C4 Chapter 4

Counter Talks

“Your never again lasted a long time,” Rick remarked with a grin.

Carolin gave her arm a punch. “You’re one to talk.” She picked up her milkshake and drank.

Melly came out of the kitchen. “Well?” she greeted Carolin with a chuckle. “I hear enviable things about you.”

“Enviable?” Carolin looked at her irritably.

“You caught yourself the richest bachelorette in the city,” Melly explained, her eyebrows raised in amusement. “None of us ever pulled off anything like that before.”

“I didn’t know who she was,” Carolin defended herself, awkwardly.

“No, you just have a weakness for attractive women.” Rick laughed and wrapped a friendly arm around her shoulders. “She falls in that category too, of course.”

“Too bad I didn’t look closer when she was here,” Melly regretted. “I’d love to know what she looks like.”

“Tall, dark, very athletic,” Rick described Rebekka. “A body like –” She cast a glance at Carolin, who was glaring a warning at her. Rick grinned. “I think that any athletic activities one might undertake with her would be a great deal of fun,” she finished quickly, ducking the hand that Carolin was trying to hit her with. “I was thinking about bicycling,” she added innocently, while she smirked from ear to ear. “What were you thinking about, then?”

“I know what you were thinking,” Carolin retorted. “And I’m glad that Rebekka isn’t here to hear the way you’re talking about her.”

“You will bring her in some time, won’t you?” asked Melly. “I’d love to meet her.”

Carolin sighed. “Yes. When I can pry her loose from her work.”

“But she’s her own boss,” Melly wondered. “Can’t she give herself a little time off?”

“I’m working on that,” said Carolin. “But it isn’t easy. She carries the responsibility for the entire company. And she carries it all alone. She thinks if she’s not there, everything will collapse. And it probably would, too.”

“Well, the situation has one advantage,” said Rick. “You’re set for life.”

“I’m no kept woman,” snapped Carolin.

“No one’s saying you are. We just can’t help ourselves, out of pure jealousy.” Rick hugged her affectionately. “Let me be happy for you, woman!”

“Not for that reason,” said Carolin. “Money is not an issue between us.”

“Oh no?” Melly’s brows rose skeptically. “Isn’t it always?”

“Not between Rebekka and me. I don’t take any gifts from her.” Carolin shook her head firmly.

“Maybe you’ll learn to,” Melly smiled. “It can be nice, you know.”

“Rebekka has always paid and paid,” said Carolin. “It’s difficult enough for her to learn that I’m not one of the women she used to . . . know.”

“That blond . . .” Rick’s eyes narrowed. “The one who was here with her that time. That was one of those –”

“That was Svenja,” Carolin explained uncomfortably. “I don’t know her, and so I won’t say anything else about her.”

“I found her very . . . interesting,” said Rick. “As far as I can recall. Exceptionally fun-loving, I suspect.”

“Yes, I’m sure you could say that,” Carolin confirmed. Even though she didn’t know Svenja, she probably remembered better than Rick did the evening she’d seen Svenja. With Rebekka. In Rebekka’s arms. A shudder rippled through her.

“No offense meant.” Rick patted her on the shoulder. “The main thing is, you’re happy. Rebekka impressed me as very likeable.”

“Yes.” Carolin sighed. “Me, too.”

Rick laughed. “I think she’s done more than make an impression,” she teased with a wink.

Carolin took a deep breath. “It’s not what you think. I hardly see her. Sometimes I think . . . I’m not that important to her.” She swallowed.

Rick glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t believe that,” she responded in a peculiar tone, and smiled.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Carolin heard Rebekka’s voice an instant later.

She closed her eyes. Just to hear Rebekka’s voice was to feel her caresses. She needed a moment before she could turn around. “Of course you’re interrupting,” she teased back. “Can’t you see I’m talking to Rick?” Everything in her yearned to throw herself at Rebekka, to kiss her, caress her, cuddle her, but that was precisely what Rick and Melly were waiting for. She didn’t want to do them that favor.

Rebekka looked as though she were having the same problem. She bent over Carolin and brushed the suggestion of a kiss across her cheek. “Then I can go,” she said.

Melly contemplated her, deeply interested, but then remembered her obligations as hostess. “What can I get you?” she asked.

“Mineral water,” said Rebekka. “Perrier?”

Melly shook her head.

“Then whatever you have. And something to eat. A salad? I haven’t eaten a thing all day.”

“Then a salad isn’t exactly the right thing,” Carolin chided her. “How about a proper dinner? Melly has an outstanding kitchen.”

“Evelyn,” Melly contradicted. “Not me.” She turned to Rebekka. “But she cooks very well, that’s true. Of course you can have a salad, if you want. It’s prepared just as well as everything else is here.” She started toward the kitchen.

“What about the pork tenderloin?” Carolin stopped her. “That was delicious last time.”

“Always delicious,” said Melly. She looked at Rebekka. “For two?”

Rebekka seemed irritated. Then she began to smile. “All right. For two.” But she couldn’t help herself. “Does a salad come with that?”

Melly laughed. “I’ll tell Evelyn to give you an extra-large side salad with it.” She went into the back.

It was suddenly very quiet. Rick felt superfluous. Carolin and Rebekka only had eyes for each other, as though the entire world had disappeared around them. That’s nice , thought Rick. How nice for Carolin. That’s the right woman for her.

After a while, Carolin seemed to wake up. She cleared her throat. “What . . . what are you doing here?” she asked in amazement. “You said –”

“Yes.” Rebekka looked at her, sought her eyes, sank into them. I had such a longing for you , she thought. Her entire body was craving Carolin. “I finished early,” she said, “and so I thought I’d drop by. You said you were going to be here. With Rick.” She looked at Rick, and Rick had the feeling she was posing a question with that look.

“We were talking about you,” Rick answered quickly.

Rebekka’s eyebrows rose.

“Nothing bad.” Rick laughed nervously. Today, Rebekka looked like what she was: a wealthy woman with high standards, influence, and power. She hadn’t looked like that the last time. It’s probably just the suit , thought Rick. The silk blouse, the overcoat, the makeup. Her whole attitude. After all, she just came from the executive office at her very own company, where she was making decisions that probably cost more than I’ll earn in my entire life.

Yes, she couldn’t deny it: Rebekka definitely made her nervous. She played in a whole other league.

“Really, nothing bad,” she reaffirmed. “We’re happy for you and Carolin.”

“Ah.” Rebekka didn’t seem very impressed with this happiness.

“Rebekka . . .” Carolin laid a hand on Rebekka’s arm. “Rick meant that nicely.”

Rebekka looked at her again, and suddenly it seemed as though a mask fell away from her. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry,” she said with a glance at Rick. “I’m somewhat unaccustomed to that. I didn’t mean to be impolite.”

Oh, man, thought Rick. I don’t want to see her when she is being impolite.

Carolin let her arm rest on Rebekka’s arm. “It’s nice that you came,” she said tenderly, caressing Rebekka’s face lovingly with her gaze.

Rebekka swallowed imperceptibly. “If I’d known there was food here, I might’ve come earlier,” she replied with a smile. “It was a hellish day. I didn’t have one free minute.”

“That really shouldn’t happen when you’re your own boss,” said Rick. “I always take the time –” She broke off. “But of course, I have a tiny business compared to yours. It’s not the same thing,” she amended hastily.

“Probably not,” said Rebekka. She sighed. “But you’re right. I should find some time to eat something at least once a day.”

Carolin laughed. “That would be advisable, yes.” She stroked Rebekka’s sleeve with a finger. “I could make a salad, too, in the evening,” she added softly. “If you insist on. Or cook something.”

Rebekka looked at her doubtfully. “You don’t have to do that,” she said.

But I’d love to, thought Carolin. “I know,” she said.

“You can have your salad now.” Melly came out of the kitchen. “Do you want to sit at a table or is the counter okay?”

Carolin glanced at Rebekka. “A table, please, Melly,” she decided. She had the feeling Rebekka needed a little distance from the unfamiliar situation.

Carolin slid down from the barstool. Rebekka followed her immediately, as though relieved to be alone with her.

Melly followed Carolin and put the salad on the table Carolin chose. “The rest will be out shortly,” she said, disappearing again.

Rebekka sat down across from Carolin and reached for the salad that Melly had placed in front of Carolin.

Carolin chuckled. “You don’t want to get too close to me?”

Rebekka, who had been staring at her salad, looked up. “I’m already burning for you from this distance,” she said quietly. “Any closer and I’ll go up in smoke.”

“Rebekka . . .” Carolin reached out a questing hand toward her.

Rebekka pulled her hand away. “I can’t start making out here, not in front of all these people,” she said with an effort.

“When you were here with Svenja, you had less of a problem,” Carolin recalled, somewhat disappointed.

Rebekka’s head shot up. “That was Svenja, not me,” she contradicted sharply.

“Calm down.” Carolin made a mental note that Svenja was a subject best avoided. “It’s all right. I just wish I could touch you.”

“Me too,” whispered Rebekka. “But if I do that, I can’t be responsible for what happens next.”

“Oh, God, Rebekka,” Carolin breathed weakly. “I can feel you. I feel you everywhere, all over my skin, as if you were actually touching me.”

Rebekka looked at her, but said nothing. Her gaze showed all the self-control she could muster. “It’s never been this difficult for me to hold back,” she managed.

“Never?” Carolin’s eyebrows rose. “Really never?”

“Never,” Rebekka repeated. “At least, not since I’ve . . . been an adult.” She seemed to be having difficulty speaking.

“Ah, you were a wild teenager?” Carolin asked with interest. “I wouldn’t have thought so.”

“I wasn’t . . . wild,” Rebekka contradicted. “I just had –”

“Too many hormones?” Carolin grinned. “Or too many offers?”

“Definitely too many offers,” said Rebekka, now somewhat calmer. “Sometimes my hormones weren’t even enough to keep up with all of them.”

“Oh-ho.” Carolin wasn’t sure how to answer that.

“That’s why I accepted the last offer I got,” Rebekka added suddenly. Her eyes flashed mischievously. “I’m getting old. I need my peace and quiet.”

Carolin laughed. “I’m sure. And if the day had twenty-eight hours, you’d still fill them all.”

Rebekka made an apologetic face. “Maybe then there would be a couple more hours left for us.”

“Would you like that?”

Rebekka looked at her in astonishment. “Do you doubt that?”

“Well . . . sometimes . . .” Carolin shrugged, “I get the feeling that everything else is more important than I am.”

Rebekka grimaced. “I was afraid of that,” she said sorrowfully. “I’ve never had much time for –” She took a deep breath. “And unfortunately, that hasn’t changed.”

“Didn’t you tell me it was all just a question of organization?” replied Carolin.

“You mean I should ask my secretary to schedule you on my appointment calendar?” The corners of Rebekka’s mouth twitched. “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.”

“As perverse as that sounds,” Carolin replied, not especially happily, “I’d do anything to see you more often. And yes, I’d even agree to be one of your appointments.”

Rebekka grinned. “I’ll instruct my secretary to set up a Gebhardt file.” When Carolin gaped at her, aghast, she laughed. “I didn’t mean that seriously.” She reached for Carolin’s hand with her own and held it tight. “I would do anything to see you more often, too.” She raised Carolin’s hand to her lips and kissed it.

A whistle came from the counter.

Carolin glanced over. “Keep your shirt on, Rick,” she called good-humoredly. “This doesn’t involve you.”

Rick grinned.

Rebekka shook her head. “This is really very strange for me,” she said.

“You’ve traveled in other circles, presumably,” Carolin answered, still amused. “Where people don’t whistle at women.”

“No.” Rebekka leaned back and sighed. “They do other things instead. I prefer the whistling.” She looked over at Rick and gave her a smile and a nod.

Rick gave an affirming thumbs-up and turned back to Melly.

“I’d like to be your five o’clock,” Carolin continued. “Because that’s when I get off work. If I wait until you get off work, I’ll be old and gray before I see you.”

“I’m sure you’ll still be just as adorable then,” replied Rebekka, gazing warmly into Carolin’s eyes. She sighed once more. “I just should’ve thought more about what I was asking of you –

before I proposed.”

“Do you want to withdraw your proposal?” asked Carolin.

Rebekka smiled tenderly at her. “No. Not for the world. But what I’m asking you to put up with . . . that, I would gladly take back.”

“The pork tenderloin.” Melly set the platter in front of them. “I must honestly admit that Evelyn has done a particularly fine job with them today. Even better than usual. So, enjoy.” She smiled at the pair and left again.

“My mother does these very well, too,” said Rebekka.

Carolin gave her a dubious look. “You’re not one of those women who constantly reproaches people for not cooking as well as their mother, are you?”

Rebekka seemed to have no idea what she meant.

“You’ve never eaten at my place,” Carolin explained. “If you did, would I have to listen to you tell me how much better your mother cooks?”

Rebekka laughed out loud, amused. “No,” she replied, still laughing. “Of course not. I’m very easy to please.” She grimaced with embarrassment when she realized what she’d said. “Food-wise, I mean,” she added quickly.

Carolin grinned boldly. “Otherwise, too,” she said softly.

Rebekka rolled her eyes. “Oh, please . . .”

“You brought it up.” Carolin really had to hold herself back to keep from bursting out laughing. It was always sweet when Rebekka was put on the defensive – it certainly didn’t happen often. Then she could just . . . eat her up.

“Can we change the subject, please?” Rebekka gave her a pointed look. “Or should we leave the food sitting here? If you’re going to keep that up, we’d better go right now. Otherwise we’ll have to do some explaining to your friends.”

Carolin laughed. “That’s exactly what they’re hoping for.” Then she leaned over toward Rebekka. “You’re going to eat that up, now, come what may. You haven’t eaten anything all day, and I insist that you do so now.”

Rebekka chuckled. “You’re definitely going to make a good wife.”

“Well, I hope so,” said Carolin. “Now eat.”