Chapter 19

Sarah looked at the pile of invoices and sighed. How could one aquarium generate so much paperwork? She wished she could go home and get about sixteen more hours of sleep; she had yet to adjust to getting up at four in the morning for exercise, but at least she’d lost five pounds.

When the telephone rang, she considered letting the caller leave a voicemail to answer later. The last thing she needed at the moment was another problem to deal with. But there was no sense waiting. “Yes?”

“There’s someone here to see you, Ms. Gladstone.”

“Who?”

“A Mr. Sam Melville.”

“Does he have an appointment?”

“Ms. Gladstone, I promise to only take a few minutes of your time. I would like to speak with you about investing in the aquarium’s future,” Melville said in a bass growl that reminded her of Barry White.

“I can spare a few minutes. I’ll be right out.” She took her suit jacket from the back of her chair and headed for the door. On the way to the front desk, she stopped in front of Koo’s tank to check her reflection. God, she looked tired. She smoothed down her hair and evened out her lipstick with a finger. He’ll probably think I’m a mess.

She saw an exceptionally tall, thin black man at the front desk in a gray suit that must have cost a fortune. When he smiled, his teeth showed, a gold canine winking at her. He stood at least a foot taller than her. “Ms. Gladstone, I’m Sam Melville.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Despite the slenderness of his hands, his grip was strong enough to make her wince.

“I’m sorry to stop by without an appointment, but I’m only in town for today.”

“No, it’s no problem at all.” He was cute, no doubt about it. Even with that flat nose and the ears sticking out from his shaved head, there was an exotic quality to his face. Those fine cheekbones and the dark brown eyes that seemed so mysterious. She wondered what brought someone like him all the way out to Gull Island. “Let’s go back to my office.”

On the way back, they stopped at the tanks so she could tell him about Koo. “This is Koo, our latest addition.”

“She is beautiful. A killer whale, correct?”

“That’s right. You know your whales.”

“It’s a hobby.”

“Who’s this?” Lucille asked. She carried a clipboard, no doubt with more problems for Sarah to handle.

“This is Mr. Melville. He’s interested in the aquarium.” Sarah smiled at her co-worker, but wanted to scream, “Back off, he’s mine!”

Lucille didn’t seem to notice. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Melville. I was about to feed Koo. Would you like to come?”

“Mr. Melville doesn’t have a lot of time,” Sarah said. She didn’t know why Lucille bothered; no one young and handsome like Melville would be interested in a dried-up fossil like Lucille.

“I’ll have to take a rain check. Thank you for the offer.”

“I hope you come back soon. With a little more time.”

After Lucille tottered off, Sarah took Melville’s arm. “Let’s go to my office now so you can tell me what brings you out to our little facility.”

“Of course. Lead on.”

Once in her office, she noted how he looked like an adult sitting in a kindergartner’s chair when he sat down. She blushed at the thought of what it must be like to get in bed with someone that tall. “Well, um, how can I help you?”

“I read about the Gull Island Aquarium in the Times two weeks ago. I’ve always had an interest in underwater life. Last year I went down to the Titanic in a minisub.” She suppressed a laugh at the thought of him compacting himself to fit inside a minisub. “Have you ever dived to the Great Barrier Reef?”

“No, I haven’t had the chance yet.”

“It’s amazing. So many wonderful creatures. You really should go some time. I could give you a personal tour.” When he smiled, she thought she would fall out of her chair. He was coming on to her! She couldn’t give in too easily.

“I’m afraid I have too much work to do around here.”

“Yes, of course. You’re right. I’m sure you have many responsibilities around here.” He folded his hands and leaned forward until his fingers touched the desk. “I would like to make a sizable investment to your facility to make this the largest aquarium in North America.”

“Really?”

“Yes. In the hands of someone as capable as yourself, I’m certain we can do great things.” While she sat there with her mouth hanging open, he took her hand. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“This is really something for the board to discuss. I mean, I’m flattered, but—”

“I understand. I’m sorry to circumvent the proper channels this way. Perhaps, though, we could discuss my ideas over dinner?”

“Dinner? Well, yes, I think we could.”

“Excellent. I’ll have my driver pick you up at seven.”

“Seven? That would be fine. I, uh, I better give you my home address so your driver knows where to go.” She laughed, feeling as awkward as when Dave Murray asked her to the homecoming dance in sixth grade. With a trembling hand she reached into her desk for a business card. On the back she scribbled her address, hoping he could read her writing.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he said.

As soon as he left, she reached into her drawer for a belt of bourbon to calm her nerves. A date! She hadn’t gone on a date in months. And she looked terrible. She checked her watch and then took another shot of bourbon.

She picked up the phone and called her salon. “This is an emergency,” she said. “I have a date in four hours and I look awful. You have to help me.”

“You’re in luck, I just had a cancellation. If you get here in ten minutes I can fit you in,” Rosie, her stylist, said.

“You’re a lifesaver. I’ll be right there.” She broke the connection, and then dialed the receptionist to say she was leaving early today. After another hit of bourbon, she snatched her purse and ran out to her car.

Two hours later, Sarah’s hair was shampooed, cut, and put up to show off her lovely neck, as Rosie said. Then they applied make-up to hide the bags under her eyes and blush so her face didn’t look so pale. “You could really use a tan. You’re white as a sheet.”

“I know. There just isn’t time.” She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She still looked pale and not even make-up could disguise the tiredness in her eyes, but it would have to do. If she got lucky, the restaurant would be dark enough so he couldn’t notice any of these things. “Thanks, Rosie, you’re a miracle worker.” She paid the bill and then tore out of the parking lot to go home.

She threw open the front door of the house and ran upstairs to her room. “Sarah, honey, is everything all right?” her mother called.

“I’m fine, Mom.” She opened her closet and began rummaging through her clothes for something to wear. She didn’t have a lot of dresses and the ones she did own seemed inadequate for a date with someone like Sam Melville. Finally, she settled on a black dress that went down to just above the knee to give him a good look at her legs. With all the walking she and Alicia had done, there wasn’t a trace of cellulite on her calves.

As she looked through her jewelry box for a pair of earrings, Mom opened the door. “Sarah, what’s going on?”

“I have a date.”

“A date? With who?”

“A man I met at the aquarium.” She found a pair of diamond studs she didn’t remember owning.

“Oh, honey, you look so beautiful.”

“I guess.”

“How late do you think you’ll be out with this date?”

“Christ, Mom, not this again.”

“I’m sorry. I suppose you won’t be wanting dinner either.”

“No, he’s taking me out to dinner.” When the doorbell rang, Sarah froze. “That’s him! What do I do?”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, your father will get the door.” Sarah nodded and turned to the mirror. Rosie’s hairdo was already starting to come apart; Sarah scooped a few strands of hair back into place. “Don’t be out too late.”

“Mom, don’t worry.”

“I know. Have a good time.” Sarah kissed Mom on the cheek and then bounded down the stairs. Instead of Melville, she found a woman in a chauffeur’s outfit.

“Mr. Melville will meet you at the restaurant,” the chauffeur said in a New England accent.

“Oh.” She followed the chauffeur out to a stretch limousine and crawled into the backseat. By herself, the back of the limo seemed cavernous and lonely. She sank deeper into the leather upholstery and closed her eyes as the limo glided along the streets of Gull Island.

“Ma’am, we’re here,” the chauffeur said. Sarah opened her eyes and realized she’d slept through the ride. The chauffeur held open the door. Sarah stepped out of the limo and found herself standing in front of the Gull Island Country Club. “Mr. Melville is waiting inside.”

“Thank you.” She went up the front walk, jumping with surprise when a doorman held open the front door. “Sorry.” The maitre d’ showed her through the elegant dining room with its white tablecloths, wood paneling, and soft light coming from a crystal chandelier. Melville looked as out of place in the restaurant chair as in her office. He stood up as she approached and held out her seat.

“You look wonderful,” he said.

“Oh, thanks. So do you.” As he sat down, she took a look around to see how the rich women around her behaved. She unfolded her napkin and tried to remember which fork to use for which course.

She hadn’t been to a country club since she was seven years old. She squirmed the entire night in a lacy white dress with a bow in her hair that made her look like a baby. When the main course of grilled salmon arrived, Sarah made a face, threw down her fork, and crossed her arms. “Sarah Louise, eat your dinner,” Mom said.

“I don’t want to. I want a cheeseburger!” Sarah said.

Mom leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Sarah, eat your dinner this instant or you’re going to get a spanking.”

“I don’t care. I hate this place!” At this, Mom grabbed her by the collar to drag her to the bathroom. Sarah winced at the memory of Mom spanking her in the stall. Afterwards, Mom straightened Sarah’s bow and wiped tears from her eyes. “You stay here until you can behave,” Mom said and left her there. She took off the stupid bow, tossing it in the garbage, and then went back to the stall for the rest of the night until Mom collected her. After that night, Mom and Dad always went to the country club alone, leaving her and Danny with a babysitter.

“Are you feeling all right?” Melville asked.

“I’m fine. Let’s order. How about a bottle of champagne?”

“Yes, good idea.” Melville signaled for the waiter to come over and ordered the most expensive champagne. “Now then, let’s talk about the aquarium.” He began with a detailed analysis of property values in the area and the cost to buy a parcel of land to increase the aquarium’s size. When the champagne arrived, he poured a glass for each of them. “To our new partnership.” They clinked their glasses together and she took a cautious sip.

After he began to discuss building permits, she finished her glass and then poured another. As he went into various architects he knew, she interrupted to say, “You said you dove to the Great Barrier Reef. That must have been really interesting.”

“Yes, of course.” She leaned her chin on one hand as he described the gear used to make the dive and his training with a world-renowned instructor. When the waiter returned to take their orders, she let him order for both of them.

“What kinds of fish did you see?” He ran through an encyclopedic list, describing each type of fish to the smallest detail. By the time her filet mignon arrived, she wanted to get back into the limo and fall asleep again.

She ate her steak with careful bites so she wouldn’t appear unsophisticated to Melville, if he would even notice. Why hadn’t he been this dull back at the aquarium? There he’d seemed warm and charming. Maybe there was something in the country club air to make people dull.

Through the entrees she made interested-sounding noises at the appropriate times and finished off the bottle of champagne, plus two glasses of scotch. His tour of the Great Barrier Reef finally wound down when the waiter came around with the dessert cart. “What would you like?” Melville asked.

“I’d rather skip dessert.”

“A woman like you doesn’t need to worry about one little dessert. Try something.”

She accepted a piece of cheesecake, gulping it down in three undignified bites. She could already see that a future with Melville meant a lifetime of boring restaurants while she listened to him drone on. She should cut her losses now, but after months of celibacy, she wanted to at least make it back to his hotel room.

He was midway through his dive to the Titanic, when she interrupted to suggest, “I’m getting a little tired. How about we go back to your place?”

His face brightened at this. “Yes, I see.” He paid the bill and then escorted her to the limo. Sarah leaned her head against his shoulder as the limousine cruised back to the Gull Island Regency, the island’s only five-star hotel.

In bed she found him just as dull as at the restaurant. Though she had never seen a dick that large before, he seemed to have little idea of how to use it. While she worked, he laid back, doing nothing. Then he came too quickly, leaving her unsatisfied. “Wonderful,” he said before falling asleep.

She laid next to him, staring at the ceiling for over an hour, but he didn’t wake up. Instead, he began snoring with a sound matching his size. She rolled out of bed and found her clothes. After she got dressed, she took one last look at him lying there, so handsome yet suddenly so unappealing. She took the elevator back to the lobby and called for a taxi.

At home, her parents were already in bed. Sarah opened the refrigerator and made a sandwich from leftover ham. She washed it down with a soda, longing for her bottle of bourbon. She opened the freezer to find a pint of triple chocolate ice cream. When some of the ice cream dribbled onto the front of her dress, she didn’t mind; she wouldn’t wear this again anyway.