’t known just how patient until now. He’d give her all the time she needed to find the real Jen, the girl she’d turned her back on years ago.
“I’ll say only one thing,” Jen began slowly.
Her tone of voice put him on alert. “And what would that be?”
“I-I’m glad you came back. Our ending was…rough. But we’re adults now.
Whatever happens between us this time won’t be so emotional.”
He tried not to laugh. Where did she get her ideas? “Is that right, my Henny-Penny? Are you saying that love is totally rational? Logical?”
“Oh, don’t put words in my mouth. I didn’t say anything at all about love. It’s just-just… oh, forget it.”
But he wouldn’t forget her confusion, her effort to avoid sharing that deepest of all emotions. “You do realize you’d put every songwriter out of business if love were a purely rational thing. But still, you’re giving this man some hope. I think
my next play will be called, The Courtship of Jennifer Delaney. It will be an opus, running 568 pages and taking ten hours to present.”
“You’ll lose a bundle on that one!” she said, amusement in her voice. “Not worth it.”
“Let me decide about that. Sweet dreams, Jenny.” He almost danced around his apartment after disconnecting. Pushing The Sanctuary aside, he pulled over Straight from the Heart. There was no one like Jennifer Delaney for a bit of inspiration. If Steve Kantor wanted to see a play instead of a novel, he’d get a play. With renewed energy, he began to read. Soon his fingers tapped the keyboard, and by three o’clock in the morning, he’d shaped the first act.
No matter how long it took his logic-only love to listen to her heart, he’d be waiting.
##
At her crowded table in Maguire’s, Jen glanced at her watch for the third time and then looked toward the door—again. If Doug didn’t show up pretty darn quick, he’d starve. Tonight’s send-off for Matt and Liz had morphed into a party of friends who’d taken up three tables and had already scoffed down platters of wings and meatballs, not to mention beer. And now the wait staff was taking dinner orders.
“Oh, well…” she murmured, “his loss.”
“Talking to yourself?” asked Alexis, “Or to the guy who just walked through the door?”
Jen swiveled around, spotted Doug, and felt her tension ease. “It’s just that he said he’d be here,” she protested, “said he wouldn’t miss it…”
Alexis laughed and patted her arm. “Man, you’ve got it bad. Doug seems like a great guy. I hope it works out for you.”
“Thanks,” said Jen, watching Doug weave his way through the tables. “But I’m not sure…”
“Typical,” Alexis replied with a dismissive wave. “You should have seen my
sister after meeting John, who is now her husband. What a wreck she was.
almost-walking-into-walls kind of wreck. She was up, down and sideways. But I’ve never seen her happier than now.”
“Really? Lisa and Mike were different,” Jen said, ruminating. “Crazy about each other from Day One. It was only later…because of us…”
Alexis squeezed her hand. “Forget it. Live in the present. And speaking of presents…here’s yours. Hi, Doug.”
“Sorry I’m late,” he said, after greeting the crowd in general. He slipped into the booth across from Jen, leaned over and kissed her quickly on the mouth.
She responded as naturally as if they touched every day. Oh, God, this is too easy. What am I doing? Is it just a habit? How will I know? Stop! Stop thinking.
There’s no rush.
“What a week,” continued Doug, smiling at her, “and the weekend looks almost the same…except…for this.” He whipped out a pair of tickets. “A gift from the theater management. Red Sox game tomorrow night at 7:05. Wanna go?”
“Of course, she does,” said Alexis.
“I’m right here, girlfriend.” Jen rolled her eyes at Alexis before turning her attention to Doug. “I’d rather watch my brothers play in their summer league, but since that’s out, I’ll settle for Fenway and the Red Sox.”
“Knowing your family, maybe one day, your brothers really will play at Fenway Park.” Doug grabbed a lonely fry and popped it into his mouth. “Cold, but I’m hungry. Worked through lunch. No finger foods for me tonight.”
