When We Meet Again

Chapter 7

Dean called promptly at 10 in the morning waking Meaghan up from peaceful slumber. She was not amused but she was also quite glad that he’d kept his word.

“What?” she said into the phone.

“So rude. I would like to ask for the pleasure of your company this evening at a dining establishment of your choosing,” he said very formally.

“Oh how quaint Heathcliff,” she said in amusement.

“Do you agree to dine with me then?” he asked.

“Yeah sure. There’s a small Italian restaurant a friend of mine introduced me to. They have the best lasagna I’ve ever tasted. How about we meet there?” she said.

“Wonderful, what time?”

“I don’t know, what’s good for you?”

“We have a lot to talk about. Shall we say 7pm?”

“Alright,” she agreed.

*****

She debated with herself for all of five minutes before she called Bain.

“Help,” she said.

“What now?” he sighed.

“Well let me start from the beginning. Someone sent me U2 tickets from Aspen and it turned out to be Dean. He turned up at the concert last night and asked me out. I told him to call me in the morning. And he did. So now he and I are meant to have dinner at your Italian place.”

“Really?!? I should call Luigi and alert him,” Bain said as if speaking to himself.

“Alert him to what?” Meaghan asked automatically.

“Alert him to the fact that he’s having special guests this evening,” Bain said.

“Aww, Bain, you’re so sweet,” she said.

“I know how to take care of my people. Now tell me why are you meeting with Dean? Is he single now?”

“That’s what we’re supposed to talk about, among other things apparently.”

“I get a blow by blow?” he asked.

“Of course you do,” she stated.

“Now, what will you wear?” he wanted to know.

“That’s why I called you.”

“Indeed. We need to go shopping.”

“No we don’t. I don’t have the cash for that and I’m not taking yours,” she said.

“If you don’t come with me, I’ll just go by myself and then where will we be? Probably buying something that you hate and you’ll have to wear it because it’ll cost too much and you’ll feel guilty if you don’t.”

“You are the devil you know that?” she complained.

“Just call me Memnoch,” Bain said, “I’ll pick you up in a couple of hours. Wear flats.”

*****

Meaghan arrived at the restaurant with minutes to spare and spent the time chatting with Luigi about his fiancée Nancy and their plans for the future. Meaghan was still trying to figure him out because she wasn’t picking up any excitement about his upcoming wedding. However when the topic switched to Bain, his face lit up like a candle. As Dean walked up to the table he stood up and prepared to leave after introductions had been made. He gave her a wink and a thumbs up behind Dean’s back and she tried not to laugh.

“So this place is quaint. How did you find it?” Dean asked. He seemed a bit put out that she was such good friend with the chef.

“Do you remember Bainbury?” she asked him.

Dean thought about it for a minute frowning.

“You know, tall guy, russet colored hair, light brown eyes; kind of lopes when he walks?” she prompted.

“Oh you mean your gay friend? Yeah I remember him,” Dean said. “You guys are still in touch?”

“Still best friends,” she said.

“Wow and here I thought you just hung out with each other for convenience,” he said.

“Don’t be an asshole,” she said annoyed.

“Sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be snarky it’s just, no there’s no excuse. Sorry,” he said.

“Okay, maybe we can start over?” she said.

“Yes lets. How is Bainbury anyway?” he asked.

“He’s great. He’s an architect now.” She told him.

“Oh really. So he didn’t feel that he had to go into the family business?”

“Nope. But anyway he has his brother who’s perfectly happy to take over.”

“Lucky bas*ard,” Dean murmured.

Meaghan’s eyes went up, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing really. It’s just that I have no brothers to fob this job off on you know? I wish I did. Or even a sister.”

“You don’t want to be head of a multinational conglomerate?” Meaghan asked in surprise.

“I want…options,” Dean said.

“And you don’t have them?”

“Not really. At least not to do with the firm. Though everything in my family seems to be something to do with the firm. My mother wants to kill me you know.”

“Really. Any particular reason?”

“The marriage with Samantha wasn’t just supposed to be a neatly tied bow after years of dating; it was supposed to be a merger.”

“Oh. I guess Samantha’s family owns some other multinational conglomerate?” Meaghan asked.

“Not really but they do own a crucial sector in the banking industry that would be useful to us,” he said.

“Ah. Well. So are you saying you’re going to marry her after all?” she asked bracing herself for impact.

“If I was then my mother wouldn’t be mad at me, now would she?” he said.

“You broke it off?” she asked.

“I broke it off.” He repeated nodding his head.

“So now what?” she asked.

The waiter discreetly brought in the entrée and they paused their conversation so he could arrange their plates to his satisfaction.

“Well that’s what the last three weeks were about,” Dean continued as soon as the waiter disappeared as if there had been no interruption. “I was trying to figure things out.”

“And did you?” Meaghan asked spooning her soup.

Dean sighed, “Not really. I kept being distracted by thoughts of you. So I figured the best way to get rid of those was to actually see you.”

Meaghan ate her soup impassively, “And has that helped?” she asked.

“Well it’s helped in that it’s really crystallized for me the fact that I like you. A lot. And I want to see you. But…”

“There’s always a but,” Meaghan commented.

“Yes maybe but mine is a real concern. You see my…family can’t know about you; not for a good long while. My mother would think that you’re the reason I refused to marry Samantha and that would just create more problems for you than you need. My dad is weak right now and he’s not in any position to handle stress in his life. I don’t want to be the one to bring stress to him. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“You’re saying you want to see me, but in secret,” Meaghan said wondering why she was even surprised.

“I broke up with Samantha for you,” he reminded her.

She looked up at him, “I thought you broke up with Samantha for you.” She said.

“Yeah but I never would have done it without the impetus of you behind it. I’m honest enough to admit that.”

Meaghan nodded her head whether in acknowledgment or agreement Dean didn’t know.

“It’s not forever. Just till we know where this thing is going. If it’s serious enough to brave mother’s wrath then we’ll do that. In the meantime, let’s just get to know each other. Please,” Dean said.

There was that ‘please’ again. It seemed to do strange things to Meaghan’s will power. She thought about what he was saying essentially. He’d broken off a serious relationship to pursue one with her but he had genuine reasons for not wanting to broadcast that to the world. Were his reasons valid? They seemed to be, and Meaghan wanted to give him a chance. Dean’s hand snaked out to cover hers.