Holding my printed boarding passes for my flight tonight made it feel real. Charlie was still hanging around not taking any hints to leave and asked to see them.
“I’d like to take you to the airport, Kat.”
I shook my head no. After yesterday’s miserable trip with Greg, I’d rather go alone. The sex was the only good thing, albeit nerve-racking, and I’d had enough sex now to last me at least two months.
He tried to grab my boarding passes from me, but I held them out of reach. “It’s on the way if you are going out of JFK. I’m going to my house in the Hamptons to put the place on the market. Going to finalize my divorce per your instructions.”
“Don’t do it for me. Do it for yourself or your ex-wife.”
“Sure Kat, this is for me. Please let me see them.” He reached around my back to steal them, so I surrendered.
He checked them and said, “Great. JFK. I’ll arrange a car at five, so you have two hours at JFK before departure. Shame you aren’t going non-stop.”
“Yeah. Well, it was a last-minute flight to Copenhagen. And London isn’t the worst place for a stopover.”
“What are you doing today?”
“Washing clothes, packing, and picking up some clothes in Chinatown. And, since I’m gone for two months, some financial stuff.”
“Is that all?” He asked with a smile.
I frowned not amused. Charlie was a distraction.
“Let me help you, Kat. I’d love to wash and pack your undies, please.”
“Oh, you pervert.” I teased while I avoided his kisses.
“Maybe I am, but I’m all yours.”
“I’m sure you tell all the ladies this. Of course, there aren’t that many at Levittman.”
Charlie frowned as if I struck a nerve and jolted the memory of a bad relationship. “I never date anyone at work. Don’t even joke about it.”
“Good. I’m glad at least one Wall Street guy can keep his thingy in his pants.”
“Yeah, and aren’t you lucky you found me? A diamond in the rough.” He started to kiss me again.
“Speaking of work, don’t you have mega deals to do on a workday?” I pushed him away. “Won’t your clients shrivel up and die without you?”
“Oh, you. My accounts can manage a day without me. I took the day off to have one last day with you before you run off to the high seas. My little sailor boy.”
“You won’t say that when you see what I have to wear?”
“Wear?” I didn’t answer, and he looked worried. “Don’t tell me this is a clothing-optional cruise.”
“Not hardly.” I laughed. “I’ll look like a proper lady from the Civil War.”
“What Civil War?” He begged for an answer.
“The American Civil War. The 1860s.”
“Well, that’s sure different. Gone with the Wind style, huh?”
“Yeah, but this is the part of the cruise I’m not looking forward to.”
Charlie picked up his phone to check email and said he needed to make a few calls and sat at the dining table. I knew his clients and his team were probably lost and unable to manage without him. I rarely saw Axel work from home so hearing Charlie on the phone working was strange.
Axel kept strict barriers, rarely worked on weekends, and never on his days off. Axel’s kept the work-life scale weighed towards life. Axel often lectured, “We don’t need the money. You keep working because you enjoy it.”
A part of me did, but if I wanted to stay in Manhattan in my large apartment, I needed money and a decent nest egg. I wasn’t relying on social security, and now, without a job lined up, it was going to take even longer to save enough to retire.
In my small home office, I calculated monthly expenses for the next two months and added a cushion if the trip took longer, or unexpected bills came in. I logged into my brokerage account, sold some stocks, and set up some transfers to my main bank account. Then I signed a handful of blank checks for Abby and any unexpected bills and printed Mel’s and my parent’s emergency contact information for her.
I gathered the paperwork and checks to take to Abby’s and walked into the living room.
Charlie was on the phone. “Now listen, once more I am again going to make this crystal clear.” After a short pause, he yelled, “You’ve got to be kidding me. Don’t be so asinine.”
I didn’t want to continue eavesdropping. Charlie didn’t notice me and stood to look out the windows with his back to me. He screamed into the phone. “What an idiotic screw-up! No, whatever you do, don’t tell the client that.”
I sympathized for whoever was on the other end of the phone. Charlie sat and jotted some notes down. “You have to fix this, or it’s your head. Here’s how you have to …”
He glanced up and saw me. I didn’t want to hear what sounded like a long series of steps, so I waved to indicate I was leaving.
Charlie barked into the phone, “Hold it.” He put his hand over the receiver and glared at me with eyes that could inflict real pain. I was taken aback at his sudden transformation from a fun-loving gator to a growling attack dog.
“Kat?” Before I could form the words, he urged, “Yes?”
Wary of having my head bit off, I found my voice. “Going down the hall to see Abby.”
As I escaped to her apartment, I contemplated why he turned on me like this. The Charlie on the phone was the same Charlie from the bar on our first date. His true nature reappeared. Everything else is fake. I never barked at my colleagues like that. I had a collaborative management style with my staff to build loyalty, and I believed I got better results than by being an obnoxious dictator. But my way wasn’t the norm on Wall Street.
Abby greeted me at the door apparently recovered from the shock of seeing Charlie’s backside, ‘his morning glory’ as she called it. I didn’t have the heart to tell her he was completely naked a few minutes before.
She pointed out a cardboard box containing a case of wine. “Charles is a real gentleman. I’m happy for you, Kat. I just wrote him a thank you note.”
“He sent that to you?” He must have called the wine store around the corner since he hadn’t left my apartment.
“Yes, as a thank you for letting him crash the party last night. And an apology for not bringing the hostess a gift.”
I was speechless.
“Kat, you must tell me how you found him. Did you try Tinder?”
I decided to confess. “Nope. A mutual girlfriend suggested we meet.”
She smiled, but I couldn’t keep the rest of it secret. “Charlie is the bad blind date video guy. The one that sent the roses on Sunday. He stopped by my office on Monday and helped me take my boxes home. And last night he came back from Europe early to say goodbye before I left.”
She did a double take. “Seriously? Wow!”
“Yeah, last night was great. Figured it would be a short visit, but we danced and had fun together, and, well, you saw him this morning. But just minutes ago, he was scary angry on the phone with someone at work. Now I’m afraid he is the same guy from Friday. I can’t date someone like that.”
“Don’t worry, Kat. He seems perfect for you. More your type than Matteo or that old rich guy you mentioned. He’s probably dealing with a problem at work, and it sounds worse than it is to you. Maybe the other guy was yelling back, or his boss did. Talk to him. Tell him.”
“Yeah, you might be right.”
“Can you give him this thank you note for the wine? By the way, I’m happy to keep an eye on him while you’re gone. Guys like that don’t stay on the shelf long.” She snapped her fingers emphasizing how quick someone could snatch him up.
I took her card for Charlie and started to leave but remembered the discussion I overheard last night. “Abby, who was that woman you were talking about last night in your bedroom?”
She looked alarmed, so maybe things had gotten worse. “No, it’s nothing. Focus on your trip and have a fantastic time. We’ll catch up on everything when you’re back.”
I didn’t like being brushed off since maybe I could help her. But she stood and said, “Sorry Kat. I’ve got to get back to work and set up some showings.”
She gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek goodbye, and a tear slid down her cheek.
“Oh Abby, don’t worry. I’ll be back in a few months. Thanks again for watching over my apartment and bills. Email me if you need something. I got a good price for this cruise. When I’m back, we’re going to celebrate and do whatever you want. A Broadway show and dinner. Pick out something special.”
“Yeah, that’ll be fun. Don’t rush back, Kat. If you are having a good time, go with it. No worries. A new job and this place,” as she waved her arms around her apartment, “will be here waiting for you.”
When I returned home, Charlie sat at my desk with his laptop using my printer cable. My laptop was still open to my brokerage account, and the screen with my investments and account balances was showing.
“Pretty penny you have there, Kat. And this place, I heard you say last night you don’t have a mortgage. Must be worth close to two million.”
I snatched my laptop from him. “That’s private. And this apartment is only worth it if I sell it, and I’m not selling ever.”
“Whoa, sorry Kat. I didn’t mean to snoop. Just using your printer. The wireless setting didn’t work, and your account info was right there. You should log off when you aren’t using it. What if someone broke in?”
“Right, like you?” I shut down my laptop and stormed out to my bedroom to pack. I should book my car service in case they get busy. Charlie had worn out his welcome.
My clothes were clean and ready to pack, and I had to be prepared for all types of weather. The ship probably doesn’t have washer-dryers, so I threw in extras. I was packing too much, but I didn’t want to run out of clean clothes.
I glanced up and saw Charlie hovering in the doorway as if he wanted to test the water in my bedroom. He should put a stick in so I could chew it up and scare him away.
He left finally but came back with a cup of ice coffee. “I’m sorry, Kat. You’re right. I should not have looked at your account. I’ll show you my brokerage account, but yours is a lot healthier.”
I glared at him. He should have millions more. Charlie and his wife were idiots and probably spent it as fast as it came in. He put his hand down on my dresser close to the door as if to prop himself up and glanced down at the washed and folded sweatshirt and gym pants I had borrowed from Greg.
“I didn’t know you were Ivy League,” he said, noticing the word ‘YALE’ in big letters on the navy sweatshirt.
I ignored him. Charlie grabbed it and observed, “A bit too large for you.”
“I’m not Ivy League, and they aren’t mine.” Would I ever see Greg again?
“Good, I’ll get you a crimson from my alma mater, the winning team and a much better school.”
I assumed he was referring to Harvard since he had that sweatshirt on last night.
“Whatever,” Annoyed with this stupid rivalry, I picked up Greg’s clothes up to find an empty box to mail them. Another chore I’d nearly forgotten.
“Who owns them?” He blocked me from passing through the doorway with his arm.
I ducked under his arm. “Greg’s. I’m sending them back.” I left not caring how he reacted.
I shut the door to my office for privacy and ordered online the DVD for the 2014 film Mr. Turner as a thank you for Greg since he hadn’t seen it. Charlie was pushing me right back to Greg when he acted so possessive.
I returned to the living room with Greg’s clothes and taxi receipt ready to mail. Charlie was working on his laptop like he owned the place. He must need to go home, at least for a few hours, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of doing this. I stared at him wondering how to get rid of him.
“You have lots of mosaics around. I especially like Bacchus, the god of wine, in the kitchen, the mermaid in the guest bathroom, and the seahorse in yours. They’re all so unique. Where did you buy them?”
“You can’t buy them.” He looked surprised. Some things aren’t for sale, but a deal guy like Charlie thought so. “I made them.”
“You did? What a talented girl even if she’s only 99 percent there. Come here for a second. Please.” He begged and made some funny cat chirping noises. I ignored him and put my coffee cup in the kitchen.
He pranced over and put his arms around me while he nuzzled my neck and kissed me. “I’m sorry if I upset you with your account and on the phone. I have some new imbeciles working for me, and I get angry when we piss off clients. We can’t lose more over stupid shit. You know, Kat, it’s business, not personal.” I squirmed and extracted myself from his arms.
“You remind me so much of back home in Wyoming. The wet untamable always surprising Laramie River.”
“Well, that may be, but I’ve got to go to the post office and Chinatown to pick up some dresses for my trip. Can we meet here later to go to the airport?”
He didn’t answer either way. Impatient, I picked up Greg’s package and grabbed my coat from the closet. I didn’t want him to stay. But if he wouldn’t leave, he’d have to wait here. Nothing was that valuable. What would he steal? A mosaic? Not likely, and if he did, I’d track him down.