He tugged his tie all the way off and hung it on the tie rack, stepped out of his shoes and placed them on the shelf with the others then shut the closet door. Two rows of shoes. Sometimes he had to look more than once to believe it.
What he wanted was a cold beer, to stretch out on the couch and catch a Knicks game. He stripped out of his shirt, tossed it in the laundry bag and hung his slacks up with his jacket on the back of the door. He’d have Milton send everything over to the dry cleaner in the morning along with his other suit and the shirts from his trip.
He grabbed a white T-shirt from the middle drawer of his dresser and a pair of navy blue sweatpants that were faded and as soft as a baby’s blanket from years of washing and wearing. The U.S. Navy insignia on the right pocket was barely visible. He headed back upstairs with the hope that there was at least one beer in the fridge. He lucked out.
He plucked the bottle of Coors from the shelf and took a quick look at the contents inside the fridge and then the deep freezer, packed tight with meats, fish and chicken. A ball of tension knotted in his stomach. He walked over to the pantry and pulled the door open and then the cabinets one by one. His heart thundered in his chest. Not enough. There wasn’t enough. For a moment his right hand trembled ever so slightly as he ran it across the rows of canned goods, boxed items, bags of pastas, jars of sauces and columns of spices. What he saw was half full, not abundance. Rationally he understood that, but emotionally he saw empty. He felt pangs of hunger and an unreasonable fear that made his heart race.
He forced himself to close the cabinet door. He twisted off the cap on the beer bottle and took a long, calming swallow. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed his pulse to slow. By degrees he began to relax and the images of his past slowly receded.
Graham crossed the room, picked up the remote from the coffee table and aimed it at the wall-mounted flat-screen television. He surfed until he found the game before setting down the remote. Second quarter. The Knicks were down by ten. He shook his head, chuckled and stretched out on the couch.
When a commercial played across the screen showcasing a quartet of beautiful women celebrating with a night out on the town, he thought of Alexis Montgomery and wondered how she would fit in with his team and the pace of the New York lifestyle.
He’d read her résumé. It was impressive to say the least. She had an MBA in finance and a doctorate in education. She spoke fluent Spanish, French and was competent in Mandarin. She was well traveled, well-read and well respected, and she was definitely easy on the eyes. He was eager to hear her thoughts on the proposal that he’d given her to review. He liked the sound of her voice, the even throatiness of it and the way she looked directly at him. And even the way she tackled opening that bottle of water. He smiled and took another long swallow of beer just as the game resumed.
* * *
In a little under two hours, Alexis had unpacked and began to familiarize herself with her new digs. She’d set up her laptop in the smaller of the two bedrooms that she would use as her office. She’d verified that the cable was on and the internet was working—all courtesy of R.E.A.L. There were the basic staples in the fridge and pantry but she needed to go food shopping, especially to pick up some of the things that she liked. She had no idea where to go but maybe Milton could tell her where the nearest supermarket was.
She shoved her feet into her sneakers, grabbed her purse and dropped her cell phone inside. She palmed the weight of her new keys and grinned as she wrapped her fingers around them and her new life. She took another look around before heading out of the door.
Milton was reading the New York Times when she approached the front desk. “Ms. Montgomery.” He rested the paper on the desk. “How can I help you?”
“I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find the nearest supermarket.”
His right brow rose momentarily. “Certainly.” He frowned. “Should I get you a car service?”
“How far is it?”
“Several blocks.”
She smiled. “I’ll be fine. I could use a good walk and get a chance to see the neighborhood.”
He didn’t look convinced and gave a slight shrug. He came from behind the desk with the intention of walking with her outside and pointing her in the right direction, just as the elevator bell tinged and Graham stepped off. His dark eyes widened. A half smile teased his mouth as he approached the desk.
“Everything okay with your flat?”
Flat. That made her smile. “Fine. Everything is great. I was asking Milton about the supermarkets in the area. I want to pick up a few things.”
Graham placed the linen laundry bag with the building’s logo on the desk. “Can you send these out for me? The usual. Light starch on the shirts.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Stone.”
“If you don’t mind some company, I’ll walk with you,” Graham offered.
“Great.”
Graham extended his arm toward the front door.
* * *
The early-evening weather was still warm. Couples walked hand in hand and families strolled along the avenues pushing baby strollers, while others jogged to the rhythm of the tunes coming from their headsets and earbuds. The towering trees had begun to bloom, filling the air with the sweet scent of awakening.
“Great neighborhood,” Alexis said as they made the turn onto First Avenue.
“Yes, it is.”
She tilted her head to look at him. “You don’t sound convinced.”
He laughed lightly. “Oh, I’m convinced.” His eyes quickly roamed the street. “Who wouldn’t be?”
Alexis studied his profile for a moment, watching his countenance stiffen then relax as if he’d seen something he wished he hadn’t.
Graham pushed out a breath and turned his megawatt smile on her just as they approached Gristedes. He pulled open the heavy glass-and-chrome door. Alexis walked in ahead of him. Every aisle was lined with shoppers and the incredible assortment of goods was beyond imagination. It was a food lovers paradise.
“Take as much time as you need,” Graham said. “I have a few things to pick up myself and we can share a cab back.”
“Great. Thanks.”
“I’ll meet you up front when you’re done.”
She nodded in agreement, grabbed a shopping cart and started off. She probably should have eaten a full meal before setting foot in this emporium. She was tempted to purchase everything that she laid her eyes on and wished she’d brought a list. She selected a case of imported water, fresh vegetables and baked bread, fish, chicken and seasonings, sorbet, yogurt, fruit and mixings for salads. She could easily spend the day here, but her cart was nearly full. She pushed her cart to the checkout line and watched the numbers add up. New York prices were enough to send her into a sticker shock.
Alexis took out her credit card and reluctantly swiped it. Good thing this job pays well. She watched the groceries being bagged. Graham was standing at the store’s exit talking on his phone when she pushed her loaded cart next to him.
His
