When We Meet Again

Chapter 6

Meaghan walked onto the building site cautiously looking around to see if she could spot Bain. They had a lunch date to belatedly celebrate their own thanksgiving and they had agreed to meet here at his latest work site at noon. All she could see though were workmen going about their business. Hard hats were everywhere but she knew Bain’s physique like the back of her own hand and he wasn’t among these men.

“Boo,” someone said from behind her and she almost jumped. She turned around glaring trying to get her breath back under control.

“Bain! Don’t do that,” she said irritably.

He ignored her anger and enveloped her in a tight hug which she returned with interest.

“I’ve missed you girl. It’s been too long,” he said into her shoulder.

“Don’t I know it,” she replied into his shirt. The workmen were starting to notice them and wolf whistles rent the air.

“Let’s get out of here,” Bain said tugging her hand.

“Yes, let’s.” Meaghan agreed following eagerly behind.

They had lunch at a small exclusive Italian place where they knew Bain. His family were relatively well known wine growers with farms spread all over the world. So sommeliers all over the city went out of their way to make Bain feel welcome in their establishments. Bain didn’t really enjoy having his ass kissed and that’s why he favored this little out of the way place; they knew who he was but not because of his family business. He and the family son had dated briefly before the son decided he wasn’t gay after all. Bain had been supportive and they’d remained friends ever since. Especially since Bain didn’t bring any of his dates to the restaurant. His former boyfriend was also the house chef and Bain was of the opinion that that would not only be tacky but also dangerous for his health.

“So he’s still into you?” Meaghan always asked whenever they came by and the chef would fawn all over Bain.

“No. He’s straight now. I think he’s engaged to be married even,” Bain would clarify with a look in his eye that Meaghan couldn’t quite read.

“Well…y’all are just too evolved for me. Are we having that heavenly lasagna again?” Bain tended to place their order in Italian so Meaghan never knew what she’d be having until it appeared before her.

“Yes, I told them to bring you the lasagna,” Bain said in an indulgent tone. “Now, to business. What is going on between you and Dean? Why am I hearing rumors of a rift in the family?” he said leaning forward and beetling his brows at her.

“A rift?” Meaghan said in surprise.

“Uh uh, you don’t get to look at me all shocked and sh*t like you don’t know what I’m talking about. Two days ago you were all wistful and sad and ‘oh Dean my love’, so don’t sit there like you don’t have a clue,” Bain said.

“I don’t.” Bain glared at her. “Really I don’t. I did see Dean two nights ago it’s true. He came to my place to take me out for a drink. We kissed. I told him that I won’t kiss him anymore until he was a free man. He took off to Ibiza. That’s all I know. Swear.” She said putting up her hand like she was reciting the national anthem.

“Was that before or after you called me?” Bain demanded.

“After. In fact, he texted me right after we hung up. I was going to tell you,” she anticipated his next question. “So what’s this about a rift?”

“I don’t know. It’s just country club rumors I have no details,” Bain said and she could see his frustration.

“Well then…what?” Meaghan asked.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you call him and see what he says?” he suggested. Meaghan gave him a look.

“I can’t call him to see what he says; he’s supposed to call me. Anything else would be a fatal display of weakness to quote you.”

“Yeah okay you’re right. Good to know you listen to me sometimes. Now you want to hear about my stripper or not?” Bain asked as the first course was brought to them.

*****

Ibiza was cool this time of year and even as Dean checked into the hotel at 3am, having caught the night flight. He booked a suite on a different floor from that which Samantha and her crew were on, thanking the clerk as he took his key. He only had hand luggage after all he wasn’t planning on staying long. Just long enough to finish with Samantha and go back to New York before Meaghan left again for God knew where. He knew he should have spent more time talking about her plans and schedule rather than Harry Potter but damn, who could think straight when she was looking back at him with those liquid brown eyes alight with enjoyment?

He checked into his room and then sent Samantha a text.

We need to talk.

Dean looked at the words and shuddered. He always hated when anyone told him that and here he was laying them at Samantha’s door. She knew how much he hated those words; what would she think? She was expecting a proposal and he’d been ready to give it to her. His mother had given her the family heirloom to be used as an engagement ring; twenty carat diamond in a gold and platinum setting. It was beautiful and she was excited to receive it and he hadn’t had any reason not to give it to her. Now…

He wasn’t sure that he and Meaghan would ever amount to much or anything at all. God knows they came from different worlds and she could absolutely be a gold digger. But the last time he’d felt this alive they were debating Homer in a tiny garage office in high school. He owed it to himself to at least see if this was something, or if it was nothing. And that meant breaking it off with Samantha. He thought that whatever the consequences, that at least would be a relief.

Where are you?

His phone dinged as he looked down at it. Oh, looked like Samantha was awake.

I’m here. In Ibiza.

His phone rings about three minutes later and he’s not surprised to see Samantha’s name and photo pop up. It was one she’d taken at another photo shoot with nothing but her hands covering her bre*sts. She had saved it to her name herself; just so that Dean wouldn’t forget what he had every time she called him.

“Hello,” he says into the phone.

“Dean! You’re here? Your mother’s been going crazy looking for you. Why didn’t you say you were coming?” she exclaimed her high voice making Dean wince. He hadn’t noticed what a soprano she had. Compared to Meaghan’s honeyed tenor it just grated on his nerves…all of a sudden.

“Yeah I’m here,” he said ignoring the part about his mother. “Can we have breakfast?”

“What now?” she asked incredulously.

“Obviously not. How about 10 in the morning?” he asked figuring that if she slept now she should be fairly alert by then.

“I have a 4am photo call Dean, why do you think I’m awake at this time?” she said exasperatedly.

“Oh and I guess you’re not having breakfast at this time,” he inquired.

“Of course not. You know I never eat before a shoot.”

“Well okay then when can you squeeze me in?” he asked.

“How about lunch? Around 11a.m? You could come down to the site,” she said.

“Good wonderful. Have your assistant text me directions?”

“Will do. See you then. Kisses,” she said and hung up.

“Bye,” he said into the empty phone.

*****

“He’s going to propose,” Samantha told her stylist as she arranged her hair.

“Oh my God, how excited are you?” her stylist Morgana asked.

Samantha took a deep breath. “I’m trying really hard to play it cool. No need to seem over eager is there?” she said smiling smugly.

“Oh no. Absolutely no need,” she said and bent to her work.